Reese fisted her hands and threw punches, swinging at air. She kicked and finally connected. The male attacker grunted, and she thought it served him right. When she threw a second kick, he was smart enough to get out of the way.

  He hauled her to her feet and then off the ground, so she unleashed a rampage of kicks. This time, he cursed under his breath and dropped her. Her feet hit the tile flooring too fast, too suddenly. She grasped for something to hold on to before she face-planted. Her elbow jabbed into something hard. Bone?

  And then she heard whoever it was coming toward her. She readied herself for a fight, feeling around for anything she could use as a weapon.

  The door opened.

  “I thought I told you—”

  Angela’s voice was unmistakable.

  “Excuse me,” a deep male voice said as the light flipped on a second before he brushed past Angela and ran into the hallway.

  “Stop him,” Reese yelled as she scrambled to her feet.

  Angela let the man brush right past her. She took one look at Reese and then turned back toward the hallway. “Stop that man!”

  “Someone came into my room. I need my clothes. I’m leaving,” Reese said.

  Angela grabbed her cell phone out of her pocket and made a call to security as she put her free hand up to stop Reese. After making the request, she said, “Your friend is out there. What happened in here?”

  “I already told you,” Reese said, opening cabinets to locate the bag with her clothes inside. She distinctly remembered being given a plastic one but had no idea where it had gone.

  “Did you know him?” Angela asked.

  “I’m afraid I have no idea who that man was and he’s the reason I’m in here in the first place,” she said as Darren came barreling into the room. She made eye contact immediately. “He was here.” She lifted her arm so he could see the grip marks.

  “How?” Darren muttered a few choice words. “Did you get a good look at him?”

  “Afraid not,” Reese said as she opened the cabinet with her personal effects. “There we go. Right here. Now if you’ll excuse me.” She made a beeline for the attached bathroom.

  Angela seemed to know better than to argue. “Security is on its way.”

  Reese ripped off the hospital gown and put her clothes on, then slipped into her shoes. She couldn’t wait to get out of there.

  Darren waited at the door, reminding her, “The nurse called Security.”

  “Too late,” she said, staring at him. “I’m not staying here a minute longer.”

  “I’m sorry I left you alone,” he said, then reached for her hand and linked their fingers. “This is my fault.”

  “You had no idea this would happen,” she said.

  “This bastard slipped past me when I was right down the hall.” He shook his head. “I never would have forgiven myself if something had happened to you.”

  “You have been sticking your neck out and putting your life on the line for me since I showed up on your property,” she insisted. “You’ve done nothing wrong except try to help. If anyone is sorry, it’s me. It’s my fault your house is burned down. All your memories are gone.”

  Tucking her chin to her chest, she stifled a sniffle.

  “Let’s get out of here and then we can clear the air,” he said, lifting her chin up until her gaze met his again. “Deal?”

  She nodded. “I’m ready.”

  As they turned toward the door, it burst open. The deputy stopped in the door jamb, panting. “He got away. Any chance you got a good look at his face?”

  “No,” Reese admitted. “And I have no plans to stay here for him to finish the job, security or not.”

  She gave a quick rundown of what happened.

  “How can I reach you?” the deputy asked.

  “My cell burned beyond usage,” Darren said.

  Deputy Lyle produced a business card. “Once you get a working cell, program this number in.”

  Darren took the offering. “Will do.”

  “I’m taking her home,” Darren said. “To Pierce Ranch.”

  “I believe I know where that is,” Deputy Lyle said.

  “If you are inclined to drive past it every now and then, it wouldn’t hurt either of our feelings,” Darren stated.

  “It definitely wouldn’t hurt mine,” Reese added.

  “Will do,” Deputy Lyle said before escorting them to Darren’s SUV. They arrived safely despite the bad feeling Reese had while walking through the parking lot. The hairs on the back of her neck pricked, which was never a good sign. Of course, at this point, she might be spooked and freaking out. But still. She had no plans to take chances.

  Darren helped her into the passenger side of his SUV. The second the door was closed, she got a whiff of smoke. As soon as he claimed the driver’s seat and turned on the engine, she cracked the window.

  “You might want to crack the other windows, too,” she said. “I didn’t realize how badly these clothes smelled of smoke.”

  He nodded, then pulled forward out of the parking spot. Before he got too far, he hit the buttons to lower all the windows a little. “How’s your head?”

  “I have a monster headache but that doesn’t seem to be anything new,” she said.

  “The guy back there,” he continued after a moment of silence. “Did you get anything from him? A general build?”

  “He wasn’t big like you,” she said. “I only saw him for a flash, but he looked slightly average height and build.” Average for Texans in this area was six feet tall. “He was strong. His grip strength caught me off guard. He had grabby hands.”

  “Did he say anything?” Darren asked after the muscle in his jaw clenched. “Did you hear his voice at all?”

