Fighting Redemption: A Small Town Romantic Suspense (Texas SWAT Book 1)

by Sidney Bristol

  “He had my ring. My grandmother’s ring.” She thrust a Founders Ring into his hands.

  Shit.

  He grabbed an evidence bag and dropped it in. The chance of getting anything off it was slim, but he’d take what they could get.

  He pressed the accelerator, and they rolled forward, out of the development. Three patrol cars and all the neighbors hadn’t been able to track down Jenna’s attacker. A few of the neighbors had seen either the scuffle or the suspect leaving, but no one got a good look at him. Not even Jenna.

  “Was the car gone?” she asked, as if she could hear his thoughts.

  “Yeah, it was gone.” He glanced at her. It was unnerving to see her so...lost. She was the girl who never needed help. “A woman named Sterling called me. What were you thinking, Jenna?”

  “They needed help. They weren’t going to go to a doctor or even the emergency room. I did what I thought I could. You haven’t called Alex, have you?”

  “No, but I’m about to.”

  “Don’t. Please? Not until he’s done tonight.” She turned to face him, but Trevor couldn’t look at her. This wasn’t the Jenna he knew. “If you call him, he’ll leave the ready area and then what will the team do without him?”

  Shit. She was right. And he hated it.

  “Fine. But I’m not covering for you on this. You made a stupid choice. Why would you go out when you knew this stalker business was real?” He stopped at a red light and glared at the dashboard.

  “Because the baby was sick.”

  “Jenna, do you realize the risk you’re taking going to people like that? The liability?” He turned to face her, elbow on the center console.

  “Yes.” She stared at him, a bit of the real Jenna finally peaking out. “I do, but I also know that the people who call me can’t afford to see a doctor. They’re desperate. I made a mistake giving my number out once, and I keep paying for it.”

  Jenna was a good person. It oozed off her and those lucky enough to be close to her got to bask in that goodness. Sorry sons of bitches like Alex and him. Trevor had reservations about Alex and Jenna, but Trevor couldn’t deny that their TL would die before allowing Jenna to get hurt.

  “Okay, tell me again how your number got out?”

  “Light’s green.” She nodded at the road.

  He resisted the urge to stomp on the gas and peel out. Just barely. Instead he took turns at random, going nowhere fast.

  “I’d just gotten on normal rotation. We were called out to this intersection. Guy blew through a red light, hit a pedestrian. She was young, maybe twenty, Hispanic. Her parents were illegal immigrants and had just been deported, but she’d opted to stay here and send money back to them. She was alone, with three children, and scared. I felt bad for her. I mean, I’d just come home, too, and all of my family was gone. I saw myself in her, and I wanted to help. I gave her my number.”

  “Did you ever see her again?”

  “Yeah, I took her to a few physical therapy sessions when she couldn’t get a ride. Nice girl.”

  “How do you know that’s how your number got out?”

  “Because the first person who called me was one of her neighbors. A lady I’d seen a few times. She never admitted who gave her the number, but it wasn’t hard to figure out.”

  “And you think—what? People pass it around?”

  “That’s my guess.”

  “So, let’s say it’s a thing where you have to know someone. The lady with the baby today clearly knew someone you’d helped before. Or else, how could she have gotten it?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Has the stalker ever called you?”

  “No.”

  “Why not change your number?”

  Jenna stared out the window and didn’t answer.

  “You can’t keep doing this, Jenna. You’re going to get yourself in trouble. I know you want to help people, but not everyone is altruistic about stuff as you are. What if you help someone out and they sue you?”

  “But they need help. Where are they supposed to go?”

  “I don’t know. At least—don’t go alone, okay?” He glanced at her. “We both know Alex is going to put his foot down on this and you’re going to ignore him, but—at least call me before you do something stupid like this again?” And give him a chance to watch her back.

  “Okay.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Liam’s.”

  “But it’s not this way.”

