Cowboy Who Came For Christmas (Harlequin Romance) by Lenora Worth Page B

him if he is hiding out here.”
    She read over the to-do list she had to destroy. While the Burtons had distracted Adan, she and Bettye, along with the newly recruited Melissa, had gone out with guns to flush out anybody who might be hiding in the many outbuildings and caves in the area. They’d also hurried to set up animal traps in strategic places in all of those areas, too.
    Melissa watched from her post at the other window. “And you promise you won’t tell the Ranger what I had to do?”
    “No,” both Bettye and Sophia said in unison.
    Then Bettye wagged a finger at her granddaughter. “Not as long as you abide by my house rules, young lady.”
    “Yes, Granny.” Melissa’s wide-eyed gaze flashed between them. “As long as y’all don’t report me to anyone back in Hot Springs. I can’t go back there.”
    “Agreed,” Bettye said.
    “Agreed,” Sophia replied. Having been through the foster system herself, she’d learned that not all foster families had a child’s well-being in mind.
    “Now go to your post outside,” Bettye said through a proud smile. She watched as Melissa did as she asked. “I’m so glad she found me,” Bettye said in a quiet voice.
    Sophia thought Melissa’s involvement would be just one more fib she’d have to keep quiet. But after hearing the girl’s story, she could certainly understand why Melissa needed some help of her own. Bettye loved the girl already, so that was enough of an endorsement for Sophia.
    “But his car is still here,” Bettye pointed out with an eloquent shrug. “I mean, the car you say you stole when you had to leave him in a big hurry and all.”
    Bettye was being discreet. Sophia had fought for her life and she’d believed she’d killed Joe in the process. But she’d run away with his car and she’d never looked back.
    Until now. Guilt colored her face because she couldn’t bring herself to tell Bettye the whole truth. She’d taken more than just Joe’s crappy old car.
    Would she forever be running from her necessary lies?
    “And we took care of that, too,” Sophia replied, feeling much better since she’d set her plan into action. They’d added more brush and rocks to cover the big rock overhang under which she’d parked the car all those years ago. And a trap near the passenger side door, too.
    She always felt better when she could control her environment. Or at least when she knew her crazy ex-husband wasn’t going to try to murder her again.
    Now to take care of the good-looking, well-meaning Texas Ranger who’d come to do his duty. If she could stall Adan long enough to get either him or that car off this mountain, she might not have to go to jail after all.
    “Alert the media,” Bettye said, spinning in a whirl of skirts and socks. “We got company coming.”
    Sophia worked to control the panic rising inside her stomach. “Where’s Melissa? She’s supposed to be the immediate lookout.”
    “She’s leading the way,” Bettye replied. Then she poked a thumb over her shoulder. “And your perty Ranger-Man is bringing up the rear.”
    “Do you think he’s onto us?” Sophia asked, running to the window to look out at the path behind the cabins.
    “He’s a smart one,” Bettye admitted. “But he’s still alive, so that means Jacob didn’t have to shoot him.”
    “I told Jacob
not
to shoot him,” Sophia reminded her. “What about the Burtons—are they with them?”
    “Right smack in the middle and cooing and cuddling like two doves.”
    Sophia didn’t want to envy her friends their perfect marriage, but a twinge always hit her whenever the Burtons were in residence on the mountain. She so wanted that kind of love for herself. “Are they still putting on a show?”
    “Those two are the real thing,” Bettye replied. “You could have that, too, you know.” She pointed out the window.
    “No,” Sophia said, her tone level and sure. “No, that kind of feeling isn’t in the cards for me. Especially with a man like