“Hey, where’s your pistol?”
She gasped. “It’s in my purse up in the front of the barn with an overnight bag I packed when I found the speaker.”
“Good thinking.” Zach went to get her purse. “Here.”
She racked the slide, lay down, and put the pistol on the floor beside her. Kimber peered at him through the side window. “I’m angry.”
“At the world?”
“Yeah, and then some.”
“I get it. You’re safe. Rest.”
She lay on her side and pressed her head against her arm. What have I gotten him into?
***
Earlier, Kimber had heard Zach pacing, then the door closed. She peeked over the seat. Sleep wouldn’t come. She visualized Zach’s long and dark lashes—his soulful eyes closing in passion as they made love. Life hadn’t been the same since she’d laid eyes on him, when she had sworn off men. She wanted to wrap her fingers around his nape and pull his cheek against hers, to find comfort in his embrace like earlier.
She got out of the truck and softly closed the door. Outside of the stall, he sat in the lounge chair, his arms folded in front of him. His head bowed forward, and his eyes were closed. Honey’s breathing seemed calm, and she looked more at rest instead of in distress. She took one step, and he jumped up with his hand going to his pistol. “It’s me.”
Zach lifted his hands. “Do you ever feel like you’re living in a damn crime novel?”
“All the time.”
“Might as well take a seat if you’re awake.” She wore her pistol in her hip holster. Zach moved the chaise lounge inside and sat the chair by the door. “You witnessed something, didn’t you?” he asked, but she bet he didn’t expect an answer.
“I wish I could help you understand, but yes, something went terribly wrong.” Her thoughts drifted off to memories she had no business remembering. “Has there been any word on the cattle ranch? I have to proceed as if it will be part mine one day. I don’t want to move from here. In the end, it is my choice.”
“A dangerous choice to make. You don’t fool me. You’ll be looking over your shoulder no matter what you do.”
“Uh huh—”
“I’m sorry for whatever this is with you, but do you think it’s wise to own a ranch right now?” He swept his hands over his hair, bringing it away from his face and held the ends as if he’d put it in a ponytail, but he released it to fall over his collar. She eased back a few locks of hair falling across his forehead.
A deep loving feeling inside her glowed. “Everything is new to me right now. I have to persevere, and I have to believe I can do this venture with you and Tyler, otherwise what do I have? This isn’t how it was supposed to turn out.”
“It never is. It’s not a good time for you to partner up. When the time is better, you can go into a partnership with us. It’s the best choice, and you know it.” He poured them both another cup of coffee, each getting a bit more than a quarter cup. “That’s the end of the pot. Here, relax.”
“Thank you.” This brilliant guy was a real gentleman underneath all his armor. And he was right. Spending her money was the worst thing she could do, since she didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.
“As soon as we know Honey will be okay, we’ll go to my loft to discuss the next step.”
Kimber changed the subject. “You had a terrible time in the Army, didn’t you? You almost died—”
“I had planned on making a career out of it. Maybe not a career.” Zach paused and looked away. “Some other time, okay?”
“Randy went through hell with you.”
“That’s where we met. You’ll have to ask him about his military career. Neither of us likes to talk about it.”
“I’m sorry. One day you’ll have to talk about it. You can trust me like you’re asking me to trust you.” She truly was sorry and heartbroken to see him so troubled. “You’re going through so much with your own issues, Zach. I never should’ve let you be involved in mine.”
“It doesn’t matter. Don’t give that bullshit another thought.”
Stormy perked her ears, growled, and stared at the door. Major bobbed his head, grunting. Kimber’s phone rang. Melinda’s name popped up on her screen. She held it up to show him. Why had she called so early? She let it ring then looked up at Zach. “She’ll know I destroyed the speaker.”
“She’ll figure it out when she doesn’t hear you in the house.” Zach peered at Stormy, but she lay back down. “I’m going to stretch out here a few minutes. Please stay in the barn.”
