Zakia and the Cowboy

Evernight Publishing www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2011 Lorraine elson

ISBN: 978-1-926950-90-7

Cover Artist: LF Designs Editor: Emma Shortt

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATIO Zakia and the Cowboy, my debut novel, is dedicated to my online writing buddies and critique partners. Without you, I'd still be headhopping.

ZAKIA AD THE COWBOY Thunder Creek Ranch, 1 Lorraine elson Copyright © 2011

Prologue She hadn’t come home! He’d waited most of the night and she hadn’t shown. Looking around one last time, enraged because she had slipped away so easily, he picked the brightest red lipstick from the assortment displayed on the dressing table and left a message on her bedroom mirror, knowing she couldn’t miss it on her return. Satisfied that he’d done all he could for now, he scowled as he left the room, trailing the lipstick along the pristine walls of the main corridor as he walked. He allowed the fancy cylinder to drop from his black-gloved fingers, leaving a blood red spot on the pristine, sand colored carpet, before he turned and sauntered toward the exit. He was invincible! He came and went as he pleased with security none the wiser. Little Miss Perfect may have given him the slip today, but he’d find her. She can slow me down but she, and all her daddy’s money, can’t stop me from getting the revenge I deserve, and it’s overdue, way past overdue. You won’t escape me for long. That I can promise.

Chapter One

Zakia parked her vintage Caddy directly in front of the dry cleaning shop five minutes before its closing. She grabbed her purse, turned around and spoke to the boys in the back seat, “Casey, Cammy, get a move on. You know we need to hurry. Come with me so you can carry your backpacks.” “Why do we have to leave our friends, Mommy?” asked Casey. “Is this a vacation?” Cammy piped up. “Are there any kids where we’re going?” Casey added. The last question latched onto Zakia’s heart, squeezing it like nothing else could. Had Luke remarried? She swallowed past the lump in her throat before she answered. “I don’t know if we’ll find other kids there, Casey. At least you and Cammy have each other. We’re going on a sort of vacation. I told you both this morning. We’re going someplace special but it’s a surprise and I’d like to get going before dark.” Frustration and impatience had her mentally counting to ten to refrain from speaking too sharply. They entered the dry cleaning depot and she acknowledged the petite brunette working behind the counter with a wave. “Hi, Sam. We’re here to pick up our stuff.” “Hi, Zak. Good timing. The staff are gone for the day and I was about to lock up. Just let me finish hanging these clothes. They’re due for pick-up tomorrow. Hi, boys. Ready for your big adventure?” “Yeah.” “Guess so.” “Why so enthusiastic?” Sam asked, her mouth stretched in a teasing grin. “Mommy won’t tell us where we’re going,” Cammy answered. “And we won’t have anyone to play with,” Casey said. He scuffed lazily along behind his brother. “Well, maybe I can perk up your interest in traveling a little bit.” The boys stopped and looked up, anticipation evident in the upward tilt of their freckled faces as they waited for their ‘Auntie’ Sam to speak.

“There’s been a slight change of plans. Come with me.” Sam passed Zakia a set of keys and they made their way down the back stairs to the parking lot. “I couldn’t let you leave in that monstrous car of yours. It can be detected from a mile down the road.” “I happen to like my car, and I already agreed to switch vehicles with you, so what gives?” Zakia asked. She desperately wanted to leave town as soon as possible. “Now don’t go getting all huffy. No male in his right mind wants to go adventuring in a purple car, even if it is a Cadillac. Do you guys?” “See, Zak, my friend,” Sam said as the boys shook their heads. “The boys need a real vehicle to take their vacation in, so I convinced a friend of mine to loan you one with all the bells and whistles. The SUV is much better than using my old jalopy and comes with air conditioning, a super stereo system, five on the floor, and four wheel drive, in case you need to go off-roading. On top of all that, the boys get to watch a movie on the portable DVD player. We’ve even provided a few to help keep them occupied until you get to where you’re going. Here it is! Come see for yourself.” Casey ran toward the truck, his brother following close on his heels. Their gleeful shouts filled the air, but their exuberance was almost lost on Zakia as she stared at the mammoth hunk of metal before her. Sam stood in front of a huge, black beast so high off the ground Zakia felt she couldn’t possibly climb up into the cab. She walked around the vehicle in a daze and, although she could barely reach the door handle, noted there were side steps plus a grab bar to hang onto. The SUV also had tinted glass all around except for the front windshield. “Samantha?” She walked back around to where her friend was roughhousing with the boys. “I’m stunned you went to so much trouble.” “No trouble. I just wanted to make sure you and the little rugrats here enjoy a safe vacation.” She grinned as she ruffled the twins’ hair on top of their heads. “Now get in before someone happens to notice you back here and we lose the element of surprise.” Sam opened the door and hoisted the boys into the backseat of the truck. Zakia watched as her friend buckled them in securely and helped choose a movie for their trip. She tossed her purse up into the

