Revenge on the Ranch, page 5
Despite the shooting at the Red Barn last night, she wasn’t afraid to go back there tonight. She’d thought about the shooting long after she’d gotten home the night before. She did not believe she and Luke had been the specific targets. She did believe, whomever the shooter was, he would have fired those shots toward whoever stepped out the door.
Besides, she wanted to be there for Luke. Aside from the fact that she liked him, she’d seen flashes of the pain he held inside, and she’d felt the grief that still clung to him. If anyone needed a friend, it was Luke.
It took her only minutes to get from the doctor’s office to the attractive two-story house just off Main Street that she shared with Emily.
The house was painted a light gray with darker gray shutters. The street was lined with tall, mature trees, and a huge oak stood in their front yard. She pulled into the driveway next to Emily’s car and got out.
“Hello,” she called out as she stepped into the living room.
“In the kitchen,” Emily yelled back.
The living room was decorated in a mishmash kind of style. Emily had brought with her a slightly broken-down, overstuffed beige sofa from her parents’ basement, and Carrie had added a black and glass coffee table and matching end tables she’d bought at a garage sale.
The two women had pooled their money to buy a nice brown chair for the living room and a dining room table, dishes and pots and pans. Each of them had brought their own bedroom furniture, and for the last two years they had been good friends and great roommates.
Carrie walked into the kitchen, where Emily sat at the table with a sandwich and chips in front of her. She was clad in a pair of pink scrubs that complemented her light brown hair and pretty hazel eyes.
“Hey, girl,” Emily greeted her. “How was your day?”
“It was fine until the end.” Carrie went to the refrigerator and pulled out the sandwich meat and a piece of cheese.
“What happened at the end?” Emily asked curiously.
As Carrie made herself a sandwich, she told Emily about Dr. Holloway asking her out for a drink. “Oh, ick,” Emily said when Carrie was finished.
“That’s what I thought,” Carrie said as she finished making her sandwich and sat in the chair opposite Emily.
“You said before that you thought he had a crush on you,” Emily said.
“Yeah. I’d often feel him staring at me, and he often invaded my personal space, but he definitely confirmed my suspicions today when he told me I needed a ‘mature man’ like him.” Carrie began to eat, watching the clock and knowing she still wanted to shower and clean up before Luke arrived.
“That’s so disgusting. So, what are you going to do?” Emily asked. “Don’t you think things are going to be really awkward now for you at work?”
“Definitely. In fact, things have been awkward there for quite some time now. Is Dr. Morris hiring?” she asked half-kiddingly.
“Actually, he is hiring. Sarah Benson just quit to be a stay-at-home mom.” Emily grinned. “Just think of all the fun trouble we could get in working together.”
Carrie laughed. “Maybe I’ll put in an application with him while I’m on vacation.”
“Seriously, I’d love working with you at Dr. Morris’s office,” Emily said. “He’s a really nice man and treats all of us with respect.”
“I’d like that, but right now, I need to choke down my sandwich and get upstairs to shower and change. Luke is picking me up at six thirty.”
“How’s that going?” Emily asked.
“Good. He really seems to be a nice guy, and I’m enjoying spending time with him.”
“I wish Lane could find the person who killed Big John. I’ve heard that the whole King family is still grieving deeply,” Emily said. “I feel so sorry for them all. And now I’ll shut up and get out of here so you can finish eating.”
Emily put her plate in the dishwasher. “I’ll talk to you later,” she said and then left the kitchen.
The two rarely cooked on the days they both worked. Sandwiches and frozen meals were their best friends on those days. When one of them had a day off, that person usually cooked a real meal for them both.
Carrie finished her sandwich and then headed upstairs to her bedroom. She had the master bedroom that had its own bathroom. She paid a little more rent than Emily did for the privilege. She took off the scrubs she’d worn all day, threw them into a laundry basket and then got into the shower.
As the warm water pelted her, she stifled a couple of yawns. Last night had been a fairly late night and she’d definitely been up and running very early that morning, leaving her a little tired now. However, thoughts of spending more time with Luke shot a welcomed rivulet of much-needed adrenaline through her.
She had no idea if he intended on taking her back to the King ranch to hang out before they went to the Red Barn or not. Six thirty was a bit early to head to the bar, but it was Luke’s choice what they did. She was just along for the ride.
Once she was out of the shower, she pulled on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved spring-green blouse that hugged her body in all the right places. She applied her makeup and then spritzed herself with her favorite perfume.
She was ready with fifteen minutes to spare. She went back downstairs and sat on the sofa to wait for Luke. A small knot of nerves tightened her chest. She couldn’t help but feel a little nervous about seeing Luke again. The crush she had on him had only grown with each and every minute she spent with him.
When his knock fell on the door, she jumped up, grabbed her purse and then went to answer. As usual, he looked totally hot in jeans and a light blue T-shirt. “Hi, Carrie.”
