Kitabı oku: «Face of Danger», sayfa 2

“Well, it’s always good to keep an eye out for the unusual,” he said.

“Like what, for instance?”

“Anything out of the ordinary.”

Although she nodded to indicate she understood and agreed, there were several reasons why Paige doubted she’d be able to spot danger before it was too late. For one thing, her head was usually in the clouds and her mind drifting, or so she’d been told often enough, first by her parents, when she was younger, and then by her friends and coworkers.

“Earth to Paige. Which is your car?”

“The baby blue pickup right over there. It’s not necessary for you to walk me all the way. I can take care of myself from here on.”

“Humor me.”

Paige huffed and gave him a lopsided grin. “I’m starting to get the idea that you intend to do as you please no matter what I say.”

Touching the broad brim of his cattleman’s hat and, nodding politely, he drawled, “Yes, ma’am. And it will be my pleasure.”

Being on the receiving end of the Ranger’s overt courtesy made Paige feel decidedly shamefaced. She climbed into her truck while he held the door, then said, “Why don’t you hop in and let me drive you over to the motor pool? I’m sure you must be tired.”

He yawned, covering his mouth. “You could say that. It’s been a long day.”

“And a long last few months, I imagine. I can’t believe the Rangers haven’t solved the murder of one of their own yet.”

“Neither can I.” She saw him eyeing the passenger side of her pickup as he asked, “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all.” Paige concentrated on bestowing a gracious smile to confirm her invitation. She understood his frustration with any unsolved case, especially the one he was currently working. Even this many years after the fact, she sometimes found herself wondering about her sister’s disappearance and wishing she could go back in time and do things differently.

Starting the engine as soon as Cade had joined her and slammed his door, Paige began to drive toward the garage where the State Troopers stored and processed their vehicular evidence.

A sudden thought caused her to hold out her hand. “You’d better give me your card so I’ll have your cell number handy, just in case.”

“In case of what?”

She chuckled wryly. “If I knew that, I could tell you now and forget using the phone.”

“Very logical.” Smiling, he pulled out a business card and passed it to her. “Here you go. I keep my cell as close as I keep my Colt .45, so feel free to contact me anytime, day or night.”

“Thanks. See you bright and early tomorrow? I usually start around seven.”

“Boy, you don’t kid around, do you?”

“Nope. What I do is too important. When I have work like this waiting for me, I make sure it gets done ASAP.”

“Understood.” He saluted with a nod as he stepped out of the truck and paused. “Night, ma’am.”

“Good night.” As he closed the door, she hit the button to roll the window down so they could continue to hear each other speaking. Beyond lay the garage where his damaged truck would be waiting. It disturbed her to think of how close they may have come to never getting together at all, let alone having the opportunity to discuss their mutual goals regarding Captain Pike’s murder.

Paige leaned across the truck seat to watch his face when she added, “Take care of yourself.”

“I will.”

He’d tossed off the comment too blithely to suit her. “I mean it. I’ll worry.”

Cade grinned, making her glad she was still seated because she suddenly felt a little off balance—and more than a little charmed.

“Don’t waste energy fretting about me,” he said. “Everything will be fine. I got the evidence delivered and we’ll be done with it in no time. I’ve heard you’re a genius with clay.”

“Thanks. I do have my moments.”

He waved goodbye and so did she.

Watching him walk away, Paige was struck by a strong sense that, given what had already happened, the rest of this case was not going to be a stroll in the park.

That particular choice of words did not sit well. Her hands fisted and clenched on the steering wheel. Her heart began to beat faster. There was nothing peaceful or relaxing about a visit to a public park when those grounds might hide a waiting predator. She, of all people, knew that.

Pausing by the garage entrance to watch the attractive forensic artist drive away, Cade realized how much she had impressed him. Considering Paige’s strong work ethic, it was no wonder the Texas Rangers were able to get by with only one artist. A person like her was worth a dozen who treated their tasks as nothing more than an everyday job.

He was totally dedicated to the Rangers, too. In that respect, he and Paige saw things in the same light. What else they may or may not have in common remained to be discovered.

He sighed and saw his breath cloud in the cold night air. Perhaps this evening at the motel, he’d see what background info he could turn up on Ms. Bryant. She would never have been hired in the first place if she’d had a criminal record, of course, but he was positive the young woman was hiding something. His gut told him so.