cab to free her hands, laboriously scrambled up and settled in behind the wheel. Sam closed the rear door, running her hands nervously through her hair as she waited for Zakia to turn the key and put her window down. “Hand over the keys to your Caddy. I’ve arranged for a paint job while you’re gone. Those boys can’t continue to be seen driving around in a car that color and we need to keep it out of sight.” Zakia rummaged through her purse, grabbed her keys and passed them to her friend. “How can I ever thank you, Sam? You’ve taken it upon yourself to make this really work.” “Of course it’ll work, and remember, some friends of mine are joining me later to lead him on a wild goose chase. Just keep yourself and those gorgeous boys of yours safe. The things you stored here are already loaded in the back out of sight. I’ve also included a box of goodies, drinks and snacks, in case you guys get hungry.” “You’ve thought of everything. Thank you for being such a good friend, Sam.” “Thank you, Zak. You believed in me when no one else did. I figure this kind of makes things even. Don’t call or check in with anybody here. I’ll contact you with regular updates and notify you when the coast is clear. Speaking of which, this vehicle is equipped with a satellite phone. I’m the only one with the number. Give me your cell. I’ll take the battery out and leave it in your mailbox.” “No. Don’t go to my place. As soon as he’s aware that I’m gone, he’s bound to cause trouble. You know that. Just throw the phone in the garbage somewhere on the other side of town and don’t look back.” “Will do. The SUV is full of gas and ready to go. Any questions?” “None, except, what will you tell everybody?” “The truth of course. I haven’t seen you since Tuesday night when you stopped in to pick up your dry cleaning.” Zakia reached out and awkwardly hugged her friend. “See you when this is over, Sam. You’re the best!” “Don’t tell anyone. I wouldn’t want to spoil my reputation. Now, get going.” Sam jumped down off the running board and waved good-bye in response to the boys’ excited waves as they began their journey down the back alley with headlights turned off. ****

Sam returned inside, locked up windows and doors and went upstairs to her apartment. She kept the lights blazing for a long time. Zakia often came to visit, staying long into the evening with Zak’s parents picking up the twins for an overnighter. A couple hours later, Samantha donned a long blonde wig and the duplicate set of clothes the girls had prepared beforehand. She flipped the lock on the door, went to Zakia’s caddy and popped the trunk open briefly as she fiddled around at the rear of the car, got behind the wheel of the Caddy and drove away. Sure enough, another car, parked a few spaces behind, pulled out to follow. Few people around their end of town were aware of Sam’s stint with the armed forces, which ended early on a medical discharge. Once a soldier, always a soldier, was the way Sam thought. Defensive driving and strategic maneuvers had been drilled into her along with the fight or flight mentality. She could no longer hold her own in direct combat but she knew this city like the back of her hand, and the purple Caddy would look black in the dark once they were away from the glaring lights of downtown. Sam was actually looking forward to the imminent pursuit of the stalker. She wondered if the idiot following her was aware of a signal light burned out on his vehicle, making it much easier to keep track of him. Probably not, and by the time he figured it out Zakia would be long gone. Coming up to the preplanned intersection, she met two other Cadillacs identical to Zakia’s except, of course, for color. At the next intersection, four more waited to join the queue. They headed for the highway ramps, passing each other and playing a kind of leapfrog once on the highway until their follower wouldn’t have the slightest idea which car was which. They’d even removed the license plates earlier in case he had Zakia’s memorized. As the first Caddy exited the highway, their pursuer gave up, made a blatant show of speeding up to pass them, and continued driving into the night. The Caddy drivers all wore identical blonde wigs and honked and waved as he drove past. Sam and her comrades met up at the garage where Zakia’s car was to be stored for the duration. The garage, owned by a friend of Sam’s, was also part of an auto salvage set-up and the Cadillacs were all being allowed to ‘hide-out’ at the back of the yard until, or if, they were needed again.

Seven victorious women high-fived and hugged each other at their successful mission, then piled into a nondescript black van and headed downtown to celebrate their victory. Zakia had vetoed their original plan to surround the stalker and force him off the road. She’d made Sam promise that none of the girls would get hurt, which was more than likely if he fought back. So they played their game instead. Sam hadn’t had so much fun since leaving the army and she entered the bar in good spirits, ready to celebrate with her friends. **** So she wanted to play games now, did she? She hadn’t learned anything if she thought she was in control! With all the messages and presents he’d given her, she should be afraid. Doesn’t she realize yet who’s boss? She had a lot of nerve, trying to trick him this way. Doesn’t she realize I can get to her anytime? She was a creature of habit. He didn’t have to follow her every day to know what she did and where she went, but he so enjoyed watching her as she looked over her shoulder, frightened and confused. He would attack her through the children. That would be more fun. Spoiled little brats! She’d listen to him then. No one to distract her anymore. But where was she heading tonight? She may have outsmarted him this time but her luck was about to run out. He’d have a nice surprise waiting for her when she got home. She’d pay for this. She’d pay dearly.

Chapter Two

Zakia did not need to follow a map. She’d been over this road many, many times before. Except this time she needed to take a circuitous route that led southeast to Medicine Hat then west to Lethbridge. She circled around for a while before heading north toward the ranch. She drove slowly, allowing other vehicles to pass her. As far as she could tell, no one followed, so their plan had worked. She was so glad Sam and her friend thought to install the DVD player and movies. With her mind overrun with questions and her nerves strung tight as a drum, she wouldn’t have been able to deal with two rowdy boys and drive, too. The questions alone were enough to drive her crazy. Had Luke remarried? Did he have other children? Would he be glad to see her? Probably not. Would he help her? Urgh! With no one else to turn to and nowhere else to go where her and the twins would be safe, she hoped so. She wondered if he regretted not spending more time with her. Did he ever come to realize how much she hated all those long, lonely days with him out working the ranch? At first, the nights more than made up for it but later… well, she just couldn’t handle the isolation, or being treated like an outsider, as if she was unimportant alongside the running of the ranch. The ranch cook was the only person she saw from sunup to sundown, sometimes later if there was a problem on the range or one of the animals were birthing. What kind of reception would she get when she showed up on his doorstep? He’d be furious, would be her guess. What could she tell him to appease his anger when he found out about the twins? Better to stick to the truth, if he was willing to listen. Would he agree to help them? What would she do if he ordered her off the property? Where would she go? She glanced back at the kids. They’d finally dozed off. Good! The Luke she remembered always treated everyone fairly. What if he’d changed? What if he didn’t even give her a chance to explain? Could she blame him? Almost six years had passed, after all. He wouldn’t turn his back on the boys. Would he? No, he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. He loved kids.

