Cowboy Country (91 page)

Neither answered her.

The deputy ushered them out the side door into the alley. His Jeep stood running in the dark, the cold air making its exhaust fumes rise like a plume. They got in and didn’t speak as he drove them out of town.

Levi stayed on high alert as they left the town behind and entered the dark and deserted road leading to the ranch. Picking them off like sitting ducks would be a simple thing. At his pickup came into sight he motioned for the deputy to keep going. Something felt off. “I’ll come out in the morning and get it in daylight.”

“Not a problem.” The deputy sped by the vehicle.

Ava sat in silence with a deer-in-the-headlights look. She must be wondering how she was going to spend the rest of her life on the run, always looking over her shoulder.

She wouldn’t, if Levi had his way.

He’d do whatever it took to protect her.

~*~

Dario let himself out of the sheriff’s private bathroom. “Well done, sheriff. I trust you didn’t tell them I was behind you the entire time.”

The lady glared at him as if he were a bug on her boot. “I did what you told me to. Now release my deputy.”

“Him?” Dario raised his eyebrows. “He’s fine. Taking a nap. Did a lot of talking, made some threats…so I shut him up.”

“If you killed him—”

“You’ll what?” Dario snickered. “What will you do to me, sheriff?”

“I could arrest you right now,” she said.

He pointed a pistol at her. “With me holding this pointed at your very lovely chest? I don’t think so.”

“Is that your intent, to kill me? And my deputy?”

Stones of steel, he’d give her that. “Too messy. I just need to get rid of the showgirl and the cowboy. I do, and nobody else gets hurt.”

“I’m an officer of the law. You just made a threat in front of me. You expect me to never say anything to anyone?”

He nuzzled the pistol against his cheek and smiled. “Oh, I did, didn’t I? What am I going to do about it?”

She froze, seeming to suddenly understand the danger she was in.

Her gaze shot to the door and back to him. He spun, pointed the pistol and pulled the trigger. Her unsuspecting second deputy crashed to the ground, his gun sliding across the polished wood floor.

She dove for it, and he stomped on her outstretched fingers.

A scream rent the air. His. Hers. Maybe a combination.

Like a UFC fighter, she kicked at his legs as he went for his gun. He fired off a shot at her head, but she kicked him again, sending him to his knees, and the bullet went wild, shattering a lamp on the desk.

The best thing to do was get the hell out of there before the whole town came to see what was going on. “Keep your mouth shut,” he warned, getting to his feet. “Or I’ll be back to finish this.”

She held her injured fingers and made no response as he ran out the front door.

~*~

The sun had fallen behind the peaks and the road to the ranch was darker than a pit of tar. Only the twin headlights lit up the night. The heater blasted hot air, but Ava shivered and wrapped her arms around her midsection.

The deputy drove. Ava sat next to Levi in the backseat.

Levi hadn’t said a word, but he vibrated with anger. It didn’t take a genius to figure out it was because the sheriff had refused to do anything about Lisa Abruzzo. All of them had watched her high-priced attorney march her out of the sheriff’s office with not so much as a slap on her elegant wrist.

Was the lady sheriff dirty, too? Was she calling Vegas as they spoke? Levi had warned Ava not to go to the local police, and she had refused to listen. Her stomach knotted. She glanced out the side window and a flash of red light in the side mirror caught her attention.

“Levi, what’s that?”

“What?” He glanced at her and his eyes widened. “Deputy, hit the gas.”

To his credit, Harlan did as asked moments before the back windshield exploded. Glass fragments covered them.

Levi shoved Ava’s head down on the seat, where she huddled.

“Who’s shooting at us?” the deputy shouted.

“Dario Abruzzo or his men. Turn up here on the old Haunted Mesa Road,” Levi ordered the deputy.

“It’s snowed in,” he protested.

“Put it into four-wheel drive and go as fast as you can until we get bogged down.” He sounded harsh. “Deputy, as soon as we come to a stop we’re going to hit the ground running. Keep that man occupied while we escape.”

“He’ll catch us,” Ava cried from her spot on the seat.

He kept his gaze on the road behind them. “We’ll be fine. The deputy is going to slow down Dario, or whoever’s gunning for us. Right, deputy?”

