Cord lifted his foot from the gas and slowed his SUV to keep from catching up to Kendall. If she saw him tailing her, she’d be hopping mad. But only if she saw him. He wasn’t going to let that happen. He’d simply drive to the hospital, make sure her patrol car was in the parking lot and then head to Houston. Simple as that.
He crested the hill and saw a vehicle off the road ahead. He blinked hard and strained for a better look.
Was that Kendall’s car pressed up against a tree, a grain truck holding it in place?
He got closer and could make out the lights on top. It was a patrol car for sure, but he couldn’t be positive it belonged to Kendall.
Heart pounding against his chest, he floored the gas and came roaring up on the vehicle. He scanned the driver’s side. Yes, it was Kendall. She sat behind the wheel, unmoving. Was she hurt?
He grabbed his gun for the second time that night and bolted from his SUV. He glanced up at the truck on the way. No one in the cab. Still, he kept his focus on the truck and backed toward Kendall. He bumped into a tree and then sidestepped to her window. He found it open, her radio in hand as she was reporting her situation to dispatch.
“Are you hurt?” He tried not to sound panicked and ran his gaze over her. She’d lost a bit of color and her hand trembled.
She looked up at him, firming her resolve and taking on her tough deputy persona, obviously trying to hide her reaction to whatever happened here. “Just my pride.”
“What’s going on?”
“The intruder from Eve’s house paid me a little visit.”
“He did what?” Cord’s voice reached up to the treetops.
She blew out a frustrated breath. “He must’ve been waiting for me near the intersection. I’m guessing he stole the truck. He didn’t stop at the four-way and pinned me against the tree so I couldn’t get out. He wasn’t going all that fast, but fast enough that my brakes were no match for him. I couldn’t get out either door, so he put a gun to my chest and told me if I reported him or had a sketch drawn of him that he’d kill me. Then he off-loaded a motorcycle from the truck and took off on it.”
Cord sucked in a quick breath. He had to admit it was a clever move, but threatening Kendall like this wasn’t cool. Not cool at all.
“And what about your head?” he asked as he tried to make sense of the incident. “Did you reinjure it?”
“No. He wasn’t moving that fast and the impact was minimal.”
“Still, we need to get you to the ER.”
She held up her radio, her hand still trembling. “I’m waiting for someone to come document the scene and move the truck. Then I’ll go.”
“I can snap pictures with my cell and move the truck.” He stepped back. “You radio in that you’ll be at the ER if anyone needs you.” He was in no mood for her to argue with him so he didn’t wait for her agreement but took off toward the truck.
“Don’t destroy evidence,” she called out after him.
That was the best response he could ask for when he expected a fight. Did that mean she was hurt worse than she claimed, or was she just exhausted from her night? Could be either and it meant he had to keep an eye on her. Not just make sure she got to the ER.
He took pictures of the truck and her car from every angle possible. Then he jogged back to his vehicle and grabbed a pair of gloves and booties before climbing up into the big rig. He had no idea how to drive one of these things, but he could handle a stick shift, so how hard could it be? He soon figured it out and backed the truck out far enough for Kendall to climb out, but not so far as to block the road.
She rolled up her window and then leaned toward the middle of the car. With the computer mounted between the steering wheel and the passenger side, she had a hard time getting out, but she was slender enough to pull it off.
“I’m never going to live this down.” She frowned and brushed off her uniform as if brushing off her unease, but she couldn’t hide her shaking hand.
“Maybe not, but you are going to live, and that’s the most important thing.”
“You’re right. It’s just the detective job. I can’t give my dad any reasons to hand it over to someone else.”
“I’m sure he’s not even thinking about doing that.” Cord gestured for her to precede him to his car.
She started walking. “Actually, he might. My almost-brother-in-law is very capable and should probably get the job.”
“Explain.”
“Tessa is engaged to a guy named Braden Hayes. He was a homicide detective in Austin. He took a patrol job here to be with Tessa, and he wants to move into a detective slot.” Kendall paused as if simply thinking about it troubled her. “He wouldn’t want to take the job that I want, but he joined the department, thinking our other detective was going to retire this year. He decided to stick it out another year, so that leaves Braden on patrol.”
“I don’t know the guy, but he’s got to be a good one if your dad approves of him to marry one of his daughters. So I’m sure he wouldn’t want to take a position out from under you.”
