The Texas Ranger's Family (12 page)

When they reached the parking area he headed straight for his car and put the stroller in the trunk. Once he'd unlocked the car, Natalie fastened Amy in the car seat. He held the front door open for her and then went around to slide in behind the steering wheel.

Relief swept through him that his brother had the winning time. But more than that, he was thankful there'd been no incident to mar the night for them. He watched to see if they were being followed. En route to the motel his cell rang. He attached his Bluetooth earpiece and answered.

“Great job out there!”

“Thanks, Luckey. I take it you didn't spot Morales or his sister.”

“Not tonight.”

“I'm relieved to hear it. You're free to go and enjoy the rest of your evening.”

“I'll tell Vic.”

“Good. Just remember I'm here for you guys when you need my help.”

“We know that. It was a real pleasure meeting Mrs. Harris. I told Vic I wish I'd met her first. She's a stunner, and even better, she's nice.”

“Agreed.” Nice went a long way in Kit's book, too. “Talk to you later.” He ended the call.

Kit flashed Natalie a sideways glance, loving the sight of her profile. She was feminine to the core. “If there was no threat, we could have stayed through the whole program. Sorry to have to pull you away if you were enjoying it.”

“It was the perfect time to leave. Amy kept squirming. I was pretty sure I'd have to take her out when she'd finished her water.” She turned toward him. “Your mother is a lovely person. I can see where you get your coloring.”

“Most people think I look like my dad.”

“Then he must have been one tall and attractive Texas Ranger, too.”

“Luckey's the one the females flock to,” Kit said to hide his emotions. “He's still single—that's why we nicknamed him Luckey.”

She chuckled. “What about Ranger Malone? Is Vic his real name?”

“He's part Lipan Apache. His Ranger ancestor was named Victorio and Vic was named for him. But he likes the short version.”

“That's fascinating. And how did you get the name Kit?”

“When I first joined the Rangers, my boss said, ‘Your reputation at the police academy precedes you. Like Kit Carson, “You're clean as a hound's tooth.”' The nickname stuck.”

“I can't imagine a greater compliment. It fits you to a tee. I can vouch for that myself. If your father were alive, he would have been proud of you and your brother tonight.”

“I'm sure you're right.”

“Your mom was ecstatic.”

“You know mothers.”

“Yes. I had a great one, too.”

“It shows.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Have you noticed Amy's fallen asleep?”

“She's had a big day.”

“And a big scare from a big hus.”

Natalie's quiet laughter stayed with him. Before long they arrived at the motel and he drove to the parking space in front of his room. Kit wanted to stay in the moment and not get out. The need to take her into his arms was so strong he turned to reach for her, but there was a knock on the window.

He jerked around in surprise, thinking it must be one of the guys.

Janie?

In the next breath he opened the door and got out of the car.

“Sorry, Kit. I didn't mean to startle you.”

Kit couldn't concentrate because Natalie had gotten out of the car and had opened the back door to retrieve Amy.

“I promised Scott I'd come to watch Brandon's performance and take pictures. Your brother said you were staying at the Bucking Horse. Scott wanted me to thank you for pinch-hitting for him. It's because of you that Brandon wound up with a 3.0.”

He looked back at Janie, barely registering her comments. “Tell Scott I'm sorry about his accident. We're all hoping he gets better soon so he can end the season in Las Vegas with Brandon.” He closed the door and locked the car with the remote.

“I will. It's...it's wonderful to see you again, Kit.”

“It's good to see you, too. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go in.” He started to leave. She followed him.

“Brandon didn't tell me you're seeing someone. I was so surprised when I saw her sitting by your mom.”

A lifetime ago he might have been glad that she minded, but not anymore. If anything, he was irritated that she hadn't called him on the phone to tell him all this. Or better yet, hadn't made contact at all. If he were Scott, he wouldn't be happy to know his wife was here alone talking to her old boyfriend. Her unexpected appearance had shattered the moment for Kit.

