The Sheriff's Secret

by Julie Anne Lindsey

  West hurried silently onto the back porch.

  Footfalls pounded over the floorboards on the other side of the rotting wooden barrier. The knob turned and Tina rushed into view, a crying baby clutched to her chest.

  She squeaked at the sight of him, dressed head to toe in black. Recognition dawned slowly as he raised a finger to his lips and reached for her arm.

  Lily squirmed and fussed. The sound gonged and echoed like a beacon in the darkness. “Hurry,” West whispered. He gripped her elbow and pulled her in a sweeping arch back toward the road, giving the house a wide berth.

  Tina shushed her frightened baby as they ran.

  The telltale sound of a snapping branch stopped West short. He widened his stance, pushing Tina behind him.

  “Nice try, Sheriff,” Carl snarled. He stepped into view from the small grove of apple trees beside the home. “I heard you out front, and I followed you around back. Stupid move, leaving your cruiser in the drive.” He sent an angry look Tina’s way. “Didn’t I tell you I wouldn’t let him take what’s mine?” He raised the barrel of his rifle to West’s head.

  “No,” Tina cried, “please don’t. Don’t do this.”

  A thunderous crack interrupted her plea and ignited Lily’s screams.

  Tina’s eyelids fell shut, and she sobbed against her baby’s head.

  Carl made a strangled sound before dropping his rifle. His expression went blank as he crumbled to the ground.

  * * *

  TINA’S EYES SHOT OPEN.

  West wound an arm around Tina as Cole emerged from the darkness.

  Cole kicked the rifle away from Carl’s body. “I know it’s not right to speak ill of the dead, but I hate this guy.” He pinched the radio on his shoulder and relayed the news to their waiting teams.

  West wrapped his arms around Tina and her baby. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

  Tears streamed over her face as she kissed Lily’s cheeks a thousand times, sobbing, but not speaking.

  “Come on.” He led them to his cruiser in the driveway and opened the door so she could sit. “Here.” He slid out of his black coat and wrapped it over her shoulders, cocooning her and Lily in his warmth.

  A dozen men in black gear streamed from the trees and field, encroaching on the scene around them. SUVs and cruisers crawled over the loose gravel drive, and the low cry of an ambulance rose in the distance. The nightmare had finally ended, and the relief of seeing Tina and Lily safe was enough to knock him down.

  West crouched before Tina as she cuddled Lily into contentment. Her smile lit up his world.

  “I can’t believe you’re here,” she said.

  “Anything and always,” he repeated the phrase that had meant so much to them in high school. The words were as true as ever for him, hopefully for her, too.

  The pink bundle in her arms had closed her eyes. Her small mouth made quick little moves.

  “She dreams of food,” Tina said, laughing proudly through a fresh sob. “Just like her mama.”

  West brushed Lily’s soft cheek with his fingertips, then kissed her mother’s cheek. “I dream of you.”

  “I love you,” Tina said. “It’s okay if you don’t feel the same.”

  West’s heart expanded in his chest, stretching a smile across his face and warming him to the core. “I love you, too. I always have. Always will.”

  “I’m sorry I ran away when we were teens. I should’ve talked to you. You deserved the whole truth. From me.”

  “I don’t blame you, and I don’t care about any of that now.”

  Tina swiped a tear from her cheek. “I don’t want to let my parents’ failures affect me anymore. I don’t want them to be an excuse I use to avoid finding happiness.”

  “I can make you happy,” he promised.

  Epilogue

  Bright summer sun beamed down on the oak tree outside West’s cabin. Tina adjusted the train of her borrowed gown. Once worn by West’s mother and grandmother for the same occasion. The diamond wedding ring on her finger cast rainbows over the delicate material.

  “Stop looking at him.” Marissa, Blake’s wife, laughed from behind the lens of her fancy camera. “He’ll be there when we finish—this gorgeous sunlight won’t.”

  Tina forced another smile, but her gaze drifted back to the man of her dreams, her husband, West Garrett. She smiled brighter, imagining she gave the sun a run for its money today. West was striking in black tuxedo pants, the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up to his elbows. A set of identically dressed brothers laughed at his sides, passing Lily from hand to hand around their circle in a goofy version of hot potato. Mary watched with a prideful smile. She’d recovered nicely after Carl’s attack, another answer to Tina’s prayers.

  Tucker Bixby had recovered, too, but he had a long road ahead of him. Tina’s testimony had helped Tucker stay out of jail, but he was struggling to deal with the role he’d played in Lily’s abduction, and that wasn’t something Tina could help him with. She’d recommended a new therapist, but it wouldn’t be easy for Tucker’s tender heart to get past what he’d done. His silence could have cost Lily and Tina their lives.

  Marissa snapped a few more shots, then looked at the little screen. “I’m a nature photographer, and I swear the forest creatures have longer attention spans than you today.”

