by Kat Martin
Still he’d give the kid’s name to the arson guys, and the sheriff if he asked. Aside from that, he couldn’t think of anyone.
A more sinister thought arose. What about the guy Tory was running from? Was there a chance he had found her? And if he had, was he the kind of man who would go as far as arson to punish her in some way? She was obviously afraid of him. He’d left the little girl terrified of men in general.
Tory seemed a sensible woman. He couldn’t help wondering why she would let a guy like that into her life, especially with a child to consider.
He’d told her he didn’t need to know about her past and he’d meant it. But the situation had changed last night when his barn had gone up in flames.
He needed to talk to Tory and he needed to talk to her now. Josh headed back to his house.
Chapter Nine
Josh followed Tory to the house, but when he walked through the front door, Tory and Ivy weren’t there. There was nothing in the oven. Hell, the oven wasn’t on.
Suspicion rolled through him. Heading for the trailer, he climbed the porch steps and started to knock on the door. His hand froze as the door swung silently open and he heard voices coming from the hall leading to the bedrooms.
Remembering the look on Tory’s face when he had told her the fire was arson, he pushed the front door open and stepped inside. Heading down the hall, he stopped when he reached her open bedroom door, saw her madly throwing clothes into a suitcase, taking hangers out of the closet and tossing them onto the bed.
Suspicion gave way to irritation. No way had she set the fire then risked her life to save the horses, but something was definitely going on.
Propping his shoulders against the doorjamb, he crossed his arms over his chest. “Going somewhere, Tory?”
She jumped as if he’d shot off a cannon. She saw him and her body sagged in relief. “Josh . . . I thought . . . What are you doing here?”
His irritation crept up another notch. “If you’re quitting, I’d appreciate at least a couple of days’ notice.”
She looked at the jeans and blouses strewn all over the bed, looked back at him, and her eyes filled. “I have to go. I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble. I’m so sorry, Josh.”
It wasn’t what he’d expected her to say. He pushed away from the wall and walked toward her. “You think it was him? Is that what’s going on here?”
“I-I don’t know.” She blinked and wiped a tear from her cheek. “It could be. I’m afraid it’s him.”
“He’s that bad? He’d burn down a barnful of horses just to get back at you?”
She released a shuddering breath. “He’s that bad, Josh. The night I tried to leave him, he beat me nearly to death.” She looked past him out the window, toward the lush Texas grasslands and the mottled gray sky overhead.
“I don’t know how he fooled me so completely,” she said. “When I met him, I thought he was this really great guy. We’d only been dating a couple of months when he asked me to marry him. I said yes. I thought he would make a great dad for Ivy. As soon as we moved in together, things went rapidly downhill.”
“Was it booze? Drugs?”
“Not at first. Later it was both, but I don’t think that was his problem. We’d only been living together a month before I realized I was in trouble. We started fighting and he got more and more violent until I wound up in the hospital. His family is rich and powerful. Instead of jail, Damon got rage counseling and community service.”
“What happened after that?”
“Damon started harassing me right away. I was able to get a restraining order, but it didn’t really do any good.”
“Yeah. Piece of paper making something illegal doesn’t keep people from breaking the law.”
“No, it doesn’t. I finally gave up and left Phoenix.”
“How long ago was that?”
“Five months. I took a job in Houston but Damon followed me, started harassing me again. After he strangled the neighbor’s kitten and tossed it on my doorstep, I knew we had to leave. I found a job in Carlsbad, one I really liked. Things were good. I thought maybe he’d given up, but three weeks before I came to the ranch, Damon found me again. After that I was on the road until I got here.”
“What happened in Carlsbad?”
She took a shaky breath. “Damon and I had a little . . . umm . . . altercation.”
“You got into a fight? How bad was it?”
“Not nearly as bad as it could have been. I was prepared this time. When Damon broke into my apartment in the middle of the night, I used a stun gun to incapacitate him, tied him up, and left him on the floor. Damon was really pissed.”
