“Jess, why are you here?”

She’d come into his room in the middle of the night and he’d grabbed her and pinned her against the wall. He let her go when he realized who it was.

“I came to protect you. You’re still weak. And it’s not safe for you to be alone.” As she spoke, she stepped toward him till she was mere inches away.

“You can’t keep saving me, Jess. And you shouldn’t be so close.”

Dammit, he wasn’t a robot, or a dead man—yet. When a beautiful woman wanted a kiss, he was ready to comply. But somehow not with her.

“Jess, I only have now, this moment. I can’t promise—”

“I didn’t ask for promises, Steve.”

Throwing better judgment to the wind, he bent his head and kissed her.

That was when gunshots tore them apart.

Randall on the Run
Judy Christenberry

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Judy Christenberry has been writing romances for over fifteen years because she loves happy endings as much as her readers do. She’s a bestselling author for Harlequin American Romance, but she has a long love of traditional romances and is delighted to tell a story that brings those elements to the reader. A former high school French teacher, Judy devotes her time to writing. She hopes readers have as much fun reading her stories as she does writing them. She spends her spare time reading, watching her favorite sports teams and keeping track of her two adult daughters.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Jessica Randall—Three years in Hollywood couldn’t rub off the Randall code. Jessica couldn’t pass by a person in need without offering a helping hand—no matter what it cost her.

Stephen Carter—Someone wanted him dead—and had almost done the deed. But just when he thought he was a goner, a Hollywood beauty had come to his rescue.

Mike Davis—He was the sheriff of Rawhide and married to a Randall woman. He was also required by law to report a bullet wound. Could Steve trust this small-town lawman with the truth?

Marcus and Baldwin—They had been Steve’s partners, but now they were out for Steve’s blood.

Miguel Antonio—He was Steve’s boss and the second-in-command at the Drug Enforcement Agency. Before he could make his move, Steve had to decide. Was this D.C. big shot friend or foe?

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Epilogue

Chapter One

Jessica Randall was going home.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she’d finally loaded into her car all her personal items from the furnished apartment where she’d lived for three years.

Three years. She’d been awfully naive when she’d first arrived in Hollywood. Since then, she’d learned a lot about the movie industry—and it wasn’t all good. In fact, the underbelly of Hollywood had soured her on living here. Dreams about home had gotten stronger and stronger until she could no longer relegate them to her subconscious.

It was night, but she figured she could get in at least five hours of driving before she’d have to stop and sleep. After all, in Hollywood, no one went to bed early.

Besides, she didn’t want to stay here one more night.

“Come on, baby,” she called.

There was a loud woof before the arrival of her “baby,” a golden–labrador retriever mix. He’d kept her company so she wouldn’t forget home. Every morning she’d run with Murphy at her side, his tongue hanging out as he raced gleefully along.

With one last look, she locked the back door and reached for the garage door opener just as shots rang out. Jessica swallowed as a shiver raced over her. After all the warnings of her family, she hadn’t had contact with any bad elements in Los Angeles since her arrival. Immoral elements, yes, but no gun-toting bad ones.

On her last night she ran into a gunfight? What were the odds?

She paused, but when she heard nothing else, she joined Murphy in her SUV and locked the doors before she pressed the garage door opener. Then she cautiously backed out. Everything seemed deserted, exactly as it always was.

Good. She just wanted to get away.

Flicking on her high beams, she started down the alley. Then she gasped when her eyes lit on a dark mass on the roadway. It looked like a body! She slammed on the brakes and took a second look.

It was a man. And he wasn’t moving. Was he dead?

As much as her better judgment was telling her to keep driving, to leave Hollywood and all its baggage behind, she knew she couldn’t. She had to stop. Leaving her engine running, she looked carefully around her before she slipped from behind the wheel.

In the bright beam of her headlights, she saw the man was still breathing, but bleeding heavily from his upper right torso. “Hold on, I’ll call for an ambulance,” she told him, though she didn’t really think he heard her.

She turned then, but a strong hand grabbed her arm, holding her in place. A scream died in her throat as she looked down at the injured man.

“No! No ambulance.”

“But you need medical help. I can’t—”

His hand on her arm squeezed harder. “No doctor, either,” he managed to say.

“What do you expect me to do? I can call the police but they’ll—”

“No!”

A suspicious feeling settled around Jessica. The man was seriously injured, but he refused help. Why? Fearing the worst, she began to back away.

“I’m DEA undercover.” Through his pain he managed to get the words out, but she could see the effort was a struggle for him.

“Then why can’t I call the police?” She remained skeptical.

“I—I think my own people shot me. The police will contact them…and I’ll die. I won’t be able to—to defend myself.” The lengthy speech drained him, and he sighed deeply.

Jessica had no way to know whether his story was true or just another of Hollywood’s fictions. But there was something about the man, something she heard in his voice, that made her take a chance. If what he said was true, she had to get out of this dark alleyway, and fast. “Do you want me to take you anywhere? Someplace safe?”

He nodded.

“You’ll have to tell me where to go.”

“Okay,” he muttered, but his eyes slowly closed.

Jessica knew she had to do something about the bleeding, otherwise he wouldn’t make it much longer.

She hurried to the truck and the first-aid kit her father had insisted she bring with her. “You might need it in Los Angeles.” Just thinking about her father and his strength and courage steadied her nerves. She took the box to where the man lay and ripped his shirt open to expose a gunshot wound in his shoulder.

She was surprised to find a manila envelope stuck in the top of his pants.

“What’s this?” she asked, almost to herself.

Again to her surprise, his hand grabbed the envelope, but he didn’t have the strength to pull it from hers. “Evidence. It’s…important.”

“I’ll take care of it. I won’t let anyone see it.” Her voice was urgent. She was afraid whoever shot him would come back to be sure the job was done.

He seemed to accept her assurance as his grasp loosened. She lay the envelope beside her as she began to tend to the gunshot wound, hoping the thick pad she held on the wound would slow the bleeding.

He cursed in a hoarse voice.

But she knew pressure was needed to stop the bleeding. Then she struggled to get him to his feet. When he was finally upright, though draped all over her, she led him to the SUV. He was a big man, and without his help she never could’ve gotten him up.

“Got to hide,” he whispered in her ear.

Again shivers attacked her. She didn’t know if it was from the words or the breath of hot air against her skin. “Okay. But first we have to get you inside. You’re going to have to help me.”

She’d gotten a couple of friends to help her put her mattress in the back of the SUV, with the rear seats folded down. Murphy used it as a comfortable bed.

Shoving back some of the clothes, she wedged the man in behind the front seat and lay his head on a pillow. All in all, she thought he’d be pretty comfortable. To be on the safe side she covered him with some of her clothes, and on his head, pulled down low over his face, she put a cowboy hat that she’d taken with her from Wyoming as a remembrance of home.

Maybe it was a little overdone, but she wasn’t taking any chances.

Remembering her promise to take care of his evidence, she hurried back to the spot and grabbed the manila envelope. She slipped it beneath her seat in the SUV, out of sight.

