“They had enough food stashed for at least two weeks!”
Jace listened to bits and pieces of conversation floating around him while he opened the bags containing the money. For a minute he almost lost it imagining what might have happened to Dana if he’d never come to Cloud Rim.
What if Tony Roberts hadn’t asked for a lift? Then Jace probably wouldn’t have met her. She would have been kidnapped from her trailer and brought here with no hope of rescue.
“Jace?” a familiar voice called to him. “Jace?”
He blinked, then turned his head. It was Pat.
“The news has gone out all over the department. I hear they’re whooping it up in Austin. The partying has already started. Your name’s going to be in every top news story tonight. So how come the grim face?”
Jace let out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “If I hadn’t come to West Texas, Dana—”
“But you did come,” Pat broke in. “She’s safe and well. Your friend, Detective Poletti, has already taken her back to her apartment.”
Those were the words he’d needed to hear.
“It’s over, Jace. You did it!”
“We did it, Pat. I couldn’t have accomplished anything without your backup.”
“We made a good team.”
They gave each other a heartfelt hug.
“What do you bet old Gibb is smiling down right now. He’s saying, ‘I knew I could count on you, Riley.’”
“You think?” Jace said in a husky voice, feeling his eyes smart.
“Don’t you?” Pat asked in surprise.
He gazed at the older man. “I guess I wasn’t certain until just now.”
“Let me help wrap things up here. The sooner we finish, the sooner you can drive over to Dana’s and get her statement.” He winked after he said it.
“Has anyone told her I’m not an IPS driver?”
Pat shook his head. “Gideon said you wanted to be the one. So far she doesn’t have a clue you were part of the stakeout, let alone directing it.”
His chest heaved. “That’s good.”
“Why do I get the idea you’re worried?”
After a brief silence, he said, “Dana’s had her fill of the law. When she finds out—”
“Wait a minute, Jace. Let me tell you something for you to cogitate on for a while. You never saw anyone so glad to be rescued in your life. She was practically gushing over every officer out there.”
“That’s just the point, Pat. I allowed her to remain in harm’s way too long.”
“No,” he said in a stern voice. “You were doing your duty, and took every precaution to protect her at the same time.”
“Despite all our safeguards, Glen and Lewis got the slip on us during the night. That mistake resulted in her being kidnapped. She might never want to see me again once she learns the truth.”
He eyed Jace with concern. “I think Dana Turner is a much stronger woman than you give her credit for.”
“I know she’s a fighter, Pat. If you’d seen her attack Glen—”
“I heard about it. But I’m not referring to anything physical. Let’s talk about the time she spent in prison. Innocent though she was, she didn’t emerge unscathed. Her experience has given her depths you haven’t plumbed yet. How could you when you were working undercover?
“Now it’s time for the mask to come off. Instead of being afraid of it, be glad she’s going to get acquainted with the real you.”
Pat always saw the glass half-full. For the most part, so did Jace. But this was different.
“You know what you need—a real vacation. Tom has authorized me to tell you he’s giving you three weeks off. In fact, you’ve been ordered not to report back to work until the latter part of August.”
“I’m not expecting favors. Did you have something to do with his decision?”
The other man’s face sobered. “No, Jace. He confided that you’d never used any of the vacation time coming to you since the year your wife died. I could only agree with him that it’s long overdue.”
Jace was vastly relieved Gibb’s killers had finally been caught. But there was something else at stake now. The next time he saw Dana it would be under totally different circumstances. He had to admit he was scared out of his gourd, as his nephew Ricky liked to say.
BY QUARTER TO SEVEN the team was able to finish their initial investigation and everyone left the cave. Jace headed straight for Alpine in the forest service truck for a much-needed shower and change of clothes.
He debated whether to appear at Dana’s apartment wearing his Ranger’s uniform. In the end, he opted for jeans and a sweater. When she opened her door, the last thing he wanted to do was frighten her again. That woman had undergone more than her share of pain for one lifetime.
On the way out of Alpine he stopped at a drive-in to grab himself a hamburger and a malt. After being awake for fifty hours, he needed fuel to support his adrenaline attack. Later on he’d pass out. First he had to see Dana.
He pulled his car behind Gideon’s, which was parked in front of the Watkinses’ home. Ever since he’d arrived in Cloud Rim, Detective Poletti had been on first watch where Dana was concerned. After two nights without sleep, Jace figured the other man was ready to crash. Some vacation this had been for their family!
It was Jace’s turn to take over. Raking an unsteady hand through his hair, he climbed out of the car and walked around the back to her apartment. He could hear the TV. His pulse rate tripled as he rang the bell.
Before he could take a breath, Dana opened the door.
Lord. She looked so beautiful, he couldn’t do anything but stare at her for a moment.
She was wearing a blue flower-print dress he hadn’t seen before. Her hair had been freshly washed. If he hadn’t been inside that cave to witness her charging at Glen in dirt-stained clothes earlier, he would never have known she’d lived through such a harrowing ordeal. Not seeing her like this.
“Jace—”
He pulled her into his arms.
