Texas Ranch Target, page 3
He showered and dressed then found his cousins, Abby, and a teenage boy and girl in the kitchen seated around a large, round table.
Luke stood and made introductions. “Brett, this is my wife, Abby.”
Brett nodded. “We met yesterday at the hospital.”
“And these are our kids, Kenzie and Dustin.”
“Nice to meet you,” Brett said.
Luke looked happy. He had his ready-made family and it seemed everything had worked out okay for everyone involved.
Brett was happy for him, but it wasn’t what he was looking for. He’d spent his life since leaving the marines traveling and working high-security jobs, enjoying the celebrity and fame that went along with delivering private protection services. Some media outlets had snapped photos of him and even speculated that he and Whitney had been an item. It was entirely false. Whitney had been faithful to the memory of her fiancé, Tony Davenport, another US Marine who’d been killed in combat. Besides, Brett didn’t date the people he’d promised to protect.
Caleb’s phone buzzed and he reached to answer it. His face turned grim as he listened to the caller on the other end. “Okay. Send a team there to collect evidence. I’m on my way.” He ended the call and slid his phone back into its holster on his belt. “There was an incident at the hospital,” he said. “We’d better get down there.”
The worry on Caleb’s face sent Brett’s pulse rising. “Is she okay?”
“Someone knocked the security guard out that was guarding her door, slipped into her room and attacked her. She managed to get away, but the head of security said they nearly didn’t make it there in time.”
“Did they capture the assailant?” Luke asked.
He shook his head. “He got away. I’ll coordinate with the security team to get video surveillance once we arrive. Brett, you’d better go check on your lady friend and make certain she’s okay.”
He nodded and hurried back upstairs to grab his jacket, gun and phone. His heart was racing and he grimaced. He should have remained with her, but she wasn’t his client. He wasn’t responsible for her safety.
Keep telling yourself that, bud.
Something about the vulnerability he’d witnessed in her had his protective instincts kicking into high gear.
He hurried back downstairs. Caleb was already in his SUV with the engine running so Brett hopped into the passenger’s seat.
On the way to the hospital, Caleb’s phone rang again. He answered it using the car’s Bluetooth feature, so Brett could hear every word spoken.
“Hansen, what’s up?”
“Chief, we received a call from the Jessup Inn this morning. The manager saw the broadcast of the amnesiac woman and identified her as someone who rented a room with them yesterday. They went to check the room and she wasn’t there.”
Brett’s gut clenched. “Did they give a name?”
“They did. She checked in using the name Jaycee Richmond. They’re emailing a copy of her driver’s license and check-in data to you, Chief.”
“Thanks, Hansen.”
His phone dinged with the email. Brett pulled the phone from the cradle and opened the email. The woman’s face popped up on a driver’s license, only it wasn’t so beaten up. But it showed the same pretty heart-shaped face, blond hair, brown eyes. It was definitely the same woman.
“At least now we have a name,” Caleb said.
He agreed. Maybe now they could figure out what she was doing in Jessup. Her license showed an address in Dallas where his offices were, but it could be an old address. He wanted to find out all he could about Jaycee Richmond and why she had one of his business cards on her.
Brett forwarded the email from the hotel to himself so he could share the information with her. Once they arrived at the hospital, he and Caleb separated. Caleb headed toward the security offices while Brett headed to Jaycee’s hospital room.
Jaycee. It was weird using her name.
When he saw her, she looked even worse than the night before. Another bruise had formed on her chin and an ugly red-and-blue hue surrounded her neck. He could even see the finger impressions visible on her neck.
Two officers were snapping pictures of her injuries and collecting samples from her fingernails in the hope that forensics could identify the attacker.
He stepped inside and her eyes lit up at seeing him. He smiled and something fluttered in his chest. It felt good to have someone happy to see him for once. It had been a while since he’d even felt wanted.
He allowed the officers to finish their work then approached her once they’d left. “I heard what happened. How are you?”
She touched the mark on her neck and he wasn’t surprised when her voice was raw and scratchy. “Not too good.”
“Caleb is pulling the security feeds. We’ll find this guy. Are you able to describe the attacker this time?”
She shook her head. “He was wearing a mask over his face. I didn’t get a good look at him.”
“He might be able to hide his face from you, but the security cameras will capture his image. I doubt he walked out with his face covered.” He pulled out his cell phone. “I do have some good news however. A local hotel manager recognized your photograph from the news. He remembered you. Apparently, you checked into the Jessup Inn yesterday. He emailed a copy of your driver’s license.” He held out the image and she took his phone from him and glanced at it.
“Jaycee Richmond?”
“At least now we know what to call you.”
She handed the phone back to him. “I don’t even recognize my own name.”
He was disappointed. He’d hoped seeing her name would spark something that would return her memory. He had to be patient. He couldn’t press her too hard, but the waiting was difficult. He wanted answers.
“I want to go to the hotel. Maybe seeing my belongings will help me remember something.”
