Special Ops Bodyguard

by Beth Cornelison

  Gage twisted his mouth as he mulled the possibilities. “She wouldn’t have mentioned Mr. Bradshaw if it weren’t significant. Remember that as soon as she mentioned his name she gasped and was cut off.”

  “She said something her captors didn’t like. Gave too much away.”

  Gage shrugged. “Maybe.”

  Jaw tightening, Hank surged to his feet to pace again.

  “If they hurt her, so help me, I’ll…” he thundered, clenching a fist to pound the air.

  “When we take her last comment, which seemed to say she was in some remote mountains—” Gage stood and stroked his chin as he crossed to the senator “—and factor in this last comment, my gut says she is at this Ernie Bradshaw’s cabin in the mountains. It’s nearer to Sacramento than to where any of your kids live, it’s remote, and it’s at a high elevation. Am I right?”

  Hank’s face creased as he processed Gage’s reasoning. “Sounds about right.” The man’s back stiffened, his eyes flaring with determination. “If we know where she is, then I can do something to save her.”

  Gage drilled a hard look on the senator. “You can call the FBI and let them handle this.” Already Hank was shaking his head, frowning, but Gage persisted. “Tell them what you know, what Lana has said, and let the FBI—”

  “No! I told you, I have my own resources. I’ve been in touch with a private contractor who can—”

  A scoff ripped from Gage’s throat. “A mercenary? You’re going to send a mercenary in after your daughter? One guy against God knows how many men that are holding her?”

  The senator matched Gage’s steely stare. “He comes highly recommended. Ex-Special Forces. Discreet.”

  Gage sighed and shook his head. “With all due respect, sir—”

  “Enough!” Hank Kelley aimed a finger at Gage’s nose and narrowed his eyes to slits. “She’s my daughter, and I’ll handle this the way I see fit. Your job is to protect me, not to give me unsolicited advice.”

  Gage rolled his shoulders and firmed his jaw. But said nothing. He was a soldier, and he knew how to take orders. Even when he disagreed with those orders. “Yes, sir.”

  Hank dug in his pocket and fished out a small notebook, which he flipped through until he found what he needed. He punched a number on his phone, held the cell to his ear.

  Gage took a seat again, giving his head a small shake of disgust. The stubborn, foolhardy man…

  “Garrison? Hank Kelley. I have reason to believe Lana is in the mountains near Tahoe. I want you to leave immediately. I’ll send the exact GPS coordinates within the hour. Yes. I’ll transfer the rest of the money to your account when I hear she’s safe.”

  Gage sighed. Hank was sending his mercenary into the lion’s den with a pork chop around his neck. He just prayed Lana wasn’t killed in the crossfire.

  Chapter 5

  By Thursday afternoon, Gage had grown weary of listening to Hank grumble about the lack of response from his mercenary. He’d heard nothing in the thirty hours since he’d dispatched the man, and the senator’s restlessness and grumpy disposition were wearing thin.

  Or perhaps it was Gage’s own repetitious thoughts, which vacillated between the horrific images and self-incriminations of his last mission in Afghanistan and the sweet flirtation and refreshing smile of a certain engaging pastry chef that wore on him. Gage was eager for the opportunity to visit Ira’s Diner again. And not just because he recalled Kate saying she made chocolate layer cake on Thursdays.

  As soon as his shift ended and he was sure Bart was set to guard the senator, Gage went in search of Ben, the ranch hand he’d talked to the night of the security breach. He found the hand in the stable, grooming one of the horses.

  “I was wondering if I could borrow one of the ranch vehicles to go into town,” Gage said once the requisite pleasantries had been exchanged.

  Ben jerked a nod. “Sure enough. Rusty said to make his truck available to you or the other guard if you had need of it.” He gave the horse’s flank a pat and put the grooming brush on a shelf. “Follow me. The key is up at the bunkhouse.”

  Gage fell in step with Ben and remembered the damage to the window the other night. “Have you heard anything back from Sheriff Colton about the sabotage to the bunkhouse?”

