IDENTITY UNKNOWN

A baby’s frantic cries lead Texas Ranger Drake Jackson to an injured woman in Big Bend Park, the infant by her side. But “Kay” has no idea who she is or what happened. All she seems sure of is that she’s in terrible danger. When someone comes after her—determined to snatch the child—Drake takes her and little Kaleb to his family’s ranch to protect them. But with the attackers circling closer as Christmas approaches, the guarded ranger knows they won’t be safe there for long. Vowing to uncover her identity and catch her attacker, Drake plans to give mother and child the holiday they deserve...safe by his side forever.

“Shh,” Kay whispered to the baby.

She started moving again, not sure which way to go.

A noise to the right startled her. The play of light and dark in the woods confused her. Was she still moving away from her assailant?

Then a large shadow stepped out from behind a tree, and she ran into a solid, muscular body.

He gripped her arms with an ironclad hold. When she yelled for help, baby Kaleb bawled. Her assailant yanked on Kaleb, but he was secured against her in the baby carrier. The brute jerked harder.

As they struggled, Kay kicked the man’s shin. He couldn’t take her child. She poured all her energy into protecting Kaleb.

When she scanned the darkness surrounding her, she suddenly didn’t see her assailant.

“Kay, I’m here!” Drake shouted. “Are y’all okay?”

All the tension in her body siphoned from her. Now she was. “Yes.”

Drake clicked on a flashlight and swept the area with the bright beam, then stepped next to her. “He’s gone. You and the baby are safe now.”

For now.

Dear Reader,

Can you imagine waking up one day and you can’t even recall your name? It would totally shake up your life from dealing with large issues to small ones. I think we tend to take for granted who we are and our memories. But what if all that was taken away from you?

In Lone Star Christmas Rescue, I explore what happens to a person when she doesn’t remember who she is. Our personalities are formed by our past. Our experiences shape who we are. When Kay’s memory is wiped away, she has to struggle to find herself. She doesn’t know who to trust or how she ended up with amnesia. Even when she begins to remember bits and pieces of her previous life, she doesn’t know if she will ever remember everything.

I love hearing from readers. You can contact me at margaretdaley@gmail.com or at P. O. Box 2074, Tulsa, OK 74101. You can also learn more about my books at http://www.margaretdaley.com. I have a monthly newsletter that you can sign up for on my website.

Best wishes,

Margaret

MARGARET DALEY, an award-winning author of ninety books (five million sold worldwide), has been married for over forty years and is a firm believer in romance and love. When she isn’t traveling, she’s writing love stories, often with a suspense thread, and corralling her three cats, who think they rule her household. To find out more about Margaret, visit her website at margaretdaley.com.

Lone Star Christmas Rescue

Margaret Daley

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

—Psalms 23:4

To my granddaughters

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

THIRTEEN

FOURTEEN

FIFTEEN

SIXTEEN

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Texas Ranger Drake Jackson hiked to the edge of the cliff and stared at the raw beauty stretching out before him. Not far away was the Rio Grande and Mexico. The case he’d been assigned involved a human smuggling ring that worked both ways—trafficking people both into and out of the United States. One of their corridors had recently been rumored to be along this part of the border in his territory, but every time the task force got close, someone ended up dead and the route disappeared.

If only they could catch a break.

A vision of his younger sister materialized in his mind. Smiling. Laughing at something he’d said. But that was fifteen years ago, before she vanished without a trace. At that time, he’d been a Texas highway patrol officer and had taken vacation days to work the case. But he could never find her. In his gut, and based on the evidence he’d gathered, Drake knew she’d become a victim of a human trafficking ring. Even now, he and his family lived in limbo concerning Beth.

He shook the image from his thoughts. He might not be able to bring Beth back, but he was determined to stop others from ending up like her. He knew firsthand what it was like for a family to have no resolution for a loved one’s fate.

With a sigh, he turned away from the cliff’s edge. A faint cry from below caught his attention. A wounded animal? Again, the sound drifted to him. A cat—cougar?

He lifted his binoculars and scanned Big Bend National Park’s rugged terrain below for the source of the noise. The cries grew to wails, allowing him to home in on the source. He sucked in a sharp breath. Nestled between large boulders sat a baby, tugging on the shirt of a woman sprawled on the ground. The location was an odd place for anyone to be. Quickly he checked the surrounding area. He didn’t see anyone nearby. Returning his attention to the lady, he noticed she wasn’t moving or reacting to the crying baby next to her. Something was wrong.

He shrugged off his backpack and dug into it for the rope and gear he used for rappelling. It would take two or three times longer for him to hike down to the canyon. If the woman was injured, she might need help right away. After putting in his anchors, setting up his rigging and double-checking all the equipment, Drake stepped off the cliff with his backpack. Facing the rock facade, he walked down it at a sixty-degree angle.

The baby’s continuous bawling urged him to move as fast as he could. Drake kept looking over his shoulder at the pair below. When his feet hit the bottom, he unhooked himself, then hurried the few yards to the woman and child. By the time he reached them, the little boy’s face was beet red, tears running down his cheeks. Dressed in jeans, a dirty long-sleeved white shirt and tennis shoes, the lady beside the child appeared as though she was taking a nap—no obvious signs of an injury.

Drake knelt next to the child and stroked his hand up and down the baby’s back. “Shh. I’m here to help,” he said in a soft voice and removed a water bottle to offer the little boy a few sips.

As he continued to pat the child, he turned his attention to the woman, relieved to see her chest rising and falling with each breath. When he felt for her pulse on the side of her neck, its racing beat didn’t surprise him.

The baby, probably no more than six or seven months old, calmed down and looked at Drake with big brown eyes and long black lashes. Assessing him.

“You aren’t alone.” He wished he could ask the child what had happened and get an answer.

What was wrong with the young woman? Why was she out here with a baby and no backpack—or water?

Heatstroke? He touched her smooth, soft skin, pinkish from the sun but not badly sunburned. He ran his fingertips over her forehead, her flesh sweaty but not hot enough to indicate heatstroke. He breathed a little easier—although it wouldn’t take long for her to become dehydrated, and then her body would shut down.

Drake leaned down and said in a firm voice, “Wake up, ma’am.” He gently shook her shoulder.

