Chapter 8 #2
She took a few steps backward, accidentally bumping into Jordan. He caught her arm, steadying her. “Easy,” he murmured.
“Oops, sorry.” She flushed, grateful for the darkness so that he wouldn’t notice. His light touch sent a shiver of awareness coursing through her. “I should pay more attention to what I’m doing.”
He looked at her for a long moment, the darkness making it difficult to read his expression. “I’m glad you’re staying, Autumn.”
Her breath caught in her throat. He was so close yet far enough away that she found herself leaning forward. “Me, too.”
“This is what I love most about being on the ranch.” Jordan waved a hand at the sky. “Peace and quiet. Just us and the animals for company.”
“It’s really nice out here,” she agreed in a hushed voice. “I chose my house on the outskirts of town for the same reason. I get enough of the day-to-day city life at work.”
“I admire the work you do.” He seemed to search her gaze again and she felt her mouth go dry.
Then, suddenly he was closing the scant distance between them, drawing her in for a quick kiss. It was over so fast she thought she might have imagined it. “Thanks for everything you’re doing for me.”
“Ah, you don’t have to thank me.” She pulled her scattered thoughts together. The chaste kiss shouldn’t have rattled her, but it had. “This is my job. I want answers about what happened to Jenny as much as you do.”
“I know you’re going to get to the bottom of this,” Jordan said with confidence.
She hoped he was right about that. Bear had come to stand next to her, likely to avoid playing with Cutie. “I think Bear is ready to go in.”
“Come, Cutie.” Jordan stepped back and led the way to the house. The puppy romped at his heels, with Bear staying close to her side. Their fingers tangled briefly before he opened the door.
“I—uh—should get some sleep.” This constant togetherness was wearing on her. Maybe she should have gone to a hotel, but it was too late now. She managed a wan smile. “Good night, Jordan.”
“Good night.”
Bear followed her down the hall to the guest room. She was physically exhausted enough to fall asleep in a heartbeat.
Yet, rather than drifting off, Jordan’s brief kiss replayed in her mind.
She cared about him, far more than she should.
* * *
Jordan propped his shotgun against the wall near the front door. He mainly used it to kill snakes or to scare off the occasional bobcat from stalking his calves during calving season.
Satisfied that he was prepared for anything, he stretched out on the sofa with Cutie curled in a ball next to him, staring blindly up at the ceiling. He shouldn’t have kissed Autumn because all he could think about now was kissing her again.
He was glad his impulse hadn’t scared her off.
If she’d insisted on going to stay at a hotel, he’d have probably gone with her, asking for an adjoining room.
It would mean getting up extra early to get back here to care for the animals, but he didn’t care.
Better to be inconvenienced than to be far away if the dagger-tattoo guy showed up again.
He set the laptop on the coffee table next to him, so that he’d be alerted when the cameras detected movement.
He could use his phone, too, but the screen would be too small to see much of anything.
He had all four of the trail cameras up at one time.
He watched for a long moment, then settled back and closed his eyes.
He didn’t expect to sleep, but a beeping sound had him bolting upright in time to see a coyote lope past the camera facing the back of the property.
The first of many false alarms, he thought with a grimace.
Cutie lifted her head, then settled back down. Thankfully, the puppy was good about sleeping through the night.
Having Autumn at the ranch, especially cooking and sharing meals with her, made him keenly aware of what he was missing.
He’d been so preoccupied with running the ranch—in particular when the beef prices had dropped, and Jenny’s getting pregnant then going missing—that he hadn’t allowed himself time to realize how lonely he was.
In truth, he hadn’t missed Shiloh as much as he thought he would.
He told himself to stay focused on finding Jenny’s baby and arresting those who’d taken his sister and killed her.
It was horrible to think about other pregnant young women being treated just as callously.
Like the missing Mia. He hoped Jenny hadn’t suffered too much at the hands of her abductors.
He wanted to believe that they’d care for the women so their babies would be healthy, but there was no guarantee they had. At least in Jenny’s case.
Jordan lifted his gaze to the ceiling, praying that Autumn and the other task force members would find Mia, and any other young women who’d been taken against their will, before it was too late.
And for the first time in months, he felt a strange sense of peace. Maybe God was watching over them after all. It was a comforting thought.
