Chapter 4
4
ALEC
T he deep rumble of the diesel engine was silenced with the press of a button, cutting off the near arctic cold air that roared through the vents. Braided leather along the steering wheel pressed into my forearm as I leaned forward to peer out the windshield. The Sweetcreek police station was unremarkable, just a small square white-brick building, but it still invoked painful memories.
It looked smaller than I remembered it, more run-down too under its brown tint from layers of dust from the West Texas wind. I came here once as a child seeking help from our situation only be turned away, and bonus the assholes ratted me out to my father as to why I visited the police station. Several of the scars on my back were from that night when I got home. I learned a valuable lesson that day: no one in Sweetcreek would help us, including the police.
The temperature in the truck inched higher with the sizzling July temperatures and lack of AC the longer I stared at the glass front doors. July in Texas was as brutal as they come, chasing people from one air-conditioned building to the next in order to not melt into a puddle of sweat.
“Stop being a damn pussy, Bronson,” I muttered to myself. The Dodge Ram’s heavy door swung open without a sound, allowing a billow of sweltering heat to slick against my face. Sweat had already built along my neck and lower back. My boot heels stomped onto the blacktop. Leaning back into the cab, I secured my sidearm and clipped the Ranger badge to the front of my Wranglers—an obvious symbol of my authority anywhere in this great state, even if this wasn’t my territory. One phone call to Ted, the Ranger over this area, letting him know I needed to help out a friend and my presence in Sweetcreek became sanctioned and welcomed.
A shout from inside the station paused my feet in front of the glass door, hand hovering over the ridged metal handle. Raising my Aviators, I squinted past the gold emblem and writing stuck to the door to see what the commotion was all about. A large man, almost the same size as me, shouted at the officer at the front desk before slamming a tight fist onto the wooden top.
Hot metal seared into my palm and fingers when I gripped the handle and tugged the door open. The loud shouts, words now clearer, continued as I stood just inside the door to gain additional understanding of the situation before moving toward the man.
“Find my wife,” he bellowed, reaching across the desk and sending the skittish uniformed officer back several feet. “It’s been five damn days. Do your fucking job.”
Aggression laced his words, a clear sign this fuckhead wasn’t afraid to turn this argument violent. Just as the thought popped into my head, the man lunged forward, grabbing for the cop’s throat.
“I don’t think so,” I grunted and closed the two feet separating me and the idiot. Before he could wrap his hand around the kid’s neck, I snatched it midair and pulled it back to our side of the desk. “Hands to yourself.”
The fool’s already flushed face turned purple with rage. “Let me the fuck go.” His biceps and forearm bulged as he attempted to remove his hand from my grip.
He didn’t.
Smirking, I tightened my hold on his hand, causing joints to pop. He cried out in pain.
“This is police brutality,” he shouted, eyes frantically searching the now silent station. Right, buddy, like any of them would side with you after what you just pulled. “You all see this. It’s against the law to?—”
“Actually,” I said casually, cutting off his rant, “you see this ?” I tapped my middle finger on my shiny badge. “This says I’m a Texas Ranger. Do you know what that means?” Fury built behind the man’s bloodshot eyes. “It means you can cry and whine and all you want, but the laws you’re picking to uphold and spout mean nothing. Want to know why?”
When he didn’t respond, I gave his fist another tight squeeze.
“Why?” he ground out.
“I am the damn law. Now get the hell out of here and come back when you’ve calmed down.” I pivoted him toward the front doors and gave his back a hard shove. “I’ll take your grievances and concerns when you do.”
Not that I needed something tying me to this town, but surely Ted wouldn’t mind me helping. Maybe a case of good whiskey was in order to keep things copasetic.
The violent fool flipped me off and stormed through the glass door. No doubt plotting my death as he climbed into his small red sports car and tore out of the parking lot.
After digging a card out of my wallet, I held it between two fingers extended toward the front desk officer. “Here. Call me when he comes back and I’ll hear him out.”
Trembling fingers carefully retrieved the card.
Remembering what the man shouted, I asked, “His wife is missing?”
