Playing For Keeps (Montana Men) (31 page)

Travis
pulled into the traffic. “Where are we going?”

“To
Flayme’s house.”

“Why?”

“When I talked to Duel, he said her front door was
unlocked. Someone was there ahead of him. He might not have had a chance to
look things over very well. I wanna look around—see if the intruder left
something behind.”

“Where’s Duel?”

Sam busied herself prowling through her purse. He wondered
what it was she was looking for, then she came up with a stick of strawberry
flavored gum, staring at it as if it was a life saver. “I don’t know,” she said,
dropping the gum back in her purse.

Travis decided she wasn’t looking for anything in
particular. She was simply occupying her hands and mind.

“I’m worried about him,” she said. “I should have heard
from him by now. I told him not to call, but you know him, he does what he
thinks is necessary. I knew he wouldn’t wait for two days. Not hearing from him
is worse than him not listening to me. Damn it! I haven’t heard from him since
he took off with Flayme.”

“You don’t know where he took her?” he asked.

“No. I haven’t a clue. We didn’t want to discuss it over
the phones.”

“Wise, Nailer probably has our lines tapped.”

“Yes. Well, the one thing the films proved is Jayla’s
innocence beyond certainty. Did you see her face? She looked so scared.”

Travis nodded and gripped the wheel. “It wasn’t all I
noted.”

Sam eyed him. “I know. Even with him wearing a mask, she
recognized the killer.”

Travis turned the car up the on ramp and headed in the
direction of Flayme’s home. “Do you think Nailer noticed?”

“He didn’t act like it, although I saw Rydge’s reaction.
He knew. I think Nailer was too busy looking for a way to accuse her to see
what was right under his nose.”

“Do you think it’s possible the president’s involved?”
Travis changed lanes and passed a car.

“What? In Molly’s assassination?” Sam tried to conceal her
surprise, but she knew it rang in her voice and Travis was no fool. “Oh, God, I
hadn’t even considered it, but yes, I suppose he’d be the number one suspect,
especially with his track record.”

“Rydge will keep as much of John’s extramarital affairs
out of the press as possible.”

“Sure.” Sam nodded. “He’s a good agent, and he’s conscious
of the fact that the president’s reputation needs to be squeaky clean, but if
he suspects John is involved in Molly’s death, he won’t cover his ass.”

Travis took the exit ramp and turned the car down Flayme’s
street. “Let’s hope not.”

“He won’t. Duel trained him well. You know he did. Duel
isn’t a man who’d conceal anything dirty the president might do that endangers
our country. He’d have trained Rydge to be the same way.”

“Yeah.” Travis turned the car into Flayme’s drive and
parked behind the purple Bug. “Yeah, he would.”

He and Sam forged through the snow up the walk and to the
front door. Travis started to take out his lock pick kit when Sam tried the
doorknob. The door swung quietly inward. She looked at him, startled, and
pressed a finger to her lips.

Travis nodded his understanding and retrieved his gun from
his shoulder holster. They stepped inside the entry hall, weapons drawn. A
shadowy figure lunged at them, trying to wiggle his way past the solid wall the
two of them made. Travis grunted and punched the assailant in the jaw. The
attacker slumped and dropped to the floor moaning.

Sam flipped on the light switch and stared at the
intruder. “What the hell are you doing here?” Then her eyes, turning cold as
the icy weather, she snapped, “You damn well better have a good explanation for
this.”

Chapter
Twenty-Five

Ever has it been
that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.

~Kahlil Gibran

Western Australia

Broome District Hospital

February 17, Tuesday

Twenty-four
hours of intravenous fluids, small amounts of fruits and liquids, and Taylor
decided that although he didn’t feel like a new man, he felt like an improved
one and was more than ready to escape the antiseptic and stifling confines of
the hospital.

