Loving the Texas Lawman_A Texas Lawman Romantic Suspense

by Mary Connealy

Ben shook his head. “I don’t think about it much. We’re both busy and live such different lives. And Brett’s got a veterinary clinic way out in the country. He doesn’t come to town much.”

  “That’s sad.”

  Ben shrugged. “It is a little now that I think about it.”

  “Will the rest of your family be there?” He’d mentioned having a big family on other occasion but there’d been few details.

  “Most won’t. Deb is the oldest…and by the way she loves it when I say that.”

  Trudy smiled.

  “She can’t get away from the governor’s office for more than a day. Next year is an election year and she’s a co-manager of his campaign. She’s probably going to be riding on a Thanksgiving Day float somewhere. Jim is second and he’s with Parks and Wildlife. He’s a game warden who can usually get to holiday gatherings.

  “Next is Case. He works for the Justice Department out of DC. We’re not sure doing what. We haven’t heard a word from him in a year and a half, but he’s gone undercover before. It’s weird but we’re used to it. We’ll see him when we see him. My little sister Beth is planning to come over on Saturday and Sunday. She’s a detective for the Houston PD. She’s a hostage negotiator and she always has to take her turn on-call, but she got the weekend off. And we’re used to her not making it if trouble breaks. Jimbo is almost for sure coming but Mom’s panicking that it might be only me and Brett for dinner.”

  Ben leaned close and whispered, “She thinks we’re trouble makers, can you believe it?”

  Trudy smiled. Lately she only smiled when Ben was around. The rest of the time she felt like she was surrounded by the malevolent spirit of Ralph Watson.

  Even now, able to smile, she felt like the whole world, outside the walls of her house, roiled with hatred. With a madman waiting for a chance to grab her.

  Or maybe holding back on that because he still clung to the sheerest thread of sanity.

  One day he’d snap. Or she’d make a mistake that put herself in his hands. Or both. And he’d come. Until that day, she felt him watching and waiting and coming.

  “No, thank you, but I’ll be fine here.” She would be absolutely wretched. “Was Watson out there?” Going to his house was out of the question. She didn’t want to inflict herself on his family.

  “Come with me,” Eleanor insisted.

  “No, she’s coming to my parents’ house,” Ben came up to pat Trudy on the arm.

  Being taken care of could feel a lot like being pushed around sometimes. Trudy found her inner ‘Liz’ and said, “Absolutely not. You’re both going and I’m staying and that’s final.”

  He picked her up on his way out of town.

  He’d grumbled about hauling all her suitcases and told her to leave her laptop behind so she could get away from work, but in the end, he’d loaded everything. Now that they were rolling, he was cheerful again. “This thing is great to handle.”

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to drive?” Ben grinned across his console at her.

  “I’d take out swaths of cars.”

  “It’s Texas. There’s plenty of space. I’ll let you behind the wheel once we’re out of town.”

  Trudy wondered how she’d ended up in this pick-up, with this man, on the way to a stranger’s house for a holiday. If she could’ve afforded it, she’d’ve flown to Florida to see her aunt. A woman who lived in a one-bedroom apartment in an assisted living center. It was a nice place. And Trudy hadn’t seen her for a while. And Auntie’s couch couldn’t be as short as she remembered.

  The drive was an hour…Trudy didn’t want to judge the distance because Ben was taking advantage of Texas’ generous speed limit and maybe pushing it beyond. She’d trained herself to not look at the speedometer.

  Ben seemed determined to entertain her. They didn’t talk about Watson, or class work, although he tended to try and wheedle an ‘A’ out of her often enough, she’d learned it was his idea of a joke.

  Then, out in the middle of nowhere, on a nice four-lane highway that seemed odd considering they only met a car every ten miles or so, Ben slowed and turned off the highway, and drove under a huge arched sign over a gravel driveway. The massive wood sign had ‘Garrison’ carved into the wood and painted black. It looked like it had been branded into the dark oak. Perched atop the peak of the arch, the oak formed a circle, branded into it were the letters G and R intertwined.

  Garrison Ranch.