“Yes, sir.” The officer paused like he wanted to say more but stopped himself. I motioned for him to continue. “He’s not the only one either.” The kid’s voice dropped several decibels. Instinctively, I leaned closer to hear his hushed words. “It started about five years ago. Wives, mothers, some kids, they all vanished.”
Well, shit. What did I rope myself into? That case of whiskey might be for me instead of Ted.
“How many?” I asked.
“Maybe a couple a year. The most happened last year. Five women and two kids went missing.”
I worked my jaw back and forth. That was a significant number, yet I hadn’t heard anything about it. Sure, this was Ted’s territory to cover, but all us Rangers talked, keeping each other abreast of pressing cases if we needed help or any crossover.
“I’ll look into it. Now, the reason I’m here is to see a woman you’re holding. Rae Chapin.”
The officer nodded and hooked a thumb toward the side door. “The detective is expecting you. I’ll buzz you through.”
Detective? What the fuck did Rae get herself into?
We didn’t have time earlier to discuss why she waited at the police station. I just assumed a DUI or, knowing Rae, maybe a UIP if her bladder was still the size of a walnut.
Buzzing vibrated through the lobby, followed by the distinct click of a lock disengaging. The door had barely shut behind me when a heavyset man in a cheap suit rounded the corner, a thick manila folder in his hand. I hitched my chin in acknowledgment, earning me a tight-lipped smile.
Hmm. Seems someone isn’t happy I’m treading on his case.
“Ranger Bronson,” he assumed and extended a hand between us. Our palms smacked as I sealed my hand against his and gave a hard shake. “I’m Detective Danny. Mind telling me how you know my suspect?”
“It’s personal,” I said evasively. I learned early on to keep everything closed off until I knew the full story. “That the case file?” I nodded toward the folder he was holding.
“It’s her file.” Oh hell. I kept my shock hidden behind an unemotional mask. “We’ve kept tabs on Miss Chapin for a while now.”
Well, fuck. Could my sweet little sunshine be a hardened criminal now?
“Where is she?” I demanded. The sooner I got answers, the sooner we could both get out of here.
He held up the folder and narrowed his bushy brows. “You don’t want to review this first? I listed the details of my current case and Miss Chapin’s association in the front for you.”
I shook my head. “I’d rather hear her version first. Now, where’s holding?”
He grumbled something about arrogant Rangers, which I chose not to react to, and turned, motioning me to follow him with a swipe of a hand. The stench of piss, stale alcohol, and vomit cleaner assaulted me, filling my nose and burning my eyes as I walked into the holding area. Fist to my tight lips, I cleared my throat and switched to breathing through my mouth.
The first couple cells contained the men. I frowned at the idea of Rae being anywhere near them, even if a wall and bars separated the men’s area from the women’s. At the last cell, I scanned the area and froze.
The Rae I remembered wasn’t in the cell.
No, the person leaning against the far wall was all woman. A beautiful woman. Tall, curves for days, and creamy fair skin. I saw the resemblance to the girl I once knew, but the woman now staring wide-eyed back at me was so much more, her petite face still just as beautiful as I remembered it with her almond-shaped eyes, pert little nose, full rosy lips, and small chin.
Perfection then and now.
I stepped closer to the bars and wrapped a hand around the steel.
There was a minor difference. Those dark, soulful eyes that once housed the only happiness and joy in my life were now cold and cautious.
The battling emotions clogged in my throat. “Rae?” The strength in my voice surprised me when just the sight of her nearly brought me to my knees.
“You came,” she whispered. “You really came for me.” Those long dark lashes fluttered as she blinked back the tears I saw welling along her lower lids. “Took you long enough.”
I barked out a laugh.
“Same old Rae.” I shook my head, keeping the smile tugging at the corners of my lips at bay. “You said you were in trouble, and now here I am.” My eyes drifted to the prostitute sleeping on the bench. “If you want me to get you out of here, I need to know one thing. Did you do it, whatever they think you did?”
Her dark ponytail swished from side to side. “I didn’t. I swear I didn’t. They’ve always blamed me first ever since….”
