Once they were a safe distance away, he pulled to the side of the road. “Let me take a look at your hand,” Ranger said.
She flinched when he touched her fingers. “It hurts. Go easy. It was like hitting a brick wall when I got his backbone instead of his neck.”
“Nothing’s broken,” he said after a moment. “At least you remembered how to make a fist.”
“I remembered everything you taught me, but he ran before I could get to the N and G of that Sing move. Too bad. The guy could have used a good kick in the G.”
“You’re one helluva woman, Dana.” Before she could even think, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Feeling her melt against him, he pressured her lips to part, then tasted her slowly, deliberately, changing the angle of the kiss only to deepen it.
His fingers skimmed the column of her throat. Her pulse was beating wildly, and her soft sighs drove him crazy. With a groan, he let her go. He’d take her right there and then if he didn’t cool off. Whatever crazy feelings drew him to Dana were real and more powerful than he’d ever dreamed.
“Why…” she whispered breathlessly, running the tip of her tongue over her lips. She could still taste him.
Ranger settled into the driver’s seat, keeping his distance. “Wanting you is making me a little crazy,” he warned, an edge in his voice.
The expression of disappointment on her face was almost his undoing and he had to look away. “Let’s go to the house. You need to change clothes. Then we’ll set out again.”
SHE SHOWERED QUICKLY and changed clothes. The sweater had been smeared with Crazy Louie’s blood and was torn in places. She tossed it into the trash. She’d buy its owner another as soon as her life got back to normal.
Normal…would she ever have a normal life again? Her feelings for Ranger changed everything. Thoughts of him simmered in her mind, mingling with hopes and dreams. They persisted, even though she knew that giving in to those emotions would only distract and endanger both of them.
Dana joined him in the living room minutes later. As she saw his gaze traveling slowly down her frame, she had to work hard to squelch the flutter in her stomach.
“That brown, long-haired wig changes your looks completely. It’s perfect. Even if we run into someone who was at the fight, chances are you won’t be recognized.”
She held out her swollen hand. “This’ll give me away. It’s already starting to turn blue-even though I put makeup on it.”
He started to take her hand, then abruptly changed his mind and turned away, but not before Dana saw the flash of fire in his eyes. There’d been a burning there, a hunger her soul recognized.
As they walked out to the car, Dana remained a discreet distance away from him. He was still too much of a temptation. “Where to next?”
“The Back Alley. It’s a bar on the other side of town.”
She cringed. “More fights…”
“No, not at this place. The bouncers keep everyone under tight control. At the Back Alley the police are the enemy-and everyone has cop radar.”
“So what’s the plan once we’re inside?” she said, getting the idea fast.
“You’re my old lady, and I’m muscle who’ll do anything for money. With luck, we’ll run into whoever hires for Trujillo. Then we can check for known associates and that might give us a lead to the kidnappers. The tribal police believe the kidnappers were local talent and I happen to agree.”
“Okay, I’m ready,” she said.
He gave her the once-over again. “Let me do the talking. There’s something about you…a gentleness, a softness…It makes you stand out.”
She gave him a long look. “How many butts do I have to kick before you’ll give me some credit, huh?”
He laughed. “Play the cards you’ve got. Stick with the naive look. They’ll underestimate you.”
“Did you…at the beginning?”
“I wasn’t sure what was on the inside, but I liked the packaging. Still do,” he added in a rich baritone voice.
His words had felt like an intimate caress. “And do you know what to make of me now?” she asked in a whisper-soft tone.
He said nothing for several long moments. “You’re getting under my skin, schoolteacher,” he said at last. “I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or bad, but it’s a fact.”
It was more John Wayne than John Keats, but his words gave her a powerful rush. Yearning…she understood that emotion better now than she ever had before.
They approached the bar, which was located on a narrow side street in east Farmington a short time later. Ranger took a parking spot close to the door as another car was leaving. “Take a good, hard look at the people inside. If you see anyone we might be interested in, let me know.”
Once inside, Ranger chose a table that allowed them to keep their backs to the wall and still get a good look into the room.
“I recognize the bartender, and he knows I’m not law enforcement. For a Jackson, he’ll answer a quick question or two.