“Dana—” was all he could manage to say before desire took over. Their mouths and bodies locked in mutual hunger. Her close escape had brought their emotions to the surface. They both trembled with longing.
“Thank God you’re alive!” he cried, crushing her more tightly against him.
“Gideon said you joined in the search. You were the first person I looked for when the officers walked me out of the cave. But then I couldn’t see you anywhere and—”
“I’m here now,” he murmured against her lips. Explanations would have to come later. “Just let me kiss you, feel you, hold you for a little while so I can believe I’m not dreaming.”
In such a euphoric state, Jace didn’t realize a car had pulled into the driveway. It wasn’t until the beam of headlights outlined their entwined bodies that he had any cognizance of his surroundings.
She tore her lips from his. “It’s Mom and Dad.”
Jace groaned. Of course they would come, but what a hell of a time for introductions. He’d been well and truly caught in the act of kissing the daylights out of their daughter. Taking a deep breath, he relinquished his hold of her so she could greet them.
Soon pandemonium reigned as Gideon and his family came out to greet the Turners. Pokey pranced around, jumping up and down on everyone.
Jace stood in the background listening to the laughter and the tears. All of it happy sounds. A daughter who’d been feared lost was back home with family and friends where she belonged.
So many questions forced Dana to relive her traumatic ordeal. It was cathartic for her and should have gone on much longer. But he saw that she was looking around for him.
“Come and meet my parents, Jace. Mom and Dad? This is Jace Riley, the man I’ve been telling you about. He’s the IPS driver who delivered those photographs you sent.”
Jace recognized her parents from the snaps in her office. “It’s a real privilege to meet you.”
“We’ve
been wanting to meet you, Jace,” her mother assured him.
After shaking both their hands, he said, “Dana’s told me a great deal about you. But through no fault of your daughter’s, she’s been laboring under a misconception about my line of work.”
Dana’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Why don’t we all go inside the apartment and I’ll explain.”
Her parents had come to bring comfort and hear exactly what had happened to her. Now seemed the best time for the truth to come out. As long as Dana didn’t eye him with loathing after he’d unburdened himself, he might be able to take a deep breath again.
While a confused-looking Dana sat on the edge of the couch next to her father, who held her hand, Heidi rushed around playing hostess, getting drinks and treats for everyone.
As people settled, his glance met Gideon’s across the room. The other man flashed him a look of compassion followed by a smile of encouragement.
Jace stood near the door, his legs slightly apart. “This is going to take a while.” His eyes swerved to Dana’s.
“You told me that when you opened the trailer door and saw me in uniform the first time we met, you thought I was a Texas Ranger with a warrant for your arrest.”
Her mother sat forward on the couch. “Why, darling?”
“Because I’m still paranoid.”
“Honey…” Her dad patted her hand.
After a slight pause, Jace continued. “You were partly right, Dana. I’m Captain Riley of the Texas Rangers working in the field office out of Austin.”
He could tell his revelation had shaken her. She rose to her feet with a look of incredulity stamped on her features. He pulled the ID from his pocket and walked over to hand it to her.
She studied it for a moment, then lifted her head, comparing the face in the photo with the real thing.
“I did have a warrant with me. Two, in fact, for the arrest of the men who killed three people in Austin last Christmas. One of the victims, Gibb Barton, was a retired Ranger who was a legend with the department and a very close friend of mine.
“The killers escaped in a plane that was last spotted flying over the Davis Mountains. My colleagues believed they made it to Mexico. However, the Mexican authorities never turned up any evidence to corroborate that theory.
“I couldn’t abide the idea of them getting away. At one point my boss put me in charge of a manhunt to find them. I had to go undercover. When I came out to West Texas two months ago, I had nothing going for me but a hunch that they were still somewhere in the area.
“It wasn’t until Tony Roberts asked me for a lift to Cloud Rim because his car had broken down that everything started to come together.”
“I knew something was up the second Gideon changed his tune about you so fast!” Heidi cried.
“Yeah, Dad!” Kevin piped up. “I never saw you act like that before.”
“Your dad’s not named Detective Poletti for nothing, Kevin. He was ready to grind me up for hash, so I had to tell him the truth. But putting levity aside for a moment, I’d like to explain about the case, with this caveat.
“If I’d had any idea Glen was a wanted felon who’d been plotting to kidnap Dana and take her to Mexico with him, I would have sent her home to California a week ago!”
“A felon?” she asked in a shaky voice.
He nodded. “Unfortunately, you have to take the evidence as it comes. Gideon will tell you it’s like putting a patchwork quilt together.”
“Except my husband said it’s like painting with numbers,” Heidi said.
“Gideon’s right. One item or number at a time. You keep trying to make sense of it. With each new addition, a pattern begins to form. In Glen’s case, I didn’t know what he was up to, so I had a twenty-hour tail put on him.”
At Dana’s stunned expression, he said, “It was as much for your protection as my need to monitor his activities. Little did I know it would lead to Lewis Burdick, another felon who’d escaped from prison while serving a lengthy sentence for murder.”
