Ranch Hideout

by Sandra Robbins

  Footsteps behind her pounded against the earth, and she knew her pursuer was gaining. She screamed again when she felt his fingers brush her shoulder and then jerk away. She could hear grunts behind her, but she didn’t turn around to see what was happening. She ran toward the cabin.

  She had to get to Gabriel before another hit man finished the job.

  * * *

  Gabriel didn’t realize he’d fallen asleep in the rocking chair, but he must have. He awoke with a jolt, sat up straight and scrubbed his hands over his face. It was getting a little chilly. He hadn’t heard Liz and Andrea come in, but maybe he’d wait for them inside, where it was warmer.

  He put his hands on the rocker’s arms to push himself up, but he tensed at a sound much like a scream that seemed to be coming from near the dining room. Then he heard it clearer.

  “Gabriel!” the voice screamed. “Gabriel.”

  That was Liz’s voice. Grabbing the flashlight, he jumped up and bounded along the path that led to the dining room. He’d gone only a few feet when Liz plowed into him with such force that it almost knocked him down. He wrapped his arms around her waist as he staggered backward.

  She threw her arms around his neck. “Gabriel! Something’s happened to Andrea. And somebody attacked me with a knife,” she screamed.

  He directed the flashlight beam down the path with one hand and pulled out his gun with the other. Then he moved in front of her. “Stay behind me.”

  With Liz trailing him, Gabriel retraced her steps toward the dining room. He swept his gun back and forth across the path as they walked, but there was no one on the trail. They were just a short distance from the dining room when a low moan reached his ears.

  Liz raised a shaking finger and pointed into the darkness. “In there. That’s where Andrea went.”

  Gabriel stopped and peered into the shadows, but he could see nothing. “Andrea, where are you?”

  The only answer was another weak moan.

  Gabriel tensed and tightened his grip on his gun. “Andrea!”

  “H-here.”

  Gabriel took a few steps, and his foot touched her leg. He squinted, and he could make out her form on the ground. He squatted down and felt for her arm. “Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head. “No. I think someone must have knocked me out. My head is pounding.”

  Liz knelt on the other side of her. “Can you stand up?”

  “I—I think so.”

  Gabriel grabbed one arm, and Liz grabbed the other. Together they helped Andrea to her feet. She swayed back and forth in front of them for a second, then seemed to get her balance.

  “What happened?” Liz asked. “I heard sounds like scuffling and then a moan. The next thing I knew, a figure holding a knife was coming at me, so I ran. He almost had hold of my shoulder, and then he pulled away. I heard some more noises behind me, but I kept running and called out for you.”

  Gabriel scanned the area, but he couldn’t make out anyone around. If they were there, they’d hidden themselves well in the darkness. He took Andrea by the arm again. “Let’s get you back to the cabin.”

  He got on one side of her and Liz on the other as they guided her back along the path. When they got inside, Gabriel directed the beam of the flashlight into the darkened cabin as he led her to a chair. He motioned for her to sit. “As soon as I get the oil lamps lit, I want to take a look at your head.”

  Andrea winced as she eased to the chair. She put her hand to the top of her head and felt her scalp. “I don’t feel any cuts.”

  Gabriel didn’t say anything as he removed the chimney from the lamp on the table next to Andrea and touched a match to the wick. When the flame illuminated the room, he ran his fingers over her head. She cringed once when he touched a spot at the back of her head. “Is that tender?”

  Andrea nodded. “A bit, but not too bad.”

  When Gabriel had finished his inspection, he stepped back and looked down at Andrea. “I think we need to let a doctor look at you.”

  She chuckled. “Well, have fun trying to find one on top of a mountain late at night.”

  “Is there anything I can do for you?” Liz asked.

  Andrea shook her head. “I’m sorry, Liz. I’ve been so consumed with my encounter in the dark I haven’t asked about you. Are you okay?”

  Liz nodded. “Yes. I don’t know what happened. Someone was after me—then suddenly he wasn’t. It was like something picked him up and threw him away.”

  Andrea glanced at Gabriel. “Do you have any idea what happened?”

  “No. I couldn’t find any evidence of anybody being around. Of course, it was dark. I’ll take another look when it gets light out.”

  She pushed to her feet. “Well, wake me if you need me to help you. But for now, I think I need to go to bed.”

  Liz gasped. “You can’t go to sleep. I’ve always heard that people who’ve experienced a blow to the head should be kept awake for at least six hours.”

  Andrea smiled. “That’s an old wives’ tale. Studies now recommend that a person who’s been hit in the head get sleep to recover.”

  Gabriel cast a skeptical look at Andrea. “Are you sure about that?”

  “I’m positive. Now I’m going to bed.” She glanced from one to the other. “I think the two of you need to talk and straighten out a few things.”

  Liz shook her head. “You don’t have to...”

  Andrea was already walking toward the bedroom, and she waved over her shoulder. “See you in the morning.”

  They watched her enter the bedroom and close the door behind her, but neither of them spoke. Silence filled the room. Gabriel wanted to say something that would fix whatever was wrong between Liz and him, but he had no idea what that was or how to resolve it.