“Order whatever’s on tap for me, and something for yourself, while I go over to talk to him.” His eyebrows rose as he added, “Think you can stay out of trouble?”
“If you can, I can. Just don’t make me have to come over and save your behind,” she added.
He laughed. “Okay, sweetheart. You’ve got yourself a deal.”
Dana watched as he joined the bartender, then struck up a conversation. Though deep in discussion, Ranger would glance back at her often, making sure she was okay, and the gesture-and its intent-made her feel good.
A waitress in tight jeans and western-style shirt came over to take her drink order.
“Dana, I thought that was you! I love your wig,” she said.
Dana shifted her gaze and recognized the pretty young woman instantly. Jenny Miller worked as a teaching assistant at the school.
“Shhh,” Dana warned. “Nobody’s supposed to recognize me.”
“Keeping a low profile after being kidnapped? I don’t blame you,” she whispered, sitting down on the chair beside her. “We were all told you’d had to take a leave of absence for your own protection. But if you don’t want to be recognized, I better give you a heads-up. Coach Martin is here hoping to hook up tonight. He’s always had a thing for you, and that wig might just turn him on.”
Dana groaned. “Just what I need.” Looking in the direction Jenny pointed, Dana saw Martin flirting with a busty blond waitress. “Oh, good! I think he’s already making his move.”
“That’s probably just the first girl of the evening for him. Stay in the shadows. I’m engaged now, so hopefully he won’t try to hit on me, but Martin seems to like going from one woman to the next…kinda like the guy you came with.”
“You know Ranger?” Dana asked.
She nodded. “Sure. Heck, half the women around here have made a move on him. He’s a lot of fun, and a good guy, but he’s definitely not relationship material. I dated him for a while two years ago, but it didn’t work out. Same old story. I was getting serious-he wasn’t,” she said with a sigh.
Dana hadn’t been prepared for the news, though all things considered, she should have expected something like this. Ranger was smooth and that usually came from experience. A man with his looks and confidence was bound to have more than his share of opportunities.
“But don’t worry,” Jen continued. “Even when he stops calling or coming around, he’ll let you down easy. Ranger’s decent about the whole thing. Once he knew I was starting to get serious, he ended it.”
“Who’s he dating these days?” she asked, unable to resist.
“Last I heard, he was seeing three or four women. One of them is Linda McFadden, the anchor for channel eight news.”
The local cable news celebrity, besides having a degree in journalism, had curves in all the right places. Her early claim to fame had been as New Mexico ’s selection for a national beauty contest. “If he’s interested in her…”
“You think he won’t take more than a passing look at you?” Jenny said, finishing Dana’s thought. She shook her head. “First, you’re as pretty as Linda, and a heck of a lot smarter. But Ranger isn’t attracted just by looks. He met Linda while dating Chloe Vargas, the weather girl.”
Chloe was Linda’s polar opposite, and went counter to the old stereotype of the “all looks and no brains” weather girl often seen on major news outlets. Chloe was plain-looking and her only noticeable curves were around her bottom. Yet her intelligence and humor gave her an on-air sparkle that was responsible for her having landed the job.
“As I said, Ranger likes women,” Jen said in response to Dana’s surprised look. “No, let me amend that. Ranger loves women ll sizes and shapes,” she said. Lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, she added, “He and I never made love, but I’ve heard from a woman who shall remain nameless that once you’ve been with him, no one else quite measures up.”
That was possibly the last thing Dana needed to know. Her imagination had been working overtime. Now it was on hyperdrive.
“My source says that Ranger definitely knows how to use what nature gave him…and then some.”
Dana sighed openly. Despite all the reasons against it, he’d always been a temptation. Now it would be worse. But she had to stay focused.
Jenny turned, hearing her name being called, and saw the bartender motion to her with a toss of his head. “I better get back to work,” she said, taking Dana’s drink order.
As Jenny hurried away, Dana spotted Martin across the room, deep in conversation with a stunning black woman who’d just taken a seat by the bar. When he looked up, Dana ducked quickly, pretending to be looking in her purse. When she surfaced again, she saw that he’d moved with his new friend to an area where the patrons were playing darts.
