Lasso That Cowboy

by Lynde Lakes

  A pulse throbbed in her throat. He longed to touch the pulsing point with his fingers to soothe her and lower her stress level. “Let’s table this for tonight. Tomorrow Matt should have Coco’s address in Richmond and we—”

  “We? That’s what I want to talk to you about. The way Matt was talking earlier, it sounded like he was taking over. And once I have the address, I intend to go alone.”

  “Alone?” Since they’d met he’d been on the edge of a cliff, fighting to keep his balance, and now she’d kicked the earth from beneath his boots. “Get it through your head, Amber. You’re not alone in this.”

  “But if the cops or Feds get to the package first, I might never know the contents. And if the package is the key to Mr. Rhoades’ murder, it could be what I need to prove I’m innocent.”

  “I’ll get Matt to back off—but it’s us! You’re not going anywhere alone. Got it?”

  She nodded. But the defiant look that flickered in her eyes worried him. “I mean it, Amber. You’re still vulnerable from the effects of the drugs the doctor gave you. I’m responsible for you, and I take that very seriously.”

  “I see,” she said softly.

  He didn’t have a clue what she meant by I see, but he got the disturbing feeling that a hurricane was brewing in Amber’s mind.

  “Luke, I have to leave tonight. With me here, you and Alicia could be in danger, too. Maybe even your whole family.”

  Luke shook his head. Amber amazed him. Even when surrounded by trouble, she thought of others. “Matt and I have already set up safeguards. Tomorrow I’ll fly you to Richmond to talk to Coco. I’m sticking with you through this.”

  “Why?” Her lip trembled.

  He ached to take her in his arms and comfort her, but he didn’t dare get that close to her while he was feeling vulnerable himself. “Because right now, I’m all you have,” he said more gruffly than he’d intended.

  “Oh,” she said softly. She lowered her lashes and nibbled her bottom lip.

  “I reckon that wasn’t exactly the answer you’d hoped for.”

  She shrugged. “It’s honest. Direct.”

  Her disappointed tone made him want to say more, but his cautious side warned it wasn’t wise. Everything had gotten tipped upside down. He’d hired Amber so he could keep Alicia with him and wouldn’t have to rely on family to care for her. Now he was planning to leave his daughter with his mom while he traipsed all over hell and gone with Amber—a hundred and eighty degrees off center from his original plans. It wasn’t her fault she’d brought more trouble into his life, but a small part of him resented he’d let her do it. Not only had he let her, but he’d insisted upon facing the trouble with her.

  His screwed up emotions were damned crazy. Especially when he wasn’t sure where his feelings for her were going. All he knew for sure was he’d left the chute too fast and his emotions were bucking and twisting out of control.

  When he’d first met Amber he could have chosen to slam the chute gate closed before it was too late, but once he charged through into the arena and felt the sizzling chemistry between them, there was no going back. And now something more serious, more frightening, was happening—his heart was involved.

  ****

  By the time Luke and Amber landed at Chesterfield County Airport, rented a flashy cardinal Mercury Mystique, and drove the fifteen miles into Richmond, a blood red sunset had inflamed the stately cluster of skyscrapers and the ribbon of the James River with an ominous glow that reached inside Amber and seared her nerve endings. Was her sense of foreboding the result of last night’s phone call, or her fear of what might lay ahead?

  A little girl about Alicia’s age waved from the back window of a Toyota Camry. Amber waved back, missing Alicia already. But with danger in the wind, Alicia was better off with Virginia—out of harm’s way.

  Luke frowned and darted a sharp look at Amber.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked softly.

  He shook his head. “We’re almost there.”

  He left I-95, traveled several miles, then turned onto a tree-lined street that snaked through a neighborhood of modest colonial homes nestled between green hundred-year-old umbrella elms and spruces. Coco Rhoades’ house had a deserted, forlorn aura. The front door stood wide open and all the lights were ablaze. No noise came from inside. Amber’s neck prickled. “Something doesn’t feel right here,” she said.

  Luke pulled into the driveway, his eyes narrowing.