“You bet.” He sounded sincere.

Ava’s eyes teared. “No. He’ll catch us on foot.”

“Just get ready,” Levi said tersely.

The Jeep careened wildly around a sharp corner before it fishtailed, bucked and slowed. Levi opened the door. “Go, Ava! Run! Let’s get out of here!”

Ava tumbled out of the still-moving car and hit the snowy ground with a thud. “Ouch. Crap!”

Levi grabbed the back of her coat and helped Ava to her feet. “Come on. We have to get out of here before he spots us.”

Even though Levi had told her not to, Ava risked a glance back. The deputy had hunkered down behind the sheriff’s Jeep, gun pointed toward the main road.

Before she could say anything, Levi grabbed her arm and directed her into the thick forest. “Come on. Run like a deer.”

A shot rang out and Ava ran.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Like soldiers on a mission, they darted and dodged through trees. Behind them, shots rang out. Levi wouldn’t let her stop or even look back, keeping a death grip on her hand. Ava’s breathing came harsh and her side ached.

“I need to stop,” she panted. She was in good physical shape, but the elevation still took its toll.

He slowed, but didn’t quit moving. “We have to get away. I don’t have anything to defend us with.”

Ava couldn’t take another step without catching her breath. She jerked to a halt and pulled her hand free from his. Leaning against a tree, she gasped for air. “I don’t hear anything.”

Levi cocked his head to the side. “Me either.”

“Lord, I hope that cop is okay.”

“He’ll be fine.” Levi motioned toward the trees. “You ready? We better move.”

“Okay.”

He led off and Ava fell in behind, this time at a walk. The snow reached past their ankles and Ava’s feet felt like two blocks of ice. Twice she tripped, falling to her knees, coating her jeans with snow, which immediately melted, turning her legs into two frozen fish sticks. “Where are we going?”

“To the homestead. It’s the original Callahan place. We use it for roundups and sometimes one or the other of us camps there.” Levi kept a steady pace as he explained. He barely seemed to breathe hard in the thin mountain air.

“How far?”

“Not much more. I’ve been taking the long way around.”

Ava didn’t respond. She prayed the deputy was okay. The softly falling snow and the complete silence unnerved her. She’d almost rather hear gunfire. At least she knew the man was still alive if he was firing a gun. In any other circumstances, the snow-covered trees and the winter storm would be beautiful.

Right now it felt like death.

A bitter, icy death.

Levi abruptly stopped and Ava bumped into his back. “Sorry.”

“Look, there’s the cabin.” He pointed down the hill. A large two-story house sat at one end of a pristine valley, almost hidden by towering pines. Nothing moved and the meadow looked unmarred by any prints.

“It’s beautiful.” Her teeth chattered. “And hopefully warm.”

“It will be as soon as we build a fire.” Levi started down the steep hillside, sliding partway on his backside.

Ava followed, also slipping along on her butt. She grabbed for bushes and small trees to stop her descent, but felt like a runaway sled.

At the bottom, Levi helped her stand. “Just a little farther. We can make it.”

“I can’t wait for that fire.” Shaking so hard she could barely move, Ava forced one foot in front of the other. Tennis shoes and a jacket, even a warm one, weren’t the perfect wear for a dash through the snow. Add in no gloves and no hat, and you got cold fast.

In what would have been a two-minute walk across the meadow turned into more like fifteen as they edged their way around the side, staying under cover in the trees. A rodeo cowboy? Levi seemed more like a soldier to Ava. But his tactics were keeping them alive, so she couldn’t complain. If her feet fell off, at least she would still be breathing.

Finally they reached the backdoor of the farmhouse.

It stood dark, silent and cold.

Carefully, Levi opened the door, pushing it in, snow drifting across the threshold. “I think we’re clear.”

“You think? Or you hope?” Ava managed through her chattering teeth.

“I’m sure.” He stepped inside and Ava followed. It seemed impossible, but the air seemed even more glacial indoors.

“God, it’s freezing.”

He moved around in the darkened room. “There’s a fireplace in the living room. I’ll get a fire going in a minute. First, I want to make sure all the windows are covered.”

“Where are the lights?”