And, he added, if he could find out a few things to help him guide their daily, casual conversations, perhaps she’d open up and tell him what was really bothering her. Something was. He’d stake his badge on it.

THREE

The house Paige shared with Angela, her paying roommate, and Max, the freeloading dog, was located in a semirural area outside Austin. The entire neighborhood had seen better days, but the place sure looked inviting when she pulled into her drive and her headlights illuminated the front of the property. Yes, the scraggly lawn needed mowing more often—or rather, the volunteer weeds did—and the green shingled roof should have been replaced years ago instead of merely patched, had she been able to afford it. Still, this old house was more like a real home than anywhere Paige had lived since she was a child of ten.

She reached for her purse, realizing belatedly that in all the confusion at the office she’d failed to pick up her laptop the way she usually did. Rats. Oh, well, it would be waiting for her in the morning.

Before she had time to reach the house, the porch light blinked on, the front door swung open and Max galloped out. From the look of him, he’d been into mischief very recently. His shaggy white beard and front paws not only looked wet, they were tinted pink.

“Glad you’re home,” Angela called from the doorway. “That dumb dog just knocked over a whole glass of fruit punch and stepped in the puddle.”

Paige couldn’t help laughing. “He looks like it.” She bent to ruffle the sheepdog’s thick coat while pushing him away to keep him from getting punch on her. “What happened?”

“Max happened. You know him. If we’re interested in anything, so is he. I was getting myself a drink and he tried to stick his big nose into the glass. I yanked it away and…”

“Aha! You spilled it.”

“It was still his fault,” the slightly built, dark-haired, young woman insisted. “He made me do it.”

Paige continued to wiggle her fingers in the dog’s thick coat while she murmured to him as if he were human. “She was trying to blame you but I didn’t let her. No, I didn’t. ’Cause you’re the best dog in Texas. Yes, you are. You’re a good boy, Max.”

The black and white behemoth panted and wiggled happily all over in response to her loving tone. Since he lacked a tail to wag, he did the best he could with his whole rear half.

Laughing, Paige led him over to a faucet and held on to his collar while she tried, one-handed, to hose off the worst of the punch stain without getting him, or herself, too wet. Even in the shadowy light from the porch she could tell that the attempt was less than successful. Finally, still chuckling, she shut the dog in the fenced backyard for his own safety and ducked into the house without him.

Angela had finished cleaning up the spill and was wringing out a rag over the sink. She grinned sheepishly. “I still say Max deserves the blame.”

“I’ll let you two share it.” Paige eyed the packed suitcase in the hallway and her roommate’s navy blue flight attendant’s uniform. “You have another assignment tonight?”

“Yes. Austin to LAX via Dallas. I know it’s my turn to cook so I left your dinner in the fridge.”

“You ate? Already?”

“Let’s just say I defrosted something,” the perky twenty-something said. “And I only ate because you were so late. I have to leave here no later than eight-thirty so I didn’t dare wait. You could have called, you know.”

Angela’s quizzically arched eyebrow was amusing enough that Paige made a face. “Okay, I apologize for not letting you know I was going to be delayed. I got involved and then distracted.”

“By your work?”

“Of course. What did you think?”

Angela huffed. “Well, I have hopes that someday a handsome stranger will sweep you off your feet, but I guess that’s expecting too much, huh?”

“A handsome what?”

“Stranger. What did you think I said?”

Paige was not about to admit that she’d thought Angela had said Ranger. She knew she was blushing as she envisioned the good-looking man she’d just left. Every facet of their conversation was still so fresh in her memory that she could have recited it verbatim. And those dark, compelling eyes of his. Wow!

Her gut-level reaction was what was most astonishing. She worked shoulder-to-shoulder with literally dozens of Texas Rangers, yet Cade Jarvis stood out for her like a glittering, polished gem among a pile of plain old rocks.

That was ridiculous. Insane. No doubt he turned on the cowboy charm for all women, so why did she keep recalling the way his quiet yet strong, vibrant voice had made the hair on her nape prickle and raised goose bumps on her arms? Or was that just another consequence of being caught in the dark?

Angela waved a hand in front of Paige’s face. “Hello in there. Anybody home?”