  As they drove under the arch, Trudy said, “I’ve been feeling like the worst kind of intruder, Ben, but thank you. Driving away from my house, leaving town, being alone on the road so I’m sure we weren’t followed.” She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “It’s a good feeling. It’s like the pressure is lifting off my neck.”

  “We haven’t talked about it, Trudy, but you’re going to be moving once the house is gone. Why don’t you come out here during the Christmas break?”

  “You think this will still be going on at Christmas time?” Trudy had to admit she’d given up on it ever ending.

  “We’ll see what Watson does when he can’t find you. Maybe he’ll make a mistake and we can nail him.”

  “I can’t do that.” Trudy remembered vividly refusing to come to Thanksgiving with him, yet here she was. She’d have to be really tough. “That reminds me, I need to make a big show out of moving. I don’t want Watson to hurt the people who move in. If he knows I’m gone, he’ll leave them alone.”

  Trudy hoped new owners would show interest in a lot of Trudy’s furniture—the pieces she hadn’t been able to return. She wanted an apartment so she wouldn’t need much and she was dreading the work of a big move.

  They drove for miles through winding roads, broad expanses of waving grass on both sides of them, until a ranch house came into sight.

  It wasn’t massive. Trudy had been afraid that the sign was an indicator. But it was nice. Rustic and old and beautiful with what looked like a couple of additions on an older home, but all in nice harmony.

  “How long has your family lived here?”

  “This house was built originally by my great-grandfather when he first went out on his own. It was about a fourth the size, and Great-Grandpa used to say he’d thought he’d built it plenty big.”

  “You knew him? You were born while your great-grandfather was still alive?”

  “Yep, I remember when he died. I was ten years old. Great old man, tough and cranky when his arthritis acted up, but he had a great heart and loved to tell me stories of the old days. My grandpa built his own place and great-grandma and grandpa moved in with him in their later years and opened this house up. Dad and mom had been living in town, a forty-mile drive away, but Mom was a lawyer at first so Dad said he’d rather commute than her. But when great-grandpa moved out they had four kids and were bursting at the seams in their house in town. They moved in. Mom cut back her hours for a few years while the babies were coming. Then when she got a judicial nomination that took her to Dallas, she bought an airplane, learned to fly and starting commuting.”

  “You talk about them with a lot of affection. They must be great people.”

  “They are great people. Uh, there may be a little tension between me and Brett. Well, everyone and Brett. We all love each other, but he’s happiest out working with his animals and he doesn’t stay in touch very well. We’re not close like you’d think twins would be.”

  Ben drove right around the house. Back here she saw a corral with several horses, a huge old red barn and a newer metal machine shed. And a second shed, low and sleek, with an oversized garage door open to show a small plane.

  There was a five-car garage and, as they pulled up, a short haired dog came running toward them barking.

  Back here the Garrison’s prosperity was much more noticeable. Ben stopped right beside a beige Camry.

  Ben popped his door open.

  “Did you tell them what was going on with me?” Trudy asked.

  “I did, just a little.” Then he gave a rueful sm
ile. “I should have asked you first, but telling them was the only way I could convince them I wasn’t bringing a girlfriend home. I tried ‘lonely friend with nowhere to go for the holidays’ and they just weren’t buying it.”

  “It’s okay. If you’d’ve discussed telling them, I would’ve said no, then you’d have nagged me until I said yes, probably. That’s how you got me into your truck.”

  His grin turned to high beam. “That is how it worked, Tru-Blu. Come on in and meet my family.”

  The back door opened and a man stepped out who had to be Brett, the twin brother. If she’d gotten the report right, the oldest brother Jim would be here but he had a full beard and dressed like a lumber jack. This man wasn’t Jim.

  Brett didn’t look much like Ben. He was a bit shorter, his hair a light brown, well cut, as opposed to Ben’s dark curls that he tended to neglect. But Brett had the same blue eyes and flashing smile.

  He gave Ben a quiet smile.

  She could just bet their mama thought they were troublemakers.

