Ranger Guardian Read online

  A Texas Ranger’s daughter has been taken.

  Getting her back is all that matters.

  They’ve been estranged for months, so Texas Ranger Heath Murray is surprised to be partnered with his dedicated FBI agent wife, Kendall Barlow. It’s the case of Kendall’s career—a career that has divided their marriage, though not their attraction. When their young daughter is kidnapped as a pawn, they have only each other to turn to. Saving her together is their only option. The alternative is unthinkable.

  Texas Brothers of Company B

  That had been close. Too close.

  No suspect was worth what had almost happened. Kendall had to be more careful, less reckless. Skylar Dawn needed her parents to come home.

  “You okay?” Heath asked, back at the passenger door. She nodded, still a little stunned by it all.

  “I can’t say I’m bummed about them getting away.” The corner of his mouth barely rose as he leaned on the car.

  “What? Why’s that?”

  “Where’s the fun in catching them the first day I get to work with you again?” He said it with such a straight face that if she hadn’t known him she never would’ve seen that playful gleam in his eye.

  She couldn’t argue with that logic either. She would’ve been bummed, too.

  RANGER

  GUARDIAN

  USA TODAY Bestselling Author

  Angi Morgan

  Angi Morgan writes about Texans in Texas. A USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author, her books have been finalists for several awards, including the Booksellers’ Best Award, RT Book Reviews Best Intrigue Series and the Daphne du Maurier. Angi and her husband live in North Texas. They foster Labradors and love to travel, snap pics and fix up their house. Hang out with her on Facebook at Angi Morgan Books. She loves to hear from fans at angimorganauthor.com.

  Books by Angi Morgan

  Harlequin Intrigue

  Texas Brothers of Company B

  Ranger Protector

  Ranger Defender

  Ranger Guardian

  Texas Rangers: Elite Troop

  Bulletproof Badge

  Shotgun Justice

  Gunslinger

  Hard Core Law

  West Texas Watchmen

  The Sheriff

  The Cattleman

  The Ranger

  Texas Family Reckoning

  Navy SEAL Surrender

  The Renegade Rancher

  Hill Country Holdup

  .38 Caliber Cover-Up

  Dangerous Memories

  Protecting Their Child

  The Marine’s Last Defense

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  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  Heath Murray—A Texas Ranger who wants to guard his wife and daughter at all costs. He lives on a ranch with his Company B partner just outside Dallas.

  Kendall Barlow—FBI agent, mom, wife, daughter...Can she be everything or does she need to choose one?

  Skylar Dawn Barlow Murray—The almost four-year-old freckle-faced daughter of Heath and Kendall. She’s just beginning to love riding ponies.

  Public Exposure—Headed by Brantley Lourdes. On the surface it’s an organization that wants kids and adults to give up social media. But does it have a hidden agenda?

  Slate Thompson—Lieutenant in the Texas Rangers and Heath’s roommate and partner in Company B.

  Wade Hamilton—Lieutenant in the Texas Rangers, Company B. He has a habit of acting before he thinks things through and always trusts his gut.

  Jack MacKinnon, Jr.—Lieutenant in the Texas Rangers, Company B, and Heath’s coworker.

  Jerry Fisher—FBI special agent in charge, Dallas. Kendall’s former partner and now her supervisor.

  Naomi Barlow—Kendall’s mother, who has never approved of Heath.

  Therese Ortis—A mysterious woman associated with an unknown organization. Who she really is is the question of the day. Wade owes her a favor.

  Thank you, Amanda! Thanks for the encouragement and the major kick in the behind—just the right amount of both. And a special thanks for being such a great person to model a character after!

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Excerpt from Rules in Blackmail by Nichole Severn

  Prologue

  Eight Months Ago

  Heath Murray rushed through the emergency room doors. Yes, he’d used the entrance for the ambulances. Yes, he’d parked his truck next to the building, practically on the sidewalk. And yes, he’d taken advantage of having the Texas Ranger badge he carried.

  What did anyone expect? His three-year-old daughter was there. It was the only thing he knew for sure. The message from his wife had stated only what hospital they were heading to.

  Life was good. Life was perfect. He couldn’t imagine life without his baby girl, Skylar Dawn, in it. He couldn’t imagine life without his wife, Kendall. Six years ago, if you’d asked him if his life would be full of anything except law enforcement, he would have answered no.

  Now?

  Life was full of pink frills and satin sun dresses. Along with brand new ponies—plastic and real. And all the disagreements about whether Skylar Dawn was old enough to own a pony. Yep, life was full, and he was blessed several times over.

  He rushed to his mother-in-law, who stood up from a waiting room chair. Her eyes were red but not swollen. Her old-fashioned handkerchief was twisted and streaked from her mascara. She looked like she’d been pulled straight out of a church service, but Naomi Barlow looked like that every day. And she didn’t go to church.

