by Leann Harris
He listened as she walked down the hall, then, when he heard the door to her room close, went back to his computer. Again he carefully checked missing persons lists, state and national. There still was no one matching April’s description, and the longer it went without someone reporting April as missing, the more ominous the situation became.
Something was going on here. He knew it, could feel it. But what?
There were several pieces of the puzzle of April’s identity that were still missing. But he felt confident that those pieces would soon fall into place.
April didn’t sleep well. She woke several times, her heart racing with fear. Dawn was a welcome glow on the horizon. She dressed and was out of her room before the sun broke out. Rafe was already in the kitchen, fixing the coffee.
“Morning,” he greeted her. “How did you sleep?”
She didn’t want to go into why she hadn’t rested. Shrugging, she murmured, “Okay.”
Rafe leaned close and his gaze captured hers. “When you knew who you were, I bet you weren’t a good liar.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Why would you say that?”
“Because you’re a lousy one now.”
She opened her mouth, then closed it.
“See what I mean? Even now you can’t deny I caught you in a little lie. You didn’t sleep worth beans.”
A scowl darkened her face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Rafe laughed. “I wish all the folks I deal with were as transparent as you. It would make my job a lot easier. But mostly, I’m used to first-rate liars and con men. Running into you restores my faith in human nature.”
A smile appeared on her face, like the sun peeking through the clouds. “Do you want to scramble the eggs or do you want me to do it?”
“Maybe you should cook them. Your chili was much better than mine.”
“I think I’ve been had.” There was laughter in her voice, which made Rafe grin.
“While you’re doing that, I’ll fix everything else.”
“Deal.”
They worked quietly, side by side. Rafe found himself comparing this experience with that of his marriage. His wife hadn’t wanted to be anywhere near the kitchen. She’d wanted someone to wait on her. But he had been busy trying to establish himself in the department, so couldn’t take off and play housekeeper. Nor was he rich enough to hire someone to attend her.
The real trouble was that Rafe found he hadn’t wanted to try with Carmen. The fire that had blazed between them hadn’t lasted very long after they’d married.
In contrast, the easiness he shared with April was comforting. And deadly. He couldn’t afford this closeness.
“Eggs are ready. Got the plates?” April asked, breaking into his rehash of the past.
He took the plates to her, and after she dished out the eggs, carried them to the table. With his first bite, he knew his decision to let her cook was the right one. “You’re better than I am, April. Want the job of cook while you’re here?”
She paused in scooping up her egg. “Yes, I think I’d like that. Makes me feel like I’m at least helping and not just taking.”
“And that’s important for you?”
April thought about his question, then nodded. “Yes, it is. I want to feel useful. I mean, I might not remember who I am, but I want to pull my weight. It doesn’t make sense, but I don’t want to be coddled.”
“Then you’ve got the job.”
Too bad the vision of other things entered his brain. “Would you like to see my ranch today?” he asked, hoping to concentrate on something besides April.
“Sure. I wouldn’t mind a ride.”
“Then let me load the truck, then we’ll be off.”
“I’ll be out in a minute.”
Rafe nodded, then went outside to load his pickup with feed and hook the horse trailer to the truck.
April met him out in the barn, dressed in jeans, a white shirt, tennis shoes and with her hair pulled back into a ponytail.
He was dressed similarly in jeans and a western shirt. But the boots and tan Stetson told the story: he was a rancher, one of those men who spoke sparingly, but had a heart as deep and wide as Texas.
Where had that come from? she wondered.
“My, my, you look like a real cowgirl in that outfit.” He smiled as he studied her, making her heart pick up tempo.
“I was just thinking the same thing about you.”
“I look like a cowgirl?”
She laughed. “No, a cowboy. You know, the kind you see in the movies.” She glanced down at herself. Pointing to his boots, she said, “Maybe I need a pair of those.”
“When your ankle is better, I’ll drive you into Alpine and we’ll buy you a pair of Ropers.”
“No, you’ve spent too much already.”
He didn’t argue the point. Instead, he loaded his horse into the trailer behind his pickup. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“Getting ready to feed the cattle.”
“Why do you need both a horse and truck?”
“Well, we’ll drive out and feed the cows. I’ll count the heads and if I’m missing some animals, then I’ll use the horse to go looking for the strays.”
“Seems like a lot of work.”
Rafe nodded. “You’re right.” He untied the other horse and led it into the trailer.
“Why are you doing that?”
Emerging from the interior, he closed the trailer door. “I thought you might like to ride with me.”
“Well, I’m not sure what kind of a rider I am.”
“Don’t worry about it. I saddled a gentle mare that won’t give you any problems. Missy is a steady ride. Trust me.”
She studied him for several moments, then nodded her head. “I do trust you.”
Her words hung in the air between them, filled with more meaning than she had intended.
She shook her head and stood. “But remember, I don’t know squat.”
He laughed. “Somehow, April, I think you’ll make it.”
“We’ll see.”
