Beyond Duty

by Stanalei Fletcher

  There was no way to explain his comment without making the situation worse. “Never mind.” He took a step back. “You’re right. We’ll set this issue aside and complete the assignment.”

  “Oh, no you don’t. Not now.” Chip moved in. “You brought up the subject. Why were you looking for me?” The light evening breeze ruffled her blouse, emphasizing the outline of her breasts. She folded her arms and gave him a not-so-patient look.

  He ran a finger under his collar that suddenly seemed too tight and searched for an explanation she would understand yet keep his secret intact. “I thought you were a kid. I wanted to make sure you were okay. All the other kids made it to the safe house. But you were gone. I wanted you to know we’d nailed the guys who’d hurt Lisa.”

  “I didn’t think you cared that much about the kids—that you were only there to arrest the gang members.”

  “I cared.” He was unwilling to share any more.

  ****

  Chip digested Riley’s unexpected revelation. There was no denying the sincerity of his statement. She could see it on his face. “It was wrong of me not to tell you who I was. I am truly sorry. I hope my apology will aid in gaining your trust.”

  Riley searched her face and his expression softened. “Like you said, it’s in the past. Right now, we better be on our way.” He turned, headed to the driver’s-side door, and climbed into the SUV, signaling the end of the discussion.

  Chip didn’t know what else to do. Her partner appeared to have an incredible capacity for compassion. She’d seen his patience with the airplane passengers and heard his confession of concern for the well-being of the runaways. He’d even cared about Mary, the runaway. But she was Chip, and Chip had deceived him. She didn’t blame him for doubting her, and would shoulder the responsibility for their ill-fated beginning. She hoped it didn’t affect their ability to work together to find Fiona and Lorraine. Slowly, as though the burden she carried was physical, she slid into the passenger side.

  As they headed away from Albuquerque, the only conversation was when she navigated the way to the resort. After nearly an hour of silence, she jumped at the sound of Riley’s voice.

  “Tell me about your relationship with Senator Burnsworth’s wife. How did you meet?”

  “Why the interest in my relationship with Fiona?”

  Riley spared her a glance before focusing on the road again. “I’d like a sense of how your association with the senator’s wife will help us find her.”

  “And I’m not the type of person you expected to see catching a movie or having a fancy meal with someone like Fiona.” She felt like she was sitting through an interrogation.

  “I didn’t mean—”

  “It’s okay.” Chip cut him off. “I’m not. Fiona is sophisticated, glamorous, and a few years older than I am. By contrast, I’m more the jeans-and-tennis-shoes type. Maybe that’s the appeal. We’re total opposites. I don’t pander to her. She knows I’ll give it to her straight, whether she likes it or not.”

  “So how did the two of you meet?” Riley repeated the question.

  It was a fair question, and in the interest of détente, Chip didn’t balk this time. “I was attending a fund-raiser with my father. Mom wasn’t feeling well that night and Dad needed a companion for the dinner. Fiona and the senator were seated at our table. They’d just started seeing each other, but I could tell there was something special about their relationship. Even though they had eyes only for each other, Fiona and I started talking. I have no idea how we clicked, we just did. She’s never said it outright, but I think she sees me as her younger tomboy sister.”

  “How are you involved with the Runaway Home program?”

  “I’m not really. Not in the way Fiona is. She has sponsors and a board of directors who manage funds and logistics. What she needed was someone who could connect with the runaways on the street, to encourage them to find help.” She shrugged. “That’s where I came in, I guess.”

  “How so?” Surprisingly, Riley sounded very interested.

  “A couple of years ago, Fiona called me in the middle of the night. A boy had stopped by the home right after it opened, but she couldn’t talk him into staying. It was snowing and the weather was getting worse. She was frantic and didn’t know what to do to help him.”

  Chip gazed through the windshield as she spoke. Night had fallen in earnest, and they drove through the dark countryside with only the headlights to show the way. Inside, the car began to feel like an intimate bubble.

  “You went out after him?” Riley had a way of questioning that got straight to the point.