When she got behind the wheel, she thought she caught some movement in the dark behind her. But when she looked around, she saw nothing; she told herself it was her imagination, and pressed down on the gas.

“Damn!” She’d forgotten to ask her passenger where he wanted to be taken. She leaned over the seat back, but even when she shook his leg under the clothes, he didn’t answer.

So now what was she supposed to do?

She got on a freeway, or a parking lot, as they called them in L.A., headed in the direction she planned on going. At least he was safe in her car. When he woke up, she’d figure out how to get him where he needed to be.

About twenty minutes later, she wasn’t quite as sure about his safety as flashing lights suddenly appeared in her rearview mirror. At the siren she carefully pulled to the side of the road and put on her hazard lights. She certainly hadn’t been speeding. Why was she being pulled over?

After a quick check to be sure her passenger remained hidden, she rolled down her window.

A Los Angeles policeman approached her and she greeted him with her most charming smile. “Good evening, Officer. Was I going too fast? I didn’t think so, but—”

“No, ma’am. But we’ve been looking for a perp in a robbery and the car kind of fit the description of yours.”

For some reason, Murphy growled at the officer. Jessica realized the dog hadn’t made any protest about her injured passenger.

“Well, there’s just me and Murphy,” she said, gesturing to her dog. “Unless the bad guy was a woman with a big dog, I think you’ve got the wrong vehicle.” She noticed his eyes kept focusing on the piles of items in the back.

“You’ve got a lot of things in your vehicle. Big shopping trip?”

“No, not at all. I’m moving.”

“No furniture?”

“No, I was renting a furnished apartment.”

“I see.” He still stood there, searching with his eyes. Finally, he said, “Mind if I search your car?”

She gave him an appalled look. “Yes, I do. It may not look organized to you, but I very carefully loaded my things so that nothing would get broken. I don’t want you stirring things up. Anyway, it’s not as if I could hide a—what did you call him, a perp?—in there.”

“Okay, I guess not. Where are you headed?”

Jessica did some quick thinking. She hadn’t turned off yet to head north, and she didn’t think she wanted this man to know where she was going. “Dallas. I thought the best route would be to hit Highway 10 and go straight across.”

“Yeah, that’d be best.” One more look, then the officer tipped his hat, thanked her for being so patient and strode back to his vehicle.

She closed her eyes for a moment of thanksgiving after he eased his patrol car back onto the freeway.

Could her passenger have been telling the truth? She was beginning to think so. She drove cautiously for several exits, then pulled off to stop at a drive-in grocery. She went inside and bought some bottled water and a couple of snacks, the latter of which she shared with Murphy. Then she returned to the car and found her tool kit, another item her father had insisted on, and something else she’d saved. Her Wyoming license plates.

Quickly, she replaced the California license plates on her vehicle. Her shaking fingers slowed her, but it didn’t take long. Then she got in and drove away from Highway 10. If her passenger had been telling the truth, she might be stopped again if she kept the same plates. Or if she stayed on the highway she’d told the officer she would be on.

Now she was headed for Nevada, Utah and then Wyoming, her home. Whenever the guy woke up and wanted out, she’d set him free. But she was heading home.

The last thing she did before she got back on the road was to give him some aspirin to control the fever she felt sure would follow.

ABOUT 3:00 A.M., Jessica pulled into a rest area, cracked her windows enough to let in air but not enough to let anyone have access to her car while she slept. She reached for another pillow for herself, and gave a blanket to Murphy. After checking on her still-sleeping passenger, she curled up and fell asleep.

When Murphy wanted out the next morning, he woofed gently, and she opened one eye. “Murphy, are you sure? I’d like to sleep longer.”

He woofed again.

“Okay, okay.” She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Then she remembered her passenger. She scooted over so she could reach his face. He was still asleep, but the fever was raging. She left him alone while she opened her door and got out with Murphy.

After her dog had relieved himself, she brought him back to the vehicle and got out more aspirin and a bottle of water. “Wake up,” she whispered to the man, who didn’t appear interested in waking at all. She finally got him awake enough to take more aspirin and a small sip of water. Then she left him alone again.

“Murphy, I’m going to the restroom. Keep guard of our friend, okay?”

She patted him on the head and slipped out of the vehicle, locking the door behind her.

When she came outside again, she eyed the pay phone. If she was going to call her cousin Caroline, now would be a good time, and no one would pick up her conversation, as they could on a cell phone.

She dialed the number for a collect call. When someone answered, she was afraid they wouldn’t accept the charges, but she used her full name and the Randall part of it did the trick.

“Oh! Oh, yes, just a minute.”

The operator said, “Hello, ma’am, will you accept the charges?”

When there was no answer, the operator said to Jessica, “Ma’am, I’m sorry, they won’t—”

She was interrupted by a voice Jessica recognized. “Hello? Yes, we’ll accept the charges.”

“Go ahead, please,” the operator said and clicked off.

“Caroline?”

“Yes, Jess. Where are you?”

“Some place in Utah.”

“You’re coming home?” Caroline’s voice rose in excitement.

“Yes, but that’s not why I called. Listen, Caroline, I have a—a person who’s been shot.”

“What? Jessica, what are you up to?”

“I’ll explain later. I bound the wound tightly to stop the bleeding, and I’ve given him aspirin. I don’t know if the bullet is out or not. Is there anything else I need to do?”

Since Caroline was one of two practicing doctors in Rawhide, Wyoming, her family’s hometown, she knew Caroline could advise her.

“No, nothing else, except to take him to a doctor.”

“He refuses.”

“Why?”

“It’s a long story. And I don’t know how long I’ll have him around. If he comes to, I’ll probably drop him somewhere.”

“This doesn’t sound smart, Jess. He could hurt you.”

“Not as long as he’s passed out. But don’t worry. I’ll be careful. If I have to bring him home, will Mike have to report him being shot?”

“That’s the law,” Caroline said, her voice sounding ominous. “I’m going to call Uncle Brett right now if you don’t explain yourself.”

She immediately begged her cousin not to worry her father, Brett Randall. “I’m being careful, I promise, Caro, but I have to get back on the road and there are reasons I can’t talk about him on the cell phone. Someone might pick up the call.”

“This is sounding worse, Jess, not better!”

“I know, but I promise I’ll explain when I get there. Just trust me for a couple of days.”

“All right, but no longer. And call back.”

“I will. I’m going to call Mom and Dad to let them know I’m coming.” Jessica breathed a sigh after she hung up. She’d been afraid of Caroline’s answer. She knew the man needed a doctor, but she wouldn’t take him to one against his will.

Unless he worsened, of course.

She hurried to her SUV as if her thinking such thoughts would make them come true. She opened the door on Murphy’s side and pushed her dog to the driver’s seat so she could lift the hat and clearly see the man’s face.

He was handsome, in a rough way. He needed a haircut and a shave, but nothing could hide his sculpted features. No wonder he was in Hollywood, home of the beautiful people.