***
The last time Zach walked through the barn, Kimber slept peacefully in the chaise. He checked the outside and strolled around the barn before settling again. He slouched, stretched out his legs, and placed his hands behind his head. Honey remained on her feet. A crack outside brought Zach to his feet. Then there was another. Another. Stormy’s ears perked, and she stood as well. His training kicked in. Kimber remained asleep. He left her there, spotted his dark shirt across the stall door, put it on, then took his shotgun.
Chapter 20
The dog followed Zach to the window where he looked out over the front of the house. A car sped down the drive—dirt flying. How had she not heard? He and Stormy searched around outside. She sniffed around the door. Everything remained quiet except a dog barking far in the distance.
A nightmare and fear he lived with crept over his body as he pictured the men in his unit lying dead around him. At first glance at Randy, he’d thought he was dead, but then he groaned in pain. Both in bad shape, they had managed to administer life-saving first aid to each other until the other team got to them.
The more he thought about the gun shots the more his suspicions got the best of him. Kimber was worse off than he’d expected. Zach took Stormy back into the barn. “Go to Kimber, girl. Take care of her.”
He crept alongside the house, waiting. Listening. Then he went around the perimeter of the building. The front door sat ajar. He had locked it earlier. Zach crept up to the door and waited as he listened for any sounds, or to detect movements inside. He glanced to where the cameras had been. What went on there?
Once he determined no one was in the house, he eased open the front door. He secured the front section then stealthily went down the hall, checking the bathroom, and the library on the way to the spare bedroom. Zach went into Kimber’s bedroom—the place where they first made love—the room that smelled like her. Shining the light around, he spotted a shell casing. He’d almost stepped on it.
He detected two other casings on the floor, but he aimed his light at the bed. Three bullets went right through the pillow. Whoever was here apparently didn’t turn on the lights to see an empty bed, and they fired anyway. If they’d been professionals, they would’ve used night vision goggles and checked their work. Zach didn’t touch anything, but made his way back downstairs, and out.
He removed his dark shirt in the barn and Kimber, restless as she’d been most of the night, opened her eyes. He checked the time. The sun wasn’t yet above the horizon. He dialed Bill. “Hey, Honeycrisp made it through.”
“I’ll be around to check her after rounds.”
“We won’t be here. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, we’ll be taking her over to Randy Drake’s. Check her there.” Zach bit on his lip, figuring out how to make this sound casual. “Is there anything I can do for Honey?” Bill gave instructions for after they arrived at Randy’s.
His next call was to Randy to confirm bringing the horses over this morning. Randy answered in a sleepy voice. “Listen before you say anything. Kimber is in some deep shit. I’m taking her up into the mountains. I need a good horse.”
“Zach…” Through the end of a yawn, Randy asked, “What’s wrong with hers?”
“I’ll ride Major, and Honey is coming out of colic. Can you set me up with supplies? I don’t have any here with me, like camping equipment, NODS.”
“I’ll have to get the night vision goggles from Dane. Where you going? I’
m coming with you.”
“You can’t, Randy. We have to get out of here now, or I’d take care of getting things together myself.” Zach was almost out of breath from trying to get this all out.
“Anything you need, Zach. What about your brother? What will you tell him?”
“I’ll talk to him when I get a change of clothes if he’s home. I mean it, Randy. This is big.”
“Have you called the sheriff? What’s going on?”
“Kimber has people hunting her down for something from her past. I don’t know anything else about it. I’m not going to let her die, Randy. I’ll call the sheriff once we’re clear of this place. If we’d stayed in her bed last night, we could’ve been killed. Leon will want to investigate all that shit.”
“Zach, this damn mess couldn’t happen at a worse time. You sure you can handle this?”
“Yeah, but it’s a distraction. Be glad you didn’t take the job when it was offered.” Zach sighed. Then he never would’ve met Kimber if he hadn’t gotten the job. “I gotta go.”
Randy sounded more awake. Water ran as if filling a coffee pot. “I’ll have your stuff waiting at my place. Get the hell out of there, Zach.”
