The Texas Ranger's Bride (Lone Star Lawmen Book 1)

by Rebecca Winters

  “I’d like to access more of your archives while you work on what you want to say.”

  “I’ll send them to your computer.” He gave her his address.

  They worked side by side. She wrote something, then deleted it and started again. After several attempts she got into the blog-writing mode and allowed herself to go with the flow.

  “How’s it coming?” His deep voice broke the silence, but it continued to resonate inside her.

  “It’s almost there. I’ll send you a copy in a minute to see what you think. After I’ve denied any involvement with a man, it’s going to have to be convincing.” She read over what she’d written so far.

  Hi, all my faithful rodeo fans out there! I’m back from my last rodeo in Bandera, Texas, and won’t be competing until two weeks from now in Rapid City, South Dakota, where I’ll start out my Midwest circuit. My times have been up and down lately. But that’s because something thrilling has happened to me in my personal life.

  So many times you’ve asked me if I have a boyfriend or if I plan to get married one day. I’ve always said that my love life was private. But I can’t keep quiet about this any longer. I did find the man of my dreams while I’ve been on the rodeo circuit. It was love at first sight for this gorgeous hunk of a cowboy. He’s bigger than life to me and my hero in more ways than one.

  We decided we couldn’t stand to wait to get married until Finals in December. So we tied the knot in a private ceremony before my competition in Pendleton, Oregon. I’m so happy to be his wife, I go around in a daze. It’s little wonder I’ve been unable to concentrate. Trixie thinks I’m a little crazy, bless her heart. It’s a miracle she puts up with me and knows how to kill the cans in spite of me.

  All of you know I always had a rule that I wouldn’t allow a man to throw me off my game while I was riding the circuit. No distractions for me. No siree. But I hadn’t met my husband when I said that. The second I looked into his eyes, my world changed in an instant. He’s the prince I dreamed about when I was a little girl. He’s the great man I’d hoped to meet while traveling the circuit around this great country of the USA.

  We’ll have a wedding reception after Finals. I’ll post some pictures. You’ll all swoon when you see him!

  PS: Of course I want to win the championship, but winning the love of my husband surpasses all else. I’m the luckiest cowgirl on the planet and grateful for all of you who constantly send me your support. Long live the rodeo!

  Kellie saved the file and pushed the send button. In order to make her blog convincing, she’d had to put her heart into it. But while she waited for his opinion, heat crept into her cheeks. “I just sent you the announcement. While you check it for changes, I’ll get a cola. Would you like one?”

  “Sure. Thanks.”

  “Let me know what you think,” she said and left the room.

  * * *

  CY OPENED THE file and started to read. His heart thudded when he came to the lines “The second I looked into his eyes, my world changed in an instant. He’s bigger than life to me and my hero in more ways than one.” The more he read, the harder his heart pounded.

  “What do you think?” She put a cold can of cola in front of him. “I know it’s probably too much, but I realize this has to convince my readers.”

  He opened his drink and swallowed half of it in one go. “I agree it’s over-the-top, but it sounds like it came from the heart. When that creep reads this, it will push his buttons to the limit. The only correction is to delete Pendleton and put in Glasgow, Montana. That was your event before you left for Oregon. We don’t want him to think his appearance in Pendleton had anything to do with the timing of your marriage.”

  She pulled the laptop in front of her and made the change. “I should have thought of that.” Kellie smiled at him. “That’s why you’re one of the Sons of the Forty! Okay. It’s done.”

  “Go ahead and post it. Now we wait. I wouldn’t be surprised if your fans respond in droves and overload your website.”

  Cy finished off his drink and got up from the table to toss it in the wastebasket. He’d left her phone on the counter and brought it to her. “I checked your phone. The only call you received in the middle of the night came from a throwaway phone and couldn’t be traced. I want you to continue to answer your phone.

  “I’ve set it up with an app so you can record an incoming call. I’ll walk you through this. It’s easy.” He pulled his own cell phone from his shirt pocket. “I’ll call you. After you’ve answered, press Four and it will start recording. Ready?”

  “Yes.”

  He pressed the digit that had programmed her number. She let it ring three times, then clicked on. “Hello?”

  Cy nodded, letting her know to press the number four digit.

  “Hi, Kellie. Did you just get back from Bandera?”

  “I drove in this morning.”

  “How’s Trixie?”

  “She’s at the ranch getting some TLC.”

  “I bet you wish you were with her.”

  “Tomorrow I’ll drive out there and we’ll go for a ride.”

  “Sounds fun. Talk to you later.”

  He held the phone away from his ear. “Now click End Call. The recording is downloaded to your iPhone and displayed on the screen. Tap the recording icon to listen. You can also trim the recording as needed by dragging the edge of the file on the screen.”

  She followed his directions and suddenly they heard their conversation while seeing it at the same time. A natural smile broke out on her lips. Good grief, she was beautiful. “Technology is amazing.”

  “In your case it’s crucial. I want every word recorded when he phones you again.”

  “Do you think he’ll try soon?”

  Cy nodded. “If I don’t miss my guess, he won’t be able to hold back, not after what you’ve put on your blog.”