  A slim woman with silvery-blue tresses and big fuzzy slippers on her feet scurried out onto the porch next door and waved at them with a smoking cigarette between her manicured fingers. Her bulging eyes scrutinized them for a moment. “You with the police?” she called.

  “Let me do the talking,” Luke told Amber in a low voice. His expression hardened with the same determined, don’t-give-me-any-argument expression she’d seen last night in the barn. He got out of the car and smiled at the woman. “May I be of assistance, Ma’am?”

  The woman took a couple of quick drags on her cigarette, sending smoke curling into the air. “It just happened, Officer. When Coco pulled into her driveway, two burglars raced out of her house. They grabbed her and forced her into the back seat of a black van.”

  Amber’s heart pounded and she clasped her throat. Oh, no.

  “It was a Toyota 4Runner SR5. I know the model,” the woman said with importance in her voice, “because my son just bought one a few months ago. Has running boards like old time cars.”

  “Get a license number?” Luke asked.

  “Paint splattered, but it was Nevada plates.” Her smoker’s voice cracked. “Headed North toward I-95.”

  “Amber, stay with her.” Luke’s collaborating look said more than his words.

  “Gotcha. We’re on the same wave length.” Her job was to calm the woman and get more information. Amber had a hunch the robbery might have something to do with Mr. Rhoades murder and the package she’d mailed. If she could get a peek into Coco’s house before the cops got there—

  “If I can spot the van,” Luke said, “I’ll relay the location to the cops.” As he opened the door of their Mercury, he paused and looked at the woman. “Like to clear something up, Ma’am. I’m not an officer, but we are here to help.”

  Amber’s respect for Luke soared. She was glad he was playing it straight, even though the woman would probably clam up now. In spite of the hot nerves jumping along her spine, she tried for a calming tone. “I’m Amber,” she said as Luke sped away.

  “Evie Pimpleton.” Evie paused and gulped for air, as though running the last leg of a marathon. “It sounded like a demolition crew over at Coco’s place,” she said, shaking her head. “I came outside to see what was going on.”

  “Let’s take a look,” Amber said, and was surprised when the woman agreed.

  Amber furrowed her brow as she caught a whiff of Evie’s whiskey breath. How reliable was a half-crocked witness? But Evie was right about the condition of Coco’s house. It looked like a tornado had blown through, drawers dumped, shelves cleared. Broken vases and lamps littered the floor. Whatever the intruders had been looking for, chances are they hadn’t found it, or they wouldn’t have had to grab Coco. Amber’s heart pounded. That could mean the package was still around somewhere.

  “Do you know if Coco received any packages in the last week or so?” she asked.

  “As a matter of fact, she did. I’ve kept it for her. She’s been away at an insurance seminar and I didn’t get a chance to tell her that the mailman left it with me.”

  Suddenly aware that they had invaded a crime scene, Amber stepped outside and Evie followed. “May I see it?”

  Evie hesitated.

  “I sent her a package,” Amber said. “That’s why we’re here. It’s about the size of a ledger. The sender was Coco’s brother—my boss, Phillip Rhoades. Return address was the same as the mailing address.”

  Evie searched Amber’s face with her big eyes, then headed for her house and disappea
red inside. Amber followed, and waited on the porch. She crossed her fingers, hoping the woman hadn’t ditched her. Be nice to have a watch. It seemed like Luke had been gone forever. Molly had said he was daring. A hero. What if he found the 4Runner, and rather than wait for the police, tried to rescue Coco himself? Amber closed her eyes. If anything happened to Luke, Alicia would lose her daddy, her only living parent, and Amber knew she’d never forgive herself.

  Evie returned with the package.

  Amber’s heart pounded. “That’s it!” Oh, God. The cops were on their way here…she couldn’t let them confiscate it. “I’m sure you know Coco’s brother was murdered.”

  “Tragic,” Evie murmured, smoothing the brown wrapping with shaky fingers.

  “The package could help me find his killer. Even stop other killings.”

  Evie furrowed her brow. “But you’re not with the police?”