Many times she’d picked up the phone to call but chickened out at the last minute. He was sure to think she was calling because she couldn’t handle being a single parent, when in truth she missed him desperately and believed he should know of the twins’ existence. But she was the one who’d left. Pride paid a big price when the time came to fess up. She was just as unprepared to face him today but necessity dictated. Bottom line, they needed his help. He had to help them… he had to! Please, God, don’t let him be married. Casey and Cammy were sound asleep when she pulled into the ranch yard. She had driven around for hours, trying to get up the nerve to approach Luke’s ranch. Her hands held a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel as she peered into the darkness of the yard. She couldn’t tell much by the glow of the headlights, but the house and yard seemed unchanged. She hoped for at least one welcoming light to shine through the house windows as she studied them, but none appeared and she belatedly remembered how early ranchers went to bed. Luke always rose before the sun. It was now nearing midnight and she’d resigned herself to sleeping in the truck when a faint light coming from the barn drew her attention. She thought it strange at this time of night and opened the door to get out and investigate when his silhouette appeared in the now open barn doorway. She’d know that stance anywhere. Zakia slid down to the ground to stand on shaky legs, closing the door softly so as not to awaken the children. Her pace slow as she rounded the front of the truck, she paused for a moment to let reality sink in. She was home. Strange to feel that way when she’d been gone so long but she now realized how much she’d missed the place, the country air, the smell of fresh cut hay… and the man. Once the shakes and numbness subsided, she strode purposefully in his direction. She felt his eyes on her as she approached, the stream of light provided by the bare bulb hanging behind him highlighting her journey yet keeping him in shadow. Only a few feet away from him she paused, her husky voice cutting through the quiet of the night as she simply said, “Hello, Luke.” Brisk and to the point, he acknowledged her presence. “Zakia. What brings you out here? Slumming these days?” Zakia sighed, hurt but unsurprised by his words. “I never considered living on the ranch as slumming, Luke. My leaving had

nothing to do with the ranch.” “It had everything to do with it. You left for a better and brighter social scene. Why are you here now?” “We’ll talk about my reasons for leaving later. Right now I have a long story to tell but the short answer is this…” Looking him in the eye as best she could in the near dark, she put all the emotion and desperation she could into her voice when she replied, “I’m in trouble, Luke. I need your help.” “Hah! If that’s all you came for you might as well head back to town. Daddy’s money always seemed to be more comfort to you than I ever was.” “That’s not true, Luke! As miserable as I was living way out here with only the bunkhouse cook to keep me company during the day, I was just as miserable alone in the city. I was packing to come back when the divorce papers came. I thought you didn’t want me anymore.” “Nice try, but I’m not buying. You left without a word or a warning and you show up again the same way. I don’t want or need you in my life. Now go. Get off my property.” **** Turning his back on her was the hardest thing he’d ever done, other than watching her drive away. She’d been sick that morning and he’d rode home on Prince at noon to check on her, only to pull up short as he’d seen her car pull onto the road. Frantic, he’d dismounted and ran into the house hoping to find a note, something, anything to tell him where she was going and when she’d be back. Nothing greeted him except an empty dresser and closet. Now she was back. Damned if she wasn’t more beautiful than ever. Her delightful teenage curves had filled out nicely, fulfilling the promise he remembered from their time together. “Luke, please! I came here because you’re the only man I trust who can help. I can’t leave until you hear me out. Then, if you still want me to go, I’ll be out of here so fast, you’ll wonder if it was all a dream.” As hard as it was to refuse her anything, even now, he had to for his own sanity. It had almost killed him when she left the first time. She wasn’t going to have the chance to do it again. “Trust? You wouldn’t know the meaning of the word. I don’t have time to listen to some trumped up story, Zakia. I’m busy.”

“Fine. I’ll talk while you work. What are you doing out here at midnight anyway?” “What do you care? You’ve never set foot in the barn before. Why now?” “If that’s the only way you’ll hear me out, then I’ll follow and explain while you work.” “I’m not interested,” he lied, wanting her all over again… wanting to know what brought her back to him in the dead of night. But he wasn’t about to make things easy for her. “Do us both a favor and leave before you get those dainty heels of yours covered in manure.” “No. I’m not leaving until you listen to me. These damned shoes are the least of my worries. So just listen, will you? I’ve never begged you for anything, Luke, but I’m begging now. You know the situation has to be desperate for me to come crawling back. Take time to enjoy the thought of my groveling, if nothing else, but hear me out. Please!” The truck door opened unexpectedly and one single word made Luke’s sarcastic retort die in his throat. “Mommy?” “Yes, sweetheart. I’m right here.” “Where are we? Why is it so dark out? Are we there yet?” “Cammy, get back in the truck. I’ll be there in a minute.” “But I gotta go. Where’s the bathroom?” “Go behind the truck, then get back in and watch another movie.” Luke could hear the boy giggling, probably at the thought of peeing outside. The childish voice warmed the darkness in Luke’s soul as Cammy said, “Okay, Mommy,” and disappeared behind the truck. “You named him Cammy?” “Cameron Lucas actually.” The meaning of the name was not lost on him. Both anger and disbelief exploded in his chest and he struggled to find his voice. “He’s mine?” At her nod, the anger exploded again—combined with something else he struggled to identify. “What kind of game are you playing? If he’s mine, why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, his voice menacing yet quiet in deference to the child within hearing distance. His fists clenched and unclenched spasmodically. Confusion

