Bulletproof Badge Read online

  Behind them he saw Kenderly perk up. Her eyes connected with his. Thank God she was faking it.

  The cop reached around her. She shoved the door, slamming it into the cop’s arm. He lost his weapon. The gun bounced away from the patrol car, Kenderly went after it but hesitated before following it under the car.

  “Dammit, run!” Garrison shouted at her, reaching for the gun at his back. “Get out of here.”

  Before he could get a firm grip, he turned into a right cross from his opponent. His vision spun with the rest of his head as he fell to the ground. In the blink of Garrison’s eye, Thomas had his hands around Kenderly’s throat.

  The look of desperation he’d seen on her face at Tenoreno’s was back as she clawed at the thick hands choking the life from her.

  “Where is the flash drive?” he gritted out between his teeth.

  Garrison drew on all his strength and rammed Thomas in his side, breaking his hold on Kenderly. They fell on to the rear of the car, then rolled to the pavement on the street. He heard Kenderly coughing, still on her knees. Thomas’s hands quickly circled his own windpipe, cutting off the oxygen.

  Garrison pulled both thumbs backward, forcing the release. “You. Can’t. Win.” He fought to say the words between punching and getting punched.

  The pavement hadn’t grown warm yet, but the sun reflected off metal and into his eyes. The gun. He and Tenoreno’s man rolled over and then back again. He’d lost sight of Kenderly. He finally twisted away and kicked his opponent’s chest.

  Barely an umph escaped. He kicked again, and the guy knocked him on his back. Garrison rolled to his feet and connected with a rib. He remembered how much his head had hurt after yesterday’s encounter. He kicked out again.

  Garrison was brought back to the ground by another twist and tug on his foot, but this time he lashed out, following with a roll forward. Thomas couldn’t pursue Garrison to his feet and wasn’t prepared for the boot at his throat or weapon in Kenderly’s hands.

  “Drop it!” Kenderly shouted at the cop who was reaching for his gun. “I’ve had a horrible day, so don’t tempt me to shoot this thing. I’m probably a terrible shot, but I’m bound to hit something.”

  Garrison scooped up the deputy’s gun, pointing it at Thomas. “That goes for you, too. Don’t tempt me.” He stood shoulder to shoulder—or as best as he could—next to Kenderly. “You okay?”

  “For the moment.”

  “Let me have that, sweetheart.” He took the second gun from her shaking hands, then turned to the cop. “Cuff yourself to the live oak.”

  Someone in the neighborhood was bound to have called the police about the fighting. Good or bad, they’d be arrested, and Thomas would probably walk.

  “Cuff your right wrist. Now around the tree. That’s right.” Out of the corner of his eye he watched Kenderly direct the cop.

  “Get in the car, Kenderly. We need to move it.”

  “But what about—”

  “He’s coming with us. Yeah, big guy, let’s go. No tricks. Just get into the car.” Thomas followed the instructions once both guns were trained on him, and Garrison locked him inside.

  Kenderly got close, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I’m so sorry, Garrison. I thought he was going to kill the officer. It looked like he was. I couldn’t stand there and do nothing. Not again.” Her voice trailed off. He knew what she was remembering.

  “It’s okay. We’ve got him. And now we have a laptop.”

  “The one in the car?”

  “Yep. If that won’t work, we’ll go buy one with Jesse’s credit card. All we need is a little time and to verify that none of the rangers are involved. Come on, get in.”

  He ran back to the hedge, found the bottle and got in the driver’s seat, pulling away before the sirens made an appearance from the other direction.

  Garrison grabbed Kenderly’s hand in victory. “Looks like something finally went right for the good guys.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The files were sent to the state attorney general’s office. Kenderly’s joyous whoop could probably be heard all the way in Dallas. The relief she felt would have been even greater if Thomas, the murderer, wasn’t still in the backseat.

  Garrison had spoken to the commander of all the rangers after opening the files. Just as he said, there were no Texas Ranger names on it. The list was very thorough and not very long. Only a few local cops, but numerous attorneys who had been appointed to high positions within the state.

  Sometimes just a campaign contribution was listed, but the file contained personal notes from Paul Tenoreno. He was meticulous about meetings and conversations. Right down to the politician’s dog’s name.

  An impartial prosecutor should have no problem going to trial with the evidence against Tenoreno and Rosco. Isabella’s notes even said where she’d hidden the handwritten ledger kept by her husband. No wonder he was so desperate to retrieve the flash drive.

  “I think we’ve accomplished the impossible.” She was definitely on a victory high, but the feeling was wearing off fast.

  “Tenoreno still has to go to trial.” Garrison’s voice was somber, bringing reality back. “We still have to testify. It might take a while, Kenderly.”

  They’d both have to give official statements about what happened. But for now, in this moment, they were safe and could rest. She glanced over her shoulder at Thomas, who looked totally undisturbed by it all. His lack of concern frightened her almost as much as when he was about to kill her.

  “Want something to eat? I still have Jesse’s credit card.” She realized Garrison wasn’t serious, but she played along. They could relax just a little. Couldn’t they?

  “What about him?” She pointed to the murderer in the backseat. “And don’t you think that the police will be wanting their car back?”