No response.

After another glance down the front of her body, he returned his attention to her face, with long light brown hair framing it. Still no obvious sign of why she wasn’t responding. He hated to stop soothing the baby, but he needed to find out why the lady was unconscious.

The baby whimpered the second he removed his hand so he could roll the woman over to check her back for any injuries. He locked gazes with the little boy for a few seconds, saying, “It’s okay. I’m still here,” before he shifted his focus to the unresponsive lady.

He immediately saw what was wrong. Blood matted her hair and stained the ground below her head. Had she fallen or had someone hit her? He surveyed the area. Unless someone was hiding behind the rocks, they were the only people in the canyon. He carefully examined the wound—about four inches long but hard to tell how deep.

As the baby watched him, Drake grabbed his backpack and pulled out his first aid kit. He treated the injury and wrapped gauze around her head to stem the flow of blood. From the amount of it, uncoagulated, soaking into the ground, she’d been hurt recently. He laid the woman on her back again with her face turned to the side, revealing her bandage. Her eyelids fluttered open.

“I’m a Texas Ranger. I’m here to help. What happened?” he asked, but not before she’d closed her eyes again. “Ma’am, I’m here to help you and the baby.”

Nothing.

With no cell reception, he’d have to hike out of the canyon and head for the nearest park road, which was closer than circling the cliffs and making his way to his car. He couldn’t leave her or the baby alone while he did. He’d have to carry them both to the highway. She needed medical help as soon as possible.

He put his first aid kit away, then took a bottle and drank a long sip before he held the baby and offered him more water. He drank, the liquid running down his chin and neck. After that, Drake quickly fashioned a carrier for the little boy using his backpack with most of his gear removed. After giving him another sip of water, Drake strapped him in, covered the top of the child’s head and then shrugged into the makeshift baby hauler.

The boy’s giggles brought a smile to Drake’s face. Hopefully, he thought it was a game. He glanced over his shoulders into those big dark eyes. Was the woman his mother? There weren’t too many similarities between them. “This is the way to travel. Let someone else do the walking.”

The baby babbled in response.

Drake drew in a deep breath, squatted and gently scooped the injured lady—no more than five feet three inches—into his arms and then stood. As he trudged across the canyon floor, he kept visually sweeping the terrain for any sign of someone else. Occasionally he looked at the slender-built woman or peered over his shoulder at the little boy who had fallen asleep against his back after only ten minutes.

When Drake emerged from the canyon, he knew a paved road was only about a mile away. He thought about stopping and resting, but instead he paused and used a boulder to prop the woman—heavier than he’d expected—against it so he could get the bottle out and take a gulp of water. The child slept through the maneuvering. Resuming his hike, Drake shoved away the burning sensation in his arms and shoulders and kept going. The woman might be small, but she had a muscular build.

In the distance, he spied a truck on the highway, but it was too far for him to flag down. He increased his speed. Five hundred yards away, another vehicle drove by heading west. Sweat rolled down his face as he began to jog, not wanting to miss another ride. He struggled to drag in enough oxygen to fuel his body and to keep the woman cradled against his chest safely.

One hundred yards.

Catching sight of a white car approaching from the east, he accelerated his pace as much as he could without jostling the injured lady too much. He was within twenty yards when the SUV flew by, not slowing down. Drake continued toward the road that led to the Panther Junction Visitor Center, but at a walk. His mad dash to flag down the vehicle had awakened the baby and left Drake panting, his arms burning even more from the strain.

He slanted a look at the little boy, whose mouth turned down. “Someone will come soon.”

The baby jabbered back at him, any evidence of a frown gone.

Drake guessed he liked the sound of his voice, so as he strode along the highway in the direction of the visitor center, he spoke softly about the animals he’d seen in Big Bend National Park. When he started telling the child about the mountain lion he’d seen in the spring, he looked down at the lady in his arms. Her eyes, dark like the baby’s, stared at him.

“You’re okay. I’m Drake Jackson. I’m taking you to get medical assistance. I found you passed out.”

Her forehead furrowed, and she winced. “My head—hurts.”

“You’ve been unconscious since I discovered you almost an hour ago. What’s your name?”

Pain flittered across her face. Her eyelids began to slide shut. “I—”

Staring at her closed eyes, he murmured, “Ma’am?”

A sense of urgency slithered down his spine. She needed help now, and he wished he had a fast way to get it.

The baby whined.

“She’ll be all right. We’re only a few miles away from the visitor center,” he said in a singsong voice, hoping to calm the little boy while in the heat of the desert wondering if he had the stamina to make it before it was too late. At least it was the first of December and cooler than other times in the park along the border with Mexico.

A sound drew his attention, and he zeroed in on a red sedan coming toward him. Unable to wave the driver down, Drake moved into the center of the road, praying he would stop and take them back the way the vehicle had come.

The car pulled onto the shoulder. The window slid down, and an older woman in the passenger seat asked, “Do you need help?”

“Yes.” Drake glanced down at the hiker in his arms. “She needs medical attention as quickly as possible. Can you take us to the Panther Junction Visitor Center?”

“Of course we can. Get in.” The older woman exited the vehicle. “I can hold the child.” After she unstrapped the little boy from the carrier on Drake’s back, she opened the rear door for him and then returned to the front seat with the baby.

Carefully he slipped into the back seat, adjusting the injured lady in his lap.

The driver made a U-turn and said, “I’m Clarence Moore, and this is my wife, Susan.”

“I’m Texas Ranger Drake Jackson. I found this wounded woman and the baby alone in a canyon.”

“Do you want some water?” Susan asked while the child drank from a plastic bottle.

“Yes, ma’am. I’d appreciate it.”

Susan bent forward and grabbed another water bottle, then passed it to Drake. “We came prepared with our own.”

“Thanks. That’s always a good idea in Big Bend.” He took a deep swig of the cold liquid, relishing it as it slid down his parched throat.

His gaze locked onto the injured woman’s open brown eyes. “Do you want some?”

“Yes,” she answered in a slow rasp.

