Held Hostage at Whiskey Gulch, page 8
Tessa chuckled. “Irish is anything but simple. You know the man was Delta Force, right?”
“I had heard that he was prior military,” Allison said. “But Delta Force? Wow. Those guys are the best of the best, aren’t they?” Allison looked down at the bandage she had pulled away. “I guess that explains why he is so good at dressing a wound. Those guys have to be able to do that kind of thing out in the field.” Allison glanced around. “So, if he’s your bodyguard, where is he?”
“I told him I didn’t need him while I was at the hospital. I have plenty of people around me to keep me safe.”
“I hope you’re right,” Allison cautioned. “Just make sure that you’re around folks all of the time. No darting into janitor’s closets or dark rooms by yourself.”
“I’ll be all right. The people at the front desk don’t let just anybody back here in the restricted area,” Tessa said.
Allison shook her head. “True. However, someone who has the nerve to break into your house to attack you might consider that a challenge he can’t resist.”
Tessa’s mouth formed a thin line. “Trust me. Now that I know he is specifically after me, I will remain ultra-aware of everything around me.”
Allison studied Tessa’s heel. “Looks like your wound is going to be all right. There’s no swelling or redness.” She swiped alcohol across it, let it dry and then applied a fresh bandage. One that wasn’t quite as thick, since it had quit bleeding. “I’d advise you to stay off your feet, but since you’re here at work, that’s not a possibility. At least limit the number of hours that you’re standing on the injured area, if you can.”
“I’ll do my best,” Tessa said. “Thanks.”
She went to work, balancing on the ball of her foot when treating patients and entering data into the computer system. Though her lunch break was short, she managed to put her throbbing foot up. During her shift, she had little relief from being on her feet. That was okay by Tessa. Sitting still during the lulls between patients gave her too much time to think about the attack. And about Irish. An unwelcome thrill of excitement fluttered through her the closer she came to the end of the day. Irish would be staying at her house again tonight. Sleeping on her couch. She’d see him when she got off work because he’d be there in the parking lot waiting for her.
Thirty minutes before the end of her shift, her relief nurse called in to say that she would be late by at least two hours. Could someone fill in for her?
“I can do it,” Allison said. “No, wait. I have to be at my apartment immediately after work for the service technician to fix my air conditioner.” She pressed her lips together. “I’d call and reschedule, but this was the company’s first available appointment.”
Tessa shook her head. “It’s okay. I can stay.”
Allison frowned. “You’ve been limping through this day like a trooper. I’ll just call and have the maintenance guy come another day.”
Tessa held up her hands. “It’s okay. Things are getting kind of slow. I can sit down a few times and put my foot up. Sleeping at night without an air conditioner in this heat is insane. You need to go.”
“I would have Brian do it, but he doesn’t get off duty until seven tomorrow morning.”
“I’ve got this,” Tessa said. “You go take care of your AC.”
Allison left at five o’clock.
Tessa texted Irish and told him she wouldn’t be off until seven and not to come any earlier. He replied, “Okay.”
As soon as Allison left, an ambulance rolled in with a teenager who’d been in a motorcycle accident. Tessa and the on-call doctor worked to stabilize him and then prepared him for transport to a bigger hospital in San Antonio more equipped to work with head injuries. By the time they had him loaded into the ambulance for transport, an elderly man entered the ER suffering with chest pains. He was followed by a child with a ruptured eardrum, a cowboy who’d stepped on a nail, a snake bite victim, and a case of pneumonia.
Tessa felt a hand on her shoulder. The nurse who had called in had arrived. It had only been an hour and a half of the two hours she had said she would be.
“Sorry I was late,” she said. “I’ll take over from here. You go home. Get some rest.”
Tessa nodded. Her foot throbbed, a headache was forming behind her eyes, and she was exhausted. After thirteen and a half hours on her feet, she was ready to jump in the shower and hit the bed. Grabbing her purse from the locker room, she left the hospital and trudged out to her SUV in the parking lot. Clouds had moved in, making it dark even sooner than normal. She hadn’t realized that she hadn’t parked under a light. Before she reached her vehicle, she stopped, remembering she’d told Irish she’d wait for him.
A noise behind her made her look back. A large, shadowy figure ran toward her. Tessa’s heart leaped as she couldn’t make out the face of the person heading straight for her. Gut instinct told her to run. Headlights flashed in the parking lot and an engine revved. Caught between the man rushing at her and headlights now racing toward her, Tessa screamed. The man grabbed her arm, jerked her backward and wrapped his arms around her waist, trapping her against his chest. Then he dragged her behind a car.
The vehicle speeding through the parking lot made a sharp turn, its tires squealing against the pavement.
Tessa fought to break free of the man who held her tightly against his body.
“Let me go!” she yelled.
The vehicle spun in a circle and headed back toward Tessa and her captor. When it was clear that the vehicle was coming straight for her, Tessa worked with the man holding her around the middle to get out of the way of the oncoming car. Before she could guess his intentions, her captor threw her over the hood of the car they were standing beside and slid across after her.
