Her Heart-Stealing Cowboys [Hellfire Ranch 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (19 page)

“Rebecca? Donovan Garner here. Are you safe?”

“Yes, of course I’m safe. Why wouldn’t I be, Detective?” Fear tripled her heart beat. She cast a look over her shoulder but Tag was still on the phone with his back to her. Wade, however, watched her with a concerned expression. She lifted a shoulder and tried to smile.

“The box left last night was a direct threat against you, Rebecca,” Detective Garner said. “The contents are rather gruesome.”

“Gruesome?” she whispered. “Donovan, tell me what’s going on. What happened and what’s in the box?”

“Miss Miles called dispatch at 01:12 to report a suspicious phone message. The caller said there was a package addressed to you at your place of business. A patrol car was sent to your office. The door was open and the package on the outer desk. Nothing appeared disturbed. Looks like a professional entry. No marks on the door and no damage. The unit contacted me and the bomb squad.”

His dry and factual recital could not disguise the last few words. Rebecca swayed. “The bomb squad? Why?”

Wade touched her shoulder. “Rebecca?”

She shook her head and moved to the couch, where she sank down. “Hold on, Donovan.” She covered the phone with her hand. “Give me a few minutes. I’ll try to explain but I need to listen.” She flicked a glance at Tag who was now bent over the sideboard. She saw he was writing on a notepad.

“Go ahead,” Wade whispered. “He’s talking to Carson. Some situation in town.”

She nodded. “Go ahead, Donovan.”

“Sorry to inconvenience you.” His surly tone said quite the opposite. “I’m not troubling you, am I?”

“Can the attitude, detective. It’s two in the morning and you’re calling me to tell me about the bomb squad and my office. I’m not alone. I have to make some explanations.”

He grunted. “Yeah, sorry. The squad was just here as a precaution. They cleared the box. We taped it for prints and other evidence then we opened it up.”

Rebecca grabbed her ponytail and gnawed on the end. “What did you find?”

He hesitated. “I don’t think you need to know all the particulars.”

“Garner,” she gritted out. “Quit treating me like I’m a child. What the hell did you find?”

“A finger. Definitely female.”

Her stomach rebelled and Rebecca was afraid she was going to lose her coffee. She pressed the back of her fingers to her lips and sucked in a couple of deep breaths. “Who is she?”

“No idea. We finished with the scene and I came over to Deidre’s to see if she could identify the finger. She couldn’t. She insisted we call you, too.” He cleared his throat. “I would have.”

“Eventually,” Rebecca muttered. “Was that all that was in there?”

“No. The perp also included a lovely note for you. Blah, blah, blah, you’ll be sorry. First of many. Die, bitch, die. The usual.”

The bile rushed into her mouth and she clamped her teeth down. She dropped her phone as she sprinted for the bathroom.

“Rebecca!” Wade called after her but she didn’t stop.

She made it to the toilet and threw up the coffee. She gagged again. Her stomach cramped when there wasn’t anything left to bring up.

Her head was woozy and her knees wobbled. Rebecca flushed the toilet then washed her mouth out with water. She swished some mint-flavored mouthwash a few times until the bitter coffee taste was gone.

She grabbed a soft washcloth and soaked it with cold water before pressing it against her face.

“Bex? Are you all right?” Tag’s deep voice echoed through the bathroom door. The knob jiggled.

“Yes,” she replied. She scrubbed her face once more then rinsed out the washcloth and draped it on the towel rack. Her reflection belied her statement. Her eyes were red and puffy and held a bit of shock. Her usually pale skin held an unhealthy gray cast that made her look like an extra from a zombie movie. Her lips were pinched so tight that fine white lines radiated from around her mouth.

The knob rattled again. “Open the door.”

She flipped the lock and stepped back as he surged inside. She tumbled into his arms.

“Oh, Tag.”

His strong arms closed around her and pulled her tight into safety. She shivered and trembled and soaked up every bit of the security he offered.

One of his hands cradled her nape while the other stroked her spine. “Wade is on your phone, talking to some cop in Boston. What the hell is going on?”

Rebecca snuggled deeper into his embrace then leaned back. “My office has received a couple of threatening packages in the last two days. My secretary Deidre is fielding everything.” She bit her lip. “Now that you’re officially cleared, maybe I should go home and deal with this.”