  She glanced over and noticed how the dashboard light illuminated his face, making the planes and angles more pronounced—even more masculine. She swallowed and turned her gaze back to the road. “All I did was grab a coat, stuff granola bars in my pockets and hit the streets.”

  “Sounds like more than that.” He wasn’t letting her downplay her actions. “You found the kid?”

  “After a little searching, I found an old building where a few kids were hanging out. The boy was with them.”

  “What happened? How’d you get him to the home?”

  A bloom of warmth filled her at his sincere interest. “By the time I found the kids, I was wet, cold, and grungy enough to look like a runaway myself. Being shorter than most adults also helps me look younger. I asked if I could hang around. They took me in. I shared my food.”

  “You gained their trust.” Riley looked impressed.

  “Actually, I’d cut myself on a piece of metal while climbing into the building. It was easy to make the cut bleed and look worse than it was. The boy said he knew a place where I could get fixed up that wasn’t a hospital, and the staff didn’t ask a lot of questions. I said I wouldn’t go unless he and the others went with me.”

  “You made them feel like they were helping you.”

  She gave a small smile. “It worked. He took me straight to the Runaway Home shelter. I begged the kids to stay with me until morning. By then, the staff had convinced most of the teenagers they were in a good place.” Chip shifted a little in her seat. “That’s what Fiona does best. Makes you feel like you’re in a good place.”

  Riley slowed the SUV to negotiate a turn. “Tell me about the night you found Lisa.”

  Chip took a deep breath. “That was a scary situation. I knew Lisa from coaching her team in softball about three years ago. Then she took up with the wrong crowd and we’d lost touch. When Fiona told me she’d run away from home, I went looking for her. It took me two days until I eventually found someone who thought they recognized her description and pointed me to the gang house. I’d heard rumors of a couple of bad places in the city where kids seemed to disappear, but I hadn’t come across any before that night.” Feeling she owed him, she brazened forward with her next comment. “I’m glad you were there, Riley. If it hadn’t been for you, most of those kids, including Lisa, would be dead by now.” She turned slightly to look at him. “I’m sorry for not coming clean about who I was.”

  “Apology accepted.” He cleared his throat. “Why did you disappear that night?”

  “I didn’t disappear. I was deployed to Afghanistan. I’ve only been back in the States for a month.”

  Riley went quiet after that. His face didn’t reveal what he was thinking as he stared out at the road.

  Chip didn’t know what else to add. They’d established a tenuous line of communication that she was unwilling to disrupt, so she folded her arms and stared out the windshield, too. The headlamps picked up the mile markers and she began counting them as they whizzed by.

  After several minutes of silence, Riley spoke. “Do you think you can figure out where the women have been taken?”

  She was glad the car interior was dark enough to hide her uncertainty. “I’m hoping to find a clue that Fiona left behind—something that will lead us to the kidnapper.”

  “Fair enough.” He blew out a breath. “We’re moving straight into the investigati
on as soon as we get there. There’s no time to rest.”

  “I’m good with that.” She was relieved they weren’t going to have to argue about it. “I’m glad you think so, too.”

  They drove a few more miles, and Chip pointed out the turnoff to the canyon road leading to Juniper Creek Resort. As they passed under a tall archway, the SUV’s headlights illuminated a large adobe building that Chip thought had to be the main lodge.

  Adobe-type cabins, arranged in two staggered rows, created a semicircle off to one side. Along the other side of the lodge, golf carts were lined up next to another group of buildings. More buildings were half-hidden behind the lodge. According to the brochures Chip had read, these would be the horse stables. Small LED lights lined the walkways between the buildings and cabins. There were also overhead lamps on long poles, but neither provided enough light to dispel the deep, black shadows in many areas surrounding the resort.

  Riley pulled up in front of the lodge and turned off the engine.

  Chip opened her door and stepped out. The cool, night air was sharp with the scent of pine and sage. Above them, the Milky Way stained the black sky with thick star clusters and the Big Dipper constellation had settled low on the northwest horizon. Crickets buzzed, sounding unnaturally loud in the darkness.

