The Ranger Page 5

  * * *

  “DON’T YOU THINK we should call Cord and Kate before we just drop in?” Brandie asked from beside him.

  “It’s not too late and I don’t think they’ll mind. I’d rather not use the phone.” He pushed the gas, speeding down the highway whether another car was in sight or not.

  “I hit you with the lamp, but you already know that. You couldn’t see the gun. They looked so mad, I thought it was the only way to get everyone out of there alive.”

  Mitch was still digesting her declaration of her past staying hers. What could she have done that was so terrible she didn’t want it mentioned? Hell, he was still digesting the fact that she’d hit him over the head to save him from being shot.

  “Telling me there was a gun to my head might have been easier.”

  “I didn’t think you’d listen.” She twisted in the seat to face him and placed her hand on his upper arm. “Look, Toby’s asleep and I’d rather not walk in on the McCreas blind. Care to start talking? And start by telling me why I need to stay overnight out in the boonies.”

  “I need two answers first,” he said, fingers tapping on the console between them.

  “Okay.”

  “Why should I trust you? For all I know you’re working for Rey.”

  It was hard to judge her reaction. She was so full of contradictions. Her words and actions did not support the woman he’d known as the café manager.

  “Fair question. I’m not working for him. I don’t know who he is.”

  “That’s not an answer and I’ll just keep my information to myself.” She crossed her arms and looked at the window away from him.

  He could see a wall going up between them. She’d slap down the mortar and he’d throw on another brick. It was up so fast and strong that unless he took drastic measures, it would be permanent.

  “Okay, okay. What I’m about to tell you can’t be shared—” Cord would kill him.

  “If you aren’t a cop, then you’re a Ranger. Right? That’s why you’re taking me to the home of a Texas Ranger?” She was too smart for her own good.

  “Hey, if you knew, then why the drama?”

  “I didn’t know for certain, but it’s better that I guessed, isn’t it? I mean, now you won’t be lying when you tell Cord you didn’t tell me.”

  Brandie was completely at ease. No signs of stress. It was like they were out for a Sunday picnic and heading back to town.

  “So you were awake this morning,” she continued. “No wonder you wanted to spend time with me. Either you think I’m working with Rey King or you feel responsible for our safety.”

  “It wasn’t like that at all.” It had never been, even when he told Cord it would be kept professional. A small part of him had been looking for an excuse to twirl her around the jukebox. A big part of him had been wanting to kiss her from day two.

  “At all?”

  He normally could have shrugged it off. He’d done it hundreds of times. He was pretty good with nonverbal communication. But this time, his face held on to the lie he’d told Cord.

  “That’s what I thought.” She crossed her arms, holding tight to her sides.

  He couldn’t straighten her out. Not only was it his career, but if she knew he was deeply attracted to her she might forget. A little mistake could get her killed. “What was the second thing you needed to know?”

  “It doesn’t matter. You’re just doing your duty.”

  “Man alive.” He felt like cursing at how she could get to conclusions he was trying to hide. “If I were just doing my job, I wouldn’t have blown my cover on the very afternoon I got a lecture about blowing my damn cover.”

  They rolled to a stop outside the McCreas’ house.

  “Maybe I should have left you with your parents. I think your dad has a handle on protecting his home.”

  The porch light flipped on, and Cord slowly came through the screen door, dressed only in his jeans and sidearm.

  “Then why did you bring me here and admit you’re undercover?”

  “Basically, I want you to disappear. Stay someplace safe, away from Marfa or Presidio County. King is out for blood and it’s too damn dangerous for you to stay working in the café.”

  “Mitch?” Cord used a knuckle to tap on the window, waiting for it to be cranked down. “This better be good.”

  “It is, sir.”

  “Were you followed?”

  “Not to my knowledge, and I turned Brandie’s phone off.”

  “When did you do that?”

