by Regina Duke
“Oh, darn.” She glanced in the rear view mirror and her heart lurched. In the distance, she could barely make out a silver car, glinting in the sun. Between her and the silver car was the little red one with dark windows. There were a couple other cars as well. At least she wasn’t all alone on the highway. And the truck ahead of her was comforting, too. She had filled her tank in Tonopah. She’d be fine. Even if Gavin was following her, she didn’t think he was the kind of guy who would physically hurt her.
Not on purpose. That one time he had thrown her against the wall had been an accident. She was sure of that. He had been so sorry afterward, and when she came home from the ER with her injured elbow in a sling, he had waited on her hand and foot for a week.
His usual weapons were cruel words and empty threats. But if he caught up with her, she would just make sure there were other people around. Hopefully, he wouldn’t even bother to make good on his threat to follow her. One thing about Gavin, he was too lazy to do the hard work of following through on much of anything. Hopefully, when she got home, it would make a funny story to tell her co-workers, how she got paranoid and fantasized that Gavin was following her all the way to Vegas. Even so, she was glad when the big rig passed the family SUV and she had them in her sights again.
CHAPTER FIVE
BEATTY WAS hardly more than a wide spot in the road with low-lying buildings and scattered shade trees. A skinny brown dog ambled along the road. He wore a leather collar and tags. That meant somebody loved him. Ahead of her the driver of the SUV slowed and signaled a right turn into a parking lot. Terri followed him. On the north end of the lot was a wooden building with a painted stagecoach in front of the corner entrance. On the south end was a cream-colored mock adobe building with lots of big windows. She could see gift shops inside selling nuts and candy.
Terri parked and got out of the car. The SUV family was doing the same. The man came over to her and pointed up the road.
“The signal light is up that way. The sign is kind of small, but don’t worry. You turn left at the signal to go to Vegas. We’ve got to feed these kids, so we’ll probably be here a while. I just thought I’d let you know before we lost sight of you.”
“Thank you so much,” said Terri. “I really appreciate it.”
His wife had the two youngest children by the hands. She called out, “Have a safe trip.”
Terri thanked them both again and took a moment to scan the parking lot. No red car. No silver Mercedes. Maybe it was all in her head after all, and they would skip this stop. She took a deep breath and smelled candy. They must make their own, she thought. She decided to stop in the gift shop and buy herself a treat.
When she came out, she searched the parking lot again for a red car or a silver Mercedes. Nothing. Relieved, she tucked her candied pecans into her tote bag, then headed for the casino for a quick trip to the ladies’ room. She caught her reflection in the dark glass of the casino doors and for a moment she didn’t recognize herself. The woman in the glass was slender and attractive in her scant white tank top and her yellow shorts. Terri was still used to thinking of herself as pudgy, but the stresses of the last year had made food the last thing on her mind. That, and throwing herself into her job, had taken off fifteen pounds. She flushed with pleasure as she noted there was nothing pudgy about the lady in the glass. She didn’t even mind that two inches of midriff showed between the tank top and the shorts. She smiled at her reflection, then went inside.
Gavin used to tease her about being pudgy. When he was mad at her, he would call her fatso, tubby, all those painful names. Her friends at work assured her she was not fat, but it still hurt. Well, he could eat his heart out now, she thought. She decided she would reward herself with a new outfit when she returned to Reno. She spent way too much time in baggy scrubs at the vet’s office.
There was nothing about the restrooms to make her want to linger. She washed her hands, tidied her hair, and headed back outside where she stopped for a moment to put on her sunglasses. She noticed something moving fast out of the corner of her eye. She was about to turn and see what it was when someone hit her left side and grabbed for her tote bag. Instinctively she clutched it tighter as she went down. A male voice rasped, “Give it to me, it’s mine.” For a second she thought the voice sounded familiar.
“No!” she cried, thinking of the pictures of Reggie in her bag.
A moment later another male voice shouted, “Let her go!”