thrummed through him. Why the hell hadn’t she told him about the child? How could she have kept this from him for so long? The impulse to pull her close and welcome her home remained, but now it was joined by a strong urge to throttle her. “If, Luke? Of course he’s yours,” she replied. “I told you so in my letter. Who else would have fathered him? Like I said before, whether you believe me or not, the divorce papers came and I thought you didn’t want me… us.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I hoped and prayed with all my heart that you loved me enough to follow so we could talk things out, but you never did. Who knows why things happen the way they do? I sure don’t. I picked up the phone to call you hundreds of times, but always talked myself out of it, so I wrote you instead.” Cammy banged on the truck door, averting their attention as he hollered for help. “Mommy, I can’t reach the handle.” “Coming, sweetheart. You’d better come with me so I can introduce you,” she said, “but brace yourself for another surprise, Luke.” “We’re not finished with this, not by a long shot. You’ve got a lot to answer for in keeping my son to yourself.” Angry, stunned and confused, he followed her to the truck where Cammy waited. Luke feasted his eyes on the boy, taking in every feature of this small person he could now call son. Anger at Zakia intensified and he took a deep breath to steady himself, but before it had a chance to work another face popped up in the car. Shock punched Luke again and he looked from one child to the other. Clearly Cammy’s banging on the truck door had awakened his brother—for what else could the boy be—and as Zakia deposited him inside, both boys looked at Luke and then at her with questions in their eyes. Two sons! He could barely comprehend it. “Zakia…” “Boys, remember when I told you we were going someplace special?” she said, ignoring his muttered word. At their nods, she continued, “Well, we’re here and this is the person we were coming to see. This is your Daddy. Luke, I’d like you to meet Cameron Lucas and Lucas Casey, your sons.” “My sons?” he choked out. “Twins?” His chest filled with pride as he looked at the two little boys. “Identical twins? How can you tell which is which?” “Sometimes, they make it almost impossible, but you’ll

learn… that is… uh...” “Are you really our Dad?” asked Cammy. “Hey, your name is Luke, too,” said Casey. “Yeah. Hi, guys, glad to meet you,” he managed in a strangled voice. He looked back at Zakia. Everything had changed now—as she must have known it would the moment he saw the boys. “Take your things into the house. I’ll be up as soon as I finish in the barn.” She looked puzzled and he understood why. It was late for barn work. “Remember Rounder, our round-up dog?” At her nod, he continued, “She’s giving birth and seems calmer when I’m with her. So go in and make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He was almost grateful to the dog. A moment away from Zakia was needed. A chance for him to deal with all the emotions whirring through him. The knowledge that he was a father. Twice over. Her return… he didn’t know how he felt about any of it, or why the anger was dissipating slightly to be replaced by… joy? “Puppies?” the twins asked in unison. “Can we go see?” asked Cammy. “Please, Mommy?” Casey begged. Their voices ran over Luke and his heart swelled. He needed a moment alone but how could he deny them this request? Zakia waited for Luke’s nod before she answered. “You can come back to the barn after we take our things into the house.” “Ah, Mom,” protested Cammy. “Do we have to?” Casey asked. “Bring the boys into the barn. I’ll help unload the truck later,” he offered. Yes, he needed some time alone to figure out how he felt about being a father, but now that he knew about his sons, he didn’t want to let them out of his sight either. A chorus of “Yes!” and “Yipee!” followed from the boys. Watching their antics as they jumped and danced around, Luke couldn’t help but be amazed at their exuberance. He was also surprised when Zakia agreed to accompany them into the barn, although she admonished them to behave in a stern voice. “Rounder needs to be kept calm so you need to be quiet. Can you sit quietly while you wait?” “Why don’t you let them run off some energy while I go check on Rounder? If she’s okay, we’ll go up to the house for a snack and come back after. How does that sound, boys?”

“Yeah! Let’s go Casey.” “Why do you call him Casey?” Luke asked once they were out of earshot. “Because Lucas the Fourth is such a mouthful.” “I take it he was first born?” “Yep. By a whole two minutes. They came bursting into this world almost side by side. The doctor had to rearrange them slightly for ease of delivery.” He’d missed so much! “I wish I’d been there.” “Me, too, Luke. Me, too.” Taking one last look at the boys—his sons—Luke scowled at her again then went back inside the barn to check on Rounder. She was in the midst of birthing her first pup, so he calmed her down and went back for the boys. “Snacks will have to wait. Rounder can’t. She’s already birthed her first pup so come with me. Quiet now.” The trio followed him back to Rounder. They perched on a nearby bale of hay as directed and watched in awe as she gave birth to five more pups. Four were black and white like Rounder and two little ones were mostly golden brown with black and white markings on ears, tails and paws. They were all adorable and the boys hadn’t said a word as Rounder birthed and cleaned them up, until the pups nuzzled in and started nursing. The questions came tumbling out then and Luke watched as Zakia answered them, her voice maternal, filled with love and patience. It was a side of her he’d never seen before and, despite his anger, it touched something in him. “We should leave Rounder to her pups,” he said, after a moment. Zakia nodded and the boys left the barn, racing toward the truck. Zakia and Luke followed behind slowly. He turned off the lights as they left the barn, closed the door and accompanied her to the truck where he loaded up with suitcases then led the way to the front porch. The twins followed with their backpacks while Zakia carried her purse and the box of goodies from the front seat. Luke set the cases down at the foot of the stairs, took the box from Zakia and turned to the boys. “You guys can leave your backpacks here until we go upstairs. The kitchen is this way.” He flipped a switch as they entered the room and the kitchen flooded with bright light. Setting the box on the counter, Luke filled the kettle and put it on to boil. “Everyone like hot chocolate?” Shy