Drake’s arm, tingling from numbness, held her torso up at an angle. Shifting to relieve that sensation, he assisted her in taking a drink. A flowery aroma mingling with the scents of sweat and dust wafted to him. He was thankful she was short and didn’t weigh much over 110 pounds, but he hadn’t been sure how much farther he could have carried her without taking a break.

When she finished drinking, he swallowed another gulp, the whole time watching her as she peered at him. Assessing him, much like the baby had. On closer scrutiny, she and the child looked similar, more than he’d originally thought.

“Who are you?” he asked again. Why did you have a young baby out in the middle of nowhere?

A frown marred her attractive features. “I don’t know.”

* * *

Running. Gasping for air. Clutching a baby close. Images bounced around in her mind, then suddenly vanished. Her eyes popped open to a dimly lit strange place. She lay in a bed hooked up to monitors nearby.

Panic—danger swamped her. She had to get out of here.

She sat up. The room tilted and spun. She collapsed back onto the bed, closing her eyes to stop the swirling. Her stomach roiled. All she wanted to do was surrender to the darkness lurking close, but fear held her in the here and now.

Where am I?

Who am I?

A sound penetrated through her mounting alarm. Footsteps.

She couldn’t shake the sense of danger. She opened her eyes again and frantically searched for a button to push for help.

“How are you doing, ma’am?” a deep male voice asked in a Texan drawl.

A vaguely familiar tall, large man, dressed in tan slacks and a white cowboy hat, stood only a few feet away. Her attention riveted on the silver star pinned to his long-sleeved white shirt. Police? Why was he here? Her head pounding, she grappled for the call button and pushed it while scrambling to the far side of the bed, the railing trapping her where she was. That sensation skyrocketed her distress.

“Who are you?” she asked in a quavering voice. Where had she seen him before? Confusion greeted that silent question.

He smiled, two dimples appearing on his tanned face. “I’m Texas Ranger Drake Jackson. I found you in Big Bend National Park yesterday afternoon.”

“Alone?” escaped her mouth. An image of him leaning over her flashed into her mind. The picture vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Why did she think they hadn’t been alone?

“No. Do you know your name?”

The dream that woke her up materialized in her mind. A baby in her arms? Sun beating down on them? Bright lights shining in her face? People around her? Was that real or her imagination?

“Did I have a baby with me?”

“Yes. Can you tell me your name? I’d like to contact your next of kin.”

She had a baby with her. Did she have a husband? She rubbed the place where a wedding ring should be if she was married. Nothing. “I—I don’t know my name.”

His blue eyes dimmed. “What do you remember?”

Before she could answer, an older nurse entered her room. “I’m glad to see you’re awake. I’ll contact the doctor. In the meantime, do you need anything, miss?” The nurse approached her bed on the opposite side of the Texas Ranger, checked her vitals, then shined a bright light into her eyes.

She delved into her mind, trying to recall anything that would lead to her identity and why she was in the hospital. But all she encountered was a blank slate, as though she’d never existed until now. “Where are my clothes?” Maybe they would indicate who she was.

The nurse crossed to a closet and withdrew a paper sack. “Everything you had with you is in here. Do you want to go through it?”

“Yes, please.” When she reached for the bag, her hand shook. Awareness of the large man on her other side, watching her, caused her to clutch the paper bag and quickly draw it to her chest, feeling what little was inside. Was this all she had of her past?

She bowed her head and squeezed her eyes closed, desperate for any memory of who she was. She pictured herself standing on a mountaintop, scanning the valley below. Where was she? She couldn’t tell. Was it a real place or merely her imagination?

A void held her, like an insect in amber. Caged. She felt empty, with no past to tell her who she was. The sensation of being in the middle of an ocean with only miles and miles of water surrounding her flooded her mind. Nothing for as far as she could see.

Her heartbeat raced, and her breathing shortened until she panted for each swallow of air.

“Miss, are you all right?” the nurse asked while the Texas Ranger moved closer.

His nearness surprisingly didn’t frighten her. Instead, it comforted her as she sucked in gulps of the oxygen-rich air. She couldn’t lose it. That wouldn’t help her find out what happened. “I’ll—be—okay,” she managed to say between gasps.

Another minute passed before she felt in control of her breathing. She needed to talk alone with the Texas Ranger about how he found her. Maybe that would help her remember.

And she needed to find out about the baby from her dreams. She couldn’t remember being a mother or married, but then, she couldn’t remember anything of her past.

She turned her attention to the nurse. “I’d like to talk to the doctor whenever he comes.”

“I’ll let him know.”

“Thanks.” She waited until the nurse left the room before swinging her gaze back to the intensity in Drake Jackson’s blue eyes, totally focused on her. Strangely, she didn’t feel intimidated. “How did you find me? You said I had a baby with me. Where is he?”

One eyebrow rose. “You know it’s a boy. Do you know his name?”

Why had she said he? It just came out. “No. I can’t remember anything.”

“Your fingerprints were taken and run through the system, but nothing has come up yet.”

Instead of disappointment that they couldn’t ID her, relief fluttered through her. “I should be thankful. That means I haven’t been in trouble with the law, at least.”

He chuckled. “Fingerprints are on file from other sources beside the criminal system.”

The soft sound of his laughter warmed her, making her feel less alone.

“To answer your questions about where the baby is, he’s in the hospital, too.”

She sat up straight, this time without the room swirling. “He’s hurt?”

“Dehydrated, like you. He’ll be released soon.”

“Then what?”

“That depends on you. The state will take charge if you can’t show he’s yours. We’ll run a search for Baby Doe’s identity.”

“Don’t!” she said before she could stop herself.

TWO

“Don’t? Do you know how he came to be in your possession?” Drake inched closer to the woman’s hospital bed. His earlier impression of her had been fear and confusion, both understandable if her memory was affected by her injury. Or was that a ruse? What if she’d kidnapped the baby and come up with an amnesia cover story to delay an explanation? “Why don’t you want to know the child’s identity?”

“I—I do, but...” She looked away, staring at the door. “I can’t shake the feeling something’s wrong here.”

“Like what?”

Her gaze locked with his. “I don’t know.” She fumbled with her sack of belongings, clasping it against her chest.