***
In the barn, Zach poked Kimber in the arm. “Better wake up.”
“The horse?”
“She’s all right.”
She stiffened her back. “Why? What’s wrong?”
This is the part he hadn’t wanted to do. “It’s no longer safe to stay here. Honey is doing okay. Bill will check her out at Randy’s. Someone…” The fear in her eyes would only get worse. He knelt beside her and took her hand. “There’s only one way to say it. Your bed got shot up while still dark. I went to investigate. Three bullet holes are in your pillow.”
She grasped her head. “No. This is too real now.”
It’s been real from the damn beginning. He stood. “I’ll have to call the sheriff later on. There’s no other decision to make, babe.”
Kimber rose from the chaise. “If not for my sick horse, I would’ve been in my bed. You could’ve been with me after we…”
Zach shook his head. Her eyes were blue now. “Don’t get any ideas about telling me to go home and forget about this.”
Kimber bit her nails. “Don’t worry!”
“I’ll hook up the trailer, and we’re getting out of here.” He turned to leave, but she grasped his arm.
“Thanks.” Her eyes filled with woe. “I’m so sorry this is happening to you.”
Zach’s heart clenched, and he held her tight. “Don’t be sorry. You haven’t done anything.”
“Where are we going?”
“Let me take care of you, okay? Now I’m telling you not to ask questions.”
“What about Stormy? I’ll get some food together for the horses and dog.”
“There’s some big clean jugs in the barn. Fill a few up with water.” Zach kissed her then left. He backed his truck out of the barn and hooked up the trailer.
She met him before he got the trailer secured. “I have to go inside for Stormy’s food.”
“Nope, that’s not going to happen. Get in the truck.”
“I’ll get my bag from the barn but didn’t expect to be leaving for an undetermined amount of time. I’m going inside to get clothes.”
“No, you aren’t. Get the bag from the barn and let’s go. Every minute we’re here is a minute closer to someone showing up.”
“I’ll hurry.”
“Right now, someone thinks you’re dead, and Melinda might be the one to come witness it. I don’t want to believe it, but she’s turned rogue and has to report back to someone.”
Kimber chewed her fingernails and stared into space, repeating, “Melinda turned rogue.”
He put his hand on her back to move her along. “Is she a dirty cop? What about that Jerry guy? You trust him?”
“She wasn’t a cop but a bodyguard with her own business. Jerry’s my godfather—a retired marshal. I trust him.”
Zach removed her fingers from her mouth. “And Jerry isn’t involved with Melinda?”
“I thought they were a couple. Boy, was I wrong. I didn’t tell you last night, but Jerry was shot in the head. They don’t know if he’ll make it. Who else would it be but Melinda?”
“Why would she?” He nudged her forward when she paused at the door. “Come on. Let’s get the horses.”
He lifted her bag into the bed and patted his thigh for the dog. “Stormy, get in. I have to grab some clothes at home.” He brought out the horses. Honey walked into the trailer without a fuss, but Major had to be Major and struggle with stepping up four times. “Come on, Major.” He smacked him on the ass to get him going. Zach hit the back road toward his place.
Kimber leaned on the console and rested her head in her hand. His heart shattered to see her in agony. “I’ve lost everything again. The ranch would’ve been mine in less than a year. Your cattle ranch is no longer an option. It’s all gone again.”
“I’m not gone, darlin’.”
“Not yet.”
He put his arm around her shoulder. “Don’t be talking like that now. I’ve never met anybody like you, and I can’t let you go now that I’ve found you.”
She squeezed his hand and sat quietly.
He needed time to think. Randy could drive them to the trailhead, where he and Kimber would unload the horses, then he’d hit the moderate trail that wasn’t too risky. Nobody would find them there, and they’d hide out until he came up with a better idea. His phone rang, halting his train of thought. “Yeah, Randy.”