  “Only that his men couldn’t find any fingerprints on the brick, and the footprint seems to be from a pretty common brand of athletic shoe. Size eleven.” Ben removed his wide-brimmed hat and wiped sweat from his forehead, despite the cool October air. “I replaced the window this morning, once the sheriff got all the pictures and evidence he wanted.”

  “What did Cole have to say about it all?”

  Ben shrugged. “Just asked to be kept informed. I told him there was no need for him to come back early from roundup. Everything was under control here.”

  “And the roundup crew is due back when?” Gage asked.

  “Sometime Sunday probably.” Ben crossed the wood-plank porch of the bunkhouse where a line of mismatched rocking and Adirondack chairs waited for the return of tired ranch hands. From the porch, the ranch hands had a breathtaking view of the nearby mountains and the windswept valley where the cattle grazed.

  As Gage waited on the porch, admiring the view, a cool October wind and the memory of rocky barren mountains in Afghanistan sent a chill deep into his bones. An eagle swooped low over the pasture and squawked loudly before riding an updraft into the clear sky again. The sky was the same bright, pale shade of Kate’s eyes and…

  Gage stopped in mid-thought and snorted a wry laugh at himself, scuffing his shoe on the dusty porch. Geez, he sounded like a lovesick teenager. Either he’d been without a woman longer than he wanted to admit, or he had it bad for Kate, if he was seeing her in every landscape and thinking of her throughout the day. Either way, he had to get his act together. He couldn’t let a pretty face and some good food distract him from the job he’d been hired to do. The vandalism of the bunkhouse and threats made by Lana’s kidnappers were enough proof that Gage had his work cut out for him.

  He’d let his squad down on that isolated mountain road in Afghanistan, but he’d take a bullet to the head himself before he failed in his responsibilities again.

  Ben returned, his footsteps making hollow thuds on the porch. “Here ya go. Rusty’s got her parked behind the barn.”

  Gage took the key Ben extended to him and with a word of thanks, headed to the barn in search of Rusty’s vehicle. The truck turned out to be a worn-out Ford truck circa 1970 or so. The front seat had been patched with duct tape and the body bore numerous spots of rust and faded paint. Dirty leather gloves and an odd assortment of chains and muddy tools littered the passenger-side floor. But when Gage turned the key, the engine roared to life. A working engine and four good tires were all Gage needed to get him into town…although he did park a block away from Ira’s Diner. Kate didn’t have to know about the battered vehicle he’d driven into town.

  The bell above the door tinkled as he strode into the dining room and swept a gaze around the diner looking for one face in particular. Instead of Kate, he spotted Janet behind the counter, and his heart sank. For a moment he considered walking back out and getting his supper elsewhere, but Janet spotted him and waved him to the counter.

  “I’ve got a seat for you right here, handsome.” She patted a stool and gave the counter a quick swipe. “We missed you yesterday. What happened to you?”

  Gage took a seat on the stool she offered and shrugged. “Had business to take care of at the Kelley ranch.”

  Janet leaned on the counter and gave him a seductive grin. “What sort of business? Anything juicy?”

  “No.” Gage gave her a quelling look. He had no interest in Janet to begin with and less interest in provoking the ire of her jealous husband. The woman’s eye still bore evidence of the last time Larry had caught his wife flirting with him. “Kate here?”

  Janet’s grin faltered, and her jaw set. “She’s in the back. But she’s busy.” Janet straightened and
took her order pad from her apron pocket. “I’ll take your order when you’re ready. The special today is ham and navy beans with biscuits.”

  “Works for me. And coffee. Black.”

  The door to the kitchen swung open, and Kate breezed out carrying a chocolate cake. Her steps slowed when she spotted him at the counter and a bright smile bloomed on her face. “Gage!”

  He nodded toward her, the hint of a grin tugging his lips. “And I’ll take some of that for dessert.” He left it to their imagination whether he meant Kate or the cake. At this point he’d take either. Both.

  His frosting-licking fantasy roared through his mind and kick-started a hungry thrum in his blood.

  Keeping her gaze on him, Kate slid the cake into the refrigerated dessert display case and sauntered over to greet him. Before Kate could so much as greet him properly, Janet’s mouth firmed in a peckish frown, and she intercepted her sister, bodily blocking her.

