Chapter 9 #2
“Oh wow! You’re already there, and I’m leaving tomorrow. My boss is requesting my presence. Will you have time we can spend together before you go back to Crossroads?”
There was a long moment of silence, and just when Holly feared she was about to get a telephone version of a Dear John letter, he started talking.
“There’s something I need you to know, but you absolutely cannot breathe a word of this to anyone…and I mean, anyone.”
Holly’s heart began to pound. “You have my word, but you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”
“I left Dallas because some Texas crime boss ordered a hit on my life and added a fifty-thousand-dollar bounty to go with it. I had no idea until the first hired gun took a potshot at me on the Loop.”
Holly gasped. “Sweet lord, Gunner. Is it even safe for you to be there now?”
“It’s hard to say. The bounty was called off after I confronted him in a way he did not expect.
I came home to Crossroads because of that, but there are underlying issues regarding the whole thing that I can’t ignore.
I’m in Dallas to finish what he started, and right now, I don’t want anyone to know about you or that you matter to me.
I don’t want them to know we’re even friends. Do you understand?”
“I matter to you?”
Gunner sighed. “You know you do. We have had tacos together once, and funeral food together once, and I don’t even know what your favorite color is. I haven’t kissed you. We haven’t made love, although God knows it’s all on my mind.”
Holly’s heart was still pounding, but for a totally different reason.
“Gunner Kingston, I am never going to tell you no. We barely know each other as adults, but I’ve always known your heart.
I just never dreamed you would give it to me.
I want it. I want you. And I will wait for as long as it takes. That’s a promise.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. After all of that, it hadn’t scared her off.
“Thank you. Just give me time to fix this. There’s so much more I have to share with you, okay?”
“Just stay alive. That’s all I ask, and after I get back, feel free to sneak over to my place if you get too lonely.”
“Giving it my best shot,” Gunner said. “Text me when you get back to Dallas; just let me know you made the drive okay. I’ll see if I can figure out a way to visit.”
“I will,” she said, and then the call ended.
She dropped the phone on the bed and sat staring out the window, shocked by what he’d told her.
* * *
After talking to Holly, Gunner was more determined than ever to end this, and using himself as bait seemed to be his only option.
As much as he was dreading it, it was time to resurrect himself.
He was hoping for some information from Asher before he walked back into the hornets’ nest, but time was not on his side.
* * *
Dixon had opted to work from home today and was in his office.
As usual, Whistler was nearby, but when he noticed the boss opening the safe and taking out the big black ledger, he frowned.
The only thing in that book were names. Names of people Dixon used for different tasks.
But it wasn’t until Dixon walked over to the door and shut it in Whistler’s face that he knew this job needed to end before Dixon ended it for him.
Unaware that he’d completely pissed Whistler off, Dixon was at his desk making calls, checking availabilities of the men he had in mind.
He expected some of the numbers to have changed, but he was surprised by how many of them were deceased or imprisoned.
His sources were dwindling with every phone call, and he finally decided this had been a stupid move.
He tore page after page out of the book to remove the names that were no longer of value, then locked what was left of the ledger back in the safe and carried the pages to the fireplace and burned them.
Whistler smelled smoke, hoped the bastard had just set himself on fire, and walked out of the hall and downstairs.
Moments later, Dixon was standing on the second-floor landing, roaring out Whistler’s name. “Damn it, Whistler! Where the hell are you?”
Whistler appeared in the foyer below the staircase.
“Where have you been?” Dixon shouted.
“When you shut the door in my face, I assumed you wanted me gone. Is there something you need?”
Dixon blinked. That man had never talked back to him before, and he didn’t quite know what to make of it. “No! But you’re my damn bodyguard, so guard me,” Dixon shouted.
“I am, sir. Unless you’re afraid of the staff, I always stand between you and the entrance to this house. Do you want me upstairs in the hall, or down here where I can see who’s coming?”
The two men stared at each other in deadly silence, neither moving, neither speaking, until Dixon finally walked away.
Whistler’s eyes narrowed at the sound of the office door slamming shut, then walked away, muttering. “Some days it just sucks to be you, doesn’t it, Boss?”