The anguish in her voice sounded genuine. As a Texas Ranger, Drake had to consider all angles of a situation. He’d seen a lot in his fifteen years working in law enforcement. If he couldn’t remember who he was or what had happened, he would feel the same way. He wanted to believe her but... “Maybe your clothing will help you remember something.” People with a traumatic brain injury could suffer total or partial amnesia that could be permanent or temporary. He didn’t think she was faking, but he couldn’t completely dismiss that possibility.

She unrolled the top of the paper bag and glanced inside. For a long moment, she remained quiet, then she slowly reached inside and pulled out her dirty white shirt. Next came the jeans, socks and shoes. She checked every pocket and withdrew money from the front one. After she counted the three hundred dollars, she murmured, “I have this but no ID. Why?”

Instead of finding any answers, Drake only discovered more questions. “I don’t know. Is that all in the sack?”

“That’s all.” She turned the bag upside down, and a gold necklace plopped onto her blanket. Her eyes grew wide. “I didn’t see that.”

Drake started to reach for the piece of jewelry, stopped and brought his arm back to his side. His gaze latched on to a letter carved into the oval locket. “I think it opens.”

With trembling hands, she picked up the delicate chain and palmed the golden ornament. With her stare fixed on it, she slowly opened it and gasped. “I think this may be a photo of me. Is it?” She touched her face as though her fingers could discern the answer by feel. She passed the necklace to him, her forehead scrunched.

She continued to shake, and all he wanted to do was comfort and reassure her everything would be all right. But he couldn’t. He had no idea what was going on. He had to remain detached, professional.

How did she know what she looked like if she couldn’t remember who she was? Slowly he examined the two photos in the locket. “This is you, and the picture of the baby is the same little boy you had with you.”

“So I must be his mother.” A quaver flowed through each word.

“Probably. You’re connected somehow. How did you know what you look like?”

“I...” She shook her head slowly. “I remember dreaming of this baby and me being in trouble.”

He studied the pictures, then the woman he’d rescued. He saw similarities between them, but the child’s coloring was darker, possibly of Hispanic descent. “What trouble?”

She closed her eyes, her head dropping forward.

Had she lost consciousness again? Or was she pretending?

Her eyes suddenly opened wide. “Right before I woke up, I remembered a vague image of me running with him clutched in my arms.”

“Why were you running?”

Her large brown eyes, filled with bewilderment, lifted to his. “I don’t know.”

“Does the photo of the baby spark any other memories?”

“No, but maybe if I see him, it will.”

“I’ll let the nursing staff know. He’s still being given fluids through an IV.”

“What hospital am I in?”

“Cactus Grove Hospital.”

She frowned.

“Does Cactus Grove, Texas, sound familiar to you?”

“No. Is this where you live?”

“Yes, outside town on a family ranch. Cactus Grove, along Interstate 10, has about forty thousand residents.” He gave the necklace back to the woman. “Does the engraved letter K on the locket mean anything to you? The initial of your first name?”

She fiddled with the piece of jewelry, rubbing her thumb over the letter. “Not sure. Maybe?”

“Or your last name?”

She shook her head. “No idea, but I guess until I figure out who I am, I’d rather go by a name that might be mine.”

“Kay?” He spelled the word out.

She nodded.

“How about the baby?”

“Maybe when I see him and hold him, I’ll remember something.”

“Let me check if you can as soon as possible. I’ll talk with the head nurse.” He walked toward the door.

“You’re leaving?” Her voice cracked on the last word.

The sound shivered down him, and again he found himself wondering what it would feel like not remembering who you were—alone, everyone a stranger. “Only to talk with Rosa Martinez. I’ll be right back.”

In the hallway, Drake quickly located the head nurse and requested the baby be brought to Kay when possible.

The nurse glanced at the door to Kay’s room. “She remembered her name?”

“Not exactly, but the locket she’d been wearing had an engraved K on it and two photos inside—one of Baby Doe and the other of the woman I brought in.”

“I like the name. I have an aunt Kay. It sounds like she might be the child’s mother after all. Seeing her baby might help with her memory. I’ll check on the little boy and personally bring him to Kay as soon as possible. After the doctor deals with an emergency, he’ll be here to check Baby Doe for possible release later today.”

“Thanks.” As Drake made his way back to the hospital room, his cell phone rang. Noticing it was from the El Paso Texas Rangers headquarters, he quickly answered it. “Jackson here. What’s up?”

“The park ranger at Big Bend National Park called. A murdered couple has been found.”

“And he wants us to handle the case rather than the FBI or their own investigators?” He’d rather stay and be here for Kay. She didn’t have anyone else.

“It was Park Ranger Calhoun who asked for you.”

The guy he’d dealt with after bringing Kay to the ranger’s station at the park. “Is this tied to the woman I rescued?”

“Possibly. The couple killed was Clarence and Susan Moore.”

A chill streaked down his spine. “Tell him I’m on my way.” Now he had to tell Kay he was leaving. He knocked, then pushed open the door.

As he entered, she glanced his way. “Will she bring the baby to me?”

“Yes, as soon as possible.”

Kay—having a name felt so much more normal to him—wadded the blanket in her fists. “I’ve been trying to remember while you were gone. Nothing. Now I’m not even sure about what I thought I dreamed. I tried to picture that last image, and I can’t.”

She looked lost. He hated to leave. “I never recall my dreams after I wake up.” He cleared his throat. “I have to leave for a while.”

“I was hoping you could be here when I see the baby.”

“I wish I could, but—” he left his card on the bedside table “—the nurse is waiting on the doctor to check the little boy. If you need to talk with me, call me. There will be times the cell reception won’t be good, but leave a message and I’ll call back when I can. I should be able to return by early evening.”

“That long?”

“It’s important, or I wouldn’t leave.” He didn’t want to tell her anything else. The couple’s murder very likely didn’t have anything to do with Kay—at least he hoped. She didn’t need to worry about that on top of all she had to deal with. He turned to leave, stopped and looked back at her, so alone in the hospital bed. “I’m here to help you.”

She smiled, her eyes brightening for a few seconds. “Thank you.”

When he left the room, the urge to remain stayed with him the whole way to his car. But a stronger pull drew him back to Big Bend.