Luckily it appeared the bleeding had stopped. She got out the first-aid kit again. If she rebandaged him, she could use the antibiotic cream, which might stave off an infection.

The ugly sight of his wound reminded Jessica why she hadn’t gone into medicine, like Caroline had. And her checkbook always taunted her for not going into accounting, like her sister, Tori, had.

In fact, in addition to her flair for the dramatic, it was because she had no other skills that she’d turned to acting. But at least she’d proved herself. She’d stayed in Hollywood until she got a role in a major film. That way her family wouldn’t think she was a failure when she came home.

Just as she was finishing binding the wound again, the man moaned.

“It’s all right,” she whispered soothingly. “You’re safe.”

She was sure he heard her because the tension in his body went away. She covered him up to his neck and lay the hat on his stomach so she could reach it quickly if she got pulled over again.

They were only a few miles from Cedar City, Utah, a town in the southern part of the state. When she reached the outskirts, the hat went back over the man’s face so she could pull through a fast-food restaurant drive-through and get breakfast for her and Murphy. She didn’t think her passenger would be up for any food just yet.

Once she’d done that, and Murphy was busy munching his sausage and biscuit, Jessica began talking to her dog, as she always did. He was her best listener.

“You know, Murph, I can’t keep referring to him as ‘the man.’ Maybe we should give him a name. What do you think of Angus? He’s got dark hair. He could be an Angus. Or maybe he’s a cowboy, like the men in my family. Shall we call him Clint, in honor of Clint Eastwood?”

Murphy woofed his disapproval.

Jessica suggested several other names until a deep voice said, “Steve.”

She almost drove off the road as she stared at her dog. Then she realized the sound had come from behind the seat. She did pull to the side of the road then. “You’re awake.”

“Yeah,” he said, just barely above a whisper.

“I should give you some more aspirin. Are you in pain?”

“Yeah.”

Well, he was a big conversationalist, wasn’t he?

She put the aspirins in his mouth and then lifted his head slightly so he could drink the water.

After a long drink, he sank back. “Where are we?”

She was afraid her answer would shock him. “Utah.”

“Why?” he asked, his brow wrinkling.

“I was on my way home. You didn’t tell me where you wanted to go, and I couldn’t just let you lie there and bleed to death, so I brought you along with me.”

“Too dangerous,” he muttered.

“I think we’re safe enough now. Though I did worry when the policeman pulled me over.”

“When?”

“Last night in L.A. on the freeway.”

“Why?”

Another one-word response. “He said my vehicle fit the description of one belonging to a perp who’d robbed a store. He wanted to search my car, but I told him no.”

“How did you know you could refuse? Most people—”

“I asked a policeman who was a consultant on a cop show I did once. He told me.”

“And the officer said okay?”

“Yes. He looked into the back and let me go. Then I gave him a phony destination.”

“Plates. They can track—”

“Doesn’t matter. I changed plates.”

“How?”

“I kept my Wyoming plates for sentimental reasons. So, after he stopped me, I changed back to my Wyoming plates. And they haven’t expired. Then I cut across to the highway that leads to Salt Lake City.”

“You said Wyoming.”

“Yes, that’s where I’m headed. Do you want me to drop you off somewhere?” She was surprised at the reluctance she felt at turning him out on his own. She’d saved his life, after all.

“No, they won’t look for me there.”

“Who, Steve?”

He swallowed hard. “My partners. They shot me… I think my boss is in on it too. That’s why I have to get to Washington.”

“You’re in no shape for that,” Jessica told him. “Right now we’re just trying to get you to a doctor in Wyoming—”

“No doctors!”

“If you’d let me finish, the doctor is my cousin.”

“But they have to report it to—”

“The law, who is her husband. I’ll explain everything, and he’ll do the right thing.” She hoped he didn’t ask what the right thing would be. Mike would try to help, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t report the wound.

“Okay.”

It was as if she could read his mind. She was sure he was thinking he’d have time to get lost again, because it would take his enemies time to get to Wyoming. She didn’t bother arguing with him.

“So, we’ll be on our way, Steve. That is your name, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you hungry? I can stop—”

“No. Just drive.”

So the man had a bit of an attitude. Jessica wanted to remind him that men usually went out of their way for her, not the other way around. Some men even found her attractive. Then she caught herself up. That was a Hollywood thought. She needed to remember how life was in Rawhide. She’d be home soon.

She got behind the wheel, gave Murphy a pat and started the engine, automatically locking the doors. Then she eased back onto a highway that didn’t have a lot of traffic. It was a relief after Los Angeles.

They picked up traffic again as they got close to Salt Lake City. Steve had gone back to sleep, so she had no conversation to relieve the boredom of the drive, but she felt a growing excitement about going home.

For lunch she chose a restaurant this time, rather than fast food, because she thought she should get something for Steve. She locked him and Murphy in the car and went inside. After she placed an order to go, she went to the ladies’ room. Then she returned to wait for their food.

It only took fifteen minutes, but she was impatient. Finally, she carried a big sack of food out to her SUV and put it behind her seat.

When she got in, she stopped Murphy from pawing through the sack. “No, Murphy, you have to wait. When we get to a park, I’ll let you get out and eat your dinner.”

On the other side of the city, she found a park that didn’t have many people out in the middle of the day. She took out Murphy’s steak and put it on the grass and led him to it. He began chowing down at once.

Jessica returned to the SUV so she could feed Steve the beef broth she’d bought for him. “Steve, can I prop you up so you can eat some lunch?”

“Yeah,” he whispered, though she wasn’t sure he was really awake yet.

She took the second pillow and got it behind him, then she opened the container and began feeding him the soup.

He kept sniffing, reminding her of Murphy.

“Why do you keep sniffing?”

“Because I can smell steak. I want to know how much of this slop I have to eat to get to the good stuff.”

Chapter Two

After staring at him, Jessica said, “Sorry. The steak is for Murphy, not you.”

“The dog? I need steak to help replace the blood I lost.”

“No, you’re still running quite a bit of fever. This is all you get for a while…unless you want to see a doctor?”

“No!” he protested, though his voice was weak.

She’d left Murphy’s door open, and he jumped into the seat and put his head over the back of it.

“Damn it! He’s big enough to be a horse!” Steve exclaimed.

“No, he’s not. Murph, you’re drooling on our patient. Sit!”

As always, Murphy obeyed her at once and disappeared from Steve’s view.

“Now finish your broth so we can get on the road again,” she said, trying to be patient.

“I don’t want anymore,” he grumbled.

“Don’t be a baby just because you didn’t get steak.”

“That’s not it. I—I need to use the facilities.”

“Oh.” After a minute she said, “I need to stop for gas. You can take care of things then. But first we’ll need to take off that bloody shirt.” She rummaged in the back of the vehicle and found an oversized zippered sweatshirt that had been her favorite on a damp morning.

With assistance from her patient, she carefully took off his bloody shirt, which she tossed in a trash can, and zippered him into the sweatshirt.

Steve was stoic through it all.

Next she put away his broth, ignored her own lunch and got back on the road. At what she thought was the last gas station outside town, she pulled in. After she stopped, she shook Steve.