Another beep had him glancing at the computer screen. This time, Cutie ignored him, which was a good thing. He didn’t see anything at first, then caught a brief shadow of a white-tailed deer moving along the side of the barn. He watched it for a moment, then settled back down.
This was going to be a long night, he thought with a sigh. He closed his eyes and willed himself to relax and get some sleep.
Jordan wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the beeping of the computer pierced his subconscious. He startled badly, as if the sound had been a gunshot rather than a computer chime. He blinked, staring at the computer screen, trying to figure out what had triggered the alarm.
Then he abruptly sat up, earning a protest from Cutie, when he realized there was a figure in black creeping toward the house.
The intruder had come back!
He shot off the sofa, shoved his feet into his boots and hurried down the hall to the guest room. He’d promised Autumn not to go after this guy alone, so he knocked on the door. “Autumn? Are you decent?”
“Hang on, I’m coming.” A moment later, she opened the door, peering at him owlishly. “Did the camera go off?”
“Yes, we have company. Back side of the house, closest to the barn.”
“I can’t believe it,” she muttered as she quickly laced up her shoes. Bear stretched and shook himself, his ears flopping from side to side. The dog’s antics made him smile. “I honestly didn’t think he’d try this again so soon,” she added, pocketing her phone. “Good thing you put those cameras up.”
“Yeah. Let’s go.” Like him, she’d slept in her clothes.
Ten seconds later, they were both armed and heading outside with the dogs. He hadn’t wanted to bring Cutie, but was worried she’d make a mess in the house if he didn’t.
Bear was already sniffing the air with interest, and Jordan knew the dog would soon be hot on the intruder’s tail.
“Let’s split up,” Jordan whispered. “I know the land better than anyone. You go right, I’ll go left. We’ll meet in the back.”
Autumn hesitated, then nodded. “Okay, but be careful.”
“Will do.” He glanced at Cutie. “Come.”
To his surprise, the dog ran alongside him as he moved around to the left side of his home. Autumn would likely get there first, but that was okay.
He didn’t mind backing her up.
“Stay,” he whispered to Cutie as he slowed to peer around the corner. The dog sat, staring up at him as if unsure as to what game they were playing. Jordan swept his gaze over the area.
And frowned when he didn’t see anyone.
He hadn’t dreamed the figure in black moving through the yard, had he? No, the camera had chimed an alert upon sensing movement. The image had been displayed on the screen.
The intruder was out here, somewhere.
After a moment, he caught a glimpse of Autumn and Bear crossing from the house toward the barn. Even from here, he could tell Bear was sniffing along the ground as they covered the distance.
“Stay,” he reminded Cutie, then darted forward to follow Autumn. He trusted her cop instincts and her training, but couldn’t deny he didn’t like the thought of allowing her to take the lead on confronting the intruder.
Not when the dagger tattoo guy had already taken several shots at her.
“Stop! Police!” Autumn’s sharp command caught him off guard. He sprinted to catch up.
Crack! Crack!
Gunfire! Jordan brought his shotgun up as he ran, praying he wouldn’t be too late.
He slowed his step when he found Autumn standing along the side of the barn, holding her weapon in two hands. Bear was beside her in the heel position. Following her gaze, he tried to spot the assailant.
“Where is he?” he asked.
“Not sure, but I’m getting mighty sick of him shooting at me.” Autumn scowled. “I’d return fire if I could see him.”
Unfortunately, Jordan couldn’t see anyone either. After a moment, he asked, “What’s the plan?”
She hesitated, clearly torn. “I’m not sure. I don’t want to head into a trap.”
The idea of this guy luring her and Bear into a trap hadn’t occurred to him. Then he saw movement. “Over there!”
Autumn must have seen the figure running, too, because she sprinted forward. Bear followed at her side, not sniffing the ground this time, but simply keeping pace with her.
Jordan stayed with her, too. Running with a shotgun was awkward and he made a note to search for his dad’s old handgun in the morning.
“Stop! Police!” Autumn shouted again. Seconds later, gunfire echoed through the night.
What was up with this guy? Did he have endless ammo?
This time, Autumn returned fire. Jordan lost sight of the figure and wondered if she’d hit him.
Then heard a car engine roaring to life.
“No! Not again!” Autumn shouted in frustration.
He shared her concern and forced himself to keep going. Maybe, some of the mud had fallen from the license plate.
But he couldn’t outrun the car. By the time he reached the road, there was nothing but the glow of taillights fading in the night.