Читать книгу The Military K-9 Unit Collection - Valerie Hansen - Страница 15

THREE

On horseback, Jason and Serena followed Ginger along the property line. Jason adjusted his holstered personal weapon, a Sig Sauer, and glanced over his shoulder at the deputy. She sat her horse well. Everything about her said she was an experienced rider, but the look of agitation on her face made his stomach clench. “You doing all right?”

“Fine.” Her tone wasn’t reassuring.

He slowed his horse until they were side by side. “I didn’t get your first name.”

Keeping her gaze forward, she replied, “Serena.”

“Nice name.” That earned him a glance. “I’m curious, Serena. Why don’t you ride anymore? You’re obviously very good at it.”

“I had a bad fall.”

“Did you bust something?”

“Only my ego,” she replied tightly.

He chuckled. “The first step in recovery is admitting there’s a problem.”

“I’m curious, Jason.” Her tone sounded suspiciously like mockery. “What brought you to Dill?”

The knot lodged permanently in his chest twisted. “I needed a change of scenery.”

“How long were you on the force?”

“Twelve years.” A deep ache spread through him.

“What made you leave?”

“Are you always so inquisitive?”

“Comes with the job, right?”

He’d give her that. “Yes, but I’d rather we just focused on the task at hand.” He spurred the red-and-white quarter horse to a trot.

“Looks like Ginger found something,” Serena said as she and the dappled Appaloosa caught up to him.

They were about three miles from the ranch house when they came upon a section of the fence where the nails holding the planks in place had been pried loose.

He dismounted and squatted down to inspect a set of tire tracks in the dirt. “Somebody’s been coming and going off my land.” Anger simmered low in his gut.

“Can you hand me Ginger?” Serena asked.

He eyed the dog. “Will she let me pick her up?”

“We’ll find out.”

A wry smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Thanks.” He cautiously approached Ginger. “Nice dog. I’m going to give you to your partner.”

He grasped the dog around the middle, half expecting her to sink her teeth in his hands, but she allowed him to lift her to Serena, who tucked the dog in front of her on the saddle. They made quite a picture. When Serena arched an eyebrow at him, he grinned and climbed back on his horse. They followed the tire tracks deeper and deeper into the hilly countryside until they came to a clearing where a wide creek ran across the property. The tire tracks went into the water.

“I haven’t been out this way since I bought the place.” He dismounted and scanned the area. It was rugged and beautiful. He hated that a killer was hiding out on his land.

Serena gracefully dismounted from the horse and set Ginger on the ground. “We need to find a way across.”

Letting the horses graze on the shrub grass, Jason, Serena and the dog walked along the shoreline searching for a shallow spot.

A crack split the air, then one second later dirt spit at them inches from their feet. The spooked horses took off running back toward the ranch.

Alarm jackknifed Jason’s heart. They were under attack.

To the right, an outcropping of boulders jutted into the creek. He grabbed Serena’s hand and they ran in a serpentine pattern to the rocks as more bullets pelted the ground and whizzed past his head so close he felt the air move. They dove behind boulders. In unison, they withdrew their weapons and returned fire.

There was a rustling in the nearby bushes.

Jason shifted so he shielded Serena. She shoved him aside to aim her weapon toward the oncoming threat.

Ginger burst from the bushes and ran to Serena’s side.

Letting out a harried breath, Jason peered around the edge of the boulder. A bullet slammed into the rock near his head. The sting of a ricocheted piece of boulder nicked his cheek.

Gritting his teeth against the sting, he pressed his back against the rock. “I can’t get a bead on the sniper.”

“We could use a divine intervention, right now.”

Jason had given up on prayer, or maybe God had given up on him, he wasn’t sure which. He didn’t know if asking God for help would do any good, but it seemed like they had no other option. “Please, God, if you’re listening, get us out of this situation and help us to get this maniac and bring him to justice.”

* * *

Serena appreciated that Jason had taken her words to heart and had echoed her own silent prayer. “Amen.”

He met her gaze. “I really want to believe God will protect us.”

“He will.” Her certainty was born of a deep-seated faith rooted in her childhood.

Now she just had to bolster her courage and ask her boss for help. She called dispatch and explained the situation. A second later the sheriff’s gruff voice came over the radio.

“Evans! Where are you? You were supposed to go home!”

Heat infused her cheeks. Jason’s frown added to her humiliation. Her stomach pitched. “Ginger and I followed a lead regarding the Red Rose Killer, sir, and we need your help.”

“What kind of trouble have you landed yourself in?”

She grimaced at his disdainful tone. Jason reached out to take the radio, but she jerked away, giving him a deep scowl. The last thing she needed was him making things worse.

“Sir, I’m on the Hargrove ranch out on route 28 about five miles west from the edge of the southeast corner. Follow the property line. Find the break in the fence, and go along the tire tracks to the creek. We’re pinned down by sniper fire.”

“Who is we?”

Exasperation flooded her system. “I’m with the owner of the property, sir.”

“You brought a civilian into a police investigation? What are you doing out there?”

“I can explain everything later, sir, if you would just please come.”

There was a moment of silence. “We are going to have a talk, Deputy Evans.” The radio went silent.

“The boss doesn’t like you?” Jason asked, his gaze intent on her face.

She looked away but couldn’t keep the sarcasm from her tone. “How did you get that idea?”

“What gives?”

With a shrug, she said, “I’m an affirmative-action hire. The boys’ club does not want me inside.”

“Ah.”

She slanted him a glance. “Is that the way you think? Women aren’t meant to be carrying a gun and a badge?”

“Hey, I have no problem with it. More power to you.”

“You’re more progressive than my boss. I am in so much trouble.”

“I’ll explain the situation,” Jason said.

“Best if you stay out of my business.”

He shrugged, then directed his attention back over the boulder. “The shooter’s been quiet.” He belly-crawled around the rock.

Another bullet hit the boulder. Serena grabbed a handful of Jason’s shirt and tugged him back to safety.

“The guy’s going to wait us out,” he said with frustration lacing his words.

“It won’t be long before the sheriff arrives.” At least she hoped. “You never did answer the question. Why did you leave the Dallas PD?”

His whiskered jaw hardened. “I didn’t answer because it’s none of your business.”

“I can make it my business with one phone call to the Dallas PD. I’ll have my answers, but I’d rather hear them from you.”

He met her gaze. The haunted torment in the depth of his brown-and-gold-flecked eyes tore at her. “I was hunting a drug dealer when my wife and partner were killed by a car bomb meant for me.”