Justice Undercover Read online

  “Culvert.”

  With no time to get back on the road, he sped up the far side of the ditch alongside a barbwire fence. T-posts scraped the side of his truck, the screeching sound announcing he’d need a new paint job. The teenage girl was frightened, no doubt, and slowed down to almost a stop, so he steered back onto the rock road.

  “You scared that girl half to death,” Kylie said. “What am I saying? You scared me half to death.”

  “Sorry. Better than getting shot.”

  His nanny looked behind them and cringed. “I hope that guy doesn’t hit her.”

  Luke glanced in his mirror, but all he could see was dust. They needed to get to a deserted location.

  An intersection appeared in front of them. A county highway.

  He looked both ways. Clear to his right, but a pickup pulling a cattle trailer approached from the left. No way to turn right without pulling out in front the vehicle, so he floored it. He’d have a good chance of losing his pursuer if he beat this truck.

  “Truck and trailer to the left.” Kylie pointed. “Stop.”

  “Hang on.”

  “You can’t make it.”

  It was going to be close. He repeated, “Hang on.” As Luke drew closer, he realized the truck and cattle trailer were going faster than he originally thought.

  The stop sign loomed in front of them. They couldn’t make it. He hit his brakes and jerked the wheel left. They skidded, spewing gravel. The driver’s-side front tire hit the ditch with a jolt, causing the truck to pitch.

  Kylie screamed and dug her fingers into the dash.

  Luke’s truck slid sideways on the loose rock and continued plunging forward. After he gained control, he hit the gas again and plowed into a hayfield. Square bales lined up in neat rows met him head-on. He hit one after another, straw exploding into the air and onto the windshield. Holes and bumps jarred them, but he aligned his truck between rows and they flew across the pasture, bouncing with every dirt clod they hit.

  His nanny’s hand went to her chest. “Too close. Way too close, Ranger man.”

  He cut his eyes her way, a smile tugging at his lips. He’d never been called that before. “Sorry if I make you nervous.”

  “Seriously? I haven’t seen anyone drive that crazy since high school. You need to lose this guy.”

  “I’m trying to do so without killing anyone.”

  Kylie looked out the back. “He’s still following us.”

  Two young men wearing cowboy hats stood beside a trailer full of hay bales and watched them tear by.

  The field ended at another rock road.

  When Luke turned right, two more shots split the air. Both missed. He flinched. If only he could drive and shoot at the same time. Hard to do with the target behind him.

  Kylie must have read his thoughts. “Do you have a gun?”

  “You know I do.”

  “Can I use it? Just to back them off.”

  He didn’t want his nanny to have to shoot, but better than killing some innocent bystander by wrecking their vehicle, and there wasn’t exactly time for them to switch drivers. “Have you ever fired a weapon?”

  “I have. Let me have it.”

  He retrieved his .357 SIG from the holster and handed it to her. “Don’t hit anyone. Aim for the grille of the truck. I don’t want you to hit wide in either direction.”

  She sent him a glare as she unbuckled and got on her knees. Taking aim, her body swayed with the truck’s movements.

  “Be careful.”

  She fired two quick shots. The black truck weaved, almost losing control. She got off another shot. The truck swerved again and this time the front end came down as the driver hit the brakes.

  “Good going. That should back him off.”

  She plopped back into the seat.

  “Here. I’ll take that,” he said and returned the pistol to his holster, relieved she didn’t get all squeamish or excited about using his weapon. “You did well. I’m impressed.”

  Kylie looked at him but didn’t say a word.

  A hundred yards down the road, they crossed the highway, then continued on the country road. With a check in his rearview mirror, he spied the black truck still in pursuit, albeit a little farther back.

  “I’ve had it.” Luke pushed their speed higher, searching for a place where no houses were in sight. They were still too close to town. For several minutes, they flew down the rock road at an unsafe speed. Something brown stood in the road up ahead.

