She’s undercover to expose a cult leader. He’s on a mission to save his family.

Officer Jake Lohmiller can’t believe the dark-haired, self-contained woman who earlier caught his eye was able to get the drop on him. Or that Carmen Redhorse is an undercover Ranger Brigade sergeant investigating the same Colorado cult his mother and sister are in. When a sniper opens fire on the encampment, the two join forces to bring down a killer. But even as the danger—and the death count—escalates, Jake sees the possibilities of teaming up with the smart, sexy cop on a permanent basis. If they can make it out alive…

The Ranger Brigade: Family Secrets

Carmen pulled away from him, resisting the urge to rub the place on her arm where he had touched her, where she imagined she could still feel the heat of his hand.

“You can insist all you want, but I’m not going to help you.”

“One thing I learned reading Metwater’s writings is that he hates cops,” he said. “What do you think he’ll do if I tell the cult leader he’s got one living with him, lying about who she is and spying on him?”

“I could have you arrested for interfering with an investigation,” she said.

“You could. But you’d have to deal with Metwater first.” He removed his sunglasses and she found herself held by the intensity of his sapphire-blue eyes. His voice was a low, sexy rumble she was sure was intentional. “I’m thinking maybe you would prefer to deal with me.”

Soldier’s Promise

Cindi Myers

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CINDI MYERS is the author of more than fifty novels. When she’s not crafting new romance plots, she enjoys skiing, gardening, cooking, crafting and daydreaming. A lover of small-town life, she lives with her husband and two spoiled dogs in the Colorado mountains.

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CAST OF CHARACTERS

Jake Lohmiller—This army veteran grew up rough on the streets of Houston and will do whatever it takes to look after his ailing mom and little sister. He’s slow to reveal his secrets but fiercely loyal to those he cares about.

Carmen Redhorse—The only female member of the Ranger Brigade grew up in a proud Ute family who had high expectations for their beauty-queen daughter. Her parents want her to return to the reservation to work for the Tribal Police and to marry the police chief, but Carmen wants to prove herself on her own.

Phoenix—Jake’s mother has taken a new name and put her past behind her as a member of Daniel Metwater’s Family. She hides her poor health out of fear that her hard-won happiness will be taken from her.

Sophie—Jake’s little sister is thrilled to see her brother again but worried about what the future holds for her and her mother.

Daniel Metwater—The self-appointed Prophet is used to being in charge, but murder has taken one of his followers and he fears the murderer will come for him next. Is his fear related to his brother’s death at the hand of the Russian Mafia, or has Daniel double-crossed the wrong person?

Werner Altbusser—Head of an international smuggling group that sells rare cacti to collectors willing to pay thousands of dollars for a single specimen, Werner comes across as an innocent tourist, but the business partner he cheated has other ideas about the direction the business should go and what will become of Werner and everyone who works with him.

Karol Petrovsky—Werner’s former business partner never got what he felt was a fair share of the money from the cacti smuggling. He intends to take over and will deal harshly with anyone who stands in his way.

Starfall—No one is sure why this young woman is following Daniel Metwater, since she doesn’t seem to adore him the way his other female disciples do. Starfall has her own agenda and is always on the lookout for a way to make money, whether it’s collecting cacti for a smuggler or blackmailing the Prophet himself. But her grasping ways may have gotten her in over her head this time.

For Morgan and Erik

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Cast of Characters

Dedication

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

Chapter Seventeen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Jake Lohmiller raised the binoculars to his eyes and studied the group of women who moved along the rim of the canyon. Wind sent their colorful cotton skirts fluttering, so that they reminded Jake of butterflies, flitting among the wild roses that perfumed the air. The women were gathering rose hips and wild raspberries, the murmur of their voices drifting to him on the wind, their words indistinct.

He shifted his elbow to dislodge a pebble that was digging into his flesh and trained the glasses on a dark-haired woman. Her long, straight black hair, high cheekbones and bronzed skin set her apart from the mostly fair-skinned redheads, blondes and brunettes around her. She seemed out of place, not just because of her appearance, but because of the way she carried herself. She moved slightly behind the other women, her movements both deliberate and graceful, her bearing wary. Jake sensed a tension in her, like a cat poised to spring.

She stopped at the corner post of a falling-down fence that ran alongside the path the women were following, and turned to stare across the high desert landscape of rock, cactus and stunted trees, one hand raised to shield her eyes from the sun’s glare. Jake ducked down behind the rock outcropping he had chosen as his vantage point, though he knew she couldn’t see him. Not at this distance. Not when he had been so well-trained to not give away his position.

He had been in the Curecanti National Recreation Area in southwest Colorado for three days, watching the women, learning their routines and habits, and planning his next move. The dark-haired woman turned away and hurried to catch up with the others, and Jake shifted his attention to the oldest woman in the group—a slight, very fair blonde with almost-white hair and light blue eyes. She went by the name Phoenix these days, the latest in a string of names and nicknames she had gone by over the years. He tried to read her mood, to guess what she was thinking or feeling, but at this distance he could tell nothing except that she looked fairly healthy—something that hadn’t been the case the last time he had seen her. He clenched his jaw, struggling against the mixture of love and anger that warred in him whenever he thought about her.

He shifted again, focusing this time on the youngest member of the group, and his jaw relaxed. Sophie was growing up to be a pretty young woman, her long brown hair plaited in a single braid that hung to her shoulder blades. She laughed at something one of the others said, and Jake’s heart clenched, aching at the sound. The last time he had seen her, she had been ten and crying. Four years had changed her in so many ways, but it cheered him to see her looking so happy, especially since he hadn’t expected it—not here.

The women moved on until they were out of the visual field of his binoculars. The silence of the wilderness closed in around him, with only the rattle of the wind in dry tree branches reminding him that he hadn’t suddenly gone deaf. He put away the binoculars, then stretched out on his back, the shadow of the boulder keeping the sun off his face. He ignored the hardness of the dry ground and focused on reviewing all the information he had gathered so far. It was time to complete his mission. He had to make contact with Phoenix and Sophie and persuade them to leave with him. But he had to do it without raising alarm. And preferably without attracting any attention from the local cops.

A shadow fell across his torso, and the crunch of a leather sole on gravel had him lurching to his feet, reaching for the weapon at his side. “Keep your hands where I can see them!” a woman’s voice commanded.

He held his hands out from his sides and stared at the dark-haired woman. Obviously, she had left the group and circled around, but how had she managed to sneak up on him? Had he gotten so rusty in the months since he had left his unit in Afghanistan? He must have, because, in all the time he had been watching her, he had never noticed the handgun she was aiming at him now.

* * *

CARMEN REDHORSE KEPT her weapon trained on the man who stood opposite her, thankful that he was cooperating with her orders. He was a big, powerful-looking man, young and strong, and he seemed at home here in this rugged environment. He held his hands at his sides, and his gaze remained focused on her, his manner calm, though it struck her as the calm of a predator who doesn’t feel a threat from a weaker opponent rather than that of a man who has nothing to worry about. “Who are you, and what are you doing out here, spying on us?” she asked.

“Who are you, and why should I answer your question?” His expression and the tone of his voice betrayed nothing. She judged he was about six feet tall, lean and muscular. His erect posture, close-cropped hair and deep tan pegged him as a military man—either still on active duty or only recently discharged. An officer, she guessed—he had the air of a man who was used to being in charge.

“I’m the woman who has a gun trained on you,” she said. “Trust me, I know how to use it.” Until she knew more about him and what he was up to, she wasn’t going to let him distract her. “I need you to very slowly remove your weapon from the holster and place it on the ground in front of you.”

He hesitated, then did as she asked, his attention focused on her, though she couldn’t see his eyes clearly behind the dark aviator sunglasses he wore. He straightened, some of the stiffness gone out of his posture. “What is a cop doing way out here?” he asked.

“What makes you think I’m a cop?” she asked.

“I’m right, aren’t I? Everything from your choice of weapon to the way you handle it—not to mention the way you bark out commands—says law enforcement. And not a rookie, either.” He shifted his weight, still keeping his hands in view. “So what are you doing in Daniel Metwater’s cult?”