“Barely,” Paige replied with a sigh. “I was just thinking about my new assignment. I have a feeling it’s going to be a real challenge.”

“Oh. Well, I have to go. You gonna be okay?”

“Sure. Fine. As soon as Max gets dry I’ll let him in to keep me company.”

“Just keep him away from the fruit punch. Believe me, it was all his fault that it got spilled.”

“Right. Have a safe flight. When do you expect to be back?”

“Not before Friday, unless I get another assignment or decide to fly standby.” Angela paused, frowning. “Why? You don’t usually care when I come and go. What’s changed?”

“Rough day at work,” Paige said, raking her fingers through her long hair to comb it back and let it fall around her shoulders. “Don’t worry about me. I’m just a little jumpy. The power went out in my office and you know how I hate the dark. If I hadn’t had a Ranger with me at the time, I might have lost it, right then and there.”

Checking her watch, Angela made a face. “A Ranger? As in too handsome for words?” She rolled her eyes. “Now you tell me, when I don’t have time to stay and listen to the whole story.”

Laughing, Paige shooed her with both hands. “Go on. Scram. I’ll tell you all about it when you get back.”

“Promise? All the romantic details?”

“There weren’t any of those but I will tell you everything, I promise.” She drew a finger across her chest for effect. “Cross my heart.”

“Okay. I plan to hold you to that.”

Paige was still chuckling softly and thinking of how she was going to explain her evening with Cade Jarvis when she heard Angela’s car drive away.

Cade had managed to talk the Troopers into letting him liberate his battered truck. It wasn’t pretty after the accident but it still beat walking. Besides, all his Ranger gear was in it and making a transfer to another vehicle would have wasted time.

Once he’d registered at the motel and been given a room, he powered up his laptop, made a short report to Benjamin Fritz, his captain, via email, then checked his messages. Outside of a few jokes and personal notes, there wasn’t anything important. At least nothing that required a reply.

He rubbed his eyes and noticed a headache beginning to thump in time with his pulse. Thinking he’d just rest for a few minutes before doing more, he unbuckled his gun belt and stretched out on top of the bedspread. His mind wandered to Paige Bryant and the way she’d over-reacted to an apparently simple power outage.

“Assuming that’s all there was to it,” he argued with a yawn as he let his eyes drift closed. In minutes, he was asleep.

Nearly an hour later, Paige opened the kitchen door and called, “Max.”

Waiting, she was puzzled to see no sign of him so she flipped on enough outside lights to brightly illuminate the entire yard. “Come on, Max. Aren’t you hungry?”

The lovable mutt didn’t respond. Paige frowned and stepped out onto the back stoop. The icy air made her shiver and fold her arms around herself. “Max? Max? Where are you?”

Nothing stirred. Slowly, deliberately, she descended the stairs to what was left of the sparse, backyard grass.

There was no valid reason for Paige to be fearful again, yet she was. Instinct kept insisting that something was amiss. Max had many faults, including being shy, but failing to answer her call had never been a problem. On the contrary, he was usually right there at her feet the moment she moved, as if she were his entire flock of sheep and guarding her was his only duty.

A rustling and whimpering behind the large evergreen bushes that grew along the house’s foundation drew her attention. She bent down to peer underneath. “Max? Is that you? Are you stuck?”

Momentary relief at spotting the dog’s white markings and hearing one sharp yelp was instantly replaced by shock, then dread, as she realized Max was being physically restrained.

The next moments passed in a haze of conflicting thought. Shoes? Yes, she did see shoes. Men’s dirty running shoes. And pant legs, ankles to knees. The rest of the shape of a large body disappeared into the thick leaves above except for one meaty fist that was grasping Max’s collar and twisting it.

Full recognition seemed delayed, as if everything were moving in slow motion. Paige stiffened. Every fiber of her being was taut, every nerve singing with a silent scream of terror.

She started to straighten and ease away, barely able to make her feet move, partly because she desperately wanted to rescue Max.

A burly, bare arm thrust through the foliage. A hand clutched at her. Beefy fingers encircled her wrist and part of her forearm, holding tight. Hurting her.

Paige gulped air. Filled her lungs. Began to scream and kept wordlessly screaming, over and over, until she was so lightheaded she was afraid she might pass out.

Her assailant’s grip merely constricted more.