It was a good suggestion. “Any idea when they’re releasing you?”
“The doctor said I could go home today. They diagnosed a slight concussion but believe my amnesia is likely the result of the trauma.”
It seemed early to let her go, especially given the fresh attack but he wasn’t about to argue the point. The sooner she was mobile, the sooner they could find answers to what had happened. And he needed to get someone at the ranch to bring him his car since he’d ridden to the hospital with Caleb. “I’ll go see if we can put a rush on the release paperwork, then we’ll head to the hotel.”
He headed out to the nurses’ desk and made the request. “We’re working on it now,” the head nurse assured him. “It won’t be long.”
“Does she need to stay with the fresh injuries?” he asked.
“No, she can recuperate from that at home as well as she can here.”
He didn’t bother reminding her that Jaycee didn’t know where her home was. Then he remembered the address on the driver’s license. After the hotel, they should check that out. If seeing her stuff at the hotel didn’t jog her memory, maybe seeing her own furniture would.
Brett pulled out his cell phone. His nerves were on edge. Why did this woman have his business card and what could have happened to her that would have someone trying to hurt her?
He dialed Wilson Jarrett, his business partner, but he didn’t answer. It rolled right over to voice mail. Wilson was known to let his cell phone die. It was a bad habit. So Brett tried the main office line instead, hoping to reach him that way.
The receptionist answered the phone. “B&W Security.”
“Trish, it’s Brett. I’m trying to get hold of Wilson.”
“Then you have great timing because he’s standing here at the reception desk. Hang on.” He heard a beep and knew she’d placed his call on speaker before he heard Wilson’s voice.
“Brett, how’s it going?”
“Not too good, Wilson. I have a dilemma. On my way to my grandfather’s ranch, I came across this woman. She’d been attacked. She had my business card on her. Has anyone been by looking for me lately?”
“Besides the slew of reporters wanting a comment on the Whitney Warren case? Nah. No one’s been here.”
“Actually, a woman did come by,” Trish interrupted. “It was two days ago. She was looking for you, Brett. Said she had something very important to talk to you about. I tried to cover for you and told her you were out of town but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. I called Mitch to escort her out but she left before he had to.”
Mitch Dearborn, one of their security experts on the payroll.
So Jaycee had come looking for him. It was possible she’d somehow gotten ahold of one of his cards while she was at his office and Trish had turned away to call for assistance, but what was so important that she would cause such a scene?
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Wilson asked her over the line.
“I was going to but you’ve also been out of the office for the past two days.”
Wilson’s tone lowered. “I was trying to do damage control to our business. You still should have told me.”
“She left and, besides, she didn’t seem like a reporter to me.”
“Did she give a name or leave a number?” Brett asked her.
“No number, but she did say her name was Jaycee...something. I can’t remember the last name. I remember Jaycee because it was different.”
“What did this woman look like, Trish?” Brett asked.
“Pretty but not dolled-up. About five-seven with blond hair and brown eyes. She dressed like she was doing her best not to draw attention to herself.”
He glanced through the window in the door at the woman lying in the hospital bed. It had to have been her who’d come to the office. But how had she tracked him down? “Did you tell her I was headed to Jessup?”
“Absolutely not, Brett. You know me better than that.”
He believed her. Trish took her job seriously and vetted everyone who came through the door. She provided as good security for the firm as he and Wilson did for their clients.
Well...used to provide for their clients.
“Thanks, Trish. Thanks, Wilson.”
But Wilson wasn’t through. “What’s going on, Brett? Do I need to come down there?”
“No, not yet. I’m not sure what’s happening here, but I’ll keep you informed.”
He ended the call with his partner then turned back to stare at the woman he’d nearly run down last night. She’d showed up at his office looking for him and somehow she’d figured out he was going to be in Jessup. Whoever she was, she was good at tracking people because he’d done everything he could to remain under the radar to avoid the press who were constantly contacting him for a quote for their stories about Whitney.
Yet Jaycee Richmond had found him—but not before whatever she’d gotten into or whomever was chasing her had found her.
* * *
Jaycee was dressed and ready to go when Brett returned to the room with her discharge papers. She was anxious to go examine the hotel room she’d checked into. Hopefully, it would provide some answers about why she’d been in town and who was after her.
She instinctively touched her neck, remembering the earlier assault. It had been terrifying. She needed to figure out quickly why someone wanted her dead and what her connection was to Brett.
She climbed into Brett’s car and tried to settle her mind. “Are you sure you’re up for this?” he asked.
She nodded and took a deep breath. “I need to do this.”
He drove to the Jessup Inn and they got out. This place didn’t spark any memories for her as she stared up at the building. They entered and took the stairs to the third floor, where the manager had indicated her room was. She followed Brett to the room at the end of the hall. Crime scene tape covered the door in an X fashion. It wasn’t until she was closer that she noticed the door had been busted, as if someone had burst inside. She shuddered at the thought. Brett pulled one side of the tape down as he walked inside.