  The air was crisp and cool. She heard cattle mooing in the distance. Brett’s eyes shifted from his brother to Trudy. His smile was bigger, more relaxed. Trudy noticed he didn’t greet Ben with a hug or even a handshake.

  Instead he came to her door, swung it open, those same gentleman-ly manners Ben had, and said, “Hi, I’m Brett, the good-looking twin. Come on in.”

  Trudy hopped out, swung open the back door and pulled out her plastic pie carrier. “I brought a pumpkin pie.”

  Brett froze. His eyes went wide as he looked at the carrier. “You made it yourself?”

  Smiling, she said, “Yep, even the crust. My grandma taught me how to make a pie and do it right.”

  “Will you marry me?” Brett slung his arm around her and dragged her toward the house.

  She looked over her shoulder at Ben, who grinned and shrugged one shoulder. She realized she’d hope for some flash of jealousy and was ashamed of herself.

  “No, but I appreciate the offer. You’re a veterinarian, right?”

  “Yep, while my little brother here was being all show-off with the special forces, I got to work with parade horses and such. The military got me through Vet school. So, I’m a Vet who’s a Vet.” He smirked like he’d told that joke a thousand times.”

  “He had to do some tough stuff,” Ben said. “He was decent at hand-to-hand combat and a good shot. But he’d rather pet the horses.”

  “Sounds like a smart guy to me.” Trudy tried to be subtle when she stepped sideways so he wasn’t holding her.

  They reached the house and the aroma of turkey almost brought tears to Trudy’s eyes. It had been years since she’d been to a real family Thanksgiving. When she’d gone to live with Grandma and Auntie after the wreck that killed her parents, they’d done their best to fill the gaps left. And they were great, loving women. But the heavy lifting fell more to Trudy from an early age. She could make a good turkey and a great pie but her gravy was only borderline. Although Grandma had never stopped bragging on her.

  Mrs. Garrison, the hanging judge, turned from where she stirred something in a huge bowl and smiled. “Welcome to the Garrison Ranch.”

  The kind smile, the generous greeting, the luscious smells…to Trudy it felt like coming home.

  “Mrs. Garrison, everything was delicious.” Trudy stood with her hands in dishwater while Janet Garrison did everything else. But Trudy kept busy.

  The men had helped to an impressive degree, but they’d finally deserted the field to watch football and Hangin’ Judge Janet Garrison and Trudy were alone.

  “I’ve read all of your books, Trudy.” Janet stuffed a final covered platter in the huge refrigerator, then straightened and grabbed a dish cloth. “I think they’re wonderful. And I’ve seen you on the morning shows. I feel like I’ve got a real celebrity in my home. A guru.”

  Trudy rinsed off the last pot and handed it to her hostess. “A guru who tells others how to live their lives and has managed to mess up her own. I’m sure they’ll strip my guru badge off of me any minute.”

  Janet finished with the pot and said, “Let’s sit down for a minute. Ben told me some of your troubles, Trudy. I can look into things if you want. Put some pressure on to get the restraining order changed, make the distance he has to stay from you larger so you don’t have to see him watching you.”

  As Trudy settled in at the kitchen table, she said, “Ben thinks when I move that will change how the restraining order works. Once I’m in an apartment I’ll probably never be able to see him.”

  “You’re losing your house and you’ve sold your car?”

  “Yep,” Trudy liked the kindness in Janet’s eyes. And the sharp intelligence. It was a terrific combination. She swallowed hard. “Do you think there’s a point to changing the restraining order now?”

  “I can look into it if you want. Watson sitting nearby watching you is behavior that I’d consider threatening.”

  “He claims it’s a beautiful view that inspires his writing. He even said he’s been there for a long time, I just never noticed him until he started asking for my help.”

  Janet poured them both a cup of coffee. She was slender and small boned. She’d cast a big shadow in Trudy’s mind. No doubt the ‘Hangin’ Judge’ nickname made her seem larger.

  “I’ll see what I can find. Now, tell me about being Ben’s teacher. He said he thought at first he was going to get sent to the principal’s office, and his father and I would have to come in to get him out. It wouldn’t be the first time.”