  He playfully hit the steering wheel. “Probably. I prefer my truck anyway.”

  “Not the motorcycle?”

  “Well, the bike does get you close to me. But the truck usually works out as the better date vehicle.” Garrison smiled and arched an eyebrow.

  “If you’re attempting to ask me out on a date...” She pointed toward their prisoner again. “Can we get rid of him first?”

  “I think Rangers headquarters here in Austin is an excellent place to do both.”

  “You are totally right.”

  The man in the backseat didn’t do anything except glare. Maybe he knew the futility of trying to escape, or maybe he had nothing to say. She didn’t mind. He stared at her, and the only thing she could do was shut her sore eyes and face forward.

  “I’m going to have one whopper of a shiny black eye,” she continued. But from the little she’d seen of their passenger, Garrison had paid him back ten times over.

  They’d come close to dying so many times. Remembering the ordeal of the past four days left her shaking. She laced her fingers together to keep them still. She avoided looking at anything except the cracked nail painted with her favorite polish.

  “You okay, Kenderly?”

  “Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  Thomas Whatever-His-Name-Was laughed. In fact he laughed so hard he sounded as if he was wheezing.

  “Why is he laughing?” She turned to the man who had spent four days trying to kill her. “You’re going to jail for what you did to Isabella and Trinity. I’m going to make sure of that.”

  “I’ll be out of jail before you can wash the makeup off your face.” He lurched toward the plastic window. She flinched, causing him to snicker more. “I’m laughing at you, sweet pea. You think this is all over? You’ll never be safe. I’ll be out walking around, back working for Tenoreno or somebody else, and you’ll be stuck in a dingy hotel room.”

  “Shut up. Just block him out, Kenderly. Don’t listen.”r />
  She was glad Garrison knew where he was going. She couldn’t concentrate on roads or street signs. He reached across the space separating them and held her hand.

  “That’s right, honey.” Thomas tapped on the window. “Don’t listen. But it doesn’t matter. I know everything about you. Little that there is. I will find you, and then I’ll rip your heart out.”

  Garrison flipped a switch, and the sirens started. He ran red lights and pulled into a parking lot a couple of blocks later. He flew out of the car with his gun drawn and yanked open the back door.

  “Out. Get out, so I can—just get out.”

  Did he think he was going to fight the man again? Kenderly jumped from the car. Thomas was still taking his time. She was sure the criminal saw the rangers rushing from the building and took his time trying to get Garrison riled.

  She didn’t want any more fighting and ran to the front of the squad car. By then Garrison wasn’t alone. Several rangers took Thomas, cuffed his hands and led him to a different door. Two men she recognized as her rescuers from the night before greeted her and escorted her inside.

  “You need a doctor, Kenderly. I didn’t realize how badly you’d been hit in all the rush to rescue this one’s backside.” Bryce stood a little straighter and shook Garrison’s hand, who now stood next to her.

  “He’s not going to make bail. No matter what he thinks, says or begs. I promise you that, Kenderly.” She looked up at him. His touch gliding across her skin was as soft as a butterfly’s wings.

  “Hey, bud.” Jesse stuck his hand out, but Garrison pulled him into a bear hug.

  “How are my dogs?”

  “Fine?” Jesse reached for his phone.

  “Are you asking me?” Garrison put his hand over his heart, exaggerating every word and smiling.

  “Give me a second.” Jesse waved him off and walked away.

  Garrison faced Bryce. “He forgot to get someone to feed them today, right?”

  “Hey, I’m innocent in all this.” He threw up his hands in surrender but grinned before pushing the glasses back high on his nose. “He’s right, Kenderly. We’re going to protect you. You brought down two of the toughest crime families in the state.”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t do it. Isabella is the one who had the courage to make her life better. She’s the one who deserves to be called a hero.”

  The men nodded their heads and didn’t argue.

  “You guys are a mess. We need to get you two to a hospital.”

  Kenderly sat on the bench, exhausted. Moving another inch seemed way too hard. Whatever adrenaline high she’d received from actually winning their fight with Thomas and the police officer had worn off. It had been replaced with a fear she didn’t completely understand.

  Bryce attempted to convince them to get checked out by doctors until Garrison held up his hand.

  “We’re not going anywhere, pal. We’ve been on the go for days and deserve to sit down for a while. But you could spring for a couple of deluxe breakfasts. And pick up some coffee. Mine’s black all the way. Kenderly wants a grande café au lait skinny extra foam.” Garrison turned Bryce around and scooted him away from the hall bench. “Are you writing this down? It’s extra foam. Bacon, not those flat sausage patties.” With both men gone, Garrison took her hand and led her down the hall.

  Impressive. He remembered her coffee order. She liked that he could momentarily take her mind off the greater problem of staying alive. But the rush of uncertainty hit her again. What was going to happen with the rest of her life? Would she constantly be looking to see who was behind her instead of planning for a future?

  It couldn’t be a pleasant way to live. And more than likely was the reason Thomas, the murderer, had finally used his voice...trying to scare her.