  “I know. Somehow your stalker figured out where you were and how to get a jump on you. I’m taking the longest route possible to Liam’s. We’ll meet up with Alex’s neighbor and get the animals, then I figure we’ll hang out there until Alex gets off. Which reminds me...one of the guys is going to stop by my place and get your stuff before we head out.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t mention it.” Now if he could just get her to uphold her end of the deal.

  “I froze.”

  “What?”

  “Back there. I totally froze. I could have—I don’t know. Punched him or something, and I just froze.”

  “Don’t be too hard on yourself. This is a totally different animal than what you saw in combat zones or when we go into a tactical situation. In those events, it’s not personal. It’s not about us. This? You are the target.”

  “How many know, do you think?” Her voice was softer than usual. Not at all like the Jenna he knew.

  “About what? The stalker or Alex?” Trevor glanced at her.

  “Both?”

  “Liam and Casey have already texted about you and Alex.”

  “God, you’re all a bunch of gossips.” She groaned.

  “Hey, can’t blame us. That’s the shock of the century.”

  “That Alex and I are together?”

  “Hell yeah. He’s not good enough for you.”

  “Why would you say that?” Jenna slapped his arm.

  Trevor peered at her in the darkness, her face lit only by the dash lights.

  She didn’t know.

  Well hell.

  He wasn’t going to tell her.

  “Look, Alex is a great cop. I’d follow his lead anywhere. But...I don’t think you know him yet. I’m not saying he’s not a good guy—he is—but...”

  “But what?” There was an edge to her voice, one that said he was walking a fine line.

  “Alex was a different man before he came here. If you want to be with him, you should ask him about why he left Detroit.” It was old news now, but Jenna’s arrival fit nicely into Alex’s best years on the force.

  “Why he left Detroit?”

  “You should know. It might not change anything, I hope it doesn’t, but it’s the kind of thing you should know before you get too involved.”

  “How many know about the stalker?”

  “Everyone.”

  “Ug.” Jenna rubbed her face. “Can we talk about something else?”

  “Sure.” He’d already recorded her statement and got her notes. There was no point wringing her for any more information than she’d given him about tonight until she’d rested up a bit.

  “What about Long Legs?” she asked.

  “Long legs?” Trevor’s stomach sank.

  “Yeah, the girl from the bar. Tell me about her.”

  “Why?”

  “Because when I ask about her you get defensive, which means you’re still thinking about her. What’s her name?”

  “How do I know if she even gave me her real name?” Hello bitterness.

  “Okay, then what did she tell you her name was?”

  “Iris.”

  “What did she look like?”

  “Interrogating me now?” Trevor glared at Jenna. He should have never breathed a word about Iris, but he couldn’t forget the fear in her eyes.

  “It’s only fair after all the questions you’ve been asking me.”

  “Little taller than you. Shoulder length brown
hair. Brown eyes.”

  “And long legs?”

  “Yeah.” Trevor stared at the empty road ahead of them, the memories of one night plaguing him.

  “Anything else?”

  “She had a bit of an accent. Not a lot.” He could hear it if he closed his eyes. The memory of her above him, the lights dimmed and her husky voice saying his name. Hell, it’d been good.

  “Maybe she moved here when she was younger?” The more they talked, the more animated Jenna became. She was forgetting her own trauma while poking his sore spot.

  “Possibly.” He figured there were worse things than letting her poke his ego.

  “So—what? You took her home and after you went to sleep she left?”

  “That’s what I told you.”

  “Come on. There has to be more.”

  “There’s not much else.”

  “There has to be. Why would you still be stuck on her? That’s not like you.”

  “You say that like I’m a dog.”

  “You aren’t. I just mean—you don’t settle down and date for very long. It’s like...never mind.”

  “No, say it.”

  “Forget it, Trevor.”

  “I said say it.”

  “You like girls with problems. You like to fix their problems and let them go. You’re their hero.”

