Conall's Legacy (27 page)

Luisa watched them lower her mother into the ground. She wondered at the fleetingness of life. Would Cindy always be there for her and she for Cindy? Did friends ever stay in touch anymore? And Drake? How soon would he tire of the quiet that was her sanctuary and return to the thrill of the city and his work?

She had watched him here. He was at home. The traffic, noise, the air thick enough to cut. She’d seen the flash of interest when he saw police cars racing down the street with sirens blaring. It was obvious he thrived in it. She wouldn’t ask him to give it up for her. Her father had asked that of her mother and, as much as she’d loved him, it hadn’t been enough. Luisa knew that if she allowed Drake to take up residence with her, it would never last. She’d be losing another loved one before she was ready. So better to lose him before she had him.

There was comfort in having met Rebecca. She knew now the woman didn’t love him like a lover, but more like a brother. And the kids adored him. They’d miss him if he left and would deal with another loss almost as bad as losing their dad. Drake had been there for them several times a week and suddenly he was gone. She wouldn’t be responsible for that. They needed him, and he them.

Another tear slid down her cheek. Was this one for Marie or for herself? she wondered. It was time to set Drake free. Let him know he could go back with her, but that he needed to get his things and return to his world. His world and hers were too far apart. Too different. Their love would wither like an exotic flower in the desert. Their time together was coming to an end. She’d enjoy what time she had, and then it would be over.

Luisa Montoya knew she was strong. She’d made it on her own before and she’d do it again. The jet was flying them all home tonight. Tomorrow would be soon enough to watch Drake leave.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Drake could sense the difference in Luisa. She’d been silent all the way home. He tried to tell himself it was Marie’s death, but his instincts told him it was more. The distance between them was palpable. When he’d tried to join her in her place, she’d frozen him out. So here he was, drinking coffee, standing on his porch, and feeling sorry for himself. At the reading of the will, it became apparent that Luisa would never need him and any piss-ant salary he’d earn as a cop. She’d been left well off from Marie’s lifetime of work in design.

What the hell’s the matter with me? I thought I wanted to go back?

He threw the last of the coffee into the dirt. Drake looked out across the barnyard and saw Luisa walk through the barn door silhouetted by the barn light. He started to follow her, but thought better of it. She’d made it perfectly clear she wanted to be alone.
Well, if that’s what she wants, that’s what she’ll get.

Common sense told him she was just grieving. Male ego told him she didn’t want him anymore. Either way, maybe it was better if he just packed it in and left. He’d almost finished the deer. He could finish it back in LA from memory. He’d never forget what she looked like, the expression on her face, when she worked with the animals.

Warm thoughts caught him, flowed over and through him. How could he ever forget the nights they’d spent making love? The picture of her riding one of her great beasts made his lips curve. She was so beautiful, he thought, and had such a way with them. They gave in to her every whim. Perhaps he should give in to her, too.

Need curled around his spine, shivered down it to settle in his groin, before sending a flush of desire throughout his body. What the hell was he going to do without her? He shifted, standing up from the post where he was leaning.

As he turned to head indoors, a scream ripped the night air. It sounded as though it came from the very depths of a primeval animal. But it was Luisa. He almost bolted off the porch but instinct had him racing inside first. Drake jerked open a drawer and grabbed his off-duty weapon. It took only a flash for him to check to be sure it was loaded, and he was catapulting off the steps, running silently into the shadows around the barn light as another scream filled the air.

Horses whinnied and stamped in their stalls, and somewhere Rooster barked wildly. The sound of a loud thump reached Drake and the dog shrieked then whimpered. At the barn entrance, Drake crouched, still hidden in the shadows. He peered around the doorframe and nearly bolted upright.

Think, damn it. You can’t help her if they get you too
.

The sight of Luisa being shoved around by three armed men brought sheer terror to his heart. He could easily shoot one or two, but the third could hide behind her, and take her hostage. Then what would happen? His thoughts whirled through his mind as he fought to focus and trust his instincts. He’d trusted them once when it was this important, though, and look at what happened to Conall.

What the hell did these men want? She didn’t have anything here--no money, no jewelry, just ... Oh God. He had to get them away from her.

The men passed a bottle around, laughing and pointing at her. One suddenly reached out and grabbed the front of her blouse ripping it away from her body as she screamed again. Disgust twisted in his gut. Drake could only imagine what she was thinking in light of her early childhood.

He saw her gaze skid around the barn, looking for a way out. He had to do something before she tried to save herself and ended up dead.

“
Calma
!” the apparent leader demanded. “Later we play.
Vayamos a la casa
. Tie her.”

“
Sí
, Rafael.”

The scruffiest of the trio took a rope from the wall hook and tied her hands together, then tied her to a ring in the wall.

Good, Drake thought. They had robbery in mind. At least first. That would give him time to get her out.

As they turned for the door, Drake sank back into the shadows. The men headed for the house, undoubtedly see what they could steal. When they were on the porch, Drake slipped inside the barn and hurried to her side.

“Drake!”

“Shoosh! Quiet now,” he ordered. “Let me get you out of here.” He worked on the knots and quickly freed her wrists.

Luisa threw her arms around his neck. “We have to get out of here.”

“Do you know them?” Drake whispered.

“No. They’re not from around here. What are we going to do?”

“You have a phone out here?”

“That’s right. For vet emergencies.”

“I’m going to see where they are. You dial 9-1-1. Get some help out here.”

He saw a shudder cross through her, saw the determination in her eyes. He grabbed her face and pulled her close to give her a quick kiss, and then pulled her to her feet. “Go on.”