  As they walked toward the front doors, a motion light flickered on in greeting. The doors weren’t locked, and when they entered, a female attendant stood up behind a rustic wooden counter. “Welcome to Juniper Creek.” Her voice was soft and sultry. Chip thought she detected a hint of an Eastern European accent. “My name is Ursula. Can I help you?”

  “We’re Mr. and Mrs. O’Neal from Washington, D.C.,” Riley said as they approached the front desk.

  “Oh yes, we’ve been expecting you.” The pretty young woman pulled a registration form from a box and handed it to Riley. Her long, blonde hair hung over each shoulder and draped her ample bosom. She leaned forward to peer closer at Riley, showing plenty of cleavage. “You poor thing, you look exhausted. Did you have a good flight?”

  “No, but we arrived in one piece.” Riley filled out the form.

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I hope your stay here is better.” She gave Riley a seductive smile.

  “I’m sure it will be.” He slid the form across the counter.

  Chip watched the exchange with interest. She couldn’t blame the woman for wanting to flirt a little. To say Riley was easy on the eyes was putting it mildly. But even though he’d introduced them as Mr. and Mrs., the receptionist only had eyes for Riley.

  “If there’s anything I can personally do to…enhance your stay, please don’t hesitate to ask.” Ursula continued to ogle him.

  “We’ll let you know.” Riley tapped an impatient finger on the polished, wood counter.

  The receptionist seemed to get the message, and turned to type in the registration information and set up the keycards. “You’ll be in cabin number fourteen,” she said when she finished. “Out the front door and to your left. The last cabin in the second row.” The attendant flipped a blonde lock over her shoulder and pointed a manicured finger in the general direction of the cabins. “The horse stables are nearby. I hope you won’t be bothered.”

  “Not at all. Will we, sweetheart?” Riley scooped Chip around the waist and pulled her to him. Before she could protest, his mouth was on hers. His lips locked on, coaxing a response.

  Chip’s heart hammered. Her first reaction was to push her way out of the kiss, but Riley held tight and her resistance lessened. Tentatively, she explored his mouth, sensations flooding her body and stripping her reserves. When Riley lifted his head, she froze, stunned at her surrender.

  Beside them, Ursula cleared her throat. “Can I have someone help you with your luggage?”

  Riley’s gaze never left Chip’s face. “No. We’ll manage. We’d appreciate not being disturbed while we’re here.”

  “Of course.” The receptionist pouted as she handed Riley two keycards to their cabin. He took the cards, then, with his arm still around Chip, walked toward the front door without looking back.

  The moment they stepped outside, Riley let go of Chip. She stumbled, and reached for the SUV’s door. By the time she climbed inside, she’d regained enough composure to protest. “Was that mauling necessary?”

  Riley didn’t answer until he was inside the car. “It was a kiss, not a mauling. And if you deny enjoying it, even a little, you’re lying.”

  She had enjoyed it, but she couldn’t admit it. Could she? They were partners. “I…okay…it wasn’t a mauling.”

  Riley sighed impatiently. “Look, that woman was a shark. We don’t have time for sharks. The kiss was a message and I think she got it loud and clear. She’ll leave us alone.”

  Chip’s stomach gave a lurch. With that statement, he’d put the kiss into perspective. “You’re right.”

  “Of course, I’m right.” He twisted the ignition key. “Cabin fourteen?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then let’s get this show started.” He pulled out of the parking lot and drove the few yards to the cabin.

  In no time, Riley parked and then pulled the luggage out of the back of the SUV. He put her bag on the ground and picked up his own, then walked to the front porch of the smaller hacienda-style cabin to unlock the door.

  With her head down to negotiate the steps, Chip collided with Riley, who’d stopped short in the entryway. She mumbled an apology and glared at his unmoving back. Why was he just standing there? Sidestepping around him, she looked into the cabin.