  Trevor stared straight ahead. The anger burning in his gut wasn’t aimed at Jenna or the list of names and faces of the women he’d dated. The anger was for each reason he’d picked them in the beginning.

  A bad boyfriend.

  A problem parent.

  The verbally abusive boss.

  It was the same pattern he’d acknowledged years ago when his sweetheart left the engagement ring on his pillow.

  “I shouldn’t have said that,” Jenna muttered.

  “No, you’re right. I do have a type and I know it. I guess that’s why Iris was so appealing. She didn’t need me—she wanted me. It was different.”

  “Is that why we never hit it off?”

  “What?”

  “Just curious. I mean, you aren’t Alex, so you aren’t my type.”

  “Yeah, I suppose so.”

  Tonight, Jenna needed a hero. That’s what unsettled him so much. She was still the same fully capable, competent woman he’d grown to love like a sister, but right now, she needed Alex—and Trevor by proxy—to have her back.

  “Start from the minute Iris walked into the bar and tell me everything.” Jenna leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

  “Why?” He wished for the day everyone would forget.

  “Because maybe I can find her.”

  “How do you expect to do that?”

  “A tall, good looking woman sticks out. I bet we can find her.”

  “Forget it. If Iris wanted to go another round, she knows where I live.”

  “But, don’t you want to find her?”

  “Yeah, but if I’ve learned anything, it does me no good to want a woman who doesn’t want me. You can do me a favor though.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Remind me to stop dating the damsels in distress.”

  “But you make such a handsome knight in stinky armor.”

  “Shut up.”

  “Make me.”

  “Okay, brat.”

  Jenna grinned at him and he relaxed. She didn’t need to know he’d already tracked Iris down. His fascination with her hadn’t let him give up the search, but all he’d uncovered were more questions, and until he had answers, he didn’t want anyone else looking too closely at the woman who’d called herself Iris for one night.

  18.

  ALEX PULLED HIS HELMET off and staggered towards his truck. He was dead on his feet. His gear must have gained fifty extra pounds. What mattered was that they’d taken out the cook house, six suspects were in custody and no one had been injured. It was up to the narcotics officers to dismantle the meth lab and lock up the evidence. All in all, it was a solid night of police work. The kind that would normally leave him feeling proud of what he did. Instead, the gnawing sense of dread was worse.

  “Myers.” Liam strode toward Alex.

  “What’s up?” Alex tossed his helmet and gloves into the back seat, then secured his fire arms while Liam closed the distance.

  “Delores called. You need to talk to her.” Liam shoved his cell phone at Alex.

  “What?” Alex took the phone. He needed water and to sit in the AC for a good ten minutes. “Delores, you’re supposed to be at home, taking it easy.”

  “I am.” Her voice hitched up at the end. Yeah, she wasn’t taking it easy. Still running the whole office from the comfort of her condo.

  “Then why are you calling Liam?” Alex glanced at the other officer. Liam was busy staring at the side of Alex’s pickup. There was something odd about him, something Alex couldn’t put his finger on.

  “Because you weren’t answering.”

  “What’s going on?” Alex stared at Liam so hard the man finally darted a quick, guilt ridden glance his way.

  “Call came in earlier tonight,” Delores’s calm, no hurry tone had Alex ready to shake Liam for answers. “Your girl got attacked and Trevor was dispatched to the scene. Everyone’s arguing about when to tell you.”

  “Wait—what? When? Is she okay?” He didn’t give two fucks about what everyone else thought. The only thing that mattered was Jenna.

  “Calm down. She’s fine, that’s why no one wanted to pull you away from tonight. Last I heard from Trevor, they’re fine and at Liam’s.”

  “What happened?” He turned and paced away from the truck and Liam, or he was going to punch the man. Liam had known. He had to have. And he hadn’t told Alex. No one had.

  “I’m at home. How the hell should I know?”

  “Delores, everyone tells you everything.”

  “She’s fine. That’s all I know. No EMTs were dispatched.”