* * *

With her eyes closed, a dull pain throbbing against her temples, Kay reclined at a sixty-degree angle in the hospital bed, trying to recall anything that could help her remember who she was. Memories had been stripped from her mind as though this were the day she’d been born.

A few minutes ago, she’d known how to do things like walk into the bathroom and wash her face. She even brushed her teeth and relished the peppermint flavor. She could read the label on the toothpaste, and when she went back into the main part of the room, she noticed it was two o’clock.

So why can’t I remember my name? Where I live? How I ended up in the park—with my child?

Still, no answers flooded her.

She slid farther under the top sheet and blanket, wishing she could pull it up over her and hide under the covers. The sound of the door opening caused her to tense each time she heard it. When the head nurse entered the room, cradling a baby against her, Kay exhaled her held breath. At least Rosa Martinez wasn’t another stranger coming in. There had been a parade of them in the past hours when all she wanted to see was the Texas Ranger or the baby found with her. Kay hoped she could find some answers to all the questions swirling around in her head.

“The doctor is releasing Baby Doe later today,” Nurse Martinez said, stopping next to her bed.

“To who?” Kay asked as she peeked at the dark-haired little boy.

“That depends on what the State decides. A case worker will be here around five.”

Case worker? How was she going to prove she was the child’s mother? Would the photos in the locket be enough?

“Do you want to hold him?”

“Yes.” Kay sat up, her heartbeat pounding as she waited to take the child, who cooed and smiled at her. Did the baby know her?

When Kay settled the little boy against her, she knew it hadn’t been the first time. The baby reached up and explored Kay’s face, continuing to grin, his eyes bright, as though he was used to touching Kay and interacting with her.

“I see he knows you. I’ll leave you two to get reacquainted. If you need me, just push the button.”

“Thanks,” Kay said, her attention riveted to the boy’s adorable oval face, his sun-kissed skin, as the head nurse left the room. “How are you, sweetie? I wish I remembered your name. I can’t call you Baby Doe.”

The child babbled, with “Mama” the only recognizable sound in the string.

Mama. Kay’s throat tightened with conflicting emotions—from awe to fear—that she’d tried to hold at bay. How was she going to take care of this child when she didn’t know who she was? Three hundred dollars wouldn’t go far. If she was this child’s mother, then where was the father? Kay held up her left hand, staring at her third finger, which gave no indication she’d worn a wedding ring recently. On her right middle finger, she wore an opal one.

Suddenly more questions deluged her. Was she divorced? Or widowed? What if she never married the father of—again she stared at the baby, willing a name to pop into her head.

Kevin? Kyle? No! Another name surged to the foreground. “Kaleb,” Kay said out loud, and the little boy giggled, touching Kay’s mouth. “Is Kaleb your name?”

The little boy caught sight of the hospital ID bracelet around his wrist and began playing with it.

Kay sighed. If only you could talk. The child’s reaction to the name confirmed what Kay would call him until she discovered otherwise. Kaleb.

The past hours’ exertion crept through Kay’s body. Her headache kept demanding her attention, but she refused to let it get in the way of her time with Kaleb. Kay lounged back and cuddled the baby against her while he played with her curls. The feeling of Kaleb’s fingers combing through her hair stirred a protective instinct—not an unfamiliar feeling.

She hugged Kaleb. “Sweetie, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

The door swung open, and suddenly a man appeared in her room. A dark-complexioned stranger. Large. Scowling. Her heartbeat went from calm to racing in seconds. She tightened her hold on Kaleb and picked up the call button. The scent of cigarette smoke wafted to her, nauseating her.

His thick dark eyebrows slashed downward. “Amy Grafton?”

“No,” she said with as much force as she could without shouting. If he came another foot closer, she would call for help.

He took a step toward her bed. “But this is room 236.”

She pressed the button, then clutched both arms around Kaleb, who had grown quiet, as though the baby felt all of her tension. “A nurse is coming. I’m not Amy.” What if she was? No, she didn’t think she was, and she didn’t like the man’s body language, as if he was preparing for a fight, his gaze darting about as though he was searching for something.

Rosa Martinez swung the door open and nearly hit him with it. A tall orderly stood behind the head nurse.

The stranger pivoted. “Sorry, ma’am. Wrong room.” Then the large man rushed from her room so fast he shoved the nurse against the door and nearly knocked the orderly over.

Rosa frowned and peered into the hallway before dismissing the orderly and heading toward Kay.

“Should I call security?” The nurse stopped next to the bed with her eye on the entrance into the room.

“He was looking for someone called Amy Grafton.”

“He was? I’m not familiar with a patient by that name on this floor. Maybe she’s still in ER, and they haven’t brought her up to her room yet.”

A niggling sensation told Kay that wasn’t the case. Chills swathed her from head to toe.

“What did you need? Did Baby Doe spark any memories?”

“He responded to me and the name Kaleb.”

Rosa grinned. “That’s great.”

“I want to keep him in here for the time being. Is that okay?”

“It’s not normal protocol, but I’ll talk with the doctor and see if he’ll okay it. In the meantime, enjoy Kaleb. I hope that’s his name. It’s beautiful.”

Kay hoped so, too. That meant she was beginning to remember her past. “Thanks.”

When the head nurse left her alone, Kay whipped back the sheets, her attention fixed on the door, her legs dangling off the side of the bed. “I don’t have a good feeling about that man.” The fear she’d tried to tamp down exploded, driving Kay into motion. “Kaleb, we’re leaving.”

* * *

The intense sun beat down on Drake as he examined the crime scene at Big Bend National Park. A hiker had found the bodies of Clarence and Susan Moore—what was left of them. Drake had seen his share of dead people, but the sight before him churned his gut. This retired couple had helped him when he’d needed it. If at all possible, he wouldn’t let their deaths go unsolved.

“As you see, they were tortured,” the park ranger, Don Calhoun, said, “and from the condition of the bodies, not long after they left the visitor’s center yesterday.”

After bringing him and Kay to it. “Why tortured? Has anything like this happened recently in the area?”

“No. That and the connection to what happened with the lady made me decide to call you in on this.”

Was this connected to Kay somehow? “I appreciate being notified. I’d like to help with the investigation.”

Don combed his fingers through his hair and plopped his hat back on his head. “The investigator appreciates your offer.”