“I agree. He is a great guy, and he wouldn’t do that to me.” She paused by the car to look up at him. “But what if Dad doesn’t give him a choice?”
“A, I don’t think your dad would put him in that position. And B, we always have a choice. Especially when it comes to being with the ones we love.”
She arched a brow, her expression telling him her mind had traveled back to their breakup. So had his. But he wasn’t going to talk about it when he wanted to get her to the hospital to be checked out.
He opened the door for her and waited for her to settle in before closing the door gently to keep her head from reeling. He climbed behind the wheel and got them on the road, his mind still on the past.
He’d often wished he hadn’t been so quick to take off when she’d ended their relationship. Maybe they could’ve worked things out. Maybe. But at the time he’d had no choice. Not with his heart shredded, and he couldn’t see a way through that.
But now? In hindsight? He had to wonder where he’d be if he’d given control of his life over to God back then and trusted Him. Shoot, trusted God to be in charge of anything.
But what was the point of thinking about that? It was about as helpful as questioning why God allowed his family to perish and left Lucas an orphan. Why his other brother Danny had died when they were kids. Why his aunt was missing. If he thought about it long enough, he’d go crazy, because it was like anyone he touched died. What was Lucas’s future, then?
Grr. Stop thinking. Just move forward. Be active. Keep busy, with his mind occupied, until he dropped and could sleep at least for a few hours a night.
Kendall sighed and rested her head back against the seat.
Perfect. A distraction. “You’re thinking about the accident.”
She turned her head to look at him. “Actually, I’m thinking about what my dad is going to say and how it will impact his decision. Your aunt is missing and I’m thinking about my job again. Pitiful. What kind of a person does that make me?”
“Makes you human.” He smiled to help relax her worry. “I know you care about finding Eve.”
She shot forward and clutched his arm. “I do, Cord. I really do, and I’ll do everything within my power to bring her home safely.”
He loved her enthusiasm and the way she cared for others. He’d always found that so attractive. But he’d also worried when she’d let it take over. “I know you’ll do your very best, but I need you to promise me something.”
Suspicion darkened her eyes, the smoky brown turning ebony. “What?”
“That you won’t get so wrapped up in your work that you forget about the creep who threatened your life.”
She let her hand fall. “Him? Right. Of course.”
“No, don’t just say him,” he said forcefully to get her attention and tapped his temple with his index finger. “Keep him here. Foremost. Before anything else. Or I promise you, I’ll spend every waking hour with you.”
She held up her hands. “I got it. Honest. I’ll be careful.”
He didn’t believe her. Sure, she meant what she’d said, but when she got involved, he feared she would forget about the threat. Or maybe she was trying to play it down to calm his nerves. After all, his tone had been frantic—crazy frantic—and it worried him.
Was he losing it? Fearing the loss of another person so much that it totally and completely paralyzed him?
He sure wasn’t the man he’d been in the past. Strong. Confident. Taking charge.
He wanted to be that guy again. He wanted to be strong for Kendall. To make sure she was safe. And he had to try. After all, sniping at her would send her running in the opposite direction. Maybe into that danger he was so keen to protect her from.
He cast her an apologetic look. “I’m sorry I snapped. I’ve just… So many people. I can’t…” He shrugged.
She took his hand again, and the warmth melted his heart. “I know you’re on edge. It’s to be expected, and I’ll be careful. For you. I promise.”
His heart soared at hearing the “for you” comment. That she would do anything for him made him unreasonably happy.
Which is why he carefully extracted his hand and planted it on the wheel. He couldn’t get close to her again. If he did, he was sure she’d wind up dead, too.
* * *
Kendall pushed through the door from the emergency exam rooms to the lobby. Even after a long wait and then a thorough exam, she felt her hand still shaking from being threatened by a man with a gun. It was one thing for him to hit her with a rolling pin but to shove a gun in her face? A weapon that could go off at any time. That, she was having a hard time coming to grips with. So she’d do what she always did when she couldn’t handle her emotions. She’d push them out of her mind and throw herself into her work.
