by Angi Morgan
That can’t be true.
“Dammit, Ryder.” Bryce moved to her side. “She’s as white as a sheet.”
“He tried to kill me. I know it was Xander. It had to be.” Kylie hadn’t experienced a panic attack. There was no time for one, either time her life had been threatened.
Bryce looked into her eyes, forcing her to focus on him. “We should keep all the possibilities open. Do you have any idea who else would want to kill you tonight or five years ago?”
Right this very second her pulse raced, her breath seemed to be cut off at her nose and she could barely stand. She might really pass out. “I’m walking across the room and sitting on that couch. Don’t try to stop me.”
Nobody touched her. Of course, having her hands splayed in a don’t-touch-me position might have warned them that she was serious.
Bryce motioned for his partner to check outside. Jesse walked out the door without a word. Fred worriedly rubbed his chin and took a seat at the table. She could see he was blaming himself for not catching the GPS gadget earlier. His comfort would have to wait.
Right this second she had to wrap her head around an entirely new possibility. Did someone besides Xander want to kill her? Very publicly making a show of hurting the people around her. Who could want that? Do that?
An unknown person who hated her? Five years ago, Xander wanting her dead had been hard enough to live with, but at least she understood. Now she had to think about someone else managing to get close to accomplishing it...twice.
“You have to be wrong, Bryce. I didn’t know anyone who hated me like my ex-husband.”
* * *
BRYCE TOOK A dining chair and set it close to her, straddling it as he had earlier, arms folded over its back. He dropped his right hand to cover one of hers that was resting on the couch.
“I know I’m right. Sure, there are a lot of possibilities. Just trust me. We can’t argue any longer.” He lowered his voice so Fred wouldn’t interrupt him. “I need to get you under the state’s protection before there’s another incident.”
“But—”
“I get it, Kylie. I do. But for your protection and for everybody around you, come with me. Make your deal, talk with the attorneys, have them guarantee it in writing. Then let them decide what you know or don’t. It’s the only way I can keep you safe.”
She nodded.
“He’s right,” Fred said from the dinette. “I wish there was something I could do.”
Bryce stood, offering his hand to help Kylie up. “Get your bag. We’re leaving now.” He turned to Fred. “There is something you can do. We’ll be working with Hico on the crime scene.” He removed the Cadillac ignition key from the key ring. “Before anyone gets here, disconnect the GPS tracker and move the car to a safe place. Somewhere no one will get hurt if someone comes looking.”
“I know the perfect place.”
“Good. Keep it to yourself for now.” He clapped the man on the shoulder.
Fred did the same. “We’re trusting you with our girl.”
“Yes, sir. You have my word.”
“I’m ready.” Kylie gave Fred a hug. “Stay safe, my friend.”
“You betcha. Don’t worry ’bout a thing. We’ll all still be here when you come home. And I’ll get that hole patched just as soon as the cops are done with the place.”
Bryce waited at the door during the embrace. Kylie joined him, putting her hand on his shoulder just like they’d done at her house. Hard to believe it had just been a few hours earlier.
“We don’t know if they’re still out there. If I stop this time, get as close to my body as you can. Become my second skin. Got it?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“Straight to Jesse’s truck.”
Through the door, Jesse was at his elbow. He unlocked the doors, taking his place in the driver’s seat. When Bryce joined Kylie in the backseat she seemed a little surprised, but scooted over to the other side.
“Keep your heads down, you two. If we’re lucky, we’re out of town with no incident.”
Bryce slumped in the seat, and gestured for Kylie to stretch out across it. There wasn’t any hesitation as she leaned on his chest and let him support her on the trip out of town.
Once they passed the east city limit sign, Bryce put away his weapon and tried to relax for their passenger’s sake. Kylie sat on her side, but watched the town disappear behind them.
“Don’t forget to buckle up, kiddies,” Jesse taunted. “Sun’s coming up. Going to be a beautiful day.”
“Maybe for you,” Kylie mumbled.
“Anybody following?” Bryce looked over his shoulder, too. He couldn’t distinguish any vehicles that might not be using their headlights.
“Nada. Maybe they weren’t watching the house?”
He met Jesse’s glance in the mirror. His partner had said that for Kylie’s peace of mind but didn’t believe it any more than Bryce. Someone was watching her house. They’d been waiting for Kylie to return, so they knew Bryce was with her. So logic followed that they knew where Bryce lived.
“You can grab a nap if you want.” Bryce squeezed her hand.
She smiled but her eyes were full of sadness.
“You’ll be back, Kylie. I promise.”
Jesse frowned and shook his head. Kylie turned in the big seat of the extended cab and withdrew. The hour drive seemed to take as long as all of the previous day.
Uncertainty reared its ugly head. Had he done the professional thing? The right thing? He wouldn’t be able to answer that until this situation was resolved. But he was certain about one small piece...he’d done the best thing for Kylie.
Her life was in danger and his gut told him these people weren’t about to stop now that they had her in their sights.
Chapter Ten
Austin, three days later
The location was supposed to be secret. Who leaked it didn’t matter. On the way inside the first day, Kylie and her attorney had been swamped by the press. She was the story of the hour. The headlines screamed her name—or Sissy’s name.
