Son of Texas (Count on a Cop) Page 22

  “I had no choice. You would have told.”

  Josie stepped closer, feeling no fear. “Now I’m going to kill you. One way or the other you’re going to die.”

  “Stay away,” Rhonda shouted and tried to aim the gun.

  Josie made a lunge for her and they tumbled backward. As they wrestled, Rhonda dropped the gun and it spun toward the cabinet. Rhonda kicked and scratched, but Josie was stronger, her anger driving her. The gun lay a few feet away and she snatched it, rolled away to her feet, the gun pointed at Rhonda.

  It was the day of reckoning.

  Rhonda Fry was going to die.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CALEB CALLED the adoption agency, but he got the run-around. He asked to speak to the person in charge and soon Ms. Doris Quinten came on the line. She gave him the same spiel about confidentiality. He explained about the case he was working on.

  “Please, Ms. Quinten, a young woman’s life is at stake. All I need is a simple yes or no. Did the Frys adopt a baby from your agency?”

  There was a long pause on the line. “Just a minute. I’ll check the records, but I’m not promising anything.”

  Caleb waited, tapping his fingers on the desk.

  Her voice came back on the line. “No, Ranger McCain, and that’s all I can tell you.”

  “Thank you, Ms. Quentin. That helps a lot.”

  Caleb hung up, knowing he was close to solving this. Jenny hadn’t come from the adoption agency. Could Jenny be Tracy’s daughter? There was only one way to find that out—talk to Dennis and Rhonda. He hurried for the door and stopped in his tracks.

  Eric walked into the room pushing Jenny in a stroller. His face was deadly white.

  “What happened?” Caleb asked.

  Eric took a deep breath. “I…I knocked and knocked on Dennis’s door, but there was no answer. His squad car was in the driveway so I knew he was home. I tried the door and it was unlocked. I could hear Jenny crying so I went in calling Dennis’s name. I found him on the living room floor. He…he’d been shot. He’s dead.” Eric took another deep breath. “I grabbed the baby and came straight here. What the hell’s going on?”

  “Where’s Rhonda?”

  “I don’t know. Her car wasn’t there and…”

  Caleb hit the door at a run and jumped into Caddo’s truck. For Rhonda to shoot Dennis and leave the baby, she had to have something sinister in mind. He didn’t slow down for stop signs or traffic. He had one goal—to get to Josie. The wheels ate up the dirt as he spun into Lencha’s yard. He bailed out as the cowboys surrounded him, but he didn’t pause in his sprint for the back door. It was locked and he kicked it in with his foot.

  He charged in with his gun drawn and came to a complete stop. Josie held a gun on Rhonda.

  “You’re going to die, Rhonda,” Josie said in a voice he didn’t recognize. “You’re going to know the pain and torture of having a bullet in your head. Pray that it’s a quick death.”

  “Josie. It’s Caleb. Give me the gun. You don’t want to do this. Josie Belle.”

  She heard that voice, soothing and comforting—the voice that had been her solace for so long.

  “Josie, give me the gun.”

  She’d heard it said that everyone had their breaking point and she had just reached hers. Because of this woman Josie had suffered unspeakable pain and she wanted revenge in the worst way.

  “Josie, don’t sink to her level. Give me the gun.”

  His voice reached the corners of her mind that were frozen in vengeance. Caleb was right. Shooting Rhonda wouldn’t make her pain any less. It would only make her a criminal, too, and she didn’t want justice that way. She turned and handed Caleb the gun.

  Caleb took it, shoving his gun into his holster.

  In a split second, Rhonda saw her chance and darted across the room and grabbed the knife Josie had used to cut the bread. She raised it in her hand and made a lunge for Josie, screeching, “You’re not taking my baby!”

  Caleb leaped for Rhonda at the same time that a gunshot echoed through the house. Caleb and Rhonda fell backward to the floor. Both remained still.

  “Caleb,” Josie screamed, falling to her knees beside him. “Caleb.”

  Caleb shook his head and rolled away, blood covering his shirt. “Caleb.” Her shaky hands caressed his face. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah.” He rose to a sitting position and they both stared down at Rhonda with a bullet hole in her chest, the knife still gripped in her hand.