“I’m awake.”

“I’m going to put in the gas. Do you need help getting out?”

“No, but the dog’s in the way.”

“I’ll move him.” When she got out, she motioned for Murphy to come to her seat. She’d left her window down, and Murphy hung his head out while she pumped the gas and Steve slowly ambled over to the restroom. She thought everything was going well until the station attendant stuck his head around the back of her SUV.

“Howdy,” the man said, grinning too broadly.

“Hello.” Her hand loosened on the gas handle and she almost spewed gasoline everywhere. She looked over her shoulder to see if she could see Steve returning.

“You headed to Wyoming?”

She stiffened. Even without Steve, she didn’t like to tell strange men where she was going.

“I saw your plates and guessed,” the man added, still grinning.

“Yes, I’m going back to Cheyenne, my hometown.” She patted herself on the back for coming up with another good story. But then that had always been one of her few talents.

“I been there once. It’s a nice city. Lots smaller than Salt Lake.” He moved closer.

“That’s true. Are you from Salt Lake City?”

“Naw. I move around. Don’t like to stay in one place all the time.” He kept staring at her.

Through the windows, she saw Steve coming back. She smiled at the man, wanting to keep his attention on this side of her vehicle so Steve might be able to get in unobserved. “I like Salt Lake City, but I have to leave because my mother is sick. She wants me to come take care of her.”

“Aw, that’s too bad. But you’ll be coming through a lot to visit your friends, I bet. Will you stop by here again?”

“Probably. This is a good location.” She replaced the nozzle in its holder and opened her purse, taking out some bills. “May I pay you?”

“You sure can. I’ll go get your change.”

“Oh, just keep it. You’ve been very kind.”

She opened her door and jumped in, moving Murphy over to make room. Unfortunately, Steve hadn’t gotten in the back. He was sitting in the front passenger seat. She shoved Murphy in the back so they could get out of there.

“Do you think it’s wise to sit up in the front? I can’t hide you if you’re up here.”

“We’re almost in Wyoming, aren’t we?

“In an hour or two. But I’m afraid that man was suspicious. He asked where we were going.”

“He was just hitting on you,” Steve said.

“I hope that’s the reason, because you look like you’ve gone through World War III.”

“I don’t think he even noticed me, right, Murphy?”

Murphy had hung his head over the seat, almost resting on Steve’s left shoulder.

“I can’t believe he didn’t bark when I first put you in the car. He growled at the policeman,” Jessica said, frowning.

“He probably realized I was injured and couldn’t hurt you.”

Jessica didn’t answer because her attention was focused on the rearview mirror.

“What is it?” he asked quietly.

“There’s a car coming up on us fast. I’m worried—” She broke off as the car roared past them. They could see two teenagers in the car laughing hysterically.

She breathed a big sigh of relief. When she turned to look at Steve, he scarcely seemed aware of her panic. Pain was visible on his face.

“I’m having trouble sitting up,” he managed to say.

She eased the car off the road. “There’s a button that will lower the seat for you.” She released her seat belt and leaned over him to find it, which put her very close to him, a fact she noticed at once. Fortunately, she got the chair lowered quickly. Then she reached in the back seat for the pillow and put it under his head. Feeling his forehead told her his fever was still high. She pulled one of the blankets over him.

“Better?” she asked.

“Yeah.” His eyes were already closed and she didn’t think he’d be awake for long.

Jessica pulled back onto the road and pressed down on the accelerator. She wanted to be in Wyoming as soon as possible.

WHEN SHE NEXT STOPPED for food, they were in Wyoming. She’d headed north, working her way across the state. The sun had set and she’d considered stopping somewhere to sleep, but she’d decided to keep driving until she reached Rawhide.

Beside her, Steve hadn’t uttered a sound since she’d gotten him settled hours ago.

She pulled the cover up over his shoulder, entered a burger place drive-through and placed an order.

The girl at the window looked at Steve. “What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s not feeling well. He has a cold.”

“It’s probably the cold front coming through. My mom always gets a headache when we have a change of weather.”

“Are they expecting snow?”

“In the mountains and farther north they are. Not here, though.”

“I see. Thanks,” Jessica said as she took the drinks and bag of food, then pulled away quickly, wanting to be out of sight of the inquisitive young woman.

“People ask a lot of questions, don’t they?” Steve muttered.

“So you’re awake?”

“Yeah. And hungry.”

“As soon as we get out of town, I’ll stop and get you your food.”

“Do you think you could raise the seat a little?”

Jessica thought about that. Reaching over him would practically put them body to body again. Not a good idea. “How about I put another pillow under your head? After you eat, you’re going to want to lie down again. That’ll be easier.”

“Okay.”

When they were out of town, she pulled off the road and dug out Murphy’s food first. Opening up the paper the burgers were wrapped in, she put them both out for Murphy.

“The dog gets served first?”

“If I don’t fix his first, he eats mine…or yours. Do you want that?”

“Nope.”

“Now, here’s your hamburger and fries. I’ll put your drink in the holder. If you can’t reach it, let me know.”

“We’re not going to stop to eat?”

Jessica shook her head. “Didn’t you hear the girl? There’s a front coming in.”

“But she said it wouldn’t snow here.”

“We’re not staying here. We’re heading north.”

JESSICA HAD BEEN driving for several hours. By her calculations, she had only three hours to go. That was when she saw the first snowflakes in the glare of her headlights. Since she was traveling northeast, she had hopes of outrunning the brunt of the storm.

Some winters the snow held off until mid-November, but here it was only a few days into the month and it was snowing hard already. The farther north she drove, the heavier the snow fell. She pushed a little harder on the accelerator.

The sight of flashing red lights in her rearview mirror made her stomach roil. Immediately she slowed and pulled off the road. Then she made sure the blanket was pulled up over Steve’s shoulder.

It was too late to hide him.

She lowered her window partway and waited for the policeman to reach her side. “Good evening, Officer,” she said.

“Evening, ma’am. May I see your license and registration?”

“Yes, of course.” She bent over and found her purse on the floorboard. Then she took out her license. Thankfully, she’d kept her Wyoming license in her billfold underneath her California license. Now she handed the man both.

“You have two licenses?” the patrolman asked in surprise as he examined the articles with the flashlight.

“I kept my Wyoming license when I got my new one in Los Angeles. Now I’m moving back to Wyoming.”

“I see, Miss…Randall? Are you part of the Randall family in Rawhide?”

“Yes, I am. My father is Brett Randall.”

“Well, Miss Randall, I’m proud to meet Brett’s daughter. You were driving a little fast, but I’m sure— Is there something wrong with your friend?”

Jessica swallowed. “Yes, my fiancé is suffering from the flu. That’s why I was hurrying. I wanted to get home to Rawhide and not have to stop because of the snow.”

“And you’re bringing him home to meet the family? Well, I can see how that would be important. But you must promise me you won’t go too fast and if you have to stop because of the snow, do so. I wouldn’t want you to be wrecked in some ditch somewhere. Your daddy would never forgive me.”