nods from the boys had him rummaging around in the cupboard until he located mugs, spoons and a tin of hot chocolate. A bag of miniature marshmallows from the pantry and he was good to go. He spooned hot chocolate mix into the mugs and added hot water, smiling as he topped each mug with marshmallows. Zakia unpacked the box of goodies and when she passed around a package of Oreos, his smile widened at the happy looks on the boys’ faces. “Are you really our Daddy?” asked Casey around a mouthful of cookie. “Well, you look like me and you’re named after me. You don’t think your Mom would lie about something as important as this, do you boys?” “No, sir. Mommy don’t lie,” Casey answered with an accusatory look at Luke. “Doesn’t,” she corrected. “Well, that settles it then. I’m your Daddy and I’m real glad you’re here. I just wish I’d met you sooner.” “You’re glad we’re here? Really?” Cammy asked. “Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?” he replied, immediately suspicious, wondering what Zakia had told them up until now. How had she explained his absence from their lives? Casey looked down at his half-eaten Oreo. “Mommy told us how busy you are. We don’t want to bother you or nothin’.” “Now that we’re here we can help,” Cammy said. “Yeah, so you won’t be too busy all the time,” Casey said, a serious tone to his voice. “I reckon I could use a little help around the place.” He cast a swift glance at Zakia then turned his attention back toward the boys. “Do you know how to ride a horse?” Casey nodded. “Yep. Mommy tooked us for riding lessons since we were four.” “She learnt too,” added Cammy. Zakia didn’t even attempt to correct the boys’ language this time, and he watched the red heat of a blush staining her cheeks as she studied the marshmallows floating on top of her hot chocolate. He had to give her credit. It seemed she’d tried to prepare the boys as much as possible for meeting their father one day. “Did she now?” Luke mused. “Well, an important part of ranch life includes knowing how to ride. Us cowboys need to get up

early. Can you handle that?” Zakia spoke up with a laugh, “Can they ever! They haven’t slept beyond six in the morning since they were born. When one is awake, they both are.” “It’s now past two in the morning so I’ll let you off the hook for tomorrow. If you do get up early, you can explore the house and barn with your mom but stay out of the corrals and the pasture. I don’t want you spooking the horses or getting Old Red riled up.” “You still have that ornery old bull? He should’ve been dog meat a long time ago.” Luke chuckled at the truth of her words. “Yeah, and he probably would’ve been if he didn’t make so many beautiful babies.” “Casey, Cammy, stay away from the bull pen,” Zakia warned. “What’s a bull-pen?” asked Casey. “It’s a huge corral behind the barn where I let my bull graze during the summer. Red’s too ornery for company and way too dangerous for two curious little city boys. Stay away from him and you’ll do fine.” “Why do you call us city boys?” Casey asked, a mutinous expression on his face. “Because up until now, that’s what you were. Once you learn the walk and talk the talk and know your way around the ranch, then you’ll be country boys.” The next words out of Casey’s mouth filled him with pride. “I want to be a cowboy just like you, Daddy.” “Me, too, Daddy,” chimed in Cammy, not to be outdone by his brother. “Mommy even bought us cowboy boots and hats.” “I’ll be proud to teach you everything you need to know about being cowboys,” Luke assured them, barely able to choke out the words. “How long are you staying?” he asked Zakia. “We’re not sure yet. I’ll explain everything after I get the boys to bed. Do your father and Cam still live here?” “No. Dad married widow Grayson and moved down toward Fort McLeod to take over running her spread. Uncle Cam took the year off. He’s on a working holiday to see as much of the world as he can ‘before he settles down’ as he puts it. He’s supposed to be home for Christmas.” “So Cam still lives here?” “On the ranch, yes, but not in this house. He built himself a

bungalow along the track leading back to the creek. Lovely spot.” “Does the front bedroom still have twin beds?” “Yep. It shouldn’t be in too bad a shape. Winnie, Dad’s wife, insists on coming out once a week to clean, dust and air the place out. I’ll dig out some sheets.” “That’s not necessary. The boys brought their own sheets and blankets. I thought it a good idea for them to have a few familiar things around them.” “You’re probably right.” Although he was talking to her, he couldn’t take his eyes off the boys. He had sons, two of them. Dad was a Grandpa. He’d be tickled pink. Zakia had a lot to answer for, keeping them to herself all this time. Luke, seeing one of the boys yawning widely, put a hold on his anger and chucked him under the chin. “Let’s get your stuff upstairs.” He watched as Zakia picked up their backpacks and a small suitcase then followed two sleepy boys as they climbed the staircase ahead of her. Luke, carrying the two larger suitcases, brought up the rear, enjoying the view every step of the way. He stood back out of the way, talking to the boys, while Zakia dug through one of the large cases, coming up with pajamas and toothbrushes. She then herded the boys down the hall, instructing them to change in the bathroom and brush their teeth. Luke found the bedding, made the beds and was in the process of putting pillowcases on the boys’ pillows by the time she returned. “Spiderman?” he questioned. “Yeah. Everything is either Spiderman or Cars at the moment.” “Cars? As in to play with?” “No, Cars, as in the movie. Haven’t you seen it?” “Uh, no. Kids movies haven’t been on my list of priorities in recent years.” The anger returned and he shot her an accusing glare. “But they could’ve been if I’d known. Was marriage to me that bad that you’d purposely keep me in the dark about my sons?” “I’m sorry, Luke. We can’t go back. No matter how much I’d like to. All we can do is move forward, if possible. I’ll explain later,” she said as hurried footsteps could be heard coming back down the hall. He watched as Zakia reached into a suitcase and pulled out a