The gruff-voiced man let go of her bag and ran. Terri clutched the tote to her chest and tried to get her bearings. Her heart was pounding a mile a minute. All she could think was it was a good thing she hadn’t pulled over on the highway for anything, because if this fellow was daring enough to grab her bag in broad daylight, who knew what else he would try? But who was it? She was certain it was not Gavin. She knew Gavin’s voice all too well.
Suddenly all thoughts of the would-be thief fled when her rescuer knelt at her side and pulled his sunglasses off to look her in the eye.
“Terri, isn’t it? Are you all right?” It was Russ Camino. She was caught up in his magnificent brown eyes. She had to force herself to look away, and when she did, she was captivated by the long vein that ran across his tanned bicep. She repressed the urge to run the tip of one finger along its path.
“Are you hurt?” He held out a hand to help her up.
“No, I don’t think so.” What was he doing here? Had he been following her? She cursed her female heart for being attracted to him. She needed to be careful, a woman traveling alone. What if he was just handsome on the outside, but on the inside planning to do her harm? He was still holding out his hand to help her up. She took his hand and when their fingers touched, a jolt of electricity shot through her.
“Oh.” It was a little sound, but he heard it and smiled.
Terri felt the blush creeping up her cheeks. She cleared her throat. “Yes, I’m fine.” She let him pull her to her feet. He was standing very close, looking around in all directions.
“I think we should go inside for just a moment and make sure nothing is missing,” he said.
He was standing so close to her that Terri could feel the heat radiating from his body. He was only three inches taller than she was, but his physique made him seem like a much larger man. His hair was dark and wavy, and a lock of it insisted on dangling over his forehead. As he steered Terri back inside the casino, she asked, “Are you a movie star or something?”
He laughed. In the cool dimness of the entryway, he tipped her face up and examined it carefully. “No, sorry, I’m not a movie star. That guy really gave you a shove. Maybe we should call the police.”
“Oh, no,” said Terri. “I’m on my vacation, and I don’t want to waste any time trying to fill out a complaint when I can’t even tell you what the guy looked like.”
“You didn’t get a good look at him?” He seemed worried.
“No, but I’m sure he won’t try anything again. Not after this rescue.” She smiled up at him, then had to turn her face away as those eyes played a drum solo on her heart. “So, you’re not an actor?” She blushed again at her own stupidity. Why did she keep saying that? She’d seen handsome men before. Well, maybe not this handsome, and maybe not this close.
He grinned. “Nope, still not an actor. Did he get anything?”
Terri opened her tote bag and made an oral checklist as she verified its contents. “Wallet, checkbook, cell phone, maps, dog collar, camera, photos, hair brush, lip gloss, keys, pecans, dog drugs, people meds. No, everything seems fine.” She shook her head. “You hear about purse snatchers but you never think you’ll be a target, you know? I mean, I always thought they went after the elderly.”
Russ nodded thoughtfully. “You have some parking lot on your shorts.”
She checked her right hip. “Oh. I guess it’ll wash out.”
There was an awkward silence. Then they both started to speak at once.
“Thanks again.”
“I’ll ca
ll the police.”
Terri put a hand on his arm, then pulled it back quickly, as if it burned. That electric tingle was too much, and it was stirring feelings elsewhere, feelings that came with complications. “No, please don’t,” she said. “I just want to keep going. I need to make Vegas before nightfall. I’m heading for the Canyon tomorrow, the North Rim.”
Russ snapped his fingers. “What a coincidence. That’s where I’m headed.”
“Really?” Terri’s face brightened. “Maybe we can go hiking together.”
“Better yet, since we’re both going through Vegas, maybe you’ll join me for dinner later?”
Terri felt an inner thrill, immediately followed by doubts. “Gee, I don’t know. I’m going to be pretty tired by the time I get to the hotel.”
Russ nodded and looked away. “No problem. I understand.” He looked disappointed.
“Well…” Terri hesitated. “Oh, what the heck, I’m on vacation. I don’t have to get up at the crack of dawn. Dinner would be welcome.”