  “Car seat fiasco. Who knew moving a car seat from one vehicle to the next took three adults?” Mitch couldn’t look Cord in the eye. He was disobeying a direct order, several by coming here.

  “I did. Enough times that I bought a second car seat. You better come inside. Need any help?” Cord turned back to his porch after Mitch shook his head.

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Brandie crossed her arms and flattened her lips into a straight, determined line. “I have a home and I have a business to run. You guys can’t force me to leave.”

  “Are you willing to sacrifice your family for the café?”

  “That’s not a fair question. Of course, I don’t want anything bad to happen to them. But the café’s the only living I have. If I leave there’s no telling what will happen to business. Surely there’s another way?”

  “There is and I’m certain my superiors are going to ask it of you. I want you to refuse. It’s not safe...for either of you.” How could he get her to understand?

  “We should get inside. Your real boss is waiting at the door.”

  Mitch reached out, securing her hand in his until she looked at him. “I’m deadly serious. It’s too dangerous.”

  “I made a mistake several years ago and have worried ever since that secret would destroy my life. I hate that feeling as much as seeing everything I’ve worked for being taken away from me.” She wiped a fast falling tear off her cheek with the back of her knuckle. “I’m staying here. You should go inside and talk things over with Cord. He looked pretty upset.”

  “Whatever you did—”

  He left the rest of the words unsaid. She didn’t know him. He had no way to convince her of anything. He had no proof that King had any connection with the Mexican drug cartel or the gunrunning into Mexico. He just felt it down deep. Maybe because he’d watched her for the past six months and this was the first lead they’d had.

  No logical road to deduction, just a gut feeling. Not the most intelligent way to convince the Texas Rangers.

  Chapter Six

  Mitch dreaded the earful he was about to receive from Cord who could report back to his captain at any time. But there was no denying that he deserved it. He’d let down his guard and blown his cover with his prime suspect.

  Now a suspect—at least according to the Rangers. He still didn’t believe it.

  “You know about our fight with the Mexican gangs. Do you think the men trying to hurt Brandie’s family are their associates?”

  Cord and his wife, Kate, had a history with the people King worked for. Even a closemouthed mechanic heard the stories how the couple fought off one of their vindictive leaders. Maybe they could do a better job of explaining the gravity of the danger to Brandie.

  “How long have you known that I work with your husband?” Mitch asked Kate, avoiding her question.

  “You just told me this minute.” She laughed. “Cord said repeatedly that there was something off about the mechanic at Junior’s. That’s how he explains all your private conversations at the garage. I’ll never trust him again.” She smiled at her husband as he came in from the kitchen. “I can’t believe he kept the secret.”

  “You’ll have to excuse us, Kate.” Cord had two beers, handing one to Mitch.

  “I can help get Toby inside if you guys want to talk in Cord’s study.” Kate pointed to a door on the opposite side of the house.

  “If you can get Brandie out of the car.” Mitch didn’t think he’d have any
luck doing it. That was one of the reasons he’d come in alone. “She needs a little convincing.”

  Cord led the way to his study, shaking his head, scratching his chin. Once inside, he closed the door. The only window in the room didn’t open to the front of the house so it didn’t matter that the wooden blinds were tilted to where Mitch couldn’t see out.

  “She’ll be okay. You can hear a car coming for half a mile at this time of night.” Cord sat. “So you blew your cover.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I’m a Ranger, just like you. My name, you know it? Use it. Don’t start sirring me when you’re in trouble.” He tipped the bottle to his lips, not looking like a superior about to give someone the ax.

  “My captain at Border Security Operations is a little more strict.”

  “Bet you don’t come to his house at midnight, either. It’s okay, I appreciate that they loaned you to the task force. But I told you this morning the situation with Brandie wouldn’t end well. You’re too involved.”

  Mitch hadn’t been invited to sit down. Manners or nerves let him take advantage and walk the perimeter of the room. Listening for signs that Kate had coaxed Brandie inside.