* * *
This was the last night at the ranch for Holly, and she was watching and listening to the chatter at the table, storing up new memories for the nights when she was back in Dallas eating her meals alone, and no visits or dates with Gunner until he got the all clear.
Trudy noticed the pensive expression on Holly’s face but said nothing. Parting was never easy, and this visit had not been one of joy.
“Holly, you said you were leaving early?” Garrett said.
“Yes. Tomorrow is Monday. Back-to-work traffic will suck. I’m shooting for an arrival between one and three.
The noon traffic will be over, and the end-of-day traffic doesn’t get bad until five.
I’ll plan on leaving before you guys get up for the ranch work.
Granny can see that we’re all out and go back to bed for a while. ”
They laughed and then called out “Good night, sleep tight,” as she walked away.
She set her alarm for 6:00 a.m. and fell asleep.
The next thing she knew, the alarm was going off. She groaned, thinking of that long drive, then got up, dressed, and carried her luggage down the hall so as not to wake the house, then loaded it in her car.
She made herself coffee to go and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, wrote I LOVE YOU ALL on the pad they kept for making grocery lists, and left it on the counter.
It was easier to leave without more hugs and tears. Maybe even a little cowardly, but it was all she could manage.
She sent Gunner a brief message.
I just left the ranch. I’ll let you know when I get home.
Take care of you.
I need my Roadrunner to be safe.
She added her home address so he’d know where she lived, then buckled up and drove away.
* * *
Gunner’s sleep was restless.
He was already up when he got the text from Holly and smiled. Good thing none of the guys in the department had ever heard him called that, or it would have stuck years ago. To them, he was just Kingston.
He was debating with himself about calling in to let his lieutenant know he was back in town when he got a call from Asher. He answered quickly, hoping it was good news. “Hey, Asher. Please tell me you have info.”
“I know the Feds have info I’m not privy to.
I know the Attorney General’s office is working with them, but it’s not shareable.
We think Burgess Dixon is losing hold of his organization.
Two more of his men were found dead. Supposedly they got into a fight and killed each other.
That’s how the police who caught the case read it.
But the Feds also know both men worked for Dixon.
They aren’t sure if he’s cleaning house for a reason or just running scared. ”
Gunner frowned. This was news, but none of it helped him. “So, nothing so far on fingering any dirty cops?”
“Nora is researching names in offshore accounts. That takes more time, and some of them are inaccessible. I’m sorry, buddy,” Asher said.
“It’s okay. I appreciate the effort. This kind of solidifies something I’ve been considering,” Gunner said.
“Like what?” Asher asked.
“I think I’m going to go fishing?”
Asher frowned. “What are you saying?”
“If you want to catch a fish, you need the right kind of bait. I need to know if there’s still someone out there who wants me dead, and I’m going to set myself up as bait and find out.”
Asher groaned. “What do you mean? What the hell are you planning to do?”
“I’m going to let everybody know I’m home, then wait and see if someone comes knocking.”
“That doesn’t make sense. How will you tell if it’s friend or foe?” Asher said.
“Nobody has been in this house but me and the cleaning company since I moved here, because I never invited anyone to come. Nobody will come knocking on my door to welcome me back. They will say it to my face when I walk into the department or not at all. Whoever comes to my house uninvited or unannounced will be here to destroy.”
“I don’t like it,” Asher said.
“Neither do I, but I also refuse to hide. I finally found someone to love, and I can’t even acknowledge her presence in my life for fear she’ll be used as bait to draw me out. Understand?”
Asher was surprised. “You have a girlfriend? When did all this happen?”
“Not so long ago. I ran into someone from home when I was in Whole Foods, and she’s all grown up.”
“Well, don’t keep me guessing. Who?” Asher said.
“Holly Dillon.”
Asher didn’t quite know what to say. “The little kid who was the bat girl for the baseball team?”
“Like I said… All grown up…and going through some serious grief right now since her mother’s death.”
“Dad told me about that. About Helen and some teenage boy hitting head on.”
“The medical examiner’s autopsy report told another story.
Helen was already dead when the wreck happened.
Massive heart attack. Likely slumped over on the steering wheel with her foot still on the gas when the boy came over the hill.
He never saw her until it was too late because he was texting with his girlfriend,” Gunner said.
“My God… What a horrible, freak incident,” Asher said.