At night in her hotel room, she alternated between glued to the television scanning the news for a mention of her name and handing the remote to the guard posted outside her room. The men guarding her rotated through the night and got a laugh at passing the baton—remote—to each other. All of them were gentlemen.
None of them was Bryce.
Missing her friends in Hico was natural. She’d known and worked with them for a long time. But Bryce? Why should she miss him? He’d told her to trust him and that he’d have a plan in place soon. Then promptly agreed to hand her off to become someone else’s problem.
Okay, that was harsh. He hadn’t really agreed. She’d heard him arguing with his commander who’d said the men in Company F had been making it a habit of getting too close to their assignments. Whatever that meant. In the end, she’d been given a few clothes, a hamburger and escorted to headquarters in Austin after a phone call to her lawyer.
No phone calls since she’d been here. Not even a phone in her room.
It didn’t matter how illogical it was, she had been attracted to Bryce since she’d first met him. And since she’d first admired him mowing that dust bowl of a lawn Mrs. Mackey owned.
Oh well. It wasn’t to be. Whatever happened now, she doubted she’d see the tall law enforcement officer again.
Day two in Austin wasn’t any better. Everyone wanted to know where she’d been or why she’d been hiding. Did she fear for her life? Were the men guarding her or was she under arrest? She had ignored shouts from the press before. Ignored the many photographs of her taken each time she’d been in public.
It was harder this time. Harder to ignore all the questions because they weren’t obnoxious or too personal. Each of them was pertinent. But she couldn’t answer them...she didn’t know the answers.
In fact, she had more questions today than ever before.
They walked through the front door with her escort�
�the one that did not include either of the men who had found or rescued her. Their meeting was on the sixth floor and they took the elevator. Two rangers—she hadn’t caught their names—crowded the front and refused to allow anyone else to board. She stood next to her lawyer, who had dropped everything to help her the past three days.
Everyone was silent. There wasn’t even silly elevator music to help pass the time. Kylie was nervous, but next to her friend and lawyer, she looked like the calm and collected one. Her guards dropped them off at the door and another officer showed them to a conference room.
Lizbeth Reynolds opened her briefcase, took out a yellow notepad and her pen. She straightened them a couple of times after setting the briefcase on the floor. No one else had arrived yet. She poured a glass of water from one of four pitchers on the long oval table.
“Want some?”
“No thanks. I had three cups of coffee watching the news at my motel.”
“I saw some of the highlights. You look good and have the sympathy of the people.”
Sympathy of the people?
“Oh, Lizbeth. If it was you who told the press that I was back in town, don’t ever tell me. You were such a good friend to me. You’ll never know how much I appreciate you taking my case on such short notice.”
“Don’t ever think of me as a friend in the past tense again. I’m not certain why you want me. You’d be much better off with a criminal defense attorney.”
Lizbeth patted her hand, but didn’t deny being the one to leak the location. It was okay. Especially since she was right. The press and population were on her side. It would be harder for the state to compel her to do anything. And if she had to, she’d meet with the reporters and share part of her story.
Of course, it would also be harder for her to disappear again. One step at a time. She had to power through this particular mess first.
The court reporter took her seat. The attorneys filed through the door. Kylie could feel Lizbeth’s legs shaking. The men kept standing while the judge entered.
Everyone was introduced for the record, then the judge said they were going to recess for five minutes, excusing the court reporter from the room. He waved everyone to sit. Confusion followed by an immediate burst of fright hitting her like a tsunami.
“Let’s keep this as informal as possible,” the judge said. “If things get out of hand, I’ll call Joyce back in here and we’ll start from the beginning.”
Kylie looked at Lizbeth who drew a question mark on her pad, shrugged and shook her head with no explanation. Kylie sat on her hands not wanting to appear nervous. But she was.
“Truth of the matter, gentlemen,” the judge continued, “is that you have no case. Miss Scott has continued to tell you that she knows nothing of her ex-husband’s business dealings. She told all those involved five years ago and she’s continuing to do so now.”
“Your Honor—”
“Yeah, I’m not finished.” He shook his head. “In fact, I’m utterly ashamed that you’ve yanked this young woman away from her quiet life in Hico.” He turned and looked at Kylie. “Nice little town, some of the best pie in Texas. My wife and I drive through there to visit our son.”
“I’ll tell Allison you mentioned it.”
“Nice. Real nice.” He took off his glasses tossing them to the table. They scooted past the second lawyer who stuck his hand out and caught them. “You see, fellows, you’re trying to tell me that you’ll drop the charges of auto theft if Miss Scott testifies. This is where your brief lost me. Not only did you not find the 1964 Cadillac convertible on Miss Scott’s property, you lack a vehicle theft report. The owner claims the car is still on one of his properties.”
Kylie’s leg was being gripped so hard by Lizbeth she’d be black-and-blue the next day. Then her attorney excitedly smiled and tapped her pen on the yellow pad so fast, Kylie was afraid it would fly and hit the judge in the eye.
“I know you’re excited, Miss Reynolds, but again, I’m not finished.” He turned to The Three Stooges of attorneys. “I’m advising you to withdraw your request. Now. Once I bring Joyce back in here...well, you don’t want to know what I’m going to say.”