He walked around the truck and opened the passenger door. “Hop in and we’ll get going.”
After she was seated, he rounded the truck and slid behind the wheel. He pointed to the battered Stetson on the seat between them. “That’s for you. You’ll need it to keep the sun off your head.”
She picked up the hat and put it on. It was big and slid down to her eyebrows. A laugh escaped her lips. “Where did you get this?”
“One of the men who worked on the ranch part time left it behind when he quit. I thought it might fit you.”
She glanced in the rearview mirror. “As a fashion statement, it lacks something.”
“It’s strictly protection.”
Glancing in the rearview mirror again, April noticed the rifle on the rack behind her. “Is that for protection, too?”
“That, and if I come across a badly hurt cow....”
The color drained from her face.
Rafe started the engine and drove away from the barn.
As April stared out the window of the truck, she was amazed at how sensitive Rafe had been to her reaction. She was grateful.
They drove for a good fifteen minutes. Finally, April looked at him in stunned amazement. “Where are these cows?”
He topped a small rise and came to a halt in the middle of the road. He then honked the horn several times. She threw him a curious look.
“Wait and see.”
He got out of the truck, hopped into the bed and pushed several bales of feed onto the ground. He then walked back to the trailer and unloaded both horses. By the time he was done, twenty cows had come out of the brush and gullies around them. April got out of the truck and watched in surprise as the cows began to eat the feed Rafe had provided.
He counted the cows. “I’m missing a couple. I need to check the area around here to make sure they’re not in trouble.”
“How do you know?”
she asked, looking at the cows feeding. “They look so much alike.”
“I know each cow by name. I’m missing a couple who are out in this region. Besides, don’t you want your riding lesson?”
She looked indignant. “How do you know I don’t know how to ride?”
He tried to swallow his grin. Holding up his hands, he said, “Okay, we’ll see if you know what you’re doing.”
Unloading the horses, he brought them around to the front of the trailer.
“This is Missy. You remember how I introduced you to Sam, my mount, last night.”
“Yes.”
“Do that for Missy.” April shrugged, stepped close to the horse and rubbed her between her eyes.
After the introduction, Rafe helped April into the saddle. Rafe eyed how she was sitting. “This stirrup is too long. Let me shorten it for you.”
He nudged her leg aside and shortened the strap. It was disconcerting to have his cheek next to her thigh. It was so intimate that other activities came to mind. She looked away, trying not to blush at her thoughts as Rafe rebuckled the stirrup, then placed her foot into it.
“There, that should be the right length,” he said, his hand resting on her ankle. She nearly jumped out of her skin. It was amazing how sensitive an ankle could be. He walked around the horse and worked on the other stirrup. As his head was bent, April had the crazy urge to take off his hat and run her fingers through his hair.
What was wrong with her, lusting after Rafe this way? Nothing said the voice in her head. He was a man and she was a woman. Yeah, but a woman with no past, and a vague future. Rafe didn’t need that.
“That’s it.” He looked up and caught her staring. Her face flooded with warmth.
He stepped into his saddle and threw his leg over the horse’s back. His tight jeans outlined his backside in clear detail.
He showed her how to rein her mount and watched her carry out his instructions.
“Ready?”
“I hope so.”
After several minutes, she grumbled, “I don’t believe I’ve done this too often in the past.”
“Don’t you worry about it. Missy and I will take good care of you.”
They were words that warmed her heart.
In the end, Rafe knew what he was talking about. Missy turned out to be an easy horse with an even temperament that made April feel at ease.
The earlier rains had made the land come alive with green. Small wildflowers were blooming, delicate and fragile.
“This is beautiful,” she murmured, looking around the uneven land.
“This land after spring rains is a paradise. Long about September things are dry. It looks like one of those old pictures done in sepia.”
April threw him a look of amazement. “Sepia?”
“You know, those old pictures that were done in tones of brown.”
“I know what you were talking about. It’s just that I didn’t expect you to be so—”
“Knowledgeable?”
She felt the flush run up her neck. “I guess I was making an assumption. It’s just that I didn’t expect...I’m going from bad to worse.”
“Don’t worry about it. I have an interest in photography. I’m also interested in saving old photos—restoring them. A lot of the folks in the area come to me to save their photos.”
“Really?”
“Do you find that odd?”
“Well, yeah. I mean you’re a Ranger and a rancher and when you think of those occupations, you don’t think photography.”
“Then you don’t know about the modern day Rangers. We have to take crime scene photos and do analysis on pictures and other aspects of the job.”
She laughed. “You’ve nailed my problem, Rafe.”
He reined in his horse and looked at her. “That’s the first time you’ve called me by my name.” It sounds good on your lips. He didn’t say the last words, but April swore she saw them in his eyes. It certainly was in the tone of his voice, dark and rich.
Embarrassed by her thoughts, she looked around at the scenery. “Someone should take a picture of this. Or better, capture it on canvas.”
Rafe looked surprised. “Well, I’ll leave that to someone else. I’ve got my hands full.”