Russ smiled again, and Terri decided dinner was a small price to pay to look at that face. “I can pick you up at your hotel,” he said. “Where are you staying? The Mirage? The Bellagio? Treasure Island?”
Terri chewed her bottom lip. “Actually, I decided to avoid downtown.” And all those casinos. Each one was a reminder of Gavin’s gambling and the end of their relationship. “I have a room at the Motel Six on Rainbow, not far from the I-95 on-ramp.” That probably ended his interest in her. She was definitely not a party girl. He’d probably find a reason to cancel dinner.
Instead he nodded, “That’s sensible. You’ll avoid all that traffic getting in and out of town.” He pulled his wallet out of his pocket. “Here’s my card, and that’s my cell phone on it. We’ll both be on the highway, but if you have any more problems, just call me. I did hear you tick off a cell phone in that tote bag, right?” He raised an eyebrow and gave her an impish look.
Terri smiled, relieved that she hadn’t chased him off with her choice of a dull, ordinary hotel. “Yes, I’ve got a cell.” She took his card. “Oh, my. You’re a bounty hunter?” Her voice squeaked on the question.
Russ grinned. “When I was a kid I wanted to be either a cowboy or a cop. Bounty hunter seemed to combine the two. It’s really pretty ordinary, dreary work. I’ll tell you all about it over dinner, okay? Now promise me you’ll call if you have any problems on the road.”
Terri agreed. She didn’t know if it was the right thing to do, but she’d made mistakes in the past and survived them. Besides, she was on vacation. What girl wouldn’t enjoy dinner with a good looking man? And Russ was gorgeous, there was no doubt about that.
Russ escorted her to her car, asked her yet again if she was all right, then stood and waved as she pulled out onto the highway. He waited for a few moments until her car disappeared up the road. Then he headed for the back lot where he had parked his borrowed car. Once inside, he turned up the air conditioning and pulled a color photo out of a manila envelope. At the bottom the name Kenny DaSilva was written in black marker. DaSilva had light brown hair brushed straight back, a gap between his two front teeth, and the unfortunate evidence of an adolescent battle with serious acne. DaSilva was following Terri and had tried to snatch her bag. But what was he after? What could Terri have that DaSilva might want?
Russ turned the photo over and skimmed through the notes he’d made. DaSilva had been in and out of jail for most of his adult life. He kept unsavory company, and he was usually ready to do anything to make a quick buck.
Russ couldn’t for the life of him figure out why DaSilva was after Terri, based on their brief acquaintance, but if he was, Terri would need protection. He was glad she’d decided not to call the police, because there was really nothing the police could do for her. Until a crime had been committed, they couldn’t go after DaSilva, and since Russ had interrupted DaSilva in the act, there was no crime to report. He would have to keep an eye on Terri, at least long enough to find out what DaSilva was after.
He put the photo away, buckled up, and steered his car onto the highway. Then he slapped the steering wheel. Some bounty hunter he was. He didn’t even get Terri’s cell phone number. At least the Motel Six should be easy to find. He was looking forward to dinner. She was a very pretty girl, and what made it even better was that she evidently didn’t realize she was pretty. That unassuming and unselfconscious attitude made her even more attractive. He’d dated lots of pretty girls, but the ones he seemed to meet worked really hard at looking perfect on the outside without worrying about the inside. So far, that had suited him just fine because it kept him from getting serious about any of them. So why was he hoping that Terri would turn out to be as beautiful inside as she was out?
He found himself whistling a happy tune as he drove along. He checked his mirrors, searching for DaSilva’s vehicle. No sign of it. He was beginning to hope this bad guy was long gone.
Then Terri would be safe. He wished he could figure out why he was so drawn to her, aside from her good looks. His instincts were good. He could often tell a lot about a person’s character in just a few minutes of conversation. Those instincts had kept him safe in his work. Maybe that was it.
And then there was the spark when their hands touched. He knew she’d felt it, too. She made that little sound, that little “oh” of surprise. He’d felt the same thing. Well, he might be wrong, but whether Terri turned out to be someone special or not, he had to keep an eye on her. He felt like her safety was his responsibility.
