“It’s about time, cowboy. I’ve been putting makeup on every day for the last week, waiting for you to finally come to call. You’re slower than a tortoise on an uphill climb, you know that?”
She wasn’t chastising him. She was teasing him.
He knew that because of the way the corners of her mouth turned upwards and created dimples in her cheeks.
The same dimples he saw that night at the Bar None. The ones which had captured his attention and that he thought incredibly cute.
The ones he’d completely forgotten about.
Her words caught him off guard.
He stammered, “I told you that night you don’t need makeup. That some women are so attractive they shouldn’t hide their beauty behind makeup.”
“Yeah,” she replied. “I remember you saying that. I didn’t believe you then and I don’t believe you now.”
“Wanna go for a walk?”
“Why, Ranger Randy… I do declare…”
She batted her eyelashes a la Scarlett O’Hara.
“…I do believe you’re asking me out on a date. What shall I wear?”
“How about what you have on? You look fine.”
“First, I need to introduce you to my family so they can make sure your intentions are honorable.”
“Certainly. I’d love to meet your family.”
“Come in, sir.”
Sarah turned and walked into the house, with Randy close behind her.
Two women were waiting patiently in the living room.
“Randy, this is my family, Karen Feeley and Mary Elizabeth Blair.”
Randy would have tipped his hat had he been outside. Instead he nodded politely and said, “I’m very pleased to meet you. Did you walk down from Wichita Falls?”
Sarah cut the women off before they could answer.
She laughed aloud and said, “You, sir, have been conducting an investigation into my life. That’s flattering and disturbing at the same time.”
Chapter 31
Randy smiled the gentle and shy smile which attracted her to him in the first place.
“No investigation, silly girl,” he said. “I just happened to see another message one of your friends put on the board for you. He said he was walking to Wichita Falls to see his family and wanted to know if you wanted to walk with him to see your own.”
“I figured as much. And I’m just teasing.”
“Have you seen your Wichita Falls family since the blackout?”
“No. I thought seriously about going. But my dad wouldn’t have approved. I didn’t want to survive three weeks on the road just for my dad to kill me for being dumb enough to leave the safety of the city.”
“Ahem…”
Mary Elizabeth felt the need to add her own two cents.
“Sarah, you’re so full of it. Tell this poor man the truth.”
“Shut up, you.”
Mary Elizabeth turned to Randy herself.
“The truth is, Randy, she’s been thinking of you night and day. I tried to get her to go to Wichita Falls but she’d have none of it.
“She kept saying that if she went and you came by after she left, that she’d lose you forever.”
Randy smiled again and looked at Sarah.
“Busted.”
Sarah told Mary Elizabeth, “Thanks for ratting me out, you.”
“You’re welcome. That’s what friend-sisters are for.”
Karen said, “This foolishness is what I have to put up with every day, Randy. You can have both of them if you want.”
That offer didn’t sit well with Sarah, though.
“Na-uh. She can go find her own cowboy. This one is mine. Maybe Randy can fix her up with his partner. He was kinda cute.
“What do you think, Randy? Would your partner be interested in a grumpy girl who drinks like a fish and curses like a sailor?”
An odd look came over Randy’s face but he said nothing.
Sarah didn’t pursue it but made a mental note to ask him about it later.
Randy said, “It was nice meeting you two ladies. I’d stay and chat some more, but this sweet thing here owes me a walk. And I intend to collect on it before it gets dark.”
“Before you leave,” Karen pleaded, “Would you like to stay for dinner? It’s nothing fancy. Canned chili with sliced jalapenos and crushed saltines. The crackers are a bit stale, but you can’t tell once they’re mixed in with the chili.
“It’s not a five star dinner at the Ritz, but it’s hot and it’s filling.”
“I’d love to, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“It’s no trouble at all. We have to eat anyway. Setting out one more bowl doesn’t take any more effort. It’ll be ready in an hour or so.”
Sarah grabbed Randy’s hand and pulled him toward the door.
“Come on, cowboy. We’ve got some catching up to do.”
“I’m so sorry,” Sarah said a few minutes later as they walked down the street hand in hand.
“He seemed like a great guy. A bit silly, but I could tell by the way you two interacted he was a loyal friend.”
“He was. One of the best. I miss him a lot.”
“Have you caught his killers?”
“No. The lieutenant pulled me off the case and put a couple other guys on it. I don’t know if he thought I was too close to it emotionally or because they wanted to punish me for going lone wolf.”
“Were you too close to it?”
“I don’t know. Probably. I mean, I had dreams a couple of times about when I caught the guys. In my dreams I had a really tough time trying not to shoot them down in cold blood to avenge Tom’s death.”
“Is that what Tom would have wanted?”
“No. But I got the sense it would make me feel a lot better.”
“And did you? Shoot them down, I mean. In your dreams.”
“No. I never did.”