  “Dog!”

  Luke jerked left and slammed on the brakes, barely missing the dog, and they bounced across the pipe cattle guard into a pasture entrance. A barn and cattle pens stood before them. When they came to a stop, Luke yanked his gun from the holster and jumped out his door.

  The black truck roared down the road in a dust cloud. Luke could see the moment the driver spied him in the pasture. The man hit his brakes and yanked on the wheel, spinning out of control. He clipped the cattle guard and went airborne.

  The truck landed on the passenger’s-side front tire.

  It rolled end over end before slamming into a pecan tree. The vehicle was now upside down, steam spewing into the air.

  A yellow Labrador retriever rushed across the road and commenced into a barking fit.

  Luke turned to Kylie. “Can you call Jax and give him our location?” At her nod, he moved toward the truck with his gun drawn.

  The Lab continued barking outside the driver’s door.

  “Good boy. Let’s see who’s in a hurry to die.”

  * * *

  Kylie climbed out of the pickup on the driver’s side and shuffled to the far side of the barn, out of sight. Even though Luke hadn’t asked her to remain in the truck, she didn’t think he was aware of her position. She needed to stay out of the line of fire.

  “Texas Ranger.” Luke aimed his gun at the driver. “Put your hands on the steering wheel.”

  Jax O’Neill’s truck whipped into the pasture, the lights flashing from the grille. He jumped out with his weapon in hand and jogged to the passenger’s side.

  The man inside the overturned truck did as he was told.

  While Jax covered him, Luke yanked open the door.

  “I’m hurt,” the male voice called out. “Don’t shoot.”

  “Nobody’s going to shoot you if you keep your hands where I can see them.” Luke holstered his weapon and moved to help the man.

  Kylie inched closer for a better look as sirens sounded in the distance.

  The gunman cooperated until Luke grabbed his arm. Then the man went berserk, screaming and flailing his arms. As Luke struggled to keep his hold, Jax pounced on the perpetrator. Luke handcuffed him while the shooter flung curses at them and continued to kick. “You’re hurting me. Stop. I’m injured. This is police brutality.”

  The man’s long, scraggly, dirty blond hair swung across his eyes as Luke helped him to his feet. He was of medium build and had a battered face littered with small cuts.

  Kylie, her heart beating wildly, squinted at the man’s flat nose and wide-set eyes, but she couldn’t put a name to the face. He was one of Hal’s men, she was sure of it. Finally, a connection.

  She yearned to get her iPad out of her Jeep to see if she could find this man’s file. His name was on the tip of her tongue. Jeremy. Jerry. Something like that.

  A Rocky Creek cruiser pulled up, followed by an ambulance with flashing lights. Kylie stayed back as Luke talked with the local police and Jax guarded their man while the paramedics checked him out.

  When questioned, the gunman’s only words were “I want my lawyer.”

  Almost an hour later, Luke returned to his truck. The ambulance had left over thirty minutes ago, but Kylie knew how long it took to process the suspect and do paperwork.

  The way Luke’s dark eyes fi
xed on her was unnerving. “How did you do it?”

  “What?” She swallowed.

  “Come here.” He motioned with his finger for her to follow. She trekked behind him as he strode to the black truck, now attached to a wrecker. “That.”

  Her gaze followed his pointed finger to the hood ornament. In her peripheral vision, she saw Jax standing off to the side, watching. Evidently, he was interested in her answer, too.

  “No bigger than a hand’s width.” Luke held his palm in the air, supposedly so she wouldn’t misunderstand. “I asked you to aim at the grille, and you put three shots within a four-inch diameter.”

  She shrugged. “I did as you asked. Don’t get huffy. I told you I knew how to shoot.”

  He squinted as he scrutinized her. “Yeah.” He turned to go back to his truck. “Let’s go.”

  As Kylie headed in his direction, Jax mumbled, “That’s fine shooting.”