storybook. They tucked the boys in and kissed and hugged goodnight, something Zakia had previously deprived him of. Anger, swift and hot, boiled up again at the thought. “Ready for you story?” “Almost. Where can we find you when we wakes up, Mommy?” asked Casey. Luke answered for her. “She’ll have the room right across the hall so you can find her real easy.” “Danny’s Mommy and Daddy sleeped together,” said Casey. “In the same bed. Is that your room, too?” asked Cammy. “No. Your Mom and I haven’t seen each other in a long, long time. We have to get to know each other all over again. Understand?” “Oookaay. Ready for your story now?” Zakia asked, as she sat on the edge of the bed nearest the door. He was sure he could see a blush. At their nods, she began to read. Luke leaned against the doorjamb, mesmerized by the sound of her voice as she began to read a bedtime story about a family of bears. She’d barely turned the second page when their eyes closed and after three more she stopped reading. They were fast asleep. She stood and turned on the night light before turning off the overhead light, then quietly left the room, closing the door behind her. “I know we need to talk, Luke, but can it possibly wait until morning? I’m beat.” “So am I, Zakia, but I need the answers to a couple of questions. Why have you kept my sons away from me? And why did you decide to come out here now, in the middle of the night? What kind of trouble are you in?”

Chapter Three

“The frightening kind. Someone has been stalking me. He’s getting bolder and I’m afraid he’ll try to get to me through the boys. I had to do something and I knew they’d be safe with you if anything happened to me. And I did write to tell you I was pregnant but all I got in return were the divorce papers.” “I didn’t receive any letter. And thanks for the vote of confidence after all these years, but why not go to the police? Why me?” “The police have been aware of the stalking since the beginning,” Zakia replied. “They don’t have any idea how he comes and goes without being detected and he hasn’t left any clues for them to go on. Every incident results in a dead end. Dad hired security and bodyguards and had a state of the art security system installed which rings straight through to the police station, but this guy still gets in and out without being seen and without tripping the alarms. He follows us everywhere but the police can’t catch him. He’s always driving a different car. I don’t know what or who to watch out for. It’s spooky and I’m scared to death, for myself as well as the boys. My only hope was that this guy wasn’t aware of our past or the ranch. So I came here. Will you help me, Luke?” “Yes, of course I will. We might not be married anymore but you’re still the mother of my sons. I apologize for being hard on you earlier but it was quite a shock having you show up like that… and then finding out about the boys. Why, Zakia? Why didn’t you tell me?” “I intended to try again when I found out I was having twins, then again when they were born, but rejection is hard to take, Luke. Maybe you have every right to be mad at me. I don’t know. What I do know is that I need your help, desperately. Can we save the rest until morning?” she pleaded. He searched her eyes for the truth, really seeing her for the first time since she’d arrived, and took note of the shadowy circles under her eyes, fear residing in the emerald depths. “Okay, it’s enough that you’re here. Right now, you need a bed. You look like a good stiff wind would knock you over.” He picked up her overnight

case and stepped across the hall to the other spare room. “I’m tougher than I look.” He switched on the overhead light and turned to her. She looked as beautiful as he remembered, and only now, now that they were alone, could he drink that beauty in. Sure, he was still angry. She’d kept his boys from him, but at the same time, he felt happy. It was an odd combination and it took him a moment to take it all in. “I’ve dreamed of your return every night for all these years,” he said, honesty compelling him to do so. “But the reality overshadows the perfect remembrance of every single one. You’re still as beautiful as ever, Zakia.” How could she doubt he would help her? He’d loved her once, so much, and now for her to return with his sons… Of course he would do everything in his power to protect them. “Welcome home, Zakia.” It then seemed perfectly natural for him to take her unresisting body into his arms. He held her close and kissed her before letting her go. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here, even though you’ve royally ticked me off by keeping my sons away for so long.” “Thanks, Luke. I’m glad I’m here, too.” “Do you need anything?” “Just sheets and a blanket. I didn’t bring mine,” she replied. “You should find everything you need in the linen closet in the ensuite bath. I’m going out to check on Rounder and her pups but I’ll be sure to lock up before going to bed. I’m in the master bedroom now if you need anything else.” “Thanks, Luke. I appreciate this.” “Get some sleep. Those circles under your eyes look like they’re trying to take up permanent residence. I suspect you haven’t been sleeping much with everything going on.” “Not much, no.” “Then sleep well tonight, Zakia. I hope I don’t have to convince you that you’re safe here. Sleep in if you can. Good night.” “Thanks, but the boys will probably still be up early. I won’t put the lock on in case they wake up scared and come looking for me, as they usually do in a strange place. Nite, Luke.” Luke stood outside the closed door, trying to figure out how he felt having Zakia back in his life. To hold her in his arms again had sure felt good. Even mad and disappointed in her like he was, he’d