His word choice—cult instead of group or, as Metwater preferred, Family—told her he wasn’t a fan of the trust-fund millionaire turned itinerant preacher, who was camped with his followers on public land. The women she had been foraging with were part of Metwater’s faithful. “What I’m doing here isn’t your concern,” she said. “And you haven’t answered my question—what are you up to? And I’ll need to see some ID.”

“My wallet is in my back pocket,” he said.

“Take it out slowly, and hand it over.”

He did as she asked. She studied the Texas driver’s license. “Jacob Lohmiller,” she read. Twenty-seven years old, with an address in Houston. She glanced across at the Veteran ID. Army—so she had been right about that. And he had been discharged only four months before. “You’re a long way from home, Mr. Lohmiller.”

“Are you conducting some kind of undercover operation with Metwater’s bunch?” Lohmiller asked, accepting his wallet from her and returning it to his pocket. “Are they involved in something criminal?”

The Ranger Brigade—a multidisciplinary task force charged with law enforcement on Colorado’s public lands—had suspected Daniel Metwater’s involvement in more than one crime, but so far they had found little evidence to support their suspicions. Carmen was ostensibly with the group now, posing as a new convert in order to verify that the group’s women and children were not subject to any kind of abuse. She had lobbied hard to take a closer look at the group after a young woman who had been associated with them had died. Her commander had agreed to give her a week, all the time he could spare from the Rangers’ other duties. Four days of that week had passed, and Carmen was just beginning to win the other Family members’ trust. She couldn’t afford to have Lohmiller blow her cover.

“What are you doing here?” she asked again. “Why were you watching us just now?”

“As you said, this is public land. Maybe I came out here for a hike.”

She glanced at the pack that lay in the shade of the boulder he had been stretched out beside. “So you were hiking, and you saw a group of women and decided to take a closer look.”

He shrugged. “Maybe.”

“How long have you been in the area?” she asked. “Where are you staying? Do you have a vehicle, and where is it parked?”

“Why all the questions?” he asked.

“A man focused on a group of women, a man who refuses to account for himself, makes me suspicious. I wonder what I would learn if I brought you in for questioning.”

“I flew in to Montrose four days ago,” he said. “I’ve been hiking and camping out here ever since. I have a truck parked at my campsite not far from here.”

She nodded. “So, again—why were you watching us?”

“How did you know I was watching you?” he asked.

“I had that sensation of being watched,” she said. “I saw a bird startle from your hiding place and decided to take a closer look.”

He looked away and mumbled what might have been a curse word. She waited, the gun pointing toward the ground now, but still in her hand.

“I came here to check on a couple of Metwater’s followers,” he said. “To make sure they’re all right.”

“Which members?” she asked.

“A woman who calls herself Phoenix and a girl, Sophie. I don’t think she’s taken one of their loopy nicknames yet.”

“You know Phoenix and Sophie?” She knew of a couple of families who had sent private detectives to check up on their loved ones at the camp, but the forty-something blonde and her fourteen-year-old daughter had never mentioned any other family to Carmen.

Lohmiller squared his shoulders. “Phoenix—her real name is Anna—is my mom. Sophie is my half sister.”

It was Carmen’s turn to be surprised. “Phoenix is your mother?” The woman looked scarcely old enough to have a son Lohmiller’s age, and he didn’t resemble her at all.

“She had me when she was sixteen.”

“There’s nothing to prevent you from walking into camp and visiting your mother and sister,” Carmen said. “Why skulk around in the wilderness?”

“I needed to assess her situation, determine the lay of the land and formulate a plan for getting them away from here.”

Again, his choice of words was telling. He spoke like a man on a mission. “What exactly did you do in the service, Mr. Lohmiller?” she asked.

“Army Rangers.”

She might have guessed. “Your mother is an adult, free to make her own decisions and, by extension, decisions for her daughter,” she said. “I’ll admit, a wilderness camp with no running water or other facilities is not my first choice for a place to live, but it’s her choice. Neither she nor Sophie are in any danger that I’ve been able to determine. Or are you aware of something I’m not? Some circumstance you believe puts them in danger?”

“No particular circumstance, no. But my mother doesn’t have a history of making wise choices.”

“Wise and dangerous are two different things.”

“As you said, my mother is free to make her own decisions, but my sister is not. And the so-called wilderness paradise Daniel Metwater likes to brag about is no place for her.”

Carmen thumbed the safety on her weapon and shoved it into the waistband of her skirt. Later, she’d replace it in the holster strapped to her thigh beneath the long, loose skirt. For all his obvious agitation and coiled energy, she didn’t sense that Jake Lohmiller was any threat to her. “I’ve talked to Sophie, and she’s not unhappy. She’s being homeschooled, she’s healthy, and she seems to have a great relationship with her mother.” So far, nothing Carmen had learned in her time with the Family had pointed to any abuse or neglect, though she couldn't shake the feeling that life in the camp wasn’t as rosy as Metwater and his followers liked to paint. The truth was, a week probably wasn’t long enough to get a real picture for what was going on. She didn’t look forward to returning to her commander with nothing to show for her efforts.

Lohmiller scowled. “What about that creep, Metwater?”

“What about him?”

“I’ve checked him out. I’ve read his blog and newspaper articles about him—everything I could find online. And I’ve been watching him for a few days now. He collects beautiful women the way some men collect cars. How long before he starts eyeing Sophie?”

His words sent a shiver through Carmen. “I’m sure your mother would never let anything happen to Sophie.”

“You don’t know my mother like I do.”

“When was the last time you spoke to her?”

“Four years ago. Sophie was ten.”

“People can change a lot in four years.”

“My mom is still making poor decisions. Bringing Sophie out here proves it.”

Carmen couldn’t argue with that. Though Sophie seemed content enough, following an itinerant preacher didn’t seem the best way to bring up a child. But before she could think of a reply, Lohmiller said, “You don’t strike me as the typical Daniel Metwater follower.”

Knowing that he had been spying on her long enough to feel qualified to make such an assessment annoyed her. “Who do you see as his typical follower?” she asked.

“Disconnected, discontented, idealistic. Young, white and, as far as I can tell, mostly well-off and well-educated. I’m not questioning your education, but the people who flock to someone like Metwater are searching for some idealistic world that he’s promising them.”

Okay, so he had done his homework. But she couldn’t resist goading him. “You don’t think I’m those things?”

“You have a job and a purpose. I doubt if most cops stay idealistic for long, even if they start that way. You seem too down-to-earth and practical to fall for all his mumbo jumbo.”

“And I’m not white.”

She ignored the pleasant tremor that swept through her as his gaze assessed her. “That, too. Are you Native American?”

“You got it in one.”

“So, if you’re not one of his followers, that means you’re here as a cop. Possibly undercover. What are you investigating?”

Time to get her head back on the job. “I’m not going to discuss my purpose here with you.”

“Fine. You don’t have to. You can at least give me your name—or whatever name you’re going by out here.”

Fair enough. “My name is Carmen. Carmen Redhorse.”

“Well, Officer Redhorse, the fact that you’re here means something is going on in camp that has the cops suspicious. And that means my sister and my mother don’t belong there.”

“Then you need to talk to your mother and stop lurking in the wilderness,” she said. “Some people might get the wrong idea.”

“You’re the only person who knows I’m here. I can’t control whether your ideas about me are wrong or not.”

Had he meant the comment to sound vaguely sexual? Was he trying to provoke her, or was it just his nature? She glanced toward the canyon rim. The other women were long out of sight now. She had told them she wanted to walk back alone, to think about some things, and had promised to catch up with them later. But how long could she stay away before someone came looking for her? “Are you going to talk to your mom?” she asked Lohmiller.

“I’ll talk to her,” he said. “And what do you think she’ll tell me?”

“I have no idea.”

“Yes, you do. You’ve been hanging out with her for at least three days. You must have made some judgments about her. So, tell me what you think she’ll say when I ask her to leave Metwater’s little cult and come live with me?”

