Deadly Identity (19 page)

His gaze cut to the infant. “Yours?” The sarcasm in his voice was thick.

“N-no. She's Cade's daughter by adoption.”

“And you're living with a cop,” he jeered. “How convenient a cover. You're pretty good. But it didn't work, did it? You knew I'd come for you.” He kept looking at the baby girl in the playpen behind Susan.

“Dirk, please…do not harm her.”

“Depends upon how nice you are to me.” He gave her a long, hard look from the top of her head down to her feet. “I got a real itch that needs to be scratched. Maybe a toss in the hay will make me think about letting that kid live instead of die. What do you say?”

A shudder wove through Rachel. She felt as if she
would vomit. “Yes. Anything you want, Dirk. Just don't harm Jenny. She's an innocent in all of this. This is between you and me….”

After dropping the cigarette on the floor, he smashed it with the toe of his boot. “Okay, then, come with me.” He pointed the gun toward the hall. “I broke open the window in the big bedroom. That's where we'll go.” He looked at his watch. “Deputy Dawg will be gone until noon. And that security doofus won't return for at least thirty or forty minutes. We've got plenty of time.” He snickered. “I'd like to see the look on his face when he walks into the kitchen and you're laying there with your throat slit.”

Blanching, Rachel moved quickly. She didn't want to give Dirk any reason to harm Jenny. Dirk jabbed the pistol into her back, and she hurried into Cade's master bedroom. The window was open, the screen having been removed. The cool May morning air made her shiver.

Desperation tunneled through her. She knew he would rape and then kill her. That was when she saw her chance. It was a simple plan, and she had to act fast. Risking everything, Rachel grabbed a bronze statue of a cowboy on Cade's dresser. With all her might, she used both hands to swing it at Dirk's head.

Startled, Dirk let out a cry and fired the gun just as the bronze slammed into his head.

With a scream, Rachel started to fall backward and saw him stagger. Oh, God! She was helpless. She couldn't run. Blood oozed out of a cut on Dirk's head.

“You
bitch!
” he roared.

Everything slowed down. Rachel screamed and held out her hands as he raised the gun toward her. His face was a hideous mask of hatred. He straightened, his back to the open door. “You're gonna die….”

Rachel's entire life unwound before her. A shadow moved through the door. Cade! Before Rachel could move, he'd leaped upon Dirk. The gun went off. Rachel felt a numbness in her right leg. She fell to the floor.

Cade balled his fist as he wrestled with the lighter Payson beneath him. The gun had flown out of his hand as Cade slammed him into the floor. He'd seen Rachel suddenly flung backward, landing in a heap near the bathroom door. Blood stained the pants covering her right thigh. She'd been shot! Grunting, Cade put every bit of hatred for Payson into his fist. As his hand connected with the convict's face, Cade heard his nose break. Several teeth broke. Blood splattered out of Payson's mouth as he cried out.

Rachel's eyes widened. Payson's gun skidded to a halt right in front of her. Breathing hard, she scrambled to her hands and knees. Her right leg wouldn't work. Desperate, she crawled toward the pistol. Her
hand shook violently, but she managed to grab the gun. With a thrust of her left leg, she fell backward away from him. Blood purled thickly along his left temple. He went limp beneath Cade's powerful punch. She watched numbly as Cade pulled a pair of cuffs from behind his belt and jerked Payson onto his belly. In swift, sure motions he cuffed the convict. Now, she was safe.

Looking down, Rachel noticed a huge red spot of blood rapidly moving across her right thigh. The shock hit her. She'd been shot. Her survival instinct kicked in. She forced herself to try and stand, but collapsed again.

“Stay down,” Cade shouted, getting up off Payson. “Don't move, Rachel! Let me call an ambulance….” He walked swiftly to her side, his radio in hand.

She looked up at Cade's face. She saw the blackness in his eyes, felt his fierce sense of protection toward her. He'd come back home for her. Why? She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. How had Cade known Dirk had broken in here? Her tears blurred his image as he leaned down over her to examine the wound. And then, Rachel felt her world spin. The last thing Rachel remembered was Cade's anxious face as he pressed hard down on her wound to stop the bleeding.

