Targeted at rescue ridge, p.1
TARGETED at RESCUE RIDGE, page 1
TARGETED at RESCUE RIDGE
Barb Han
TorJake Publishing
Copyright © 2024 by Barb Han
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Furthermore, no generative AI was used in the making of this book nor can be trained on the copyrighted work.
Editing: Delilah Devlin
Cover Design: Jacob’s Cover Designs
Proofreading: Judicious Revisions
To Brandon, Jacob, and Tori for being the great loves of my life. I don’t know how I got so lucky to have each of you in my life but I know how truly blessed I am. To Babe for being my hero, my best friend, and my place to call home. I love you with all that I am.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
COMING NEXT
Author’s note
Also by Barb Han
About the Author
1
Chloe Sturgess checked her rearview mirror. Again. Her gaze narrowed as she tried to figure out who was behind the wheel of the truck that had been following her. Working at the bar on the outskirts of the small Texas town where she lived had its perks. The night shift allowed her to be with her three-year-old son during the day. A seven p.m. start time meant she could give Grayson his bath, dress him in pajamas, and give him a goodnight kiss before she left for work. And the tips she earned gave her just enough money to get by. Picking up the occasional stalker definitely made her rethink her work choices, especially now.
“Turn away, bud,” she said out loud as she thumped the steering wheel with her thumb. The longer he stayed behind her, the higher her stress levels reached. It had been months since anyone had attempted to follow her home. Maybe she should take the local deputy up on his offer to run interference if she had the slightest feeling she might be in danger. Could she swing by Travis’s house? Possibly wake him up? Reason said to give it a minute and watch the driver’s next move.
A quick turn onto Main Street in downtown Saddle Junction should do the trick. This was the point where she usually lost the persistent ones.
Headlights tracked behind her. Dammit.
It was either time for a confrontation with the driver or to make a phone call to the deputy. Would Travis be awake? Travis Barrett had said he’d take her call anytime, twenty-four-seven. But that didn’t mean his eyes were open or that he could reach her in time.
Dropping a hand down to the floorboard on the passenger side, she felt around for Thunder Boom. For a half-second, she’d almost named her shotgun The Great Equalizer. But Thunder Boom fit.
The tip of her fingers connected with the butt-end of the shotgun. Okay.
Could she create enough distance to hop out of the driver’s seat, spin around, and take aim at a spot five feet above the guy’s truck? Her body involuntarily shivered. Adrenaline kicked in. Her body’s intense reaction to a perceived threat was probably nothing more than a flashback to the abduction that was still fresh in her mind.
“Never point a weapon at someone if you don’t intend to fire,” her brother Kade had warned when he’d taught her the ropes.
The sight of a shotgun was enough to scare off the determined and often tipsy pursuers who thought it was a good idea to follow her all the way home. The rest took the hint at the quick turn. Not this one.
Psyching herself up, she pressed the gas pedal a little harder. “Get ready, Thunder Boom.”
The truck slowed down until the headlights all but disappeared. Chloe’s stress levels eased as she took a few slow breaths. A couple of turns later, she was alone on a dark street. This reality shouldn’t be comforting. It was.
Was he gone? For good?
Keeping a close eye on her mirrors, she navigated back onto the road home. At least the trailer park where she lived with one of her longest running friends had restricted access in the form of a punch code box that opened the metal gates. The joke was on whoever deemed it a true safety measure, considering the box didn’t work half the time.
She crossed her fingers, hoping the darn thing worked tonight. Chloe couldn’t get home fast enough. It was almost three a.m. All she could think about at this point was getting a glimpse of her sleeping boy, grabbing a quick shower, and collapsing in a soft bed. Her sweet little early riser rarely slept past six-thirty. Naps saved her life. Sleeping in couple hour spurts caught up to her every once in a while. Thank the stars she only worked four nights. Her older brother Kade had always been a godsend when he’d come home on leave from the military when Grayson had been little. Kade had kept an eye on his nephew while Chloe had slept. Grayson was too young to know the difference. Then, there was the money Kade had sent from his monthly pay to help out. Despite her many protests, her brother had sent the funds like clockwork.
And now, Kade was going to experience fatherhood. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes at the thought. Finally, Kade was happy, and Grayson would have a new best friend. If only the rest of life could be so simple. But she didn’t want to think about her father’s death or the illegitimate brother who’d shown up at the will reading or the discord that stemmed from trying to figure out what to do with the horse ranch tied to their inheritance.
Miracle of all miracles, the code boxed worked, and the gates opened. No one had followed her home to her trailer. And Grayson was still asleep. Win. Win. And win.
The next few minutes blurred together. Chloe’s head started spinning. Then, the room. What the hell?
