“So you won’t stay here even for your dad?”
“That’s a low blow and you know it.”
“It’s like you’re asking Raul to come and get you.”
“Maybe I am. This time I’ll be waiting.” Sierra shoved from the sofa and headed toward the hall. She called over her shoulder, “Be ready early—the events start at eight.” Sierra nudged a sleeping Samson with her toe. “Come on, boy. Time for bed.”
She disappeared down the hallway, Samson on her heels. Bryce heard the telltale sound of her door opening and closing.
Well that settled it. She’d made up her mind and all Bryce could do was follow her to the crowded event and stand in the cold until his nose froze off. He’d grown up in Florida and he’d never quite gotten used to the cold here. Still, he’d do his best to protect her while he worked by her side to bring down Raul.
In a way they were a team again, and this time, he hoped Raul would finally get put away in a place that he could never escape—somewhere far from Colorado would be optimal.
Sheriff Locke rushed into the living area. “Bryce. Rick thought he saw movement. Could be an animal, but we’re going out to investigate. Bryce, you remain on guard in the house.”
“You got it.” Bryce immediately got to his feet and brandished his weapon. It was going to be a long night. He moved quietly through the large home, checking all the locks on the doors and windows. He came across Sheriff Locke’s master bedroom and softly knocked on the door. The sheriff had entrusted him with the inside of his home, so he wouldn’t make any exceptions when it came to checking things over.
Barbara answered with a concerned frown. “Is everything all right?”
“We’re not sure. Will you please make sure your windows are closed and locked?”
She opened the door wide. Folded laundry was on the bed and a television program played quietly on the wide screen. “To tell you the truth, we usually do sleep with the window cracked, even in the winter. We love to sleep with lots of covers piled high.”
Barbara showed Bryce the windows—they weren’t locked, but Bryce secured them. “Thanks. I’m sorry to disturb you.”
“No problem,” she said. “I was just getting on top of laundry.”
Turner and Hooch barely lifted their heads to acknowledge his entrance as they slept on big dog pillows by the wall. She’d trained them well. He left Barbara to finish the laundry. What must it be like after a long day of police work to come home to a nice log cabin in the woods and spend the evening with the woman you loved next to a big fire? Sheriff Locke had carved out a good life for himself here, though Bryce knew it wasn’t entirely without its dangers. The sheriff could be called upon any time of day or night.
Still, somehow, Bryce’s bachelor lifestyle didn’t measure up. He was on his own because he’d resolved he wouldn’t allow himself the pain of heartache again. And yet there was heartache nonetheless. The endless pain of loneliness. He brushed off the melancholy. Now wasn’t the time to think about what he could have had. What he still wanted.
Next, he knocked softly on Sierra’s door. Of course she would lock the window, but Bryce hadn’t expected Barbara’s windows to be open either, so it was better to check every single one of them.
Sierra cracked the door and peeked out, a meager grin on her face. “What do you want?”
“I’m doing a window check. Are yours locked?”
“Well of course they’re locked. Why wouldn’t they... Hold on.” She opened the door and then moved to the window and opened it wide, letting a cold breeze blow through. Then she closed it hard and locked it.
Sierra jerked her face to him. “Is there something going on? What’s happened?”
“I don’t know. Kendall thought he saw something. He and the sheriff are checking it out.”
Samson was snoring per usual. He didn’t seem too disturbed. “Do you think he’s too drugged from whatever the vet gave him to warn you or protect you?”
Her brows pinched as she stared at him. “I’m not sure.”
Sierra moved to the side table and pulled a weapon out of the drawer. “I might as well just sit in that chair with my gun all night. I’m not going to get any sleep like this.”
Bryce gently took the weapon from her, surprised she so easily gave it up. He gripped her arms and peered into her eyes. “I’m here to protect you. I did it before. Please trust me to do that again for you. Tonight and for the next many days and nights until this is over.” More emotion than he’d intended resounded in his words, but maybe she needed to understand the depth of his commitment.
He could see in her eyes that she wanted to trust him. He didn’t miss the longing there and the images of previous kisses they’d shared crept softly across his mind and heart. That same longing coursed through every artery and vein, through his soul.
Sierra...
Then Bryce caught himself. Now was the absolute wrong time for this. There was a killer out there—maybe only a dozen yards away. And even if there wasn’t, this moment could never happen for them.
He hitched a half grin and stepped back. “Besides, you’re a mess when you go without sleep.”
* * *
Sierra blinked her eyes open. Where am I?
The familiar rush of fear sent her heart rate into her throat, then she exhaled.
No nightmare had woken her up.
She stared at the ceiling for a moment before she got her bearings. She was in Sheriff Locke’s home. And she’d fallen asleep. She’d actually slept hard. Maybe that was because Bryce had made her feel safe. That man she’d once thought she’d fallen for was here for her until this was over. She trusted him with her life, but she knew to steer clear of him in matters of the heart. She didn’t trust herself when it came to her feelings for him.