“I’m glad they took you off the case.”
“Why?”
She squeezed his hand.
“Because I already lost you once. And as much as I hate to admit it Mary Elizabeth was right. I pined for you. I don’t want to lose you again.”
“Sarah, this whole thing… between you and I… is this what love feels like?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. Why? Is that a problem?”
“Maybe.”
She let go of his hand.
“If you tell me you’re gay I’ll belt you.”
He smiled and said, “Nope.”
“Then what?”
“The night we met, you asked why it was that some cowgirl hadn’t tied herself to my wagon and married me.
“I told you that I had plans to end our family tradition of joining the Rangers. That I promised my father on his deathbed I would become a Ranger, and that I would honor that.
“But that I would take an early retirement after ten years before I settled down. And before I had children.”
“I remember you telling me that, but we never finished that part of the conversation. Or if we did I don’t remember it. Why did you make that decision?”
“Because I saw my mother cry herself to sleep too many nights, worrying about my dad and wondering if that was the night his luck would run out... I’m convinced the stress of being a Ranger’s wife shortened her life.
“And I resolved not to do that to any woman I fell in love with.
“I had a commitment to my dad. I had to be a Ranger. But that didn’t mean I had to drag my woman into it.”
“I think that’s an admirable trait, Randy. I have a feeling, though, that there’s a ‘but…’ coming.”
“But it caused a problem I never foresaw. Twice I fell for women I would have married under other circumstances. But they weren’t willing to wait, and I can’t blame them.
“I came to realize it was selfish of me. I was putting them in a difficult situation. Either to wait until my time was up and to have children into their thirties, and accepting all the risks that came with that.
; “Or leaving me to find someone else. Someone who didn’t have a family tradition to put to rest. Someone who wouldn’t make them wait to have children.”
“Well, you’re still single, cowboy. So I don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know which way they went.”
“I’ve wondered many times whether I’m been a blithering idiot over this whole thing. Whether I should have hung up my badge years ago. I never promised my dad I’d go for ten years. That was a decision I made after he passed. All I promised him was that I’d carry on the tradition for one more generation. That our family would be the first ever to have five men from five successive generations sign on and serve Texas.
“I’ve done that. Maybe it’s time to quit while I’m ahead.”
“Look, Randy… I get the sense you feel the same way I do. I’m willing to make this work if you are. But if this thing… whatever it is, is real… I’m willing to wait.
“If you don’t want me to be a Ranger’s wife, that’s fine. I don’t need to be. I’ll be a Ranger’s girlfriend, and I’ll be proud to wear that title.
“As for having children, I’ll make it easy on you.
“I don’t want to bring any children into this world. Not anymore. The world has become an ugly place. Children are dying at an alarming rate. We as adults don’t even have a guarantee we’re going to make it to see another sunset. Children are more vulnerable and have less of a guarantee. They’re alive at the whim of bad people who just haven’t gotten around to killing them yet.
“You keep on being a Ranger for as long as you need to be. I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter 32
After several more days of spinning their wheels and getting nowhere Medley and Wise finally caught a break.
Riding down Utica Avenue on their way home after a long day, Wise spotted a yellow banner stapled to a wooden telephone pole and plucked it down to see what it said.
It said absolutely nothing, save a four digit house number: 5541.
The sun was setting soon and the pair had a decision to make.
They could take a detour and visit the house in question to see what information its resident had for them.
If they did that they’d likely have to bed down in an abandoned house for the night, since there was no moon on this particular night. Riding horses through city streets on a dark night was inherently dangerous, since the horses’ hooves striking the pavement could be heard two blocks away.
There was plenty of time for bad men to get in position and ambush them as they walked by.
And a fair chance they’d be left dead in the street, their horses stolen.
On the other hand, if they waited until morning, they still had time to make it home to their families before dark.
A Ranger was like any other man. He hated to leave his wife and family alone when the sun went down. Especially in a city which got more and more desperate and dangerous as each day went by.
In the end the families won out. The Rangers would call it a night and check out their lead the next morning.
Each of them went to bed that night hoping their luck had finally turned.
The dawn brought with it overcast skies and the threat of rain.
Some might have looked upon that as an omen.
Lubbock, on the other hand, desperately needed rain. When the spring came the residents would plant all manner of vegetables and sustenance crops: corn and wheat. Some more adventurous souls might even try their hand at rice, although they’d probably fail miserably.
To keep their crops alive, they’d need more water than they could coax out of the skies.
They needed rain now, so they could start to build their water supplies. They needed the skies to open up, to top off the playa lakes scattered around the city.
As well as all the empty drums, garbage cans and plastic tubs scattered around their yards.
Some might consider early morning rains bad mojo. But residents of Lubbock considered them a gift from God.
On this particular day, though, the clouds rolled on through and dropped their precious gift at some other place.