She never drank a drop of alcohol on a shift. Why did she suddenly feel tipsy? Like she’d had one too many?
The bed was two steps away. Could she make it?
Loud banging on the door and the sounds of babies wailing in their room jolted Chloe awake. Her brain pulsed with every cry, every fist-pound on her door. It felt like someone had cracked open her skull and poured concrete inside.
Pushing to standing, she had to grab hold of the doorway to stay upright as she crossed the threshold. Something was very wrong here. The urge to vomit seized her. She grabbed onto her stomach as she forced herself to cross the kitchen and the living room and head toward Grayson and Miguel’s room.
Passing by the front door and the incessant pounding, she hollered, “Hold your horses.”
“Your kid is waking up the neighborhood,” Ms. Bouche said, using her former schoolteacher tone to dress Chloe down.
How had she slept through this noise? Not to mention her alarm?
Reaching back into the events from last night caused her brain to cramp. Had she forgotten to set an alarm?
Guilt struck like a prized fighter, exposing her most vulnerable spot. Grayson. How could she leave him crying for…
“I’m here,” she soothed as she moved inside his and Miguel’s room. Both boys were screaming at the top of their lungs. More of that guilt punched. Hard.
The clock read ten to seven. This might have been going on for the last twenty minutes. At that moment, she conceded to being the worst parent in the world. Not to mention leaving a child in her care to cry.
“It’s okay,” she said, scooping the boys into her arms and holding on tight. “Are you boys ready for a treat? How about cupcakes?”
Heads nodded as they sucked in air. Those red-rimmed eyes and crocodile tears rolling down red cheeks broke her heart. Shame had her taking them into the kitchen for a treat instead of a healthy breakfast. The good food would come next, she promised herself.
Once the boys had taken turns on the potty, she wiped their faces with a cool, wet rag and then walked them into the kitchen. She served vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting while fighting the urge to puke.
The widow from next door had returned home by the time Chloe opened the door. Instead, she found Guy Jones walking up. Their neighbor worked at the locally owned big box store as a night stocker. Guy could best be described as big. He was tall and had serious muscles. Lifting heavy boxes would be no problem. As much as Annmarie had insinuated Guy came around because he had a crush on Chloe, she didn’t see him as more than a good friend that she’d met through her roommate and closest friend. Plus, he was too quiet. And then there was the fact that Chloe didn’t pick up anything but a friendship vibe from him either.
“Come in,” she said as he stepped onto the wood deck he’d built for them last winter. “I can sure use the company today.”
Guy nodded before handing over a bag of food. She glanced inside and saw many of Grayson and Miguel’s favorites.
“You shouldn’t have done this,” she said, taking the offering. Arguing did no good. She’d tried that years ago when their neighbor would show up with diapers and formula on a regular basis.
He mumbled something about a discount and stepped inside the open door, pausing long enough to give her a once-over. “You sleep?”
“Not much,” she admitted, closing the door behind him
Guy shot a sympathetic look. “You. Bed. I got this.”
Could she really turn him down while she still had this pounding headache? Maybe a couple more hours would offer some relief.
The sounds of gravel crunching underneath tires sent her to the window. “Travis?”
From the corner of her eye, she noticed Guy’s hands fist at his sides.
What was up with that?
Travis parked before walking up to Chloe Sturgess’s home. As he lifted his fist to knock, she opened the door.
“Is she serious?” Chloe asked, shooting a dirty look toward Ms. Bouche’s window. The curtain moved. She turned her attention back to Travis. “Come in, Trav.” She’d known the deputy since forever. He’d been in the same grade as Kade in high school. As quiet and brooding as her brother might have been back then, he’d trusted a handful of peers. Trav had been one of them.
Men in Saddle Junction tended to be tall. Travis was no exception. He fit more into the tall, dark, and handsome category with two of Chloe’s favorite traits on his side—dark hair and green eyes. Even with his height, he came in two inches shorter than Guy.
“I didn’t realize you have company,” Travis said to Chloe with a confused look.
“Guy got here two minutes before you pulled up,” Chloe admitted. The tension in the room increased by a few notches. “Who wants coffee?”
“I’ll come back,” Guy said. “Forgot to make a call.”
“Okay-y-y-y-y,” Chloe said. She was wide awake now. “I’ll hold off on pouring your cup.”
Guy unceremoniously walked out the door. Could this day have started any weirder?
Chloe threw her arms up in the air. “What is going on between the two of you?”
Trav shrugged. “It’ll work itself out. Besides, I didn’t stop by to talk to him.”
Chloe let out a long, slow breath. “Right. Mind if I make coffee first?” It might help clear up the fog in her brain.
“Go ahead.” Trav walked over to the kitchen table and took a seat. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught him smiling at the boys. Now, Trav was someone she could see herself being attracted to. If he didn’t look at her like a younger sister, he was exactly the kind of person she’d want to date.
