by Barb Han
“We leave as soon as the sun goes down,” he said, closing the bag to the coffee grinds.
* * *
ELLA REALIZED SHE’D been gripping the coffee mug so tightly that her knuckles were white. She reminded herself to breathe as she tried to absorb the reality that had become her life. Her brothers would not try to hurt her. For one, the Butler kids had had each other’s backs since childhood after their mother had taken off and left them with their father. They’d had to. Their father wasn’t exactly skilled in the parenting department. He’d loved them in his own way, Ella thought defensively. She’d always felt the need to protect her father. But he wasn’t the problem this time.
Thinking made her brain cramp.
Ella eyed the stranger carefully. By nightfall, she’d be done with him. He’d be out of her life forever. She should be happy about that, and yet the thought tugged at her heart. Maybe it was because she’d lost so much already with her father’s death. Or it could be her soft spot for lost causes. There’d been countless stray animals that she’d made space for in the barn only for her father to tell her they had to go. Usually, they were injured and she knew they’d never survive on their own. Her brothers or sister would come to her rescue and help her keep them hidden until she’d manage to nurse them back to health and then find a new home.
A few were worked into the menagerie of pets on the ranch. Oftentimes one of the hired hands would end up with a new pet to take home to his family. And many of the employees at Hereford Ranch covered for her to help with her causes. No one went against Maverick Mike’s wishes directly, but everyone pitched in behind the scenes to help Ella.
Looking back, it was probably difficult for them to turn away such a persistent little girl. Ella had been told more than once that she had the campaigning abilities of a politician.
Her gaze drifted to the wounded person standing before her with no name. If anyone needed to find his way, it was the man across the room. She told herself that was the reason she felt an unexplainable draw toward the mystery man and it had nothing to do with the inappropriate surge of attraction she felt every time she glanced his way.
“What will you do once you drop me off? You can’t stay here anymore, can you?” she asked.
“You need to worry about yourself. Use some of that money you have to hire extra security,” he snapped.
Ella bristled.
His voice softened when he said, “You’re in danger and you owe it to your father to be careful.”
“Why do you care?” she asked.
“I don’t,” he said. “But you should.”
A noise sounded outside and Blue Eyes dropped into a crouching position in half a second flat. The remarkable thing was that he made no noise with his movement, and that made her think he might have a military background.
His gaze locked onto hers and the look he shot her warned her to be quiet. She froze, fearing that whoever had tried to kill her was back. Would they have returned to verify that she was dead and then go hunting for her when they didn’t find a body?
Her pulse raced.
With effort, she slid off the chair and made herself as small as she could on the floor. Movement hurt despite the couple of pain relievers he’d supplied earlier. Ella knew Blue Eyes had this under control. And it struck her as odd that she felt safe with the stranger.
Thinking about the attempt on her life made her realize that there could be others coming to town to get a piece of her father’s will. Hadn’t his attorney, Ed Staples, warned that there could be a lot of surprises forthcoming? Even though he couldn’t possibly have meant this, Ella was beginning to fear that the actions of her father would haunt her and her siblings long after his death.
When the silence had stretched on for minutes, Blue Eyes moved to the window and checked outside. Without speaking a word, he slipped out the door.
Ella moved to the window to get a look for herself, watching as he moved stealthily. There was a certain grace about him.
Despite his untamed appearance, his muscles gave the impression he maintained a disciplined workout schedule. In fact, looking around the room, it was obvious that he liked things tidy. Something had made him want to drop out of civilization for a while. He couldn’t be a doomsday prepper because he seemed to have on hand only what he needed for a couple of days. She wanted to offer him some type of reward for saving her life but he’d already refused work. What else could she do? Offer a reward?
Ella thought about her two brothers, Dade and Dalton, and sister, Cadence. She wasn’t kidding before. They’d be frantic with worry about her by now. Even though her siblings had left town to escape the media circus in Cattle Barge, one of the employees would’ve contacted them about her disappearance. She’d been out of communication for two days...and with a total stranger. He could’ve done anything he’d wanted to her. A shiver raced through her. But he hadn’t.
For that reason and a few others that she didn’t want to overanalyze, Ella intended to figure out who this man was and why he was running.
Chapter Three
Blue Eyes walked back into the cabin, glanced around and then picked up his duffel bag. “Finish your coffee. We’re leaving ahead of schedule.”
“Everything okay outside?” Ella asked.
He didn’t respond.
“Is someone out there?” Her heart rate jumped a few notches higher.
“Not now. There will be,” he said and mumbled, “I should’ve gone a long time ago.”
That statement implied he wouldn’t have been around to help her and she didn’t appreciate the sentiment. “Well, I, for one, am glad you outstayed your welcome. I wouldn’t be alive otherwise.”
She was getting indignant. She couldn’t help herself. He wouldn’t tell her anything about himself and she wasn’t trying to take advantage of him or turn him in to the FBI. All she wanted to do was find a proper way to thank him. The guy was working her last nerve and her head still pounded.