“We have lanterns right here. I’ll light one.” He rustled around, and in a moment the interior of the house lit up with the flickering golden light from a lantern. He held it in front of him. “Come on. Let’s get a fire built before your toes fall off.”

“That might make dancing a little difficult. Unless I took up ballet again. However, being toeless would make getting on pointe a lot easier.” Ava tried to joke to take away her terror. Was the deputy alive? Or dying in the snow? Because of her?

The living room was filled with sheet-draped furniture and a rock fireplace at one end. Someone had thoughtfully stashed a pile of logs nearby. Levi threw a couple of cedar chunks in the fireplace and splashed some kind of accelerant over them before standing back and tossing a lit match on them. The wood caught with a whoosh.

Ava moved close and stuck her frozen fingers over the flames.

“Don’t warm them too fast,” Levi warned.

“Why on earth not?” Ava sank onto the rock hearth. “It feels so good.”

“You might have frostbite. Are your fingertips gray? Or whitish?” He examined them, first one, then the other. “No. Very bright red like this is good. It means your blood flow is good.”

He moved to the window and pulled back a curtain. “I’d still go easy on the warming. Your circulation’s coming back and it hurts if you go too fast.”

“Do you see anything?”

“Not yet. It’s hard to see through the snow. It’s coming down pretty hard. Which is a good thing. It’ll blow away our smoke, not that I think anyone’s out there.” He dropped the curtain and moved in front of the fire. “We’re safe inside here. We just have to wait for daylight and go home.”

Ava’s stomach twisted into a hard knot. “I hope that cop is okay.”

“I’m sure he’s fine. He had a rifle, along with at least two pistols. And he seemed to know how to use them.” Levi sounded confident.

“I pray you’re right,” she said.

~*~

Levi held his palms over the flames, letting the heat seep into them. They’d made good time, cutting straight through the forest, though the snow had gotten knee-deep in places. Wearing cowboy boots and jeans, they weren’t dressed for the elements.

His jeans dragged like weights. He was sure Ava must be numb to the bone, although she hadn’t complained once.

He tossed another log on the fire, and looked around the old house. Nothing had changed. Same castoff furniture, same western prints on the walls. He hadn’t been here in years. Not since Beth died. This had been their special place. Somewhere to be alone. With four brothers, a sister and cousins by the truckload, being by themselves hadn’t always been easy. She’d loved it here, in the more than hundred-year-old house.

The familiar pain that came with reminders of Beth didn’t show up as strong this time. In fact, for the first time, overwhelming grief and regret didn’t swamp him. Although the way the lady sheriff blew them off made him burn. He shouldn’t be disappointed, especially after he learned her father had been the victim of Clyde Callahan’s bullet. Surprise didn’t come close to what he felt about her revelation. Moe Browning was her father? Levi had known the man all his life, and never once heard he had a daughter.

Lately, unwelcome surprises lurked around every corner.

“Do you really think we’re safe here?” Ava huddled near the fire, her shoulders hunched.

“You bet. There’s a Jeep road, but it’s snowed in this time of year. Nobody’s going to find us unless we want them to.”

She shivered. “I can’t get warm.”

“You need dry clothes. I’m sure there are some here somewhere.” He lifted the lantern. “Stick close to the fire. I’ll be right back.”

Upstairs, in a cedar trunk, he found a quilt and two plaid blankets. In the closet, he located several ski jackets, gloves and scarves. Gathering all of it, he carried the pile downstairs and dumped it on the sofa. “Let’s take off our wet clothes and get under the blankets.”

He thought she might refuse for a moment, but she nodded and bent to untie her shoelaces. He threw several logs on the fire and pushed the sofa as close to the flames as he dared.

Ava stripped to her skimpy undies, but kept on the familiar gray tee she’d worn since they met. Her nipples pressed against the thin fabric and his gaze rested there for a moment. His body stirred and he lifted his eyes.

Their gaze met and held.

Without speaking, he turned away and spread the blankets and quilt on the sofa. He dropped his jeans and kicked them and his boots away. He picked up everything and hung it on a chair close to the fireplace, but far enough away it wouldn’t catch fire. “I’ll get in first, that way you’ll be closer to the flames.”

He slid between the cold covers and held them away. “Come on.”