  “You warned me about Toby. I’m keeping that in mind. Circumstances have changed. She was threatened.”

  “I believe you mentioned that this afternoon.”

  “A man from Alpine, Rey King, paid us a visit after we closed. He threatened her family.”

  “She’s working with King?” He sat forward.

  “No. I don’t think she’s working with anyone. Do you know about this guy? Who is he?”

  Cord tossed a folder his way. Just glancing through it, Mitch could tell the Rangers had been keeping tabs on King awhile. He had ties to more than just the south side of the border. “Chicago, New York, Philly...why isn’t the DEA more involved in this operation?”

  “They’ve been kept up-to-date and are waiting on evidence. No one’s talking and we can’t prove a thing. If you think Brandie may know something—”

  “I don’t.”

  “But you seem certain she needs protection. That doesn’t justify that you’ve blown your cover.”

  “I didn’t have much of a choice. Okay, I did. You’re right. But when Brandie accused me of working for King I saw her shutting me out, and we need her. I know she has valuable information. I just don’t know what it is. Maybe you can talk some sense into her about going back to the café— It’s too dangerous for her and Toby to—”

  “Ever have this happen before, Mitch?”

  The front door closed, but he didn’t hear the kid or noises in the other room. Was Brandie really going to just sit in the car until he pulled her out kicking and screaming? He would. She needed to be protected from her pride.

  “Have what happen?”

  “Do you make it a habit of getting seriously involved with your suspect when you’re undercover?”

  Cord’s accusation faded with the sound of an old engine purring to life.

  “What the hell?” Mitch banged the beer bottle down on the desk and shoved his hand into his empty pocket.

  “Nothing personal, you know I have to ask.”

  “No way.” He pulled open the office door and heard tires spitting up gravel and turned back to face Cord. “She’s stealing my car.”

  * * *

  TOBY WAS TUCKED in his bed and still sound asleep. It took Mitch longer to get to her house than she’d thought. She would have cleaned up or even gotten her shower out of the way if she’d known it would take that long. When the car pulled away, she realized Cord had dropped him off and Mitch would need his keys.

  Surprisingly, he didn’t bang on the front door and he didn’t try to burst inside. He stood on her porch stoop for a couple of minutes, pinching the bridge of his nose as if he had a headache. She opened the door before he moved again.

  “What do you want, Mitch? Besides your car.” She tossed him his keys and crossed her arms, waiting for his rant.

  His lips flattened as he shoved the rabbit’s foot and two keys into his pocket. He had a very simple life living in the garage’s back room. “Two keys. One to my garage and one to your car. I don’t suppose you have some in storage somewhere? Some other home that you’ll go to when this is over?”

  She was angrier than she’d thought she’d been when she took his car and sped back from Valentine all alone. Always alone. She should know and be used to that frame of mind by now.

  “I’m not leaving town and my job. I’m not staying out at the McCreas’ place,” she said for emphasis.

  “I realize that,” he said softly, acting sort of withdrawn or reverting to his short-sentenced mechanic routine.

  “I also won’t tell anyone who you really are—as if I actually know.”

  “I really am Mitch Striker.”

  “Oh.” She took a step back inside the house, her anger deflated by the sorrowful look in the brown eyes staring at her. “Well, it’s been a long day, I should get some sleep.”

  “Agreed.” He sat on the porch, leaning back against the vinyl siding.

  “I said I’m hitting the hay. See you tomorrow.” Brandie had to go farther on the porch to look at his face.

  “Understood.” His head was leaning next to the front window, his eyes closed.

  She plopped down next to him. “What are you doing?”

  “Making a statement.”

  “To me? It’s not necessary.” And yet, her heart did a little flip-flop in her chest, excited that he’d sit on her porch to do so. “No one’s sitting across the street ready to break in and tie me to a chair. Zubict did that to make his own statement. So there aren’t any threats.”

  “Damn straight. Not while I’m here. You should go inside.” He hadn’t looked at her, completely at ease leaning back and staking his territory.