  He flicked a hurried glance around the room as if he could find a clue to how he could begin, but he saw nothing helpful. His eyes settled on her face, and he realized that she was standing there as if holding her breath waiting for him to say something. All he could think of was how happy he was that she hadn’t been hurt tonight.

  He swallowed and took a step closer to her without taking his eyes off her. “Liz, I’m so thankful you weren’t hurt tonight. Ever since the incident at the workshop, I’ve been worried sick that I failed you then, and I’ve been scared I’d do it again.”

  She frowned. “How did you fail me?”

  He ran his fingers through his hair. “I should have been with you. I know it was Andrea’s time to be on guard, but I should have been there. And I almost wasn’t.”

  “What do you mean?”

  She listened as he told her how he’d watched her go to the workshop but how he’d turned away from the window. “If I had stayed in place and continued watching from that window, I would have seen who locked you in that shop. I could have been there quicker.”

  She tilted her head to one side. “I’ve wondered ever since it happened why you did come. If you thought I’d already gone back to the barn, there was no reason for you to come check on me.”

  He rubbed his neck and shook his head. “I’ve asked myself that question a hundred times since then. I don’t know what it was. It was just a feeling that something wasn’t right, and I needed to check it out.”

  A slow smile curled her lips. “You had a feeling. Was it sort of like a nagging thought that you knew wasn’t going to go away until you obeyed?”

  “Yeah. Exactly like that. I thought I’d take a nap, but I couldn’t. I had to go see you. Does that make any sense?”

  “It makes all the sense in the world. It’s what I’ve been telling you about, Gabriel. God was urging you to come for me, to save me. I’m alive because you listened.”

  He felt as if his heart was about to explode in his chest. She’d never looked so beautiful as she did at
that moment. The soft light of the oil lamps in the room cast a glow across her face that made every nerve in his body tingle. He took a step closer to her. “You’re the most wonderful woman I’ve ever known in my life.”

  She swallowed, and he watched the muscles in her throat constrict. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but he had no idea how she would react.

  “If you think that, why have you been avoiding me ever since I came home from the hospital? When you do speak to me, it’s with curt words that sting.”

  His mouth dropped open. He hadn’t realized she’d interpreted his behavior in that way. “I never meant to hurt you. I’ve just been so worried. I have been able to ward off four attempts on your life, and I’m terrified to think I may fail you the next time. The only thing that’s been on my mind is how I can keep you safe.” He was near enough now that he could touch her, and he wrapped a strand of her hair around his fingers and stroked it with his thumb.

  Her eyes sparkled, and tiny breaths escaped her throat. “Then you weren’t avoiding me because you were tired of me and wanted to end our friendship.”

  His hand released her hair, and he cupped her jaw. “Why would you think that?”

  She bit down on her lip for a moment and then looked up at him. “Because I heard that you go from one woman to the other, but you grow tired of them and end it quickly.”

  His forehead wrinkled. “I can guess who told you that, and it’s partially true. I have dated a lot of women because I’d given up on ever discovering the right one. I never found her until now.”

  Her eyes grew wide. “What do you mean?”

  He grasped her shoulders and pulled her closer. “You’re the one I’ve been waiting for, Liz. I’m falling in love with you, and I’m going crazy thinking that I may not keep you safe. If anything happened to you...”

  The thought was so horrible he couldn’t finish the sentence. She reached up and placed her palm against his cheek. “I’m falling in love with you, too, Gabriel.”

  He gave a low moan, wrapped his arms around her and tugged her into him. She turned her face up toward him, and he pressed his lips to hers. He’d never experienced a kiss like it in his life. The kiss deepened, and he knew this was what he’d been waiting for.

  After a moment he drew back and gazed down at her. “I promise I’ll protect you with my very life.”

  Liz stared at him. “Why didn’t you tell me Gene Curtis was dead?”

  He lowered his head and pressed his forehead against hers. “I didn’t want you to worry about there being another hit man. I guess after tonight we know there is someone else—though I can’t imagine how they found us here. So if I go off in my head and don’t talk to you, know that I’m not ignoring you. I am on high alert to keep you safe.”

  She raised her head but stopped when her lips were almost touching his. “You don’t have to do it alone, Gabriel. All I ask is that you don’t keep things from me. We’re starting something new, and we have to be honest with each other. You’re not a solo player anymore. Now we’re a team, and don’t you forget it.”

  His throat clogged with emotion. Right now all he wanted was to bask in the reality that this incredible woman cared for him.

  He’d convinced himself through the years that he would never want a life with another woman, but now he found he wanted that more than anything in the world. To have it, all he had to do was keep her alive until Daniel Shaw was convicted of murder.

  The thing that concerned him was that the trial was still several weeks away, and a lot could happen in that time.

  THIRTEEN

  Liz sat on the rocky summit of Mount LeConte and stared out across the mountains in the distance. The trees sparkled in the early-morning light, and she smiled as she sketched the scene before her. Although heights had always scared her, she’d looked forward to coming up here. The view was spectacular, but it was made more perfect by the fact that she was sharing it with the man who sat beside her.

