Rachel didn’t want anything from him. Not his money or his help.
Which made him want to help her that much more.
“Her name is Rachel Simmons, and she has a six-year-old son named Kenny.” A frisson of guilt assaulted him for betraying her, but he had to know the truth before he became involved with her.
Dammit. Who was he kidding? Foolish or not, he already was involved
“But I think she gave me a fake name,” Johnny said. “I’m going to fax over a photo of her and the papers she signed when I hired her along with the social security number she put on her application. I want you to find out everything you can about her as soon as possible.”
“Sounds serious,” Leon mumbled.
Johnny chewed the inside of his cheek. He hoped to hell it wasn’t, but he had a bad feeling.
Growing up with a hellion father, breaking horses, working the rodeo circuit and bull riding had taught him one thing—to rely on his gut instincts.
N IGHTMARES OF R EX AND the man who’d attacked her in the barn plagued Rachel all night. Each time she jerked awake, she stared into the darkness searching for her ex-husband. Listening. Waiting.
By 2:00 a.m., she’d retrieved her gun and put it under her pillow. By five, she’d given up the battle for sleep, climbed from bed, showered, fed Cleo and the puppies, then hurried to the dining hall to help Ms. Ellen. With the counselors’ assistance, the campers were cooking their own breakfast over the fire, so the group was smaller than normal.
A newspaper lay spread on the table where Ms. Ellen had been reading it. She glanced at the front-page article and staggered with shock at the photograph of the judge who had granted her divorce. Hands shaking, she sank into the chair and skimmed the article.
Police are investigating a double homicide at the home of Judge Walton Hammers and his wife. According to reports, they were held at gunpoint, Mrs. Hammers was tied and bound, then shot at point blank in the head, while her husband was shot in the abdomen and knee and bled out. There are no suspects at the time, but police are investigating the judge’s previous cases. If you have any information regarding these murders, please contact your local police.
Rachel’s head swam. Dear God. Had Rex done this? Killed the judge and his wife because he’d granted her the divorce?
Ms. Ellen bounded in, and Rachel struggled to pull herself together and went to work.
But every time someone entered the room, she tensed and checked to see if it was Rex.
Or Johnny.
She’d ached to have him hold her the night before and chase away her nightmares. An ache she couldn’t assuage.
After cleaning up from breakfast, she hurried toward the pens where Johnny was working with the kids. Kenny waved to her from the opposite side of the fence where the boys watched Johnny leading Willie around on a gelding.
“I’m next, Mommy!” Kenny shouted.
Rachel smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. Since they’d arrived, Kenny had blossomed from a shy, nervous little boy who hadn’t had friends to an outgoing kid with rosy cheeks and friends.
But if Rex had killed that judge and was on their trail, they couldn’t stay.
Johnny led the horse to a standstill, then helped Willie down. “You’re a natural,” Johnny said.
Willie grinned as he jogged back to Kenny. They high-fived, then Willie exited through the gate to stand by the other boys. Kenny hurried to take his turn, bouncing on his heels as Johnny helped him into the saddle.
Emotions crowded Rachel’s throat as Johnny spoke quietly to the horse. His calm but confident manner with the animals transcended to the children. He was a born leader.
She glanced around in search of Rex, but she spotted the reporter and cameraman approaching, and her pulse clamored. The cameraman lifted his camera to tape Kenny who looked like a little cowboy in his boots, jeans and Stetson.
Panic beat a staccato rhythm in Rachel’s chest, and she swallowed hard to keep from
Which made him want to help her that much more.
“Her name is Rachel Simmons, and she has a six-year-old son named Kenny.” A frisson of guilt assaulted him for betraying her, but he had to know the truth before he became involved with her.
Dammit. Who was he kidding? Foolish or not, he already was involved
“But I think she gave me a fake name,” Johnny said. “I’m going to fax over a photo of her and the papers she signed when I hired her along with the social security number she put on her application. I want you to find out everything you can about her as soon as possible.”
“Sounds serious,” Leon mumbled.
Johnny chewed the inside of his cheek. He hoped to hell it wasn’t, but he had a bad feeling.
Growing up with a hellion father, breaking horses, working the rodeo circuit and bull riding had taught him one thing—to rely on his gut instincts.
N IGHTMARES OF R EX AND the man who’d attacked her in the barn plagued Rachel all night. Each time she jerked awake, she stared into the darkness searching for her ex-husband. Listening. Waiting.
By 2:00 a.m., she’d retrieved her gun and put it under her pillow. By five, she’d given up the battle for sleep, climbed from bed, showered, fed Cleo and the puppies, then hurried to the dining hall to help Ms. Ellen. With the counselors’ assistance, the campers were cooking their own breakfast over the fire, so the group was smaller than normal.
A newspaper lay spread on the table where Ms. Ellen had been reading it. She glanced at the front-page article and staggered with shock at the photograph of the judge who had granted her divorce. Hands shaking, she sank into the chair and skimmed the article.
Police are investigating a double homicide at the home of Judge Walton Hammers and his wife. According to reports, they were held at gunpoint, Mrs. Hammers was tied and bound, then shot at point blank in the head, while her husband was shot in the abdomen and knee and bled out. There are no suspects at the time, but police are investigating the judge’s previous cases. If you have any information regarding these murders, please contact your local police.
Rachel’s head swam. Dear God. Had Rex done this? Killed the judge and his wife because he’d granted her the divorce?
Ms. Ellen bounded in, and Rachel struggled to pull herself together and went to work.
But every time someone entered the room, she tensed and checked to see if it was Rex.
Or Johnny.
She’d ached to have him hold her the night before and chase away her nightmares. An ache she couldn’t assuage.
After cleaning up from breakfast, she hurried toward the pens where Johnny was working with the kids. Kenny waved to her from the opposite side of the fence where the boys watched Johnny leading Willie around on a gelding.
“I’m next, Mommy!” Kenny shouted.
Rachel smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. Since they’d arrived, Kenny had blossomed from a shy, nervous little boy who hadn’t had friends to an outgoing kid with rosy cheeks and friends.
But if Rex had killed that judge and was on their trail, they couldn’t stay.
Johnny led the horse to a standstill, then helped Willie down. “You’re a natural,” Johnny said.
Willie grinned as he jogged back to Kenny. They high-fived, then Willie exited through the gate to stand by the other boys. Kenny hurried to take his turn, bouncing on his heels as Johnny helped him into the saddle.
Emotions crowded Rachel’s throat as Johnny spoke quietly to the horse. His calm but confident manner with the animals transcended to the children. He was a born leader.
She glanced around in search of Rex, but she spotted the reporter and cameraman approaching, and her pulse clamored. The cameraman lifted his camera to tape Kenny who looked like a little cowboy in his boots, jeans and Stetson.
Panic beat a staccato rhythm in Rachel’s chest, and she swallowed hard to keep from
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