Ranger Guardian

Trusting premonitions had never been a strategy for her. She never looked for good luck or blamed a bad streak on chance. More than anything else, she investigated and found the answers through old-fashioned hard work.

But something screamed at her to get Heath back in the car.

“Time to pack it up, Heath.”

The screen went black as she heard the driver slam the van doors shut in real time and then on the echo in the video delay. She started the car to be at the ready.

But Heath didn’t return to the vehicle. She inched the car forward until she could see her husband disappearing into the front door alcove, getting closer to the van instead of coming back to her.

“Heath!” She called to him without any response. She sank lower in her seat, hoping neither man in the van noticed the car.

The van’s engine roared to life.

Kendall braced herself, fairly certain that the next thing she heard would be gunfire. The van peeled out of the driveway and down the street...toward her, passing Heath and turning left. Perfect for them to follow.

“Let’s go!” Heath’s voice roared at her through the phone.

She put the car into Drive, stopping just as he rushed away from the house and leapt over a small hedge. Even in boots, Heath was across the concrete street and in the car within seconds.

His speed always amazed her. Riding horses, running or taking down a suspect...the action didn’t matter. His hat was in his lap, and his hands were waving to follow the van.

“We don’t really have a reason to follow these guys,” she mentioned as she took the next left, back to the main road they’d turned from earlier. “Why do you want to pursue?”

“Gut feeling?”

Just as she was about to open her mouth to explain how their joint task force operated—that she was in charge and he shouldn’t take off like he had—the van sped up and fishtailed around a corner.

“If they really think that’s going to work, I guess they don’t know much about you, Kendall.”

Even increasing their speed and darting around a car, she caught the smile and wink. The natural response was to smile back. So she did. It was the reason she’d fallen in love with him. His gallantry. His bravery. His...okay, everything.

Kendall stopped herself, concentrating on switching lanes and accelerating. She’d confront him later. After whatever they were doing was over.

“Watch out.” Heath raised his voice, pointing in front of them.

The van went through a yellow light. They weren’t running sirens. And a powder-pink sedan, heading in the opposite direction, turned left in front of them. They were going to hit each other. Kendall slammed on her brakes, as did the sedan. They barely avoided each other as they fishtailed sideways to a stop.

“Gun it. Car to your left.”

She heard the words and trusted the Texas Ranger next to her. She floored the gas, trying to look for crossing traffic, getting their car across the intersection. It was a good time of day to be on Northwest Highway. No one was in their path when she heard brakes from one direction and tires squealing from the other.

The SUV they’d passed a few seconds earlier had crashed into the rear of the pink car, stopping where her sedan would have been if Heath hadn’t yelled. There was a loud bang and horns.

“Great job, babe.” Heath patted her shoulder from where he rested his arm along the back of her seat. “I’ll check on the drivers.”

She pulled around to protect the drivers from oncoming traffic and hit the hazard lights. Heath got out, leaving his hat in his seat. She dropped her head to the wheel, reaching for her phone to call the accident in to authorities and request a tow truck. She sat back as she gave all the appropriate information, letting out a long sigh.

The van was out of sight. Heath was busy with the drivers, and all Kendall could do was force herself to breathe. That had been close. Too close.

No suspect was worth what had almost happened. She had to be more careful, less reckless. Skylar Dawn needed her parents to come home. Period.

“You okay?” Heath asked, back at the passenger door.

She nodded, still a little stunned by it all.

“I can’t say I’m bummed about them getting away.” The corner of his mouth barely rose as he leaned on the car.

“What? Why’s that?”

“Where’s the fun in catching them the first day I get to work with you again?”

He said it with such a straight face that if she hadn’t known him, she never would’ve seen that playful gleam in his eye. Yet she couldn’t argue with the logic either. She would’ve been bummed, too.

Chapter Five (#u43a5c463-b15d-50aa-8b84-b8575b798de3)

Heath wanted to take Kendall in his arms until she stopped shaking, but he’d jumped out of the car to check on the other drivers. Instead of helping her now, he spoke to her through the passenger door, keeping the entire front seat between them.

Hugging your wife after an accident was allowed, in his book. He just didn’t know if it fell under the professional umbrella. He straightened, grabbing his aching ribs, worse now because of slamming into the seat belt. But he swallowed the grimace of pain, keeping it to himself. He wouldn’t mention it to the EMTs who would be arriving on the scene, judging by the distant sirens.

Kendall stretched a couple of times as she stood from the car. “I can’t believe they missed us.”

“You didn’t hesitate.”

She nodded, letting the statement stand as a compliment about their teamwork. And this time, he didn’t add the frightening picture in his head of a different outcome. If she had stopped to question why he was yelling a command at her... Damn, they would be pinned between those two cars right now.

But she hadn’t. They were unharmed. Fine to go home to Skylar Dawn. And good enough to work together tomorrow.

“The drivers are fine.” He’d walked around the hood of the car before realizing it. His hand opened between Kendall’s shoulder blades, and he might have patted her a couple of times if he hadn’t seen the tears.

But he had.

Just two, but they were enough to make her curl into the crook of his arm and stand there until they heard the first siren grow close. She broke away like someone had thrown water on them.

“Traffic needs to get through. I should probably move the car.” Her voice was awkward and strained as she looked around the intersection.

“I can take care of it.”

“Don’t coddle me, Heath.”

“Whoa there, partner.” He emphasized the last word to remind her why they were there. “I’m allocating resources. You’re the better photographer. I’m going to need every angle possible before the cars move.” He stuck his hand in his pocket.

Her mouth formed a perfect O before accepting his phone. Then she was back. Professional. Doing her job as the authorities arrived. Identifying herself as an agent and taking pictures.

Staying out of the way, the Dallas PD officer gave him the go-ahead to move the FBI sedan. It didn’t have a scratch on it. Just as he opened the door, in a moment where no one else watched, he caught a glance between the two drivers.

A knowing glance. Like they’d gotten away with something.

It took him a few minutes to get the sedan back on the same side of the street as the rest of the cars. By the time he returned, both drivers stood with officers, giving their statements. After an initial check, they’d both declined the ambulance ride to a hospital.