Date?
Chloe really was delirious. Even if she didn’t have bad judgment when it came to the opposite sex, she had no time. Correction, she didn’t want to trade time with Grayson for casual dating. With five…no, six brothers and a son, she had enough testosterone in her life.
She studied Trav as she crossed the room with two full mugs. She set one down in front of him. He thanked her.
“I know you’re not here for the free coffee or the great company,” she said after taking a sip. “So, what brings you to my door?”
He nodded toward Bouche’s house.
“Surprise there,” she said. “The woman has been looking down her nose at Annmarie and me for years.” She ran her finger along the rim of her coffee mug. “Neither of us set out to be single parents so she can stop throwing shade our way.”
“She threatened to call CPS,” Trav said with a look of apology.
“For oversleeping one time in three years?” Anger and frustration roiled inside Chloe even though she did have a nagging feeling of always falling short as a parent.
“You’re an amazing mother, Chloe.”
Those words pierced through her chest, bringing in a peek of light.
“Thank you, Trav. But you’re biased.”
“Believe me when I tell you how honest I’m being,” he quickly said. “I’ve seen a lot in this job. Good parenting. Bad parenting. Stellar parenting. Gut-wrenching parenting. Trust me. You’re at the top.” He paused long enough to take a sip of his coffee.
The boys got up and started running up and down the hallway, laughing, the sugar high striking with full effect. In a few minutes, she’d turn on a cartoon and then make them a real breakfast.
“Thank you,” she conceded even if she didn’t believe him. One day, she fully expected Grayson to come home with a coffee mug gift that read something like: World’s Okayest Mom! Did any parent ever feel like they were crushing it? Because she’d like to meet them and discover the secret to their confidence. “Am I in some kind of trouble?”
“No,” Trav reassured. “I reminded her you’re a responsible adult and an amazing mom. Once she calmed down, she admitted mostly to being concerned about your welfare because it isn’t like you or Annmarie to leave your babies crying. After what happened, she’s on full alert.”
The “what happened” he was talking about was Chloe being abducted and then escaping a serial killer that had been dubbed the Razorblade Reaper for the carvings he made in his victims and the method he used to deliver the final blow. She still shivered every time the subject came up.
“I guess I should thank Ms. Bouche for being concerned about us,” Chloe said.
“It’s good to have folks looking out for each other. Makes my job a little easier.”
“Speaking of which, I could’ve sworn someone tried to follow me home from work last night, but I’m not one hundred percent certain that I’m not being paranoid after what happened.”
Trav set down his mug. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“Because I lost them. Because they didn’t follow me too long past Main. Because I could be overreacting.” Breathe. Talking about it caused stress to well up like a spring thunderstorm, out of the blue and brimming with danger. “And because you might have been dead asleep.”
“My phone is always on,” he said. “You can call me as you drive to my house.”
“In the middle of the night?”
“Anytime,” he answered quickly. Then he cleared his throat before taking another sip of coffee. “I’m always available to any of my constituents who find themselves in trouble.”
Those words shouldn’t cause Chloe’s chest to deflate, even though a tiny piece of her heart wished he wanted her to call for other reasons.
She was being naïve. Trav looked at her like a kid sister. Nothing more.
And she didn’t have time for a relationship.
2
Travis carefully chose his next words as he leaned forward and took Chloe’s hand. An electrical current vibrated through his fingers and up his arm at contact. He dismissed the reaction as static electricity even though a little voice in the back of his mind said he knew better.
Since when had he started thinking of Chloe as anything but Kade’s baby sister? Not to mention, Travis was ten years older than her, and she wasn’t interested in him as anything other than a friend of her older brother’s.
A crash sounded in the hallway. Chloe hopped to her feet and disappeared in two seconds flat. He’d meant every word of the you’re-a-great-mom speech. Chloe was amazing and had no idea. Considering who her father had been and the fact her mother had ditched the family when Chloe had been a little kid, she’d beaten the bad parenting odds.
Chloe brought the two boys into the living room, turned on the TV, and got them settled onto the couch with their favorite blankets and toys. “Are you hungry?”
Both boys shook their heads in unison, eyes glued to the TV.
“We’ll hold off on breakfast for now,” she said before pressing a kiss to each forehead, then returning to the kitchen to reclaim her seat. After a sip of coffee, she set the mug down. “Something weird happened last night.” She locked her gaze with his. “I don’t drink on the job. Ever. And yet, by the time I made it home, you would have sworn that I’d done six shots.”
His mind immediately snapped to ketamine. “Did you keep track of your drinks all night?”
“No.” Her blue eyes widened after a beat. “You don’t think…”
