by Leann Harris
“Rafe’s a Texas Ranger.”
Elena gasped. “A Ranger? Are you sure you want to try another lawman?”
Elena’s response confirmed what had, until then, just been speculation.
“Señora, we have a bit of a problem. I found Lynn out on my ranch. She was without any identification or memory. We’ve managed to track her down to this house. Could you help us with her background?”
The woman’s eyes widened. “Ah, niña, what an awful thing to happen.”
“Would you have a key for Lynn’s house?”
“Of course. Let me go get it, then we can talk.” She rushed into her house.
April turned to him. Terror darkened her eyes. “I don’t want to know,” she whispered as she rested her head against his chest.
A feeling of protectiveness flooded Rafe. He wanted to save her from this pain, but he knew it was impossible. April needed to be whole, and getting through this valley seemed to be the only way to achieve that goal.
The neighbor emerged from her house. “Here it is,” she said, holding the key aloft. When she saw. Rafe with his arms wrapped around April, she paused, her gaze meeting his.
“I warned her to be careful when she went back to Cameron.” She walked to the front door and opened it. Rafe and April followed.
The house was warm and inviting, with plants everywhere. The arched doorways between the rooms spoke of a house built in the mid-forties. The wooden floors gleamed.
They followed Elena into the living room, where she set the key on the coffee table and settled into a chair. “Tell me how this happened.”
Rafe explained how he had found April and what had led them to this house. “What can you tell me, Elena?”
“Well, Lynn here was going to a wedding in Cameron. A friend she had made when she lived there was getting married and asked her to come. She left ten days ago. She told me she might spend some time with a couple of friends in the county. That’s why I didn’t get concerned when she wasn’t home by Monday. I thought—I’m sorry, Lynn.”
April smiled at the charming woman. “It’s not your fault.”
The older woman shook her head. “I should’ve known that you going back to that town with that man would be trouble. I had a feeling here.” She pointed to her stomach. “Nothing good had ever been connected with him.”
“Can you tell me how long you’ve lived next door to Lynn?”
“All her life. I saw Lynn grow up. Her madre died when she was about ten. I helped take care of her. I taught her to cook.”
Now Rafe knew how April learned to make green chili.
“When she went to Austin County the first time, she was going down there to talk to the county employees about buying mutual funds for their retirement. And that’s when she met Nelson.” She waved her hand in the air dramatically. “He was charming, with a smile that resembled an angel. Only you realize that the devil and his demons are also angels. And Nelson Baker is a devil. He put Lynn through hell.”
They looked at April. Her bottom lip quivering, she rose and walked to Elena, then knelt down and wrapped her arms around the other woman.
“Thank you, Elena.”
“For what?”
April sat back on her heels. “For giving me back my memory.”
Chapter 13
They waved goodbye to Elena. As soon as they were alone, Rafe turned to April.
“All your memory is back?” His gaze was wary, as if he couldn’t quite believe his ears.
As Elena had talked, things had fallen into place for April: the entire ugly scene she had witnessed in Cameron and the reason why she had traveled to Saddle to find Rafe.
“As Elena told you, I’d gone to a wedding in Cameron. Before I left, when I was getting ready, I found in my jewelry box a broach that belonged to Nelson’s mother. It had been passed down for several generations. She had just passed away, and I didn’t want to keep it because of all the people in his family, his mother was the kindest to me. Besides, it was a family heirloom. I wasn’t part of that family anymore, so I took it with me, intending to give it to Nelson.”
She stood and walked to the bookcase in the living room. Pulling open a drawer, she grasped a photo album and brought it to Rafe. She showed him a picture from her wedding. “That’s Nelson’s mom there.” She pointed to the broach on the woman’s dress. “And that’s the pin I wanted to return. I mean, although I didn’t ever want to see that man again, his mom had always been decent to me.”
Looking at the beautiful couple in the picture, it was hard to believe from that bright moment that their lives had turned so dark. Nelson’s handsome face hid a black heart.
“The day after my friend’s wedding, I drove to Nelson’s house with the intention of returning the broach. As I walked to the door, I heard raised voices through the open front windows. When I looked into the front windows, I saw Nelson in the living room, and he was arguing with Jeff Colby.” Her blood ran cold with the memory.
“What were they arguing about?” Rafe asked.
She looked at him. His brown eyes held warmth and reassurance, encouraging her to go on with her story. “Jeff mentioned the night that he’d caught several coyotes and the truckload of illegals. The men gave him money, and told him to check with his boss. Jeff was yelling that when he called for backup, no one came. One of the deputies told him to let the group go. Jeff said he was shocked, but did let them go. Jeff demanded to know what the hell was going on.”
She took a deep breath, trying to still her racing heart. “Nelson—in that smug tone of voice that I hated so much—told Jeff to quit being such a purist. There were big bucks to be made by looking the other way when the trucks rolled through the county. Nelson told Jeff he could keep all the money that he’d gotten—this time. Next time, Nelson expected half. He said they could use a good man like Jeff in their operation.”
She shivered, thinking of the words that Nelson had uttered. Other memories of that voice, and the agony that usually accompanied it, invaded her thoughts.