“H
OW ARE YOU
doing, Rachel?” Cade asked after pushing aside the curtain to her side of the emergency room. The only time he'd left the cubicle was minutes earlier when he'd conferred with the deputies guarding Payson. The convict was receiving medical attention in a private room on the second floor. Rachel had been unconscious when he left. Now, she was awake.

Rachel looked up from her gurney. Cade was white-faced, his eyes dark with turmoil, mouth set in a thin line. She'd never seen him so upset. It warmed her to know how much he cared for her.

The doctor working on her right leg nodded to the deputy as he entered. Her mind was still foggy. Slowly, the details began to dribble back. She opened her hand and Cade came forward and gripped it.

“I'm okay,” she said in a faint voice. Rachel wanted to ease his anxiety. The room still spun and she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, everything had stopped spinning.

She looked anxiously at Cade. “Jenny? Is she all
right?” Fear stabbed at her and tore away the rest of the grogginess. Her mind barely functioned.

“She's fine,” Cade soothed. “Unhurt. My mom and dad have her over at their place right now. She doesn't realize what happened.”

“Thank God,” Rachel whispered, then glanced at the doctor. “Am I going to be all right?”

“It's just a flesh wound,” the woman doctor assured her. “You're going to be fine.” Jordana Lawton glanced at Cade. “Matter of fact, Deputy Garner has permission to take you home as soon as I get done cleaning out your wound and give it a few stitches. You just relax. This isn't going to take long.”

A trembling sigh broke from her lips. Cade's hand rested on her shoulder. Rachel could feel his strength. “I'm okay, Cade.”

Cade struggled to maintain his composure. But Rachel had almost died from the ordeal and the thought nearly undid him. Ordinarily, he could. The physician had already cut away the fabric of her slacks on her thigh to reach the still-bleeding wound. Rachel had fainted in the ambulance as he rode with her to the hospital in Jackson Hole. When he was sure that she was being taken care of, he'd called his parents to let them know she was going to survive the gunshot wound. Plus, he had to coordinate with the sheriff's office and make sure Payson was guarded.

“That's good news,” he agreed, attempting to share
a smile with her, but not succeeding. Since the doctor was working on her, he couldn't embrace her. Cade stood at the end of the gurney holding her cold, damp fingers. He could see that Rachel was still in shock. Why wouldn't she be?

“I don't remember getting shot,” Rachel murmured, searching her memory. “I just remember my leg feeling numb and when I wanted to move, I couldn't.”

The young doctor looked over at the deputy. The blond-haired nurse at his side handed her a sponge. “Nothing to be worried about,” she assured Cade. “It's a flesh wound. She was lucky. I'm going to clean it up, give her a shot of lydocaine to numb the area and then sew it up and put a dressing on it. After a tetanus shot and an antibiotic prescription, I'm going to release her.”

Relief flooded Cade. “Sounds good,” he whispered, gazing down at Rachel. She looked so pale. What kind of trauma had she faced with Payson? “Do you remember what happened before I arrived?”

Rachel told him everything. When she finished the story, she felt fatigued. Talking about it drained her of whatever reserves she had left. “What shape is he in?” she asked Cade.

“Payson's in a private room here in the hospital and being guarded by two deputies. We're moving through the paperwork to get him transferred back to the prison he broke out of. He's got a broken nose
and jaw, he lost three teeth, but he's going to live.” Cade held up the hand he'd used to strike Payson. His knuckles were bruised and swollen. He wished he'd hit him even harder.

Reaching out, Rachel gently placed her hand over his knuckles. “You saved me….”

Cade gently squeezed her hand. “I just thank God I listened to my gut, Rachel. I had a bad feeling, turned around and drove home. I saw Randy on the road making his rounds. When I got to the ranch and saw the master-bedroom window broken, I knew Payson had found you.”

Hot tears filled her eyes. It was the first time since the incident that she'd felt weepy. Maybe the adrenaline was wearing off and exposing her to other emotions. “Cade, he admitted to killing my mom.” Shakily, she wiped her eyes. “After he told me that, I don't know what came over me. I wanted to kill him for killing her. I can't believe I picked up that bronze and hit him with it.”

