The Texas Ranger's Family (7 page)

That's right, Mom. Butter me up to make me feel guilty.

“I'm working undercover on a big murder case. It's possible I might have to be in Arizona this weekend.” Natalie and Amy would be with him. He found he didn't want anything to get in the way of his plans. “If I can see a way to do it, I'll call him, but don't count on it.”

Though his mother didn't say a word and never would, he could hear her thoughts.

Your father never put his Ranger duties ahead of his family when it counted.

And that hurt.

Chapter Four

Natalie was in the middle of making tacos for dinner when she heard her cell ring. There was no Caller ID, but Kit had given her a heads-up earlier in the day. “Hello?”

“Mrs. Harris? I've brought your husband's car home. It's in the driveway with the key in the ignition. I've left it unlocked.”

“Thank you so much.”

“You're welcome.”

After she hung up, she turned to Amy who was in her playpen chewing on one of her doughnut toys. “I'll be right back, sweetie.”

She left the kitchen and hurried through the house to the front door. When she opened it, she found it strange to see Rod's Sentra again, knowing he was out of their lives permanently. Her feelings were so dead where he was concerned, she felt as if she'd turned into an entirely different person.

She opened the trunk and reached inside for the quilt. The cell phone and laptop were in there, too. She gathered everything in her arms and shut the trunk before rushing back into the house.

Natalie put the things down on the couch but carried the quilt to the kitchen. “Look what I've got, honey!”

Amy pointed at it, but kept playing with her red doughnut. While she was still content, Natalie took the quilt to the laundry room to be run through a wash and dry cycle. Before doing anything else, she walked to her bedroom and gathered the rest of Rod's things from her closet. Kit had mentioned wanting to look through them, so she carried them to couch.

Once he'd checked everything, she would throw out the last vestiges of Harold Park. A shudder ran through her body. She couldn't wait to be rid of anything that reminded her of him. That included his car. She'd take it to a used-car dealer to sell or, better yet, donate it.

While she finished cutting up some tomatoes and avocado, her cell rang. She saw that it was Colette and took the call.

“Oh, Colette. Thanks so much for calling me back.”

“Of course. I feel terrible that I couldn't fly to Austin for the graveside service, but Chad had his appendix removed that morning and I had to stay home with him.”

“I understand totally. To be honest I'm glad you didn't come.” Natalie's voice shook.

“What's wrong?”

“Do you have a few minutes?”

“Sure I do.”

Natalie gave her friend a brief account of what had happened.

“My gosh, Natalie. I don't believe it. Rod was a felon?”

“Afraid so. There's so much to tell you, but not right now. The reason I'm calling is because the Texas Ranger who's working on the case wants to fly to Phoenix to talk to you about the day you saw Rod with that other woman.”

“You mean the woman who wasn't your cousin?”

“That's the one. When would it be okay to come? He says the sooner the better. Amy and I will fly there with him.”

“Come tomorrow. Chad is feeling better every day. I'll meet you at the airport to save you time.”

“That would be wonderful! I'll tell him and get back to you on the exact time.”

“Good. I'll wait for your call. Stay safe.”

“With a Texas Ranger guarding us, I'm not worried. Talk to you later.”

No sooner had she hung up than the phone rang again. She picked up and said hello.

“Hi, Natalie.” Kit's deep voice resonated through her. “I'm almost to the house. I don't want you to be alarmed when I let myself in.”

“Thank you.” He was so considerate, she was amazed. “Just so you know, Rod's car is out in the driveway. The key is still in the ignition.”

“In that case I'll park his car in front so I can drive into the garage.”

“I'd like to get rid of it, maybe through a donation if I can.” The words rushed out of her, revealing her state of mind.

“Forensics is done with it, so you're free to do whatever you want.”

“I still haven't found the title.”

“Don't worry about it. You can donate without one.”

Relief swept through her. “That's good. I have news for you. Colette called and said we can fly to Phoenix any time tomorrow. She's offered to meet us at the airport.”

“That's terrific news. I'll see you in a minute.”