  “Did they catch who did it?” He stopped, staring off into darkness. Jenna had to have been so scared, and he wasn’t there to protect her.

  “No, but they’re looking.”

  “I gotta go.” He whirled around and strode back to the truck and Liam.

  “Alex?” Delores’s voice softened.

  “What?”

  “After you catch this guy, you’d better bring her by for dinner.” Delores’ tone was firm. She’d except no excuses.

  “I will. Take care of yourself.” Alex ended the call and shoved the phone at Liam. “I’m skipping the debriefing.”

  “Yes, sir. You remember the gate code?”

  Alex took one step closer to Liam, staring him in the eye.

  “You knew.”

  “No.” Liam shook his head, hands up. “Not till after. Trevor called the house. Dad arranged it. Mom left a message. That’s how I found out, I swear to you, Alex. I wouldn’t have done that. Not with it being Jenna.”

  “Fuck.” Alex stripped the rest of his gear off in a hurry and dumped it in the back seat of his truck. Why the hell hadn’t Trevor called him? Alex jumped into the driver’s seat, anxious to be on the road.

  “Mom’ll bring you something to eat. Give Jenna our best.” Liam backed up, giving the vehicle a large berth.

  Alex eased the truck through the quagmire of official vehicles when he really wanted to just bump them out of the way. He hit the main road and gassed it, pushing the speed limit. The little earpiece for his phone slipped through his fingers and rolled into the passenger side floor board.

  “Shit,” he muttered.

  He didn’t dare take his hands off the wheel right now. Besides, what he wanted to do was see Jenna with his own eyes, touch her, make sure she was okay. A phone call would just antagonize the need. So he kept his phone stowed and his eyes on the road.

  Liam’s family owned a large spread of land north west of Ransom, just past the city limits. Liam’s family nearly all lived on the same couple dozen acres.

  Nearly twenty minutes later, Alex rolled u
p to the Jones family property and punched in the gate code. The hunt for natural gas had landed the family in a deal of cash, which they’d put back into the property, making their lives more comfortable. The old farm house sat at the end of a long drive bordered by pastures. He didn’t stop in to speak to the matriarch though he’d hear about it later. Instead he kept rolling on by. Trevor had specifically named the back cabin, out by the stock pond when they made their initial plans.

  At night it was slow going. The path was rutted and grown over though with his high beams on it wasn’t difficult to make out the wheel ruts.

  Stashing Jenna out here was a great plan. Unless her stalker was kin to Liam, tracker or hunter, chances were he wouldn’t find her out here and any vehicle the Jones’ didn’t know would be a red flag.

  After another ten minutes bouncing along between the trees he rolled out into an open field. The gate stood open into another pasture and fenced in was a small cabin. Trevor’s SUV sat out front and all the lights were on inside.

  Alex lost no time pulling up in front, killing the engine and getting out. He stank to high heaven and the odor of meth still clung to his clothes, but he had to see Jenna.

  Trevor opened the door and Genghis bounded out, running circles around Alex.

  “Keeping an eye on ‘em, boy?” Alex patted Genghis’ head.

  Trevor stepped back, letting him in. Alex’s gaze went straight to Jenna, sitting on the sofa, a bag of ice pressed to her head. The knots in his stomach twisted together harder.

  He should have been there.

  “I guess you didn’t stop and pick up dinner,” Trevor said.

  Alex ignored him and went for Jenna. He knelt next to her and reached for the ice. He had to know just how bad it was.

  “Are you okay?” He stared at the red goose egg. For her to get a bump like that, she’d have to be hit pretty damn hard.

  “I’m fine.” Jenna’s voice was pained and pinched. She squinted a bit, but if he’d taken a hit like that his head would hurt, too.

  “Alright, I guess I’ll be back with food in a bit.” Trevor left them alone and a few moments later the SUV lights flicked on.

  Alex gave her the ice pack back and shifted to sit next to her. All the questions ping-ponged around in his head, but the one that hit home was simply, why hadn’t he been there?