A Bride By Summer: The Texas Ranger's Bride / From Best Friend to Bride / Once Upon a Bride

“I’ll let you in.”

In a few minutes they sat at the kitchen table. Cy handed him Kellie’s phone. “Take a look at the message from the sender named Trixie. Dan took a picture of me and Kellie in the car backing out of the garage earlier today.”

Vic studied the photo and read the text. He shot Cy a glance. “The loss of his twin has unhinged him.”

“Yup. He’s starting to take daring risks and is damn good at knowing how to terrorize Kellie. I assume he’s armed with a rifle in order to take care of me and Trixie. Then he’ll go back to his preferred method to kill Kellie.”

“We’ve got to find him quick.”

“Did Janene ever track down that IP address?”

“No. It has her stumped for the moment, but I’ve received information on the identical-twin birth records from both cities.”

“I want to see those, but first let’s talk about the photo. Dan was obviously hiding behind the fence this afternoon in order to take it. No doubt he was hidden in the same place when we took his brother out to the van. I’m thinking he’s using one of the town houses.”

“So am I,” Vic broke in. “I’ll phone TJ right now to get us a warrant.”

They could read each other’s minds. “We’ll need backup so we can do a thorough search of every town house on this street and the town houses on the other side of the alley. Our lunatic is hiding out here somewhere ready to strike. We need to nab him fast.”

“Agreed.”

While Vic got on the phone with their captain, Cy opened the email Vic had sent. He studied the statistics for identical twin boys born in hospitals in 1986 when the populations of both areas were smaller. The sum from both cities equaled ten sets, six from Charleston, four from Virginia Beach. Hopefully, the agents at the other end could track down the parents from birth records and make an ID that would help them form a correct profile of the brothers.

Vic ended the call. “TJ’s getting the warrant as we speak. He’s sending Luckey to guard Kellie so you and I can do the search with the crew. As soon as he gets here, we’ll start.”

Cy’s thoughts were whirling. “I need to tell Kellie about the change in plans.” Since he had her phone, he needed to tell her in person. “Be right back.” He got out of the chair and hurried up the stairs with her cell phone.

“Kellie?” he called to her before rapping on her door.

“Yes?” she answered immediately.

“I have to leave for a little while with Vic. But I won’t go until Luckey gets here. He’s one of my closest friends in the Rangers.”

“One of the Sons of the Forty, you mean?”

“Yes. He’ll guard you with his life.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“I’m leaving your phone on the floor outside your door in case you need it. If the stalker calls, let it ring through to your voice mail. I’ve just put Luckey’s phone number in your list of contacts. He’ll answer if you call him. Try to go back to sleep if you can, and I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Be careful, Cy.”

He took a deep breath. “Always.”

Chapter Seven (#uad94e372-a267-56c2-801d-4b5cb3f10f14)

I have to leave for a little while with Vic.

Kellie could only imagine what that meant. Instead of lying there shuddering in fear for Cy, she threw back the covers and slid off the bed to get her phone. When she opened her door, she saw her cell but couldn’t hear voices downstairs.

Something important was going on and he wanted her out of it, yet he always put her needs first. She believed he was so dedicated, he’d treat any person he was guarding with the same kind of care. That was the problem. Kellie wanted to mean much more to him.

When they’d kissed earlier, she’d never wanted them to stop. She couldn’t blame all of it on hormones. This man was different. She was different when she was with him. Kellie had dated a lot of guys over the years, but something had changed when she’d first looked into Cy’s startling dark blue eyes.

She picked up her phone and went back into the bedroom. If only there were someone she could talk to about this, but her feelings were too private to divulge even to her family or closest friends. She’d known Cy for only a week. Anyone she confided in would smile and tell her it was natural that a man and woman thrown together in a dangerous situation would grab a little comfort that went along with the hero worship. But in the long run it couldn’t be taken seriously.

As she walked over to the bed, more questions ran through her mind. What would it be like to be married to a Texas Ranger? To know that every time he left for work, he was facing danger head-on? When he didn’t get home on time, or was involved in a stakeout that kept him away for days at a time, how would she be able to handle it?

Judging by the tension gripping her body right now, she already had the answer to her question. She wouldn’t be able to cope. To love Cy meant she would never be at ease when he was out of her sight.

Kellie’s mom didn’t worry when her husband left the house. She knew he’d walk in at the end of the day and come find her wherever she was. Barring a natural disaster or an unforeseen accident, her mom didn’t have to be concerned that she might never see her husband alive again.

Like her mom, Kellie had grown up knowing their husband and father would always be in their lives. She’d never given it a thought. But she did now...

With a tortured sigh, Kellie turned off her phone and lay back, praying this threat to her life would be over soon. If the stalker were caught before she had to leave for South Dakota, she would end her association with Cy cold turkey. That was the only way to deal with her feelings. They never had to see each other again and she could concentrate on getting ready for Finals.

Tomorrow she’d talk to the real-estate agent helping her find the right property to buy. So far she hadn’t found the exact thing she wanted. Maybe something else had just been listed on the market. Whether something turned up or not, she’d go on her last four-state circuit of rodeos starting with South Dakota, then Wyoming, Colorado and Oklahoma.

After that she’d come home for three more rodeos in Texas before she left for Las Vegas. Once Finals were over, she’d buy a place to get her new training business started. With the decision made about Cy, she turned on her side. But her mind wouldn’t shut off. Being in his arms, being kissed with such hunger, had changed her.

Upset with herself, she turned on the other side. When sleep didn’t come, she slid out of bed to get her laptop off the table. The latest scores of her competitors would be listed. Cynthia Lyman from Tombstone, Arizona, was the barrel racer to beat. She’d made the most money for the year, and her last winning time was 13.77.

Kellie needed to do better than that in order to come in first. Her time in Bandera was 14.10. Though she came in second, it wasn’t good enough. Once she reached Las Vegas, she’d be competing for ten nights and had to nail those barrels with consistently low scores in the l3s. Focus was everything.

After reading the latest news, she went to her blog. Once she’d thanked people in a general message after reading the latest entries, she posted her schedule of events for the next seven weeks and promised to add to her blog between each rodeo.

Eventually she grew tired and put her laptop on the floor before succumbing to sleep. When morning came, she was surprised to discover she’d slept in until nine. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d done that. Emotional exhaustion had to account for it.

Was Cy back?

With her heart in her throat, she showered and dressed in riding clothes and boots. She ran a brush through her hair and put on lipstick before hurrying downstairs.

“Good morning, Ms. Parrish.”

Her spirits plummeted to see a dark blond Ranger wearing a polo shirt and jeans seated at the table with his laptop while he drank coffee. He was a close friend of Cy’s.

“Good morning. You must be Luckey.”

“That’s right.”

“I take it C—Ranger Vance hasn’t come home yet.”

“Nope. He’s still out working.”

She bit her lip. “Have you heard from him?”

“Not yet.”