“I guess I’m a loose end that he wants to get rid of.”
“Or you’ve stumbled across more than you think you have,” Sally muttered.
The same thought had crossed Todd’s mind, but he was over it. He’d told the FBI everything he’d learned in the last few months, given them all of his contacts and evidence. He didn’t want Mitch Zambezi in his life any more. He wouldn’t go back to New York. Regardless of what happened, he was done with the scumbags that had killed his family. Done with running from life.
Sally stopped pacing. “What do we do now?”
“We go and see Dan Carter at the Bozeman Police Department.”
“Now?”
“The bad guys work seven days a week,” he said dryly. “If Dan’s not in the office, I’ll call him at home.”
Sally looked around the small room and bit her bottom lip. “Do you really think someone has been following me? I mean, it could have been a coincidence, couldn’t it?”
“Let’s go, Sally.”
She moved slowly toward the door. Before she left the room, she picked up his hand and squeezed his fingers. “You’re not responsible for what the head of the gang is doing.”
He pulled her into his chest and for a few minutes held her tight. She didn’t know how obsessed he’d been, how much Mitch Zambezi had taken over his life. From the moment he’d identified Mitch as the person who’d shot the man on the street, he’d made choices he regretted.
One way or another, everything that had happened over the last four years was about to come to an end. And this time, no one he cared about would die.
***
Sally kept her gaze on Dan Carter, the Deputy Chief of Police. He was listening to Todd, taking a few notes and asking more than a few questions. Even hearing everything for the second time didn’t make it seem real. She’d never realized what Todd had been going through. There was a reason why he had a less than bubbly personality, a reason why sometimes he growled like a grizzly bear.
But all of those reasons didn’t change what was happening now. With no evidence of anything odd going on, apart from a suspicious truck, there wasn’t a lot the police could do.
Dan looked between Todd and Sally. “I’ll call Detective Munroe first thing in the morning. You said Dylan knows what’s going on?”
Todd nodded.
“I can increase road patrols around Sally’s home. But that’s not going to help if you keep doing what you’re doing.” He looked at Sally. “You shouldn’t go anywhere alone. If Mitch Zambezi thinks you’re important to Todd, he may target you. Have you considered moving back home?”
Sally couldn’t think of anything worse. “I’ll be fine. I’ve got a security alarm in my apartment that I never use. I’m at school for most of the day, anyway. Nothing’s going to happen to me there.”
Todd fidgeted beside her. He’d been getting more agitated by the minute and she knew why. There was no way she’d let him wrap her in cotton wool. Her family had always been over-protective of her. They treated her like a child, someone who couldn’t make her own mind up. But she could look after herself, they just refused to acknowledge what was staring them in the face.
Dan walked out of the meeting room to get them a cup of coffee. She leaned toward Todd and whispered, “Why are you acting like you’ve got ants in your pants?”
“You would too if you were listening to the words coming out of your mouth. We’re trying to keep you alive. All you’re doing is finding reasons why you won’t listen to us.”
“What do you expect me to do?” she asked. “I’m not a wimpy woman who needs a man to keep her safe.”
“Neither was my wife, but that didn’t stop Mitch’s gang from killing her.”
Sally sat back in her chair. He’d made a good point. “I’m sorry. That was thoughtless.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“Are you referring to my thoughtlessness or not being wimpy?”
Todd sighed. “I almost feel sorry for anyone mad enough to mess with you. They’d die of stress before doing anything illegal.”
She clamped her lips shut. Bickering wouldn’t get them past their different definitions of being careful. “What if I asked one of my brothers to take me to school in the morning and pick me up afterward?”
“It’s a start, but you’re still going to be alone each night.”
A blush streaked across her face. She hated having such a pale complexion. Why she couldn’t have been born with her brothers’ olive skin was beyond her. She covered up her embarrassment with a calculated charm offensive. “Why, Mr. Randall, are you asking if I’d like to spend my nights with you?”