The vehicle charging toward them smashed into the side of the car where they had been standing moments before, pushing the vehicle toward where Tessa had landed on the ground.
A hand grabbed hers. She was yanked to her feet and dragged away from the car that was sliding sideways.
“Run, Tessa!” a familiar voice shouted. “Run!”
A sob rose up Tessa’s throat. The man who had grabbed her was Irish. The attacking vehicle backed away from the one it had crushed, drove around it and started toward Irish and Tessa. Irish pulled his handgun from a holster beneath his jacket and pointed it at the driver.
“Run, Tessa,” he said.
Tessa couldn’t make her feet move. She stood, gripped in horror at what was happening.
Irish would be crushed beneath the wheels of the vehicle barreling at him.
Irish fired a shot. The vehicle swerved and raced out of the parking lot onto the street, tires screeching against pavement once again.
Tessa ran to Irish, threw her arms around his waist and clung to him. “I thought he would run you over,” she said, a sob choking her words.
“I would have moved out of the way in time,” he said, smoothing a hand over her hair.
“He was coming at you so fast, I didn’t think you would get away.”
He chuckled. “So, does that mean you care?”
“Yes, I care.” Tessa buried her face against his shirt and murmured, “Who else would be my bodyguard?”
“Why did you run from me?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I didn’t know it was you. I thought it was somebody trying to abduct me. I did the only thing I could and ran. Then the car and...and...you threw me over the other car.”
“I did. I had to get you out of the driver’s path.” He set her at arm’s length. “Were you hurt?”
She shook her head. “I’m okay. Maybe a little bruised, but that’s better than crushed between the grill of that lunatic’s vehicle and the car he hit.”
Irish’s jaw tightened. “Exactly. I figured throwing you over the hood would do less damage.” He took her hand. “Come on. Let’s get you home. You can ride with me this time. We don’t know where that guy went or if he’s waiting to run into your car next.”
Tessa didn’t argue. She let Irish lead her toward his truck in the dark.
As they walked, Irish pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialed 9-1-1. He gave a description of the vehicle and explained the incident. “I’d give you a license plate, but it had been removed,” Irish said.
Tessa had been more worried about surviving either a man’s attack or being crushed be two tons of metal. She hadn’t even had the time to get a description of the vehicle, much less a license plate number. She was impressed by Irish’s ability to observe in a time of stress.
Irish opened the door to his truck for Tessa to climb in. When she stumbled on the step, he gripped her around the waist and lifted her up and into the seat. His hands remained on her waist for a long moment as he stared up into her eyes. “Why didn’t you wait for me to get here?”
She sighed. “I know I should have. But it was such a busy day, and I was so tired when I got off work, I didn’t think. I was in go-home mode.”
Irish chuckled. “Like a horse headed for the barn.”
She laughed. “You’re comparing me to a horse?”
He grinned. “I have the highest respect for horses.”
“I guess that’s okay then,” she said.
“Buckle up, sweetheart.” He closed the door, rounded the front of the truck and slid into the driver’s seat. “Maybe I should stay with you all day while you’re at work.”
“I might consider it, if this situation goes on much longer,” Tessa said. “But not tomorrow.”
“Why not tomorrow?” Irish asked.
She smiled and leaned her head back against the headrest. “I’m off for the next three days.”
“Good,” Irish said. “I’ll spend the next three days strictly with you.”
Tessa frowned. “You have to have better things to do than follow around behind me like a babysitter.”
He shook his head. “Nope. Trace has me covered. This is my assignment. You are officially my assignment.”
Her eyes still closed, she sighed. “That sounds so impersonal. Which is just as well.”
“Why do you say that?” Irish asked.
She leaned her head to the side and opened her eyes to look at him. “As cute as you are in your jogging shorts, I don’t need to get into another relationship.”
Irish grinned. “So, you think I’m cute in my jogging shorts?”
Heat climbed up Tessa’s neck into her cheeks. Why did she have to say that? “I must be really tired to have said that. But, yes, you do have a really nice physique. I’d be blind if I didn’t notice. But don’t think that that means anything.”
He drove toward her house with a grin on his face.
Tessa couldn’t help but smile herself. After the past two days, his cheerfulness made a difference in her life. She really needed to smile and laugh more. “I’m not sure what I have in my refrigerator, but you are welcome to stay and have dinner with me.”
He shook his head. “I took the liberty of stocking your refrigerator, since I’ll be staying with you for an unknown amount of time. And while I did that, I took care of that back door and replaced it with a solid one.”
Tessa sat up straight and turned toward him. “You got all that done in just one day?”
He shrugged. “I can be pretty handy when I want to be. The door needs a coat of paint, but we can do that tomorrow while we’re there.”
“Why are you doing this for me?” she asked. “Surely that can’t be part of the job of a bodyguard?”
“Gotta take care of my jogging buddy,” he said. “You’re the high point of my day when I jog the river trail.”
Tessa didn’t say it out loud, but Irish was the high point of her day as well. She always looked forward to seeing him run toward her and say hello.