“Hey, Luke. I’m ready to go if you are,” she replied. “I just need to yell up to Emily and let her know I’m leaving.” As Luke stepped just inside the front door, Carrie went to the foot of the staircase and hollered up to her roommate. “Emily, I’m leaving now. I’ll lock the door.”
“Okay, thanks, Carrie. See you tomorrow,” Emily yelled back.
Carrie turned back to Luke and smiled. “Now I’m ready.” Together she and Luke left the house and headed for his truck parked at the curb.
“This is an attractive neighborhood,” he said.
“Yeah, it’s nice and peaceful, and we love living here.” It was a quiet neighborhood—most of her neighbors were older couples with grown children.
“Your house looked nice from what little I saw of it.” They reached his truck, and he opened the passenger door for her.
“It’s actually a hodgepodge of styles that screams for an interior decorator, but it’s comfortable. I should have invited you in to see it all,” she replied as she got into the truck.
“Next time,” he said and flashed her the smile that always shot a delicious warmth through her. He closed her door and then walked around the front of the truck to the driver’s door.
“You know, I should have invited you to dinner at the café tonight before we headed to the Red Barn,” he said as he pulled away from the curb.
“Next time,” she replied with a grin.
He laughed. “You look like spring in that green blouse. It looks very nice.”
“Thank you. I look like green grass and you look like blue skies,” she replied.
“You’re right.” He headed down the highway. “I thought we’d hang out around the ranch until later.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she said, echoing his earlier words and making him laugh once again. He had a wonderful laugh, full and deep-bodied, and she loved hearing it.
He asked her about her day, and she told him about going into the office to help out and then her boss asking her out for a drink.
“Are you interested in him?” Luke asked.
“Heavens, no,” she replied with disgust. “To be honest, I find him kind of creepy. He’s always made me feel pretty uncomfortable. He’s always brushing up too close to me or reaching across me and skimming my breasts. I kept telling myself those things were accidents, but today he definitely crossed the line, so I’ll be looking for a new job in the next couple of weeks.”
She hadn’t realized she’d made up her mind to definitely look for another job until this very moment. She deserved better than working in a place that made her feel so uncomfortable and stressed. She deserved better than working for a man who obviously had little respect for her.
“Good for you,” he replied. “You deserve much better than that.”
“That’s what I was just thinking,” she replied.
By that time, they had arrived at Luke’s place. “There’s something I want to show you,” he said as they got out of the truck.
She followed him to the front door. He unlocked it and held it open for her to enter the house. Once inside, he locked the door once again, something he hadn’t done before. “I... I’ve been working on something that I want you to see,” he said. “It’s in my spare bedroom.”
“Okay,” she replied slowly. She’d never heard anything negative about the way Luke treated women, but inviting her into his spare bedroom seemed strange, and he was acting odd...like he was suddenly very nervous.
“Nobody else has seen what I’m about to show you, and I hope you won’t mention it to anyone else,” he said, further intriguing her and making her nervous all at the same time.
“Luke...what is it?”
He reached for her hand and pulled her down a short hallway. They passed what appeared to be Luke’s master bedroom. She peeked in and saw a king-size bed covered in a navy bedspread. Navy curtains hung at the windows. From the quick glance she got, it looked neat and clean. Then they came to a closed door.
He dropped her hand and opened the door. “Welcome to my nightmare.”
She stepped into the room and looked around in stunned surprise. Large whiteboards covered three of the four walls in the room, and on them were notes about his father’s murder.
There was a list of suspects, some crossed out, while others were underlined. Every encounter he’d had with Lane was written down with notes to the side.
She’d known Luke was fixated on finding his father’s killer, but this spoke to a depth of obsession that could make a person descend into utter madness.
* * *
“EAT, BILLIE. YOU know you have to eat, so open your mouth.” He guided the spoon, but just before he could put the food in, the mouth snapped shut.
“Dammit.” He threw the bowl of oatmeal across the room. The plastic bowl hit the far kitchen wall and slowly slid down to the floor, leaving a trail of lumpy oatmeal behind.
He got up from the table, too angry to sit for another moment and too angry to clean up the mess he’d just made. He went into the living room and threw himself on the sofa.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Dammit, it wasn’t supposed to be this...this hard. He was supposed to have a partner...a wife to help him. But he’d been cheated.
And soon he’d have to change a dirty diaper, and that would only bring his rage on all over again. It could have been different. It should have been different. His stomach clenched and his head ached as the anger continued to build inside him all over again.
That bitch. That snotty nurse—he’d make her pay. He’d tried the other night at the Red Barn. He’d sat in the parking lot and waited, hoping to get off one perfect shot. But he’d missed her, and then that pseudohero Luke King had covered her body with his own.
Now his anger toward her had only increased tenfold. He’d make her pay for what she hadn’t done and all the lies she’d told him. He was going to enjoy making her pay—and the ultimate compensation to him for all her lies was her death.
Chapter Four
Luke had been afraid that by showing Carrie his murder boards, he might chase her away. He’d worried that she might think him completely insane and she’d run for the hills as fast as she could.