“April.” Rafe’s voice called her out of the ugliness of her past. “Querida, where are you?” The touch of his fingers on her chin made her focus on his face. His warmth and strength pulled her back and eased her heart.
She tried to smile, but she couldn’t quite make her mouth turn up. “I was remembering.” She shook her head. “But I need to finish telling you what happened. Jeff told Nelson he wasn’t for sale, and he wouldn’t go along with the plan. That was fine with Nelson, if Jeff kept his trap shut. Jeff told him he wasn’t going to swallow the corruption—he would go to the Rangers. Jeff turned to go. Nelson calmly walked over to his desk, pulled out a gun and shot Jeff in the back.”
Even now, the memory of it shook her to her foundations. “I must’ve made some sound because Nelson looked up. I ran to my car, jumped in and raced off. When I glanced into my rearview mirror, I saw Nelson in the front yard. I knew I was in trouble, and I knew that the best thing for me to do was to report the crime to the Rangers. I didn’t doubt for a minute that Nelson would’ve killed me, too, if he caught me. He never had a conscience. He was always out for himself.”
She reached for Rafe’s hand and squeezed. He slipped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.
“How did you know where the nearest Ranger was?” Rafe asked.
“When I was married to Nelson, he knew where every Ranger in the state was located. He hated y’all. Thought Rangers were puffed-up tin gods who thought they were invincible.”
A laugh rumbled through his chest. She glanced up to see Rafe’s smile sparkling with delight. “Tin gods who thought they were invincible?”
Her lips twitched. “That was one of the kinder things he said. That’s why I knew those old stories about Rangers.”
“What happened on your trip to Saddle?” Rafe’s calm, deep voice reassured her.
“As you know, there were bad storms that morning. I heard on the radio the warning about flash floods in the area.
I remember hearing the roar of the water, and I opened the door of my car. The water hit then, and I don’t remember anything until I saw you.”
She lifted her eyes to his and saw his burning awareness. His fingers skimmed over her neck. Then his mouth brushed hers—it was the briefest meeting of lips. He pulled her tight against his chest.
“I’m grateful to heaven above that you are safe.”
The steady beating of his heart was a comfort. She knew this man would help her and protect her from the wrath of her ex-husband.
Rafe pulled back and lightly kissed her forehead. “I’m going to need to call my commander and tell him what you remembered.”
A hint of panic worked its way into her heart. “What’s going to happen?”
“Well, after I talk to Steve, we’ll probably ask for a court order to see if we can find traces of blood inside Nelson’s house. And we’ll also want to do testing on his car. If you’re going to get rid of a body, you usually throw it in the trunk.”
She felt the blood drain from her face. “It would help if you had a body, wouldn’t it?”
“It always makes it easier for the DA if we can provide a body. But with your testimony, and the physical evidence, we might get lucky. Also, if your ex was the one shooting at us and trying to kidnap you, he’ll have some distinctive bite marks on his butt. That will also help.”
“Now that ought to be an interesting warrant.”
They laughed. And for April that laughter was a sound of promise.
Rafe walked into the kitchen to phone his boss. April’s story about the murder of Jeff Colby had set his teeth on edge. Her ex-husband was a first-class bastard. And Rafe hoped that they could get enough evidence to put him away for a long time.
He dialed Steve Banks in Midland and repeated what April had told him.
Steve’s response was short and pithy. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised about Baker. There’ve been rumors about him for some time. The only problem we’ve had is catching him with proof that will hold up in court.”
“I think what April’s provided us with will do the job.”
“Okay, I’ll call around to see the nearest judge we can trust, and try to get the warrants. You want to luminol the carpet in Nelson’s house and the trunk of his car?”
“That’s it: Also, remember we want to examine the man’s butt.”
A laugh rumbled over the phone line. “I can see myself now asking the judge if we can examine the sheriff’s butt. I’ll try to do it with a straight face.”
“I wish I’d seen who knocked me out, but I didn’t. April didn’t get a good look at the guy, either. Any good defense lawyers will call her memory into question. But if the teeth marks are where we say they are, well, there will be no way around it.”
“Court order to look at a man’s butt. I think you’ll get the award this year for the most unusual request. Give me the number where I can reach you when I get the paperwork done.”
Rafe gave him the number at April’s house. “I’ll be waiting to hear from you.”
“I’ll put a rush on this.”
Hanging up the phone, Rafe sat back in the chair.
“Is everything all right?” April asked from the doorway.
“Steve’s going to try to get the court orders. We’ll have to wait on him.”
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
Several hours had passed since they had stopped for lunch. Rafe’s stomach growled with hunger. “I could use something.”
“There’s a good restaurant down the street. The Mexican food is terrific.”
“Sounds good.”
In the car, Rafe said, “I’ll have to thank Elena for teaching you how to cook green chili.”
A soft glow entered April’s eyes. “My mom died when I was in sixth grade. Elena took me under her wing and kept me while my dad worked. And she taught me how to cook. I couldn’t have asked for a better substitute mother. I also make a mean tortilla.”
