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

Good grief. What was wrong with her? He wasn’t about to discuss Ranger business with her. “I’m going to make breakfast. Would you like some?”

“Sounds good.”

“Cy loves bacon and eggs.” Cy’s name rattled off her tongue. She could have kicked herself for using it.

Luckey’s brown eyes smiled. “I think that’s an all-around favorite.” He didn’t miss a thing. Of course he didn’t. He was one of the Famous Four she’d heard mention of on the news.

“Good.” She got to work and whipped up some biscuits to go with them. Before long they sat across the table from each other while they ate.

“If I’d known that house-sitting Cy’s wife was going to come with these perks, I’d volunteer more often.”

She shook her head. “Once he catches the stalker, he probably won’t be able to live down this fake marriage.”

“Cy’s a brilliant tactician. That fake marriage caught the first stalker before any of us could blink. It won’t be long before he brings the other one into custody. In case you weren’t aware, the captain gave the assignment to him because he knew he was the right man for the job.”

Kellie knew that already.

“However, I’d like you to know that any of us would have been happy to take your case on after watching you in the Bandera Rodeo.”

Luckey was a charmer and very attractive. “You could have no idea how grateful I am for all your help.” She got up to pour him another cup of coffee. “I happen to know you were on watch all night long and must be exhausted. If you want to stretch out on the hide-a-bed in the living room, please go ahead while I wash the dishes.”

He didn’t get up. “If I lie down, then I’ll go to sleep. That’s a no-no on the job. I’m better off sitting here talking to you.”

While she loaded the dishwasher, she asked the first question to pop into her head. “What made you go into law enforcement?”

“I wanted to be a Texas Ranger from the first time I saw a troop of them riding their horses in an Austin parade. I was just a little guy. When I told my dad, he said that we in the Davis family descended from a real Texas Ranger living back in the 1800s. After he showed me my great-great-grandfather’s picture, that did it. I was going to be just like him.”

“That’s a darling story.”

His chuckle filled the kitchen.

“Are you married, Luckey?”

“Divorced.”

Kellie frowned. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s all right. My ex-wife didn’t find my occupation darling.”

No. She wouldn’t. No woman would who wanted her husband with her every night of her life. “But if she married you—”

“She thought she could handle it.”

With that response, Kellie felt as if someone had just walked over her grave.

He cocked his head. “How come you’re not married?”

“I’ve been too busy chasing a dream.”

“And thrilling crowds,” he added.

Her mouth broke into a smile. “You’re full of it, Ranger Davis.”

“I couldn’t agree more” came a familiar male voice from the living room. She lifted her eyes in time to see Cy, who walked into the kitchen looking wonderful even though he was tired and needed a shave. How long had he been listening to their conversation? At the sight of him, her heart knocked against her ribs.

She smoothed her palms over her hips. “There’s more breakfast if you want some.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” He caught a chair with his boot and sat down by Luckey. If he had any news about the stalker, he wasn’t ready to share it with her.

“I didn’t know your wife was such a great cook, Cy. Try the biscuits. They’re sensational with strawberry jam.”

“Yeah?” The two men glanced at each other. Kellie could tell streams of unspoken messages were passing between them.

She poured a cup of coffee for Cy and placed a plate of food in front of him along with utensils. “There’s more where this came from.”

“Bless you,” he murmured, eyeing her with a look that sent coils of heat through her body.

“I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about, so I’m going upstairs. Thank you for watching over me, Ranger Davis.”

“It was my pleasure.”

Kellie darted out of the kitchen and hurried upstairs. When she reached her room, she fell onto the bed, so relieved Cy was all right she cried tears of happiness into her pillow. Taking a deep breath, she reached for her phone. No call from the stalker. There was only one message. It came from her parents. She should have phoned them last night before she’d gone to sleep.

Without wasting more time, she called them and brought them up-to-date on what was going on. Later in the day she and Cy would drive out to the ranch to exercise the horses. At least that was her plan, but it all depended on him.

* * *

“HOW DID THE search go?”

Cy looked at Luckey while he ate. “I don’t even know where to begin. It curdled my blood when we entered the town house opposite this one on the other side of the fence. According to the landlord, a married couple named Michael and Julie Sanders signed a year’s lease in February. When the landlord was shown a picture, he identified Dan as the husband.”

“Good grief!”

“No one was home. When we searched the upstairs, we found that the bedroom overlooking Kellie’s garage had been made into a shrine. Her pictures were plastered all over the walls and ceiling. Hundreds of them.” It had been a nightmarish experience for Cy.

“We found camera equipment and half a dozen guns along with a ton of ammo. One of the rifles has a high-powered scope and was set by the screened window he’d left open. All the weapons are loaded. There’s duct tape, pepper spray, handcuffs, ether, everything used in their other murders.

“In the master bedroom Vic found that a part of the closet contained men’s clothes. The other half held women’s suits and jackets. The upstairs bathroom was filled with makeup and wigs.

“Just yesterday Vic had questioned the owner of a local theater costume shop in town. He remembered selling a lot of women’s makeup, including a brown and blond wig, to a man who said he needed them for a play he was producing. When Vic showed him the picture, the owner identified him immediately. The date of the purchase was the first of February.”

Luckey shook his head. “That was right before they signed the lease.”

“Yup. Those perverts have been holed up there all this time, eying Kellie’s every move.” Cy hissed the words. “While Denny held down the fort, Dan followed Kellie around the circuit. We found a motorcycle in the garage, so he’s out somewhere either on foot or in another vehicle, maybe even a motorcycle.”

“No doubt they’re responsible for a slug of unsolved armed robberies here in Austin to finance their operation.”

Cy’s jaw hardened. “We fully expected Dan to walk in on us. When he didn’t show up, we left and ordered the other condo renters on both sides of the alley to vacate the premises until further notice. We’ve organized the crew to stake out his place. After his last phone message to Kellie, my gut tells me he’s going to make his move when he gets back from wherever he’s been. I’ll be his first target. I know how his mind works. He’s planning to take me out with the rifle, then he’ll break in here for Kellie.”