“I promise. I’ll be careful.”

“And be sure to reapply for another license, okay?”

“Yes, sir.” Jessica sent him a thankful smile and watched as he walked back to his vehicle. Then she eased back onto the road again.

“Your family must be awfully important,” Steve muttered.

“How long have you been awake?” Jessica demanded, grateful he hadn’t spoken while the officer was there.

“Long enough to know you’re my fiancée now.”

Jessica gasped. “I—I just told him that because I didn’t want him asking for your identification. Do you even have any?”

“Yeah, I’ve got— Hey, it’s snowing!”

“That was why I was going too fast. Now I’ve got to be careful. He’ll probably call Daddy.”

“At least he hadn’t gotten a bulletin about pulling you over from L.A. I was worried about that,” Steve said with a sigh.

She leaned toward him and felt his forehead. “Your fever is rising again. If I give you a bottle of water and some aspirin, can you take them by yourself?” she asked.

“Of course I can.”

She handed him the water, then dug in her purse with one hand for the aspirin bottle, which she gave him. “It’s a child protection cap. Can you open it?”

“I’m not a child.” The fever was doing nothing to assuage his attitude, obviously.

Steve worked on the bottle but had no success. Still, he never asked for help. After a while, she pulled the SUV over to the side of the road and held out her palm. “Hand it over.”

He still seemed reluctant to admit defeat. “I can’t see the arrows in the dark,” he said, as grumpy as an overtired child.

She opened it and handed him two pills. “Do you need help with the water too?”

He said nothing, merely shot her a testy look and unscrewed the cap. He took his dosage and laid his head back, not saying a word.

“Are you warm enough?” The temperature was dropping and the snow coming down harder as they climbed to a higher elevation. Her wipers and defroster were struggling to keep up.

“I am a little cold,” he said grudgingly.

She dug past Murphy in the back and pulled out another blanket, which she spread over Steve’s long legs. Much to her surprise, Steve muttered a thank-you.

Tucking the blanket over his wounded shoulder, she took a long look at her patient. Considering the circumstances, she guessed he was doing as well as he could. There was something about him that told her his surliness was only a byproduct of the situation, not a permanent part of his personality.

His dark hair fell over his forehead, and she pushed it back with a light touch. She told herself it was only to check his temperature, but she knew better. She wanted to touch him. Judging by the scars she saw on his face, Steve had certainly seen his share of trouble. Or maybe that was part and parcel of his career, roughing it up with the bad guys. For some reason she was suddenly glad that she was the one who’d found him in the alley. She was the one who could bring him to safety. Wherever that may be.

The falling snow had covered her windshield, creating a cocoonlike atmosphere in the car. Tucked in with Steve, and with Murphy sleeping in the back, she realized how tired she was. Lack of sleep was catching up with her now. And the storm was raging worse than ever. She had no choice but to continue. They’d never ride out the storm on the side of the road.

She pulled back out onto the highway, nearly losing control of her car when her back tires spun out. Gripping the wheel tighter, she slowed, steered into the skid and got control of the car. It had been three years since she’d driven in snow; she’d best remember that.

As she drove down the road toward Rawhide, she debated her options for Steve. If she could keep going until they got to Rawhide, she could take him to the small hospital her brother-in-law and her cousin ran. There would be someone on duty all night long.

But that someone would be a nurse, not Caroline or Jon. There would be talk.

Or she could go straight to Caroline’s house. But her husband, Mike, a wonderful man, was also the sheriff for the surrounding area. He would have to report Steve’s gunshot wound, according to law.

Jessica decided it might be better to go to her sister’s house. Tori was married to Jon, Caroline’s partner. Maybe Jessica and Tori could gang up on Jon and convince him to delay reporting the wound for a day or two.

It wasn’t as if Steve had done anything wrong. At least, she hoped not. She’d believed him when he’d said he’d discovered some bad things about his partners and was trying to prove it. Sure, she could have examined the contents of the manila envelope, looking for proof, but he’d trusted her with it, and she didn’t want to betray that trust.

It was almost two in the morning when she pulled into the short driveway to her sister’s house. She didn’t remember to turn off her lights until after they’d hit the house. Jessica hurriedly shut them off and killed the engine, coasting down the drive.

Taking a deep breath, she expelled it slowly, trying to relax after the strain of driving so long. She looked over at Steve, sleeping soundly. She’d need him awake and coherent to get him into the house.

A knock on her side window almost made her jump straight up and bang her head on the ceiling of the car. Her heart slowed down a little when she identified Jon, her brother-in-law, peering in the window.

She unlocked the door and opened it. “Jon! Did I awaken you? I’m sorry.”

“No problem. We’re both up with Jamie’s 2:00 a.m. feeding.”

“Oh. Uh, Jon, I…have someone with me.”

“You mean Murphy?” Jon asked, but his eyes were searching the darkness in the SUV.

“No. He’s a friend.”

“Well, wake him up and come on in.”

“Okay, but he may need some help.”

“Why? Is he sick?”

“Sort of.” Jessica turned to her passenger, pushing against him. “Steve.”

“What?” he growled.

“We’re at my sister’s house. We need to go inside.”

“’Kay.”

Jon said, “Should I go around and help him? Does he have the flu?”

“No, he’s been shot,” Jessica said, knowing she wouldn’t be able to keep it secret for long, even if she tried.

“What? Has he seen a doctor?”

“No. I’ll explain when we get inside.”

“I’m counting on that,” Jon said in a determined voice. He circled the vehicle and pulled open the door. “Here, lean on me,” he said as Steve slipped from the SUV to the ground.

Murphy, suddenly aroused, jumped into the front and followed Jessica out into the snow. He bounded beside her, seemingly thrilled with the events.

“No, Murphy, we’re not going to play. We’re going inside,” Jessica informed her dog, who seemed to understand because he raced ahead of her to the front door.

Tori was standing at the door, anxiously watching. When Jessica came in, she hugged her sister. “Sorry for disturbing you,” Jessica said. “But I didn’t know where else to go.”

Her sister was already looking past her, to the man her husband was helping to the door. “Who’s this?”

“Um, it’s Steve,” Jessica replied.

“Who is Steve?”

“It’s a long story. Oh! I forgot something. I’ll be right back.” Jessica ran back out to her vehicle and got the manila envelope out from under the driver’s seat. If it contained the evidence Steve said it did, she knew he’d want it safely with him.

Back in the house, Jon had put Steve on the sofa and opened his shirt. He was removing the bandage when Jessica got back.

“Does it look bad? I did the best I could.”

“Looks like the bullet is still in there. Why didn’t you take him to a doctor?” Jon asked sternly.

“Because he refused. He said he was a DEA agent and he had evidence that his partners had gone bad. If I took him to a doctor or called the police, he was sure he’d be killed.”

Jon frowned. “You know I have to report the wound, don’t you?”

“Yes, but I thought— I hoped maybe you wouldn’t have to report it right away. I want him to be able to protect himself.”

“First things first. I need to get that bullet out.”