She’d expected Todd to leap a mile in the air and tell her not to be an idiot. But he didn’t leap or speak. Instead, he stared at her with a thoughtful look in his eyes.
“I was joking,” she said quickly.
“It’s not a bad idea. At least that way I’d know where you were.”
“And that’s really going to help. We’d drive each other nuts. It’d be better for both of us if I stayed with mom and dad.”
“Good decision. Do you want me to help you move your things tonight?”
Sally glared at Todd. He’d tricked her. He’d known from the get go that she wouldn’t want to stay with him. Just for a moment she thought about calling his bluff, insisting that his home would be better. But the warning light in his eyes told her not to go there. She might not like the consequences. Or she might like them too much.
The door to the meeting room banged open. “Two cups of coffee. Are you sure you don’t want more than water, Sally?”
She shook her head. “I’m being healthy.”
Todd coughed into his hand. “Since when?”
“Since I need to get into two bridesmaids’ dresses soon. I don’t know why you’re suddenly being so chatty. Anyone would think we’ve been planning a vacation and not where I’m going to hide. We haven’t talked about what you’re going to do to be safe.”
Todd glanced at her over the rim of his mug. “I can look after myself.”
Sally couldn’t help the snort that left her mouth. “I heard someone else say the same thing a few minutes ago, and no one took any notice. I think you should come out to mom and dad’s ranch, too.”
“No way.”
Dan put his coffee mug on the table. “That’s not such a bad idea. Three of Sally’s brothers work there. With all of the other ranch hands, you’d never be alone.”
“I moved to Montana to get away from everyone.”
Sally sat forward. “And how’s that working out for you?”
“Not that well since I met you,” Todd snarled.
Dan held his hands up. “That’s enough. All this bickering isn’t getting us anywhere. If Sally has to move in with her parents, then I think you should consider it, too, Todd.”
“I’ve considered it and it’s not going to happen.” He glared at Sally and she glared right on back.
“Okaaay,” Dan said. “Now that we’ve got that settled, how are we going to keep you safe, Todd?”
“You could always rent a bodyguard?” Sally said sweetly.
That earned her another glare from Todd. And then he grinned so darn fast that she had to blink to make sure she wasn’t imagining things.
“Dylan,” Todd said. He glanced at her. She didn’t have a clue where this pearl of wisdom was heading. “He’s a security specialist. If he can look after Hollywood stars and world-famous singers, he can look after me.”
Sally tried hard not to roll her eyes. A bodyguard? In Bozeman? He’d been watching too many Mission Impossible movies. She looked at Dan. “Are you sure all of this planning is necessary? A black truck followed me. It might not mean anything.”
Todd choked on his coffee. “You forgot about the drug lord that’s coming here. I know it’s a small detail, but it’s worth thinking about.”
Sally narrowed her eyes at Todd. “You’re hilarious. Who would have known?”
Dan sighed. “I think we can safely say that this meeting is over. I’ll call Detective Munroe tomorrow and do more research on the black pickup. Sally, Todd will give you a hand to move your things out to your parents’ ranch. And Todd, you need to give Dylan a call before you leave here. You’ll need around the clock support. I’ll do what I can from this end and let Dylan know when he won’t be needed. You might want to tell Dylan to make sure his fiancée is okay, too. Who knows how deranged Mr. Zambezi’s mind is?”
Sally stared at Todd. He looked as though he already knew, and it wasn’t good news.
***
“A goat?” Todd looked at the motley animal in front of him and frowned. “What the hell am I supposed to do with a goat?”
Sally slammed the door closed on her brother’s truck and glared at Todd, the fugitive from hell. “He’s a peace offering…”
Matthew, Sally’s brother, appeared from behind the trailer they’d hooked to the back of his truck. “Make that two peace offerings.” A pretty little goat of unknown pedigree bleated in agreement.