  “Where is she?”

  “Kendall is with her. She’s going to be fine. It’s not a break that will require surgery.”

  “What kind of an accident were they in?”

  “Accident? Did you think they were in a car accident?” Kendall’s mom asked, then laughed.

  What the hell? Why was she laughing?

  “Where are they?”

  “Oh, honey, you poor thing. Skylar Dawn just fell on the playground at day care. That’s all. She’ll be fine.” Naomi’s eyes darted toward a set of double doors. “Only one person can be in the room with her.”

  He didn’t need her response. What he did need was for the attendant to open the doors from the other side.

  “Excuse me.” He headed straight to the front desk and flipped his badge so the person at the window could see it. “I need to get through.”

>   “May I see your credentials?”

  Heath shot his ID through the slot and managed to keep his toes from tapping the linoleum while he waited. “Thanks,” he added politely to the man whose turn he’d interrupted, then paced back to his mother-in-law and handed her his keys. “Give these to the green-faced Texas Ranger who comes inside in a minute. My partner, Slate Thompson will take my truck home.”

  “Here you go, sir. I can buzz you through now.”

  He heard the door lock open and hurried to pull on the handle, but it opened at a snail’s pace on its own. He rushed down the hall, glancing through the small windows. Then he heard her.

  A quiet, polite cry for a child of three.

  He rounded a corner and took a deep breath. Okay, they really are all right. He hadn’t processed that information when Naomi had told him. He couldn’t believe it until he’d seen with his own eyes.

  So he took a second. They’d be upset as it was. He didn’t need to add to the situation by not appearing calm. He shook his shoulders, slowed his racing pulse, became the dad instead of the Ranger who’d driven ninety across Dallas to get here.

  “There they are.” He thought his voice sounded excited to see them, instead of like the frightened-to-death man who’d just had his heart ripped from his chest.

  “See, I told you Daddy was on his way.”

  “Daddy!” Skylar Dawn tried to lift her free arm to him. “I want Daddy.”

  “It’s better if you stay where you are, baby. Mommy’s got you.” He honestly didn’t think his shaking arms could hold her steadily.

  Kendall tilted her cheek up for a kiss. He rubbed Skylar Dawn’s strawberry blond hair. One day it would be as thick as her mother’s and out of the small pigtails.

  “How ’bout I sit down here so you can see me?” He sat on the floor, pulling himself close to his wife and daughter, just about ready to cry from the gratitude he felt at them both being alive and safe.

  There was no tension in Kendall. She seemed far calmer than her message had implied. She mouthed, “Sorry.”

  His wife could probably tell how frantic he was. She’d always been good at picking up on the nuances that gave away his emotions. In fact, she was practically the only person who had ever been able to see through the wall he’d built.

  A wall that had been breached several times over by Skylar Dawn.

  “Let me see.” He leaned closer and puckered his lips for a loud smack without ever touching the skin of her arm. “Does that feel better?”

  Skylar Dawn shook her head. “I broke it, Daddy. Does that mean we have to throw it away?”

  He refrained from chuckling. “No, baby girl. The doctors can fix this all up. And you’ll be as good as new.”

  “Oh, that’s a relief.” She perfectly imitated her mother.

  “I’ve been explaining that her arm isn’t a toy.” Kendall smiled.

  “No throwaway arms,” he said.

  Skylar Dawn dropped her head to Kendall’s chest. “Just close your eyes for a minute, sweetheart,” said Kendall. “I’ll wake you up when the doctor comes back.”

  He placed a hand on Skylar Dawn’s back and could feel when her body relaxed into sleep. Nice to be a kid.

  “What took you so long?” Kendall whispered.

  He followed suit, whispering back his answer. “We were in west Fort Worth. I did ninety most of the way. Slate thought he was going to puke.”

  “I just... I’m sorry about the wild message. The day care called without a lot of details. Then they told me I couldn’t use my cell phone back here. I should have had Mother call with an update. I know it scared you.”

  “I’m good. All’s good.”

  He listened to the details of Skylar Dawn climbing the section of the playground her age group wasn’t allowed on. One of the older girls—probably about five—had helped her. Skylar Dawn had fallen.

  They whispered about the X-ray and doctor’s analysis. Just a hairline fracture, but they could go to the pediatrician for a cast in a couple of days.

  The love Kendall had for their daughter radiated like sunshine. How awesome would it be to have another little girl as precious as this one?

  The doctor came and went. Heath took Skylar Dawn from Kendall’s arms and cuddled her against his chest. Her head had a special baby smell that he especially noticed when she first fell asleep. It was something he already knew he’d miss whenever she got too big to be rocked.