Thankfully, the doctor had cleared her to return to work, and she hadn’t even had to downplay her symptoms to get him to do so. She’d been tempted to minimize things, but then she thought of what might happen if she really was suffering a serious injury and did nothing about it. Sure, she didn’t want to die from a simple hit to the head, but more than that, Cord couldn’t cope with another loss. He’d made that abundantly clear in the car, and she didn’t want to hurt him.
That thought had made her sit up in her bed and take notice. She couldn’t possibly be letting him back into her good graces so quickly, could she? That was a recipe for heartache.
She dug out her phone to call Tessa and find out where she was in the investigation. After seeing Cord’s anguish in the SUV, Kendall didn’t want to waste even a moment with Eve missing and wanted to start the computer imaging and let it run overnight.
Kendall started to dial when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a man taking long-legged strides toward her. Cord? He was still there.
He stopped in front of her and took a wide stance as if he was preparing for an argument. “I take it they released you.”
“Yes. I’m cleared to return to work.”
He arched an eyebrow. “And you were completely honest with the doctor?”
She should resent the question, but then she’d considered holding back, so she had no right to be bothered by it. “I was, and now I’m going to check in with Tessa, and then find out what’s happening with my car.”
“I talked to your dad. It’s at the ranch, and as of a few minutes ago, Tessa is still working the scene, and Matt’s looking into the grain truck.”
Kendall shouldn’t be surprised Cord would know this. He left nothing to chance.
“You followed up,” she said.
“I knew you would want to know the status. Me, too.” He gestured at the exit. “I’ll give you a ride home.”
“I can’t ask you to do that when you have a long drive ahead of you.”
“Don’t worry about the drive. It’ll only take me a half hour at most to drop you off at the ranch.”
“I don’t live there anymore.”
His eyes narrowed, and she knew she wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “When I talked to your dad, he insisted you stay with them until we apprehend the suspect.”
Kendall wanted to argue, but Cord had nothing to do with her father’s wishes. “You can drop me off there so I can pick up my car.”
“You planning on going somewhere tonight?”
“I want to take Eve’s computer to the lab to start the image.” She held up a hand. “And before you say I need to rest, that won’t happen until I’ve done everything I can tonight to help find Eve. If I get this started now, it could finish by morning.”
“Fine,” he said. “Then I’ll take you to Eve’s house and the lab, too.”
“Tessa will have to accompany me anyway, so you can drop me at Eve’s place,” she said and knew he’d understand that, as a deputy, she couldn’t be alone in the lab, where evidence for ongoing cases was often out of lockup while being processed. “And besides, you have that drive ahead of you.”
“Stop worrying about that,” he snapped, then blew out a long breath. “Sorry.”
She actually was worried about him driving tired, but equally as worried about spending more time with him when she was tired and her guard was down. And if that didn’t consume her mind enough, she kept thinking about the threat to her life.
She’d already reported the suspect’s description at the break-in and to dispatch after he’d pinned her to the tree. And she wasn’t going to back down on having the sketch made in the morning. That meant if this man followed through on his word, he was going to try to kill her.
A tremor of fear rolled through her body but she worked hard to hide it from Cord.
“C’mon.” He gestured at the door. “We’re wasting time. I’ll take you to Eve’s at the very least.”
She sighed and stepped off.
“Is being with me that painful for you?” he asked, coming up behind her.
“No.”
“Then why the sigh?”
She thought about not answering but met his gaze and held it. “Because it’s not painful enough. I don’t want to enjoy being with you because it makes me think we should never have broken up.”
She expected a rebuttal of some sort, but he didn’t say a word. He shifted his focus and his gaze roved over the parking lot. Right. He was concerned for her safety, as she should be. She pushed thoughts of him to the back of her mind and took a long look through the shadows and between cars and trucks as they moved toward his vehicle.
She drew in a deep breath to exhale her tension, but the humidity felt oppressive and made it hard to breathe. Or maybe her thoughts of the suspect lurking in the sea of cars was leaving her breathless. After they climbed into his SUV and Cord got the air-conditioning going, she gulped in the cold air and slowly let it out, feeling much like a leaky tire.
Cord glanced at her, and thinking he’d comment about her anxiety, she braced herself, but he didn’t say anything, and they rode in silence for a long time. Uncomfortable, tense silence that must have finally gotten to him, as he said, “So, update me on your family since I left town. Did Gavin come back to work for the department?”