Imagining the scene, Josh felt the pull of a smile. “Yeah, I bet he was.”
“I’ve been extremely careful since then, disposable phones, paying cash for everything, but maybe somehow he found out I was here.”
She returned to her packing, threw in another dress. Josh walked over and caught her shoulder, turning her to face him.
“Look, we don’t know for sure it was him. It could just be some firebug passing through who gets his kicks out of burning things down. Until we find out, there’s no reason for you to leave.”
She swallowed, looked up at him. “Thank you for saying that, but—” Fresh tears welled, making her eyes look bigger and greener. “I can’t let you take that kind of risk.”
Maybe if she had said something else. Maybe if her concern hadn’t grabbed him like a fist, he could have just let her leave. He had returned to Texas for peace and quiet. The last thing he needed was more trouble.
But there was no way he could just abandon her. “What about you, Tory? What about Ivy? If this guy’s as bad as you say, how are you going to protect your little girl?”
A soft sob caught in her throat. Josh looked into those troubled green eyes and the next thing he knew he was pulling her into his arms. “You’re not going anywhere. You’re staying right here where you’ll be safe.”
He could feel her trembling, feel the way her body relaxed into the strength of his. For a moment, she rested her head on his chest. It felt good—way too good. He reminded himself this was a woman who needed his help, nothing more.
She took a shaky breath and looked up at him. “Are you . . . are you sure?”
He wasn’t sure of anything except there was no way he could send this woman and her little girl away, not with some lunatic tracking them.
He eased her back a little before she discovered holding her was making him hard. “Like I said, we have no idea who burned the barn. If it’s him, we’ll find a way to deal with it. Until then, we go on the way we have been, but we keep our eyes open. I’ll talk to Noah and Cole, let them know what’s going on.”
“Oh, God, they might be in danger, too.”
He almost smiled. “They’re marines, honey. They can take care of themselves. They’ve faced a lot worse than some creep who beats up women.”
Those strawberry lips curved. He wanted to lean down and kiss her.
“You were a marine, too, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Why did you leave the service? I noticed the scar on your side. Were you wounded?”
“Yeah.” He didn’t say he’d been shot three times and blown up with an IED. Somehow it seemed overkill.
She reached out and lifted his T-shirt, stared at the twisted flesh on his side that had healed far better than he had any right to expect. The brush of her fingers felt like a white-hot brand.
“It looks bad,” she said.
“It was.” He moved farther away before he did something stupid. “The point is I’m not going to let this guy hurt you. If he comes, we’ll take care of him.”
“He’s rich, Josh. He might not come alone. The truth is I have no idea what Damon will do, how far he’ll go to get revenge.”
“Damon. What’s his last name?”
“Bridger. Damon Bridger. But it isn’t fair to you—”
“Let me worr
y about that.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “You just keep cooking those great meals and I’ll take care of the rest, okay?”
She stared at him for the longest time before she finally nodded. “Okay.”
“Good. Now unpack and get back to work. By the way, what’s for supper?”
“It was going to be meatloaf and mashed potatoes.”
He almost groaned. “Sounds great.” He was heading for the door when Ivy came running into the bedroom, her little brown velvet horse clutched tightly against her chest.
“I’m ready, Mama. Let’s go!”
“We’re staying, honey. Josh says we can stay.”
Ivy’s attention shifted warily in his direction, then returned to her mother. “We can’t stay. What about Damon? We have to go.” Her big blue eyes filled with tears. “We have to leave, Mama!”
Careful to keep his distance, Josh crouched in front of the little girl. “Listen to me, Ivy. I’m not going to let Damon hurt you. I promise you that. You don’t have to leave. You’ll be safe here.”
Ivy ignored him. “We have to go, Mama! We have to run away!”
“You can stay on the ranch, Ivy,” Josh said. “I’ll keep you safe.”