However, he’d been pleased that she’d not only not run from him, but she’d studied his work and talked to him about other suspects and why he had ultimately discounted or added them.
A week and a half had passed since that night—a week and a half of frustration, as far as the case was concerned. He and Carrie had sat for hours in the Red Barn, listening to Peter and his drunken buddies whoop and holler, laugh and crow. He’d heard them talk about everything but the murder of Big John King.
Luke’s frustration, along with his rage, had grown with each day that had passed. That was why he had invited Carrie to come to the ranch for some horseback riding today. He needed something to ease the rage and the pain, if only for a couple of hours.
It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and Luke was hoping a little horseback riding would erase some of the pressure, some of the stress that rode his shoulders almost all the time.
The pressure definitely eased somewhat whenever he was with Carrie. It was strange, but spending time with her brought him a peaceful calm that was positively intoxicating.
He’d gotten to know her better with each evening they had spent together. She made him laugh, something he had forgotten to do since his father’s death. And, to his surprise over the past week, she and Caleb had become quite friendly as well.
His brother rarely opened up to anyone, yet for some reason he seemed to be open to a friendship with Carrie. As far as Luke was concerned, it only spoke to Carrie’s warmth and sweet personality that drew people to her.
He’d introduced her to his mother and his sister, and even Johnny had given Carrie his stamp of approval as a romantic partner for Luke. Of course, they weren’t really romantic partners. They were just partners.
As he heard the sound of a car pulling up outside, he stepped out on the porch. He smiled as Carrie parked and then got out.
She looked pretty clad in jeans and a long-sleeved light pink blouse. Her dark brown hair was loose around her shoulders and sparked with red and gold highlights in the bright sunshine.
A swift and strong surge of desire suddenly punched him in the gut. It wasn’t the first time he’d experienced it where Carrie was concerned, but it always surprised him when it rose up inside him. It was always unexpected and undesirable.
He just assumed it was because it had been a long time since he’d been with a woman and he and Carrie had been spending a lot of quality time together. Still, it was definitely completely inappropriate. He quickly squashed it down. There was no place for that kind of feeling where Carrie was concerned.
“Are you ready to do some riding today?” he asked as she approached him.
“I can’t wait,” she replied. Her eyes shone brightly. “As long as you don’t intend to put me on the back of some wild bucking bronco, I’ll be good.”
He laughed. “I promise, no wild bucking bronco. Come on, let’s head down to the stables.” He grabbed her hand as they walked across the lane from his house and down a path that would eventually lead to more outbuildings. It felt natural to hold her hand even though it was just a ruse to make everyone they encountered think they were in a romantic relationship.
“Did you hear back from Dr. Morris’s office yet?” he asked.
“Actually, I heard from him this morning. I start Wednesday morning for him, and I immediately called Dr. Holloway to let him know I wouldn’t be working for him anymore.”
“How did he take it?”
“I could tell he was pretty ticked off. He was very cool but civil,” she replied.
“I’m glad you’re getting away from him.” Luke’s hand tightened around hers. “I didn’t like it that your creep boss made you uncomfortable and crossed all kinds of professional lines with you.”
“I didn’t realize just how uncomfortable I have been until this morning when I got the call from Dr. Morris. I’ve never felt such a sense of relief as I did when I realized I don’t have to go back to work in that place anymore,” she replied. “However, I do feel bad that I’m not giving Dr. Holloway two weeks notice.”
“You don’t owe that man any notice. You don’t owe him anything. The minute he brushed up against you, the minute he asked you out, he broke the trust that might warrant him notice,” Luke replied firmly.
“Thanks, Luke,” she said with a bright smile that shot an explosion of warmth into his stomach. He wasn’t sure why her smiles always warmed him, why they always made him feel very special and...happy.
Ahead, the large stables came into view. Luke’s rib pain had finally quieted to a mere whisper, and he was looking forward to riding for the first time since his beatdown. He’d wound up taking far more time off than he’d ever intended because his ribs had continued to give him fits.
“I asked one of the ranch hands to get the horses ready for us,” he said as they approached the entrance. “The horse I have picked out for you is named Sue. She’s a gentle, sweet mare and shouldn’t give you any trouble.”
“And what’s your horse’s name?” she asked.
“Storm,” he replied. “She’s a feisty ride and takes a firm hand, but she trusts me and I trust her.”
They stepped across the threshold of the stables. Luke loved the scents of horse and hay and grain. Before his father’s death, he’d always loved hanging out in the stables. But the place also held many memories of Big John that now brought a deep grief with them. He hadn’t been spending much time out here since his father’s murder.
It was here in the stables that he had spent quality time with his father. He and Big John had spent many hours in here talking about the horses and life in general. Luke had cherished those times with his dad.
Hopefully, the grief would eventually pass and he would once again enjoy being in this place with the horses he loved taking care of and being around.
“Hey, Rod,” Luke said, greeting the man who stepped out of a nearby stall. “Carrie, this is Rod Jackson, one of the men who help us out around here. Rod, this is Carrie Carlson.”