  Caddo stood in the doorway with a rifle in his hand. He walked in and knelt on one knee to check Rhonda. “Dead,” he said, and got to his feet.

  “Damn, Caddo,” Caleb said. “You almost shot me.”

  “Nah. No shoot ranger. Caddo’s a good shot. Blood on ranger is from woman.”

  “Yeah,” Caleb said. “Thanks.”

  Josie threw her arms around Caleb and held him tight. “It’s over. It’s finally over. Rhonda did everything for a baby. Tracy was pregnant.”

  “I finally figured that out.”

  “And she fired a shot through the window and stuck a knife in your tires.”

  “All for a baby.”

  “Yes.” Josie quickly told him the whole story. Her voice quivered. “I really wanted to kill her. Your voice saved me. Just like in the hospital. I’ll never be able to repay you for all you’ve done for me.”

  “Just be happy, Josie Belle.”

  “I will.” She saw Eric over Caleb’s shoulder. Eric was her future. She knew that now. Everything Dr. Oliver had told her was true and she was so glad Caleb had been so honorable and not taken their relationship further. She would have been so torn about hurting him, but now she could accept her future with Eric without any guilty feelings. She could let Caleb go and they would part as friends—very good friends. She drew back and caught his hand and pulled him to his feet.

  “Thank you,” she said with a lump in her throat. Then she walked into Eric’s waiting arms.

  As Caleb watched them walk outside, he knew his heart had burst in his chest. But he would go on. He didn’t have a choice.

  JOSIE AND ERIC SAT on the same bench she and Caleb had days earlier.

  “Are you okay?” Eric stroked her hair.

  “A little shaken up, but I’ll be fine.” The darkness wrapped around them and she rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to remember us.”

  “God, Josie, don’t worry about that.”

  She raised her head. “I want you to understand that Caleb was a big part of my life. He made me feel safe and secure and I needed that. I needed him.”

  “Were you in love with him?”

  “I thought I was many times, but it was only gratitude.” She paused as the truth of that sunk in. The truth was hell sometimes. She licked her lips. “As I reconcile my past memories with the present, please me patient with me. It will take a while for me to fully let go of Caleb.”

  “I’ll do whatever I can to make this easy for you.”

  “Thank you.” She reached for his hand and he clenched it tight.

  “God, I’m glad you’re back.”

  “Me, too.” They stood and walked hand in hand to the squad car. To their future.

  WES ARRIVED and Rhonda’s body was removed to the morgue. Caleb changed his shirt and went back to the station to finish paperwork. Josie and Eric had disappeared and Caddo and the vaqueros headed back to the Silver Spur.

  All the loose ends had been tied up, except one—Jenny. Raylene was keeping her occupied until they heard from Child Protective Services. But they needed someone to care for the child now.

  Josie walked into the station, her eyes bright, and she looked like a different person. And she was. Belle Doe was gone forever and so was her attachment to Caleb. He’d spent a whole year to accomplish one goal—to return Josie to her life. He just never realized that in doing so it would hurt so bad.

  Josie suggested that they should give Mae the opportunity to care for h
er granddaughter and she happily agreed. CPS called and approved the arrangement and said they would contact Mae once she and the baby were back in Corpus.

  Caleb called Beau to come and pick him up. It was the middle of the night and Beau said he was on his way, without one word of protest. That’s what brothers were for and Caleb would need their support now. He could have waited until morning, but he had to leave Beckett as soon as he could. His heart couldn’t sustain anything else. Josie was happy and safe—that’s what he’d wanted. He kept reminding himself of that.

  Mae arrived with her daughters and they were enthralled with the little girl. Caleb could see that Mae would do everything she could to give the child a good life, a better life than she was able to give Tracy.

  Eric and Josie were talking to Mae, and Caleb quietly slipped out. That might be the coward in him, but he thought it was best that way. Beau would arrive soon and he had to get his things together. When he reached Lencha’s, Caddo was repairing the broken door.

  Lencha darted toward him. “Josie okay?”