“Since what?” My grip tightened on the bar, nearly bending the metal as I watched grief wash over her beautiful face. “Talk to me, Rae.”
“You’ve been gone a long time, Alec. A lot has changed, but I swear I didn’t do it. I’m innocent. I’ve always been innocent.”
“Okay,” I breathed. “I’ll go talk to the detective and get you out of here. Then you and me, we talk. I need to know all the details of what you’ve dragged me into.”
Her head bobbed in a frantic nod. “Great, yeah, sure. Whatever you need to get me out of here.” She pointed toward the exposed single toilet. The shimmer of a silver charm bracelet glinted in the low florescent light with the movement. “I really need to pee, and I am not going in that.”
Same old Rae, which I had to admit offered a rush of relief. Not only seeing her unharmed but unchanged released the fist of worry that had squeezed around my chest since her call.
I shoved off the bars. “Be right back.” I shot her a smirk. “Don’t go anywhere.”
“Everyone’s got jokes today.”
I huffed a laugh and turned to find that damn detective. I didn’t care what I had to do, Rae would get out of that cell—now.
The truck idled, vibrating my seat. Both hands gripped the leather steering wheel as I fought to not turn toward the passenger seat. Awkward silence filled the cab the moment we climbed into the truck.
Yep, we. Because apparently the dumbass detective believed Rae to be a flight risk and would only release her if I agreed to be her personal guard, ensuring she didn’t leave town. So now until we cleared her name of whatever they thought she’d done, I couldn’t leave her side. I hated not being in control, not having the full story, yet here I sat with no fucking clue because of the woman sitting beside me.
“I’m at a loss, Rae,” I finally said, breaking the silence. Unbuttoning one cuff and then the other, I rolled both sleeves halfway up my forearms, hoping that would help the heat building beneath my skin. “What the hell is going on?”
Her resigned sigh filled the truck. “Listen, I appreciate you coming and busting me out of the slammer.” I shook my head, smiling at the windshield. “But you don’t have to stick around if you don’t want to. Just drop me off at the library where my car is and we can go our separate ways. I hope those idiots locked up when they escorted me out of work.”
The bite to her tone reminded me of childhood Rae. As friendly as she was, she also had a quick temper that got her into as much trouble as her kindness got her out of.
“You’re stuck with me, Rae.” I swiveled in the seat and leaned against the door. She did the same, her lips pressed into a tight line. “To get you out of there, I convinced that detective to reluctantly release you into my custody. That means where you go, I go, and vice versa until we get this figured out. You’re under my control until further notice.”
“What?” she squeaked.
“Yep, it’s you and me, Sunshine.” Her eyes flashed with something at the nickname I gave her in fourth grade. “So, now that you know the terms, out with it.” I waved a hand over the console, giving her the floor. “What have you gotten yourself into?”
“Alec,” she groaned. That sound sparked a fire in my pants, my body remembering other times she’d groaned and moaned under my ministrations. I shifted in the seat to calm my dick down. “This isn’t a good idea. You’ll end up getting hurt.”
“Try me, Rae. Give me something.”
“I guess it all started with my parents’ murder,” she said flatly as she stared at the dash.
“What?” I exclaimed, bolting up straight. “Your parents were…? When?”
“After you left. A lot has happened, Alec. I don’t know where to start, and….” She bit her lip. “I can’t do this on an empty stomach. I’m starving.”
That made sense. Who knew how long they questioned her before she could call me, then the three hours it took for me to get here. My hands tightened on the steering wheel, hating the idea that she’d been hungry for a while.
“Okay,” I said, shifting the truck into Reverse. “Is there still that Chili’s?—”
“No,” she shouted, catching me off guard. “Nowhere public. It’s not safe.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, not understanding. “Then where?” When she failed to respond, clearly lost in her thoughts, I reached over and gripped her chin between my thumb and finger, forcing her attention to me. “Give me something, Sunshine. Talk to me. You’re the one who called me.”
So much pain seeped through her brown eyes. “No one close to me is safe. After ten years, it’s all happening again. And if you stay, I’m afraid you’ll be next.”
For the second time that day, I was speechless.
What the actual fuck have I gotten myself into?