Endangered Heiress Page 5

  “I’m going to have to ask you to leave, sir.” Harley took a step toward Hudson. Most would view the move as threatening. A law-enforcement officer had one primary goal when he left for work—make it home again. Hudson appreciated Harley’s motivation. But he was on a mission, too. Tread lightly.

  “I’m a friend. I just want to make sure she’s okay.” Both hands went up to show he wasn’t carrying a weapon. Texas was open-carry and that put some people on edge.

  Harley sidestepped, putting Hudson and Madelyn in his line of sight, and he looked like he was seeking confirmation from Madelyn.

  “I can use a friend right now.” She didn’t ask the obvious question: How did he know she was there?

  Hudson took her encouragement as a good sign.

  “What’s going on?” he asked, careful not to infringe on Harley’s investigation. Any random person who cared about a victim would ask the same question.

  “Someone was inside my room and left a message for me.” Her eyes were wild. She didn’t need to spell it out for him. He immediately realized she’d been threatened. He also noted how exhausted she looked. He ignored the inappropriate stir of attraction, chalking it up to overprotective instincts. Yeah, right. He was being chivalrous and that was all those feelings were. He couldn’t sell water in the desert with a fake sales pitch like that. But this wasn’t the time to worry about it.

  “The white sedan?” Hudson took a purposeful stride toward her and the deputy didn’t protest, which was the second good sign since he’d arrived.

  “That’s what I’m trying to ascertain,” Harley said as Madelyn released a panicked-sounding sigh.

  “I’m not sure. I mean, I guess. The person from the sedan makes sense. I didn’t see anyone coming and going from the parking lot.” The words rushed out all at once, almost sounding like they were tripping over each other.

  “Is there surveillance video of the parking lot?” Hudson moved to her side without protest from Harley. He expected to maybe put a hand on her shoulder to provide some sense of comfort but she shot up and practically pounced toward him. He had to catch her to stop her from crashing into him and she immediately buried her face in his chest.

  “I’m sorry.” She pulled back after his muscles went rigid.

  “It’s fine.” The feel of her body against his sent a lightning bolt directly to the center of his chest. Not usually the reaction he had with a woman this close but this wasn’t the time to break it apart. He pushed the feeling aside as she leaned her head against his chest. His heart pounded and he told himself that it was from the rush of adrenaline that accompanied the possibility of real action and not from physical contact with her.

  “There’s no video on that side of the lot,” the motel worker said.

  “I’ll check footage of nearby sites,” the deputy said.

  They both knew that could take days. Hudson thanked Harley anyway.

  The deputy told everyone to stay put before he excused himself, presumably to check out her room.

  “What did the message say?” There was no way Harley was going to let Hudson trample all over his crime scene, so he’d have to rely on Madelyn. She was trained to look for things out of the ordinary, same as him. But she was flustered and it was her life on the line and that made a difference.

  “That I should walk away or die. It was scribbled on the mirror and I have no idea how anyone got inside. I mean, I sure didn’t let anyone in my room or leave the door unlocked. You’re the only person I know in town.” She flashed her eyes at him, sending another jolt of electricity straight to his chest. Being this close to her was like standing on live wires in a thunderstorm.

  “I’m guessing the staff denies giving out a key.” He glanced toward the clerk.

  “Yes. In fact, she’s the one who called the law on me.” Another flash of those cornflower blue eyes. She was scared but there was a lot more going on and he couldn’t pinpoint what else it was. Exhaustion...yes. Fear...absolutely. Desperation...and another emotion...

  “So far today someone ran you off the road and presumably another person has threatened you?” he asked.

  “That about sums it up,” she stated, and he didn’t like the defeat in her voice.

  “Did the deputy give you any indication of whether or not he believed the two incidents were related?” he continued.

  “He said that it all seemed suspect and like it could be connected,” she answered. There might be defeat in her voice but there was defiance in her eyes.

  “Could be?” Hudson scoffed.

  The bell on the door jingled.

  “I’m afraid we should go into the station,” the deputy said to Madelyn, and Hudson didn’t like the way Harley looked at her.

  “Oh, okay.” She didn’t seem to catch on to the fact this wasn’t a good sign.

  “My friend here is tired. She’s had a long day.” Hudson wanted to feel out the deputy. He glanced at his watch. “It’s long past dinner time. She’s probably starving, so I was thinking that I could bring her by after we grab a bite.”

  “I can give her a ride. It shouldn’t take long for her to answer a few more questions,” Harley said.

  “Is there a good reason why I can’t answer them right here?” She seemed to be catching on to Hudson’s hesitation because her brow hiked up.

  Harley didn’t immediately answer.

  “Can I ask a question, Deputy?” Hudson took a step closer to Harley and lowered his voice.

  “Yes, sir,” Harley said. Back with the “sir” business. What had changed in the last few minutes?

  “What did you find in her room?” Hudson made sure his voice was low enough that only Harley could hear.