  “Hey, for a couple who never wanted children, I think we’re handling this pretty well.” Kendall smoothed Skylar Dawn’s hair while they waited on their release paperwork.

  “Want to have a couple more?” he said, then gulped.

  “What?” Kendall’s eyes grew big. “Where does this come from?”

  “It was just a thought. I mean...I love you guys. I love our family. And you’re right. I think we’re pretty good at this.”

  “I do, too.”

  Were those tears?

  “Honey, what’s wrong?” He opened his free arm and pulled her in for a hug.

  Special Agent Kendall Barlow was full-blown crying, silent tears running down her face. And it took a lot—like the birth of their daughter—to bring them on. Heath never expected his spontaneous suggestion to affect her this way.

  “I was... I was...” she tried.

  “It’s okay, babe. Everything’s perfect the way it is. Nothing’s wrong with our family.”

  “But I was just thinking the same thing, Heath. I’d love another baby.”

  He kissed her. As much as he was able to with his arms full of their daughter.

  “I am definitely looking forward to getting you home and getting this one in bed.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.

  Kendall dabbed at her eyes. “We can’t start this afternoon, silly. I’m helping Jerry with his cyber-fraud case. It’s going to take weeks. Maybe months.”

  “You want to wait?” He was surprised. Seriously surprised. And then an ugly voice shouted in his ear, How many cases will be more important?

  “Whisper, please?”

  “Sure.” He lowered his voice to match hers. “Why would finishing cases be more important? It’s not like you’ll still be trying to move up the FBI ladder.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Well, if you have another baby, aren’t you quitting?”

  The words were there before he could mentally slap himself and stop them from forming. Mistake. It was the wrong thought to let out of his mouth.

  “You want me to quit my job and stay home? What? Do you want me barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, too?”

  He tucked his bottom lip between his teeth. He wasn’t going to say a word. Not a dad-blasted word. It wasn’t the time. It wasn’t the place.

  Then she stiffened and pulled away from his arm.

  Dammit.

  “Kendall, we thought having any kids in day care whose parents are both in the line of fire wasn’t a good idea. It’s still not a good idea. But two? If you’re pregnant, they’ll call you out of the field anyway. Right?”

  “For a few months. Just like last time. But I’m not going to give up my career. You stay home with the kids.”

  “I worked hard to be a Texas Ranger.”

  “And I worked hard to become an FBI agent.”

  It was the loudest whispered arguing they’d ever done. It gave him a bad feeling, like something ominous was about to happen.

  “Maybe we should talk about this at home.” He kissed his daughter’s forehead. “When the munchkin is in bed, we can list the pros and cons.”

  “Or we could be honest with each other.”

  “I think I’ve been honest enough.”

  “Oh, that’s a relief.” She crossed her arms in typical Barlow fashion, after her sarcasm had a chance to sink in.

  �
�It’s going to be a long night, isn’t it,” he said. Fact, not a question. Just like he knew they were stepping outside into the backyard to have an extended argument once they got home.

  “We both need to really think about your expectations for me. This is serious, Heath. I... It’s not something I can take lightly and just forget that it happened.”

  “I’m sorry for jumping the gun.” Apologizing was the easy part. Understanding what he did wrong would take a little longer.

  * * *

  SIX WEEKS OF continuous arguing began to take its toll on her family. Kendall sat at her office desk staring at the picture of Heath carrying Skylar Dawn on his shoulders. She missed him. Ached for him. Longed for someone to invent a time machine so she could take back the words she didn’t even know if she meant any more.

  Just when Kendall thought things were getting better, her mother overheard Heath say he didn’t understand why her work was more important than a family.

  She didn’t know which hurt worse—what he’d said or the fact he had talked to someone else and not her. He’d always been the strong silent type. Definitely a man of action and few words.

  When Skylar Dawn complained of tummy aches, Kendall suggested counseling. If they couldn’t communicate on their own, maybe a third party could help.

  She’d never forget the stabbing pain she’d experienced when he said, “My world has pretty much crashed down around my ears by not keeping my mouth shut.” To keep from hurting their daughter, Heath packed a bag. He made a drastic, solitary decision.

  If he was gone...they couldn’t argue. So to solve the problem he moved into the spare room of Slate Thompson’s house on a small ranch just east of Dallas. He worked in the barn and helped with riding lessons to pay his rent.

  Or at least that’s what she thought. They hadn’t really spoken since.

  They seemed to avoid each other by staying busy with their jobs. But he never failed to call Skylar Dawn at six each evening. When her caseload picked up, he stayed at the house two nights a week.

  Her mother had objected to her marriage from the beginning. For some reason, her encouragement had always been for a career. Not necessarily the FBI, just something with a title and advancement.