  “I’m afraid to talk to him.” He noticed her shiver. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight.”

  “Tell you what. Why don’t you go upstairs and get ready for bed? Then come down here to sleep on the couch for tonight. I’ll be nearby on the other couch. If he calls, I’ll be right here. Try to get him to talk about why he thought you were lying to him. Anything he says could give us a clue about him.”

  “You wouldn’t mind? I’m behaving like a baby.”

  “You’re behaving like a woman who’s being stalked. But I admire you for not giving in to your fear. That’s what he wants. He’s been watching you for a month if not longer and still doesn’t believe you’re married. But the blog entry will force him to reveal himself. The phone allows him a voice connection to you. Keep him on long enough for our voice experts to analyze it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Vocal oscillations convey so much about the speaker. But more important, our experts will be able to tell if he’s a Texan. A Texas accent stands apart from the rest of the South in that it has a twist that is a blending of the major features of the Deep South and Upper South.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  He nodded. “The drawl of the Lower South has more influence in East Texas, while the ‘twang’ of the Upper South has left a greater imprint on West Texas. In South Texas, particularly, the Spanish and Mexican characteristics are heavily combined with that of the others. Once we get a recording of his voice to the experts, they can tell us if he’s from here or another state or region entirely. If we can pinpoint where he’s from, it could be a great help.”

  “Then I’ll try to keep him on the phone. Excuse me while I run upstairs to get ready.”

  “Take your time. We’ve got all night.”

  Cy planned to stay in the clothes he was wearing. Tomorrow he’d shower and change while she was out at her parents’ ranch.

  While she was upstairs, he s
at down to see if there were any responses to her blog yet. A low whistle escaped when he counted seventy responses already. He scrolled through each one. When he came to the end, he was satisfied none of them was her stalker. It was touching to read how much her fans cared about her and appreciated her help through her online rodeo tips. But they were all excited about her marriage.

  He opened up the archives. There were literally hundreds of entries on her blog site. It amazed him. She was definitely a star in her own right and an obvious favorite. He knew she had dozens of awards, but she didn’t keep them here. Probably at the ranch. One thing he knew about her already. There wasn’t a narcissistic bone in her lovely body.

  While he read through a few more entries, she padded into the kitchen in bare feet wearing a blue robe. Beneath it she wore pajamas with Texas Longhorns on them. She’d brought down a blanket and pillow.

  Cy had to be careful not to stare. “I take it you’re a football fan.”

  “These are from my parents last Christmas.”

  “My dad gave me a pair of the same pajamas two years ago.” They both laughed.

  As she came closer, her smile faded. “Has that lunatic sent a response yet?”

  “No. But you now have four hundred hits. Your eager fans want pictures and don’t want to wait until December.”

  Without saying anything, Kellie walked into the living room and lay down on the couch, propping up her pillow and covering herself with the blanket. Cy checked his watch. It was ten to eleven. He picked up her cell phone and put it on the coffee table in front of her.

  Once he’d made up the hide-a-bed, he went back to the dining room for her laptop. After turning off the overhead lights, he turned on a lamp in the living room and sat down next to it so he could continue to read the responses as they came in.

  “When are you going to sleep?”

  He liked it that she was concerned enough to ask and flicked her a glance. “Don’t worry about me.”

  She sat up. Her disheveled hair gleamed in the soft light. “I don’t know how to begin to thank you for what you’re doing for me.”

  “It’s my job.”

  “A horrible one,” she said in a shaky voice. “Every day on the news you hear about some stalking victim found in a landfill—”

  “Don’t go there.” Cy stopped her cold. “Nothing’s going to happen to you.”

  “But who protects you?”

  He smiled to himself. “I have a team that backs me up. My buddy Vic, one of the men you saw coming out of the radio station with me, is helping on your case.”

  She lay back down. “You’re all remarkable.”

  “Save your thanks until after we’ve caught him.”

  Chapter Three

  Kellie had no doubt he’d get the job done, but Cy Vance was too modest for words. That was part of the charm of the man who was growing on her with every passing second. His rugged profile stood out in the lamplight. He’d stretched out in the chair with his hard-muscled legs crossed at the ankles.

  She’d been around cowboys all her life. Some of them were more attractive than others. Some had great builds. Others were loaded with talent in the arena. Still others had engaging personalities. But this Texas Ranger had all of those qualities and more. He’d been put together in such a way no one could compare to him.

  Impatient with herself for concentrating on the attractive Ranger, she turned over so she faced the back of the sofa. She needed sleep. Desperately. Knowing he was right across the room from her gave her a sense of comfort she hadn’t felt since her first encounter with the stalker. How unbelievable was it that the Ranger she’d bumped into in Bandera had come into her life at the most precarious moment of her existence?

  When her cell phone suddenly rang, she jerked upright. Kellie flung herself around, staring at her phone in terror.

  “It’s all right.” Cy’s deep voice was reassuring. “What does the caller ID say?”

  She took a shaky breath. “It’s my best friend, Kathie.”

  “Go ahead and talk to her. Put it on speaker.”