“Who is it?”

“Me. I was a police officer for five years before I became a park ranger. We’ll process the crime scene, but something tells me this isn’t over.”

Drake glanced at the couple’s red sedan parked fifty yards away. He’d checked it earlier. “I agree. This is savage, and it doesn’t look like anything was stolen from their car.”

Taking pictures of the couple and the surrounding terrain and gathering what little evidence there was, Drake worked with Don and another park ranger. When the bodies were transported from the scene, Drake put his gear back in the rear of his SUV. “I’ll let you know if the lab finds anything. Whoever did this was careful.”

“A pro?” Don asked.

“Probably. I don’t think this is a crime of passion. It seems cold and calculated.” Hence the lack of evidence. Drake opened his driver-side door. “I need to get back to Cactus Grove. I’ll dig into Clarence and Susan’s lives and get back to you about the lab report. Let me know what the autopsy reveals.” It wasn’t unusual for different law enforcement agencies to work together to solve a crime.

“Will do. I’ll keep you informed of anything having to do with the case.”

As Drake drove out of the park, he pushed his SUV over the speed limit. An urgency gripped him. When his cell reception returned briefly, he noted that Kay had called several times. Something was wrong. He tried calling her hospital room.

No answer.

Then he tried the nurses’ station and asked for the head nurse. “I’m sorry. She’s tied up right now. Can I help you?”

“Yes, where’s the woman in room 236? I called its number, and no one answered.”

“I don’t know. Maybe having some tests done? Who is this?”

“Texas Ranger Jackson, the man who found the patient.”

“Are you coming here?”

“Yes. I’m about an hour away.”

“Good. Rosa hopefully should be here, and you can talk to her. She’s been dealing with the patient in 236.”

“About what?” Frustration tangled with a foreboding feeling.

“I can’t reveal any information over the phone.”

Drake gave the woman his cell phone number. “Have Rosa call me as soon as possible.”

After he hung up, he put his lights and siren on and floored the accelerator. He entered another dead zone that would last most of the way to Cactus Grove.

When he arrived at the hospital, he quickly parked and hurried into the building. He checked his cell phone. Only a message from the El Paso headquarters was new. Nothing from Kay or the head nurse. The elevator doors swished open on the second floor, and his attention zeroed in on the police officer going into Kay’s room.

Heart thumping against his rib cage, Drake quickened his pace, and when he entered 236, he came to an abrupt halt. Her bed was empty, with two police officers standing around it talking.

“Did something happen? Where is Kay?” Drake interrupted.

Officer Emert, whom he’d worked with before, faced Drake. “She’s gone. And so is the baby.”

THREE

After seeing Kay making her escape on the camera footage of the hallways in the hospital, Drake paced the small security office, wondering what had caused her to flee with the baby. The brief expression he’d glimpsed on her face as she’d sneaked out of her room was one of fear. Had someone frightened her? Had she remembered something about what happened to her? “I need the footage of the second-floor hallway for the few hours before she left.”

“Just a sec,” the security guard said and punched some keys. “Here it is.”

Drake stopped and faced the monitor. When a large man barged into the room without knocking, Drake leaned closer to the screen, counting down how long he remained inside. Rosa and an orderly hurried toward the room. The head nurse paused at the entrance and then entered, leaving the orderly in the corridor. Not long after that, the man left 236 but didn’t go far. He slipped inside a storage room a few doors away from Kay. Again, Drake noted the time stamp until the guy reappeared in the hallway and went toward the elevator. What did he do in there for twenty minutes?

The only person who might shed light on the man was Rosa. “Thanks. I need you to send me a photo of the man who came out of the storage room. Also, a picture of Kay leaving her room. Send it here.” Drake gave the security guard a card with his cell number and email address. “Keep this footage until I say otherwise.”

“Yes, sir.”

Drake knew Rosa had left work about an hour ago. Earlier she’d told Officer Emert that she hadn’t seen Kay leave with the baby, and from the footage that appeared correct. But she hadn’t said anything about that man visiting Kay’s room earlier. Maybe the nurse could tell him what she’d seen.

First, Drake stopped at the storage room and went inside. He examined what was really only a large walk-in closet for evidence the guy from the tape might have left behind. Everything appeared in its correct place, so he took latent prints from the inside doorknob, then headed downstairs to the main office to get Rosa’s home phone number and address. He was glad she didn’t live very far from the hospital.

Soon he pulled up in front of the head nurse’s ranch-style house and parked in the driveway. The bright Christmas lights around the front welcomed him as he rang the bell.

A teenage boy opened the door with earbuds stuck in his ears, the sound of a current popular song loud enough for Drake to hear.

“Is your mom home?”

“What?” the kid shouted.

The teen was in his own world. He hadn’t even bothered to look at Drake other than a brief glance when he answered the door. Drake pulled out his credentials and waved them in the boy’s line of vision. “I need to see Rosa Martinez.”

Eyes wide, the adolescent yelled, “Mom, the police are here.” He remained in the entrance to the house.

Rosa hurried from the back, waving her hand at her son. “Thanks, Samuel. You still haven’t shown me your English paper. It’s due tomorrow.”

The teen stepped back from the entryway and removed his earbuds, his attention now glued to Drake.

“I need to talk to you about Kay,” Drake said to Rosa.

“I’m sorry I had to leave, but I had to pick up Samuel from the school library. I don’t know what happened. I went into her room to take Kaleb back to the children’s wing. She and the baby were gone. I notified security, and then an emergency took most of my time after that.”

Samuel still hung around, moving slowly toward the hallway.

Kaleb? Had Kay remembered the baby’s name? “Can we talk in private?” Drake asked, remembering the times he would do anything to get out of writing a paper for school.

“Sure. The kitchen should be private enough.” Rosa sent a glare in her son’s direction. He left quickly.

“Is he your only child?”

“Yes, how can you tell?”

“Too quiet here.” Drake followed Rosa to the kitchen. “I have a sister near my age who has four children. She lives in Houston. When I visit, the house is always noisy, except when they’re all asleep.”

“You don’t have any children?” Rosa gestured at the table while she walked to the counter and filled a mug. “Do you want some coffee?”