Gently, Cade said, “Rachel, we're all capable of defending ourselves. And that's what you did. And anyone would be angry toward the person who killed their loved one. Don't feel guilty over how you responded.” His mouth turned down. “I'm just sorry I wasn't there earlier.” Hoarsely, he whispered, “I promised to protect you from Payson and I didn't….”

That hurt him most of all because he loved Rachel
and he hadn't been there to stand between her and that killer in time.

“Don't go there, Cade. You came at the right time,” Rachel protested, her voice stronger with conviction. “I'm just glad it's over.”

Nodding, Cade wished the doctor and nurse weren't present. He wanted to take Rachel into his arms and hold her so damn tightly they'd became one. Searching her exhausted features, he murmured, “As soon as the doctor is finished, I'm taking you home.”

Looking into her weary eyes, he asked, “Are you all right with that? Would you rather not go back to that house?”

“Oh, Cade, it's
your
house. It's where I've lived and I love being there. I don't want to go anywhere else. I really don't.”

Heartened, he nodded. “Okay, home it is.”

Home.
That word sounded incredibly healing to Rachel. Her world had suddenly imploded upon her. She had no idea what would happen next. The loss of her mother and now Dirk's unexpected attack had made her feel out of control. Cade looked so assured and strong that she greedily absorbed that energy. His hand felt stabilizing and warm compared to the iciness she felt present within herself. Though she was in shock, Rachel tried to give him a warm look.

“I can hardly wait, Cade. That's all I want right now—home, you and Jenny.”

 

C
ADE STOOD AT THE
kitchen window five days later. The May sun was shining. The snow was nearly gone, and he could see the muddy land starting to green up in preparation for the late spring. Sipping his coffee, he turned and waited for Rachel. It was only 6:00 a.m. Jenny was asleep in her room. He'd checked earlier on the baby and then on Rachel. She, too, was sleeping soundly.

A new sense of contentment blanketed him. He'd asked for two weeks vacation after the incident. As he drank his coffee, he felt a deep satisfaction that Dirk Payson was in prison. Payson would have another trial for the murder of Daisy Donovan. And Cade was sure he'd get the death penalty. The bastard deserved it. He was a bad seed and had made choices that took him down this particular path. At some point, Payson would permanently be out of Rachel's life. Until then, Cade wanted to be there for her. He loved her.

His heart ached with need of Rachel. Since he'd brought her home, she'd shifted and gone deep within herself. Cade recognized it as grief as well as shock. His family had rallied around her and little by little, Rachel was emerging from the darkness. Even better, the FBI was releasing her from the witness protection program. They had rounded up the rest of Payson's men who had worked with him. The Donovan family was no longer in jeopardy from the drug ring since it had been broken up and the FBI had captured the drug lord.

Rachel padded softly out into the kitchen in her sheepskin slippers. She saw Cade standing at the kitchen sink leaning his hips against it, cup of coffee in hand. He wore a maroon flannel long-sleeved shirt and jeans along with his well-worn cowboy boots. His hair was still damp, so she knew he'd recently taken a shower. Giving him a soft smile, she said, “Coffee's ready?”

Cade nodded, poured her a cup and handed it to her. Her hair was mussed and he ached to run his fingers through that mass of curls where the blond hair was now clearly evident. “Did you sleep well?” he asked. Rachel wore a pale-pink chenille robe and a sleepy look lingered in her eyes. The expression became her, and Cade forced himself not to stare at the soft curve of her lips. Wanting to kiss her, kiss away her anguish and suffering, he gripped the mug a little more tightly in his hand.

“I slept like a log. I had a good dream.”

“Oh?” His heart began to race with need of her. So much had happened and Cade felt frustrated that he could never bring up his personal need for Rachel or speak of the love and dreams he had for both of them.

Settling her hips against the counter, Rachel sipped her coffee. “I dreamed I was home, at our farm. I was with my brothers and their families. We were happy and laughing.” Looking up at Cade she said, “And you were there, too.”

“One big happy family again?” Cade asked, heartened by the dream.