Being
in all that space with no one’s voice except Dianna’s for so many days now left
him feeling claustrophobic in his room. Alone, except for an occasional
appearance of a nurse, doctor, or some other medical type, he felt more
isolated than he’d ever felt in his life.

God
knew the Remingtons were far from friendly, especially Wild—who seemed to
pretty much dislike humanity no matter who it was. Taylor finished buttoning
his shirt, tucked the tails inside his jeans and stared blankly at the silent
television screen. He had to get out of here, out of Australia. He didn’t think
he’d ever consider the Dancing Star home, but he did. His sister was there. He
wanted to go home.

And
he
didn’t
want to go home.

Dianna
was here and whether he liked it or not, the woman owned his heart. “She’s
better off without you, man. Get on with your life and leave her to hers. She
has family here. They’ll look after her.”

They sure as hell don’t need or want your
help!

Okay.
Taylor sucked in a sharp breath and tried to man up, tried not to think about
the woman he loved. Hell, he could catch a flight and be back in the States by
morning, back at the Dancing Star. He couldn’t stay in Australia. Dianna wasn’t
going anywhere anytime soon, and he couldn’t hover around her.

Besides,
he figured she’d be relieved to have him out of her life, the sooner the better
for both of them. He hadn’t seen her since their arrival. He knew she’d been
rushed into surgery and he’d heard she’d been given massive doses of
antibiotics. Every nurse and doctor who entered his room had been put through a
thorough exam of how she was doing until he got the answers he wanted to hear.
With time, she’d be okay. It might be all he needed to know, but there was no
way in hell he was leaving this hospital before he saw her for himself.

Taylor
eyed the small bandage on the top of his hand. A nurse had stopped by earlier
and pulled the IV catheter. She’d presented him with a release form to sign. He
was free to leave anytime. Taylor sighed. There was a plane leaving in about
three hours. It’d take him to Sydney and from there he’d book a flight home.

He
finished dressing, left his room behind, and stepped into the elevator. “One
quick stop and I’m outta here.”

Taylor
punched the button for Surgical ICU. He didn’t know what he would have done if
anyone had tried to stop him from seeing Dianna, but the nurse was
accommodating and buzzed him in.

He
drew a deep breath, slowly exhaled and entered the tiny cubicle where Dianna
was hooked up to all kinds of monitors and tubes with clear fluids flowing into
her veins. She was still unconscious, but he’d been told it was induced by
drugs.

God, she was so small in that bed, so pale. Gently, Taylor
stroked a finger down the top of her slender hand. “I have to go, baby, back to
the Star. I don’t want to leave you, but hell, you don’t need me mucking up
your life.” He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She didn’t
stir, and suddenly, he felt as if he’d already lost her. Tears burned his eyes.
He whipped around and headed toward the open doorway. “Good-bye, my love,” he
choked.

Quickly,
before he could change his mind, he left the room, hurried from the unit and turned
down a hall in time to see Wild bearing down on him.

Dianna’s
brother halted in front of him. “You’re leaving?” he asked.

“Yes.
I think that’d be for the best.”

Wild’s
fierce blue eyes glittered with rage. “Best for whom? You’re running away from
her.”

“What
the hell are you talking about?”

Wild’s
 
narrowed his gaze. “You said goodbye?”

“Yes.”

Taylor
didn’t see it coming. He should have, knowing the Remington reputation, but he
didn’t. Wild threw the punch so hard and fast, it connected with his jaw in a
blurry move that left Taylor skidding across the waxed floor on his ass.

“Ow!”
He slid to a stop and rubbed his
jaw. “What the hell was that for?”
                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Wild
offered him a hand up. Taylor lifted a brow, but figured Dianna’s brother had
got whatever the hell was in his system out with that punch. He let the aloof
cowboy help him up.

“It’s
for whatever happened between you and my sister out there in the rainforest,”
Wild replied, gripping his hand.

Taylor
rubbed his jaw and ignored the pain in his fingers. “What makes you think
anything happened between us?”

