The Texan's Secret

He practically leaped to her side. “Whoa. You shouldn’t have done that.”

She frowned, which made her head hurt that much more. “What?”

“You shouldn’t have sat up until the paramedics arrived.”

“I’m fine, really.” Brushing her hair from her face, she wondered what had happened to her hair clip. And she realized for the first time that she was wet. Damn! Chance must have saved her life. Just what she needed—more guilt. Forcing negative thoughts aside, she appealed to him. “I don’t have health insurance and I can’t afford an ambulance or a hospital bill.”

The candor in her voice got to Chance—and the fear. What was she afraid of?

“I’m sure you can make payment arrangements.”

She laughed, a sound like a frightened child’s. “I don’t have any extra money and…” Her voice trailed off as two paramedics wheeled in a stretcher.

One medic checked Shay’s pulse and blood pressure, then took her temperature. Next he removed Renee’s bandage and studied the cut. “Doesn’t look bad,” he said as he applied ointment and another bandage.

“I’m fine,” Shay insisted.

The man shone a small penlight into her eyes and asked her to follow his finger.

While the paramedic continue to examine her, Chance moved away to speak to Renee. “She doesn’t have health insurance and doesn’t want to go to the hospital.”

“Well, hell, I’ll pay the bill,” the older woman offered. “She needs help.”

Shay overheard her and axed that idea immediately. “No. No. You’re not paying the bill. I’m fine. I’m not going to a hospital.”

Renee pulled Chance farther aside and whispered, “What do you have in mind?”

“Can she stay here tonight? I’ll get her a rental car first thing in the morning.”

“If the paramedics say she’s okay, I don’t see why not.”

The attendant stepped back with his hands on his hips. “It would be best to go to the hospital and get checked out.”

“I’m fine, really,” Shay replied again in that nervous tone.

“What do you think?” Chance asked the man.

“She can focus and her eyes are clear, so I suppose if she refuses to go we can’t make her. But if she grows dizzy or passes out, you need to get her to a hospital.”

“We will,” he promised.

The medic looked at Shay. “Stay awake for a while and see your doctor as soon as possible.”

“Okay.”

As the ambulance left, Renee said, “Well, it looks as if I have a houseguest. Just give me a few minutes and I’ll get you some dry clothes.” She hurried away, her shoes tapping on the hardwood floor.

Shay glanced at Chance, her eyes huge in her pale face. “Thank you.”

She managed to look coy, inviting and desperate all at the same time. His heart knocked against his ribs like a bronc about to be broken. “You’re welcome.” He swallowed hard, this unexpected attraction hitting him like a sucker punch. His next words came out terse. “What’s your last name? And your auto insurance company?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ll make some calls for you so I can get you a rental in the morning. But I need information.”

She seemed to hesitate. “Stevens,” she finally answered. “But I’ll call my insurance company.”

Fear still tinged her voice, and Chance knew something wasn’t quite right. “Fine. You can use the phone in your bedroom.”

“Okay, but I really need to go home.”

A reasonable request. Maybe he was making something out of nothing. “You said you wanted to call someone?”

Shay chewed on a fingernail. “Yes. I’ll use the phone in the bedroom to check on my mother. She’s dying of lung cancer and a cousin takes care of her when I’m not there.”

Chance was taken aback at the turmoil in the young woman’s life, and against his better judgment he could feel himself being pulled into her problems. Before he could form a response, the doorbell rang.

He handed her his cell. “Call your mother. I’ll make sure you get home tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Shay replied, quickly punching in a number as he walked to the door.

Walker stood on the threshold. “Is the woman okay?”

Chance stepped out onto the veranda. “She’s a little shaken up and refuses to go to the E.R.”

“The volunteer fire department is now at the site. Henry finally got the truck running. Since the rain is letting up, a wrecker is also there to pull the car out. I’m pretty sure it’s totaled.” The constable pulled his Stetson low to keep the wind from taking it, and glanced over Chance’s wet appearance. “Sorry you had to deal with that.”

Everyone knew of his parents’ deaths. It had happened on the same county road, closer to Giddings. Though only twelve, Chance had worked valiantly to get his parents out—but they were already dead.

“I’ve developed Teflon feelings,” he joked.

“Yeah, right.” Clearly, Walker didn’t believe him for a minute. “You get any information from her?”

“She said her name is Shay Stevens.”

Walker frowned. “That’s strange. The license plate must not have been secured properly, because I found it in the grass. I ran a check with the Department of Public Safety just in case she was still unconscious, and it’s registered to Shay Dumont from Houston.”

“Hmm.” Chance rubbed his jaw in thought. That name ran a bell, but he couldn’t place it. That niggling feeling returned. The lady wasn’t who she said she was. He felt a moment of regret. He was beginning to like her. Now he had some questions was determined to get answers—one way or another.

Who was she?

And what did she want in High Cotton, Texas?

CHAPTER TWO

CHANCE WENT UPSTAIRS to talk to Shay, but Renee was hovering around and he didn’t get an opportunity. He didn’t want Renee to think something was wrong, so he headed out the door for dry clothes and boots.

“Thank you for pulling me out of the car,” Shay said in a rush before he left. “Your cell is downstairs.”