Todd glanced at the goats. “I refuse to be your substitute animal shelter. Just because you’re having withdrawal symptoms from society, doesn’t mean you need to fill my ranch with…” He looked at the goats and scowled. “…animals.”
Sally knew why he was grumpy. The stress of being constantly watched was getting on her nerves, too. “It serves you right, you know.”
Todd rolled his eyes. “I don’t really want to know what serves me right, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
Sally glowed with fake happiness. “If you think living on your ranch with bodyguards from Fletcher Security is hard, you should try living with my brothers. I’ve only been home for three days and they’re driving me insane.”
“Excuse me?” Matthew said. “As one of the brothers in question, I take offense at your character assassination. We’re only doing what Dan told us to do.”
Sally threw her hands in the air. “I can’t go to the bathroom without one of you asking where I’m going. It’s barbaric.”
“It’s called keeping you alive,” Todd growled. “I think your brothers are doing a great job.”
Matthew stood taller. “Thank you. I like what you’ve done with your house.”
Sally tried to work out if Matthew was being serious or sucking up to Mr. Macho in his faded blue t-shirt and ripped jeans. Just to be sure, she took a closer look at Todd’s home. The paint was still blistering and the some of the wooden siding still needed to be replaced. The only difference she could see were the little black boxes mounted at strategic points around the roof and under the porch. The house looked as though it was wired for trouble.
“You’ve been renovating without me?” she asked sweetly.
Todd ignored her question. With a sigh of martyrdom, he took the rope leads out of Matthew’s hands and pulled the goats across to his barn.
“I don’t think he’s very happy,” Matthew whispered out of the corner of his mouth. “You sure you know what you’re doing?”
“Of course I do,” Sally said with more certainty than she felt. “He’s just taking his time to warm up to the idea.”
“Peace offerings don’t usually come with four legs.”
She glared at her brother before following Todd. She hadn’t been entirely honest when she’d told Todd why she was here. She just hoped part two of her master plan worked out better than part one.
By the time she’d walked across to the barn, Todd had both goats locked inside one of the stalls.
He glanced over his shoulder at her and frowned. “I don’t have the faintest idea how to look after goats.”
Sally pulled a booklet out of her back pocket. “I did some research on the Internet and downloaded this for you. It’s from the American Goat Society.”
Todd didn’t look impressed, but he took the brochure.
“Chris said to give him a call if you have any issues.”
“You told my boss about the goats?”
Sally scuffed the toes of her boots against the straw on the floor.
“Who else did you tell?” Todd’s voice had risen a notch.
She didn’t know what was so bad about people knowing he was the proud owner of two goats. “I might have mentioned it to Tess, Annie, and Molly. Maybe Rachel, too. They thought it was wonderful of you to adopt them.”
They hadn’t thought that at all, but she wasn’t telling Todd that. They thought Todd wouldn’t say no to the goats because he was too nice. If they could see the expression on his face now, they wouldn’t have been so eager to make him into a good guy.
“They can stay here for a couple of weeks. If they don’t work out, I’m sending them back to the shelter.”
“That’s mean.”
“That’s life.”
Sally didn’t hold out much hope of Todd ever being in a better mood than he was now. After an unhealthy amount of silence, she decided it was time to launch part two of the reason she was here. “I want to talk to you about something else.”
“You don’t have an elephant in the back of the trailer, do you?”
She couldn’t work out whether he was joking or serious. “No elephant, but I do have a request.”
Todd crossed his arms in front of his chest. “What is it?”
“Carolyn’s wedding.” Todd started to speak, but she cut him off. “I know you said no, but we’re desperate. Can we please use your old barn? It would mean everything to Wayne and Carolyn.”
“Have you forgotten that we’re in lock-down mode? The head of one of the most dangerous gangs in New York is after us, and you want to have a wedding on my property. Are you insane?”
“No more insane than anyone else. With all of the extra security around here, it will be like getting married in Fort Knox.”