He picked up his cell and punched in a familiar number with his thumb, being careful to keep his eyes on the road. “Hi, Sara. How’s my harem?” He chuckled at something Sara said. “That’s good. Tell them I miss them. I’m still on DaSilva’s trail. I got real close to him this afternoon. I know I’m making him nervous.” No reason to mention Terri yet. “Look, Sara, I need a quick reservation at the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim. See what you can do for me, okay? Thanks.”
CHAPTER SIX
TERRI’S MOOD was carefree as she drove east. Beatty to Vegas was a two-hour drive. The road was still two-lane, but she looked forward to the point where it would expand into four. That would mean she was only an hour from Vegas. She felt the little thrill of excitement she always had as a kid when her folks would pack up the car and take off for parts unknown. That thrill was enhanced now by the titillating possibility of a vacation fling.
She caught herself. “What am I thinking?! I must be out of my mind.” She spoke sternly to herself. “Stop this romantic nonsense, Terri. Your batting record with boyfriends is not so good. You’re going to have dinner with Russ. Nothing more. And that’s final.” At least it was keeping her mind off Gavin.
The thought of his name dampened her rising excitement, but not by much. She was on the road and in control of her life, and it felt good. Out of one corner of her eye, she sorted through the CDs on the passenger seat, but she’d already listened to them all a couple of times, and she wished she’d brought more. None of them matched her mood. She knocked one off the seat and started to reach for it, but the shift in her body position affected her steering, causing the car to veer toward the side of the road.
Startled, she righted herself. She put one hand against her chest and tried to calm her pounding heart. “Idiot. You could have killed yourself. Forget the CD.” There was a big rig twenty car lengths ahead of her. She glanced in her rearview mirror and thought she saw a flash of silver in the distance. “Oh, no. Here we go again.” She decided the big rig must be empty because it was moving at least five miles an hour faster than she was, but it didn’t matter. She had her cell phone and Russ’s number.
Then she saw the red car ahead, pulled off on the shoulder. She didn’t see anyone outside the vehicle. She wondered if the tourists were in trouble. Sure, it might be Gavin, but if he was following her, she reasoned that he’d be behind her. Thinking of the family in the SUV and how they had helped her when she needed it, she slowed dow
n and pulled over fifty feet ahead of the red car. She turned on her flashers and got out.
For a few moments, she just stood there, looking at the red car and trying to decide on her next move. The tinted windows made it impossible to see the driver or anyone else inside the vehicle. Surely the driver would get out when he saw that she had stopped to help. That’s what she was waiting for. When no one emerged after a full minute, she began to feel uneasy, but she had already stopped, so she decided to go closer and see if someone was hurt. She would feel terrible if she just stood there and someone was having a heart attack behind the steering wheel. She wasn’t a nurse or a doctor, but as a vet tech, she was well schooled in first aid. If needed, she could call for help on her cell. There were still people without cell phones in the world, and a lot of them were elderly. Out of habit, she used her key ring remote to lock her car and began walking toward the other vehicle.
She reached the car and called out, “Hello? Are you okay?” She knocked on the window, then tried the door handle. It opened easily. Empty. There was no one in the car.
Puzzled, she closed the door and peered out into the desert. That’s when she spotted a man behind a clump of sagebrush in the distance. He spotted her about the same time she saw him. He was fastening his trousers.
Terri rolled her eyes. Men! There was nothing wrong. This guy just couldn’t wait for a rest stop. She turned and started walking back to her car.
The man started moving, too, but he was headed for Terri’s car, not his own. Her heart lurched. What was going on?
The man broke into a run. Terri ran, too, but he was faster. He reached her car before she did and tried the passenger door. It was locked, and he nearly broke a finger trying to open it. He cursed, then he glared at her and started moving toward her.
Terri froze. There was something in the way the man moved, something familiar. Then it came to her.
“You!” She pointed an accusing finger. “You pushed me down and tried to steal my bag!” She could see his acne-scarred face. The desert heat had turned it bright red.