“You’re
a man and my sister’s a beautiful woman. I
know
something happened.”

“It’s
none of your business. Dianna’s a grown woman. It’s time you, Jace, and Duel
recognized that fact.”

Wild
nodded, his eyes cold. “As long as you didn’t force her.”

“No.
I’d never force Dianna to do anything.”

“Don’t
think we don’t know she’s all grown up. We saw the way you looked at her,
Spencer. I know damn well you didn’t keep your grubby paws off her.”

“My
grubby
paws?”

“Okay,
I know you didn’t keep your dick in your pants. If she agreed, fine, but like I
said, I’ll be asking her questions once she wakes up.”

“Shit,”
Taylor muttered. “Don’t you think that’s between Dianna and me?”

“I’m
sure it was between Dianna and you.” Wild grinned, something quite rare for
him, then his face darkened and his eyes narrowed in warning. “I don’t wanna
know the details, Spencer, but I’m warning you, if you break my sister’s heart,
I won’t stop with one punch next time.”

“Next
time, I’ll be more alert.”

Wild
snorted. “You better be, ‘cause I’ll be watching you. I’m flying back to the
States with you.”

“You’re
leaving Dianna here alone?”

“Raider
and Silver will see to her needs until she can fly home. She’s going to be here
a long time. I’ll fly back periodically to visit her, as will Duel and Jace, if
he’s able.”

“If
he’s able? What’s wrong with Jace?”

Wild
lifted his head and relaxed his fists. “Ahh, that’s right. You don’t know.
Smitt Davis attacked Jace and Kaycee the day you and Dianna left the ranch. The
bastard shot Jace.”

Taylor
felt his heart drop to his knees. “My sister? Is Kaycee all right?”

For
the second time, Wild grinned. “She’s fine. She had a gun crammed in her boot.
Now that little gal’s going to make a fine Remington…given time. She shot the
bastard. Let’s get out of here. We have a plane to catch.”

Taylor
groaned.
His sister toted a gun in her
boot?
What the hell was the world coming to? When had she started packing a
pistol for heaven’s sake? “For your information, Dianna carries a gun, too.”

Wild
did something then Taylor was sure he never did
—
the man laughed. “No
thing Dianna does could ever
surprise me. She’s a barracuda. Watch her when she’s back on her feet. She’ll
bite you on the ass.”

He eyed Wild and wondered what the man found so funny.
“Shit.” He was never going to get the Remingtons out of his life!

After
falling in love with Dianna, he wasn’t sure if he even wanted to.

* * * *

Annandale, Virginia

February 17, Tuesday

Nineteen hours and thirty minutes after the
assassination…

Sam
glared at Neil Turner crumpled there on the floor trying to look as if he had a
right to be in Flayme’s home, but she saw the nervous twitch of his left
eyelid. He damn well better have a good excuse for being here!

She
slid her gaze over him, noted the hard-on he was sporting and made little
effort to conceal from her, and thought she’d gag. Jesus, what in hell had the
perverted freak been doing up there? She glanced away quickly.
Sleaze ball.

From
the size of his straining cock, she had a pretty good idea what he’d been
doing. She figured it involved something silky of Flayme’s. It meant he’d
invaded the privacy of her bedroom. Pervert. He had no business here. What
she’d really like to do was kick his ass. “I asked you what you’re doing in
Flayme’s house.”

Neil
smoothed his pencil-thin mustache and pushed himself off the floor. “I took a
Viagra, and I thought maybe Flayme…” His voice trailed off and he held up his
hand. “I have a key. See? I assure you, Flayme and I share a bed right up
there.” He nodded back upstairs and to the right. “She likes it when I take
Viagra.”

“I
doubt it.” Sam tried to keep the boredom out of voice, but it was hard with
this little worm of a man. “I doubt any bit of your story is true, but Flayme
isn’t here to verify it, so again, I ask what the hell are you doing here?”

