Cowboy in the Extreme

“What’s going on?” Sheriff McRae asked. “You mean the prison break earlier at the state pen where a guard was shot?”

Brandon nodded. “I’m afraid so.”

“Do you know one of the prisoners?”

“Yes. Carter Flagstone.” He tightened his fists to control his temper. “He and Johnny Long and Kim and I grew up together.”

Sheriff McRae grimaced and folded his arms. “You think he’ll come to you for help?”

Brandon made a sarcastic sound. “Hardly. We had a falling-out a few years back. After he was arrested, we lost touch.” Because Brandon had hated his guts for sleeping with Kim. And Carter had accused him of not giving him an alibi because of that night. It was a pretty messed-up story.

“This falling out…” Sheriff McRae cocked his head sideways. “It wouldn’t happen to be about Kim?”

Brandon heaved a weary sigh. “Yeah, it would. That and the fact that Johnny and I didn’t stand up for him in court like he thought we should have.”

“So you think he’s looking for revenge?”

Brandon hated to bad-mouth his old buddy. But Carter had been trouble in the old days, drinking and fighting, conning his way into women’s beds, starting bar brawls, and then having blackouts. No telling how prison life had hardened him. Like Johnny said, he must be desperate.

“It’s possible,” Brandon said. He glanced at the sleeping little redhead on the sofa all curled up beneath the blanket hugging her stuffed lamb to her. “Either that, or he came here to see his daughter.”

KIM PRESSED THE PHONE to her ear in a white-knuckled grip, keeping an eye on Lucy from the doorway of the porch. The sheriff went to his car and returned a moment later, murmuring he was going to check for fingerprints. “Johnny—”

“What’s wrong, Kim?”

A sliver of guilt bled through Kim at his distressed tone. She hated to disturb him when he and Rachel were just getting settled in. “Someone broke into the cabin tonight.”

Johnny made a shocked sound. “Are you and Lucy all right?”

Tears pricked Kim’s eyes as she saw Brandon scrape a hand through his thick, wavy dark hair. “Yes. I called for Brody, but he wasn’t there. Brandon answered and came over.”

“Brandon’s there with you?”

“Yes.”

“Thank God.”

Kim breathed in and out to wrestle her emotions under control. She’d relied on Johnny for so long she didn’t know how not to. He was the only one she’d ever let down her guard around. He was the only one who knew the truth.

Johnny cleared his throat. “Kim, are you really okay?”

His words hung in the air. He was referring to the fact that she’d seen Brandon face-to-face for the first time in years. “No…” She sucked in another breath. “But I will be. The sheriff’s here now.”

“Good.”

She closed her eyes, reliving the nightmarish memory. “You should have called me and warned me about the prison break.”

Johnny released a pent-up breath. “I’m sorry. I only found out a couple of hours ago. I was going to call you in the morning.”

“Do you think Carter came here tonight?” Kim asked. “That he was the intruder?”

A heartbeat of silence passed, riddled with anxiety. “I don’t know, but sooner or later he’ll show up at your place, or mine or Brandon’s. And he’ll want to see Lucy.”

“So he knows about her?”

“He had the newspaper with the photos of the rodeo the last time we talked.” Johnny paused. “He probably thinks you’ll be more willing to help him than Brandon or me.”

“I don’t know,” Kim said. “He was furious with me the last time we talked.”

“I don’t believe he’d hurt you, but he’s in a bad way. We don’t know what happened at the jail.” He hesitated. “Still, I sure as hell don’t want you to stay there tonight or to be alone until he’s caught. Pack Lucy up and drive to my place. Or if you’re too shaken up, I’ll drive over and pick you up.”

Kim shivered at the thought of staying in the cabin the rest of the night. But she’d vowed to let Johnny have his own life now. He had Rachel and Kenny, and she had to stop leaning on him.

“No, Johnny. I’ll be fine here,” she said instead.

“Kim—”

“Listen, big brother, I appreciate the fact that you care, but I’m a big girl now. I’m not going to horn in on you and Rachel every time some little problem occurs.”

“Carter is not a little problem, Kim. He could be dangerous.” Johnny paused, then lowered his voice. “There is another option, you know.”

Kim leaned against the porch rail. She had a bad feeling he was going to want to post some goon on her. “I don’t want a stranger in my house—”

“I’m not talking about hiring a bodyguard, Kim, although I can do that.” He paused. “I think it’s time you talk to Brandon.”

A chill of foreboding rippled through her. “No, Johnny, I can’t—”

“He’ll protect you and Lucy, Kim, and you know it.”

Her throat clogged. Yes, he probably would. But all the hurt and pain of the past would resurface. Just looking at him now, remembering how deeply she’d loved him and how heartbroken she’d been when he’d left her, robbed her breath.

She had dreamed of marrying him from the time she was fifteen years old.

But he’d taken another bride.

“Listen, sis, I understand this is difficult, and I know you were hurt and had your reasons for avoiding Brandon and for keeping secrets. But he’s been divorced almost a year now, and he deserves to know the truth. So does Lucy—”

The sheriff walked out then, Brandon behind him, and she pressed her hand over the mouthpiece. “Hold on, Johnny.”

“I’m taking off now, Ms. Long,” Sheriff McRae said. “I’ll let you know if we get any hits on the prints.”

Kim thanked him, then looked up to see Brandon watching her.

“Is that Johnny?” Brandon asked.

Kim nodded, and Brandon reached for the phone. “Let me speak to him.”

She moved her hand and spoke to her brother. “Brandon wants to talk to you, but Johnny—”