  “Thanks,” she whispered and smiled. She hurried across the barnyard to catch Luke. She wanted to get back to his folks’ house and her laptop. No, wait, it’d burned. She’d just have to see what files she’d saved on her phone. Later, she could get her iPad from her Jeep. She wanted to find out this guy’s name.

  Luke started the engine. “Did you recognize our shooter?”

  “I don’t know his name, but he looked familiar.”

  “I thought the same thing.” He studied her. “How do you know him?”

  “I’m not certain. Maybe I’ve seen him on television, or he just has one of those faces.” She needed to be careful how she answered and not mention the endless files she’d gone through the last three years. “Did he have an ID on him?”

  “No.” Luke put his vehicle in Drive and pulled onto the rock road. “Rocky Creek PD came back a few minutes ago to say the truck was called in stolen two days ago from a ranch in the next county. No lead there.”

  The man at the zoo. The man who blew up her camper. This guy. Were they all Hal’s men? She needed to dig deeper. Maybe Hal had a new crew of criminals working for him.

  As Luke turned left onto the highway in the direction of town, she asked, “So where to now?”

  “I’m dropping you off at my folks’ and then I’m going to pay Alcott a visit.”

  Her head snapped around to look at him. “You’re going to check him out?”

  He nodded.

  “What made you change your mind?” Hope filled her. Hal, ever the do-gooder, had a long list of friends. Was it too much to think someone might believe he could be guilty?

  “It’s not like we haven’t looked at him before, Kylie.”

  Luke said it nonchalantly, but he wasn’t fooling her. Just like Hal had done to a lot of people, the killer had made an impression on Luke and his family.

  He continued, “Megan’s husband worked for him. We’ve overlooked something and I intend to find out what.”

  “I’d like to go.”

  “Sorry. No can do. Jax is meeting me. It’s simply too dangerous.”

  She had too much on the line to be left out of the loop. Like her life. Of course, Luke didn’t understand. “Drop me off at my camper so I can get my Jeep.”

  He sighed. “We were just chased and shot at. I don’t want you on the road by yourself.”

  “And that guy’s in custody thanks to your fancy driving and my good aim.”

  Luke shook his head. “Flattery works, but not in this instance.”

  “There’s no need to drive almost an hour to your parents’ place. The twins are safe.” Even as she said the words, doubt lingered. Luke’s dad used to be in law enforcement, but did Zoe and Braden need protection? “No one has seemed interested in the twins since the attack at the zoo. Which means they were probably never the target. I was. Besides, I want to see how much damage my Jeep and camper sustained in the light of day.”

  If her Jeep wasn’t drivable, she’d rent a vehicle. With or without Luke’s permission, she wanted to see Hal’s reaction to being questioned. She’d stay out of sight even if she had to go incognito.

  “Kylie, I wasn’t interested in you protecting the twins as much as I want you with my folks for your protection.”

  “Nonsense. I’m capable of taking care of myself.”

  Luke shook his head. “I want to be able to investigate without worrying about you being in danger. This makes the third attack in two days. I need to find out who’s behind this.”

  She needed to know, too. “Please drop me off at my camper. It’s not your job to protect me.” Actually, she could use his protection, especially dealing with a ruthless killer like Hal Alcott. In the police academy, they were always taught to depend on their team. There was no shame in relying on others, but until she could come out of hiding, she couldn’t explain why. Once she told someone her true identity, there was no taking it back. She needed to be sure Hal was behind these attacks, and that he’d be going to jail, for her to be safe.

  They were quiet as they traveled into town. Kylie made her plan to follow the Rangers. She wished she had a listening device so she could eavesdrop on their conversation. But there was no time to secure that kind of gadget.

  The more she thought about the twins, the more apprehensive she became. What if Megan’s kids had been the target? Kylie would never be able to live with herself if something happened to those two precious kids.

  The twins, or Hal?