  “I’m just really happy,” Tina said, admitting the partial truth.

  West’s dad had walked her down the aisle. His mom had helped her with her hair and dress. His entire family had stepped up at their engagement, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to add another adult and a baby to the Garrett clan.

  Tina was the definition of blissful, but Marissa was right—she was also distracted.

  A loud wolf whistle drew a new smile over Tina’s face.

  West headed her way with their little girl in tow. Lily clapped her hands and toddled clumsily at his side on chubby fourteen-month-old legs. Her puffy white dress and matching floppy hair bow were the picture of perfection.

  West kissed his sister-in-law’s cheek. “Finished yet?”

  “Never.” Marissa scooped Lily into her arms and nuzzled her neck. “Go on,” she said to the newlyweds. “I know it kills the two of you to keep your hands off one another for more than five minutes. Your whole wedding album will be kissing photos, you realize that?”

  West’s lips were already on Tina’s. “Hello, Mrs. Garrett,” he whispered against her mouth.

  “Hello.”

  West’s mom marched into view as he pulled away. “There’s my beautiful grandbaby,” she squeaked.

  Lily struggled free of Marissa’s grip, cheerfully reaching for her grandmother’s arms.

  “Is your daddy hogging all your attention?” West’s mother asked.

  “Da!” Lily agreed, head nodding. “Da! Da! Da!”

  “Well, we can’t have that. There’s a hundred people here to see you.” She turned on her pastel heels and marched back toward the crowd gathered on West’s lawn. Lily clapped as they moved away.

  “I think they are all here for her,” West said. “She stole every heart in this place with her flower girl routine.” He pressed a hand to his chest and bowed his head. “Every time she calls me Dad I think I’ll die right there of happiness.”

  The careful rows of white chairs, once hugged in tulle, were scattered over the lawn now. Filled with folks catching up on old times and trading stories. Tina had expected sharing Lily with an entire family would be hard after having her all to herself for the first four months, but the opposite had been true. Each time Lily was doted on by another Garrett, Tina’s heart grew impossibly bigger.

  She scanned the smiling faces of her new family, then dared a look at her dashing husband. “I love you.”

  “I love you.” He kissed her nose and hugged her tight. “Are you sure you d
idn’t want a big church wedding like Blake and Marissa had?” he asked for the hundredth time.

  She laughed. “This was everything I’ve ever wanted. My personal dream come true. Handsome husband. Supportive friends. Growing family.” She pinned him with her most cheeky look.

  West smiled. “Now we just need to get Cole and Ryder married off. Get Lily some cousins. Cole will be easier to work with. Let’s start with him.”

  Tina draped her wrists over West’s shoulders and tried again. “When I said the family was growing, I wasn’t talking about marrying off your brothers or waiting for cousins. Though that will be nice, too.”

  West wrinkled his nose.

  Tina’s smile widened. “I meant our family is growing.” She pulled his palm over her tummy and pressed it tight.

  His jaw went slack. “I’m having a baby?” His bright blue eyes went wide with emotion. “You’re—I’m gonna be a dad again?” He stared awestruck at their hands on her middle.

  “Yes.” Tina giggled against her husband’s chest, unable to believe her life had become so much more than she’d ever dared to dream. “I love you,” she said once more, as West’s protective arms banded around her.

  He dropped his mouth to hers and planted a kiss to melt the sun. “Always and forever, Mrs. Garrett.”

  * * * * *

  Look for the next book in Julie Anne Lindsey’s

  PROTECTORS OF CADE COUNTY

  miniseries later this year.

  And don’t miss the previous title in the series,

  FEDERAL AGENT UNDER FIRE,

  available now wherever

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  SPECIAL EXCERPT FROM

  The twisted machinations of a ruthless cult leader have robbed Lola Dayton of her life—and her baby. Now it’s up to Sheriff Flint Cahill to find the truth buried beneath Lola’s secrets and her family’s lies.

  Read on for a sneak preview of

  COWBOY’S REDEMPTION,

  A CAHILL RANCH NOVEL from

  New York Times bestselling author B.J. Daniels!

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  Cowboy’s Redemption

  by B.J. Daniels

  Chapter One

  Running blindly through the darkness, Lola didn’t see the tree limb until it struck her in the face. It clawed at her cheek, digging into a spot under her right eye as she flung it away with her arm. She had to stifle the cry of pain that rose in her throat for fear she would be heard. As she ran, she felt warm blood run down to the corner of her lips. The taste of it mingled with the salt of her tears, but she didn’t slow, couldn’t. She could hear them behind her.

  She pushed harder, knowing that, being men, they had the advantage, especially the way she was dressed. Her long skirt caught on something. She heard the fabric rend, not for the first time. She felt as if it was her heart being ripped out with it.