  “Yes. She’s fine.”

  “Caddo stopped by the Martinez’s to tell me what had happened and I made him come back and fix my door. Lawdy, what a mess.”

  “It’s over now.”

  “Thank the Lord.”

  “My brother is picking me up so I’ll just get my things together.”

  He walked into the house and threw his stuff into a bag, hoping Beau wouldn’t be much longer. He wanted to go home.

  In the kitchen, he set his bag on the table.

  Lencha watched him, Chula on her shoulder. “Ranger, I know some brujas in Mexico who deal in love potions to attract the opposite sex. But I don’t fool with that. Love comes from here.” Lencha placed a hand on her breast. “No one can change that. When it’s real, it’s forever.”

  His gut tightened. “Lencha, I’ll be fine.”

  “Got something to make you forget all your worries, though. Fix it right up.”

  “No, thanks.” Caleb stopped her. “My brother will be here any minute.” He walked over to Caddo, wanting to say something.

  “Caddo…” Words failed him.

  “Ranger, Caddo’ll watch out for prima. No worry.” Evidently Caddo could read minds, too.

  “Thanks for the loan of your truck.” He paused. “I hope you give the Becketts a chance.” He wanted to tell him about family, love and patience, but he seemed to be emotionally spent.

  As he was dredging up the right words, Caddo said, “Caddo’ll handle the Becketts—his way.”

  Caleb just nodded, thinking that was probably best. Car lights turned into the driveway and Caleb grabbed his bag.

  “Lencha, thanks.” He gave her a hug and swung toward the door and stopped. Josie stood in the doorway.

  “Were you leaving without saying goodbye?” she asked.

  He stared into those beautiful dark eyes and couldn’t lie. “Yes. We’ve already said goodbye.” Many times. He kissed her cheek. “Have a good life, Josie Belle.”

  He breathed in her scent for a moment and hurried down the steps to the waiting car before he made a fool of himself.

  JOSIE STARED AFTER HIM with tears streaming down her face. She wanted to run after him and what? She didn’t know. It just wasn’t easy to let go of someone she’d leaned on for so long. She loved Eric and soon Caleb would be a distant memory—a sweet, treasured memory. Wiping away tears, she took a deep breath.

  “So you’ve chosen?” Lencha said from behind her.

  “It wasn’t a choice. This is my life,” was all she could say.

  “Then why the tears?”

  She ran to her room and curled into a ball on her bed. Lencha came in and sat down. Josie flew into her arms and cried on her shoulder.

  “Shh. Now, shh.” Lencha patted her back.

  But Josie couldn’t stop the tears. They were cathartic, washing away all the pain, misery and heartache of the past year. It wasn’t that she was crying about Caleb. She knew she didn’t love him. Maybe she was crying because she didn’t. Maybe she was crying because Dr. Oliver was right. Or maybe she was crying because some days a woman just needs to cry.

  CALEB SLID INTO the passenger seat with a start. Eli was at the wheel, Beau sat in the back. Two brothers—that’s what he needed now. Family.

  He told them who had shot Josie and why and how it all had unraveled. It felt good to talk, to release some of the tension inside him, but the ache in his gut was still there.

  “So Belle’s getting back with her fiancé?” Eli asked.

  “Yeah,” Caleb replied. “He’s a nice guy.”

  “How do you feel about that?” Beau asked from the backseat.

  “They were in love and planning to get married. It’s the right thing to do.”

  “You’re a rotten liar.” Beau obviously wasn’t convinced.

  “Let’s talk about something else,” Caleb suggested, wanting to put all this behind him.

  “Yeah.” Beau leaned forward between the two seats. “Let’s talk about Eli and his pigheadedness. I called to tell him the mystery of Josie had been solved and you were ready to come home. He insisted on coming, then he insisted on driving, saying he doesn’t trust anyone else’s driving. How bullheaded is that?”

  “You slept half the way, so stop complaining,” Eli told him.

  “What else could I do?”

  Eli spared Beau a glance. “We can stop and duke this out if you want.”