“Fort Knox is bricks and mortar. If someone blasts a hole in it, someone else can come along and fix it. If you get a hole blasted in you, you’re dead. Is that a risk you’re willing to take?”
Sally tilted her nose in the air. “You’re being overly dramatic. Nothing’s going to happen to either of us.”
“Damn right nothing’s happening, including the wedding you keep asking about. If the bride and groom want an outdoors wedding, they can get married in a park. I won’t have strangers making themselves at home on my ranch.”
“I can’t believe you’re so stubborn.” She crossed her own arms in front of her chest and glared at him. “What will it take to make you change your mind? An opinionated man such as yourself must have an idea of what he wants.”
“I didn’t know you were into bribery and corruption.”
Sally wanted to wipe the smirk off Todd’s handsome face. “You didn’t ask. Now tell me - what will it take?”
Todd leaned against the stall railing. His gaze traveled slowly over her body, creating prickles of sensation in places that hadn’t prickled in years.
She took a step forward and stared into his blue eyes. “A man ought to be careful when he looks at a woman like that. Especially a woman who’s brother is standing within yelling distance.”
Todd stepped even closer. His hands moved up her arms, along her shoulders, and tangled in her hair. “And a woman ought to be careful when a man has a bodyguard of his own standing alongside her bodyguard. What do you think they’d do if the man or woman were to cry out?”
Sally wanted to fan her hot face with her hands, but the front of his shirt seemed a much better place to put them. “Are you flirting with me?”
His lopsided grin did funny things to her tummy. “It’s better than fighting.”
Sally agreed, especially when his lips started to caress her cheek, then dipped to within an inch of her lips. Her body swayed into his, cocooned in the heat of a man that was too much of a distraction.
“What would you give me, Sally Gray, as compensation for the use of my barn?”
Right at this very moment, she’d give him anything. And then she
remembered his wife and son, the monster that had torn his life apart. “If I could, I’d give you what you want most in the world. But I can’t. So I’ll teach you how to make the best chocolate cake in Montana, instead.”
Todd’s sigh sent goose bumps along her skin. He bent his head and his lips brushed against her mouth. His kiss was sweet and seductive, a heady mix of longing and thanks. “That’s for thinking that what I want the most is in my past.”
He kissed her again, but this time there was no sweetness involved. This kiss was pure male; deep, demanding and so hot that all Sally could do was hold on tight and enjoy the ride.
She’d never met anyone who could kiss like Todd Randall. It must have been a genetic fluke or a talent to compensate for his mule-headed stubbornness.
The goats started bleating, kicking up such a storm that Todd stepped away from her. “And that was for now. For teaching me how to live again.”
With a trembling hand, she pushed a lock of hair over her ear. She decided that maybe he wasn’t so stubborn after all. “Does that mean we can use your barn?”
Todd stuck his hands in his pockets. “What am I going to do with you? You’d have to be the most determined woman I know.”
“Just remember that when I bring more animals out here from the shelter.” Sally decided to practice some kissing skills of her own. She stepped forward and nibbled Todd’s jaw with her lips. “You haven’t answered my question.”
Todd sucked in a deep breath as her lips did a little wandering. “I know, but I’ll answer another one.” He stepped back, took a deep breath, and yelled for Dylan.
Sally clamped her hands over her ears and scowled at him. “Are you crazy?”
“Not yet.”
The barn doors swung open and three men scrambled inside.
“What’s going on?” Dylan growled. “It sounded like you were being attacked.”
Todd winked at Sally. “I believe I was. What took you so long?”
Matthew looked between her and Todd. “My sister’s just gotten her own way again, hasn’t she? You really need to watch her. She’ll have you wrapped around her little finger before you know it.”
Todd grabbed Sally’s hand. “Thanks for the advice. But if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got a wedding to plan.”
Head Over Heels (The Bridesmaids Club Book 3) Page 8