“She’ll tell you she and Sophie are happy here, that Daniel Metwater changed her life and she doesn’t want to go with you.”

He nodded. “Exactly. So talking to her isn’t going to be enough. I have to find a way to convince her to leave—with Sophie.”

“That’s between you and your mother. I can’t help you.” She started to turn away, but his hand on her arm stopped her.

“I think you can help me,” he said. “In fact, I insist.”

She pulled away from him, resisting the urge to rub the place on her arm where he had touched her, where she imagined she could still feel the heat of his touch. She might have known he was the type who thought he could boss her around. “You can insist all you want, but I’m not going to help you.”

“One thing I learned reading Metwater’s writings is that he hates cops,” he said. “What do you think he’ll do if I tell him he’s got one living with him, lying about who she is and spying on him?”

Metwater would be furious if he learned she was a cop, but that didn’t mean he would do anything more than kick her out of his camp. But even though she didn’t have any proof that he was involved in anything illegal, everything she knew about him told her he was capable of violence. Still, she was a cop. She knew how to look after herself. “I could have you arrested for interfering with an investigation,” she said.

“You could. But you’d have to deal with Metwater first.” He removed his sunglasses, and she found herself held by the intensity of his sapphire-blue eyes. His voice was a low, sexy rumble she was sure was intentional. “I’m thinking maybe you would prefer to deal with me.”

Chapter Two

Jake knew his words had gotten through the tough attitude she wore like a shield. A rosy flush burnished Officer Redhorse’s cheeks, and he could almost see the sparks of anger in her eyes at what he could admit was his clumsily delivered threat. He wasn’t sure if she would scream at him or go ahead and shoot him, so he hastened to try to repair the damage.

“Look, all I’m asking is for you to help me out a little,” he said.

“I can’t help you,” she said.

“You can talk to my mother. Tell her you think it’s a good idea for her and Sophie to come with me.”

“I hardly know your mother,” she said. “Why would she listen to me? And I know even less about you. I have no way of knowing if going with you is a good idea or not.”

Couldn’t she see that he was a good guy? Well, maybe not. “Check me out,” he said. “You’ll see I don’t even have a traffic ticket.”

“Just because you’ve never broken a law doesn’t make you a good guy. Daniel Metwater doesn’t have any traffic tickets, either.”

He winced. Then another idea occurred to him. “Does Metwater trust you?” he asked.

She looked as if she had tasted something sour. “I’m not sure trust is the right word.”

“But he likes you,” Jake said. “He’s attracted to you. You’re a beautiful woman, and you’re a novelty.”

“Because I’m not his usual white and desperate type?”

Because that tough, don’t-touch-me attitude of yours is sexy as all get-out. But he thought better of saying that. He was already in enough trouble here. “From what I’ve seen and heard, the Prophet likes pretty much all young, attractive women—at least, the ones who follow him around and hang on his every word. If you’re working undercover in his camp, I assume you’re playing the part of devoted disciple.”

She pressed her lips together but didn’t comment.

“Maybe I can help you out,” he said.

“I don’t need your help.”

“I might be able to find out things you can’t. I could talk to the men in camp, let you know what I hear.”

She shook her head. “Talk to your mother, but leave me out of it.” She turned and walked away.

He watched her leave, her back straight and her confident stride quickly lengthening the distance between them. Should he follow her? He was going to have to go to Metwater’s camp sooner or later to confront his mother. He would have liked to have had the pretty cop on his side. The meeting with Phoenix wasn’t going to be an easy one, and it would have been good to have an ally. But, if he had to, he’d do the job alone. He was used to working solo—he’d been on his own since he was a teenager. And he knew how to tackle tough jobs. He had already let his sister down once. He wouldn’t let that happen again.

He waited a moment to let Carmen get ahead of him, then started to follow. He would see what she did when she got to camp, then make his decision about when to approach his mother.

Before they reached camp, however, Carmen caught up with the other women. He was too far away to hear what was said, but it appeared that a couple of the women greeted her. Then a figure broke from the group and ran up to Carmen. Though Jake couldn’t hear what the girl was saying, he recognized Sophie, and she was clearly agitated. Carmen put a hand on the girl’s shoulder, listening, then she and Sophie turned and headed back toward Jake.

He walked out to meet them. Sophie stared at him, eyes wide. “Jake? Is that really you?”

“It’s me, sis.” He held out his arms, and she ran to him and buried her head against his shoulder. The feel of her—bigger than the last time he had seen her, but still so slight and vulnerable—sent a tremor through him. He loved her so much. Why had he stayed away so long?

“Thank God you’re here,” she said.

He pulled her away a little, so that he could see her face. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “Why are you so upset?”

“It’s Mama. Something’s really wrong with her.” She grabbed his hand and started leading him forward. “We have to hurry, before it’s too late.”

* * *

CARMEN FOLLOWED BEHIND Jake and his sister. If she had had any doubts about telling Sophie of her brother’s arrival, she knew now she had made the right decision. Sophie walked with one arm wrapped around Jake’s waist and looked up at him as if she couldn’t believe he was here. For his part, Jake studied his sister as if he couldn’t get enough of looking at her.

“Tell me exactly what happened,” he said as they headed toward Metwater’s camp at the foot of Mystic Mesa.

“We were walking back to camp, and Mama just collapsed,” Sophie said. “I mean, one minute she was fine, and the next she just—fell over.” The girl looked back at Carmen. “Starfall and Sarah got a couple of the men to carry her to the Prophet. They said he would know what to do for her.”

“Has Phoenix complained of feeling bad lately?” Carmen asked.

“No. She’s just acted, you know, normal.” Sophie turned back to Jake. “I still can’t believe you’re here. What are you doing?”

“I came to see you.” He tried to smile, but the expression didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re growing up fast.”

Sophie hugged him tighter. “I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you, too.” His eyes met Carmen’s over Sophie’s shoulder, as if challenging her to deny that his sister loved him and was glad to see him.

“Mom’s going to be so happy to see you, too,” Sophie said.

“Is she? She wasn’t very happy with me last time we spoke.”

“She was just worried about you joining the military. But she’s in a different place now. A better place.” Sophie frowned. “Or she was, until this.”

“Maybe the heat got to her,” Carmen said. “I’m sure she’ll be fine.” She touched Jake’s arm. “You need to hide your gun before we get to camp. Walking in with it visible like that will only cause trouble.” She had already tucked hers back into the holster on her thigh.

She expected him to argue, but he nodded. “Okay.” He unstrapped the holster from around his waist and stuffed it into his pack. Sophie watched, wide-eyed and silent.

The US Forest Service allowed dispersed camping for up to two weeks outside of designated campgrounds. Through mysterious political connections, Daniel Metwater had wrangled a permit for his group to settle for an extended period in this remote area, near a natural spring at the base of a rocky mesa in the high desert landscape of Curecanti National Recreation Area. This was the third such camp the group had occupied in as many months. Like the others, it consisted of a motley collection of trucks, campers, tents and makeshift shelters, grouped in a rough oval around a central campfire.

A large, late-model motor home was parked at one end of the oval, solar panels winking from the roof. “That’s where the Prophet lives,” Sophie whispered to Jake.

“Starfall.” Carmen called to a woman with dark, curly hair who was wiping the face of a naked toddler outside a large, white tent. “Where is Phoenix?”

“She’s with the Prophet,” the woman said. She stared openly at Jake. “Who is he?”

“This is my big brother, Jake,” Sophie said. “He wants to see Mom. Is she okay?”

“She’ll be fine,” Starfall said. “She’s resting now and shouldn’t be disturbed.”

“Is your Prophet a doctor?” Jake asked.

Though Starfall was at least a foot shorter than Jake, she managed to look down her nose at him. “He is a spiritual healer.”

Jake started toward the motor home, but Sophie held him back. “We’re not supposed to go into the Prophet’s home without an invitation,” she said.

