“Good. You’re free to move around the condo. I’m going to catch some sleep in the guest bedroom, but I’ll be leaving the door open. If there’s any activity at all, someone will phone me and Luckey, so you’re not to worry about anything. Keep your phone right with you. If the stalker calls, I want you to come and wake me before you answer it. Turn on the speaker and keep him on as long as you can.”
“Okay.” She stirred restlessly. “I-is he close by?” Her voice was full of fear.
What to say that wouldn’t alarm her...? “Yes, but we have everything under control.”
“I know that,” she whispered and got off the bed to walk around. “What if he has a gun?”
“It won’t matter. He’ll be surrounded.”
Her hands formed fists. “But it does matter. Even Texas Rangers with all the protection available have been known to get injured, or worse...”
“That’s not going to happen.”
Her eyes blazed a hot blue. “He’s out to kill you for arresting his brother.”
He got to his feet. “I won’t give him the chance.”
“But if you get shot, it’ll be my fault. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.”
Cy could have sworn that was her heart talking. When he’d agreed to take her case, he’d felt an attraction that had been growing so deep and fast, he didn’t recognize himself anymore. TJ had warned him about walking that thin line. Unfortunately he’d already crossed it after meeting her in Bandera and would have pursued her, case or no case.
Get out of her room, Ranger Vance. Now.
“I assure you everything’s going to be fine.” He put the chair back by the window and left for the other bedroom.
After putting his gun under the pillow, he took off his cowboy boots and lay down, desperately needing a couple hours of sleep. It seemed as if no sooner had his head touched the pillow than he heard a phone ringing. He glimpsed Kellie’s face through his eyelids and bolted upright.
She answered the phone and turned on the speaker. “Why do you keep calling me?”
“I like to hear the fear in your voice.”
“You like to make people afraid?”
“Why not?”
“That’s sick. You’re sick, sick, sick!” she yelled into the phone. That brought Luckey from downstairs. Both men listened while she got him going. Keep it up, Kellie. Stick it to him where it hurts.
“Does your mother know what kind of person you’ve turned into?”
Bingo.
“What mother? She didn’t want us. We were orphans, but you wouldn’t know anything about it with your rich daddy and mommy. You’re going to pay for not going out with me. But first I’m going to finish off that husband of yours.”
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with!” Kellie’s lethal tone lifted the hairs off Cy’s neck. “Try to hurt him and you’ll wish you’d never been born!”
Luckey flashed Cy a secret smile before a maniacal laugh came through the phone. He muttered several obscenities and clicked off.
Kellie looked at Cy. “Did I keep him on long enough?”
“It was perfect. He’s ready to explode. That’s what I’ve been waiting for. Let’s all go downstairs.” He glanced at his watch. To his shock he’d slept seven hours. It was already five thirty in the evening. After putting on his boots, he reached for his gun and followed them out of the room.
“Would you gentlemen like some iced tea?” She’d already gone into the kitchen.
“We’d love it,” Luckey answered for them because Cy had made a detour to the living room to phone Kit.
“Any sign of him yet?”
“No.”
“He just made another harassing call to Kellie. She pressed his buttons. I think he’s going to make something happen as soon as he returns to the town house.”
“I’ll let you know the minute he shows up. Anything you need and we’re ready.”
“I owe you for this, Kit.”
Cy hung up and walked back in the kitchen. Trust Luckey to get Kellie laughing about something. His friend had a way. “What’s so funny?” He’d trained his eyes on her, unable to look anywhere else.
Before she could answer, Cy’s phone rang. It was Kit. He turned his back to her. “What’s up?”
“The second we got off the phone, a woman with neck-length brown hair pulled into a stall driving a used blue Sentra sedan. She got out wearing a business suit and heels and has just let herself in the condo.”
“We’ve got him!” Cy blurted with elation. It felt as if he’d been waiting forever for this moment. “He’ll be watching from the upstairs window with the rifle. I’ll give him ten minutes before I back out of the garage.”
“We’re on it.”
He clicked off and turned to Luckey, who was drinking a glass of iced tea. Kellie was in the background cooking tacos for dinner. “This is it,” he muttered. “You know what to do.”
“Yup.”
Cy hurried upstairs and put on his bulletproof vest. Over it he wore a gray hoodie, and he went back down to the kitchen. “Be sure and save me some dinner.”
Kellie’s eyes look haunted. “You’re leaving now?” He heard the wobble in her voice. “You haven’t even drunk your iced tea.”
“Sorry. I’ve got some business to do, but Luckey will enjoy it. Remember he’s here to protect you. See you soon.”
He opened the kitchen door to the garage and closed it behind him. Once he was in the Subaru SUV, he sat there to synchronize his time to the second with Kit and the crew. He hoped that once he used the remote to open the garage door, the sound would alert the stalker that he was leaving. That was the signal for the crew to move in.
The plan was to back out slowly, giving Dan time to make his best shot.
Five, four, three, two, one.
Up went the garage door. Cy started the engine and let it idle for a minute to draw out the stalker. Then he started backing into the alley. At the point where he turned the car, he braked and shut off the motor. In the split second it took to open the door and roll to the ground, he heard three loud shots fired in succession, shattering the side windows.
Some of the glass grazed his neck and cheek. Moments passed as he stayed down and let the other Rangers do their jobs. Sirens blared as police cars and an ambulance converged in the alley. He got out of the car and saw the street now looked like a war zone. The paramedics ran over to him while he got to his feet and brushed off the bits of glass, but he was waiting for the call from Kit.
When it came, they were the sweetest words he’d ever heard. “Your plan worked perfectly. This stalker was caught in the act. He twisted and screamed while we cuffed him. Now he’s on his way to join his twin.”
Cy drank in gulps of air. “Thank God.”
He couldn’t wait to tell Kellie, but he had to ride in the ambulance first while they tended to his wounds, which were superficial. After he’d been taken to the ER, TJ was there to greet him. While Cy sat on the end of the examining table as the doctor put some small bandages over the cuts on his neck and cheek, the captain’s eyes played over him with grave concern.
“That was a hell of a thing you did out there tonight, offering yourself up as the sacrifice.”
“I