All logical thoughts fled, leaving Paige feeling as if she were trapped in a horrifying nightmare. Only this was all too real.

At her wits’ end, she began to twist and cry, “Help! Help me!”

The man who had grabbed her stepped out of the bushes and in doing so apparently freed Max, because Paige saw a flash of fur passing on her left.

At least her dear pet was safe, she thought, realizing that she was still in terrible danger.

“No. Let me go! Help!” she kept shouting.

Kicking and thrashing at the man who held her prisoner, she tried to land a blow that would be forceful enough to make him release her. All he did was laugh at those feeble efforts while Max circled, barking furiously.

The man’s wicked-sounding laughter cut straight into her mind like the blade of a knife and made Paige so angry she lost normal rationality. The man who had kidnapped her sister had laughed like that. And she’d been too young, too weak, too frightened to stop him. Well, not this time.

She came alive. No longer feeling like a victim, she became the aggressor. Flailing with her free hand and both feet she managed to land a hard kick to the man’s kneecap that made him grunt and stagger.

Then, bringing the heel of her hand up under the fleshy part of his nose, she heard a sickening crack. Yes! She’d done real damage.

He howled, cursed unintelligibly, and let go of her arm so he could cup his face with both hands.

Paige fell backward, landing so hard it knocked the wind out of her. Scrambling to her feet, she saw her usually timid dog worrying one of the man’s pant legs. Because of the distraction, she realized she now had a chance to escape. Praise the Lord!

She whirled and started to run, leaving her attacker apparently trying to staunch blood from his broken nose and shake off the growling dog at the same time.

“Max!” Paige screeched as she neared the back door, hoping and praying he’d heed her command. “Max!”

Her hand closed over the knob. She twisted and jerked open the door, afraid to look behind her.

Was the man at her heels? Had Max come? She didn’t dare wait to see.

A sob of relief caught in Paige’s throat when she saw a large, furry, black-and-white form whiz by her legs and barely beat her through the doorway.

Slamming the door, she locked it, then leaned against it to catch her breath. They’d made it! They were safe, at least for the time being.

Now what? How do I protect us if he recovers and tries to break in? she asked herself, knowing the answer immediately. If ever there was something important to report, this was it.

She raced to her purse, found the card Cade Jarvis had given her, punched in his private cell number with shaky fingers, then plopped into the closest chair.

By the time the phone had rung twice, Paige had managed to catch her breath enough that she was positive she’d be able to deliver a clear report.

The instant she heard the Ranger sleepily say, “Jarvis here,” however, she felt tears welling and a lump in her throat that refused to go away no matter how hard she swallowed.

“It’s me. Paige Bryant,” she managed to squeak out. “I need help. Somebody’s outside my house.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I saw him!” The tears finally spilled down her cheeks. “I got away but…”

“Where are you now?”

“Inside.”

“Are you armed?”

“No.” She heard him muttering under his breath as soon as she answered.

“Okay. Just stay put and lock your doors,” Cade ordered. “What’s your home address?”

She told him, then hung up and went to make sure all the doors and windows were secure. Merely knowing that the Ranger was on his way was amazingly comforting.

It belatedly occurred to her that most people would have called 911, instead. Not her. Anytime she could rely directly on the Texas Rangers for help, they’d be her first and only choice. Even the one she’d just phoned.

In her mind, that statement was immediately altered to be, Especially the one she’d just phoned.

FOUR

Thankful that he was still fully dressed except for his normal armament, Cade slung his gun belt around his waist, grabbed his jacket, hat and keys and hit the motel parking lot at a dead run. It only took him a second to program the truck’s GPS for finding Paige’s house.

Good thing he hadn’t changed vehicles, he thought, his jaw clenching and hands gripping the wheel. He needed every bit of his familiar equipment, including the navigational system.

Lacking a siren or flashing lights, he nevertheless made excellent time. When he rounded the corner on to her street, he knew instantly which house had to be Paige’s.

One dwelling, halfway down the block, was lit up like a Christmas tree. Not only were there floodlights in the yard, the entire house was illuminated. Every window shone brightly, as if calling to him the way a lighthouse guided mariners.

The female GPS voice said, “Approaching destination. Slow down and prepare to turn right in one hundred yards.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Cade grumbled.