“I’m not one of his followers,” Jake said. “I don’t have to play by his rules.” He gently uncurled her fingers from around his arm and started for the motor home again, Carmen close behind him.

Sophie caught up with them as they climbed the steps to the RV. Jake pounded on the door.

He had raised his fist to knock again when the door eased open, and a pale blonde peered out. Andi Mattheson—who now went by the single moniker Asteria—was one of the reasons Carmen had joined Metwater’s Family. The daughter of a former US senator was eight months pregnant and, as far as Carmen could determine, hadn’t seen a doctor in months. So many of the Prophet’s followers were young women who were either pregnant or mothers to small children that Carmen wanted to determine if they were receiving the necessary care. Andi frowned at the tall, imposing man leaning over her, then looked past him to Carmen. “What do you want?” she asked.

“We’re here to see Phoenix,” Jake said.

“This is Phoenix’s son, Jake Lohmiller.” Carmen stepped up beside him. “Sophie told us her mother had fainted and, naturally, he’s concerned.”

“She’s fine,” Andi said. “She just needs to rest.” She started to close the door, but Jake flattened his hand against it, holding it open.

“I want to see her,” he said.

“The Prophet—” Andi began.

Jake didn’t let her finish. He shoved past her into the motor home. Carmen and Sophie followed. “Phoenix?” he called.

“Mama?” Sophie echoed.

Daniel Metwater, dressed in his usual outfit of loose, white shirt and trousers, his dark, curly hair framing the intensely handsome face of a male model, appeared in the doorway that led to the back of the RV. “What is the meaning of this disturbance?” he asked.

“I’m here to see Phoenix.” Jake started to move past Metwater, but the Prophet blocked him.

“Phoenix is resting,” he said.

“I’m going to see her anyway.” He took Metwater by the shoulders and shoved him aside. One of the muscular young men Metwater kept near him as bodyguards rushed forward, but Jake ignored him and charged into the bedroom. Carmen followed, one hand hovering over the weapon under her skirt. She didn’t want to blow her cover by drawing the gun, but Jake might not leave her any choice.

Phoenix lay on Metwater’s bed and, with her whitish hair and her face so pale, she almost blended with the sheets. As Jake reached her, the bodyguard grabbed his arm. “No!” Phoenix sat up, one arm outstretched. “Don’t hurt him, please!”

Jake’s thunderous expression softened. He sat on the edge of the bed and took Phoenix’s hand. “Hello, Mom.”

Her smile transformed her face. “Jake. What a wonderful surprise!” She cupped his face in her hands, as if needing to reassure herself he was real. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you. How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.” She managed a wavering smile. “I just got too hot out there or I didn’t drink enough water or something.” She wrapped both of her hands around his. “It’s so good to see you. How did you ever find me?”

“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “I talked to a lot of people. One of your old friends from Denver mentioned you’d taken up with some millionaire turned preacher. I did some more digging and heard about this group and came out here to see if you were with them.”

“I kept meaning to write and let you know Sophie and I were okay and that you shouldn’t worry. You always were such a worrier.”

“You shouldn’t disappear that way,” Jake said. “What were you thinking?”

Phoenix licked her pale lips. “Do your grandparents know I’m here?” she asked.

“No. Not yet.”

She lay back on the pillows and closed her eyes. “Don’t tell them, please. There’s really no need for them to know.”

He looked as if he wanted to argue that point but pressed his lips together and said nothing.

Metwater moved to the other side of the bed and took Phoenix’s hand. “What are you doing here?” he asked Jake.

“I came to see my mother.”

“This is my son.” Opening her eyes, Phoenix struggled to a sitting position once more. “Jake, this is the Prophet. The man who saved my life.” She beamed at Metwater, the adoration making Carmen a little sick to her stomach. Frankly, the Prophet, for all his good looks and charm—or possibly because of them—gave her the creeps.

“You need to leave now,” Metwater said. “You’re obviously upsetting your mother.”

“Oh, no!” Phoenix protested. “We haven’t even had a chance to talk. And I’m feeling much better, I promise.” She started to get out of bed, but Metwater pushed her back against the pillows once more.

“I can feel your pulse racing,” he said. “All this excitement isn’t good for you.” He turned to Jake. “You can see your mother later. Tomorrow, after she’s had a chance to rest.”

“Or I could take her with me now,” he said. “To a doctor who can check her out. Someplace safe.”

“Jake, I don’t need a doctor,” Phoenix protested. “And why wouldn’t I be safe here? The Prophet has given me his own bed. I don’t deserve such an honor.”

“Mother, I came to take you away from here. You and Sophie.”

Carmen winced. Not the way to approach this.

Phoenix laughed. “Don’t be silly, Jake. This is my home. Our home. We’re not going anywhere.”

“That’s right,” Metwater said. He smiled and beckoned toward Sophie. “Come here, child. Don’t be shy.”

Sophie flushed and walked very slowly, head down, to the side of the bed where Metwater sat. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. “You’re happy here, aren’t you?” he asked, his lips practically brushing the girl’s cheek.

She stood frozen, avoiding his eyes.

“Of course she’s happy.” Phoenix stroked her daughter’s hand. “You love it here, don’t you, dear?”

Sophie nodded, though she still didn’t look up. Carmen swallowed the sour taste in her mouth. She had to fight to keep from ordering Metwater to take his hands off the girl. The muscles bunched along Jake’s jaw as he glared at the Prophet.

Metwater met the glare with a challenging look of his own. “Your mother and sister are well cared for here,” he said. “You don’t have anything to worry about.”

Carmen wasn’t so sure about that. She couldn’t decide whether Daniel Metwater or Jake Lohmiller was likely to cause the most trouble.

Jake glared at Metwater. “Get your hands off my sister,” he said, and there was no mistaking the menace behind his words.

“Sophie doesn’t mind, does she?” Metwater snuggled the girl closer.

“Get your hands off her, or I’ll break them off!”

“Jake!” Phoenix grabbed his arm. “That’s no way to talk to a holy man.”

“There’s nothing holy about the way he’s holding Sophie.”

Phoenix sent her daughter a worried look. “Maybe Sophie should leave us now,” she said.

Metwater unwrapped his arms from around the girl. “You may go now, daughter,” he said.

Sophie ran from the room without looking at any of them. A moment later, the door to the motor home slammed behind her.

Phoenix turned to Jake. “Now look what you’ve done,” she said.

“What I’ve done?” Jake stood. “This charlatan has pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes. Can’t you see this is no place for a child? This is no place for you.”

“Enough.” Metwater clapped his hands together. “You may not come into my home and insult me this way.”

Jake took a step toward the Prophet, fists clenched. Carmen had seen enough. She moved forward and took his arm. “Come with me,” she said softly. “We’ll figure something out.”

“You’re not welcome in my home or my Family’s home,” Metwater said. “Leave, and don’t come back.”

The guard stepped forward and took Jake’s other arm. His muscles tensed beneath Carmen’s hand, but she held on, even as he shook off the guard. “I’m leaving,” he said. “But this isn’t the last you’ve seen of me.”

Chapter Three

Jake wrenched from Carmen’s grasp and stalked out of the room. She started after him, but Metwater’s voice stopped her. “How do you know this man?” he asked.

“I don’t,” she said. “He approached me while we were out gathering fruit. He told me he was Phoenix’s son and that he wanted to see her. Then Sophie ran up and told us her mother had collapsed.”

“It was just too much sun,” Phoenix protested. “I’m fine.” She looked to Metwater. “Jake always did have a hot temper, but he doesn’t mean anything by it. He’s a good boy. He was just worried about me, that’s all.”

Metwater kept his gaze fixed on Carmen. He had dark, piercing eyes that dared you to blink first. “I don’t want you associating with him,” he said. “He strikes me as dangerous.”

Carmen nodded. Not that she was agreeing with Metwater, but she was anxious to get out of the motor home and find Jake before he caused any more trouble.

“You may go now,” Metwater said.

She ground her teeth together. Reminding him she didn’t need his permission to walk away wouldn’t fit with her cover of the new, meek disciple. She kept her head down until she was out of the RV, then looked around for Jake.