  Her only choice was to escape. But at what price? She’d been forced to leave behind the one person who mattered most. Her thundering heart ached at the thought, but she knew that this was the only way. If she could get help...

  “She’s over here!” came a cry from behind her. “This way!”

  She wiped away the warm blood as she crashed through the brush and trees. Her legs ached and she didn’t know how much longer she could keep going. Fatigue was draining her. If they caught her this time...

  She tripped on a tree root, stumbled and almost plunged headlong down the mountainside. Her shoulder slammed into a tree trunk. She veered off it like a pinball, but she kept pushing herself forward because the alternative was worse than death.

  They were closer now. She could feel one of them breathing down her neck. She didn’t dare look back. To look back would be to admit defeat. If she could just reach the road before they caught up to her...

  Suddenly the trees opened up. She burst out of the darkness of the pines onto the blacktop of a narrow two-lane highway. The glare of headlights blinded her an instant before the shriek of rubber on the dark pavement filled the night air.

  Chapter Two

  Major Colt McCloud felt the big bird shake as he brought the helicopter low over the bleak landscape. He was back in Afghanistan behind the controls of a UH-60 Black Hawk. The throb of the rotating blades was drowned out by the sound of mortar fire. It grew louder and louder, taking on a consistent pounding that warned him something was very wrong.

  He dragged himself awake, but the dream followed him. Blinking in the darkness, he didn’t know where he was for a moment. Everything looked alien and surreal. As the dream began to fade, he recognized his bedroom at the ranch.

  He’d left behind the sound of the chopper and the mortar fire, but the pounding had intensified. With a start, he realized what he was hearing.

  Someone was at the door.

  He glanced at the clock on his bedside table. It was after three in the morning. Throwing his legs over the side of the bed, he grabbed his jeans, pulling them on as he fought to put the dream behind him and hurry to the door.

  A half dozen possibilities flashed in his mind as he moved quickly through the house. It still felt strange to be back here after years of traveling the world as an Army helicopter pilot. After his fiancée dumped him, he’d planned to make a career out of the military, but then his father had died, leaving him a working ranch that either had to be run or sold.

  He’d taken a hundred-and-twenty-day leave in between assignments so he could come home to take care of the ranch. His father had been the one who’d loved ranching, not Colt. That’s why there was a for-sale sign out on the road into the ranch.

  Colt reached the front door and, frowning at the incessant knocking at this hour of the morning, threw it open.

  He blinked at the disheveled woman standing there before she turned to motion to the driver of the car idling nearby. The engine roared and a car full of what appeared to be partying teenagers took off in a cloud of dust.

  Colt flipped on the porch light as the woman turned back to him and he got his first good look at her and her scratched, blood-streaked face. For a moment he didn’t recognize her, and then it all came back in a rush. Standing there was a woman he’d never thought he’d see again.

  “Lola?” He couldn’t even be sure that was her real name. But somehow it fit her, so maybe at least that part of her story had been true. “What happened to you?”

  “I had nowhere else to go.” Her words came out in a rush. “I was
so worried that you wouldn’t be here.” She burst into tears and slumped as if physically exhausted.

  He caught her, swung her up into his arms and carried her into the house, kicking the door closed behind him. His mind raced as he tried to imagine what could have happened to bring her to his door in Gilt Edge, Montana, in the middle of the night and in this condition.

  “Sit here,” he said as he carried her in and set her down in a kitchen chair before going for the first-aid kit. When he returned, he was momentarily taken aback by the memory of this woman the first time he’d met her. She wasn’t beautiful in the classic sense. But she was striking, from her wide violet eyes fringed with pale lashes to the silk of her long blond hair. She had looked like an angel, especially in the long white dress she’d been wearing that night.

  That was over a year ago and he hadn’t seen her since. Nor had he expected to since they’d met initially several hundred miles from the ranch. But whatever had struck him about her hadn’t faded. There was something flawless about her—even as scraped up and bruised as she was. It made him furious at whoever was responsible for this.

  “Can you tell me what happened?” he asked as he began to clean the cuts.

  “I... I...” Her throat seemed to close on a sob.

  “It’s okay, don’t try to talk.” He felt her trembling and could see that she was fighting tears. “This cut under your eye is deep.”

  She said nothing, looking as if it was all she could do to keep her eyes open. He took in her torn and filthy dress. It was long, like the white one he’d first seen her in, but faded. It reminded him of something his grandmother might have worn to do housework in. She was also thinner than he remembered.

  As he gently cleaned her wounds, he could see dark circles under her eyes, and her long braided hair was in disarray with bits of twigs and leaves stuck in it.

  The night he’d met her, her plaited hair had been pinned up at the nape of her neck—until he’d released it, the blond silk dropping to the center of her back.