  “No, but I worked for Mr. Rhoades, and Coco would have given it to me herself if those men hadn’t grabbed her.”

  Evie bit her lip. “Kidnapping…murder. I’m so confused. Won’t the police want the package for evidence or something?”

  “They don’t know about it.”

  A desperate tightness in Amber’s chest made normal breathing difficult. If she were in Evie’s place, she wouldn’t give up the package to a stranger, especially under the circumstances. Amber felt like grabbing it and running.

  Luke skidded to a stop in the driveway. Amber sighed in relief. He was safe.

  With a tight jaw, Luke climbed from behind the wheel and joined them on Evie’s porch. “No sign of the kidnappers.” He turned to Evie. “Cops should be here by now, right?”

  Evie nodded, looking like a mouse with nowhere to run.

  “Tell the officers what you told me about the kidnapping,” Luke said hurriedly. He grabbed Amber’s arm and gave it a little yank. “I need your help. Maybe with two of us looking, we can find the 4Runner before it gets too dark.”

  Amber dug in her heels and refused to budge. She gestured to Evie. “She has it.”

  Luke met Amber’s gaze with a look that said good going, then focused on Evie. “Hanging on to that could be extremely dangerous for you.”

  Evie frowned. “Dangerous?”

  Amber gently touched Evie’s arm. “Maybe for anyone to even know you ever had it. You saw the condition of Coco’s house, and the ruthlessness of men who tore it up. If they believe you have what they were looking for, they might do the same thing to your place. Or worse.”

  “Information in the package could help us find Coco and get her home safely,” Luke chimed in. “And save you from—”

  “Enough,” Evie said, waving a trembling hand to ward off any more talk. She glanced up and down the street, and then shoved the package into Amber’s hands. “Don’t tell anyone I gave this to you.”

  “You did the right thing.” Luke grabbed Amber’s arm and gestured with his head for her to get into the car.

  “Put on your seat belt, and hang on.” They sped away just as two police units skidded around the corner. “We could be in big trouble,” Luke said.

  Amber gave a tight nod and clutched the package to her chest, imagining that electricity radiated from it. Spurts of adrenaline shot to her brain. Fuzzy memories skittered about at the far edges of her mind just beyond reach. She could scarcely breathe as she ripped off the brown paper.

  Her heart galloped with excitement. “It is the journal!”

  “Couldn’t wait, could you?” His eyes glinted with amusement.

  “You’re just as curious. I saw you glance over here.” She flipped through the pages.

  “Well?” he asked.

  She gave a small sly smile. “Mostly handwritten entries followed by columns of numbers. In the back there’re hand-drawn engineering designs and some printed maps.”

  “What do you make of it?” His voice was tense.

  “Getting too dark to zero in on anything specific, but the breakin at Coco’s place has me convinced that I have something very important in my hands.”

  “And very dangerous,” he said, his tone ominous.

  A chill ran through her, and she rubbed her arms. “Coco is the one in immediate trouble.”

  He nodded, his face solemn.

  They drove silently until they’d reached I-95, then they both scanned the traffic for any vehicle that resembled the 4Runner.

  Amber cleared her throat. “I keep thinking about how terrified she must be.”

  “Me, too.” Luke’s voice was hoarse with emotion.

  His capacity to care about people warmed Amber’s heart. “The murderer tortured Elmer before he killed him.” Amber winced as vivid images gripped her mind. She forced them back into the darkness and concentrated on watching for vans. They drove for miles, circling, backtracking, and alert to every black van until complete darkness made it impossible to distinguish one vehicle from another.

  Amber stole a glance at Luke. He looked as miserable as she felt. He met her gaze briefly and covered her hand with his. “I’m sorry. We’ve done all we can.”

  “I know. But I wish—”

  Ahead, several police cars with flashing lights lined the roadside. Uniformed officers were slowing traffic and selectively pulling cars over. “Something’s going on.” Amber couldn’t keep the anxiety from her voice.

  “Probably a roadblock for drunk drivers,” Luke said calmly. “It’s too much to hope that it’s the cops looking for the kidnappers.”