Solemn blue eyes, wet with tears, locked on his face. “Damon’s really mean.”
“If I have to, I can be really mean, too. Only I don’t hurt women and little girls.”
Ivy stared at him, trying to decide if she should trust him. She ran to Tory and hung on to her waist. “Josh says we can stay.”
The little girl was taking a risk, counting on him. The knowledge made his chest feel tight.
Tory managed to smile at Ivy. “Let’s go cook Josh some supper, okay?”
“’Kay.” Still clutching her stuffed pony, Ivy raced out into the hall.
Tory looked up at him. Her lashes were damp. “No one’s offered to help us in a very long time. Thank you.”
The tightness returned to his chest. “Nothing to thank me for yet. I’ll see you at supper.”
Glad to get away from his unfamiliar emotions, Josh walked out of the bedroom. He didn’t know how it had happened, but he had a woman and a kid in his life—the last thing he needed. A woman and a child with a threat hanging over their heads.
A woman he wanted and couldn’t have.
He wondered if things could get any worse.
And knew damn well they could.
* * *
Tory returned to Josh’s kitchen, mixing hamburger with bread, eggs, and spices to make the meatloaf recipe her mother had taught her. Her job on the ranch was simple: cooking, laundry, keeping house, running an occasional errand. She should have been bored to death.
In Phoenix, she’d been an advertising exec at a prestigious marketing and advertising company with all the perks a position like that entailed. She had worked long hours and traveled more than she wanted, but she was a vice president in upper-level management. The job was challenging, and she made a very good salary.
Now she was in the middle of Nowhere, Texas, doing simple tasks like fixing sandwiches and folding laundry. But she was also breathing fresh air instead of smog, relaxing in the evenings instead of picking Ivy up late from the sitter, having to hurry straight home and put her to bed.
She was able to spend time with her little girl as she hadn’t been able to do since Ivy was born. Tory was teaching her the alphabet and numbers, working on basic reading skills, playing cards, and just having fun.
The time spent with her child was more precious than Tory ever could have imagined. Living and working in her dog-eat-dog, super-hectic world, she hadn’t known how much she was missing.
She wished she could call her best friend and talk to her about it. She had a feeling Lisa would be one of the few people who would understand. They hadn’t talked in ages. Tory had run short of money after her last phone call and hadn’t thought to pick up a new disposable when she was in town.
Next time, she told herself as she formed the meat and spices into a loaf, put it into a baking pan, and shoved it into the oven, which now worked perfectly thanks to Josh.
After that first night, he’d suggested she cook enough extra for her and Ivy’s supper instead of having to fix two separate meals. Of course, that meant Josh was paying for some of the food she was eating. It was good of him to offer and so far the arrangement was working great.
Late afternoon slipped away, the sun sinking low on the horizon. In the evenings she liked to sit out on the porch in front of the trailer and listen to the night sounds: the wind luffing through the trees, the cattle and horses moving around in the pasture, the hoot of an owl.
In the early mornings, birds sang and squirrels played tag in the yard. She had spotted the cutest rabbit, hurried to show Ivy, who had squealed with delight. It was a different life out here. She’d never realized how much she liked the country until she’d left the city.
Supper was almost finished when she heard a knock at Josh’s front door. An anxious, uneasy tremor moved down her spine as she walked past where Ivy sat watching TV in the living room, checked the peephole, and pulled the door open.
A heavyset man in a tan sheriff’s uniform stood beneath the covered porch. He took off his beige cowboy hat and tucked it under his arm. Not wanting him to see Ivy, Tory stepped outside onto the bricks that ran the length of the house and closed the door.
“May I help you?”
“Sheriff Emmett Howler. I’m lookin’ for Joshua Cain. I need to talk to him about the fire last night.” Along with the cowboy hat, he had a belly that hung over his belt and a thick Texas accent.
“I’m sorry, Josh is in town. I’m not sure what time he’ll be back.”
“You’re Tory Ford?”