  “Not really,” she said. “When the nurse walked back in, he mumbled but I couldn’t get a clear take on his voice.”

  “The person responsible for the fire at my house must have stuck around to watch the rest unfold,” Darren said.

  “I didn’t think about that before, but you’re right,” she said.

  “He might know my property if he knows the equipment building,” he continued. “Which means he might be local or someone who grew up around here.”

  “Phillip Rhodes spent summers here for years, even after the camp closed,” she said.

  “I’m almost thinking this person had to have grown up around here at this point despite the fact taking someone so close to home would draw attention,” Darren said. “Camree Lynn’s case was a long time ago. She might have been where he started.”

  “So you’re leaning toward Aiden Archer?” she asked.

  He nodded. “That seems to be the best name so far.”

  It had been a long time since she’d been to Darren’s family home. A whole lot of good memories were stored there. Memories of going to his place after school to do homework, and stealing a few kisses when his mother wasn’t looking. They’d held hands under the stars while sitting on the tire swing in his backyard. Her thoughts were flooded with good memories as he pulled onto ranch property.

  Reminiscing about the past was a good distraction from what had just happened to her. Another attack and they were further from answers than this morning. How could this person act alone? How would a single person have pulled off what happened at the equipment building? She could have sworn she’d heard more than one voice.

  Then again, she’d been pretty out of it. The blow to her head might have caused her to mix up details.

  At least her head had been spared the floor at the hospital. And yet, nausea was still settling in as a monster headache formed. Thinking hurt.

  * * *

  DARREN PARKED IN the detached garage and then came around to the passenger side. He needed to do something about the lack of a cell phone. Being disconnected from his girls for the day caused a coil to tighten in his chest. Ever since their mother died, he’d worried something would happen to them. Like, maybe, he was cursed.

  But the girls were thriving and, so far, hadn’t met any accidents that didn’t involve potty training.

  “I need a phone,” he said to Reese.

  “We should have stopped along the way and gotten one of those throw-away phones. They come with service,” she said. “I don’t think they cost much.”

  “Can you make it to the store?” he asked.

  “I don’t want to stay here by myself,” she said.

  “Okay,” he confirmed. “To the store we go.” And then he stopped. “When we get back, we’ll fill Buster in. He’ll be sleeping in the bunkhouse.”

  “Buster still works for your family ranch?” she asked.

  “That’s right,” he confirmed. He was also thinking it would be good to have another set of eyes around. Someone who could keep an eye out for danger. There were no security alarms in his parents’ home, so all they had to work with would be door locks. He was seeing how easily the bastard targeting Reese was able to move through the hospital. It wasn’t exactly reassuring how stealthy this guy could be.

  “I’d love to see him and say hello,” she said. And then she seemed to think better of it. “Unless he doesn’t want to see me again.”

  “He’ll be happy you turned up,” he said. He held back the part about how many times Buster had asked when Reese was coming around again, or if Darren had called her to let her know how he felt before she got mixed up with his uncle.

  Darren had been stubborn back then, digging his heels in. Some might say little had changed, but he would argue differently. Now that the girls were here, he’d learned to relax and cut back on his stubborn side. Especially as they started having ideas of their own, like when they wanted to be held and when they wanted to walk. It seemed the minute they learned they could move across the room without his help, they’d decided to do things on their own. Was it a sign of what was to come in the future? Probably. As much as he wanted to bring up strong young ladies, a piece of his heart would always want them to need their daddy.

  By the time Darren drove them to the store and back, another hour had passed. Reese napped on the way. When he pulled up next to the farmhouse where he’d grown up, he parked the SUV and then touched her arm.

  “Hey, we’re here,” he said quietly.

  “Home?” Reese asked in a sleepy voice that tugged at his heart. Letting that voice penetrate the walls he’d built around his heart to survive would be just plain foolish of him. Determined not to make the same mistake twice, he shelved his emotions.

  “We’re at the farmhouse,” he said, thinking how weird it was going to be to call this place home. Then again, he was warming up to the idea of his children growing up here. Being around their grandmother and grandfather’s things was the next best thing to being around them.

  “Okay,” she said, wiping her eyes. “Right. Are you going to see Buster?”

  “I’ll have him swing by,” he said. “Looks like you need your rest.”

  “I’m good,” she promised.

  “You’ve been through a lot, Reese,” he reasoned. “You’re tired and need sleep. I’ll be right here.”

  “But Tandra was the most recent and she might be out there in danger,” she argued. “What if we can save her?”

  Darren looked at Reese. “I’ll make calls. It will be faster to do it that way, anyway. We won’t lose time driving around.”

  Reese looked like she was about to put up an argument.

  “I have this throwaway and I’ll find numbers from the internet,” he said. There was a desktop computer in the office that he could use.

  She nodded.

  He exited the driver’s side and moved around the front of the SUV, then opened the door for her and helped her out.

  “This place brings back a lot of memories,” she said with a small smile.