Good. Her brother. A safe subject. “No. He’s a Texas Ranger now.”
Cord shot her an astonished look. “Seriously? I figured he and your dad would have patched things up. I wondered why Matt was running for sheriff instead.”
“Gavin and Dad finally ironed out their differences but were smart enough to realize they couldn’t work together. Gavin lives in Lost Creek again. He’s married to Lexie, and they have a baby named Noah.”
He glanced at her hand. “You’re not married.”
“No. Are you?” He was looking at her ring finger, but she forced herself not to blatantly check his out. She hadn’t looked before. Odd. Maybe the shock of his aunt’s disappearance kept her mind occupied. Or the stress of being injured or almost killed. Or maybe she just didn’t want to know.
“Never found anyone I…” He stopped talking abruptly and shook his head. “What about the other McKades?”
“You saw Tessa, and I told you about her engagement to Braden.”
“And Matt. He’s running for sheriff, but what about his personal life?”
“He’s about to marry an amazing woman—Nicole. She has a precious little girl named Emilie.” Kendall thought of their little family together, and it brought a genuine smile to her face. “I’ve never seen him happier.”
“So you’re the only single one, then.” Cord used air quotes around the word single, as technically Matt and Tessa were still unmarried.
She nodded and was thankful they’d reached Eve’s house before he asked additional questions about her dating life or lack thereof.
She took a good look around before exiting the vehicle and hurrying inside the house. She seriously didn’t think her attacker would return tonight, but then she wouldn’t have thought he’d barrel into her with an enormous truck, either, or threaten her with a gun.
She found Tessa in the bedroom, on her knees, peering at something on the carpet. Kendall didn’t bother telling her about the incident with the truck. There was no point. Cord’s call to her father would ensure the family’s grapevine would have already taken care of notifying all of her siblings.
Tessa looked up, sisterly concern darkening her eyes. “Doc cleared you, then?”
“He did,” Kendall said and quickly moved forward before Tessa could express her apprehensions about Kendall continuing in this investigation. “I was hoping you’d come to the lab with me so I can get the hard drive image going.”
Tessa looked like she wanted to say no.
Before she could, Kendall said, “We could find a strong lead on Eve’s computer, and with her missing, I hate to wait until morning.”
Tessa glanced at her watch. “How long will it take?”
“Thirty minutes or so to get everything hooked back up and running. An hour max.”
Tessa got up. “Then let’s get this place secured and make it quick.”
“I can give you my key,” Cord offered from behind, where Kendall hadn’t realized he’d been standing.
“You’re still here?” Tessa asked, the same quizzical look on her face that had been there when she was staring at the floor.
“After the incident with Kendall’s car, I wanted to make sure she got home okay before I headed back to Houston.”
Tessa’s eyebrows shot up, and her gaze moved between Kendall and Cord like a ping-pong ball. “I heard about the accident, but we can take care of Kendall. No need for you to hang around.”
“There’s every need.” Cord’s response was low and deadly sounding as his gaze connected with Kendall’s and held.
She fired him a warning look, trying to tell him to cool it in front of Tessa before she started asking questions.
“You do need me,” he said through gritted teeth. “You may not want to, but you do.”
“We should get going on that computer,” Kendall said to distract her sister, who was clearly picking up on the undercurrent between her and Cord.
Tessa was a very perceptive person, and it wouldn’t take much for her to figure out there was more than a need for protection going on with Cord. If she found out, Kendall would ask her sister to keep it quiet. Tessa would agree to do so, but she’d get distracted by something and let it slip to the family.
And that? That would be a mess. Their mother and grandmother wouldn’t leave it alone, and their dad? Well, he liked Cord, so their dad would be all over it, too.
Not something Kendall needed right now. Not at all.
“Is the equipment ready to go?” Tessa asked.
Kendall nodded.
“Then I’ll lock the back door, and we can get it loaded.” Tessa took one last look at Kendall, then strode from the room.
Kendall was about to tell Cord to cool things when her phone dinged, alerting her to a text. She glanced at the message from Matt.
FYI—Grain truck was stolen.
Kendall relayed the message to Cord.
“So we have a guy who’s not afraid to steal a truck, nail you with a rolling pin and threaten you at gunpoint.” Cord shoved his hands into his pockets and worked his jaw muscle for a moment. “I want you to do the sketch, then step down on this investigation and lay low.”