“Are you going to take him to the clinic?” Tori asked.

“But you can’t!” Jessica protested. “Someone might see him.” She moved closer to Steve, wanting to protect him.

“There’s only one nurse on duty right now, and I know her well. She doesn’t gossip about what happens in the hospital,” Jon said.

“You’re sure?”

“I’m sure, Jess. But even if I delay telling Mike, that will have to happen. You understand that, don’t you?”

She nodded. “Yes, I know. Where can we hide him after you take out the bullet?”

“He’d be safe at the clinic.”

“That would cause a lot of talk. Isn’t there somewhere I could take care of him and no one would notice?”

“How about Mike’s old apartment over the sheriff’s office?” Tori suggested. “We could tell everyone Jessica is back, but she wants to stay in town instead of out at the ranch.”

Horrified, Jessica said, “We can’t tell Mom and Dad that!”

“No, they can be trusted,” Tori reassured her. “You know that, Jess.”

She did. “Then let’s use the apartment. I can take care of him, can’t I, Jon?”

“Sure. And if your sister and her husband come see you every once in a while, no one will think anything of it,” Jon said as he left the room.

“Where’s he going?”

“Probably to get a coat. It’s cold outside. Do you have one?”

“Not unpacked. When I left California, it didn’t occur to me it would be snowing here,” Jessica said with a rueful smile. “Hard to believe I could’ve forgotten, isn’t it?”

“You were gone a long time, sis,” Tori said with a smile. “Borrow my coat. I have to stay here with the kids, so I won’t need it until morning.”

“Thanks, Tori. And do you mind if Murphy stays with you, too?”

Before Tori could answer, Jon came back wearing his coat. He moved to the sofa and shook Steve, who had fallen asleep. “Come on, man. We’re going to take that bullet out of you.”

“No! No doctors,” Steve protested, his voice groggy.

Jon ignored the remark. “Right. Just come with me. It’s going to be all right.”

“Where is she?” Steve asked.

“Who?”

“The redhead. Where is she?”

Jessica stepped to his side. “I’m here, Steve. It’s all right. Jon is going to help you.”

“You’ll come with me?”

“Yes, I’ll be there with you. I promise.”

Jon sent a look toward his wife as he helped Steve to his feet.

“Wait!” Jessica called, turning back to get the manila envelope.

“What is that?” Jon asked.

“It’s the proof Steve has about his partners’ activities. I promised him I’d keep it safe.”

“Maybe you should leave that here. I’ll put it away.”

“I’m afraid someone might’ve followed us, or will come looking for us tomorrow.”

“All the more reason not to take it with you. They won’t come here looking for it.”

“I don’t want to put you in any danger, Tori,” Jessica protested.

“I won’t be. They won’t even know we’re kin.”

“All they have to do is ask anyone in town.”

“Who will send them out to the ranch, not to my house. This way will be safer.”

“Okay. Thanks, sis.” She hugged Tori and followed Jon and Steve out to her SUV.

Jon helped Steve into the front seat. Jessica could hear Murphy protesting her disappearance. She slipped behind the wheel, hoping to get out of there quickly, so Murphy would settle down.

“I’ll follow you to the clinic,” Jon said.

Chapter Three

When Jessica parked in back of the clinic, she roused Steve again. “Can you walk if I help you?”

“Where are we?”

“At the hospital in Rawhide. My brother-in-law is going to help you.”

“No! I need to get to Washington.”

“I’m not even sure I can get you inside, Steve. You can’t make it to Washington in your condition.”

“My evidence?”

“It’s hidden. I’ll keep it safe, I promise. Now, I’m going to come to your side and help you out. Pull the blanket around you. It’s still snowing.”

With that, she slipped out of the SUV, wearing her sister’s coat, and opened the door on the passenger side. Steve almost fell into her arms. She braced herself, but fortunately Jon appeared at that moment. “Here, let me help him.”

Jessica stepped aside, but she felt a strange sense of loss. Steve had depended on her for more than twenty-four hours.

She opened the door for the pair and followed them in. Jon turned into the first room and put Steve on a gurney. Then he turned to Jessica. “Stay here with him until I make sure the nurse on duty won’t be in the operating room with us. It will just be me, Caroline and Anna.”

“You called Caroline? And my mother?” Jessica demanded. “She didn’t even know I was coming home.”

“I know, but I want her to assist with the surgery. I told your dad to come, too. And Mike. You’ll need to explain everything to him. You can trust him to do what’s right, Jess. You know that.”

“Yes, I know,” Jessica admitted with a sigh. “I don’t know how I’ll explain it to Steve, though.”

“Don’t try right now. Wait until we get the bullet out and move the two of you into that apartment over the sheriff’s office. He’ll grasp the obvious then.”

“I hope you’re right. And I’m glad my parents are coming. I’ve missed them a lot.” And she was glad her mother, who was a nurse-midwife, would be assisting with the surgery.

Jon smiled and patted her on the shoulder. “Welcome home, Jess.”

Jessica settled in a chair beside Steve, who appeared to be asleep. She had to have drifted off, too, because in what seemed like a couple of minutes, her mother and father came in and woke her up. After she hugged them, she explained everything.

“You did a dangerous thing, honey,” her father, Brett Randall, said. “You could’ve been killed.”

“I know, Dad, but I couldn’t just drive away and leave him there to die. You wouldn’t have done that.”

“Well, no, but—but I’m a man.”

“Oh, Dad, you’re so hopelessly out of date. Women can be brave, too.”

“We’re so glad you’ve come home,” Anna said, hugging her again. “Now, I have to go get ready for the surgery. Maybe you should go tell Mike what’s going on.”

“Yes, as soon as they take Steve into surgery, I’ll go to the waiting room. I’m assuming that’s where Mike is?”

“He and Caroline had to bring their son, so I think Mike’s in there, getting him back to sleep.” Anna stretched up and kissed her husband. “I’ll see you soon.”

Only a few minutes later, Anna came back to take Steve into surgery. Jessica went out to talk to Mike.

She found him and her Dad sitting in the waiting room with cups of coffee. She told him about finding Steve and what he had told her.

“The information he had is in a manila envelope that Tori promised to hold for me. He said it was proof that some of his partners were dirty. And he keeps saying he needs to get to Washington.”

“Can we look at what he has?” Mike asked.

“Would it make a difference in reporting his wound?”

“I might be able to hold off for a couple of days,” Mike said. “You know, things get mislaid sometimes.”

Brett nodded. “That works for me.”

“Okay. But we should wait until morning before we call Tori. She should get a little more sleep,” Jessica said.

“How about you?” her father asked. “Don’t you need some sleep?”

“Yes,” Jessica agreed, “but I’ll have to wait until I’m sure Steve is all right.” She turned back to Mike. “Is it okay if we use the apartment over the sheriff’s office? He seems to think these guys will come after him.”

“Yeah. I’ve got the key. You want to run over now and look at it? Maybe unload some of your things?”

