FRIDAY, 8:42 P.M.
EMERALD M GUEST RANCH
Heath stood on the porch as the evening waned and tried to ignore the black smudge on his property. But all it took was one inhale and he drew in the scent of smoke and ash. The expected rain hadn’t come—and while it could hurt any remaining but undiscovered evidence, Heath wished for a torrent to wash it all away. Until then he’d have to live with the pungent odors, and the aftermath.
Finding the person responsible for bombing his cabin wasn’t his only concern, and until Harper and her sister were safe and a murderer was caught, Heath would remain working in his capacity as a deputy.
He wasn’t dressed in official deputy garb, but he had on his Sam Browne belt, sans the extra fifteen pounds of equipment. Right now, all he packed was his gun, so he wasn’t geared up much differently than if he were working the ranch.
He felt split between his two jobs—deputy and Emerald M Ranch owner, and it wasn’t supposed to be like this.
Until the state was officially done with its investigation, rebuilding the cabin had started, and Harper’s safety was no longer an issue, the guest ranch would stay closed. Pete was the only one of Heath’s employees who remained at the ranch. No horses. No dogs. He couldn’t very well leave Timber and Rufus at the ranch with law enforcement buzzing around. Leroy wasn’t there, well, because Leroy was in the hospital. Heath’s other employees catered to the guests’ needs and, without guests, there was no need for their help until this was over. Still, he would continue to pay them for the foreseeable future so he wouldn’t lose them as employees.
He leaned against a knobby pine post with his hands in his pocket, listening to the evening sounds. Why his ranch? He’d already been questioned several times by the state and could expect more questions if the feds got involved, but he had no answers. All he had was an empty guest ranch, when this should be the busiest time of year. The time of year when he made his money.
He had a reputation to keep up. Now he’d have to rebuild even that.
Pete approached from the barn and stomped up the porch. He leaned against the opposite post. They could have been two wrought-iron cowboy statues, if anyone looked on from a distance.
“What are you going to do, Heath?”
“As soon as they release the cabin and my ranch, I’m going to rebuild. I’ve already spoken with Jeffers over at JH Construction. As soon as I give him the go-ahead, he’ll rebuild the cabin. We’ll bring the horses back and look alive.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“In the meantime, you don’t have to stay here. You can go visit family. Friends. Go somewhere and be safe.” And that was just it. His house wasn’t exactly the safest place, considering someone had targeted one of his cabins.
Harper hadn’t been there when that happened. The bomb wasn’t about her.
And the law enforcement presence—the very thing he’d used to persuade her to stay and be safe—had died down.
“Nah. I’m good. I haven’t exactly got anywhere to go except to my doctor. This is my home. I can keep a lookout for you too, though I didn’t do such a good job on that cabin.”
“Not your fault. No one saw the intruder. I’m relieved the cabin wasn’t occupied at the time. How you doing anyway? You’re done with chemo, aren’t you?” Pete had insisted on working through it all, though in the evenings he often got nauseous. Thing was, Pete had never really told Heath what kind of cancer he had.
“Sure am.”
“Good.” Heath wanted to ask him about his prognosis, but he’d leave that to Pete to share when he was ready. Maybe the guy wanted to focus on one day at a time and not look at the future, especially if doctors thought he had no future. The truth was that everyone died. It was a simple matter of when and how.
Pete didn’t offer more.
“Heath?” Harper’s smooth voice spoke from behind.
He glanced over his shoulder. She had been standing in the door but now came all the way out of the house.
“Well, I’ll let you two talk,” Pete said. “I’m going to walk the perimeter. There’s still a couple of state guys lingering over at the cabin remains. Maybe I’ll watch them.”
“Still? I would think they would be done by now.” One could hope.
“I suppose it depends on what they find,” Pete said as he clomped down the steps. “They asked lots of questions. I guess they have to suspect everyone around here.”
Pete disappeared around the porch.
“True.” Harper stood next to Heath and jammed her hands into form-fitting jeans. She looked nice. More than nice. He’d always thought so.
She sighed.
“You sound like you have a lot on your mind and can’t decide what to say.”
She gave him a sidelong glance. “You always knew me so well.”
Weird. He would have thought that had changed. So much had happened in each of their lives.
“I’m ready to listen.” He grabbed her arm and urged her back inside. “But I’d prefer if you weren’t on the porch and an easy target.”
“Why do you say that? You think I’m in danger out here?”
The shooter could be a highly trained sniper. How did he speak the truth without scaring her? “He had a long-range rifle, you said. A scope to peer at you from across the river.”
Harper shivered. Rubbed her arms. She did that a lot lately.
“Listen. I’m going to keep you safe. It’s going to be all right.” Heath hadn’t believed he was the guy to do it. He hadn’t wanted the responsibility, but now as he looked at Harper, he knew he couldn’t trust anyone else with the job. Harper held a special place in his heart. She always had. He could never forget her being there for him through the worst time of his life. The friendship they’d shared. The tragedy that bonded them then, and danger that tied them together now. Another deputy stood watch over her sister in the hospital until she was released, then she would stay with Heath and Harper unless she left for Missouri. If she did head home, Heath would urge Harper to leave too.
Though a big part of him didn’t want her to go.
He led her to the kitchen and put on a teakettle. He’d have to remember to scoop it off the burner before it actually whistled or he would wake Evelyn, who had gone to bed early. Leroy was improving, but the situation wore her down.