He motioned that it was someone else’s turn to speak.
“If Your Honor would issue the search warrant—”
“There won’t be a search warrant for Mr. Tenoreno’s property. He has several, including in other countries. Without the car or a theft report...”
“Then Your Honor leaves us no choice but to withdraw all protection from Miss Scott.”
“Good. You on the end, call Joyce back inside, please.”
The reporter took her position. The charges were officially dismissed. The lawyers put away their papers. Lizbeth was shaking with excitement. And Kylie was utterly stunned.
“Everybody can go,” the judge announced. The group stood and the judge tapped Kylie’s arm. “Mind staying a minute, Miss Scott?”
“Not at all, should Lizbeth...?”
“No, it’s nothing official. I just want to apologize for these jackasses.”
“That’s not necessary. Really. Everything’s fine.” She turned to Lizbeth, wanting to leave.
“I’ll wait for you downstairs in the lobby.” Lizbeth smiled and waved.
“Why don’t we go into the office?” He held the door for her.
“I can’t believe what just happened. It was all so fast my head is still spin—”
She preceded the judge through the entryway. He gave her a little shove and backed out, quickly closing the door. The term spinning was no longer figurative. She literally spun to the side and into Xander’s arms. She pushed and shoved attempting a release, but his grip got tighter and more hurtful.
When she stopped fighting him, he released her.
The aikido that she’d studied had disappeared. None of the auto-defense moves that she’d practiced had kicked in. She sought a level of calm by smoothing her dress and pretending not to pay attention. Just under the surface of her movements she was aware of her ex’s every turn.
Her nerves were jumpier than a magic jumping bean she’d had once as a little girl.
“Dear God, what have you done to yourself?” he spat meanly. “You’ve gotten fat.”
She could handle his harsh words. She’d heard them before, even when she was much under a normal weight and all her bones stuck out. She could take anything he served.
“I see you still employ that wimpy lawyer who lost you everything in the divorce.”
“Lizbeth is my friend, and we both know what happened in the divorce. She had nothing to do with it. Why are you here, Xander?”
“It’s simple. I want an annulment. We were never married in the church, but that doesn’t matter to the church.”
“Sure. Do you have the papers with you? Or you can send them to Lizbeth’s office and she’ll know how to find me. You didn’t have to go through these scare tactics to get your way. I’m not that same inexperienced child bride that you married.”
“You aren’t, are you? But I’m only interested in the annulment.”
“Can I go now?”
“I want it done today.” He paused, which was unlike him. “The papers are at the house. I, um...so you took the Cadillac?”
“That boat has sailed, partner. No proof. The judge threw out the case.” She calculated how long it would take to reach the door.
Which door? The one behind him that she knew led to the conference room or the two on her right? What if one is a closet? Would he catch her? Yes.
“Unless he has a theft report.” He took out a folded piece of paper from his shirt pocket. “Which I just happen to have.”
“I don’t know where your car is and I don’t care.” She inched a little closer to the door with a light under it. “I left it at my house and when the police arrived, it had been stolen. How’s that for irony for you?”
He crossed the short distance between them and raised his hand. She’d been on the receiving end of that s
lap once or twice. It wouldn’t happen again. She moved at the last minute and Xander’s fist hit the wall.
“Tell me where the Cadillac is.” He steadily raised his voice, talking through gritted teeth. “Dammit. I want...my car.”
“Then find your car. But leave me alone. Send your church papers to my lawyer. You’re done in my life. Do you hear me? We’re done. You can’t hurt me anymore.”
Defiant words for the abundance of fright fluttering inside her. Back to the wall, she scooted sideways until her hand felt the door handle.
“You’re forgetting that I can do anything I want.” He supported his hand, vigorously massaging the knuckles. “Nobody will stop me.”
Never taking her eyes off him, she slipped through, closing the door behind her. She wanted to collapse in a ball right there in the hallway. But she had to get away from him. She ran, heels echoing through the empty halls until she found the restroom.
Inside she got into the last stall and slid the bolt. It wouldn’t protect her. She knew it, but had to have something between her and Xander. She leaned against the wall and cried.
All because of fear. She hated fear and the way it ate at every level of confidence a person could muster.
The rest of the afternoon was a blur. She might have stayed where she was if Lizbeth hadn’t eventually found her. Frantic herself, they held on to each other and got someone who worked in the building to call a cab and let them out the back.
The rangers were gone.
That meant no protection.
Bryce was wrong. He couldn’t keep his word and Xander wanted her dead more than he wanted that stupid Cadillac.
Chapter Eleven
Waco
Being called to the head of Company F’s office had never felt like a visit to the principal before. The difference this time was that he’d broken some basic rules, not orders. Rules put in place to protect witnesses and officers.
“You’re playing with fire, Bryce.”
“Sir?”
Major Parker put both palms on his desk and pushed himself to stand, staring Bryce in the eye and not blinking. Bryce was about to be reprimanded, an action he wasn’t used to but was determined to accept. Even if he wasn’t volunteering information about what he’d done. Or apologizing.