“Why don’t you come to work for me on the ranch?” she asked while watching him pull out bleach wipes from his bag. He wiped down the dishes before placing them inside the duffel. Now he really had her curiosity heightened.
“I already said that I don’t need a job.” For the irritated sound that came out of his mouth next, she would’ve thought she’d just asked him to scrub the toilet with his toothbrush.
Ella made a production of glancing around. “Are you being serious?”
He shot her a warning glance. It said to tread lightly.
She ignored it.
“Because as far as I can tell, you very much need a paycheck. And a decent place to sleep.” She waved her hand around.
“I had one until you came along and messed it up for me,” he quickly countered.
“You can’t be serious,” she said.
“Try me.”
“Is that a threat?” She planted her balled fist on her hip. It was probably the fact that she’d almost been killed that was giving her this new bravado. She didn’t care. The guy had some explaining to do and he was squatting on her family’s land.
“No. If you haven’t figured it out already, I’m trying to help you,” he said, opening up a knife and cutting the rope he’d used to hold together the table. The metal sparkled in the light. He wiped down each leg.
“Why won’t you let me return the favor?” she asked.
Another frustrated noise tore from his throat. “You don’t have anything I want.”
That sounded personal. She tried not to take offense. “I’d like to offer a financial reward. Surely, you could use some money.”
He didn’t look up but waved her off.
“At least tell me your name,” she persisted. Why was he being so obstinate? Was it really that difficult to give her something? Granted, she was used to getting what she wanted and with enough persistence she
was sure that she could wear this guy down, too. She didn’t have the luxury of time and she wanted to send a proper thank-you or reward for his help.
“I’ve already told you that’s not a good idea.” He broke one of the legs in half and then tossed it into the fireplace.
“I disagree.” She stood there, fist planted.
“You always this stubborn when you’re wrong?” he asked, breaking the second leg and tossing it on top of the last.
“I’m usually right,” she said. Ella glanced around. It wouldn’t be dark outside for hours.
“Since you’re feeling better, I’ll take you to town. Go to the sheriff and tell him what happened. I’d appreciate it if you left me out of your statement. That’s how you can thank me for saving you.” Another broken table leg, more tinder for the fireplace.
“I thought we weren’t leaving until the sun went down,” she said, a moment of panic crushing her. Her father was gone. Nothing at the ranch would be the same without him. She hadn’t even begun to deal with his murder. An attempt had been made on her life. Of course she would go to the sheriff but she wasn’t quite ready to return to town and the unknown waiting there.
“Plans changed.”
“You won’t tell me why? I mean, I realize that we heard a noise but everything’s okay now, right?” She was still trying to figure out why she was arguing for more time with the man who wouldn’t even tell her his name. Logic be damned. Ella needed to know he was going to be all right. At least, that’s what she tried to convince herself and not that there was something magnetic about this man that was completely foreign to her.
“Being seen anywhere near you is dangerous for me.”
“What have you done wrong?” she asked, figuring she might as well go for it.
“Nothing that concerns you.” He broke the final leg and tossed it into the fireplace. She might not understand his way of life but she appreciated his self-sufficiency.
“Then tell me what you’re running from,” she said in a last-ditch effort to get him to talk.
A moment of silence passed between them as they stared each other down.
Okay, he won. Ella wasn’t in a position to bargain and this stranger seemed intent on keeping his secrets. He’d helped her and she was grateful.
“I probably haven’t sounded like it so far, but I really do appreciate everything you’ve done for me,” she said as she moved toward him, toward the door.
She paused before crossing over. For a second, time stopped and they just stood there, staring at each other. A sensual shiver goose bumped Ella’s arms. The stranger had the most amazing eyes, piercing eyes. Eyes that she could stare into for days. As odd as it sounded even to her, the moment felt intimate.
The attraction she felt caught her completely off guard. Rugged mountain men had never been her type. It was probably the mystery surrounding him that held so much appeal and the fact that all her senses were on full alert.
Ella broke contact as she heard the whop-whop-whop of helicopter blades in the distance.
“Let’s go,” she said.
* * *
HOLDEN SAT AT the counter of the diner in neighboring Rio Suerte. Another couple of hours and he’d be out of Texas altogether. He’d dropped off Ella Butler two blocks from the sheriff’s office. She could retrieve her Jeep near Devil’s Lid once she gave her statement to law enforcement. Ella was smart enough to take it from there. He’d done his part, repaid his debt to Maverick Mike.
Time to move on, he thought with a heavy sigh. He hadn’t thought about the murders he’d been accused of for two days while he was with Ella. The initials, HA, hadn’t haunted him. He’d discovered them etched into the bottom of a chair leg at his father’s place—the chair where his father had been tortured and killed.
Holden shook off the bad memory. He was no closer to figuring out what had happened then he’d been two years ago.