Luisa looked at him with love in her eyes. “Be careful. I can’t lose you, too.”

Guilt choked Drake. Hadn’t he just been thinking of leaving her?

A sound from outside jerked his attention away from her. She’d only gotten a few feet from him when the scruffy one reappeared in the barn aisle, gun in hand. When he raised it, he pointed the weapon at Luisa. Drake wasn’t going to lose another person he loved. He threw himself toward her to put himself in the bullet’s path as he raised his weapon and fired straight into the man’s chest. As he fell to the dirt with blood flowing from his chest, the intruder’s weapon fired a split second after Drake’s had.

Both Drake and Luisa went down as a bullet crashed into Drake’s shoulder. She cried out his name as he landed on top of her. She pushed him off, sat up and pulled his head into her lap.

“Drake! Say something.”

“Get on that phone. The other two will come back.”

Luisa moved away from him, grabbed the phone and punched in 9-1-1. When a bullet buried itself in the wall next to the phone, she dropped to the dirt with the receiver. She held her breath, waited one second, two ....

“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

“We’re being shot at. My friend is wounded. Another man down. Hurry.”

“Stay with me while--”

She threw the phone down, leaving it off the hook so the dispatcher could hear what was happening, and then crawled into the tack room. Hidden by the wall, she jumped to her feet and grabbed her shotgun.

#

Drake rolled to his feet and ran to the door to shoot at the others, scattering them across the yard. The last he saw of their silhouettes, they were running into the trees. Drake felt his shoulder and pulled away a blood-drenched hand. He slid down the door frame and waited for Luisa to run back, shotgun and clean towels in her hands.

“Where’d you get that?” he asked.

“I’m not naive or stupid, Drake. If anything happened, I probably couldn’t get help in time. I have to take care of myself out here.” She shrugged. “And I use it to scare off the occasional rattlesnake or mountain lion.”

She leaned the gun against the wall and pulled his shirt aside to press the towels against his wounded shoulder.

“There was a licensed hand gun in the saddlebags when we rode the other day.”

“You’re some woman, Luisa Montoya.”

“Thanks,” she said absently.

He looked at her face as she concentrated on stopping the flow of blood. He closed his hand over hers. “Luisa, I’m all right. It’s okay. Where’s Rooster? I heard him yelp.”

“He’s lying in the loose straw. I think he’s okay. He raised his head and wiggled his tail a bit when I called him. I’ll check him over when I get this bleeding stopped.”

“Well, what an adventure.” Drake tried to lighten the moment, but apparently failed. Red flashed across her cheeks. Luisa looks thoroughly pissed, he thought.

“Drake Forrester, don’t you ever do that to me again!”

“What?”

“You know darned well what. You could have been killed.”

“And that would matter because?”

“Because I love you, you idiot.” She not so gently pressed against his shoulder where the blood insisted on oozing through the towels.

“Hey!” He grabbed her wrist. “Easy does it there.”

She hiccupped as her eyes filled with tears. Drake watched as she swallowed hard and forced them down.
Determined not to let me see you cry, huh
?

“Luisa, what would you--” He grabbed both her hands and held them still. “What would you say to having your own private police force out here?”

She sat back on her heels, the towels dangling from her fingers. “What are you saying, Drake?”

“I’m saying I want to stay. When I heard you scream, my heart nearly stopped. If anything happened to you, I don’t know what I’d do.”

He saw the flash of hope spark in her eyes, then quickly die. Luisa shook her head. “It won’t work.”

“Why?”

“Because you don’t belong here. You’ve got friends, a career. God-children to raise who love you. I can’t ask you to give that up.”

“That’s true. I have those things. So do you. Well, mostly. And I’m willing to share the kids. Can’t we bring them out here to spend time during the summers? Haven’t you learned anything from this whole mess?”

She shrugged and looked toward the door as the faint sound of sirens filled the night air. A helicopter droned close, and then filled the barnyard with strong light.

Drake reached up and captured her chin forcing her to look at him. “I love you. If I’ve learned nothing else from losing Conall, it’s that we never know how much time we have left. I think you learned that from your mother.”

“That’s true, but that doesn’t mean it is always the right time and place. Mother left because she couldn’t take it here. My dad loved her with every ounce of his soul. It wasn’t enough. Why should I believe it’s enough for you?”

“Because we’re not the same people as your parents--hell, as our parents. Conall taught me that love never dies. That’s his legacy to all of us. No matter what, when you find your soul mate, it’s for all time. It might be a lover, a friend, a family member, but love never dies.”

The sirens were getting louder and the sound of trucks bouncing on dirt roads carried across the stillness. She wrapped her arms around him as he leaned against her and groaned.

“Damn robbers. First time I’ve ever been shot.” He looked at her and grinned. “You won’t tell my friends will ya’?”

She laughed. “No, I won’t tell. I love you, Drake. I’ll always be grateful to Conall for bringing you to me.”

“We owe him a lot don’t we?’

“Sure do.”

Several sheriff’s cars and an ambulance screeched to a stop in front of the barn, sending horses whirling in their stalls and bringing bellows from cattle in the pens.

Drake looked into her eyes before the EMTs could take over. “Did you think I would find it too quiet around here?”

“Yes, I did.”

He shook his head. “I’m betting life with you will never be dull. If you’ll have me, that is?”

“Is that a proposal?”

“As good as it gets at this moment.”

“Then I accept.” Luisa smiled, one that reached her lips, her eyes, and, he hoped, her heart. Drake watched the transformation in her expression. Amidst all the chaos, all was right with their world and
La Puerta de Paraíso
.