Bulletproof Badge

“So the cops don’t know you’re a Texas Ranger?” Kenderly looked up and saw a fast-food restaurant. “Can I borrow five dollars?”

“Right. Sure. We’ll get something and sit in the back corner.” Garrison ushered her through the doors and stood outside checking the street for something. He backed in the door and pulled out his wallet, handing her a twenty. “Bacon cheeseburger, ketchup, no pickles and any soda.”

She placed their order and watched him at the front window looking at his phone. He was texting one minute, then talking furiously the next.

No matter what he was currently doing, Kenderly decided to follow his original instructions and sit at the back booth.

“Hey, we’re closing in fifteen minutes,” the teenager behind the counter called out. “You’ll have to leave by then.”

“No problem,” Garrison let him know.

Kenderly ate her small, dry burger and fries alone. Her hero texted, made more calls and popped outside the door another time. She had no idea if he was leaving messages or holding conversations about her future. His food sat in its bag.

The drink gathered sweat and made a ring around the bottom of the medium cup. She was mesmerized with the droplets.

It kept her from wondering what might have happened if Garrison hadn’t been there today. She would be dead. No question about it. She felt helpless. She dipped a fry in the ketchup, and a red drop hit the table. She froze. Even though she knew it was ketchup, she couldn’t eat another bite.

The clock over the front door indicated three minutes until they closed. She should quickly use the restroom before they were kicked out. She locked the door behind her and almost immediately heard Garrison yelling on the other side.

“Kenderly, are you there?”

“Give me a second, please? I promise, I can’t get away. There aren’t any windows.”

“We have to get out of here.”

“I know, they’re closing.”

“Listen to me, Kenderly. Cops are gathering outside. The kid must have called us in. Our status changed from wanted for questioning to wanted for murder. It’s scrolling on the television. Tenoreno has a bounty on our heads.”

Chapter Five (#ulink_e89bb9fc-be38-5734-9137-657df3f2ed01)

“Do you have any idea where you’re going?” Kenderly had lived in Austin most of her life, but she was getting disoriented. Garrison had turned down almost every street and doubled back and then doubled back again. She tugged him to a stop not only to get her bearings but also to catch her breath.

“I’m certain of one thing. We have to keep moving.” Garrison reached for her hand, but she took a step away from him.

“I can see that you believe you’re right. But I can’t keep this up all night.” She glanced at her watch. They’d been walking just over an hour since the burger she’d choked down. “Don’t you have a plan?”

They’d blended in with college students for a while, but were alone again on the corner of Brazos and Eighth Street. It was late enough that hardly anyone was around in this area.

The thought of being scared fleeted across her mind. She certainly had good reason to feel that way, but she didn’t. The Rangers had convinced her they were legit and wanted to protect her. It was hard to get used to having someone else make the decisions. Limited choices as she had, every path she’d taken was completely hers.

He flashed that perfect smile at her and tilted his head like he was actually curious about something. “Sweetheart—”

“Stop right there. Your wicked gorgeous smile might work on the girls you’re trying to pick up and sway back to your tiny little house.” She caught her hand shaking as she pointed in the direction they’d come from. She quickly wove her fingers together. She might be upset, but she didn’t need to show the world. Or him. “I have no choice except continue wherever you go. I know that. So you don’t need to convince me of anything.”

“Wicked gorgeous?” He winked.

She had to turn away from him. Appreciating his cavalier attitude was one thing, falling for the charm he oozed with every movement was quite another.

“Just give it to me straight. Bottom-line it.”

“I like you, Kenderly Tyler. I really do.” He sent another text and then removed the battery from his phone before sliding both back into his pocket. “Our odds aren’t very good. Truth is... I didn’t think we’d make it this far.”

“Well, that’s reassuring.” If she’d had any choices she might have turned around and run from him. But there weren’t any other choices.

She stood beside a set of stairs leading to a church. Sitting on the cold concrete she leaned back only to jolt forward. She’d forgotten that her heels were hooked into her skirt at the small of her back. It might have looked normal for a college student, but she felt silly.

“So, what now?”

For a split second the confident young smile disappeared, and the thoughtful Texas Ranger who had absentmindedly petted his dogs stood there. Maybe he was as lost as her?

“Oh my gosh! Clementine and Bear! Are they okay?”

“They were in the bedroom at the back of the house. I don’t think the bullets penetrated that far.”

“Those poor puppies. What will happen to them?”

“They have a regular dog walker. She lives across the street. But I sent a message to my buddy, Jesse, to come get them.”

Disappointed that they didn’t have a way to find out, she rubbed her bare feet and wasn’t about to complain. Captain Oaks had been shot, and that man was trying to kill Garrison because he’d helped her.

“Can he come get us, too?” she mumbled.

But he’d heard and grinned. He casually leaned against the corner of the building. Or he tried to look casual. His body was tense. His eyes darted a different direction with each tilt of his head.

“Trouble is, no one really knew that I was at Tenoreno’s place. This operation is sort of...” He shrugged.

“Off the record?”

“More like last minute and hasn’t gone through all the proper channels.”

Kenderly jumped up and ran across the street. “Great. This is just absolutely great. And so in character for my life.”

She spun around midintersection to see her escort picking up her shoes, so she continued jogging across the road.

“Kenderly,” he said sternly, running after her. “Come on. You know we have to stay together.”

“So you have any idea when this is going to end?”

“Look. You’re a smart gal. You know life isn’t going to be the same. You might want to think about relocating.”

“You aren’t serious?” His lips pressed firmly into a straight line, and she knew that he was very serious. “What am I going to do?”

Placing both hands on her shoulders, one heel dangling from each, he looked at her for a good thirty seconds. If they’d been at her apartment door... If they’d been on a date or had met at the party Isabella said she could attend...

If. If. If. If things had been different, the moment might have been full of nervous anticipation instead of emotional dread.

“One step at a time, Kenderly. Just one small step. Our first is to find someplace out of the way to hang out for a while. We’ve got to give Oaks a chance to straighten this manhunt out.”