still wanted to escort her to his room down the hall and take up where they’d left off years ago, but she was under enough pressure right now. It was enough that she trusted him and came back… for now. He’d let it ride for a day or two and see how things worked out. In the meantime, she’d be a lot easier to resist if she would just lock the damned bedroom door. Man, oh man, he was tempted. Real tempted. It had been a long time. No one had ever stirred his interest and turned him on as Zakia did. He backed away from the door, turned and kept putting one foot in front of the other until he reached the main floor. One step at a time, he made his way to the barn. Rounder got to her feet and disengaged her puppies, walked over and nudged his hand in greeting. “Those sure are beautiful puppies, Rounder, old gal,” he praised as he patted her back. “You became a mother and me a father, both on the same day. Who would’ve thought? But maybe Dad and Winnie can do us both a favor and leave Whiskey home the next time you’re in heat. Right girl?” Rounder woofed in agreement and tugged at the sleeve of his shirt, her way of telling him she was ready for a walk. “All right, enough talk. Let’s go.” They left the barn and walked in the direction of the road. Rounder sniffed at the bushes and the full moon guided their steps as Luke tried to figure out who Zakia’s stalker could be, which was useless. He knew nothing of her life since she’d left the ranch. He had friends who were officers with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He’d have to alert the local detachment in case of trouble, yet keep a low profile in the hopes this guy would give up. Not likely though. For whatever reason, Luke believed Zakia’s story, and she claimed this had been going on for a while now. The fear in her stance and her eyes told their own story. Yes, he believed her. He only wished she’d come home for different reasons. Luke returned Rounder to her pups, closed up the barn and walked in thoughtful silence around the back of the house to the kitchen door. She’d said she written to him, but since he’d never received a letter, he figured she was lying about that part. He locked up, something he rarely did, secured all the downstairs doors and windows, then went into his office to send off a couple of emails. Once finished he took the stairs two at a time, pausing for the briefest moment outside her door, sorely tempted, then continued to

his bedroom and got ready for bed. As he crawled naked between the sheets, his thoughts were on the woman down the hall and her dramatic re-entry into his life. Remembering the feel and taste of her as he held her in his arms and kissed her, soon had him back up and headed into the bathroom for a cold shower. When he once again crawled into bed, he determinedly focused his thoughts on his sons, falling asleep with an abundance of love in his heart and a smile on his face. **** When Zakia woke up and found the boys’ room empty, she stood in the hallway and listened. Belting her robe tighter, she followed the sound of childish laughter, and happened upon the three males wrestling in Luke’s huge, king-sized bed. Her eyes filled with unshed tears of happiness at the picture they made. The sheet barely covered the man as he played with his sons, drawing her attention to the man himself. Zakia was not prepared for the sight of his near naked body; his upper torso heavily muscled and burnished a dark gold from his hours working the ranch in the heat of the summer sun. She stood and drank her fill, delighting in the memory of his body joined with hers, wanting until she ached with need and her legs were on the verge of collapsing. If she stood in one spot any longer they would never support her long enough to move away from the door. “I can’t tell you apart yet,” she heard Luke say. “How about you wear different colored shirts?” “That’s a terrific idea,” she agreed, drawing their attention. “Hi, Mommy. We let you sleep,” said Casey. “Yeah, ‘cause we knowed you was tired. Can we have pancakes?” Casey nodded. “Yeah, we’re hungry.” As if they were ever anything else! “Maybe. I’ll meet you downstairs as soon as I’ve had a chance to shower and dress.” The twins raced off down the hall and Zakia started to follow. “I’m sorry, Zakia,” Luke said, stopping her in her tracks. “Were we too loud? Did we wake you?” “No, not at all, but I’m a little at a loss here,” she replied. “The only man they’ve ever been close to is their grandfather, and they would never dream of venturing into his bedroom. I don’t know what got into them this morning. I expected they’d wake me, not you.”

“This was quite a treat for me. I pretended sleep and listened to their discussion. Their conversation was enlightening to say the least,” he grinned. “I can just imagine. What did they say?” “Oh, nothing much. Just that I must have had an accident sometime during the night.” “What? Why? Oh, the pyjamas!” she quickly put a hand to her mouth trying in earnest to stifle the laughter. “Or lack thereof,” he stated dryly. That did it! Zakia could hold back no longer and her laugh rang out as she found herself wracked with genuine amusement for the first time in weeks. Luke joined in the laughter and she was amazed to see the old Luke so carefree and full of life. Suddenly the air grew tense and the mood turned serious as she realized how easy it would be to fall into bed together. “I better get dressed,” she said as she backed away. “Running again, Zakia?” “Yes, Luke. Only this time I ran toward you instead of away. I’d love to stay and ‘chat’ but the boys want their breakfast.” She saw the moment understanding dawned by the enlightened expression on his face. “I’ll be down in a minute.” **** Luke enjoyed seeing her soften, her entire posture relaxed and her gorgeous emerald eyes lit up in mirth. She’d looked more like the Zakia he used to know and it left him wondering if she would’ve crawled into his bed if the boys had been elsewhere. But would it have been out of desire or gratitude? The thought left a decidedly unpleasant taste in his mouth. He was as red-blooded as any other man, and he certainly desired her, but he didn’t want her gratitude… not that way, and not yet. They had plenty of unfinished business to clear up first. When Luke entered the kitchen, the combined scents of pancakes and sausage made his mouth water. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee topped it off. The boys looked up from their breakfast, mouths full, and motioned for him to sit down between them. He nodded agreement before walking over to pour himself a cup of coffee.

“I hope those pancakes taste as good as they smell. When did you learn how to cook?” “Soon after I moved back to the city,” Zakia replied. “Our cook took pity on me. Told me if I ever wanted to keep a man I had to know how to appease both appetites. I guess she thought you’d thrown me out due to my lack of domestic abilities and Della took it upon herself to teach me how to cook.” “Good for you. Everyone should know the basics. Did you ever tell her the difference?” “Nope. Didn’t want to lose my teacher.” She grinned. “I’d learned the basics from you and your bunkhouse cook, remember. Out here, cooking became something I had to do, which took the fun out of it. Della taught cooking as an art. I found her methods exciting and loved every minute of her tutoring. I grew to love cooking so much, I began catering parties.” “Does your business do well?” “Extremely well, except… ah… once all this started, I didn’t dare go out in the evenings.” “We’ll need to talk about that a little later. Is it okay if I take the boys out to visit the pups after breakfast?” “Sure. They asked if they could go already, but I told them to wait for you.” “I’m glad. I’ve missed so much already and I need to spend time with them.” “I know, Luke. I hadn’t realized how much they needed you in their lives until I watched them roughhousing with you this morning. I’m so sorry.” “No need to keep apologizing,” he said, because there wasn’t, not if they wanted to move forward. “What’s done is done. We’ll take it from here and do the best we can. Now, where’s my breakfast?” he demanded in a grumpy, yet teasing voice, making the boys laugh. Zakia passed him a plate piled high with pancakes and surrounded by sausage. He walked over to sit in the vacant chair between the boys, talking nonsense while dousing his pancakes in pure maple syrup. **** Zakia listened to the jokes, their nonsense and laughter filling the ranch kitchen, and felt the tension of the past weeks ebbing away as if it had never been. If only she’d come back sooner… or not left at