  “Sure does,” he agreed. This was also the place where his heart had been shattered to bits, but he was certain she wasn’t talking about that particular memory.

  Bringing her here might be a mistake but he was short on options. Making those calls might bring answers.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Reese walked inside the house on her own, but her legs felt like they were made of rubber bands instead of bone. “I can’t wait to get out of these clothes. Is there anything else I can wear?”

  Darren nodded. He’d become quiet and she couldn’t help but wonder what was going through his mind. Being back in this house with him brought back a flood of memories. They were good. They reminded her of why she’d fallen for Darren. Maybe that was the reason he looked so grim. Maybe he didn’t want any of those memories.

  Darren excused himself and returned holding out what looked like a complete outfit. “You left these here once when we fell into the pond.”

  “I wondered where these warm-ups went,” she said. “These were my favorites.” Thank the stars for the small miracle of a sports bra and underwear with the offering.

  “You always kept them in your backpack on Fridays for when you came over and then we fell into that stagnant water out on the property, so we threw them into the washer and forgot about them,” he said.

  “Cool.” The memory tapped into feelings she’d tried to suppress a long time ago. She nodded and smiled. “Mind if I grab a shower?”

  “Not at all,” Darren said, but he was already programming a number into his cell phone. “I’ll check on the girls and be in my dad’s old... My office.”

  “Sounds good,” she said, starting for the stairs.

  “You might want to use the master,” he said, motioning toward the hallway where he was headed. “I don’t keep the upstairs stocked since no one lives here. I only keep towels and supplies downstairs for the occasional shower that needs to happen here before I head home.”

  Reese did an about-face and walked to the hallway where he was standing. He waited for her to go first. Him being in a room two doors down was a comforting thought after being attacked in the hospital. She made a mental note to call the sheriff to see what he found out on her phone records. She’d given him permission to check into her communication. Maybe he’d found something.

  After the shower, Reese was beginning to feel human again. It was beyond good to get those smoky clothes off her skin. She couldn’t help but think someone was desperate. Maybe their desperation would cause them to make a mistake and reveal their identity. She still had no idea who it was or why. That wasn’t completely true. They had two names to start with. By the time she finished dressing and headed into the office, Darren might have an idea of which name to follow through on.

  Darren was on a phone call while she stopped at the door. His body language was tense as he glanced up at her. The look on his face said he was being chewed out, or worse. The fire must have had his in-laws riled up.

  “I know how to keep my own children safe,” he said into the phone in a quietly controlled voice that signaled he was on the verge of losing it. He couldn’t afford to lose his temper right now. It would only make matters worse given the situation.

  Reese walked in, squatted beside him and took his free hand. She gave a squeeze for reassurance that he appeared to appreciate, as he gave a small nod of acknowledgement. More importantly, he didn’t let go.

  “I’m moving into the farmhouse,” he said. “I appreciate your offer but we have a home here. It’s something I’ve been meaning to do, anyway. This pushes up my time line.”

  Darren paused.

  Then he said, “I appreciate your concern. I know how much you love the girls.” Another few beats of silence passed before he said, “They’re all I have left of her, too.”

  Reese could scarcely imagine what Darren had been going through since figuring out those girls might not be biologically his. Their samples went up in flames, so they would have to regroup. Giving him a definitive answer was as important to her as being there for him when he found out the news. It was the least she could do to make up for at least some of the pain she’d caused him in the past. Maybe make a dent? Her guilt would last forever.

  “I can swing by and pick them up anytime,” he said into the phone. “Are you sure?” He paused a couple of beats. “Tomorrow at lunch. That’ll give me time to get settled here. Sounds good.”

  He released her hand to push the end-call button. And then he set the phone on top of the desk and raked his fingers through his thick hair.

  “What can I do to help prepare for the girls?” Reese asked, getting a second wind after her shower. “Diapers? Wipes?”

  “I’ll have to grab the portable cribs from the hall closet,” he said. “There should be enough supplies here to last a couple of days.”

  “Then, we’ll have time for a delivery,” she said. “All we have to do is one-click our way into all the supplies you could possibly need.”

  “One-click is a little slower out here, but you’re right about having enough to tide us over,” he said. She liked the way he used the word us. She hoped he would let her roll her sleeves up and help. Then, it dawned on her that the fire might not be the only objection they had about him taking the girls back. “They know about me, don’t they?”

  He nodded.

  “They’re not happy about another woman being in your life,” she said.

  “No. They are not.”

  “Do they know that I’m only here temporarily?” she asked.

  “They don’t need to know every detail of my life,” he countered. “I already tell them everything I can think of about the girls on an almost daily basis.”

  That couldn’t be going over very well. “You always had an independent streak a mile long.”

  “Not when you have babies that have to come first,” he said.

  “They’re lucky to have such a devoted father,” she reminded him. He seemed to need the reminder. She would tell him that every day until he no longer needed to hear it.

 

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