“Wait a minute!” her father protested. “I don’t want Jess staying there if there’s going to be any danger. And she shouldn’t be alone with the guy, anyway!”

Jessica was waiting for that response. “Daddy, I’m not your little girl anymore. I’m all grown up.”

“Not that grown up!”

“I lived in L.A. by myself. And besides, I promised Steve I’d be beside him all the way.”

Mike intervened. “I’m sorry, Brett, but if it’s not Jess, than it will have to be Anna.”

Her father looked at her as if he’d been caught in a nasty trap.

“I’ll be fine, Daddy.” She took his silence for approval and turned to Mike. “Let’s hurry and get the apartment ready so we can get back before they finish the surgery.” Already she felt an odd sensation at being separated from Steve.

She recognized it as loneliness.

IT WAS A LITTLE AFTER FIVE in the morning when Mike and Brett carried Steve up the stairs to the bed Jessica had gotten ready for him.

She stood anxiously at the top of the stairs, knowing Steve was probably in some pain. But she had some pills Caroline had sent to ease his pain, to help him sleep. She would have to start his IV. Thankfully, her mother was following the threesome up the stairs to show her exactly what to do.

When they put Steve in the king-size bed and Jessica pulled the cover over him, she saw him relax. She looked at her mother. “Did they get the bullet out?”

“Yes, and Mike kept it as evidence. Steve is going to be fine. He’ll be on an antibiotic drip for three or four days and will need to stay in bed, except for trips to the bathroom. I’ll show you how to start the drip.”

Jessica drew a deep breath. For a role in Hollywood she’d acted as a nurse, but it hadn’t been real. She hoped she could do what was needed.

After watching her mother insert the connection into the needle in his hand, Jessica realized her job would be easy. “Thanks, Mom. How long will it last?”

“I think three hours. An alarm will sound to let you know. If it’s not changed at once, it will still be all right. Just do it as soon as possible. We have to keep the antibiotics going to be sure there’s no infection.”

“Okay. So, it’s all right if I sleep in between?”

“Yes, of course, dear. In fact, I can stay and keep an eye on him if you’re not comfortable—”

“No! No, I can take care of him.”

“We do need you to stay awake until you talk to Tori and tell her to bring that manila envelope to me on her way to work,” Mike said. “Can you do that?”

“Yes. Uh, how early does she get up?”

“Jon said she gets up at seven. That’s only a couple of hours from now. Then you can sleep all day. I promise I won’t do anything until I’ve looked at the evidence and talked to Steve. Jon and Caroline said he should be able to talk in the morning.”

“Thanks, Mike. And you, too, Dad, for getting him here. I’ll try to explain everything to him.”

“All right, honey, but we wish you’d come home.”

“Dad, we’ve already been through this. I don’t want to bring any trouble with me. We’ll be fine. And after Steve has settled everything, I’ll come home.” She hugged her mother and father and Mike, too. Then she watched them go down the stairs.

She was finally alone with Steve again.

Only he was asleep and she wished she was.

Determined to stay awake to talk to Tori, she went into the kitchen and searched for something to eat. Mike had brought some food from his kitchen until the stores opened.

She made herself a cup of hot chocolate and stared out the window at the street below. People rose early in Rawhide, which was quite different from Hollywood.

She wished Murphy was here. Jon had promised to bring him when he came back to the hospital later that day. That would give him an opportunity to check on Steve then, too.

A groan behind her reminded her of Steve’s presence. She hurried to his side, feeling his forehead. He was still running a fever. But the antibiotics would take care of that. Maybe it was time for a pain pill.

While getting the pills, she also got a glass of water for him. Then she returned to his bedside. She sat down on the edge of the mattress. “Steve, are you awake?”

He groaned again.

“I have a pain pill here to stop it from hurting. Open your mouth.”

He had to have understood because he did as she asked. She raised him so he could drink some water, then settled him back on the pillow. He shivered, and she pulled the blankets closer over his shoulders.

She returned to the window that looked down on the main street of Rawhide. Snow was once again drifting down slowly, adding another layer to the rooftops, streets and the few parked cars.

She’d lived in Rawhide, or near it, almost all her life. From the three years she’d been gone she could see some changes—the café had a new sign; there was a new shop across the street—but basically Rawhide had remained the same. Just the way she liked it. She found a sense of comfort in that sameness.

It was good to be home.

She had to have dozed in a chair by the window, because the ringing telephone woke her at a quarter to seven.

It was Tori. “Jess, are you sure you want me to take this envelope to Mike?”

She explained that Mike might be willing to delay his report, as long as the evidence in the envelope backed up Steve’s story. She asked her sister to rush it over to the sheriff’s office.

“Will do,” Tori replied. “Have you gotten any rest?”

“I’m going to sleep now.” The question was where. Surely not on the uncomfortable-looking sofa, not when there was that huge bed that Steve was sleeping in in the other room. She could sleep there and never even touch him.

After Tori promised to bring her some lunch from the café later, Jessica hung up and went to crawl into bed, careful to keep her distance from the patient.

Her last thought was that his body was as good as a furnace.

B.J. RANDALL ANSWERED the phone in the ranch kitchen around ten o’clock. “Hello?”

“Is Jessica Randall there?”

“No, she’s not. May I take a message?”

“Well, is this the right place? I mean, this is the number I got from Information. Do you know Jessica?”

“Yes, I do. Who’s calling?”

“This is Monica Miller. I’m a friend of Jessica’s from L.A.”

“I’m her aunt. I can get a message to her if you want.”

“Okay. This may be nothing, but a man called this morning and—and asked for her address in Dallas.” The woman paused. “I know she’s from Wyoming. I said she didn’t live in Dallas, she lives in Wyoming.”

“Who was the caller?”

“I don’t know. I was so taken by surprise I didn’t think to ask. And he wanted to know where in Wyoming, so I told him all I knew was Rawhide. I hope I didn’t cause her any problems. Can you tell her that?”

“Of course I can. And we appreciate your letting us know.”

After she’d hung up the phone, B.J. dialed the sheriff’s office. “Is Mike in yet?”

“Yes, ma’am. May I tell him who’s calling?”

“Yes, it’s his mother-in-law.”

“Just a minute please.”

“B.J., what’s up?” Mike asked when he picked up the phone.

“I’m not sure, but I don’t have a good feeling.” She told Mike about the call. “I thought I should let you know.”

“Yeah, I’m glad you did. It confirms what I suspected.”

“Does it mean that Jessica is in danger?”

“Possibly. But we’re going to keep an eye on her. And we’ll spread the word to keep her location secret. I’m going to make some calls, too.”

“We’re counting on you, Mike.”

“I know, B.J. Jess is family.”

THE BANGING ON THE DOOR woke Jessica. She crawled out of the bed and went to unlock the front door after checking to be sure it was her sister.

She was delighted to see that Tori’s arms were filled with sacks from the café. “I hope you bought lots of good stuff. I’m starved.”

“I did. I even brought some food for you know who. How’s he doing?”

“Still sleeping. I changed the drip once.”