“Checking
on my woman.” He huffed in righteous indignation puffing out his chest,
reminding her of a puff adder she’d once seen in Africa. “There’s no law
against that.”

“There’s
one against breaking and entering,” Travis injected.

“Ahh.”
Neil held up the shiny key. “But I didn’t break in. I have Flayme’s permission
to be here else she wouldn’t have given me a key. Instead of worrying about me
and what I’m doing, maybe you should check out the pool of dried blood on the
kitchen floor.”

“Blood?”
Sam felt her heart skip a beat. She hadn’t heard from Duel in hours, or Flayme.
What if he and Flayme were in trouble? “How much blood?”

Neil
stopped in front of her. “Enough that you should be worried.”

Sam
took a step back. She didn’t want anywhere near Neil or his Viagra drugged
cock. “You should go now. I want to see you in my office first thing in the
morning. Be there on time. Please, do something about your little problem.”

Neil
grinned, a toothy smile that grated on Sam’s nerves. “I’ll be there, boss
lady.” He rubbed his zipper. “I can’t promise my…er…problem will be resolved
since Flayme isn’t here to give it some ease like usual, but I’ll try.” He
brushed against her shoulder as he went around her and headed to the front
door.

Sam
shuddered and held up a hand, halting whatever Travis was about to say, until
Neil closed the door on his way out.

“Cocksucker,”
Travis rumbled. “Where do you think he got that key? Do you believe Flayme
really gave it to him or that she has sex with him?”

“I
don’t know.” Sam chewed on her lower lip. “I wanted to snatch it out of his
hands, but I can’t make him surrender it to me, not without just cause, and not
liking him isn’t just cause. She might have given it to him, and yes, it
certainly appears she’s sleeping with Neil.”

“I
thought she was sleeping with Mac.”

Sam
shrugged. “She’s never denied or confirmed her relationship with Mac to me.
Hell, I suppose she could be sleeping with both men. There’s certainly no law
against it. Flayme’s a dark horse. She keeps things to herself.”

Travis
frowned and guided her toward the kitchen. “What do you mean?”

She
eyed the crimson stain on the floor. “Shit. Somebody’s hurt bad.” Sam turned to
Travis. “I can’t tell you anything about Flayme other than what’s in her file.
I know she has some powerful political connections in the White House, and
they’re people neither you nor I want for enemies. Her words, not mine.”

“Huh.”
Travis thrust his hands in his pants pocket and rocked back on his heels.
“Well, there’s not a body, no signs of one being dragged out of here, either.
Should we call the police?”

“No.
I don’t want to involve the cops, at least not until we’ve had time to do our
own investigation. I wish Duel would call in.” She hooked her hand around
Travis’ arm. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Let’s get out of here
and get something to eat. We’ll come back tomorrow and search the house more
thoroughly and the back yard. Once I’m satisfied, we’ll notify the police of
the blood. Maybe we’ll find some clues as to what happened here in Flayme’s
kitchen before they converge to muddy the scene.”

Travis
nodded. “Okay, Sam, but let me make one thing clear. I’m spending the night at
your house.”

“I
know.” She just wished he’d spend the night in her bed. She definitely needed
some long, leisurely hours of hot sex.

* * * *

Rimrock, Montana

Blackstone Ranch

February 18, Wednesday

Thirty-two hours after the assassination…

Smitt
Davis lay in the loft of the hay barn, watched Sheriff Danger Blackstone kiss
his pretty wife and grinned. Her belly was getting big and he wondered just how
attractive the lawman thought his wife still was, now that she was no longer
slim and trim, but bitchy as a bear.

“Leave,
fucker,” he whispered, willing Danger out of the way. He had plans for the
sheriff’s wife, big plans.
Ooh,
yes.
Fun-fun-fun. His heart picked up its tempo. His palms felt sweaty and his hands
shook. His cock throbbed behind his zipper.