But Sierra couldn’t figure out why Bryce would be here for her in this way when he had his own life and business to run back in Boulder. Why would he put his life on the line for her like this? He wasn’t here for some romantic dream that they might rekindle what they had been growing toward in the past. They both knew where they stood on that. She had her reasons. He had his.
They were friends, yes, or tried to be while ignoring their attraction, but Sierra hadn’t realized the depth of feelings for her. Still she knew in her heart that if Bryce was in some sort of trouble she would probably rush to his aid as well—no matter the cost. Right? Friends did that for each other.
Except she’d never had that kind of friendship with anyone else. And she wasn’t entirely sure hers and Bryce’s relationship was completely platonic.
In fact, she needed to face and accept the truth—tonight, if he had kissed her, she would totally have let him. She had wanted him to kiss her, even though she’d resolved not to let herself fall for someone in his kind of career. She shouldn’t live in fear, and in this way, she didn’t have to. Still, if something happened to Bryce—whether she was romantically involved or not—it would crush her. He held a big place in her heart and that had never changed.
Samson drew her attention in the dim lighting. He stood by the window and a low growl rumbled in his chest.
Could that be what had woken her up?
She sat up on the edge of the bed and grabbed her weapon on the table, her breath coming fast.
That night long ago, she’d woken up to find Raul in her room. He had already taken her gun while she’d been sleeping. If he was back, he’d find that she was ready for him this time.
Sierra got up and paced the small, warmly decorated room.
The blinds were closed so it wasn’t like Raul could see into the room, for which she was grateful. But Sierra really wanted to see outside. She didn’t want to disturb the household if it was nothing. The sheriff and Officer Kendall had gone out checking earlier and she’d meant to wait up and see if they’d found anything. Sierra had fallen asleep.
She glanced at the clock. That had been two hours ago. So the men would have come back inside by now.
Could Samson be growling at an animal? Maybe a mountain lion was roaming around out there in freezing temperatures.
Sierra crouched to eye level with Samson and rubbed his ears. “What is it boy? Are you hungry? Thirsty? Are you in pain?”
He moved back to the window and growled, then gave a deep menacing bark.
And with that bark fear curdled in her gut.
Okay. That was it.
She backed against the wall every bit the coward she didn’t want to be, hadn’t expected to be, but images of Raul nearly killing her swarmed through her.
Her throat constricted until she could hardly breathe.
He’s outside the window. He’s out there.
“So get your act together and get out there and take him down.” Snap out of it.
Sierra quickly changed into snow pants and pulled on a hoodie. In the mudroom she would grab her coat and snow boots. She would let Officer Kendall know that something might be happening.
Samson whined as she made to open the bedroom door. Even if Sierra was willing to let Samson face off against a killer, with his injury he wasn’t ready. “Sorry, buddy. You need to heal.”
She opened the door and found Bryce standing there as though waiting. “I heard him bark. What are you doing?”
“Raul is out there.”
“How do you know?”
“I just know, okay?”
“And you’re going out there to get him all by your lonesome?”
Sierra gave him an incredulous look. “Of course not. I knew you’d be standing right here. And we can get Kendall and the sheriff too. But Raul is out there. He was...” Her throat constricted again. She fought for air, then said, “I think he was at my window.”
“Stay here.” Bryce stomped off.
She trailed him to the mudroom. The blinds had been shut in there as well.
He found Officer Kendall putting his boots on. “It’s time for my perimeter check.”
“We think Raul’s out there,” Bryce said. “So I’m going with you.”
“Notify the sheriff,” Kendall said.
“Right.” Bryce turned to her. “Sierra, you go let the sheriff know what’s happening.”
“Okay, but I’m coming with you when you head outside to search. If you leave without me, then I’ll find you, so you’d better not leave.”
Sierra rushed down the hallway to find the sheriff exiting his room. “We think Raul is outside.”
“Because?”
How did she explain? She felt like an idiot. “It’s a gut feel. Samson was growling at my window. Don’t ask me how. I just... Know.”
“Good enough for me. But you’re staying here.”
“Sheriff, I—”
“I need you to keep Barbara safe.”
He left her standing there. This wasn’t how she’d planned things to go down. But she couldn’t leave his wife sleeping in her room—and her father, just down the hall—when Raul was outside.
Sierra stood in the hallway next to Barbara’s door. Samson whined and barked from her room, wanting out. From here, she could see a portion of the mudroom and she watched the three men exit. Sierra headed that way, opening the bedroom door to let Samson come with her.
“Raul could come right through this door now that all three of them are out there, Samson. And if he does, you and I will be waiting for him.”
“And me.” Barbara emerged from the hallway and pumped the shotgun she held. “I’ll be here waiting for him too.”
Sierra couldn’t help but smile, and almost wished that Raul would come through that door to face off against the three of them—Barbara, Sierra and Samson.
Barbara moved closer to the door. “I don’t think it hurts to lock it though, in case he tries. We’ll let the guys in when they get back.”
A window shattered.
Turner and Hooch yapped, shrill and anxious, in the master bedroom.
Samson barked and ran toward the sound. Sierra commanded him to stay. Bryce’s words to her about letting Samson do what he was trained to do surfaced in her mind.