  The interior boasted luxury and comfort. There was a self-contained kitchenette with all the necessary appliances to make meals. A small dining table with two chairs sat in a recessed alcove off the kitchen. In deference to their newlywed status, the management had thoughtfully placed a brightly wrapped basket of fruit and other treats in the center of the table. A gold ribbon adorned the bottle of sparkling wine placed next to the basket.

  The bathroom was off to the side with a large vanity and sink in the entryway as well as another vanity inside. From her vantage point, Chip thought she saw a jetted bathtub. The main room was down two steps from the kitchenette and a small couch divided the kitchenette from the living space into separate rooms. Beside the couch, a lamp glowed softly on an end table. A desk and chair sat against the wall by the window overlooking the parking lot. Completing the living area was a large recliner on the other side of the end table. A few feet from the chair, covered by a Navajo blanket sat a queen-sized bed.

  The only bed in the cabin.

  Chapter Six

  Riley’s legs turned to lead as he stepped over the threshold. The lone bed loomed in the center of the cabin like a large black hole siphoning all his energy. He thought they’d have a two bedroom cabin—or at the very least, a private bedroom with a pullout in the main room.

  The unwelcome sensation that had been growing in his chest tightened a little bit more. This was one more thing to add to the list of today’s uncomfortable thoughts. What were they supposed to do? Share the bed?

  The idea of sliding between cool sheets with the woman who had plagued his thoughts for the last nine hours only served to intensify his uneasy feeling. Obviously, they were stuck with the arrangement. He couldn’t ask for a different cabin without arousing suspicion about their marital status, especially after that kiss back in the lodge. They would simply have to make the best of the situation.

  At least they wouldn’t be sleeping much tonight. If they found clues in Fiona’s or Lorraine’s cabin as to where the kidnapper had taken the women, they wouldn’t even stay at the resort very long.

  Chip stared at the bed. The look on her face mirrored his thoughts. Her soft lips thinned and she faced him. “Was this in the plans?” She pointed at the bed.

  “No. It wasn’t.”

  “What are we going to do?”

  Riley sighed and closed the door behind him. He was tired right down to his bones and the bed looked mighty inviting.
“Nothing.”

  She frowned. “Nothing?”

  “There’s nothing we can do. We’re married, remember? We can’t call attention to ourselves by asking for another cabin.” He turned around and gave the bed a bad-tempered stare.

  “I am not sharing that bed with you.” Her voice raised a notch.

  “No one asked you to.” Riley picked up his suitcase and tossed it on the bed. It settled on the firm mattress as if it was home. He wanted to do the same. A good night’s sleep would clear his head.

  “I thought we were going to start looking for the women right away. You’re not going to bed now, are you?”

  “As much as I’d like to, no.” He heard a sigh of relief behind him.

  “We’ll work out some sort of arrangement later, right?”

  He spun around and faced his partner—his fake wife. “These are the arrangements.” Riley gestured to the room. “We’re going to spend the rest of tonight poking around. If you still want to sleep when we get back here, then I see two choices for you—the recliner or the couch.” He nodded toward the small couch in the center of the room. “I won’t fit between the armrests on that thing, so I’ll take the bed.”

  If he hadn’t been so exhausted, he would have laughed at the sheer astonishment on her face. “Why can’t you sleep on the chair and I’ll take the bed? Can’t we at least flip for it?”

  “No.” His voice was harsh and uncompromising. “You’re the one who’s trained to sleep in unusual conditions. Pretend you’re in boot camp, or better yet, like you’re in the back alley looking for runaways.”

  ****

  With Riley’s words, the fight went out of Chip. She dropped her shoulders and turned her back on the man. “So much for chivalry in the new century,” she mumbled.

  “What did you say?”

  “Nothing.”

  She couldn’t find fault in his logic and she wasn’t about to show any weakness. Regardless of the truce on the drive to the resort, she still felt as though she was an albatross around his neck. Besides, she would have been sleeping on the ground this week if she hadn’t been reassigned from her annual service duty to this case, so the couch was a step up. Perhaps it was best to approach this situation as a field mission—one where her best friend’s life depended on the outcome.