  Kellie reached for it and clicked on. “Kathie?”

  “Hi! I know it’s late, but I had to call you. Good grief, Kellie. Is it really true that you’re married?”

  Her gaze locked with Cy’s. “Yes. How did you hear?”

  “Patty told me she read it on your blog tonight. How come you didn’t tell me?”

  Oh dear. Kellie heard the hurt in her voice. Now for the lie... But this lie was going to save her life and it took away her guilt. “It happened while I was on the circuit and there was no time.” That part was true. “Look, Kathie. It’s a long story and—”

  “And your husband wants your attention. Is he right there?”

  At that remark Cy’s eyes smiled. Kellie felt a fever coming on. “Yes. We just got in from Bandera. I’ll tell you all about it later.”

  “He must really be something for you to get married so fast you didn’t even have your parents there.”

  “W-we couldn’t bear to wait any longer.”

  “Whoa. I’ll hang up now, but I expect a detailed report later. You know what I mean.”

  Embarrassment brought the heat in waves. “Thanks for calling. We’ll talk soon. I promise.” She clicked off and put the phone back on the coffee table.

  Cy closed the laptop and put it on the floor. He leaned forward with his hands clasped between his knees. “Kathie is one of the names on the list you gave me. Who is she?”

  “My best friend in our group. Sally, my other friend, is a part of it, too.”

  “What group is that?”

  “There are about thirty of us who ride for pleasure, but serve as volunteers in case of any kind of local emergency.”

  His brows lifted. “Do you have a name?”

  “We’re the Blue Bonnet Posse.”

  “That’s right. You mentioned one of your friends from the group who moved to Colorado Springs. Come to think of it, I have heard of the posse. Weren’t you the ones who found that autistic child who’d wandered away from home last year?”

  “That one, and a lost Boy Scout. The police department calls our leader when they need volunteers to do a search in the outskirts of Austin.”

  “No doubt you’re kept busy. Those lucky parents must be indebted to you. I’m impressed.”

  “It’s our job.” She echoed his earlier words to her.

  “Touché.” He reached down and pulled off his cowboy boots. She watched him turn out the lamp and stretch out on the hide-a-bed. It couldn’t be that comfortable, and he hadn’t even changed. He lay on his back with his hands behind his head.

  She forced herself to look away. But no sooner had she curled on her side hoping to fall asleep than the phone rang again. Still petrified, but less startled this time, she reached for the phone.

  “Put the speaker on,” Cy reminded her.

  She nodded. It was her father and she clicked on. “Hi, Dad. I’ve got the phone on speaker.”

  “Forgive me for calling this late, but your mom and I want to make certain you’re all right.”

  Her gaze drifted to Cy. “I’m fine. Really. The news is out. Kathie just called me.”

  “We got a call from your cousin Heidi. She read your blog and couldn’t believe it.”

  “I know this is going to come as a shock to everyone who knows me.”

  “They care about you. It’s a tribute to the wonderful woman you are.”

  “Spoken like a biased parent.”

  “We love you, Kellie.” His voice sounded gruff with emotion. “Tell that Ranger we can’t thank him enough.”

  She looked at Cy’s silhouette in the semidarkness. “He knows how you feel. All I do is thank him.”

  “We’re expecting you for
lunch. Good night, honey.”

  “You get a good sleep, Dad. Cy is keeping me perfectly safe. Love you.” She hung up the phone and hugged her pillow.

  The next time she had cognizance of her surroundings, she heard the phone ringing. Immediately her adrenaline brought her to a sitting position. The second she realized there was no name on the caller ID, she felt bile rise in her throat. Cy had already hunkered down at the coffee table, urging her to pick up and press the recording app.

  Her body shook as she reached for the phone. Doing as Cy asked, she clicked on. “Hello?”

  “I knew you got home today. How did you like my letter?”

  Her eyes closed tightly. “How did you get my phone and address?”

  “That was easy as skinning a cat.”

  She shuddered. “What do you want? I told you I’m married.”

  “I saw what you wrote on your blog. You think I’d believe that crap? You’re a liar!” He shouted the last word.

  “You think I’d lie to all my fans and friends? If that’s true, then why do you keep phoning a liar?”

  “Because you deserve to be taught a lesson you’ll never forget.”

  “Did your girlfriend lie to you?”

  “They all lie. When I get through with you, you’ll wish you’d never been born, Kellie girl.”

  “My husband’s going to have a lot to say about that.”

  “Liar, liar, liar, liar, liar, liar!” The line went dead.

  Kellie was trembling so hard she dropped the phone. Cy retrieved it and clicked on the recorded conversation. She’d forgotten to put on the speakerphone. His jaw hardened as he listened to the recording.

  “That was rage we heard just now. He’s afraid you might be telling the truth. You handled him perfectly and kept him on long enough to record his voice patterns. I’ll be going into headquarters tomorrow. I’ll drop off the letter at the forensics lab and take your phone to our voice expert to see what he can do with it.”

  He checked his watch. “It’s only four in the morning. Why don’t you go up to your bed? If he phones again, I’ll let it ring. You need more sleep.”