“How do grilled steaks and baked potatoes sound for dinner tonight?” Irish asked.
Tessa snorted. “That would sound wonderful, if I had a grill.”
“Then how does broiled steaks and baked potatoes sound?” Irish shot a glance her way.
“Perfect.” She grinned. “I take it you’re doing the cooking?” she asked.
He nodded. “I am. Have to keep the little woman off her feet. Speaking of which, how is your foot today?”
It throbbed now that she had the weight off it, like it was getting more blood to the injured area. “Achy, but I’ll survive.”
He pulled into her driveway, parked the truck and came around to her side to open the door. When she started to get out of the truck, he scooped her up and carried her to the front steps.
She wrapped her arm around his shoulders and held on until he reached the top of the steps. “My foot might ache a little, but I’m perfectly capable of walking on it,” she said.
“I know.” He winked and set her down long enough to unlock the front door. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Tessa leaned against the wall and waited, her breath lodged in her throat, her pulse pounding.
A minute later, he was back. “All clear.”
She let go of the breath she’d been holding. “How do people live like this?”
“Like what?” he asked.
She shook her head. “In fear of walking into their own home?”
“We’ll catch that guy. He’s got to slip up soon. Hopefully they’ll locate the vehicle that he used as a battering ram and trace him through that.”
“Unless he stole it,” Tessa suggested.
“If he was smart, that’s what he did,” Irish said.
He led her into the house, turned, closed and locked the door behind them. “The question is, what did you do to piss him off?”
“I only wish I knew,” Tessa said. As she set her purse on the counter, her cell phone rang. She glanced down at the caller ID and frowned. “Why is he calling?” she asked aloud.
“He who?” Irish asked.
“My ex-husband.” She stared at the phone without picking it up. “Question is, should I answer it?”
“You say that you don’t think that it was him who attacked you, but what if it was? Or what if he had hired somebody to do the job?”
Tessa shook her head. “Why would he do that? I gave him everything in the divorce—the house, the car, the bank account...everything but my clothes. All I wanted was away from him.”
“Who initiated the divorce?” Irish asked.
Tessa’s lips formed a thin line. “I did.”
Irish shrugged. “Some men don’t take rejection very well.”
The phone rang again.
“Maybe you should answer it,” Irish said. “Maybe he’s calling to confess.”
Tessa’s jaw hardened as she pressed the button to answer the call.
“Tessa.” Randy’s voice came over the line, making her belly knot.
“What do you want, Randy?” Tessa asked tersely.
“I’ll be in Whiskey Gulch tomorrow night and would like to meet with you, if I could?”
“Tomorrow night?” Tessa challenged. “Or are you already in Whiskey Gulch?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” He sounded confused. But then Randy was good at acting. He’d pretended to love her for all the years they were married. “No, I’m in San Antonio, but I’m headed to Whiskey Gulch tomorrow night and I’d like to meet with you. Would you consider having dinner with me?”
Her first inclination was to say no. But if he was responsible for the attacks, meeting with him might help to get a confession out of him. “Okay,” she said. “I’ll meet you for dinner tomorrow night, but somewhere public.”
“That would be fine,” Randy said. “Name the place.”
“The diner on Main Street at six o’clock.” Tessa’s gaze met Irish’s.
“I’ll be there,” Randy said.
Tessa ended the call without saying goodbye.
“Sounds like you have a date with your ex-husband,” Irish said.
She nodded. “I wouldn’t call it a date. I agreed to meet with him. And if he’s the one who’s causing all these attacks...” Her lips pursed. “I’ll take him down.”
Irish reached out to take her hand. “And I’ll be with you tomorrow night when you have that meeting with him.”
Tessa frowned. “He might not confess if you’re sitting with me. He’s really good at bullying women when he’s alone with them—or with me. When he’s with other men, it’s like he’s a completely different person.”
“I admit, I don’t like the idea of you being anywhere close to him,” Irish said.
“Me, either,” Tessa said. “It took a lot for me to get away from him to begin with.”
“Then call him back and cancel. You shouldn’t have to deal with him,” Irish said.
“I’m not the same person I was when I was married to him.” Tessa lifted her chin. “I won’t let him bully me anymore.” She gave him a quick smile. “But if you could be somewhere nearby, that would make me feel a little better about being in the same building with him.”
“Deal,” Irish said. “I’ll be in the booth next to yours. If he even hints at raising a hand to you, I’ll be there to stop him.”
“Okay, then—” Tessa squeezed his hand “—I’ll meet with him.”
She wasn’t looking forward to meeting with Randy. He hadn’t taken their divorce very well. But if he had anything to do with the attacks, she would find out. And meeting with him might be the only way.
Chapter Eight
Irish wasn’t happy about the proposed dinner Tessa had planned with her ex-husband. If there was another way to get him to Whiskey Gulch for questioning, he’d do it in a heartbeat. Having him in town would give the sheriff’s department a chance to interrogate him.
He lifted his cell to make the call to the sheriff when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID.
It was Trace Travis.