“Sounds good.” As Rosa handed him a cup and sat, Drake joined her. “I’m not married. I was once.”

“What happened?”

“She was killed in the line of duty. She was a highway patrol officer like I was before I became a Texas Ranger. She stopped a truck driving too fast. The driver shot her.”

Rosa took a long drink. “I’m so sorry. Did they catch the killer?”

“Yes, he’d been transporting illegal immigrants.” Another reason Drake had wanted to be on the human trafficking task force besides the suspicion about what happened to his younger sister.

“Being a police officer is dangerous. I’m so glad my husband has a boring job reading X-rays. He’s a radiologist and should be home from El Paso soon.”

As he took several sips, Drake relished the coffee. “I know you talked with the two officers in Kay’s room, and they passed on what you told them, but I’m here about an incident that happened a couple of hours before you discovered Kay was gone.”

Rosa’s forehead puckered. “Incident?” She paused, then said, “Oh, you mean the stranger who came into her room looking for another patient.”

“Yes, he was about six feet with dark hair.” Drake clicked on the photo the security guard had sent him and showed his cell phone to Rosa.

She nodded. “He was looking for an Amy Grafton. We didn’t have a patient on my floor by that name. Later I found there was a patient called that, but on the third floor in room 336—an older woman who was being discharged. He probably wrote down the wrong number.”

“You didn’t see him after that?”

“No. Why?”

“Because on the security tape, that man left Kay’s and went a couple of doors down into a storage closet. He stayed there for twenty minutes, then left.”

“That’s strange.”

“I agree. I’ll check with Amy Grafton to see if she knows this man.”

“If she doesn’t, do you think he took Kay and the baby?”

“Kay left with the child. The man had already disappeared, but something doesn’t feel right.” Why hide in a storage closet for twenty minutes? Drake sighed. “I won’t take up any more of your time. You’ve put in a long day.” He rose.

“Please let me know when you find Kay and Kaleb.”

“Did she remember the baby’s name?”

Rosa pushed to her feet, tired lines carved into her features. “‘Kaleb’ came to her, and the child responded to it. It was obvious the baby knew her. But she hadn’t recalled anything else. At least that I know of.”

Had she recognized the man who entered her room? “If you think of anything else unusual that happened on the floor today, give me a call. You have my card?”

She nodded and walked with him to the foyer. “I’m off for the next two days, but I’ll help any way I can. I’ll be here.”

“Thanks.”

Weary, Drake needed sleep after the past two long days, but he still wanted to see if Amy Grafton could help him ID the man in the photo. The police were working on identifying the man. At the moment, he was the only lead Drake had other than the security camera showing Kay leaving the hospital by the back door, dressed in the clothes she’d worn the day before. Then she’d disappeared.

At least she had three hundred dollars. But the money without having ID was strange. Had she been faking not knowing who she was? Was the baby hers? The locket indicated she knew the child somehow. He hoped he would hear soon about the latent prints he took off the inside door handle of the storage closet. He couldn’t shake the sense of urgency he felt, as though someone was homing in on Kay and the child—someone she’d been fleeing when he found her?

* * *

Kay shrank farther into the shadows of the dimly lit café, the ambience more for couples looking for a night of romance than a woman with a baby. She’d cased the place for an hour before she’d come inside to get off the street and order something to eat. Kaleb was finally asleep, strapped against her chest. The only other place she’d gone after leaving the hospital was a store where she’d used the money she’d found in her jeans pocket to buy necessary items for Kaleb and a clean shirt that didn’t look like she’d rolled around in the dirt. She used less than a hundred to equip herself and Kaleb to disappear somewhere in the area until she decided on her next move.

She had no idea who was after her, but deep inside she knew someone was hunting her. She didn’t have to remember how she ended up on the canyon floor with a head wound or who she was. That man’s appearance earlier sent every alarm bell ringing in her head.

The waitress put the hamburger in front of Kay. “Anything else, miss?”

“Please keep the water glass filled. That’s all.”

“Be thankful it’s not as hot as it was in early fall. I’m looking forward to the holidays and colder days.”

What had her previous Christmases been like? As usual when she tried to remember, nothing came to mind.

Kay gave the waitress a smile, then took a bite of the hamburger, thick and juicy. Although she ate as fast as she could because she didn’t want to stay too long, she savored the delicious flavors of her meal, especially the onion rings, while trying to figure out where she would sleep tonight. If she got a motel room, her three hundred dollars wouldn’t last long. She needed to lie low until she figured out who she was. Maybe she could go to a shelter. Earlier she’d seen one while walking here, across the street from a church.

When she finished her dinner, she relaxed, stroking Kaleb’s back. For the past half hour, she’d been able to forget she was totally alone. In the hospital room, she’d contemplated staying and waiting for Drake to return, but as time passed and he hadn’t come back, she’d realized she really could only depend on herself. But he was a Texas Ranger. A good guy. Surely she could rely on him to help her.

At the moment, she didn’t know whom to believe. Good men had turned bad.

Where did that come from?

Did she have firsthand experience with that?

Her head still throbbing, she retrieved a couple of over-the-counter pain relievers and took them with a gulp of water.

The café door opened, and a large party entered, followed by a single man. Nothing about him seemed familiar, but the more people who came into the restaurant, the more she took a risk—why did she feel that way? Overriding every confusing feeling bombarding her, she knew she couldn’t sit here any longer. She needed to find a place for the night—even if that meant backtracking into the more populated part of Cactus Grove—and come up with a plan.

She put ten dollars on the table on top of her bill and made her way to the restroom. Inside the family one, she locked the door, laid the blanket on the changing table and put Kaleb on it. He’d been sleeping for the past hour. His eyes slid open, and he began to screw his mouth into a frown.

“I’m here, sweetie.” Kay splayed her hand over Kaleb’s chest and gently patted him as his eyes closed again. “I won’t leave you.” As she said those words, she meant every one of them. She didn’t need to know officially that Kaleb was her child. Every time she looked at the little boy she saw glimpses of herself in Kaleb’s face. Kay’s heart swelled with an overwhelming love.