She spotted him with Starfall and another woman, Sarah, outside a lean-to that served as the camp’s communal kitchen. “We were just telling Soldier Boy here that we could use a man like him around,” Starfall said. She gave Jake an appreciative once-over.

“Your Prophet doesn’t agree,” Jake said.

“He doesn’t like people who disagree with him,” Sarah said. When the others looked at her, she flushed. “But it’s his camp, so I guess he gets to make the rules.”

“Phoenix never let on she had a good-looking son like you,” Starfall said, looking Jake up and down.

“She doesn’t talk about her past,” Sarah said. “Most people here don’t.”

“They don’t,” Starfall agreed. She turned to Carmen. “For instance, we don’t know anything about Carmen here, except that she heard the Prophet at a rally in Grand Junction and fell in love with his teachings.”

“There’s nothing to know,” Carmen said. She touched Jake’s arm. “Where is Sophie?”

“I don’t know.” He frowned. “I need to find her.”

“She’s probably at Phoenix’s trailer,” Starfall said. “You know teenagers. They’re always in a snit about something.”

“I’ll take you there,” Carmen said.

Jake followed her away from the two women. When they were out of earshot, Carmen said, “We have to hurry. Metwater will send someone to make sure you left camp, and Starfall will probably tell them where you went.”

“Does everyone here do what Metwater tells them to do?” he asked.

“That’s part of the deal when you join up with his Family,” she said. “You turn over all your worldly goods to him and agree to live by his rules.”

“You did that?” he asked.

“No. I’m still on probation. I get to hang around for a couple of weeks and decide if this is what I really want.”

Jake looked around them. Women and children were everywhere, along with a handful of men. Everyone was young and attractive. “I don’t get it,” he said. “What do people see in this kind of life?”

“They’re unhappy and looking for something,” she said. “Some meaning or purpose. They want to be part of a special group and feel special themselves. Metwater promises that.”

His eyes, as intense as the Prophet’s, met hers, but with a warmth she had never found in Metwater’s gaze. “What does he get out of it?” he asked.

“All their property, for one thing, though for most of them that’s just a little cash and maybe a vehicle. A lot of adoration and ego strokes. Power.”

“And nothing he’s doing is against the law?”

She shrugged. “As long as the people involved are competent adults and they hand over everything willingly, there’s not a lot we can do.”

“Which brings me back to my original question,” he said. “Why are you here?”

She glanced around, as much to buy time to formulate her answer as to make sure they couldn’t be overheard. “There are a lot of women and children here. We want to make sure there’s no abuse involved.”

He stiffened. “Have there been reports of abuse? Rumors?”

“No.” She pressed her lips together. “It just seems the potential is there. We wanted to be sure.”

“We being what organization? Child Protective Services?”

“No. The CPS is satisfied that everything is fine here.” He had already pegged her as a cop—her refusal to acknowledge that hadn’t changed his mind. Maybe it was better to let him know she had real authority behind her. “I work for the Ranger Brigade.”

He considered this. “That’s a federal group, right? Multi-agency take force working on public lands? I think I read something in the paper about you. But there can’t be many people out here. Is there much crime?”

“You might be surprised. People think they can get away with a lot when there aren’t many people around to watch.”

“But you’re watching,” he said. “What crimes do you think Daniel Metwater and his bunch are committing?”

“Why should I tell you? I don’t know anything about you.”

“You know my name. You know I’m a veteran.”

“What have you been doing since you were discharged from the Army?” she asked.

“I’ve been looking for my mother and my sister. And I just want to protect them. If you know something about Daniel Metwater that bears on that, please tell me.”

The man was either an Emmy-worthy actor, or he was being straight with her. He had already had the chance to blow her cover and hadn’t done so, and his concern for his mother and sister was genuine. Maybe he could even help her in some way, if she gave him a little more information.

“He hasn’t done anything that we can link directly to him,” she said. “But he attracts the kind of people who bring trouble. A couple of weeks ago, we arrested a serial killer who was one of his hangers-on. Not a follower, exactly, but someone who visited the camp often and was close to Metwater. There have been other incidents around the camp.” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t even be talking about this. I’m on really thin legal ground here. The local DA has asked us to back off. Metwater’s lawyers have accused us of targeting the group and harassing Metwater and his followers.”

“But you’re federal, right? You don’t have to comply with the DA’s orders?”

“Right. But we’re trying to keep things low-key. I’m here to compile a census of the group and to make sure everything is above-board.” Not exactly a dangerous undercover mission.

“And he was really harboring a serial killer?” He shook his head. “All the more reason to get Sophie and my mother out of here.”

They had reached the turquoise and white vintage travel trailer Sophie shared with her mother. “I don’t think your mother and sister are in any danger,” Carmen said.

“You saw the way Metwater held Sophie. The guy’s a creep.”

“Yes. It was...unsettling. But as free as he is with the women in camp, I’ve never seen him make any kind of unhealthy gesture toward the children. And that includes Sophie. He refers to all the children as his own. And I’m watching him very closely.”

Jake looked over the trailer. “So this is where they live?”

“It’s really very comfortable inside,” Carmen said. “I’m sure Sophie will be happy you came after her.”

She started to turn away, but he touched her arm. “Will you come with me?”

The request surprised her. “I would have thought you wanted to see your sister alone.”

He grimaced. “Until a few moments ago, we hadn’t seen each other in four years. The last time I saw her she was just a little kid. Now...” He shrugged. “I’m not sure I know what to say to her. It might be less awkward with you along.”

This was the first chink in his armor he had shown, and it touched her. “All right.” Maybe hearing what he had to say to his sister would help her figure him out.

Jake knocked on the door, but there was no answer. “Sophie, it’s me, Jake,” he called. “Can I come in?”

The door opened, and Sophie peered out at them, her expression wary. “What do you want?” she asked.

“I just want to see you,” he said. “It’s been a long time.”

She looked past him to Carmen. “All right,” she said and held the door open wider.

The little trailer was crowded but neat, despite Sophie’s schoolbooks scattered across the dinette table and the kitchen counter covered with jars of dried herbs, a bowl of the wild raspberries they had picked that morning and a tin can filled with purple and yellow wildflowers. “Are you okay?” Jake sat on a small sofa next to his sister.

“Sure.” She shrugged. “I’m just worried about Mom.”

“Has she fainted like this before?” Carmen asked.

“A couple of times—” Sophie worried her lower lip between her teeth “—that I know about. And she’s been tired a lot lately.”

“When was the last time she saw a doctor?” Carmen asked.

“She doesn’t believe in doctors,” Sophie said.

“I’ll talk to her and see what I can find out,” Carmen said.

Sophie brightened. “That would be great. She won’t say anything to me ’cause, you know, I’m just a kid.”

“Did that guy, Metwater, upset you?” Jake asked.

Her expression clouded once more. “You upset me. Going all caveman and arguing over me like I was, I don’t know, a dog or something. It was embarrassing.”

Jake looked at Carmen, desperation in his eyes. “I wasn’t trying to embarrass you,” he said. “I didn’t like the way he was holding you. I didn’t think you liked it, either.”

“I don’t like him because he keeps saying he’s my father now and stuff like that.”

“He hasn’t ever, like, touched you, um, inappropriately, has he?” The tips of Jake’s ears were red, but he marshaled on. “You know what I’m talking about, right?”

“Yes, I know.” Sophie looked miserable. “And he hasn’t done anything like that. I’d call him on it if he did. I’m not afraid of him like some of the people around here.”

“Why are they afraid of him?” Carmen asked.

“Well, maybe afraid isn’t the right word. Mom is just in awe of him and thinks he really is this holy man. And he has those bodyguards he orders around to enforce his rules, so I guess that makes some people nervous.”

“What kind of rules?” Jake asked.

“Oh, just stuff like you’re not supposed to have guns in camp, and we don’t eat meat on Mondays and Fridays—stuff like that. It’s no big deal.”

“What did Mom mean when she said Metwater had saved her life?” Jake asked.