“I have a better idea. Instead of taking the horses to the mountains, stay at the campground. There’s a monsoon coming, and you don’t want to be in the mountains. You’ll be okay at the campground out of sight. It has everything you need there, and it’s close if you need one of us. Leave both horses here. We’ll switch trucks, and I’ll keep yours in my garage.”
Zach thought it over a moment and chewed a piece of skin off his lip. “All right. I’m on my way now.” He hung up and peered at Kimber. “Have you ever been camping?”
“What? My idea of camping is a four-star hotel.”
“Thought so. You’ll learn fast.” He pulled her fingernails away from her mouth again and explained Randy’s idea. “We’ll be safer there. That’s the last place anyone would look.”
She raised her hands. “I don’t care what we do as long as I don’t have to see Melinda or kill anyone.”
He nodded. It was the same for him.
“You should know…there are probably two other men involved with Melinda if she has turned on me.”
Fucking fantastic.
***
Tyler wasn’t there when he got home. Again, Zach called and left a message to contact him immediately. With a few changes of clothes, they left. She paid attention as Zach turned off on Rocky Road, then pulled down Randy’s road, and up to the barn. Randy came out right away to open the trailer doors. He nodded to Kimber. “Hey, you guys, Roxanne put together some food for y’all. It’ll be enough to get you started. Being so close, one of us can shop for you so you can remain off the grid.”
Off the grid. How did they get here? Kimber muttered hello to Randy.
Roxanne, a pretty blonde, came out of the house. “Hi, Nice to see you again. Remember, we met at the clinic Randy put on? Come on. I made coffee for you and Zach.”
“I do remember you and the beautiful family you’re a part of.” A knot burned in her throat. Kimber peered at Zach on her way inside. He nodded and smiled. “Thank you, Roxanne. I’m so sorry to bring this over on your family now.”
“Nonsense. We love Zach, and now we love you. Zach would’ve done this for us.”
Kimber’s phone rang as Roxanne poured her and Zach a cup of coffee and the rest of the pot into an extra-large thermos. “I have to get this,” she whispered to Roxanne. “Hold on one sec, Greg.” She took a cup of coffee out to Zach then moved off to the side to talk. “Someone tried t
o kill me last night. We were in the barn because of the horse.” She explained the rest to Greg. “We’re going into hiding.”
“Good idea. Where?”
“This guy is more than a ranch foreman to me. I care about him, and I can’t lose him.”
Greg cleared his throat. “He’s the right guy for the job. Where?”
She peered off at Randy and Zach talking at the rear of the trailer after the horses had been taken into the barn. Randy handed him something that looked like a phone. “If I told you, it wouldn’t be hiding.”
“Tressa, I… Jerry wasn’t supposed to have been… Never mind.” There was a long pause. “I’m sorry. Get a couple go-phones on your way out of town. Call this new number from the burner phone.” He rattled off a number.
What did that mean? What was he sorry for? Kimber dug in her purse for a pen and scrap piece of paper. “How’s Jerry?”
Greg hesitated. “It isn’t looking good, Tressa. I’m not far from his place now.”
Greg’s here? “I’m depending on myself now to be safe. Nothing has gone to plan, so I have to—”
Zach walked over. “Ready?”
“Hold on, Greg.” She covered the phone and turned to Zach. “The guy I talked to last night, this is him—the prosecutor who was on my case.” Kimber lowered her voice. “I told him I was in charge of my own safety.”
“We are, and I say don’t tell him anything. Give me the phone.” He took it from her and walked off. She couldn’t hear what he said and didn’t appreciate him taking the phone from her. He came back and handed it over. “Let’s stick to our plan. Doesn’t sound like your godfather’s doing well.”
“You didn’t listen to me, Zach. This is who I am now. But Greg was involved too and he staged my…” She nearly slipped. What did it matter now? Zach stood staring at her, waiting. Well, she was in charge of herself, and Zach needed to know what faced them. “He staged my death.”
Zach looked off and scratched his head. “Did you change your name too? Your name isn’t Kimber?”
Finding Kimber (Canyon Junction; Hearts In Love Book 2) Page 26