At the restaurant, after ordering, Rafe asked the question that had been burning inside. “Tell me how you met Nelson.”
A sadness entered her eyes as she fingered her tea glass. “Days before I graduated from University of Texas, my dad had a heart attack and died. I was rather lost, alone. I managed to get a job with a brokerage firm here in San Antonio, but the loneliness was a killer. You do things you would never have done in other circumstances. You grab for things you think will make you happy. You believe lies.”
His hand grasped hers, and his eyes were understanding.
She paused while the waiter served them dinner.
“Well, about six months after I got the job, they needed someone to go down to Cameron and try to sell the county employees on a retirement plan. I got the nod. I felt that I had taken a major step in being accepted within the firm.”
“That’s when you met Nelson.”
“Yes. Oh, he was charming and charismatic and had me eating out of the palm of his hand before I went back to San Antonio. Well, after about three months of his driving here on the weekends, and flowers and small, thoughtful gifts, he proposed.” The expression in her eyes was bleak. “I don’t know how I could’ve been so stupid.”
Rafe’s hand tightened on hers. “Don’t blame yourself, April. I’ve been there. Sometimes common sense flies out the window and you’re left with hormones. It doesn’t last long, but when it’s happening, you’re swept away.”
The first genuine smile he’d seen from her today graced her lips.
“We make quite a pair, don’t we?” She shook her head.
Rafe reached out and cupped her chin. “We do. In more ways than you know.”
Her eyes widened.
“Why don’t you finish your meal? I suddenly have an urge to get back to your house.”
From the expression on her beautiful face, he knew she understood his meaning perfectly. And he had every intention of loving her today. There would be no shadows this night. No ghosts. Only the two of them—and their passion.
April’s heart thudded as they drove back to her house. She loved this neighborhood. She’d grown up here. Knew everyone on the street. Yet, suddenly, the street took on an entirely new look.
Hope.
She glanced at Rafe, then back at the familiar scenery. What he had said to her back at the restaurant had been a promise. They would again know each other. But this time, it would be in the light.
The first time they’d made love, she’d been afraid of the shadows threatening her, the evil hanging over her. Now, it was the promise of heaven.
She swallowed. Her first man had been Nelson. And she quickly learned that sex and love weren’t the same thing. It had been a bitter lesson; dreams had been shattered. And yet, her experience with Rafe had been so different. Oddly, not remembering her past lovemaking had freed her to give to Rafe uninhibited by the wounds caused by her ex-husband’s callousness.
In the midst of her amnesiac’s fears and insecurities, Rafe had made her feel cherished, warm and comforted. But there had been more. There had been a driving force, a racing to a light that had exploded into showers of colored brilliance. And afterwards, there had been a resting of her heart and soul.
This time she could give herself completely—not just as a way of hiding from her fears.
When Rafe stopped the truck in her driveway, she felt suddenly shy. It was silly, but somehow this time with Rafe was like the first. He opened her door and offered his hand. Tenderly, he pulled her from the cab of the truck and tucked her close to his side. They walked arm in arm to the front door.
As soon as they were inside, Rafe turned to April and his mouth captured hers. It was a soft, seeking kiss. He gently coaxed her into relaxing and finding the joy in his touch.
She wound her arms around his neck and stood on tiptoes, fitting her body to his, giving him all that was in her. She wanted to hold back nothing this time. She knew who she was now, that her heart was hers to give. And she wanted Rafe to know that.
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br /> He broke off the kiss and took a deep breath. “Ah, querida, if you don’t want me to take you right here standing against the front door, you’d better not tempt me like that.”
She murmured, “That sounds wonderful.”
Rafe’s eyes went black with his desire. Instantly, his hands slid under her skirt and he slipped off her panty hose and panties. Grasping her around the waist, he whispered, “Put your legs around me.” She complied.
His mouth devoured hers; his hips ground against hers. April’s hands ran through his hair, then grasped his shoulders. Rafe’s hand reached under her skirt to make sure she was ready for him, and he smiled when he felt her welcoming warmth. He unbuckled his pants, readied himself and entered her.
April threw back her head, her eyes closed with the ecstasy.
She had come home. It was a startling revelation.
But before she could consider it, Rafe surged into her again, and all thoughts evaporated. All she could do was hold on while he took her to heights she’d never known existed.
She thought she was going to shatter into a million pieces—and suddenly did. Rafe groaned as he climaxed, then wrapped his arms around her and leaned against the door. His weight and strength were a joy.
It took several minutes for them to catch their breath. Finally, Rafe raised his head and looked deeply into her eyes. “That was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I think the French have a word for it.”
“Is there one in Spanish?” she asked, feeling satisfied and saucy.
“I do believe there is.” The grin on his face made her laugh.
Before she could say anything else, the phone rang. Rafe raised his brow. “Do you want to get that, or should I?”
“I can, if you let me down.”
“And whose idea was this?” he teased.
“I don’t recall any complaints.” She tried to look dignified as she pulled at her loose skirt. Racing to the kitchen, she picked up the phone. “Hello.”
“May I speak to Rafe, please?”
April held out the phone for him. “I think it’s your boss.”