“He got her off heroin. I thought you knew that.”

“I wasn’t sure she was off,” Jake said.

“She is.” Sophie looked around. “I mean, where is she going to score drugs out here? Anyway, the Prophet got her to quit, and he gave her her new name.” She looked at Carmen. “She was Anna before. Now she’s Phoenix. You know, that mythical bird that rose from the ashes. Mom loves that kind of thing.”

“I take it Grandma and Grandpa don’t know where you are,” Jake said.

Sophie’s eyes widened. “No, and you can’t tell them.”

“Why not?”

“Because the court awarded them custody of me, back when Mom was still doing drugs—right after you left to join the military.”

Jake scowled. “Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?”

“I don’t know. I guess because you and Mom argued before you went away, and she figured you would side with Grandma and Grandpa against her.”

“She was probably right,” he said. “If you were with Grandma and Grandpa now, you’d be living in a real house and going to school and having friends your own age.”

“And where would Mom be? If you make me go live with Grandma and Grandpa, she’ll be all alone.”

“Sophie, it isn’t your job to look after Mom,” he said. “She’s supposed to look after you.”

“She’s doing that. We’re fine here.”

“Except you’re hiding from our grandparents.”

Sophie pushed her lips out in a pout. “I don’t want to live with them. I want to stay with Mom.”

“Then she should go to court and get legal custody of you. I could even help you with that.”

Sophie looked skeptical. “Mom would never do that. She hates lawyers and cops and people like that.”

“A lot of times people like that are on your side,” he said. “Don’t ever be afraid to go to the police if you need help.” His gaze met Carmen’s over the top of Sophie’s head and a warm thrill ran through her. She really didn’t want to like this guy as much as she was starting to—not when she still had so many unanswered questions about him.

“Promise me you won’t tell Grandma and Grandpa we’re here,” Sophie said.

Jake looked stubborn. “Mom is breaking the law by keeping you here with her,” he said.

“You don’t understand!” Sophie’s face twisted, the picture of teenage angst. “Mom needs me.”

Carmen put a steadying hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Your brother is just trying to understand the situation.” She gave Jake a hard look. He needed to tone it down and stop putting Sophie on the defensive. “He wants what’s best for you and your mom.”

“Of course I do.” His smile looked a little forced, but Carmen appreciated that he was trying. “I want you both safe and happy.”

“We’re safe and happy here.”

Jake opened his mouth as if to argue but wisely thought better of it. Instead, he stood. “I’ll come back to see you as soon as I can,” he said.

“Promise?” Sophie’s eyes were shiny, as if she was holding back tears. “You won’t leave us again, will you?”

“No, I won’t leave.” He gave her a last, desperate look before leaving.

“Will you be all right here by yourself?” Carmen asked Sophie. “You can come stay with me if you like.” The tent she had brought with her wasn’t that big, but she would make room for the girl.

“Mom will be back soon.” Sophie smoothed her hand over the seat cushion. “She’s going to be all right, isn’t she?”

“We’ll make sure of it.” Carmen gave the girl’s shoulder another reassuring squeeze. She was so young and trying to be so strong. Carmen wanted to pull her into her arms and hold her tight, but she sensed Sophie would resist. After all, Carmen was a stranger to her, and the life she had led so far had probably taught her not to trust strangers. She wasn’t even sure she could trust her brother.

“Will you talk to Jake?” Sophie asked. “Convince him that Mom and I are fine here. We don’t want to go back to Grandma and Grandpa.”

“Why don’t you want to go back to them?” Carmen asked.

“Because Mom is happy here. Her old friends and the drugs and everything aren’t here. She’s safe here. I want her to be safe.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Carmen said. “But I doubt he’ll listen to me.” Jake struck her as a man who made up his own mind, without relying on the opinions of others.

“He likes you,” Sophie said. “That will make him listen.”

Carmen might have argued with that but let it pass. “You come to me if you need anything,” she said and left the little trailer.

Jake was waiting outside, frowning at a couple of men who were watching him from beneath a tree across the clearing. “More of Metwater’s goons?” he asked, as Carmen came up beside him.

Carmen studied the two shaggy-haired young men, boyfriends of a couple of the women she had met. “They’re not part of his bodyguards,” she said. “But they’ve probably heard you’re not supposed to be in camp.”

“Maybe I should hang around a little longer, to show Metwater what I think of his trying to order me around,” he said.

“Don’t.” She gripped his arm. “You’re not going to help your sister and mother by raising a stink like this. Let me handle this. I promise I’ll make sure Phoenix and Sophie are all right.”

His eyes met Carmen’s, and the intensity of his look burned into her. “Looking after them isn’t your job,” he said. “It’s mine. And it’s my fault they’re here right now. If I had stayed home, instead of leaving them to run off to the military, Sophie would be safe in Houston with our grandparents. She’d be enrolled in school and worrying about boys her own age, instead of living here in the wilderness with a phony prophet and his whacked-out followers.”

“Or maybe things would be worse, and your mother would still be an addict or dead of an overdose.” She faced him, toe to toe. “You won’t accomplish anything playing the blame game.”

He clenched his jaw. “You’re right. But I’m not going to let you or Metwater or anyone else keep me from looking after Sophie and my mom now.”

“Where is Sophie’s father?” Carmen asked.

“Who knows? He was another free spirit Mom hooked up with for a few months during one of the periods when I was living with my grandparents. He’s a musician out in California—a real flake. I think he’s seen Sophie twice in her whole life.”

“That must be hard on her.” Carmen saw her own father at least once a week.

“Probably, but you adjust.”

The tension in his voice tugged at her. “Who was your father?” she asked.

“Another guy who ran out on her when she needed him,” Jake said. “A high school classmate—apparently a senior who was headed to college. His plans didn’t include her and a kid.” He shrugged. “I never met him. Never wanted to.”

Was that true? Carmen wondered. Surely a boy would want to know his father. Her own dad was an anchor in her life, a source of love and guidance and so many qualities that made her who she was. Being rejected by a parent must have hurt Jake deeply, even though he didn’t show it. “None of you have had it easy, then,” she said.

His jaw tightened. “We did all right. Most of the time. And I’m going to take care of Mom and Sophie now.”

“There’s nothing more you can do today,” she said. “You should go before there’s trouble.”

“I’ll leave camp—for now. But I promise, I’ll be keeping an eye on this place—and on you.”

He turned and stalked away, leaving her breathless in the wake of this pronouncement, a feeling curling up from her stomach that was part fear and part attraction she really, really didn’t want to feel.

Chapter Four

Jake hiked back to his camp in a secluded copse, just off a dirt road. The sun beat down, hot on the top of his head. A soft breeze brought in the smells of sage and pinion, and the trill of birds. Such a peaceful, idyllic scene. Some of Metwater’s followers probably saw it as a kind of Eden. The Prophet no doubt painted it that way. But Jake sensed something rotten underneath all that beauty.

Carmen must have sensed it, too. He wasn’t sure if he bought her story about being undercover in the camp to check on the conditions for the women and children. Why carry concealed if you were only doing a welfare check?

He hadn’t made her as a cop when he’d first seen her, walking with the women. Did that make him sexist? Or was it only because his attraction to her had sidetracked his thinking? Her cool, reserved attitude intrigued him. He liked that she didn’t rattle easily, and he’d be a liar if he didn’t admit that her slightly exotic beauty added to her appeal. She was the type of woman he’d want guarding his back in a fight—and by his side in bed.

The odds weren’t good either of those things would happen. Officer Redhorse didn’t trust him—not even to look after his own mom and sister. Maybe her instincts were better than his, and she sensed he wasn’t entirely leveling with her. But he had plenty of good reasons for keeping secrets just now.

In any case, he didn’t have room in his life for a relationship right now—he hadn’t had that kind of room for a long time. Before the army, family drama had stolen all opportunity to get close to anyone else. He’d been caught between his concern for his mom and sister, and his anger that they were always so needy. His mother was over forty, and she seemed incapable of looking after herself. She was always in trouble—trouble with creditors, trouble with the law, trouble with drugs.