“Now, can you tell me what’s on your mind?”
She slid onto the bar stool and smiled. She hadn’t done nearly enough of that lately. It warmed his heart to see it. “I’m not sure I’m ready to put my thoughts into words. But you’ll be the first to know when I am.”
Fair enough. “I have to tell you something.”
“Go ahead.” She crossed her arms and leaned her elbows on the counter.
“I was impressed with your crime scene photography skills. You were so focused, so on top of your game, gathering the evidence. That hair. I think Moffett admired you too.”
She blushed and hung her head. Then that amazing smile again when she lifted her face. Her long red hair hung over her left shoulder. What would it be like to run his fingers through that? He busied himself getting her tea so she wouldn’t somehow read his inappropriate thoughts.
“Thank you, Heath. No need to flatter me. The truth is, I don’t know what to do now. So what? I found something. We don’t know if it’s a true lead, and I don’t know what to do next.”
“Why do you think you have to do something?”
“I want to help find the guy who killed her. I have to see it through this time. I don’t know if I can explain why.”
“I’m pretty sure things happen much slower than what we see on television.”
“Don’t you think I know that?”
“Of course you do. But it’s not your job to find him. Let the sheriff’s department and the other agencies Taggart brings in find him. And it’s my job to keep you safe. If you keep going out there, you could put yourself in danger.”
“Maybe that’s exactly what I need to do.”
“Come again?”
“I need to put myself out there. I’ve been a coward for too long. It’s time to be brave.”
He moved around the counter and, after turning her toward him, gently squeezed her shoulders. Lifted her chin so her eyes would meet his gaze. “Harper Reynolds, you’re the bravest person I know.”
Heath wanted to draw her into his arms. Hold her. Comfort her. That want stemmed from a deeper place inside him. None of these thoughts were appropriate. Official duty alone should restrain him from acting on them. Fat chance. He cupped her cheek and felt its softness as she leaned in, responding to his touch.
Fire, McKade. You’re playing with fire.
Her lips parted slightly as if she would say something, but she released a soft sigh instead. A furious need to kiss her stirred within him.
Evelyn’s words came back to him, urging him to let God bring him someone special to love. What about his resolve, after everything he’d been through? Loving someone was too risky. Sure, Taggart had convinced him that he was the only man to protect Harper. This was Heath’s chance to prove himself—to himself. But Harper deserved so much more. She deserved a better man than he had been or could ever be.
His cell buzzed, breaking the moment. Disappointment warred with relief. He glanced at the text, avoiding the look on Harper’s face. He wasn’t sure he wanted to see her reaction.
Lori Somerall.
Great.
“What is it?”
“A friend. I can’t believe they let her up here.”
He stepped away from Harper, something he absolutely didn’t want to do, and headed for the front door. As soon as he stepped on the porch, he saw a white Lincoln Navigator driving up. He waited with dread in his gut. Lori stepped out and strolled toward him.
He wouldn’t exactly say Lori flaunted her subtle feminine curves, but she had a way about her. A beautiful, sweet woman—she’d lost her husband two years ago. Evelyn had brought her up to Heath several times. They were both in the guest ranch business. Yada yada.
“How did you get past the guard?” he called.
“I told him I was keeping your horses and dogs, and you wanted to see me.”
Only half true. Pete had worked with Lori to transfer and board the horses and dogs, for which Heath was grateful. Despite her generosity, Heath hadn’t wanted to see her, especially right now.
As if emphasizing his thoughts, Harper came up behind him. The last thing he wanted was for her to get the wrong idea. That shouldn’t matter to him, but it did. Lori was interested in Heath. He had no doubt about that, but he didn’t return her interest. Still, she was a fellow guest ranch owner, an active member in the community, and they were friends.
Lori stepped onto the porch and her light perfume found its mark.
“What can I do for you?” he asked.
Her smile made him uncomfortable. Maybe he was overly sensitive. The woman was simply being warm and friendly. She had told him that all Texans were that way. “You and Evelyn. Pete too. Y’all need to come stay with me. I’m worried about you staying here. It could be dangerous.”
The door shut behind him. Harper had gone back inside. She probably thought Heath had something going on with Lori.
“She can come too. Anyone who’s here with you is welcome at Circle S.” She leaned in closer to whisper. “Now don’t go telling anyone I said this, but I heard that a lot of law is about to drop down on this ranch. They’re probably going to kick you to the curb anyway.”
“Why would you hear that before me?” Heath said the words, but he had a pretty good idea why. Lori had a way of making people give up secrets. She might have even heard that from whoever was on guard duty at the gate.
Heath ushered Lori off the porch and into his home where he found Harper back in the kitchen making hot chocolate with water from the teakettle. He introduced the women to each other and Harper offered to make Lori hot chocolate too.
Heath left them and got on his cell to Taggart. Left a voice mail. Then called Moffett.
She answered. “Heath, I was just about to call you.”
“Is there something I should know?”
“We found out who we believe could be the victim based on Harper’s sketch. Her parents reported her missing today. She was backpacking with her new husband. They were honeymooning. He’s also missing. We’ll need Harper to look at photographs and ID her as the woman she believes she saw.”
Heath rubbed his eyes as Harper approached. “Heath, what is it?”