Carefully so Kaleb didn’t wake up again, Kay changed the baby’s diaper. It was nice being in a room where she didn’t have to be constantly vigilant for anyone who could be after her. The café, on the outskirts of town, was getting crowded. She couldn’t put off looking for a place to stay any longer.

She strapped Kaleb against her chest, swung the backpack she’d bought for their belongings over her shoulder, then shoved her hand into her pocket to make sure her money was there. Her fingers grazed a card—the Texas Ranger’s.

Call him. He said he would help.

I did, and he didn’t call back. Where could he have gone that he’d be out of cell reception that long?

Okay, maybe she hadn’t given him that much time to call her back before she left the hospital. But when she’d cracked open the door, peeked into the hallway and seen the stranger who’d come into her room sneaking out of a storage closet, she’d known her decision to leave was the correct one. Something wasn’t right. He’d gone to the elevator. She’d used the stairs after she was sure the stranger wouldn’t return.

No, she couldn’t depend on anyone. Someone close to her had recently said that to her. Who?

She closed her eyes and tried to imagine who it had been. Nothing materialized.

Lord, I need more than a brief glimpse. Help me.

When nothing came to mind, she covered the remaining distance to the door and inched it open. The short hallway was empty. She left the family restroom and crept toward the large room, which held more diners than earlier. All she needed to do was cross the expanse and get outside without drawing attention. She scanned the café, filled with couples and families.

It was now or never. She took a step forward. The main entrance opened, and the stranger from the hospital entered.

Kay froze.

* * *

Drake pulled up to his family ranch house, needing to catch some shut-eye, but he didn’t think he could sleep. Not when he couldn’t find Kay and the baby. Amy Grafton had only confirmed what he suspected. The stranger who had barged into Kay’s room didn’t have any ties to Mrs. Grafton. So why had the guy been on the second floor? The latent prints he’d taken off the storage closet doorknob had all belonged to people who worked there, except one. It was a partial that didn’t match anyone in the database.

Before coming home, he’d gone to his office and grabbed the satellite phone, since there was no cell reception at the ranch—only a landline—because it was too far out of town. He’d wished he’d thought to do that earlier today—then maybe he would have received Kay’s call for help. When he’d worked in Fort Worth, he hadn’t had to worry about so many dead zones.

The police were looking for Kay and the baby and would call him if she was found. Even knowing that, he’d driven around the area surrounding the hospital in search of the two for the past hour. He’d be back out there tomorrow morning. In his gut, he felt Kay was in danger. From where—or whom—he didn’t know. Between working on the Moore murders and the task force, he knew he needed to find Kay.

He climbed from his black SUV and stood next to it, staring up at the clear sky with stars scattered across the darkness as if they had been tossed haphazardly. The light breeze blew across the flat land, the temperature dropping into the forties.

Would Kay and the baby be warm enough?

Why had she run?

Why hadn’t she called him?

“Son, is something wrong?” his father’s deep gravelly voice called out.

Drake pivoted toward the front porch. “A long day.” He hated bringing his work home. The only reprieve he had from his job was when he came to the ranch at the end of the day.

“Anna saved dinner for you.”

Anna Torres had been with the family for years as a housekeeper and cook. She’d often declared taking care of three men was more than a full-time job. “That sounds great. I forgot to eat lunch.” Because he’d been driving back to Big Bend. He’d totally let it slip his mind until his stomach began to rumble about an hour ago.

“She fixed a plate of double portions before going to bed.”

Drake mounted the steps to the wraparound porch that faced south and east. “I sure missed her cooking when I lived in Fort Worth. That was one of the reasons I changed to Company E—I was dwindling down to nothing.” He’d certainly taken into account being back where he grew up and living with his dad, but the main reason he had taken this assignment was to be part of the human trafficking task force.

Chuckling, his father patted him on the back. “You didn’t take long adding a few pounds to your frame.”

“I blame that all on Anna.” Drake opened the front door and waited for his dad to go first.

In the kitchen, his father pulled a plate out of the refrigerator and stuck it in the microwave to heat up. “I thought you were going to ask the young woman you rescued yesterday to stay here while she recovered.”

When they’d spoken last night, Drake had mentioned he might ask her, especially if no one came forward to help her. “I didn’t get a chance to ask her. She left the hospital before I returned to her room.”

“Why would she do that? Didn’t you say she couldn’t remember who she was? Did that change?”

Had it, while he was investigating Clarence and Susan’s murders? Was that why she was gone? “I don’t know, and I don’t have a good feeling about this. I think someone is after her and is possibly willing to kill to find her.” The more he thought of the couple’s murder and the fact a stranger had come into her room, the more he felt Kay was in trouble. When he left her, she hadn’t given any indication she would flee. In fact, she’d seemed to appreciate his presence—a familiar face.

The microwave beeped at the same time the back door opened, and his younger brother, Frank, came into the kitchen, plopping his cowboy hat on the peg by the door. “I see you arrived about the same time I finished unloading the hay.”

Drake grinned. “Yep, I parked by the gate and waited until you were through. Why do you think I have a pair of high-powered binoculars in my car?”

His brother tossed back his head and laughed. “I always thought because you were a Texas Ranger you needed them for your job, but now I know the truth. Next time I’ll keep the barn doors shut so you can’t see in.”

Drake took his plate out of the microwave and sat at the table. “How’s Blue Bonnet?” The mare had been his mother’s horse, and ever since their mom died two years ago, Frank had taken extra care of the pinto their mother had loved.

“She fractured her leg and the vet had to set it, but she should heal all right. She has many years ahead of her.”

“Sons, I’m heading to bed.” Their dad strolled from the kitchen, cradling his mug.

“I didn’t even mention Mom.” Drake cut his roast beef into smaller pieces.

“I know. He still can’t talk about her death. I hope one day when I find the right woman, I have their kind of marriage.”

Drake had had that with Shanna—until someone killed her. His family had been there for him when his wife had died five years ago, but no one could erase the pain. He knew what his father was going through. Time had helped, but it couldn’t make him forget the devastating loss. “Dad will come around.”

“You haven’t.”

Drake started to reply, but his cell phone rang. Maybe it was news about Kay. He quickly answered the unknown number. “Drake Jackson here.”

“This is Kay. I’m in trouble.”

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