  Once the door was closed in a small conference room, he pulled her into his arms, snug against his chest. She leaned back, and he caught her lips in a kiss. His fingers caressed her skin. She jumped at the contact but remembered who had her in his grasp. Relaxing in the wonderful feeling of his soft control of their touch, her body went all tingly, wanting more.

  Garrison swayed backward, gulping for air, tilting his forehead to hers and dropping his hold to her waist.

  Something happened between them. She didn’t know if a gradual relationship would have developed this way. Between her mundane life and his exciting one, they may never have survived. But after this long weekend together, she knew she wanted to try.

  She wouldn’t be scared.

  Life was an adventure, and she planned to live it.

  “We only have a couple of minutes before they separate us and start asking questions.” Garrison’s deep voice took on an excited anticipation. “I just wanted to say that...that I...um... I think I’m on the verge of falling for you hard, Kenderly Tyler.”

  “Don’t worry, Lieutenant Travis. I’ll catch you.” She kissed him quickly, gently. Then whispered, “I’m stronger than I look.”

  “No arguments there.”

  A knock on the door made him break away from her. They were joined by several men, all with badges on their belts.

  The men gestured for Garrison to leave.

  “I’ll see you for breakfast.”

  “Breakfast,” she mumbled to herself.

  Garrison was the last connection to her past. A part of her life she could never return to. He wouldn’t leave her. Not after saying that he...that he what? Might fall for her? That wasn’t the same as saying he had. It wasn’t the same as saying he would.

  Panic hit.

  Alone. Defenseless. She was just a beautician, all on her own. If she disappeared, no one would know. She wasn’t prepared to take down the Texas mafia. How could any of these men think she could do this?

  No! She wouldn’t be scared. She would have a life. And when the door shut, everything was different. She would force herself to be different.

  The person she’d found hiding deep inside over the past four days would stay strong. The new her had no doubt in her mind what she wanted. She wanted to share her new life with Garrison.

  * * *

  “LOOKS LIKE YOU’LL have your choice of assignments now, Lieutenant. Eventually. We’ll need all the hubbub to die down, of course. Your confession is going to confuse our public image for a while.”

  Garrison felt a hard slap on his back and was not so subtly turned toward an interrogation room by a major he recognized from a seminar months ago. He hadn’t caught his name while getting one last look at Kenderly. She’d looked alone and—

  It hit him like a truck. No. She looked abandoned, and he was the one deserting her.

  “Is there no way we can stay close by? I mean, where she can see me. She looks sort of lost.”

  His escort just clapped a hand on his shoulder and gestured they sit down.

  “We know you’re tired, Lieutenant. We’ll try to get your testimony recorded as quickly as possible. But you know how important it is to get this down while it’s still fresh in your minds.”

  There was no way around the separate rooms and individual interviews. Garrison had no illusions; it was an interrogation. They’d deliberately brought in a friendly face, but he was almost certain the major had given a talk about debriefing tactics.

  Garrison would emphasize the importance of Kenderly’s help and the need for her testimony. That they would keep her safe in protective custody. He might not get to see her for a while. Okay, he knew that would be the case. They’d probably keep them separated at least until they could check out their stories.

  “Are you going to want a lawyer? Are you certain you don’t need emergency care?”

  “I’m fine for the moment, sir.” Might as well relax and get on with it. “Just hungry like usual, and I’ll need a heck of a lot of coffee. It’s already been a lo
ng day.”

  “I bet it has. Why don’t we just start at the beginning? I’ve got someone working on that coffee.”

  The next few days were going to be rough. But the Rangers wanted him in the clear as much as he did. Having one of their own involved with a crime family would call into question a lot of their cases. Clearing him would be the best thing for all involved.

  “I’m familiar with procedures, sir. Before we get started, I’d like to go on record regarding the threats the man I had in custody made against Miss Tyler. I believe he’s a flight risk, but his threats put her at a high risk. Do we need to wait on a prosecutor?”

  “We’re reviewing the documents you emailed. We were also able to obtain a warrant which is being served as we speak. Thomas Dimon will not be released on bail. Do you have the original flash drive?”

  Garrison’s body relaxed. His spine was no longer stiff, and his shoulders dropped. Both physical testaments to the tension he felt regarding Kenderly’s safety. He plucked the drive from his pocket and set it on the table.

  “My phone has pictures of the murderer leaving the scene Friday.”

  “Let’s start with why you were there.”

  “On Tuesday of last week, I received a call from Captain Aidan Oaks...”

  He told his story, and a doctor checked him out, leaving a bandage around his arm and certifying he was physically fit.

  With every mention of Kenderly’s name, he thought about the last look she’d given him. He should have told her what to expect, but he didn’t want to risk influencing her statement.

  He’d arrested his fair share of people. He’d escorted witnesses—from both sides of the law. He’d been on stings, car chases, government details... Sitting on this side of an in-depth interrogation wasn’t pleasant but would give him insight to the future ones he conducted.

  During each interview, he was asked whether he thought Kenderly Tyler, beautician at the Best Little Hair House in Austin, was legit. Each time he cracked a smile, thinking about their wigs and makeup.

  Each time he was asked if he thought Kenderly was capable of the murders of Isabella Tenoreno and Trinity Rosco, he said it was impossible.