“Be safe driving home,” was all he said before he headed for Natalie's door.

* * *

O
NCE
INSIDE
THE
motel room, Natalie had put a sleeping Amy in the crib then darted over to the window to look through the curtain. The attractive dark-blonde woman talking to Kit obviously knew him well. Natalie felt a stab of jealousy she couldn't help.

For the woman to come up to the car to get his attention spoke of long-time familiarity. Kit's jaw had hardened when he'd recognized her. Until she'd knocked on the window, Natalie had felt Kit might have been going to kiss her. But in an instant the mood had been broken.

She jumped when she heard the soft knock on the door. Natalie smoothed the hair off her hot cheeks and opened it. “Hi.”

“Is Amy still asleep?”

“Yes.”

“We need to talk.” He spoke in a quiet tone and walked in, locking the door behind him. “I shouldn't have let you come into the room alone before I could check it.”

“I wasn't thinking.”

“For once I wasn't concentrating. It was a slip that could have ended in disaster. Sit down while I call the front desk and ask them to bring in a cot. I'll be sleeping by you tonight. I'll tell them to put it outside the door so it won't wake Amy.”

She was so happy he was going to stay with her, she could hardly contain it. He walked over to the bedside table and phoned housekeeping. Then he sat on the side of the bed while she sank into a chair.

“I take it that woman is a friend of yours.”

His gaze traveled over her features. “She's Scott's wife. They have a little boy.”

“Oh!” That was enough to stifle her fear that he was in an ongoing relationship with her.

“I knew her long before any of us knew Scott.”

Her heart plummeted. “Us?”

“Brandon and me. Janie was my girlfriend during our steer wrestling days. I thought the day would come when we would get married.”

“What happened?”

“I decided to go into law enforcement rather than be a rancher. She knew the pain our family had gone through when our father died. To know I'd chosen a career that had killed my father upset her to the point that she broke up with me.”

Groan. “That must have been devastating.”

“I suffered for a while. But time passed and I realized it was the best thing that could have happened. She met Scott—a good, steady rancher and horseman. I was free to do the work I enjoy, knowing I wasn't tearing my wife apart because she was afraid for me.” He sat forward. “Luckey had a wife like that. After a year they divorced because she couldn't take it.”

“I can understand that. Are you over Janie?”

“A long time ago,” he said without hesitation.

That sounded definite. After a pause she added, “Do you think she's over you?”

“Yes. I'm convinced she tracked me down here because she was curious to see the woman who was sitting at the rodeo with my mother.”

“I presume that was her coveted place for a long time. I get it. Did you tell her who I was?”

“I said nothing and told her I had to go in. I'm working on your case, but my brother got careless and told her where I was staying. He knows better, but he forgot. It's the reason I don't have much of a personal life while I'm on a case.”

“It's all right, Kit.”

“No, it isn't.” He got to his feet and put his hands on his hips. His brows met in a frown. “I promised to protect you, but I let my brother's need take precedence over my duty to you. Never again.”

“Your boss had it right. Like Kit Carson, you're as clean as a hound's tooth. Cut yourself some slack for getting interrupted by your old girlfriend. That wasn't your fault. Don't forget that two of your Ranger buddies guarded me at the rodeo. If anyone is to blame, it's me, for getting out of the car before you told me to. I'm the one who could have walked in on someone waiting in the room.”

“Thank heaven it was empty,” he muttered with emotion. “If Morales had been inside, he could have taken you and Amy hostage. If my boss knew what had happened, he'd probably throw me out of the Rangers and he would have every justification.”

Natalie got up from the chair. “I see why you're so upset. This has taught me a lesson, too. I'll follow your directions to the letter. Will that be good enough for you?”

His rigid body relaxed and he let out a deep sigh. “It's going to have to be. Why don't you get ready for bed while I see if they've brought the cot?”

“Okay.”