Four years ago, he had told himself things weren’t that bad. His leaving might even be the kick in the pants she needed to accept her responsibilities and get clean. When he had finally gotten over his anger enough to touch base with her, six months after he’d enlisted, he had been more annoyed than worried when he discovered she had left town. He told himself she would turn up again. She always did.

Then he had been deployed, and time had gotten away from him. It had taken him months after his discharge to find her, months during which he had decided he had been a coward for running out on Sophie the way he had. He had been so eager to escape his problems, he hadn’t thought of anyone else. The knowledge hurt, like a punch in the gut. He wouldn’t make that mistake again. He wouldn’t let her down this time.

He approached the camp he had made in a secluded wash, screened from the road by a tumble of red and gray boulders and a clump of twisted pinions. He froze when he spotted the Jeep parked next to his pickup, secluded behind some trees. He doubted anyone had accidentally chosen that place to park. As carefully and soundlessly as possible, he reached back and eased the gun out of his pack, then unfastened the pack’s straps and let it slip to the ground.

Unencumbered, he moved stealthily toward the camp, keeping out of sight behind the screen of boulders. Warmth from the rocks seeped into his palm as he braced himself to look through a gap into the camp.

An older man with a barrel chest, dressed in khaki shorts and a white, short-sleeved shirt that billowed over his big belly, bent over to peer into Jake’s tent. When he straightened, Jake studied the jowled face with mirrored aviators perched on a bulbous nose. This guy was no cop—he didn’t have that aura about him, and he was seriously out of shape. Jake could hear him wheezing from across the camp.

The man spotted the cooler that Jake had shoved deep into the shade of a pinion and waddled over to it and popped the top. Smiling, he pulled out a beer, condensation glinting on the brown glass. Nope, not a cop. Just a common thief. Jake rose from behind the rock, his gun trained on the intruder. “Put that back where you got it,” he barked.

The man inhaled sharply, and the bottle slipped from his hand, shattering on the rock below, beer fountaining up and onto the man’s hiking boots. He looked down at the mess, frowning. “Shame on you for making me waste a good beer,” he said in heavily accented English. Was he German? Austrian?

“What are you doing in my camp?” Jake asked.

“I was looking around.” The man was red-faced from too much sun, but he didn’t look nervous.

“And you were helping yourself to my beer,” Jake said.

“I was thirsty. Isn’t that the rule of the outdoors—to always offer refreshment to a fellow traveler in need?”

Jake took a step closer, keeping the gun trained on the intruder. “You don’t walk into someone’s camp and help yourself. That’s called theft.”

The man spread his hands in front of him. “I did not mean to offend. Perhaps things are done differently here in the wild west of America.” He nodded toward Jake’s gun. “You are making me nervous, waving that around.”

“Keep your hands where I can see them, and turn around.”

The man hesitated. “Why do you ask this?”

“I’m not asking. Do it.”

The man slowly raised his hands and turned to present his back. Jake moved from behind the rock and checked the man’s pockets and waistband. No gun. He relaxed a little and lowered his weapon, though he kept it in his hand. “You can turn around now.”

The man did so. Up close, he looked even older—close to sixty. “What are you doing out here?” Jake asked.

“I am on vacation.”

“From where?”

“From Germany. Munich. I come to the United States every year.”

Jake looked around at the austere landscape. Not the kind of thing he would expect a city guy from Munich to be attracted to. “Why?”

“I embrace the wild beauty of this land.” The German spread his arms wide. “I find it endlessly fascinating.”

“Really?”

He dropped his hands. “Also, I have a great interest in the flora and fauna of the American wilderness.”

“Are you a botanist or something?”

“I am a hobbyist. My name is Werner Altbusser.” He extended his hand, but Jake didn’t take it. He didn’t for a minute believe this guy was as innocent as he pretended to be.

“Where are you camped?” Jake asked.

If he had been on the receiving end of these questions, Jake would have told the guy his campsite was none of his business, but Werner had no such qualms. “I am staying in a motel in Montrose,” he said. “I do not enjoy camping. And I realized when I was out here that I had not brought enough water with me, hence I was doubly glad to see your camp.”

Werner hadn’t just “seen” Jake’s camp. Jake had made sure it wasn’t visible from the road, and there were no nearby trails. “So you figured you’d wander over and take a look,” Jake said.

“I hoped someone would be home, and I could ask for a drink.”

Jake opened the cooler and took out a bottle of water. “Here you go.”

If the German was disappointed not to receive a beer, he didn’t show it. He twisted the lid off the water bottle and half drained it in one gulp. So maybe he was thirsty. Jake took out a bottle of water for himself.

Thirst slaked, Werner looked around the camp. “This is a remote location,” he said. “What brings you here? Are you, like me, a lover of nature?”

“I have business in the area.”

Werner’s eyebrows arched in unspoken question, but Jake didn’t elaborate.

“I met some other people camped in the area,” Werner said. “A group of young people, who said they are part of a large family who live here.”

Jake stiffened. Was he talking about Metwater’s bunch? “Where did you meet them?” he asked.

“Oh, while I was out walking.” He waved his hand vaguely. “Very nice young people.” He grinned, showing white teeth. “Very pretty women. Do you know them?”

“No,” Jake lied.

Werner drained the rest of the bottle, then crumpled it and set it on top of the cooler. “Thank you for the water. I will be going now.”

Jake couldn’t think of a good reason to detain the man. “Next time you come across an unoccupied camp, don’t wander in and help yourself,” he said. “The next person you meet might not be as understanding as me,” he said.

“I will remember that.” He gave a small bow, then turned and walked unhurriedly to the Jeep. After a few moments, the engine roared to life and trundled back to the road.

Jake waited until the vehicle was out of sight, then retrieved his pack and carried it into his tent. Out of habit, he checked the contents, searching through the spare shirt and socks, extra ammo, energy bars, sunscreen and water. But the item he was looking for wasn’t there.

He upended the pack on his sleeping bag, and emptied out the side pockets as well, the sinking feeling in his stomach growing to Grand Canyon proportions. The folder with his credentials and badge were gone. Whoever had taken them now knew he was a Fish and Wildlife officer. His cover was blown before the sting had even begun.

Chapter Five

Starfall cornered Carmen after breakfast the next day. “Heard from Soldier Boy?” she asked, smirking.

Carmen started to pretend she didn’t know who Starfall was talking about, but why play dumb? “I haven’t heard from him,” she said.

“Hmm.” Starfall twirled one long curl around her index finger. “I was hoping he’d stop by today to visit.”

“You know the Prophet told him he wasn’t welcome here.” Metwater had made a point after dinner last night of announcing that he wanted everyone to be more vigilant about keeping out uninvited visitors. He passed it off as a concern for the safety of the group, though he had specifically mentioned Jake as an example of someone who could disrupt the harmony of the group.

“Roscoe said he spotted a bunch of berry bushes south of here,” Starfall said. Roscoe was the Family’s mechanic. He made extra money by collecting rusting metal and the remains of cars that had been dumped in the wilderness, and selling them to scrap dealers in town. “Want to come pick with us this morning? If we get enough fruit, we can make jam.”

Carmen actually liked picking berries. The weather was pleasant, the scenery beautiful and it was one of her best opportunities to mingle with all of the women and many of the children in the group. She was learning about their backgrounds and getting a good picture of their relationships to the Prophet and to each other. Though some of them looked a little more ragged and dirty than others, she hadn’t found any real signs of neglect. A little more attention to schooling and health care would have been warranted, but she couldn’t see that Metwater and his followers were breaking any laws. Another day or two, and she would have to wrap up her investigation and get back to more pressing matters, so she might as well make the most of the time she had left. “Sure, I’ll come.”

When the women assembled with their buckets and baskets, Carmen was surprised to see Sophie and Phoenix. “Are you sure you’re well enough to be going out?” she asked Phoenix.

“I told her she should stay home and rest,” Sophie said.