  Please, Lord, guide me. I’ve waited for this moment for three years, and now that it’s here, I don’t know what to do.

  “I have no right to demand you go to my parents, but there’s no doubt you’re a target because of your connection to me. I’ll drop you off if you insist, but I don’t think it’s safe.”

  Since she didn’t know who the next pursuer may be, she wasn’t crazy about the idea of staying in a hotel. And since she wanted to be close to Hal, she didn’t want to stay far out of town. “Drop me off at my Jeep. I’ll go through my things, see what I’m missing, and then I’ll be at your parents tonight.”

  He rubbed the back of his head. “Okay. But Kylie, be careful.”

  They pulled into Wildwood RV Park and her camping spot a few minutes later. The charred remains and yellow police tape strung around the lot gave her goose bumps and reminded her of the Coffey family’s murder scene. Her Jeep was off to the side and looked worse in the daylight.

  “Let’s see if the vehicle can be driven.” Luke’s eyebrows drew in. They both got out and walked over.

  Her Jeep was over ten years old, but seeing its condition was frustrating. Two tires were completely melted and the rims were touching the ground. She walked around to the driver’s side and, surprisingly, it had received little damage. When she opened the door, an acid smell assaulted her.

  She opened the console, grabbed her Glock, stuffed it in her purse and shut the door. Then she retrieved her iPad out of a small tote from the back of her Jeep. “I need to have this vehicle towed to a repair shop. Probably need to replace all four tires, even though two don’t appear to be damaged.”

  “I agree. You’ll need new tires. The investigators should be through, but if this wiring is melted, it may not be worth fixing.”

  “Can you drop me off at the closest car-rental place?”

  “Sure. Come on.” Luke sighed. He started to open his mouth to say something, but must’ve changed his mind.

  She waited until they were back on the road again, and then asked, “How much do you think insurance would pay for that old Jeep?”

  “You have full coverage?” At her nod, Luke continued, “Probably not enough to replace it. Did you have insurance on the camper?”

  “I did. I called in this morning. They should have a claim adjuster out by the end of the day to look at the damage.”

  “I’ll be glad to pay your deductible. It’s the least I can do.”

  She off
ered him a smile. Why did everything out of his mouth make her feel guilty? Because he didn’t know her true identity. That’s why. Keeping a secret wore on her patience. Sometimes she feared she’d blurt out the truth to get it over with. Out in the open. Luke’s sister had been murdered, and now he feared for her safety and that of the twins. The Ranger didn’t need more added to his burden-plate. He’d been nothing but kind to Kylie.

  What would Luke say when he realized she’d been a Deputy US Marshal and had knowledge of Hal Alcott’s criminal activities?

  If she confided in him, would he keep her secret? Or would he be obliged to tell? “You and Jax are really close, aren’t you? You tell him everything?”

  “Jax is more than a coworker.” He nodded. “He’s like a brother. So, yes, I’d say we share most things.”

  She was afraid of that. And if he told Jax, chances were their whole department would soon know. As much as she wanted to let Luke know she may have information about this case, she needed to be certain Hal was behind Megan’s murder. Then, she would come clean. Hopefully, today.

  A few minutes later, he pulled into the car-rental place. “Come on. I’ll go in with you.”

  As they walked up the sidewalk, Luke said, “Stop.”

  She looked at him sharply.

  Luke took her hand and led her back to his truck, and then drew her close. He rested his hand on her bicep. “This is no good.”

  Heat from the contact burned her skin, and she automatically took a step back. Suddenly, she felt silly for letting his touch affect her. Surely, it was her nerves speaking.

  “I don’t want you to rent a car.”

  “What? Why?”

  He sighed and gazed into the distance. “I don’t like it.”

  Luke turned his attention back to her, and his eyes searched hers. “I don’t want you being alone. Not until we know what’s going on. Jax and the Rangers, as well as Rocky Creek PD, are investigating this case. I’m sure we’ll get a break soon. But until then...”