The restaurant was a typical off-the-highway food stop and seemed like the place frequented mostly by truck drivers. Holden had befriended more than his fair share while crossing the country, making his way to Texas. The diner was shaped like a train car. There was one row of booths behind him matched by a long counter with bar stools for single travelers. Two families were in the booths, no doubt stopping off for a quick meal while on a road trip.
There was only one truck driver in the building. Bathrooms were to Holden’s left, near the end of the counter where the cash register was located. There was one cook in the kitchen and only one waitress on duty. The cook was significantly shorter than Holden, bald, with thick arms. He bench-pressed. The man was in his early fifties with a cook’s belly. Holden dismissed him as a threat. He fell into the same category as the dads. One drove a minivan, the other a Suburban. Holden could tell they were from the suburbs based on their clothing—one was in jeans and a polo shirt, the other wore warm-ups and a T-shirt. They had that haggard look that came with long road trips with young kids.
The truck driver was substantial in size, mostly fat from spending his days seated. He looked strong, though. Holden could see his arms in the sleeveless flannel shirt he wore. The man couldn’t be ignored as a threat. If Holden assigned levels, five being the highest, the dads were ones and the truck driver was a two and a half, maybe three.
There were exactly two exits in the building: the front door he’d come through and the one in the kitchen. Holden was used to memorizing every detail, looking for every possible escape route. Doing so had kept him alive. Was he really living?
Holden dismissed the thought as going too long without human companionship. His brief run-in with Ella Butler reminded him of everything he didn’t have. He’d been alone for a very long time, focused on staying alive, staying one step ahead of the men who were after him. They were good. He was the best. And that was precisely the reason he was still breathing.
The waitress approached. Her metal-plated name tag read Deena.
“Make up your mind?” Deena asked, motioning toward the menu. She was in her late thirties and had early wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. Her neck was the biggest giveaway of her age.
“Chicken-fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy, carrots. More coffee when you have a chance,” he said.
She wrote down his order on the ticket with a smile, a nod and a wink. “Sam makes the best.”
“I’m counting on it,” Holden said, returning the smile. He excused himself to the restroom. He wanted to splash water on his face and wash his hands before he ate. He didn’t sleep much while he’d been taking care of Ella.
As he stood in front of the bathroom mirror, he was shocked at the stranger looking back at him. Furry face. Dark circles under his eyes. His thoughts snapped to Ella Butler and her initial reaction to seeing him. No wonder she’d been so afraid when she’d first opened her eyes. Hell, he would be, too.
He pushed those unproductive thoughts aside.
Holden splashed cold water on his face before washing his hands. Maybe it was time to shave the overgrowth. He hardly recognized himself anymore, and he certainly looked more animal than man. It was easy to do while he’d been mostly living off the land. And yet his reflection had caught him off guard.
Walking out of the restroom, he scanned the room. The situation was the same. The threat potential was low. He reclaimed his bar stool and did his level best not to look at the TV mounted in the corner of the room. A cursory glance revealed the channel was set to local news.
Holden picked up his fresh cup of coffee, ignoring the screen. He didn’t treat himself to a restaurant meal often. This was a delicacy he had every intention of enjoying.
And then he made the mistake of looking up.
There was a picture of the Butler ranch on the TV screen. The story was about an heiress’s life being in danger. Holden gripped the cup and waited...
Another attempt had been made on Ella�
�s life. A witness had seen a man trap a woman between two vehicles on a residential street one block from the sheriff’s office. The woman managed to fight off her attacker before slipping around an SUV and disappearing between two houses as at least one shot was fired. The witness, who would only agree to speak anonymously, recognized Ella Butler but was too frightened to get close enough to get a description of the heiress’s attacker. There was a lot of blood at the scene and a manhunt was underway for a gunman wearing a ski mask. He was considered dangerous and authorities cautioned people to keep a distance and call law enforcement immediately if he was spotted.
Holden could think of a few other things he’d like to do to the guy besides turn him in.
He released a string of curses under his breath. It was his fault for taking her to town in the first place. He’d left her there without transportation or a way to escape. Damn it. This was on him.
Anger roared through him along with an overdose of guilt.
He listened for any other news about Ella and sighed sharply when he learned she was missing and believed to be injured.
“I need my check,” he said to Deena.
Chapter Four
Ella rolled onto her side, ignoring the pain shouting at her. She could feel her pulse pound in her thigh where she’d been shot and pain gripped her in between the temples. She was losing blood, which was not a good sign. At least she’d managed to fight off her attacker and run. She’d poked her fingers through the ski mask he wore and had managed to knock him off balance. Then she’d bolted. It had all happened so fast. The blast. The cold, wet feeling spreading through her thigh.
Who would want to hurt her?
The stranger’s warning hadn’t been an overreaction. Her life was in danger. She’d been in such a fog earlier that she hadn’t even thought to ask any of the right questions. Could Blue Eyes have identified the rock thrower?
She crawled into the front landscaping of the modest home on Sixth Street, gasping. How long could she stay there unnoticed? A few minutes? Hours? The night?