In A Killer's Sights

Dean nodded. “That makes sense. Maybe she just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“That’s what I’m thinking,” Ben said before he stared off into the woods. “I’m going to call in some guys to help us search this area on the chance that we might find something that points to our shooter. Want to come along?”

Dean nodded again. “I’ll be glad to. I’ll take my guests to the ranch and come on back.”

“Good. There’s not a guide around that knows these mountains like you do,” his friend stated. “I sure am glad you came back home to live. Now, if you’d give up that dude ranch and come work for me, I’d be perfectly happy.”

Dean frowned at that. “My days of being a police officer are over. I loved it until I...” He paused and stared down at the wedding ring he’d never been able to take off. “Well, you know some of what happened. It ruined my life for a time.”

“But you overcame everything.”

Dean sighed and raked his hand through his hair. “Not everything, buddy. There are some people I never will get the chance to make it up to. People who I’ve had to learn to live without. One especially.”

Ben clamped his hand on Dean’s shoulder. “You know I’ve always been glad to listen to you about what happened, but I know there’s a lot you’ve never told me. When you’re ready, I’m willing to hear.”

Dean smiled briefly. “Thanks. I’ll remember that.” Then he took a deep breath. “Now I’d better get these guests home so I can come help you with the search.”

“See you later,” Ben said before he turned and walked to his cruiser.

Dean started to head to where Emmett stood, but noticed the EMTs were about to load the woman in the ambulance and detoured to check on her. He walked over and stopped behind Joe. “How’s she doing?” he asked.

The paramedic glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “Still passed out, but she’s going to be fine. If that bullet had been a half inch to the left of that hair clip, we’d be taking her body to the county coroner’s office instead of the hospital.”

“That’s what Ben said. And he said she’s from New York.”

Joe nodded. “Yeah. She’s a long way from home. I wonder what she’s doing in the Smokies all alone.”

Dean frowned. “Maybe she isn’t alone. Did Ben find anything that would tell where she’s staying while she’s here? Maybe a key card from a hotel or a receipt from a cabin rental company?”

“Not that I know of.”

Dean glanced to the far side of the parking lot. Emmett and two of his employees seemed to have everything under control with the horses and guests, but it would be dinnertime soon. They needed to get back to the ranch for the cookout that was planned for the evening. “Well, I’d better get these folks back to my ranch, and you need to get her to the hospital. I hope everything turns out well for her.” He stepped around Joe and was about to leave when he glanced down and saw the woman’s face for the first time.

His eyes opened wide, and a strangled cry came from his throat as a shock like an electrical current raced through his body. His legs wobbled, and he staggered and would have fallen if Joe hadn’t grabbed his arm and steadied him.

“Dean! Are you okay?”

He could hear Joe’s voice, but couldn’t respond. The words Dean tried to say got tangled in his throat, and a strange gurgling emerged. He stared down at the woman, his heart pounding as if he’d just run a marathon.

No! It can’t be.

Joe clasped his arm more tightly and shook him. “Dean! Dean! I asked if you’re all right.”

He bent over and propped his hands on his knees, gulping great breaths of air in an effort to calm his racing pulse. “No, I’m not,” he rasped.

With a strangled cry, he dropped to his knees and touched the bandage that covered the wound on her head. Just a few inches and she’d be dead. And he’d run right past her when he’d rushed into the woods. Why hadn’t he stopped to see if she needed help?

She looked so pale. Blood matted her blond hair, which he gently smoothed back from her eyes. “Gwen,” he crooned. “Can you hear me? It’s Dean.”

Her left hand rested on the sheet that covered her body. He grasped it and rubbed his thumb down her ring finger. He could still feel the indentation at the base where she’d once worn a ring, but it wasn’t there now.

Ben must have seen his reaction, because he dropped down beside him. “Dean, do you know this woman?”

Guilt and sorrow welled up and flooded his soul like a tidal wave. Dean closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “Ben, it’s Gwen. It’s my wife.”

TWO (#ulink_3427b984-e875-54cd-ac37-bc59a127d871)

Ben gasped and a shocked look covered his face. “I saw on her driver’s license that her name was Gwen Anderson, but I didn’t think about this being your ex-wife. You know I was in the army when the two of you married, and I never met her. In fact, I don’t think you ever showed me a picture of her.” He stared at Gwen for a moment and exhaled. “So she took back her maiden name?”

Dean swallowed and squeezed her hand tighter. “Yeah. I guess she didn’t want anything to remind her of me.”

Ben dropped his palm on Dean’s shoulder. “Man, I know this is a shock, but don’t let it throw you too badly.”

Before he could answer, Joe interrupted. “We need to get her to the hospital so the doctor can check her over.”

Dean didn’t want to let go of Gwen’s hand. It had been so long since he’d touched her, and once she regained consciousness, she wouldn’t allow him that privilege. But she needed to get to the hospital. With a sigh, he released it and backed away from the gurney so the EMTs could get her inside.

“Okay, but I’m going in the ambulance with her.”

Joe glanced at the other paramedic, who shrugged in agreement. “Okay,” Joe said, “but move out of the way and let us get her loaded. Then you can climb in with her.”

Ben patted Dean on the back. “I need to check on the search my deputies are doing, but I’ll see you at the hospital later.”

He nodded and then motioned to Emmett, who hurried across the lot, a perplexed expression on his face. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, boss. Is something wrong?”

Dean bit down on his lip and debated how much he should reveal to his foreman. After a moment he sighed. “Yeah.” He hitched in a breath. “I know the woman who was hurt, and I’m going to the hospital with her. Will you take my horse back to the ranch? I’ll call you when I’m ready to come home, so somebody can come get me.”

Emmett glanced toward the gurney, then back to Dean. “Okay. Anything else?”

“I won’t be there for the guest cookout tonight, so you’ll need to help my grandfather with it. Is that a problem for you?”

“No problem. We can handle it. But how long do you think you’ll be?”

Dean had no idea. He might not be at the hospital long. It all depended on what Gwen had to say when she regained consciousness, whenever that might be. “I’m not sure. I’ll phone and let you know.”

Before Emmett could say anything else, Joe’s voice rang out from the rear of the ambulance. “Dean, if you’re going with us, come on. We’re ready to leave.”

He nodded and climbed into the vehicle. The gurney took up more than half the space inside, and Dean squeezed in beside Gwen as Joe moved to close the ambulance door. When it was secured, he yelled to his partner, “We’re ready to go back here. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather I drive?”

“No, thanks. I’ve got this,” the man called back.

Joe shrugged and tried to control the smile that pulled at his mouth. “Wilson is new, and he’s not used to navigating these mountain roads yet, but he really wants to prove himself. Still, I’m a little concerned about him taking this one. You know how those steep curves can cause a driver to lose control, and there aren’t any guardrails.”

Dean nodded. “Yeah, I’ve heard some horror stories about this stretch. But if this guy is going to work around here, he’d better get used to it. No getting around the fact that we live in the mountains.”

Joe chuckled. “You’re right about that.” He picked up the blood-pressure cuff, leaned in and wrapped it around Gwen’s arm. When he’d finished the procedure, he nodded. “Looks good.”

Then he scooted out of the way, leaving Dean access to Gwen again. He took her hand in one of his and stroked his thumb across her knuckles as his other hand brushed her hair back behind her ear. For a few seconds all he did was stare down at her, quenching the longing he’d had to see her again. She hadn’t changed much in the past five years. Her hair wasn’t as long as it used to be, but still felt as silky as when he’d first met her.