By the time Rangers Medley and Wise walked up the steps to 5541-85th Street the sun was working its way up in a mostly clear sky.
It was an old story in west Texas, where passing rain clouds had teased farmers for generations.
There was no answer at the first knock. No answer at the second.
Wise thought maybe they’d misread the number on the yellow banner and dug it out of his pocket to have another look.
Then a sleepy voice from within:
“Who is it?”
“Texas Rangers.”
“Just a minute.”
They could plainly hear a scraping sound on the hardwood floor just inside the doorway.
Many residents had taken to pushing heavy furniture in front of their doors and windows at night to make it harder for looters to break in.
It was mostly a waste of time, for typical looters shied away from breaking into occupied homes.
In Texas, most homes had guns. And homeowners were more than willing to use them.
Still, barricading their doors and windows at night gave many homeowners the peace of mind they needed to get a good night’s sleep. And if sliding heavy furniture around morning and night was a pain in the neck, it was worth it.
The door opened and a middle aged man peered out at them.
“Sorry. Not much else to do around here anymore, so I’ve developed a habit of sleeping late.”
“Not a problem, sir. We certainly understand. Did you have some information for us?”
“Yes sir. Come on in. Have a seat. I wish I could offer you some coffee, but the best I can do is warm water.”
“Warm water would be much appreciated, and thank you.”
As Wise and Medley got comfortable on an overstuffed couch, a woman appeared from another room with two glasses of water. She seemed almost embarrassed they couldn’t provide something better.
But the city was adapting. For a thirsty man water… any water… was refreshing.
Not one of them, though, didn’t long for ice or a cold beverage.
“I’ve been talking to some of my neighbors who won’t open their doors for you,” the man started.
“You have to understand, they’re scared. Some more than others. They’re scared that the people knocking on their doors claiming to be policemen aren’t really policemen. That they’re there to rob them and to rape their women. It’s not that they don’t want to help, you understand. It’s just safer for them to pretend no one’s home.”
“We understand. We’re hoping that over time they learn to recognize us. Please convey to them that we’re trying to help them as well. A man who’d shoot down a Texas Ranger in cold blood would have no qualms about doing the same to a civilian.”
“I’ve been telling them that. But there’s another reason they’re afraid as well.”
“What’s that?”
“Rumors have gone around that the legal system is badly broken. And that people are being arrested and are languishing in the county jail indefinitely because bail bondsmen are no longer working to get them out. Because the dollar is worthless now and because nobody has gold or silver. So people who are guilty of any crime, even minor ones, they’re not gonna talk to you guys at all.”
“Please pass the word that we’re not arresting anyone for property or drug crimes. The rumors are right in one way. The justice system has broken down. The jail’s already full. The mayor has requested that we and the LPD make no arrests unless it’s for crimes against people. Assaults, murders, rapes, that kind of thing. Tell your neighbors if they’re doing any of that, we’re coming after them. Anything less than that, we’re looking the other way for now.”
“The man I got the information from, he’s a drug user. So I was a bit leery when he said he saw the man on the horse. But then when I asked him to describe the horse and he said he had a black diamond on his face I considere
d him more credible.”
“When did he see him?”
“He said he came around a couple of weeks ago. He was looking for Shiloh.”
“Who’s Shiloh?”
“He said Shiloh is his supplier. His drug dealer. He said the guy on the horse was looking for dope.
“He was suspicious that the guy was an undercover cop. He said cops are the only ones riding horses around the city these days. He didn’t want to get busted for drugs and he didn’t want Shiloh to get busted either. Then his own supply of dope would dry up.
“So instead, he claimed he didn’t know Shiloh and sent the guy away.”
Chapter 33
At their own investigation in another part of town Rangers Castro and Sondrini were finishing their own long day of canvassing the neighborhood.
One of the homes they visited was that of none other than Steve Peters, prepper extraordinaire.
There was no answer at the door.
Castro knocked a second time while Sondrini read an eviction notice taped to the inside of the front window.
Both men peered through the window into a seemingly empty house.
And Steve watched the whole thing on a security monitor from the safety of his basement.
Still, the whole thing made him uneasy.
He’d watched them walk their horses through the other yards as they approached his house.
Watched them also as they dutifully knocked on every door before his.
As they walked away, they made a point to knock on every other door on the street as well.
Anyone with a sound mind could see that they were canvassing the whole block, just as they’d done on every other block in the neighborhood.
They didn’t pay any more attention to Steve’s house than they had any other.
Steve’s mind was anything but sound. In Steve’s paranoid mind it was all a ruse. A ruse to go to his house to sneak a peek into his front window.
In Steve’s mind it was part of a plan to see the layout of his property. To find out if he had any cameras or booby traps.
A recon mission, in advance of an armed assault against his house.
He was convinced they’d singled him out, despite their visits to every house around him.
Death Comes Calling (Ranger Book 3) Page 10