They rode back to the trailer in silence and loaded the horses, then drove back to the ranch—the windows down, the breeze refreshing and cool.
When they parked, Rafe walked around the front of the truck and opened April’s door. Suddenly, a glint of light appeared on the horizon beyond the barn.
“April, get down!” Before she could react, he pushed her down onto the seat.
A shot echoed through the air. Rafe grunted and hopped into the seat next to her. Several other shots peppered the area around the truck. Rafe reached for the rifle on the rack behind them.
The roar of an engine sounded, then a vehicle drove off.
April looked at him with dazed eyes. “Why did that happen? I mean who would want to kill us?”
Rafe looked at her. “That’s the $64,000 question. Why did someone want us dead?” He said “us,” but she knew he meant “her.”
A chill descended on her soul.
Chapter 8
Whoever was shooting at them was after April. Rafe had been too easy a target when he walked around the truck, and the shooter hadn’t hit him. Only as he opened the door for April had the shooter sighted her.
Who’d been shooting at April? And why?
The newspaper article came to mind.
He listened carefully, trying to determine if he could hear the sounds of a car returning or anything out of the ordinary. Looking around again, he got out of the truck. His right leg buckled, and he would’ve fallen on his face if he hadn’t been holding onto the door.
He heard the horses in the trailer; Missy was stomping. Sam, who was used to the sound of firearms, was quiet.
April slipped out of the truck. “Rafe are you all right?” Her eyes searched his face, then his body. She spotted the hole in his jeans. “You’ve been wounded.”
He waved away her concern. “We need to get inside.”
She wrapped her arm around his waist. “I’ll help you.” Her eyes were full of misery.
He took his rifle—he wasn’t going to be caught unarmed again. As they walked toward the house, Rafe paused by the rear of his truck. “He shot out my damned tire.” He looked back at his vehicle, noting several dents and holes in the sheet metal.
“Rafe, you’re the one hurt.” The agony in her voice was more painful to Rafe than his damn wound.
He closed his eyes. The wound throbbed like hell. He glanced down at his right thigh. At least there wasn’t much blood, which meant the bullet hadn’t caught a blood vessel.
They hurried to the back door, then went inside. She helped him into a chair by the table. Immediately, she went to the phone and called the sheriff’s office. When Derek answered, April explained what had happened.
“Stay inside, April,” Derek told her. “I’ll bring Alex with me to see to Rafe.”
When she hung up, she said, “Help’s on the way.”
April fell to her knees and tried to see the damage done.
The hole in his jeans was mute testimony of what had happened. April went white, and her eyes became glassy. She looked as if she were going to faint.
“April, are you all right?” Rafe asked, concerned more about her reaction than his own wound.
“I’m okay.” She seemed to snap back. “What can I do?”
“You’ve done it—called for help.”
“This is my fault, isn’t it. Whoever was shooting was aiming at me, weren’t they?”
“Don’t worry, April. You can’t change anything.”
She stood and wrapped her arms around her waist.
It seemed like hours, but within fifteen minutes, they heard the sound of sirens, then doors slamming and a woman’s voice calling, “Rafe, Rafe, where are you?”
“In here.”
Ale
x raced into the house, followed by her husband, Derek.
Instantly, she knelt in front of Rafe. “This isn’t exactly why I moved to Saddle, Rafe. I had enough of emergency medicine while I was in Houston and Bosnia.”
He grinned. “Sorry, sis.”
“What happened?” Derek asked.
Rafe explained how they were shot at.
“I’ll check over the area,” the deputy responded, immediately moving toward the door.
“Derek, when you finish, can you unload my horses from the trailer? The gunman got to us before I could get the horses out.”
Derek disappeared out the back door.
Alex took out a pair of scissors out of her bag and Rafe held up his hand. “What are you doing? These are new jeans.”
“I’ve got to see to the wound. Do you want to take the jeans off the other way?”
“Yeah. I can use these to work the cattle.”
Alex rolled her eyes and looked at April. “I guess he’ll live.”
If he was worried about his jeans, then he couldn’t be too badly hurt, could he? April wondered.
“Why don’t we get you into your room? Then you can shuck your jeans and I can look at the wound,” Alex said.
He nodded and let both women help him to the bedroom. He paused by the bed, when April’s hands went to his waistband. His hands covered hers. He had dreamed of having April’s hands there, but this wasn’t exactly the scenario he had in mind.
“I think Derek might need help with the horses,” he softly told her.
“But, I want—” April began.
“Sam and Missy might be nervous with those shots and Derek will need some help. Alex has control of everything here.”
April hesitated for a moment, looking at Rafe. He attempted a smile.
“I’m in good hands, here. Alex is a trained E.R. doctor. Why don’t you go help Derek?”
She looked as if she wanted to argue, but then nodded her head. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, before she walked down the hall.
“What was that all about?” Alex asked once they were alone.
“Whoever was shooting at us was aiming for April.”
Alex didn’t look pleased. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I do.”