“That’s right.”
“Got your name from Bill Wheeler. You’re Cain’s housekeeper, I guess.”
The way he was looking at her, as if he knew some dirty little secret, she felt the need to set him straight. “I do his cleaning, his laundry, prepare his meals. I live in that double-wide over there.” She pointed to the trailer. “What can I do for you, Sheriff?”
“How long you been workin’ for Cain?”
“Going on two weeks.”
“You seen any sign of anyone suspicious hangin’ around, someone who oughtn’t to be here?”
“No. I haven’t seen anyone.”
“Where you from, Miss Ford?”
“It’s Mrs. I was married. My husband was killed in a car accident several years ago.”
“I see. The way you talk, don’t sound like you’re from around these parts. So where y’all from?”
The question made her stomach burn. She heard the sound of a truck pulling in, said a silent thank you when Josh climbed out and started striding toward them.
“There’s Josh now.” She stepped back as he walked up on the porch. “The sheriff’s here about the fire. He wants to talk to you.” Josh must have read her worry. His gaze zeroed in on Emmett Howler.
“What can I do for you, Sheriff?”
“If you two will excuse me,” Tory said, “I need to get back to my cooking.” Before the sheriff could object, she slipped into the house and closed the door, then took a place next to the window so she could watch the men and hear their conversation without being seen.
She had a hunch Josh knew she was there. He seemed to have a sixth sense about whatever was happening around him. She thought maybe it was his military training.
“Too bad about the fire,” the sheriff said. “Prob’ly got the barn insured, right?”
“I’ve got a little insurance, enough to cover about eighty percent of the building and what was inside.”
“Lucky you didn’t lose any horses.”
“I’m grateful for that.”
Howler tipped his head toward the door. “Woman’s only been workin’ here a while. Any chance she set the fire? You know what they say about a woman scorned.”
A muscle in Josh’s cheek subtly tightened. The beard sha
dow was back. He only seemed to shave every few days. Tory wished it didn’t make him look even sexier.
“She’s my employee,” Josh said. “Other than that, I don’t have a relationship with the lady. As far as the barn goes, if it hadn’t been for Tory’s help, I wouldn’t have gotten all the horses out.”
The sheriff pondered that. “Any idea who mighta’ done it?”
“You might check out a kid named Randy Stevens. Worked for me a few days. Stole a five-gallon can of gas and I fired him for it. He wasn’t happy about it.”
“Randy Stevens? Jim Stevens’s boy? Good kid. I doubt he’d do anything like that.”
“Probably not,” Josh said. “I just thought I should mention it.”
“Good way to ruin a kid’s reputation, accusing him falsely of somethin’ like that.”
Josh’s jaw went tight. “I didn’t accuse him. I thought you’d want to know. If there isn’t anything else, I need to get back to work.”
It was beginning to get dark, a wall of clouds rolling over the flat green lands in the distance. Fading sunlight glinted on the surface of a distant pond.
The sheriff sauntered away, walked out from under the covered porch. “I’ll let you know what we come up with,” Howler said. “You might want to keep an eye out, though. Sounds like you could have an enemy somewheres about.”
Josh made no reply, just stood watching as the sheriff walked to his white, blue-trimmed, extended cab patrol pickup, hefted himself inside, started the engine, and drove away.
Tory opened the door and walked out on the porch.
“You okay?” Josh asked.
“You showed up at just the right time. I’d rather the sheriff didn’t start digging around, stirring things up.”
“Howler’s a real dumbass. The chance of him finding the arsonist is none to minus zero.”
She chuckled. “You think it might have been this kid, Randy?”
“I don’t know. Wheeler called while I was in town. The accelerant was gasoline. Randy Stevens stole a five-gallon can of gas and I fired him for it. Maybe he figured using it to burn down the barn was payback. Howler’s not going to check it out, which leaves it to me. Randy may be young, but if he committed arson, he’s dangerous. He needs to be in jail.”