His arms tightened at the small of her back. His green eyes were shadowed. “Threats against you personally?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

Tag’s big palms drifted up and down her back again. “Any suspects?”

She shrugged. “I have an idea but I haven’t run it by the detective yet.”

She fell silent and he continued to stare down at her. His unreadable expression stretched her nerves past the fraying point and she tried to push away but he wouldn’t let her.

“Tag,” she said.

“Hush,” he murmured. “I’m thinking.”

“About what?”

“About whether it’s right for me to ask you to stay.”

The simple words hit her with the blow of a line-drive fastball. She blinked away the tears that immediately formed.

“Why?”

Tag’s face softened and she saw glints of vulnerability behind the gruff façade he was trying to maintain. “Why would I ask you to stay?”

She cupped his jaw. The sharp bristles of his dark incoming beard prickled her palm. She savored the small sensation. This was real.
He
was real and solid and safe. “Why
wouldn’t
you?”

“Ah, Bex.” He hugged her tight.

His fervent whisper soothed her ravaged senses. She laid her cheek along his muscled chest. “Well?”

His chuckle jostled her head. “Stay with us. Let us keep you safe while your friend and the Boston cops figure this out.”

Warmth radiated from her core and she clung to it with both hands. “Yes,” she said. “Yes, I will.”

Tag nodded sharply. “First thing in the morning, we’ll check you out of the Calico Queen.”

“A good idea.”

Tag eased her back. “Come on, let’s go find Wade. He’s probably frothing at the mouth by now.” He gave her an apologetic look. “I have to go into town now, though. Got a report of a missing kid.”

All the tension she’d just displaced slammed back into her with the force of a sledge hammer. “Missing? Abducted?”

He cupped her shoulders. “Hey, you’re shaking like a leaf again. You okay?”

Get it together!
Rebecca drew on the reserve instilled by hours of etiquette classes and the desire to please her dad. “Yes,” she said. “I just get a little jumpy when I hear about missing kids.”

He looked like he wanted to grill her but she pushed past him and into the living room.

Wade paced near the door. Her phone was held tightly in one hand.

He speared her with a blue gaze so fierce she stumbled on the rug. Tag’s hand quickly righted her.

“Rebecca,” Wade said then rushed forward. “Why didn’t you tell us about the threats?”

She shrugged. “It didn’t seem relevant.”

“Not relevant?” Wade demanded. “Some sicko sends you a finger and it’s not relevant?”

“A finger?” Tag bellowed. He spun her around. “You didn’t mention that.”

She saw she was in danger of losing control of them both. She held up her palms. “Hold it. Both of you, just shut up for a minute.”

They each gave her a dark glare, which she ignored.

“Tag needs to get into town to help find this missing child. The rest is being handled by the very competent Boston police. There’s no need to panic.”
I hope.

Wade’s jaw clenched and unclenched then he grunted and looked to Tag. “What missing kid? Who is it?”

Tag headed for the door. “Melissa Jenkins. Mom called it in. Lock the door after me. I don’t know when I’ll be home.”

Wade caught his arm. “Her
mom
called you?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I know Melissa. She’s smart. Too smart for her own good some days. She and her mom don’t get along at all. Typical teenage daughter/mother arguments.”

Tag nodded. “You think she ran away?”

“Probably.”

“Okay,” Tag said. “I think you two should come with me, then. Wade, maybe you can help us find out where she’s hiding.”

“What will I do?” Rebecca asked as she followed them out the front door.

“Stay safe and close where I can keep an eye on you,” Tag said without apology.

She wanted to huff and remind him she was a grown woman who could take care of herself. But she couldn’t deny she felt infinitely safer in their presence.

Not to mention there was still a killer on the loose. And as small as Freedom was, the news of Tag’s innocence would sweep through the town wicked fast. “Okay, let’s go.”

The ride to the sheriff’s office was cozy and oddly calming. Rebecca ogled the stars spread across the black canopy of the Texas sky as they drove. She’d never seen them so bright and visible.

Counting the stars also helped keep her mind off the fact that maybe the missing kid was something more than a runaway.

“Is Mrs. Jenkins at the station?” Wade asked.

“Yeah,” Tag answered.