  “Gage is having the special. You need to get a fresh batch of biscuits in the oven.”

  “Just took some out a minute ago. Pete’s got them.” Kate leaned to glance past Janet and sent Gage another smile. “How are you tonight? Hungry, I hope. I’d hate to have to throw out any of my biscuits.”

  Janet placed a hand on her sister’s arm and pushed her toward the kitchen. “I’ll take care of the customers. You get back in the kitchen where you belong. Go bake something, Miss Pastry Queen.”

  Kate shrugged out of her sister’s grasp. “I’ve finished baking for the day. You know that.”

  Gage watched the exchange between the sisters with interest. The disdain in Janet’s tone when she referred to her sister’s baking talent reeked of petty jealousy.

  “Then clean something or help Pete or—”

  “Forget it, Janet. I’m off the clock. I’ve been here since 5:00 a.m. and baking since 4:00 a.m. I want to say hi to Gage before I go home.” Kate strode past Janet, and the older sister glared daggers at Kate’s back.

  But when Kate stopped across the counter from him, bringing the scent of yeast and chocolate with her, Gage forgot all about Janet’s posturing. The smile Kate gave him, as if she were truly glad to see him, not just being polite, warmed him from the inside out. How was it this woman he’d only met days ago could chase away the chill that had resided in him for months? Kate made him forget, if only for a while, the loneliness and sense of isolation that had burrowed deep inside him long before that devastating day on the Afghan road.

  “Hi, Kate.” He felt the answering smile that pulled at his lips, a strange sensation, seeing as he’d had so little to smile about in recent months.

  “Hi yourself. What brings you into town tonight?”

  “I remembered you saying Thursday was chocolate cake day. Since Cole Kelley is out on roundup, I figured someone needed to eat his slice.”

  “And you volunteered for the job?” she said, chuckling. “How noble of you.”

  His smile grew, and he winked at her. “I live to serve.”

  She laughed harder, her eyes sparkling with mirth, and his heart squeezed.

  “Oh my stars, you smiled! I knew you could do it.” She gave his hand a congratulatory pat. “It really complements the rugged cut of your face and makes those baby blues shine.”

  Gage sputtered a tight laugh, making a mental note to try to smile more around Kate, if she liked what she saw. “Really? I’ve been that dour?”

  She tipped her head. “Maybe not dour. More like—”

  “Cold, stiff, grim, stony…” Janet said, purposely leaning into Kate, pushing her out of the way as she reached past her for a handful of drinking straws. “Take your pick. They all fit.”

  Kate gaped at her sister and sent Gage an apologetic look. “Janet!” she scolded in a hushed but harsh tone.

  Gage schooled his face, scowling his irritation at Janet’s interruption and her blatant rudeness to her sister.

  “Well, he has been all of those things when he was in before.” Janet cast a matter-of-fact glance to Gage. “You asked.”

  “I was talking to Kate.”

  With a haughty sniff, Janet walked away, but she’d done her damage. Kate’s sunny smile was gone, replaced by an awkward embarrassment. Janet had achieved what she’d intended, but Gage would be damned if he’d let it work.

  Forcing a grin back to his face, he took Kate’s hand in his and squeezed. “I might be persuaded to smile again if you bring me that cake now instead of later. Life is short, and all that jazz…”

  Her face brightened with gratitude for his attempt to reclaim the light mood between them. “You have a deal, if…” She paused, and her cheek dimpled as she cocked her head. “Tell me about the places you’ve lived. I’ve never been anywhere but Small Town, Ohio, and Small Town, Montana. Did you ever live in Europe?” Her eyes lit with intrigue.

  He nodded. “I was in Germany for a year.”

  He prayed she didn’t ask about his last tour of duty. He didn’t want to rehash anything about Afghanistan for her. Those memories were still too raw.

  But if he could capture her attention for a few extra minutes, he’d gladly tell her about his childhood in the Smoky Mountains and south Texas. His short stint outside of Denver before he was recruited into the army. His basic training at Fort Jackson and anything else she wanted to know about his travels prior to his last deployment.