“Fifty yards. Right turn coming up.”

“I’m way ahead of you, lady.” He knew it was silly to argue with the nav unit but it gave him an outlet for his anxiety. He fisted the wheel and whipped into Paige’s driveway.

There was no sign of life in the house. No human silhouettes at any of the windows.

“Good girl,” Cade muttered. “Keep your head down.”

He slid to a stop behind her familiar blue pickup and left his truck as he’d entered it—at a run.

Gun ready, eyes darting to any shadows that could conceal an adversary, he sprinted up the steps onto the porch and announced himself.

“It’s me. Jarvis. Let me in.”

His heart remained in his throat for the long seconds before Paige opened the door a crack and peeked through the narrow slit.

“It’s okay. I’m here,” Cade assured her. He turned his back to the doorway to face out, his pistol raised, his senses sharp. “Have you had any more trouble?”

“No. Not since I called you.”

“Okay. Let’s go inside and you can fill me in.”

He didn’t holster his gun until she’d closed and latched the door, and even then he was anything but relaxed. Noting the presence of the dog at Paige’s side, he arched a brow. “Is he going to be okay with me being in here?”

Paige nodded and managed a slight smile, laying her hand atop the animal’s broad head without having to bend over. “Yes. He’s usually a wimp, although he did try to bite the guy who came after me out in the backyard.”

“Good. I didn’t understand all you said on the phone. Start over, tell me everything, and take your time.” He hesitated, eyeing the windows. “After we close these drapes.”

“I—I never thought of doing that. Guess I was too scared to think clearly.”

“No problem. It helped me find you even before the GPS told me I was here. This place has so many lights it glows for miles.”

“I told you I hated the dark.”

“Fine, as long as you don’t mind paying a high electric bill.” He was going from window to window, jerking the curtains closed as he spoke. Her small living room contained a side table stacked with books, an easy chair and a floral upholstered sofa. There was little room for more furniture other than a television stand.

“I think the kitchen is the safest place for us to talk,” Paige said as he finished covering the windows. “I did close the shutters back there. And I didn’t come out till I heard you drive up.”

Cade noticed the flush of her cheeks and wondered if it was from lingering fright or if she thought he had been chastising her. “You did fine. I might not have thought about drawing the curtains if I hadn’t noticed how visible you’d be from the street with them open.”

Following Paige and the dog, which hadn’t left her side since his arrival, he was led into the kitchen. Like the living room, it looked as if it had been cut from the pages of a decorating magazine published forty or fifty years ago. The counter was made of the kind of material that was supposed to resemble butcher block. The cabinets were of the same blond color. So were the closed shutters.

He wiggled the knob of the back door out of habit and made sure it was locked. “After you called me, did you hear or see anything else?”

“No. Nothing. I think the prowler is gone.”

“Probably. I didn’t see anybody lurking around outside when I drove up. I’ll check closer later. First, I want you to sit down and tell me exactly what happened, from the beginning, so I know what I’m looking for.” He motioned to the chrome-edged dinette set and pulled out a chair for her.

Paige started to join him, then paused. “Would you like some coffee?”

“If you think it will help you focus better, fine. Otherwise, never mind.”

As he watched her jerky motions at the sink he realized how close she still was to being scared out of her wits. And the enormous dog seemed to be in much the same condition. It had not left her for a second, not even to give him a quick sniff and check him out the way most dogs would have. It was as if both animal and owner were traumatized.

“Look. Forget the coffee and just come here,” Cade said as he unzipped his leather bomber jacket and draped it over the back of an empty chair. He was not a patient man, especially in cases where he didn’t have enough hard facts to be certain he could avert further problems.

“Okay.” Paige sat and folded her hands in her lap while Cade circled to the opposite side of the small kitchen table. “Everything seemed fine when I got home. When Angela—that’s my roommate—left. Max was outside in the yard.”

Cade had taken out a pad and pen to jot notes as she cited the prowler’s approximate age, height and weight.

It was when she began to relate the rest of her story that he leaned forward, rested his elbows on the table and closely studied her. In view of the fact that nothing disastrous had occurred, he was wondering why she hadn’t regained a little more of her composure during the fifteen or twenty minutes it had taken him to reach her.

“When I called Max and he didn’t come, I went outside to look for him,” Paige said. “That’s when I spotted a strange man in the bushes.”