Natalie disappeared into the bathroom and got undressed. Her pajamas and robe were hanging on the hook on the back of the door. She put everything on and brushed her teeth. When she came out, she noticed the cot opened up in front of the TV. Kit had pushed a chair into the corner and was talking on his cell phone.

She took a peek at Amy then got into the double bed, turning on her side away from him.

A few minutes later the light went out. She heard the creaking of the cot. Kit had to be exhausted. “Kit?”

“Yes?”

“My heart was in my throat when your event was announced. The second the chute opened, it looked like two torpedoes shot forward. It was over so fast I didn't have time to blink. What both of you did out there today was incredible. You have to be thrilled. You know your brother is thankful. So enjoy the triumph of this night. Please.”

Maybe five minutes passed before he spoke, but it wasn't the comment she'd expected. “That's hard to do. Vic got into trouble on a case because of a mistake he made. It almost cost him his badge.”

“What happened?”

“Someone kidnapped his son from elementary school.”

“Oh, no—”

“The guy was caught and arrested. When Vic interrogated him at the jail, the kidnapper refused to tell him where he'd taken his son. Vic went crazy and grabbed him. I saw him through the window and stepped in to stop him.”

“He was only trying to find his son.”

“True. But he forgot to be careful. That's what happened to me tonight. It won't happen again.”

“Did he find his son?”

“Yes, thank God.”

Kit wasn't about to let this go and she realized there was nothing she could say that would make him feel better. Naturally he'd been distracted by the woman he'd once planned to marry. But Natalie reasoned to herself that if he had loved her more than anything, he wouldn't have become a Ranger.

When she'd given up hope of any more talk he spoke again. “The only way I can savor this night is knowing you and Amy weren't harmed because of my distraction. You have to know your little girl is adorable. I'll never forget the look of fright on her face when that horse neighed. She hugged me so hard, I can still feel it.”

“Her response was instinctive.” Natalie had witnessed it. Anyone watching would have thought Kit was her father. Amy knew where to turn for safety and affection. Not in all the time Rod had lived at the house did he embrace Amy like that.

“Get a good sleep, Natalie.”

“I could wish the same for you, but I know that as long as you're guarding me, you'll never get the kind of sleep you need.”

“I manage.”

Tears trickled out of her eyes onto the pillow.
Sweet, wonderful Kit...

* * *

A
FTER
PHONING
THE
officer inside the house to let him know they were back, Kit drove the Altima into Natalie's garage at six Sunday evening. Much as he would have loved for them to stay and play in the swimming pool at the motel and not come home until dark, he refused to take any more unnecessary risks while Morales and his sister were still at large. Instead they stopped at several parks to allow Amy to run around while he stood guard, then drove home and ate their meals en route.

Kit helped Natalie inside with Amy. While she took care of her daughter, he went into the den with the officer and shut the door.

“Now we can talk. Tell me what's gone on.”

“No one tried to break in, but several people came to the house. The first person rang the bell about one yesterday afternoon. The man left a lawn care brochure on the front door handle. I put it on the kitchen table. Today a couple of women knocked on the door around eleven. They were Jehovah Witnesses and left the
Watchtower
magazine.”

“While you're still here, I'll pull the tape on the camera.” Kit walked through the house to the front door and opened it. After he returned to the study they looked at the footage. “The lawn man doesn't resemble Morales, but could have been paid by him to case the place.”

Kit kept looking until he saw the women. “They're the wrong ages and body shapes to impersonate Juanita. But they could be working for her.”

“Maybe they've decided the money and guns aren't here and the people who came by the house were on the level.”

“Maybe,” Kit muttered. “Thanks for doing a great job. I'll take over from here.”

He walked the officer to the back door. When he'd gone, Kit gathered the material left on the kitchen table and went to the den. First he called the Better Business Bureau and learned that Greenside Lawn Service was a legitimate business. Next he contacted the company to verify the employment of the man whose name had been stamped on the pamphlet. Everything checked out.