  “Nothing,” the deputy said. “Absolutely nada.”

  * * *

  MADELYN STRAINED TO hear what Hudson was saying to the deputy and couldn’t. It would be difficult to hear anything over the sound of her racing pulse. Yes, because it had been one hell of a day. But also because of the handsome cowboy in the room and it was totally inappropriate to think about that right now. So, she pushed those unproductive thoughts aside.

  “What did he say?” she asked as Hudson walked toward her.

  His shrug wasn’t the most reassuring.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “I doubt I could eat anything,” she stated.

  “He wants you to ride with him to the station.” His look of sympathy confused her.

  “Why?” But she really wanted to ask why the cowboy was looking at her like she might be a little crazy.

  “Because he wants to evaluate your statement and ask the same questions a few different ways to see if he can trip you up.” An apologetic look followed but she appreciated his honesty.

  “So he either thinks I’m a wack-job or...”

  It hit her fast and hard like a bomb dropping out of the sky on a clear summer day.

  “He thinks I’m guilty of something? Like what? Why would I scribble a threat on my own mirror?” She glared at the deputy now, putting him in the same category as the front desk clerk. This day was off-the-chain bad. What on earth had she done to deserve such awful luck recently? First, she’d been dealing with a bad breakup. Okay, “bad” was calling it lightly. Then she’d learned that her father might not be her... Never mind... She couldn’t even go there right now. In the process of receiving the most earth-shattering news of her life, Madelyn had been run off the road and now her life had been threatened. That should be the worst of it, but, no, this day had somehow managed to get even worse as the deputy suspected her of doing something. But what? Yelling at the front desk clerk wasn’t exactly a crime.

  “There’s nothing in your room,” Hudson said.

  “What do you mean?” She didn’t quite absorb those words. “Of course there is. It’s written plain as day on the mirror.”

 
Hudson shook his head.

  Hold on...

  Madelyn knew exactly what that meant.

  “What are you doing in here when the wack-job who threatened me is out there?” she asked the deputy, her anger rising to the surface and bubbling over. “The person who did this is probably right outside staring at us this very second and you’re in here...what?...thinking that I’m nuts?”

  Hudson seemed to be on the same page because he was already at the window, scanning the area, and she assumed that he was searching for whoever was behind this. Someone was messing with her, that much was clear.

  Ed Staples?

  He seemed to know all about her paternity and that was what this was all about. Wasn’t it? Being run off the road. The threat. Someone had tried to keep her from coming to town, and now that she was here, that same person wanted her to leave quietly.

  “Ma’am, if you don’t mind. I’d like to get to the sheriff’s office so we can clear all this up.” The deputy’s body was angled toward her. “We’ll send someone to analyze the scene and they’ll find the truth.”

  He didn’t exactly say “crime scene.” If Kelsey hadn’t hit the panic button, Madelyn doubted he would’ve shown up at all.

  “Am I under arrest?” she asked point-black.

  “No, ma’am.”

  “Then no. I won’t go to the station with you.” Madelyn knew her rights and she didn’t have to put up with any of this.

  Hudson spun around, and when his attention was directed at her, frissons of heat rippled through her. “You sure about that?”

  “I have no intention of running around in circles with a deputy—or anyone else, for that matter—who doesn’t believe me,” she said. “Call the sheriff. He’ll be able to tell you what happened earlier with a white sedan. That couldn’t have been in my imagination because the man standing near you witnessed the whole scene. I’m being followed, targeted, and I’m tired of playing games. I already told you what happened here and you can believe me or not. It’s your choice. But I’m walking out that door and getting into my own car unless my hands are zip-cuffed.”

  “Stay in town where I can reach you,” the deputy said. She knew enough about the law to realize he had nothing to hold her on. Asking her to go down to the station with him was ridiculous. What would they do there anyway? The place was overrun, and when she really looked at him, the deputy had dark circles cradling his eyes. He was most likely overworked and overwrought, and since he couldn’t tell that a crime had been committed, he was grasping at straws.

  “Do you know of any hotels where I’ll be safe?” She shot an intentional look at Kelsey.

  “I have a place in mind.” The cowboy stood, feet apart, in an athletic stance. He was almost intimidatingly tall, and a trill of awareness skittered across her skin as she noticed. “My ranch. You can stay with me until this is sorted out.”

  She wanted to argue against the idea, but, honestly, she was too tired to put up much of a fight. Exhaustion wore her nerves thin, and questions about her family, her heritage, pecked at her skull. But being with Hudson 24/7? Was that really such a good idea?

  “You have a problem with the arrangement?” she asked the deputy. Madelyn was still undecided but she couldn’t think of a better option.

  “I guess not,” Harley responded.

  If he couldn’t come up with an objection, neither could she. So, that had to be a good thing.

  Right?

  * * *

  “TELL ME EVERYTHING that happened,” Hudson said as he poured a fresh cup of coffee and then handed it to Madelyn. Being back in his kitchen was odd, considering she’d known him less than a day. Rather than analyze it after what had become one of the longest days of her life, she tucked it aside.

