ranger with a horse trailer came to pick them up just as morning light warmed the desert.
They waited at the ranch where the ranger horses were kept for their ride into town. Though it was the ranch hand’s job, Kylie insisted on cooling down the mount that had served them so well.
He watched her brush the animal as the morning sun caught the coppery highlights in her auburn hair. She spoke soothingly to the horse.
“Any news on the other horse?” She stroked the mane. Her voice was tinged with sadness.
“They’ll send someone else to look for him. He was in good enough shape to run off. I don’t think he was hit, just frightened. They should find him.”
Kylie led the horse out to the corral. She was a natural with them. He was a city boy who had grown up on a skateboard. Riding was a skill he had had to learn for the job. She slapped the animal’s back flank and he galloped away.
She came to stand beside Austin where he rested one foot on the lower rung of the wooden corral.
Another long night over for both of them. Their work felt a lot like two steps forward and one step back. He was glad to make those steps with someone as good at her job as Kylie. At least they’d found the van.
A dust cloud up the road told him their ride had arrived.
Colt Blackthorn rolled down the window and rested his elbow on it. “You two again. We have to stop meeting like this.” The breeze ruffled his dark hair. “Heard you guys did better than Greg and I. Good job finding the van.”
Kylie climbed into the front seat and Austin got in the back. As they drove away, Kylie glanced out the back window. “Hey look, it looks like the other horse came in on his own.”
Austin checked his side-view mirror to see a ranch hand leading their runaway horse to the corral.
“They always know their way back to where the food is,” Kylie said.
They drove for several miles on a dirt road.
“How’s that new baby of yours?” Colt offered Kylie a warm smile.
The ride into town consisted of Kylie talking about every nuance of her hours with Mercedes. Her voice took on a light lilting quality.
Austin felt like he was a stranger in a foreign land. He didn’t understand a mother’s joy in talking about her child. He supposed his mother had loved him before the accident and before the drinking, but those memories were covered over by the years that followed.
He leaned forward in the seat. “Drop Kylie off first. I want to make sure she gets home safe and sound to that little girl.” His voice sounded a little stiff. As happy as he was for Kylie, he just wasn’t sure how she was going to be able to do her job and be a mom.
Kylie’s apartment complex was in a middle-class neighborhood next to a park. Kylie phoned ahead telling her babysitter that she was on her way.
Kylie nearly jumped out of the car as Colt pulled up to the curb.
Austin got out and climbed into the front seat. He peered in the rearview mirror at the scene unfolding behind him. The sitter, an older woman, had come outside pushing a baby stroller with Mercedes in it. He had to admit, the sight of that sweet baby face and round brown eyes had tugged at his heart the first time he’d seen Mercedes.
As Colt gained speed, something else in the mirror caught Austin’s eye. He craned his head. There it was, the glint of a rifle on top of the apartment building. A sniper with his sights set on Kylie.
* * *
When she was a few feet from Kylie, Mrs. Espina leaned over to unbuckle Mercedes from her stroller.
Kylie’s heart leaped when Mercedes kicked her legs with glee.
“That’s my little girl. You make coming home that much sweeter.” The bright eyes tugged at Kylie’s heart as her voice grew sadder. “I wish your mom was here. I know you must miss her even if you don’t totally understand what happened.”
The sound of squealing tires caught her attention.
She looked over to see Austin and Colt turning around in the road at a high speed. Something was wrong. Her heart seized up as she hit the ground and crawled toward Mercedes to protect her.
She heard the rifle shots nanoseconds before she covered Mercedes with her body.
She couldn’t put Gloria at risk. “Mrs. Espina, run, get to your apartment.” The older woman backed up and then hurried away. No shots were fired at her.
Kylie gathered the baby in her arms.
Austin was beside her almost instantly, lifting her while she held the baby, directing her toward the cover of the building.
She caught a flash of Colt running toward the neighboring building, probably to apprehend the shooter.
“Where do you live?” Austin’s voice was in her ear.
The question clarified her fuzzy thinking, and she answered as she kept running. Mercedes cried as she pressed herself against Kylie’s chest. Kylie raced toward her apartment. Once inside, her only thought was to comfort Mercedes.
Austin paced the room then drew back the curtains to peek outside.
A moment later, Austin’s phone rang.
“Yes, Colt.” Austin drew the curtain back again still looking for threats.
Austin listened for a moment, nodding. “Thanks.” He listened some more. “Let us know. We’re in apartment fourteen.”
He clicked off his phone and turned to face Kylie. “Colt couldn’t catch him, but he saw which way the guy ran. The police have been called. There’ll be half a dozen cops looking for him.”
“So he’s still out there.” Still fighting her own agitation and fear, Kylie bounced Mercedes and made soothing noises. No child should be put through that kind of incident. Especially after the trauma of losing her mom.
Austin stepped closer to her. “I think this is personal, Kylie. Someone wants you dead.”
Mercedes stopped crying. Her soft fingers brushed over Kylie’s neck as she grabbed her collar to hold on to. While a thousand conflicting emotions tumbled through Kylie’s mind, the only clear thought was that she wanted to keep Mercedes safe. Mercedes stuck two fingers in her mouth and stared up at Kylie, a look of total trust in her eyes.
“I think you need to put that kid in protective custody so you can do your job and resolve this threat,” Austin said.
Kylie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “So I can do my job?” Was that what mattered the most to him?
Austin paced. His hand gestures indicated he was rattled. “Both of you could have died out there.” What was going on with him, anyway? He was Mr. Cool under Fire. She’d never seen him this upset.
“I know that. Don’t you think I know that?” Kylie wrestled with even more doubt. More than anything