“I’m fine.” Phoenix smiled. She looked pale but, then, she always looked pale. “And I like berry picking. I wouldn’t want to stay behind and miss it.”

“Come on, let’s go,” Starfall called. “I don’t want to wait around all morning.”

They set out, a motley collection of half a dozen women and an equal number of children. Some women had chosen to remain behind, including Asteria. But most enjoyed the opportunity to be away from camp, enjoying the nice weather. They found the raspberry bushes Roscoe had told them about, the thorny, fruit-laden canes clustered along the edge of a small canyon. Carmen began filling a plastic ice-cream bucket with the sweet, red fruit, careful to avoid the sharp thorns which continually caught and tugged on her clothes. She had worn jeans for the work and a billowing blouse that hid the gun tucked into her waistband.

Except for the gun, she was reminded of other berry-picking expeditions when she was a girl, with her relatives on the Southern Ute Reservation south of here. Aunt Veronica would try to scare them with stories about bears that would try to steal the fruit, and her mother would promise a reward for the child who picked the most berries. Smiling at the memory, Carmen paused to stretch her back and sample some of the juicy berries. She was sucking juice from her fingers when she noticed Starfall had moved away from the others and was searching the ground some distance away.

While most of the women had welcomed Carmen to the Family, Starfall had kept her distance. Carmen was still trying to figure out where the slight, curly-haired woman fit into the group dynamic. She wasn’t one of Metwater’s favorites—women who hovered around him at every meal and ceremony, like groupies around a rock star. She shared a tent with Asteria next to Metwater’s motor home and had a little boy whose father had accompanied her to the Family, but who had left after less than a month. All this Carmen had learned from other women, not Starfall herself. There was something sly and grasping about the young woman that made Carmen always on edge around her—and curious to know what she was hiding.

She moved away from the berry pickers and toward Starfall. The other woman straightened at her approach. “What are you looking for?” Carmen asked.

Starfall swept her mass of curly, brown hair back from her forehead. “Do you know anything about cactus?” she asked.

“Not much.” Her grandmother had taught her how to cook the green pads of prickly pear—removing the thorns and cutting the flesh into thin strips to sauté as a vegetable—but it wasn’t one of Carmen’s favorite dishes, and she doubted Starfall was interested in the recipe.

“I’m looking for this.” Starfall thrust a piece of paper toward her. Carmen took the paper and studied it. Obviously printed from the internet, it showed a squat, barrel-shaped cactus with wicked-looking spines and a soft pink flower.

“Where did you get this?” Carmen asked, returning the paper.

Starfall folded the copy and tucked it in the pocket of her skirt. “I met a guy in town who said he’d pay me twenty bucks for every one of these I found and brought to him.” She studied the ground again. “He said they grew around here, but they wouldn’t have flowers this time of year.”

“Isn’t it against the law to take plants from public land?” Carmen asked. She knew it was, though enforcement was lax, considering the other crimes the Rangers had to worry about.

“This place is full of cactus,” Starfall said. “Who’s going to miss one?”

“Who was this guy?” Carmen asked, joining Starfall in searching the ground.

“Some old German. A tourist. He said he collects cactus. It sounded like an easy way to earn twenty bucks. But maybe not. I’ve been looking all morning and haven’t seen any of these.”

“Starfall!”

Sophie ran to them. “I think I found one of those cactus you’re looking for,” the girl said.

“Really?” Starfall brightened. “Show me.”

Carmen followed the two of them to a spot near the canyon rim but away from the berry thicket. Sophie squatted down and pointed. “It’s not very big,” she said. “But it looks like your picture.”

Starfall pulled out the paper and held it beside the cactus. “I think you’re right.” She patted Sophie’s shoulder. “Thanks, honey.” She straightened, then put up her hand to shield her eyes as she stared in the distance. A sly smile spread across her face. “Well, what do you know?”

Carmen followed the other woman’s gaze and recognized the tall figure striding toward them, just as Sophie shouted “Jake!” and began running toward her brother.

Jake hugged Sophie, then the two continued arm in arm toward Carmen and Starfall.

“What are you all looking at?” he asked when he joined them.

“Why, you, Soldier Boy,” Starfall said, while Carmen said nothing.

“Hello, Carmen,” he said.

“Hello.” She kept her expression and her voice cool. She still hadn’t made up her mind how she felt about Jake. On one hand, she admired his devotion to his sister and mother, and his courage and determination to do the right thing. But he also struck her as quick-tempered and a little mysterious. She appreciated a strong man, but she didn’t want to have to wonder if he was on the right side of the law.

“I told Mom you’d come back,” Sophie said.

“Where is she?” Jake looked past his sister toward the other women, who had moved down the rim of the wash to pick more berries.

“I talked her into sitting down under a tree and resting.” Sophie pointed to a shady spot where Phoenix sat. Just then, the older woman looked over to them, smiled and waved.

“How is she feeling today?” Jake asked.

“She says she’s better.” Sophie shrugged. “I guess she is. She came back to the trailer about suppertime and went straight to bed and slept all night, so maybe she was just really tired.”

“Uh-huh.”

“What brings you to see us, Soldier Boy?” Starfall lightly touched Jake’s shoulder and smiled.

“I was out hiking and saw you all picking berries and thought it would be a good opportunity to visit with my mom and sister away from the camp.”

“You’re not afraid of the Prophet’s enforcers, are you?” Starfall said. She squeezed his bicep. “You look like a man who knows how to handle himself.”

Jake shrugged away from her. “What were you ladies looking at just now?” he asked.

“We were looking at cactus,” Sophie said, ignoring Starfall’s frown.

“What kind of cactus?” Jake focused on the ground where Sophie pointed.

“Starfall knows,” Sophie said. “Show him the picture.”

“I don’t think so.” Starfall hugged her arms across her chest. “Why don’t you go back to your mother, and let us adults talk?”

Sophie pouted. “Jake’s my brother. I want to stay with him.”

Jake put his arm around her. “Sure, you can stay with me.”

Starfall tossed her head. “I was hoping I’d run into you again soon,” she said.

“Why is that?” he asked.

She glanced at Carmen. “I wanted to talk to you. Alone.”

“You can say whatever you need to say here,” he said.

Now it was Starfall’s turn to pout. But Jake’s expression sent the clear message that he wasn’t budging. “I have something that belongs to you,” she said. “Something I found when I was out walking yesterday.”

He tensed, and it was as if the temperature around him dropped a few degrees. “What is it?” he asked, the three words sharp with anger.

Starfall twirled a lock of hair. “Something you wouldn’t want to fall into the wrong hands.”

“Give it back.”

Sophie cringed at his sharp tone, but Starfall only laughed. “Oh no,” she said. “If you want it, you’ll have to pay for it. Or I could hand it over to the Prophet. He might be very interested in it.”

“What are you talking about?” Sophie asked before Carmen could voice the question.

But neither Jake nor Starfall answered. They glared at each other, then his expression cooled, and he seemed to shrug off his anger. He turned his back to Starfall and squatted to get a closer look at the cactus. It was a clear dismissal. Starfall glared at him, hands fisted at her sides, and Carmen braced herself to pull the other woman off him if she decided to attack.

Jake had to be aware of Starfall’s anger, but he continued to ignore her. “I think that’s a Colorado hookless cactus,” he said to Sophie.

Starfall glared at Carmen, then moved over behind Jake. “Don’t you want to know more about this item I found?” she asked.

“Right now I’m more interested in this cactus.”

“How does a guy like you know anything about cactus?” she asked.

“It’s a hobby of mine.”

“That’s the same thing the guy said who asked me to find these for him,” Starfall said. “Since when are cactus such a big hobby?”

Jake stood. “You might be surprised,” he said. “Who was the guy?”

She opened her mouth to answer, but her words were drowned out by the loud crack! of gunfire. Granite shards exploded from a nearby boulder. Sophie screamed, and Carmen reached for her weapon but was shoved hard as Jake forced her and Sophie to the ground and then pulled Starfall after them. “Stay down,” he ordered, even as he drew a gun.

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