  The mug warmed her hands and she welcomed the burn on her throat with the first sip.

  He already knew the details of the road incident. Then there was the news about Mike Butler, but there was no way she planned to talk about something she had yet to verify or understand. Although, it could be significant, a little voice in the back of her mind said.

  Madelyn sized up Hudson. Should she really bare her soul to a man who was keeping his identity a secret? She’d had her fill of deceptions for one day. Check that, for one lifetime. Everything she thought she knew could be a lie. This man was a rancher about as much as she was a sous-chef. To be clear, the only thing she knew how to make in the kitchen was toast, and there were no guarantees she wouldn’t burn the bread. She could, however, make a mean cup of coffee thanks to pods and machines that basically did all the work.

  “I can tell what you’re thinking,” he said and his voice startled her. “Don’t lie to me or hide anything.”

  “I’m sure I have no idea what you mean,” she said lamely. He seemed to know that she was evaluating him, trying to decide if she should ask about his background. Strangers confided in her all the time courtesy of her line of work. But this guy? Everything about his posture said he was a closed book.

  So, how could she put her faith in someone who didn’t trust her?

  Chapter Six

  “Do you remember anything about the driver of the sedan that you didn’t think of earlier?” Hudson asked Madelyn. She’d been sizing him up while they made small talk and he needed to see if she’d decided to trust him. Trust might be a strong word. Confide was better.

  “No. I couldn’t get a good look at his face because of the ski mask,” she admitted.

  “Which no one wears in Texas, let alone on a day with hundred-degree heat,” he stated.

  “I didn’t notice any white cars in the parking lot, and after this morning I’ve been watching for that guy to return.” She rolled the coffee mug in between her palms before adding, “There were two trucks and a minivan when I arrived.”

  Hudson had hoped that the coffee would bring some color back to her face. She was still white and her lips purple from a little bit of shock and a healthy dose of fear. “I like that you were watching out for the driver to return. You mentioned a boyfriend before, a bad breakup. Are you still thinking in that direction?”

  For a split second her lips thinned, forming a small line.

  “Wish I could be sure,” she said with a shrug.

  What was she holding back? “Why else would a random person want to rattle you or force you to leave town?”

  “What makes you think this guy doesn’t want me dead?” The whites of her eyes shone brightly against the fluorescent lights in his kitchen.

  “My first thought is—” He flashed his eyes at her. “Forgive my bluntness, but he could’ve shot you on the road.”

  “True.”

  “So, this person is worried about hurting innocent people,” he said.

  “Or he was waiting for a clean shot,” she stated.

  Okay, he’d give her that, so he nodded. He took another sip of coffee and let the thought simmer. “He might’ve been trying to scare you.”

  “Mission accomplished,” she said on a harsh sigh.

  Why would someone try to scare her? Did the driver assume she hadn’t learned her lesson after he’d tried to run her off the road? Did he follow her to the motel, break in and scribble the message once she left? Those actions indicated someone trying to scare her, not kill her. But scare her away from what? Experience had taught him that deep down the victim knew. The trick to breaking open an investigation was helping her realize it.

  “Why did you say you were going to Hereford Ranch?” he questioned.

  “I didn’t.”

  Hudson took in a sharp breath. “I thought you wanted my help.”

  “You offered protection and I took it. Not the same thing.” She didn’t break eye contact. “Can I ask you a question?”

  He nodded.

  “Why do you care?”

  “I don’t,” he said, selling the l
ie with a stone-cold glare.

  Her shoulders stiffened and she gave as good as she got in the icy-stare department.

  Hudson ought to be grateful that she was throwing him a lifeline with the cold-shoulder routine because he was sliding down a slippery slope. He didn’t want to give a hoot what happened to her—hell, to anyone. And he considered himself smart enough to pull back when he realized he was fighting a losing battle.

  But that look she shot him stung.

  And a deep need to break down a few of her walls welled up. For reasons he wouldn’t dissect or fight, he stalked toward her. He stopped inches from her. She was shorter than him by almost a foot and had the most delicate lines on her face. His fingers flexed and released as her hand came up to his chest as if to stop him. Instead of pushing him back a step like he assumed she would, she grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt and tugged him toward her. Those gorgeous blue eyes of hers were staring up at him, daring him to take this a step further.

  This close, the pull was too much to ignore. So, he dipped his head and kissed her. The taste of coffee was still on her lips.

  Hudson braced himself for the rejection he expected to come but didn’t. Instead of shoving him away, she drew him closer and parted her lips. He drove his tongue inside her mouth and tasted the sweet mix of her and the bold coffee.

  Her hands, which had been fisted in his shirt, released the material before planting on his shoulders. There was so much heat in that one kiss Hudson almost had to take a step back to absorb the blast. He didn’t. And so they stood, toe to toe, tongues engaged.