  “I gave Evie my name.” Amber dug her nails into the seat. “What if the cops are looking for me—their missing murder suspect?”

  “You’re overreacting. Police communication between Texas and Virginia over what is probably considered a small potatoes murder isn’t likely.” He touched her knee. “Don’t act guilty. Let me do the talking.” Luke slowed as they approached the pull-off zone. A policeman with a flashlight waved them on.

  Amber sighed in relief. “Thank you, God.” After her heart returned to its normal beat, she said, “What’s next?”

  Luke laughed. “The way you can shift moods amazes me.” The admiration in his tone caressed her like a gentle breeze.

  “In answer to your question,” he continued, “we’ll get some food and a place to spend the night. Then take a good look at that journal.”

  Would they get two rooms? Right now, the last thing she wanted was to be alone with her thoughts.

  Chapter Nine

  The kidnapping and the elusive memories still lurking in the shadows of her mind disoriented Amber, and she struggled to regain her composure. Luke had gone inside the motel office to register them. He could decide whether it was to be room or rooms. She was too off balance to face the risk of further rejection. Luke had kept his distance from her since he had kissed her in the garden, and even avoided touching her. His aloofness hurt, especially now when she desperately needed to be held.

  He’d claimed he was sticking by her because she had no one else. His impersonal declaration should have thrown ice water on her desires, but she knew he wanted her. Obviously, he had decided, as she should have, that there were too many reasons they shouldn’t let things get more complicated. The fact that he had brought her to live under his roof to care for his child was reason enough to keep their relationship dispassionate. Now that he knew she was a suspect in a murder case and the target for a killer he should send her packing. Any ordinary man would. His unwavering loyalty showed notable character. She should be satisfied with that.

  Luke strode out of the office, a single key in his hand. Her expression must have revealed her surprise because he said, “Any objections? With the black 4Runner in the area, it’s safer if we stick together.”

  Unable to speak, she shook her head. Opposing emotions of relief and tension played tug-of-war on her nerve endings. He grabbed the overnight bags from the trunk, and she followed him to a nearby room. She welcomed the cool air that blasted her hot cheeks as he shoved the door aside. He flicked on the lights
. Table lamps cast a soft luminance on two double beds and revealed the shadowy, narrow distance between them.

  He tossed his Stetson onto one of beds to stake his claim. “This one’s mine. It’s closest to the door,” Luke said. “An intruder will hafta get past me to get to you.”

  Did he really expect an attack? She leaned against the dresser and folded her arms to keep herself together, calm. “Ever hear that a hat on the bed is bad luck?”

  He laughed. “Only if I sit on it.”

  After putting their bags on the luggage racks at the foot of the beds, Luke grabbed the phone. “Gotta check with the cops about Coco. If they got out an APB fast enough, their roving units might’ve closed in on the 4Runner by now.”

  Before he could finish dialing, and without thinking about how close it would bring her to Luke, Amber lunged forward and disconnected the line. “Is that wise?” she asked, feeling a surge of panic. “You could end up giving more info than you get. Why don’t you call Matt and let him check for us?”

  Luke’s head jerked back in surprise. “I thought you wanted to keep Matt out of this?”

  The question in his voice was unmistakable. Her cheeks grew hotter. “Things have changed. If Evie didn’t tell the cops about us, why do anything to call attention to ourselves?”

  Luke rubbed his jaw. “Good thinking. Matt can ask questions without involving us.”

  He quickly called his brother, and when he finished explaining about the kidnapping, he listened for several minutes, his face darkening like a storm cloud. “You gonna help us or not?” he growled. “A woman’s life’s at stake.” He was silent again, his jaw tight. Apparently Matt was chewing him out for getting involved with her. “Let me worry about that,” he said finally. “Call my cell phone when you have some news.”

  After Luke hung up, he said, “It’ll take Matt some time to check on it.”

  Amber bit her lip. There had to be something they could do on this end to speed things up. She sat down on the bed, grabbed the phone book, and thumbed through the pages until she found Evie’s number. “It’s a long shot, but maybe Evie has heard something by now.”