DANA STOOD THERE in fascinated silence, which slowly changed to horror as Jace outlined the chilling scenario. It might have been something right out of a psycho thriller, yet she’d lived it. So had Jace.
When she realized it was he who’d tackled Glen to the ground in the cave, she cried, “I heard him fire the gun. You could have been killed!”
“No. With our equipment, we could see you. Once Burdick left you two alone, we knew how to approach Glen.” His eyes smiled. “That mighty kick you gave him couldn’t have worked out better for us if we’d planned it.”
Dana felt his warmth in every particle of her being.
“Burdick’s going to get the death penalty. Glen will probably get life.”
Dana’s mother got up from the couch and reached for Jace to give him a hug. “Thank you for saving our daughter’s life.”
Her father wasn’t far behind. He grabbed Jace’s hand and shook it hard. “How can we ever repay you?”
“Don’t be too hasty in thanking me. We don’t know why, but for some reason Glen and Lewis knew they were being set up and gave our men the slip at the last hour. In that short window of time, Lewis kidnapped Dana.”
“I know what happened, Jace!” He looked at her expectantly. “Lewis baited Glen mercilessly for getting a ticket after he was caught in a speed trap outside Alpine.”
“When?” he demanded.
“Sometime yesterday.”
Jace let out a groan. “That explains Burdick’s paranoia. Fear of Glen’s driver’s license being traced must have set off the alarm bells. Those are the kinds of details I need to get in a statement from you for the record.”
Gideon rose to his feet. “You’ll probably want to do that tonight while Dana’s memory is still fresh. Come on, family. Let’s all go home to bed.”
“We’ll leave for the motel too,” Dr. Turner said. “It’s been a long day. But it has had the most wonderful outcome.” Dana’s parents hugged and kissed her.
Heidi waited to take her aside. “Shall we try for breakfast at the café again—say at nine?”
“Make it eleven,” Gideon amended before kissing her cheek.
Kevin gave her a hug. “I’m glad you’re okay, Dana.”
“Me too.”
Pokey barked as if to put in his two cents. Everyone laughed before going out the door. But inwardly Dana’s heart was doing a wild tattoo because she was finally alone with Jace.
“You have wonderful parents,” he said.
“I do. Thank you.”
She turned toward him, wanting to run straight into his arms. To her surprise, he invited her into the kitchen and put a tape recorder on the table. “Why don’t you sit down and we’ll get your debriefing out of the way.”
“Right now?”
“There’s no better time.”
He pulled out a chair for her, then seated himself at an angle. Again he reminded her of Gideon when he was all business. This was a fascinating new side of Jace. Only now was it starting to sink in he was Captain Riley.
“When I turn this on, just start talking in a natural voice about where you went and what you did after you left your apartment this morning. I may interrupt from time to time. Ready?”
After she nodded, he pressed the tab and indicated she should go ahead.
“I made a last-minute decision to fly to California for a few days. Since I didn’t know the precise moment of my return, I thought I’d better drive up to the observatory before breakfast and turn off the main computer.”
He stopped the machine. His brown eyes searched hers with a fierce intensity. “Last night at dinner you didn’t say anything about leaving for California. Why would you do that when your friends came expressly to vacation with you?”
“B-because I felt Gideon needed some time alone with his family. Also, I hadn’t been to see Rosita for a while and didn’t want her to think I had forgotten her.”
His face darkened with lines before he
turned the machine on again. She tried to pick up where she’d left off, but his change of mood distracted her. After averting her eyes, she was able to concentrate and told him everything she could think of.
“So,” she summarized, “except for threats, Lewis didn’t talk to me. It was Glen who spoke about an eight-seater plane hidden in his grandfather’s garage. He said Lewis had plans to land on someone’s rancho in Guadalajara, Mexico, where they had friends waiting for them and—well, that part doesn’t matter.”
He turned off the machine again. “What part?”
She shuddered. “Glen had delusions about marrying me there. He’s such a revolting person, I can’t bear to think about it.”
“Then you don’t have to.” He pocketed the recorder.
“You mean I’m through?”
“Yes. You gave us more than enough information. Thank you.”
He was being so formal.
“Does this mean you have to leave now?” She fought to quash the tremor in her voice, but failed miserably.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“DO YOU WANT me to go?”
“No!” she cried. “How can you ask me that after the way we were kissing each other a little while ago? It’s just that now I know what you really do for a living, I imagine you’re anxious to get back to Austin.”
Suddenly he pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. She rose to her feet in response.
Beneath the kitchen light she noticed him waver. This close she detected fatigue lines marring his features. There was a weariness to his movements, and no wonder. The man hadn’t been to bed for two nights.
“Come over to the couch.” She reached for his hand and pulled him after her. “Stretch out.”
“You’re sure—”
“Jace—lie down before you collapse.”
“Just for a minute. Then we have to talk.”
He was asleep the moment he’d lowered his powerful body to the cushions.
There was a blanket on the end of her bed. She ran to get it and the extra pillow. Within seconds she’d covered him and propped his dark, curly head. After darting around turning off lights, she pulled the chair close to the couch.
Beneath A Texas Sky (Harlequin Super Romance) Page 21