Natalie lifted Amy and put her in the high chair with one of her toys. Then she folded up the playpen and put it back in the nursery. Before long she heard the garage door lift. To know he would be there in a minute made her excited, and it had nothing to do with the fact that his job as a Ranger was to keep her safe while he solved this case.

In a very short time she'd gotten use to this temporary arrangement and had made dinner with him in mind.
Remember it's only temporary, Natalie.
But try telling her heart that when he appeared in the kitchen wearing the clerical shirt. There was no way to shut out his arresting masculine appeal.

“Something smells good.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Famished.”

“I've made tacos.”

“Give me a minute and I'll join the two of you. Here's the key to Rod's car.”

When he disappeared, she got out a jar of junior sweet potatoes and lamb for Amy. Kit walked in a few minutes later wearing a claret-colored polo shirt and jeans. It was getting harder and harder to keep her eyes off him.

“Help yourself to anything you want, Kit.”

His smile made her pulse race. “Since you're busy feeding the cherub, can I fix you a plate, too?”

“I'd love it.”

She'd fried half a dozen tortillas. One taco was enough for her. But when she saw that he'd eaten four filled shells along with a large helping of tossed salad, she wondered whether she'd made enough.

He finally sat back in the chair and centered his hazel gaze on her. “That was delicious.”

“I can make more.”

“If I take another bite, I won't have room for the chocolate-marshmallow ice cream I bought.”

Natalie grinned. “So that's your favorite dessert?”

“One of them. I'll get it. Would you like some, too?”

“Sounds good.”

“Do you think Amy would like a taste?”

“Of course, but she's not getting the chance yet. Once she discovers chocolate, all my hopes of feeding her healthy foods will go right out the window.”

Laughter rumbled out of him, grabbing the little girl's attention.

“Kit—” Amy spoke his name with a happy smile.

“That's my name, sweetheart.” The tender look he gave her daughter touched Natalie deeply.

Kit dished out two bowls of the ice cream and handed one to Natalie.

She took a mouthful. “This is yummy. I haven't had this flavor in years.”

His dessert disappeared in a hurry. “I've loved it since I was a little kid.”

“What else did you love as a boy?”

“Oh...the usual. Snakes, fireworks, anything scary or that went boom.”

A chuckle escaped her lips. “Your poor mom.”

“Yup. With two sons to raise, she had her hands full while Dad was out on a case.”

Her head lifted. “A case? What kind? What did he do?”

He eyed her through narrowed lids. “He was a Texas Ranger.”

“Was?”

“Dad was killed in a shootout when I was seventeen.”

“Oh, no—I'm so sorry.” She bit her lip. “How hard to have lost him that early in life. I'm surprised it didn't put you off becoming a Ranger.”

He shook his head. “Just the opposite. In 1842 Sam Houston got a law passed that provided for a company of mounted men to act as Rangers under Captain John Coffee ‘Jack' Hays. My ancestor was one of them.”

“You're serious?”

“Yup. Three of the other Rangers who are my close friends are also descendants from the original company. The guys at headquarters have nicknamed us the Sons of the 40.”

“Wait a minute. I saw the four of you on TV. You brought down that huge drug ring!”

He nodded.

“I thought I'd seen you before.” She studied his rugged features. “I guess it isn't all that surprising that you wanted to be like your father. The Texas Rangers are legendary and honorable. The kind of men any child would look up to.”

“That described Dad.”

Natalie thought of her own father. Those adjectives didn't apply to him.

“Captain Hays and his company of forty defeated the Comanche raid at Bandera Pass, protecting the southern and western portions of the Texas frontier. Their story was passed down through my father's side of the family. I knew that one day I wanted to be a Ranger, too.”

“I guess with a heritage like that, you couldn't help but want to follow in your father's footsteps.”

“Something like that. Throughout high school and college I did steer wrestling, but it couldn't last. So I quit to go to the police academy. Eventually I was taken on as a Ranger.”

“Amy and I are very thankful you did,” Natalie said in a quiet voice and got up to clear the table. Much longer and she'd be begging to hear the rest of his life story.