  Trudy smiled, then chuckled. Janet broke into laughter and Trudy felt most of the weight lift off her shoulders. She was glad she’d come.

  “I’m so glad I came, Ben. Thank you.” They’d stayed four days. Trudy had been afraid everyday they’d have to go home. Jim, everyone called him Jimbo, had only come for Thanksgiving Day. It seemed that people tended to act up in state parks on holiday weekends.

  When Ben’s little sister Beth showed up on Saturday midday, the party started all over again and Janet Garrison made a second turkey. They’d just barely worked up another appetite.

  And now, as they drove toward home, Trudy thought of Watson for the first time in days.

  “I’ll get the house sold. I’ll rent an apartment with a secure entrance and I’ll probably feel safer there than I do at home.” That wouldn’t be much of a contest. Home felt dangerous. It’d be hard for anywhere else to feel worse.

  As they approached Long Pine, her tension slowly returned, like an old clock that wound tighter and tighter. Watson, her money troubles, finding a place to live…when she couldn’t afford anything for rent.

  The tension coiled but she could handle it. She was rested. She’d taken a step back and had taken the time to pray and let go of all the panic she felt. She could face her troubles with some perspective.

  “I don’t like having to be so careful where I go, but honestly, he hasn’t approached me again. It’s creepy him sitting out there watching, but he will have to give up, or he’ll finally do something really criminal to someone else, since he can’t get to me.”

  Trudy shook her head. “That sounds awful. Like I want someone to get hurt.”

  Ben reached over and patted her arm. “I know what you mean. You’ve done your part, Trudy, by reporting him. I’m sorry we couldn’t throw away the key but you’re right. He seems to be in some mad little world of his own over there. Watching you house and typing his books.

  “Being with your family for Thanksgiving gave me a chance to feel safe and find my balance.”

  “Did you get some sleep?” He got off the highway and drove down the street that connected to her neighborhood.

  No one knew about her insomnia besides Eleanor. It was interesting to have someone want to talk about it.

  They pulled through her gate in the late afternoon and the sunset made the pink glow.

  They got out. “Eleanor’s plane should be landing about now. She should be home in an hour.”<
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  “I’ll wait around so you’re not here alone.”

  Trudy would have assured him that wasn’t necessary if she’d had any hope he’d go. He wouldn’t, and she was so glad of that.

  They went inside and Trudy stumbled to a halt and screamed.

  “What is it?” Ben always went in first. But today they’d been too relaxed. And Trudy had to face the destruction without warning.

  Ben said a word that broke a couple of commandments, then he pulled Trudy outside. She screamed and fought his grip, then she stumbled backward and tripped on her stairs and fell to the ground.

  Ben wasn’t quick enough to catch her. She was on her feet and running before he could help her up.

  He caught her and she screamed and flailed her arms. He restrained her and spoke low hard words into her ear. “We’re getting back in the truck.”

  She shuddered deeply, but the screaming cut off. Gasping for breath, sobs breaking from her throat, he held her until the worst of the terror passed.

  Then when she finally quit fighting him and clung, he called for backup.

  He explained what had happened. “The paint looks dry and he’s probably long gone.”

  Trudy’s head came up. Their eyes met and they wheeled around to look at the spot where Watson always sat. He was there. Ben took one long stride toward him then stopped.

  He couldn’t go thrash the guy. First because it was wrong. Second because it would give Watson plenty to complain to his lawyer about. Third because Trudy was watching.

  He swung his truck door open. Trudy scrambled in so fast he didn’t have time to help her. Ben rounded the front end and climbed in behind the wheel. He started the truck and turned it so they could keep an eye on Watson.

  He was gone.

  They’d given him what he wanted. Terror, screaming, tears.

  Ben asked for forgiveness for the language and prayed for a lightning strike to fry Ralph Watson.

  Eleanor pulled in. Trudy could see her grim expression before she got out of her sturdy little Ford Escape.

  Trudy had been sitting alone, numb, for most of the last hour, once her panic had subsided. Ben was inside with the other detectives, but Trudy knew with sick certainty that there wouldn’t be a fingerprint anywhere.