“Is the father in the picture?” Rebecca asked.

“No,” Wade replied. “He was killed in a one-car accident a few years ago. About six, I guess. Melissa was just eight. Sad thing. Her mom didn’t deal well with the loss. Turned to drugs and alcohol.”

“That’s common,” Tag said on a long sigh. “Not that it helps anything.”

Rebecca turned her attention back to the glittering stars. She’d been four when her mom decided drugs were a better alternative than her family and the comfortable lifestyle her father afforded them. She briefly wondered if the kid wasn’t better off on her own then squashed the thought. She had her father to guide and comfort her after her mom left. This kid sounded like she didn’t have any kind of stability.

Tag pulled up at the station and killed the engine. He turned around and hooked his arm over the seat back. “Sorry to drag you out like this, counselor,” he said.

She smiled. “Hey, all I had to do at your house was play solitaire.”
And fret.
“I prefer being around people. I make a mean pot of coffee, too.”

“Hallelujah,” Wade said. “Anything’s better than the rotgut
he
makes.” He jerked his thumb at Tag. “I think they actually have a course in law enforcement agencies on making tar smell like coffee.”

Tag snorted. “Wiseass.”

“Yep.” Wade opened the back door and held out his hand to help her down.

They walked into the office. Deputy Carson looked up at their entry. Relief warred with irritation on her pretty face.

“What took you so long?” she muttered.

Rebecca ducked her face and hoped the deputy didn’t read anything into her expression.

“Traffic,” Tag said. “Where’s Mrs. Jenkins?”

“Ladies’ room. I see you brought reinforcements. Good idea.”

Rebecca raised her hands with a smile. “I’m just here to make coffee.”

Carson’s eyes lit up. “Thank God. I never have gotten the hang of that.” She gave Tag a sour look. “Neither has he.”

“Sheriff, has there been any word?”

Rebecca turned to see a wan and too-thin woman emerge from a hallway. Her haggard face was lined with worry and fear. She had sunken brown eyes, underscored with black and purple smudges. Her lips were nearly the same gray color as her skin and hanks of limp brown hair lay flatly on her shoulders.

Tag strode forward. Rebecca caught her breath at the aura of command and tenderness he projected. He took the woman’s hands in his.

“You’re freezing, Mrs. Jenkins. Let’s get you sitting down and something warm to drink. I’d like to talk to you about what happened.”

The woman’s frail shoulders shook. “No, sheriff. I don’t need anything except my baby girl. Why aren’t you out there looking for her?”

Tag eased her into an empty chair then grabbed another and sat facing her. Rebecca edged around the room so she could see him better. Wade and the deputy joined her.

“He’s really good at this,” Carson murmured. “You’d think with his reputation he’d be surly, but never with mothers.”

Rebecca stared at Tag. She could feel the empathy and sincerity emanating from him and her throat was suddenly blocked with tears. She tried to swallow but it was painful.

“I’ll just go make some coffee,” she said and spun on her heel, heading for what she hoped was the kitchen.

Heavy footsteps followed her down the hall.

“Do you need any help?” Wade asked.

“No. You go help Tag.” She opened various cupboard doors and pulled down the canister of coffee when she finally found it.

“You sure?”

She pried off the lid and turned to him. “Yes. I’m fine.” Fear clutched at her but this time it was for the young girl out in the wilderness.
Is she all right? Is she warm enough? What if someone with horrible intentions really does have her?

Memories swamped Rebecca long and hard and she buried her nose into the can and inhaled. The soothing and delicious aroma helped immediately and she relaxed.

“Do whatever you can to help, Wade. Tag and Mrs. Jenkins need you.”

He ran his knuckles down her cheek then lifted her chin. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the knowing look in his blue gaze. “Someday you’ll have to tell us what’s got you so spooked.”

“Hey,” she said lightly. “I just got a dismembered finger in the mail. Isn’t that enough?”

He grinned even as he shook his head. “I know all about hiding secrets, Rebecca. I can tell that package is not what’s got you so rattled.”

“Are you hiding something dark and deep, Wade?” she teased.

Wade’s face tensed and he half turned to look out the door then back at her. “Not me,” he said lightly. Then he kissed her forehead. “I’ll send Deputy Carson in to sit with you.”