  “Yeah. Like I have a snowball’s chance in hell. You’d put my lights out in ten seconds. I’m not stupid.”

  “Remember that.”

  “You know you might need a lawyer one of these days.”

  Their nonsensical chatter went over Caleb’s head. All he could see was Josie’s face, her dark eyes and her sad expression. It would take time for her memory to fade. If ever.

  “So all this was over a woman wanting a baby?”

  He heard Eli’s voice and brought his thoughts back to them. “Yes. After two miscarriages, a stillborn baby and an adoption falling through, she was pretty much a loose canon.”

  “How sad.”

  “Yes. But now it’s time to move on.” Caleb sincerely hoped he could do that.

  As Eli drove through the night, they talked about family, jobs, sports and anything that came to mind. They were brothers. They shared everything. Or almost.

  At sunrise, they drove into Austin and dropped Caleb at his apartment. Eli and Beau both got out and Caleb knew they were both restraining themselves from pressuring him to go home to his parents or to stay with them. Instead they did the smart thing, gave him a bear hug and left.

  “Come on, runt,” Eli said to Beau. “I’ll let you drive me home to my wife.” Beau was six feet tall, but Eli still towered over him.

  “You call me runt one more time and I might try to kick your ass.”

  Caleb could hear Eli laughing as the car door slammed.

  He opened his door and went in. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he’d left here knowing he’d return a different person. His instincts were right. He was different in so many ways. But he couldn’t think anymore. He was exhausted physically and mentally. Stripping out of his clothes, he fell into bed. Before sleep claimed him, he saw her face. How long before that stopped? A lifetime?

  THE NEXT MORNING Caleb drove to Waco to visit his parents. The state of Texas had issued him another vehicle, but he went in his own truck. Today he was stronger and he just wanted to see his mom and Andrew. For a lot of years he took for granted the good life he’d been blessed with because it was tainted by memories of a father who hadn’t wanted him. Meeting the Becketts brought all that into focus and made him realize what real family was all about—unconditional love. Love that Andrew had given him and Joe McCain never could.

  As he drove to the garages, he saw Andrew’s car was gone. It was Wednesday and he always met with the pastor of their church to go over songs the choir would sing for Sunday services. His mom and dad were
both in the choir. Andrew would be back soon, but he’d have a chance to talk to his mom.

  Sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee, Althea talked to the dog at her feet. “Now, Bandy, I’m not giving you any more bacon.” Bandy made a whining sound. “Oh, okay.”

  Reaching down with the bacon she saw Caleb and jumped up, wrapping her arms around him. “Caleb, are you okay? I was so worried after the wreck, but Beau assured me you were fine.”

  “I am, Mom.”

  She drew back and looked into his face. “And Belle?”

  “Her name is Josie and she’s fine, too. She’s with her family and her fiancé.”

  She eyed him for a moment. “Sit. I’ll fix you some breakfast. Anything you want.”

  He eased into a chair. “Bandy’s looking good and fat.” Bandy reared up on his thigh and Caleb patted him.

  “Yes. He just needed some love.”

  “Mmm.” Don’t we all.

  “What would you like to eat?”

  “I’m not hungry. Coffee’s fine.”

  Althea placed her hands on her hips. “You never turn down my cooking.”

  He tried to smile and failed. “I’d just rather talk.”

  “Sure.” She poured a cup of coffee and brought it to him. Sitting in her chair, she scooted closer.

  This time he did smile. Althea was his mother and she knew him inside and out and she was trying discreetly to offer comfort.

  “Mom, I’m not sixteen with a broken heart.”

  “No. You’re a grown man.”

  “Exactly and I can handle this. From the start I knew this day was coming. Josie is happy and that’s what I wanted.” He took a sip of coffee. “I don’t want to talk about Josie. I want to talk about Joe McCain.”

  She drew back. “Why?”

  “As a kid, I agonized over the fact that he wouldn’t claim me, denied I was even his. I thought something was wrong with me and I caused your divorce.”

  “Oh, dear Caleb. That’s not true.”

  “I know, but as a kid I was looking for something I already had—a loving father who wanted me and has been there for me every step of my life.”