But he’s a big dog. He’s trained to do many things including protect. Remember you trained him to hopefully one day become part of the new BPD’s K-9 unit that would work with the Boulder County Sheriff’s office K-9 unit. Tonight you were afraid to let him protect you or to let him go after Raul.
She already knew all of it, but Bryce’s words stayed with her and unsettled her.
“I’ll go check it out,” Barbara said.
If something happened to Barbara, Sierra would never forgive herself. Samson acted as if his wound didn’t affect him. She was being overly cautious.
“No. I have Samson for protection. He can also apprehend and detain a suspect. I’ll take him to check it out. You stay here and watch the back door for the guys.”
Barbara pursed her lips and nodded.
Sierra commanded Samson to guard. In this case he would apprehend an intruder if one existed.
God, please keep us safe.
He took off, an intimidating, ferocious beast of an animal.
She kept her eyes opened as she silently prayed. Please keep Samson safe.
Her weapon ready to aim and fire, she followed her K-9. They’d never gotten to officially work together in Boulder. How surreal this felt.
Samson sniffed at the master bedroom door and barked. Turner and Hooch continued to yap and growl, but the sounds were muted. Maybe Barbara had put them away in the bathroom to keep them out of harm’s way.
Heart pounding, Sierra leaned against the wall and drew in two breaths. She prepared to come in low as she opened the door.
She flung it open, giving Samson the “attack” command. “Fassen!”
He dashed into the room as she aimed her weapon at empty air.
The curtain billowed with the rush of wind through the broken window. Sierra crept to the side of the window to peer out.
A shadow moved outside. “Freeze!”
“It’s me, Sierra!” Bryce shouted.
She lowered the weapon and gasped. No wonder Samson hadn’t jumped through the window—he’d known Bryce was there. But someone else had been there moments before.
Samson approached her. She knelt and rubbed his ears. “Zei Brav! Good boy.”
Relief washed through her on the one hand that Samson wasn’t in danger, and frustration gnawed her at the same time—how did they bring this man down?
She stood and examined the broken window. The sound of a snowmobile’s engine growing distant mixed with the increase wind gusts. Raul getting away?
Would the sheriff make Samson search outside now?
Boots clomped in the mudroom. It was over. The men had come back inside. She bent over and pressed her face into Samson’s fur.
A hand squeezed her shoulder and she looked up. Bryce. “We need to board up that window now.”
“Did you see him?”
“No. Just tracks.” But it’s snowing like crazy so they’ll be gone soon.
“And the sheriff doesn’t want to use Samson to track him?”
He pursed his lips and crouched to look her in the eyes. “It’s two degrees out there and a possible whiteout is in the mix. Neither you nor Samson is in any condition to track someone. If it was Raul, he’s gone now. Just like earlier today, he shows up and, by the time we’re on to him, he’s already retreating. We aren’t going to be able to follow him tonight. I want to know what he broke the window with.”
Bryce looked around the room. Samson was sniffing at something on the bed.
Sierra gasped. “It’s just a rock.” She held her breath.
Did it have a note attached?
Bryce caref
ully lifted the rock to find a slip of paper affixed, held within a Ziplock bag to make sure moisture didn’t destroy it.
“What does it say, Bryce?” Raul was going to a lot of trouble to keep her in fear.
He frowned. “Let’s let your sheriff look at this.”
“Look at what?” Sheriff Locke appeared in his doorway, Barbara standing behind him.
He marched forward into the room with a big board. Barbara held the hammer and nails.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Sheriff,” Sierra stepped forward. “This happened because I’m here.”
“Nothing to apologize for.” The sheriff grabbed the rock and peeled the taped Ziplock bag off.
He carefully opened the bag and slid the note out. The fewer fingerprints on it, the better, even though they knew who’d thrown the rock—and he’d likely worn gloves, given the current weather. The sheriff quietly read the note, then cleared his throat. “It says ‘I’m coming for you.’ Just more intimidation tactics,” the sheriff said. “He wants to win a psychological battle and keep you buoyed by fear.”
“Before he makes his final move,” she said.
Sheriff Locke handed the rock and note off to Officer Kendall who had entered the room. The state officer placed it on the dresser and assisted the sheriff with boarding up the window. Barbara slipped into the bathroom to reassure Turner and Hooch.
John stumbled through the doorway looking like he’d slept like a rock through the whole thing. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, Dad.” Sierra hugged him. “Go back to bed. I’ll explain tomorrow.”
He gave her a look and Sierra quickly explained what had happened. John’s features sobered and he approached Sheriff Locke to engage him.
Bryce tugged Sierra out of the busy room into the hallway.
He lifted a strand of her hair as if cherishing her, then cupped her cheek. “Are you okay?”
“As okay as I can be.”
“The problem is that he’s not going to stop coming for you. Right now it seems that he’s willing to go through a lot of trouble just to taunt you.”
Sierra agreed. “Why would he come here to the sheriff’s home and not finish the job? How did he even know I was here?”
Fugitive Trail Page 10