  She stood, feeling like she was talking to her son. “Okay then.”

  She shouldn’t ask him inside. It would be all over town. Her dad would find out. But couldn’t she explain that he’d been worried about her? It was the truth, after all.

  She saw the curtains next door be pulled back and dropped quickly back into place. Her neighbors were already paying too much attention to her. “Good grief, Mitch. You can’t sleep out here on my porch.”

  “I agree. I’ll get a nap back at the garage tomorrow.” He shifted uncomfortably on the cement porch.

  “You can’t stay here all night. People will talk. Marfa’s a real small town. They don’t overlook things like this.”

  He opened his eyes, zeroing in on hers, catching her to him without a touch. “I’m not leaving you alone.”

  “Come inside.” She cleared her throat that had become all warm, making her voice like syrup. A little stronger she said, “You can stay on the couch, but don’t get any ideas.”

  “None that weren’t already there.”

  She gasped. That was the word that specifically described what her mouth did with the air she almost choked on.

  “New or old,” she coughed out. “Nothing’s going to happen.”

  “Tonight.” He nodded once. “I agree.”

  “Ever. Not ever.” She marched to the hall closet, completely off-kilter and much too warm after Mitch’s brazen statements. She had to squash the idea. She couldn’t get involved with anyone, especially a cool Texas Ranger who had been lying to her for six months. He wasn’t who she thought he was. She grabbed sheets and a blanket for the couch.

  “I don’t have any extra pillows so the couch cushion will have—” He wasn’t in the living room. She poked her head into her small kitchen that was still empty. “Mitch?” Turning around he was directly behind her. “Oh. Wow. You scared me.”

  “Just checking the windows to make sure everything’s locked and secure.” He took the linens. “You ready to explain to me what’s going on with King?”

  Could she trust him? She was in this mess because she’d trusted the wrong person. And if she explained one part of her prob
lem, she’d have to explain the other. And if that came out, she’d be out on her ear. Everything she had been working for would be gone.

  Toby would be homeless.

  “I take that look to mean no. Might as well get some shut-eye, then. It’s been a long day and I have a lot of catching up to do at the garage tomorrow.”

  “That’s it? No interrogation or coaxing my secrets from me?”

  He tossed the sheets on the chair nearest him and did an about-face. “I could live with some coaxing.” He waggled his eyebrows. “You want me to...coax your secrets?”

  She laughed at his silliness and felt her body blushing at his suggestiveness. “I was thinking more along the lines of thumbscrews.”

  “Naw, we gave that up in the last century.”

  She was so confused. He wasn’t upset and yelling at her that she’d taken his car? Or arguing about staying in Marfa. He had plans to work tomorrow and was content to sleep on her couch. She did feel safer and she’d probably sleep sounder knowing anyone was in the next room.

  Who was she fooling? She felt better because it would be Mitch on her couch.

  “Okay, so, my bedroom’s on the right.”

  “I know.” He smiled by tilting up the sexy corner of his mouth and winking.

  “Sure, you’d know that because...ah...”

  Whoa. The image that popped into her mind wasn’t of him sleeping on the couch alone. And it was no longer of her sleeping in her bed all alone, either. Oh, my.

  “Because Toby’s door has his favorite superheroes taped on it.”

  His T-shirt came off over his head, and this time she counted the defined and rigid abs. He sat and pulled his boots off. “’Night, Brandie.”

  She didn’t—couldn’t—look at him any longer. She was slowly closing her door and heard Mitch on the phone with someone. She used the lock for the very first time, keeping her mysterious mechanic out and her nosy curiosity in. She wasn’t about to eavesdrop on his conversation. She had enough secrets to keep.

  The T-shirt she’d borrowed from him during the morning embarrassment was still on her pillow. She changed into it just because she could and got under the covers. She inhaled deeply, loving Mitch’s male scent as she drifted into dreamland.