Jaycee took a deep breath as she entered the room. Belongings were scattered on the floor and the dresser had been knocked over. It was obvious she’d been in a fight for her life here, yet she could remember none of it.
Brett watched her closely. “Anything coming back to you?”
She shook her head. “Nothing.”
He pointed to the dresser. “I spoke to Caleb earlier when he brought my car to the hospital. He gave me the low down on what they found here. The forensics team discovered blood on the edge of it. They think that might be what you hit your head on during the struggle.” He turned to the door. “If you were at the door and your attacker burst inside, you could have been knocked backward into it.”
She nodded. That made sense and she could imagine that happening. Yet she didn’t know if it had.
“There was also a busted lamp on the floor. Forensics took it for testing. Looks like there might have been some blood on it too along with your fingerprints. You might have used it to fight him off, gotten away and jumped into the car.”
And crashed it. Some getaway. She crossed her arms and rubbed them. At least she had gotten away that time and earlier this morning. Would she be so fortunate the next time?
“We didn’t find your cell phone or laptop here. Those were found in the debris of the wrecked car. However,” he continued, “we did find this.” He held up a photo of a handgun. The markers indicated they’d found it in the corner of the room. “Caleb and his team ran it for prints. They found yours all over it. Additionally, the gun appears to be registered to you.”
So she’d been so frightened of whatever she was running from that she’d armed herself.
Great. That doesn’t make me feel any better about this situation.
Or maybe she was just a person who typically carried a handgun. She had no idea. But she’d come to town with it knowing that she was in danger, and that danger had caught up to her. “Whatever was going on, I was obviously scared.”
“I’d say you had a reason to be. Someone did burst in here and attack you.”
She shuddered, recalling that feeling of the pillow pressing into her, cutting off her air supply. No way to get around that. Someone wanted her dead.
“Caleb said this was a crime scene, but if you want to grab some clothes or belongings, that would be fine. They’ve already gone through everything. And the hotel has offered you another room on a different floor.”
She didn’t like the idea that people she didn’t know had been through her things, but she didn’t exactly have an attachment to them either. She grabbed a few pairs of clothes and some toiletries then stuffed them into a bag. She hadn’t brought much with her and that struck her as odd. She must have come here on a whim. But why? And why couldn’t she remember?
As Brett led her down the hallway to the elevators, she noticed the other doors. “Did anyone hear anything when I was attacked?”
“According to Caleb’s investigative team, there were only two other guests on this floor. One had her TV up and claims she didn’t hear anything. The other guest was out most of the night. No one knew anything was wrong until the manager saw the newscast about you replay this morning and recognized you as a customer he checked in yesterday. He sent someone to check the room. That’s when they saw the door kicked in and called the police.”
So, if that newscast hadn’t played, she might not even know who she was. But then, had that also been the catalyst for the killer to return to finish her off at the hospital? Probably so.
The hotel staff were all kind but she felt their stares. She took the key to a different room then stowed her bag of belongings there and changed out of the scrubs the hospital had offered her before following Brett back to his car. His cousin wanted to see them both at the police station.
When they arrived, Caleb met them with a grim face. “We found a bill of sale inside the crashed vehicle’s glove compartment. Looks like you bought it from Russell Stewart the day before yesterday. I contacted him. He claims not to know you personally, but says he posted the car for sale and you answered the ad. Paid cash for it. I also found more information about you, Jaycee. Your prints were on file because you own a cybersecurity business.” He spun the laptop on his desk around to show her the website. Her face wasn’t displayed, but her name was prominent on the site.
And she noticed it didn’t specify what types of cybersecurity jobs she handled.
“According to the reviews, you’re good at your job.”
She stood up, mulling over this new development. “You’re in security, Brett. Were we working on something together?”
“Cybersecurity is a hot business,” Brett stated. “I’ve never heard of you or your company before. As far as I know, we’ve never used your services, but I can check with my business partner to make sure.”
“You should also check out her apartment,” Caleb suggested. “If the hotel didn’t bring back any memories to you, maybe being in your own place will. I wrote down the address from your driver’s license.”
Brett took it and nodded. “I had the same idea myself.” He turned to Jaycee. “Do you feel up for a ride?”
She nodded. “If it will help me get back my memories and figure out what is going on, I’m up for just about anything.”
The four-hour drive to Dallas was long and Brett left the radio on to fill the silence in the air. They didn’t have much to say to one another as she watched the landscape pass by.
They reached the address Caleb had given them and the landlord recognized her immediately. “Jaycee, everyone’s been worried about you. Someone reported hearing shots from your apartment two nights ago. The police came and found bullet holes and you missing. What happened?”
So she’d been attacked previously at her apartment. Not good. “I’m not sure. All I know is someone is after me. I don’t remember what happened.” She introduced Brett. “He’s trying to help me figure out what’s going on.”