  She glanced over at Gabriel, who was staring toward the peaks on the horizon. Even though it was a sunny day, the blue haze that gave the Smokies their name hung low over the mountaintops.

  The morning rays warmed her skin, and she hugged her arms around her waist as she put aside her sketch pad for a moment and gazed at Gabriel’s profile. Being here with him made everything seem brighter. Maybe it was because she was so happy. Last night Gabriel had told her about his feelings for her, and her whole world had changed.

  He turned his head, and his eyes locked with hers. “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “Enjoying the scenery. It’s beautiful up here.”

  He nodded and didn’t take his eyes off her. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

  She flushed, and she wondered if he could tell how much his words pleased her. She picked up her sketch pad and held it out to him. “Would you like to see what I’ve been doing?”

  “Sure.” He took the pad and studied it carefully before he looked up at her. “This is really good, Liz. I didn’t realize you were such a good artist.”

  She ducked her head and smiled. “It’s something I’ve enjoyed since I was a little girl. My father always kept a cabinet in my room filled with all kinds of art supplies when I was growing up. All my creations found their way to the refrigerator door. When it got so crowded that you could barely see the handle, my mother would place my pictures in boxes and store them in her closet. I still have all of them.”

  He chuckled. “My dad was a big sports fan, and he wanted me to play all kinds of sports. It’s a good thing I liked it, because all my growing-up years revolved around some kind of ball game. He displayed my trophies like they were medals from the Olympics. I have all of them in a box in my garage now. I keep thinking I’ll throw them away, but I can’t bring myself to do that.”

  She reached over and grasped his arm. “Don’t throw them away. Keep them to show to your son someday. He’ll need to know what his daddy was like as a little boy.”

  He didn’t say anything for a moment, and then he scooted closer, put his arm around her waist and drew her to him to press his lips against hers. After a moment he leaned back and took a deep breath. “The day suddenly got brighter. You’re lighting up my world, Liz.”

  She started to respond, but the sound of voices drifted on the air. They swiveled to look back at the trail that led from the lodge and saw a man and woman with a girl and boy, both of whom looked like preteens, approach. They were laughing and talking, and it reminded Liz of happy times with her parents.

  They watched the family for several minutes as they explored the summit before they caught sight of her and Gabriel. The man smiled and threw up his hand. “Beautiful day for a hike.”

  They waved back. “It sure is,” Gabriel replied.

  The family stood on the edge of the cliff for several minutes as the father pointed out locations across the mountain range. Then they waved again and headed down the trail toward the lodge.

  Liz watched them until they were out of sight before she spoke. “Do you think we should go check on Andrea?”

  He shook his head. “No, she said she wanted to stay in bed. So let’s leave her alone.” He kissed Liz on the cheek. “I wished for a morning alone with you, and that’s what I got. So I want to enjoy my reward, too.”

  Liz laughed. “What are you going to enjoy?”

  His eyes sparkled. “Looking at you.”

  Her throat closed up for an instant, and she couldn’t respond. Instead she gave him a playful shove. “Well, help yourself. I’m going to sketch.”

  She’d drawn just a few strokes when she heard a voice behind her. “Hello there. Enjoying the beautiful weather today?”

  They glanced up to see Frank standing behind them. Liz smiled. “We are. I thought you’d be out in the woods by this time of day.”


  “I have been. I started out at dawn, and I’ve covered some of the area around here. Now I’m going to hike up to the Jump Off.”

  Liz shuddered. “That name makes my stomach roll. I’m scared of heights. That’s why we’re so far back from the edge.”

  Frank laughed. “Then be careful. I’d hate for you to fall off the mountain. I’ll look forward to seeing you at dinner.” He waved over his shoulder as he walked away.

  “That guy is not eating dinner with us tonight. I’m not going to sit there and listen to him amaze you with all his adventures.”

  Liz laughed. “He’s just trying to be nice. You might...”

  She trailed off without finishing her sentence and squinted at a flash of color she’d seen in the trees near the summit.

  Gabriel sat up straight and looked in the direction she was staring. “What is it?”

  “I don’t know. I saw something for just a moment. I just caught a flash of color, but it was the same color as that hoodie Brick was wearing last night.”

  He reached for the gun in his holster and started to get up. “Maybe I’d better check it out.”

  She grasped his arm and shook her head. “It’s okay. There’s nothing there now. It could have been my imagination.”

  He hesitated but then sat back down. “Maybe we should go.”

  “No, I want to finish this sketch. Then we will.”

  She picked up her pad, but she knew she wasn’t going to be able to concentrate. How could she when death seemed to be stalking her, and she didn’t know which way it was coming from? Something told her this wasn’t going to be a very productive day for sketches.

  * * *

  Liz glanced around at the other guests in the dining room and wondered if her happiness shone on her face. Tonight she wasn’t thinking about hit men or her safety. She wanted to enjoy being with Gabriel. She was still amazed at how much had changed in twenty-four hours. Last night they had sat in stony silence across from each other, and tonight they sat side by side. In a way that’s how it felt to Liz. They’d cleared the air last night, and now they were on the same page.