“Well, maybe we can wake him up after you eat. Oh, and Mike may come up. He said he needed to talk to you.”

“Why? Did he read the evidence?”

“I don’t know, Jess. He just wanted to know when you’d be awake.”

A knock on the door interrupted them. Jessica hurried over and opened the door.

“Did you look before you opened the door?” Mike asked sternly.

“No, but Tori— I thought no one knew where we were?”

“Always check. There’ve been some developments. Do we still not know Steve’s last name?”

“He said he had a driver’s license. I haven’t looked, but it should be in his pants pocket,” she said, waving toward a pile on the end of the sofa. Mike moved to it.

“Go ahead and eat. I know you must be hungry.”

She and Tori sat down at the small table. Tori took out the enchiladas and a tossed salad.

“It’s enchilada day!” Jessica exclaimed. “I didn’t realize that!”

“Some things never change, Jess. I also brought some dessert for you.”

“Oh, good.”

Mike brought over Steve’s driver’s license. “This gives his name as Stephen Carter. I’m going to call a friend who used to be DEA. Maybe he’ll know the name.”

“But it could be an undercover identity,” Jessica said, worried.

“I know, but I still need to check. By the way, a friend of yours from Hollywood called. Someone called asking for your home address in Dallas.”

Jessica froze. Then she said, “That had to have come from the cop who pulled me over before I left L.A. I told him I was heading home to Dallas, hoping to throw anyone off track.”

“Yeah, I remember. You told me that story this morning. I have to admit I thought you were exaggerating but…” He let the thought go unsaid. “Your friend told them it was Wyoming, not Texas. They asked where in Wyoming and she told them Rawhide.”

Jessica felt an instant tightness in her chest. “So they’ll be here?”

“Maybe. But we’re going to be watching out for you. Just don’t open the door unless you know who it is.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

“Has he awakened yet?”

“No, Tori and I are going to wake him in a few minutes and try to get him to eat.”

“All right. Tell him I haven’t reported his wound yet, and I’ve got his evidence in the safe downstairs. Seems he was right.”

“Thank you, Mike. I will.”

After Mike had gone and Jessica had eaten, she and Tori went into the bedroom to awaken Steve.

His groggy response wasn’t encouraging, but Jessica sat on the side of the bed and got him to take some sips of a chocolate malt. “Maybe this will help his fever go down,” she said.

“I have no idea,” Tori replied. “It’s funny that our mother is a nurse and midwife and neither of us is any good at this medical stuff. Though I have gotten better since I’ve had kids.”

“I hope I have kids,” Jessica said in a pensive state, almost as if she didn’t realize she was talking aloud.

“Of course you’ll have kids. I’m counting on it,” Tori said with a laugh. “How else will I have nieces or nephews?”

“I don’t know. I was in California for three years, and I never met anyone I was interested in.”

“Not even on your last day?” Tori asked.

Jessica stared at her sister. “What are you talking about? Oh, you mean Steve?” She stared at the brown-haired man who had fallen asleep again. She avoided her sister’s eyes. “I don’t know. Besides, it wouldn’t do me any good. I don’t live in L.A. anymore.”

Tori raised her eyebrows, but she didn’t say anything else.

Jessica just smiled and changed the subject as they moved back into the living room. When Tori left for work, Jessica returned to the bedroom.

Once again she tried to rouse Steve and get him to drink more of the chocolate malt. He actually opened his eyes this time, though it was more of a flutter. From what she could see, they were the same color as the malt, a rich chocolate brown.

She couldn’t resist the opportunity to talk to him. “Steve, is your last name Carter?”

“Yeah.” His eyes closed again, but he mumbled something she couldn’t decipher.

She wanted to question him, but there was another knock on the door.

This time she definitely checked and was greatly relieved to find her mother there. “Come in, Mom. I’m glad to see you.”

“I hope I’m not keeping you from sleep,” Anna said, carefully studying her daughter’s face.

“No, I slept about six hours. I may take another nap later, but I’m fine for now.”

“And how is our patient?”

“We woke him up and he drank some of a chocolate malt, but he didn’t really eat anything. Will that help him?”

“It won’t hurt him,” Anna said with a smile.

The beeper on his drip sounded. “I’ll change it since I’m here,” Anna said. “I can check his wound, too.”

The two women adjourned to the bedroom. While they were working on the patient, another knock sounded on the door.

“Is that Dad?” Jessica asked.

“No, he had some work he needed to do. Has Mike been here?”

“Yes, when Tori came with my lunch.”

“Then who could it be? Make sure you look before you unlock the door.”

Her mother didn’t need to warn her.

She couldn’t get a good look at the person, but she could tell it was a man. Before she had a chance to study him, a booming voice sounded through the door.

“Open this door. I know you’re in there.”

Chapter Four

Jessica recognized the voice at once. When she’d left Rawhide three years ago, Bobby Daniels had begged her to marry him. But she’d refused.

“Is that Bobby?” Anna whispered.

Jessica nodded and picked up the phone. After dialing a number, she said, “Let me talk to Mike at once, please.”

“This is Mike,” a strong voice said after a couple of seconds.

“Jess, I’m not going away. Let me in!” Bobby continued to yell.

Jessica ignored him and focused on Mike. “Bobby Daniels is banging on the door, calling my name. He says he knows I’m in here. What do I do?”

“Nothing. I’ll take care of it.”

She hung up the phone and gestured to her mother to be quiet. A minute later they heard Mike’s voice. “Bobby? Come down here please.”

“I’m talking to Jess!” Bobby returned, his voice belligerent.

“I’m not going to ask twice. You either get your butt down here or I’ll haul you down and throw you in jail!”

Jessica held her breath, waiting for Bobby’s response. She let out a sigh of relief when she heard his footsteps going down the stairs.

“How did he know you were here?” Anna asked.

“I don’t know but Mike had better find out.”

MIKE LED THE RECALCITRANT Bobby Daniels into his office and sat him down. “Now, I want to know who told you Jessica was upstairs.”

Refusing to meet his gaze, Bobby said, “I just figured it out.”

“Oh, really? You realized Jessica had returned from Hollywood because…”

“Because her mom went up there.”

“Right. Since her mom is a nurse, it would be unusual for her to visit anyone but her daughters?”

As if realizing his excuses were not going to satisfy the sheriff, Bobby said, “I heard rumors, okay?”

“Of course. Just a minute.” He picked up the phone and dialed two numbers. “Harry, can you come in my office, please?” Then he leaned back in his chair and stared at Bobby, who stirred restlessly in his seat.

“Yeah, Mike?” Harry asked as he came into the office.

“Harry, do you know Bobby Daniels?”

Harry frowned. “We’ve met.”

“Who introduced you?”

“Andy Rivers.” He was a deputy on the night shift.

“Oh, that’s right. They’re close friends, aren’t they?” Mike pretended he had no idea of that fact until this minute.

Bobby’s cheeks flushed.

“Go call him and tell him I want him here in ten minutes.”

“But he’ll be sleeping,” Harry said.

“Just do as I said,” Mike ordered. Then he stood.

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