He'd told her he was single. Much as she wanted to know, she didn't dare come out and ask if he was romantically involved with someone. It was none of her business.

“I left Rod's things on the couch with his laptop and cell phone. If you want to go through them, I'll do the dishes and give Amy her bath before putting her down.”

“Thank you for dinner. I didn't stop for lunch. You have no idea how happy I was to smell your food cooking.”

She laughed. “As long as I'm staying home, plan on eating any or all of your meals here. It's nice to have someone to cook for.” Natalie could have bitten her tongue off for saying that, but it was too late.

An hour later she walked into the living room having put Amy to bed for the night. She found Kit searching through the files on Rod's computer.

“Have you discovered anything that could help you?”

“No. He was too savvy to leave clues behind. I've been through his clothes, but they're several years old and nothing stands out. If you'll notice, he removed the labels so it would be difficult to trace where they'd been purchased.” Kit stood. “Do you mind if I bring in the step ladder from the garage? I want to look for prints on the attic lid and climb inside to take a look around.”

The attic?
“Go right ahead.” She'd almost forgotten the house had one.

“I'll be as quiet as I can.”

Natalie didn't doubt it. So far he seemed to be an expert at everything he did. While he put on plastic gloves and got busy, she went to the kitchen for a garbage bag to put Rod's old clothes in to take to Goodwill.

To her shock Kit came down the ladder carrying a medium-size suitcase. His gaze flicked to hers. “Have you ever been up in the attic?”

“Never.”

“Have you ever seen this suitcase?”

She shook her head.

“Let's see what's inside.” Natalie followed him into the kitchen and he put the case on the table. “It's locked, but I have tools.” He went to the guest bathroom for his bag. She marveled that within seconds he'd opened the lock.

When he lifted the lid, she gasped.

“Well, well. Two firearms. Both .45-caliber Colt automatics,” he muttered and picked them up one at a time. “They're loaded, ready to go.”

Natalie's hand covered her mouth. The police had been to her house but they hadn't been in the attic.

“Now we know at least one item the intruder was looking for. It's clear your husband knew this person and gave him a key to get into the house. Since Rod was killed before this person could find out where the guns were hidden, it makes me think there was a third party involved in all this.”

“Anyone that desperate should have realized the attic was the perfect place to hide them,” Natalie commented. Certainly she hadn't thought of it. But Kit wasn't like other people. He had the instincts only a few men were blessed with. That's why he was a Texas Ranger.

“Maybe he was afraid you'd get back from the funeral before he could search the attic and be found in the act.” He shot her a piercing glance. “Thank God, you didn't go in the house when you saw the state of the garage. If that person had still been in there, he could have taken you hostage.”

Or worse.

Natalie weaved in place and grabbed the back of a chair for support.

Kit closed the suitcase. “I'll take this to Forensics in the morning. Excuse me while I put the ladder away.”

When he came back into the kitchen, he removed the gloves and tossed them in the trash. “Let's go sit in the living room.” He motioned for her to lead the way and she settled into an armchair. He went to the den for his laptop before sitting on the couch.

“I spent most of the afternoon at LifeSpan and discovered how your husband was cheating the company. Right around the time he started working for them seven years ago, he set up a dummy corporation that looked like any of the dozens of companies LifeSpan pays for their services. But, of course, it didn't perform a service.

“The money went straight to a bank where it was deposited into a falsified account. He made constant withdrawals and pocketed the money under another of his assumed names.”

Natalie was scandalized. “What did he do with it?”

“It's my guess he invested it in various ventures—real estate, maybe—under yet another alias to hide what he was doing. The point is, the auditor who worked under your husband couldn't understand why the offsite, independent auditor hadn't caught the problem years ago.”

“That's horrible.”

“Agreed. He stole millions from the company. It seems likely to me your husband bribed an independent auditor to go into business with him and paid him a percentage for looking the other way. Or that person was a criminal like Rod. Your husband was fired a month ago when the independent auditor couldn't be found to substantiate Rod's claims that he'd done nothing wrong. The FBI is staging a full investigation.”