Nodding, Rachel took another drink of the coffee, eased away from the counter and set the mug down next to the sink. Moving in front of Cade, she placed her hand on his arm. “Cade, I can't stand not saying this to you.” She pursed her lips for a moment and looked worried. Gathering her courage, Rachel sought out and held his suddenly intense gaze. “I love you. It just happened over time. I wasn't expecting ever to fall in love again, but here you were. You've been wonderful—you're patient and understanding. You're the exact opposite of Dirk in every way. So many times I've stood at this sink, looking out the window, counting my blessings that you'd somehow fallen into my life like a guardian angel.” Her hand tightened briefly on his upper arm where she felt his muscles respond beneath her fingers. “I woke up this morning knowing I had to tell you that. I don't know if you love me…but with so much happening, I
had
to tell you how I really felt.”

His mouth dry, Cade asked in a rasp, “And how long have you loved me, Rachel?”

She gave him a shy smile. “I think it started the night of the accident. I didn't realize it until later of course, but seeing you was like seeing life. A life filled with promise. With hope. I finally figured out about a month afterward that you were the man I had always dreamed of meeting, but hadn't. I made some
terrible choices, Cade. I didn't listen to my mom's advice, and instead I ran away from home. She was right. And after all that happened, you were like life being handed back to me.”

Her words were like sunlight flooding into his entire being. Cade set his mug down and brought Rachel into his arms. She was soft and willowy, her lower body pressed against his. “Thanks for being so honest,” he said, moving his fingers across her brow to move a few strands of hair aside. He drowned in the wide blue eyes that shone with innocence. Somehow, he managed to tell the truth. “I love you, too, Rachel. I don't know when it happened, either. It just did. At first, because you came here to take care of Jenny, I thought I was reliving my first marriage. Later, I knew it had nothing to do with the past.” He smiled gently and cupped her face, “I fell in love with you for you. And God knows how long I've been sitting on this. Every time I thought I could tell you, something happened to stop me.”

His roughened hands made her flesh tingle. How good it felt to be cradled in Cade's arms. His voice vibrated with feeling. Rachel could see the love shining in his widening gray eyes. No longer was he the expressionless sheriff's deputy, but a man wanting to love his woman. Leaning up, she kissed his recently shaven cheek. And then, on tiptoes, her lips near his ear, she whispered, “I want to love you, Cade. Here. Now. I've never wanted anything more than you. And
I know it's the right time and place. Will you?” She pulled away to look into his eyes.

“You never have to ask, sweet woman,” Cade told her. In one movement, he picked her up off the floor and into his arms. Glorying in the way her arms settled around his shoulders, in the lovely smile in her eyes and on her lips, Cade carried her to their bedroom.

The stained-glass lamp on the bureau gave just enough light to the room. With a sigh, Rachel felt him nudge the door closed with the toe of his boot. The room was like a warm cocoon to her. Cade deposited her on the bed. The beautiful quilt over the top had been an heirloom from his great-grandmother. It was old, well-worn, much loved, and she absorbed the love that had gone into its making.

Cade sat down next to her. He grazed her reddened cheek. “Tell me what you want.” He grazed the line of her clean jaw and read the need in her slumberous eyes.

“Just love me, Cade. That's all I need or will ever want.” Her voice went low, uncertain. “I'm not saying I'm skilled at this….”

“Then we'll teach one another as we go,” Cade whispered, touched by her admission. Standing up, he began to undress. A sense of incredible inner power flowed through Cade as he unbuttoned his shirt, shed it and bared his massive, dark-haired chest. The look
shining in Rachel's eyes made him feel more potent than ever before.

Rachel felt her heart beating faster and faster as Cade removed each article of clothing. His body was powerful, shaped from a life of ranch work. The muscles of his arms and legs were well developed. When he stood naked before Rachel, her mouth went dry with anticipation. Clearly, Cade desired her. There was no mistaking that, and she dragged her gaze upward to meet his. Without a word, she sat up. There was a sense of momentary dread as she eased off the bed to remove the chenille robe. Rachel wore nothing beneath it. Would Cade find her ugly? Not beautiful enough to want to love? Rachel swept past her fear and found the courage to allow the garment to drop and pool about her feet. She stood naked before Cade's burning inspection. Anxiously, she searched his gaze, worried that he would reject her. Payson had called her body deformed and ugly.