Dana smiled with relief, but a man seated by himself two tables down smiled back, thinking her gesture had been directed at him.
The man, with wavy black hair and a big gold chain clearly visible in the spot where he’d left two buttons of his shirt undone, grabbed his drink and sauntered over. “Why in the world would any man leave a pretty lady like you all alone?”
She glanced at Ranger, but he was still talking to the bartender. When she turned back, “Wavy Hair’s” hand was on the table, still holding his drink. She could see a pale stripe around the left ring finger of the wannabe Romeo.
Thinking fast, Dana reached into her purse and brought out her small notebook and pen, then looked him squarely in the eye. “I’m a reporter for the Farmington Journal. I’m doing a piece for our lifestyles section on pickup lines men use when stepping out on their wives.”
“Oh…well, I’m not married so I can’t help you. Good luck with the story,” he said, picking up his drink and moving away quickly.
She was still chuckling, sipping the rum and cola Jenny had delivered, when Ranger finally joined her. “What was that all about,” he said, picking up his glass and taking a deep swallow of beer.
“I’ll tell you later. What did you get?”
“Not much, except that Trujillo himself has been here several times in the past few weeks, which was a surprise to me. Apparently, he started from scratch when he put his team together. But word’s out now, and those looking for work go straight to him. Have you seen any faces you recognized?”
“None of the men I’ve seen tonight were involved in the kidnapping.”
After they each took another swallow from their drinks, they decided to leave. They were halfway to the door when Jenny came rushing up.
“Hey, Ranger,” she said, beaming him a smile. “Barry said you’re looking for men Trujillo might have hired?” Seeing Ranger nod, she continued, her voice much lower now. “He’s got at least one guy on the payroll these days helping him screen out potential employees. The guy was in just last week. He wears some kind of uniform.”
“Military?”
“No,” she answered. “Works for the city, like in a shop. I recognized the city patch on his sleeve, but I was at the wrong angle to see the details.”
“Think hard, Jennifer,” Ranger said. “Can you give us anything more?”
She blew out a breath. “Just that the uniform was brown, like UPS, only a shade or two lighter. He was wearing a matching cap, too.”
“He could be in any of their shops, a utilities inspector, or even drive a disposal rig. Was he short or tall, fat or skinny?” Ranger pressed.
“He was sitting down. All I can tell you for sure is that he looked fit.”
“Like a weight lifter?” Ranger asked.
“No, more like a runner. He had a nice smile, too.”
Dana didn’t have to look at Ranger to feel his exasperation. “What made you notice him?” Dana asked, playing a hunch.
“That’s easy. Although he was dressed like a working man-no tie or white collar-he had expensive tastes. You know how I collect old-style money clips cause they remind me of my dad?”
Dana nodded.
“His looked like a real antique. It must have cost him a fortune. I was pea-green with envy when he peeled off a twenty for his tab.”
“A money clip?” Ranger repeated.
“Yeah, really beautiful. He held it out for me to take a closer look when he saw I was interested. It was gold and engraved with an intricate design, maybe an initial. And he had a gold watch that must have set him back five hundred bucks.”
After getting a quick description of the guy-unfortunately Jenny had spent her time looking at the money clip and watch, and couldn’t even remember the color of the man’s eyes-they left the bar.
A few minutes later they were underway. “As far as leads go, that’s a strange one, but I think I know how to follow it up,” Ranger said, turning toward a residential area. “We need to see a friend of mine who works for the city.” He picked up the cell phone. “Let’s just hope she’s home. If I remember correctly, Saturday’s her favorite night out.”
“A former girlfriend, and you still feel free to call and ask to drop by at this hour?” she asked, surprised. The fact that he’d remained friends with more than one woman from his past spoke well for Ranger.
“Do I detect a trace of jealousy in your voice?” he teased.
“In your dreams, guy.”
His grin widened. “Be careful what you wish for. My dreams are all X-rated.”
Her flesh prickled as her imagination fueled her already awakened desire. “Focus on business,” she said for her own benefit as well as his.
“You are my business.”
“The day I’m not, then we’ll talk more about our dreams,” she said softly.
“Count on it,” he answered with a nod. “And Dana?” She looked back at him. “I always keep my word.”