She took a second to calm her thoughts so she didn’t snap at him. “The threat makes me even more determined to find this lowlife. You’re a detective. You should get that.”
“I do.” He scowled. “But I don’t like it, and I’m not letting you go to the lab without me.”
“Letting me?”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”
“Didn’t you?”
“Maybe.” He shoved his hand into his hair. “Come on, Kendall. Don’t analyze everything I say tonight. I’m tired. You’re tired.”
“That’s when the real you emerges.”
“Translated, I haven’t changed, and you think I want to be in charge of everything.”
“Don’t you?”
“No. At least I don’t think I do. I just…” He shrugged. “We should get going.”
He’d at least said he didn’t want to be in charge. That was different from the past, and she would take that for now, but if his bossiness continued, she would put her foot down.
And what about his motives now? The thought came unbidden. He’s just doing this because he’s worried about your safety, not wanting to push you around and take charge.
She ignored her thoughts and went to the family room. They carried the computer and cords to the car, and it took her about an hour to get the machine set up and start the image software. Of course, Cord insisted on driving her to the ranch while Tessa went back to Eve’s place.
When they passed under the Trails End sign arching over the driveway, Kendall let out a big internal sigh. The ranch had been in their family since the 1800s, and it carried such a sense of security and home that she always felt safer and more protected there.
Cord pulled up to the ranch house, parked and opened his door. “I’ll see you get safely inside.”
He hopped out and came around to open her door. She had wanted to say goodbye to him in the car, but he was a true gentleman, and that meant seeing her inside. She’d not more than set a foot into the foyer when her mother and nana came running from the family room.
“Sweetheart.” Her mother breathed out and studied Kendall’s forehead. “That’s some lump.”
“The doctor cleared me, so I’m good,” Kendall said to play it down, even though it was throbbing something fierce.
Her mother drew her close for a hug, and Kendall let her hold her for longer than she should when wanting to come across as a strong, independent detective in front of Cord. With her father adding him to the investigation, she felt a need to prove herself.
Her mother released her.
“Sweetheart, I’m so sorry. That must hurt.” Her nana tsked and stepped in for a hug, too. She smelled of vanilla and cinnamon from her daily baking but she had the firm grip of a ranch hand.
“You’ll be staying here.” Her father’s voice came from behind her grandmother.
Kendall freed herself but didn’t readily agree. “The attacker took me by surprise, but now that I know he’s actually gunning for me, I’ll be more cautious.”
He frowned and stroked the mustache she’d never seen him without. “That’s well and good, but you still need someone with you to have your back.”
“Your dad’s right,” her granddad said, joining them. “Not about demanding you stay here, but it would make us all rest a lot easier if you decided to do so.”
Her father cast his own dad a terse look. They often disagreed on how to approach things, so this wasn’t unusual.
“I can stay here, Granddad.” She smiled at him.
His eyes crinkled in warmth, and he came close to plant a soft kiss on her cheek. He’d once been Lake County Sheriff, too, but his personality was so completely different from her dad’s. Granddad was warm and affectionate, while her dad was reserved and tough. He loved her as much, probably more than Granddad did. He just didn’t know how to show it in a way that didn’t involve demands like insisting she stay at Trails End.
“And I’ll be working with Kendall most of the time anyway, so I’ll gladly volunteer to have her back,” Cord said.
“Perfect.” Her mother turned her attention on Cord, one eyebrow quirking up. “We’re so glad to see you again, Cord.”
“You, too, ma’am.”
“Please, it’s Winnie.” She made no secret of checking out his hand, looking for a telltale wedding ring. “I’m sorry to hear about your terrible loss.”
“Thank you,” Cord said, hiding his emotions, but Kendall knew full well that they were whirling inside him like a Texas tornado.
“I’m sorry, too, young man.” Nana placed her hand on Cord’s arm. “You can be sure we’ll open our arms to Lucas while he’s staying at the ranch.”
Kendall’s heart warmed over her amazing family. Her nana would make good on her promise. She’d bake goodies and spoil the boy. And feed Cord until he almost popped. If only that could in any way make up for the loss of his family. But after spending only a few hours with him, Kendall didn’t know if he would ever recover and be happy again.