  Wide-eyed, she leaned forward, against the counter, her full focus on him. “Can you speak German?”

  He hitched his head toward the cake in the dessert display. “Cake first. Then Germany.”

  She served him a thick slice of cake and brought him the ham and beans that Pete slid onto the order window. Surrounded by good food and savoring Kate’s attentive gaze, Gage regaled her with tales of his travels and answered her questions about the culture, the food, the scenery. When new customers came in, she greeted the arrivals with a friendly smile.

  Janet swished past with a tray of dirty dishes. “Get the Johnstones’ order, would you, Katie? I’m swamped back here with dirty dishes, and my back is hurting from that fall I took last night.”

  When Kate sighed and started to leave, Gage grabbed her hand to stop her. “I thought you were off the clock.”

  Kate shrugged and glanced at her feet. “I am, but…”

  “This fall she took last night…did Larry help her off her feet?”

  Kate’s gaze darted back to his, and she shushed him. “Not so loud.” Her cheeks flushed, and she nodded. “I’m sure he did. She swears she tripped on the rug, but she knows I know the truth, so I don’t understand why she makes up these stories to cover for him…” She waved a dismissive hand. “Anyway, it will only take me a minute to get the Johnstones’ order, then I’ll be back.”

  “Kate.”

  She stopped and met his frown.

  “Don’t let her manipulate you.”

  Flashing him a forced grin, she said, “It’s okay.”

  But Janet’s treatment of her sister was not okay with Gage. Kate had moved across the country and worked in the same small dead-end diner with her sister just so she could help Janet, try to get her out of an abusive relationship. How much more of her life had Kate put on hold for her sister? And Janet didn’t seem to appreciate Kate’s sacrifices for her.

  A bubble of protective anger on Kate’s behalf filled his chest. How much of his observations and conclusions did he share with Kate? He had her best interests at heart, and yet…he’d only met her a few days ago, had spent precious little time with her. His opinion of what was happening between the sisters was based on a few encounters. Perhaps he should keep his thoughts on the matter to himself for now. He really didn’t need to get involved in a family matter that had nothing to do with him. His job in Maple Cove was to protect Hank Kelley. Period.

  He only cared about Kate’s situation because…

  He sighed as he watched her smile brightly to the Johnstones and sashay back behind the counter to post their order for Pete. His heart thumped hard
er as she returned to him, her sunny smile in place.

  Damn. He had to face the truth. He’d begun to truly care for Kate.

  The last thing he’d wanted was to get emotionally involved with a woman. He wouldn’t be staying in Maple Cove after the threat to Senator Kelley had been resolved. He didn’t need to form ties that would be broken so quickly.

  And his dark and twisted history, full of post-trauma nightmares and memories of unspeakable acts of war, could only taint a life as pure and sweet as Kate’s. Her fascination with his mundane stories of traveling with the Army showed just what a sheltered life she’d led. Her best friend growing up had been Amish, for God’s sake.

  “She’s the only real family I have, Gage,” Kate said, jarring him from his reverie.

  He realized, to his dismay, that he’d been staring at Kate. What had she seen in his face that made her feel the need to defend her actions, her relationship with Janet?

  He shook his head. “Sorry. I have no right to judge. I only hate to see you taken advantage of.”

  Kate laughed, a clear, bubbly sound that reminded him of a mountain brook. “Janet’s not taking advantage of me.”

  But caution and concern dimmed the light in her eyes. Irritation gnawed his gut, knowing his meddling had put those clouds and worries in her head. He gave himself a swift mental kick in the shin.

  See, your association with her is already tarnishing her shiny disposition, her optimism and joy for life.

  “What happened to your parents?” The words tumbled from his mouth before he could stop them. Curiosity about this woman overrode the good sense not to pry, not to stir up painful memories for her, not to entwine himself any more with her life.

  She tucked a wisp of her dark blond hair behind her ear and drew a deep breath, as if for courage. “Our dad died when we were pretty young. He was a heavy smoker, and it caught up with him. Then our mom took a second job to make ends meet for us. She was gone from home more than she was around. Janet was old enough by then to babysit me, so we pretty much raised ourselves from our pre-teen years on.”