“And you ran.”

Her green eyes misted and widened. “No! He caught me.” Extending her left arm and resting it on the table, she displayed the beginnings of a wide band of bruising near her wrist.

Cade was astounded. No wonder she was still so upset. Without thinking, he reached out and traced the injury lightly, gently, with one finger. “I’m sorry I was so short with you. I had no idea he’d actually made contact.”

To his surprise, the corners of Paige’s mouth started to twitch. Was she thinking of smiling? Now? After all the shaking she’d been doing?

“He made contact all right,” she said with a nod. “And he had a good, strong hold on me. His hands were enormous. You can see that from the marks he left.”

“So, how did you get loose?” Cade glanced down to recheck his notes. “If he was as big and strong as you say, he should have been able to easily overpower you.”

The smile was now unmistakable. “I know. He shouldn’t have started to laugh at me. That made me so mad I went a little crazy. That was what saved me.”

“Really? What happened?”

“I’m not sure. All I remember is being absolutely furious and then cutting loose with more force and strength than I’d ever imagined I had. First I kicked him in the patella—the kneecap. Then, when he bent over to grab his leg, I straight-armed his face. Caught him right under the nose with an upward thrust from the heel of my hand.”

“Ouch. Did you break his nose?”

“If the cracking sound was any indication, I sure did.” She sobered. “I know I shouldn’t be happy about inflicting pain on anyone but this guy deserved everything he got. And more.”

“Did he say anything?”

“Nothing I care to repeat, thank you.”

Cade had to chuckle. “I don’t mean when you busted his nose. I mean before that. When he first grabbed you. Think. Anything? Anything at all?”

She paused and closed her eyes, her lips pressing into a thin line. Finally, she looked at him, shook her head and said, “I can’t recall a thing. Not even a threat. I wish I could.”

“Okay. Tomorrow we’ll…” He broke off, grinning.

“What?”

Stressing the humorous aspect of his random thoughts, mostly for Paige’s sake, he admitted, “I was just making plans to take you to see a sketch artist. Then, I remembered that you are one.”

To his relief her smile returned. “That’s actually how I got my start with the Rangers. I can start drawing the man I saw in the bushes right away, so I won’t take any time away from work on the skull. If I hadn’t left my laptop at work I could use it, too.”

She pushed back her chair and got to her feet. “First I’ll make us both some strong coffee, then I’ll go dig out my artist’s materials.”

“I’ll make the coffee, if you want, as soon as I get my evidence kit out of the truck. I intend to have a good look around your yard and see what I can pick up before we notify the local sheriff.”

“And tell him what? That I was dumb enough to go outside and confront a prowler?”

“I wouldn’t put it quite that way.”

“Doesn’t matter. There’s more to this attack than just some lowlife hiding in my bushes.” Paige was scowling. “You see it, too. I know you do. Or you wouldn’t have asked me if the man made any specific threats.”

It was only fair to level with her. Cade nodded as he took a few steps toward the living room. “Yes. I think it’s likely that all the peculiar things that have been happening to you, and to me, are related to the Pike case. That’s the most logical theory. I hope I’m wrong.”

“I hope you are, too, but I’d had the same idea.” She managed a smile that he could tell was partly forced. “Hurry back, okay?”

“Will do. I think you’d better follow me to the front door and lock it after me so nobody can sneak in. I won’t be out there long.”

The smile she’d displayed before became softer, as if muted by new tenderness. “Max and I will miss you.”

“I’ll only be gone for a minute or two.”

The smile widened. Her eyes twinkled. “We’ll still miss you.” She reached for her dog and began to scratch behind its ears. “Won’t we, Max?”

The kitchen table became Paige’s drawing board, the Ranger hovering in the background, her catalyst. Taking information from another person and putting a suspect’s face on paper or inputting data into a computer program was a lot easier when she wasn’t the victim, she realized belatedly. Nothing about this sketch seemed quite right. She kept wanting to imbue the assailant’s face with the evil she’d sensed rather than sticking to his basic features.

Cade handed her a fresh mug of the coffee they’d been sharing. They were already on their second pot. She glanced up at him and lifted her eyebrows. “Do you live on that stuff?”

“I’ve been known to, especially when I have night duty.”