all, maybe none of this stalker stuff would have happened. Taking her plate to the sink and pouring herself another cup of coffee, she motioned the pot in Luke’s direction. At his nod, she refilled his cup before replacing the pot on its stand. She rested her back against the counter, took a sip of her coffee and got her first good look at the kitchen. Now that breakfast was over and she had a minute to relax, she noticed many changes. Cushion flooring, patterned to resemble hardwood flooring, replaced the worn oilcloth of years ago and a new dishwasher perfectly matched the fridge and electric stove. The wood-burning stove, it’s black cook top clean and shiny, still stood where it had always been, but didn’t seem as intimidating now as it had to a teenage bride. Someone had enlarged the kitchen window next to the table to let in more light. The larger size allowed for a breathtaking view of the fields and woodlands beyond. “Do the renovations meet with your approval?” Luke asked when the boys went to wash up. “Yes, this is quite an improvement. The kitchen is beautiful, more spacious and full of light, especially with the sunshine yellow of the walls accented by the butter yellow curtains. When did the changes take place?” “Shortly after you left. I came in from the barn one day and saw the place through your eyes. It wasn’t pretty compared to what you’d been used to. Needing to keep busy, I just about drove Dad and Uncle Cam crazy during the renovations. I went at the kitchen like a man possessed, wanting to complete the transformation before… well… I never did give up thinking you’d be back some day.” “Oh, Luke….” “Don’t say it. No more apologies. I could have gone after you immediately but my pride got in the way. I think I can understand why you left, Zakia. What I can’t understand, and may never be able to forgive, is missing those years with my boys. Damn it! I’m their father and I can’t even tell them apart. Do you know how that makes me feel?” “Trust me,” Zakia laughed, trying to lighten the mood, “By the time today is over, you’ll know.” But seeing the innocent look on the boys’ faces as they came back into the kitchen, Zakia wasn’t so sure. “Don’t be playing tricks on your father today, boys. He really wants to get to know you… each

of you. Got it?” Luke sided with them automatically. “All little boys play tricks, don’t they guys?” Amused by his easy acceptance of boys and their tricks, she knew he was in for a surprise sometime today. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Have fun.” A chorus of ‘hoorays’ followed in their wake as the boys ran ahead to the barn. Zakia was certain the twins had mischief in mind. One of their favorite tricks was trading places. As they always wore the same clothes, it was easy to accomplish. Today they’d have to change shirts at least. She smiled to herself, knowing she’d tried to warn him, then tidied up the kitchen and went upstairs to make beds and unpack. Armed with a couple of her favorite cookbooks, Zakia took inventory and, once decided, set about making some peanut butter cookies for snacking and an apple pie for the night’s dessert. By the time the baking was done, she needed to cook lunch. Hot dogs and home fries were standby favorites for the twins. When lunch was ready, she left everything on warm and went to find Luke and the boys. On her way to the barn, she witnessed them scampering between fence rails. Of Luke, there was no sign. She hollered, but they either didn’t hear or chose to ignore her. Running across the hard-packed earth of the drive, she lost purchase and almost fell in the soft earth near the barn but strong arms reached to grab her and steady her on her feet. “Why are you trying to run in those shoes?” Luke questioned. She pointed. “I saw the boys duck between the railings over there. Please tell me that’s not the bull pen.” “That’s not the bull pen.” She sagged in his arms, letting out the breath she hadn’t been aware of holding. “Thank you. I was so scared when I saw them duck inside.” “I assure you, the boys are in no immediate danger. Come on. Walk over with me and see for yourself.” “I’d better get back to the house. These shoes were definitely not made for traipsing around a barnyard. You can let go of me now. I only came to find you because lunch is ready.” ****

Frowning, Luke released her, remembering how little interest she’d taken in the ranch years before. Some things didn’t change, no matter how much you wanted them to. “Then go back to the house. I’ll get the boys.” His words were much sharper than he intended, but he couldn’t help it. Pride in the ranch and what he’d accomplished since he’d taken over the running of it, made her lack of interest hurt. He turned his back on her to get his boys. At least they were excited to be here, interested in him and the ranch. Lunch would have been a quiet affair if not for the constant chatter provided by the twins. At times, they reverted to a different language and there was no way he could follow or understand what they were saying. Glancing over at Zakia in confusion, she started to giggle. “What’s so funny?” he asked. “You seemed kind of spooked for a minute.” “Not spooked, exactly, but surprised, definitely. What language are they speaking?” “I call it ‘twin speak’ as the twins are the only ones who understand what they’re saying. Their pediatrician says it’s normal for multiple birth siblings to develop their own way of communicating. Most of them give it up once they learn to speak properly, but for some reason known only to them, these guys haven’t.” “Amazing. Just how smart are they?” “Very. They’ve never been tested properly, only the routine preschool stuff, but the evaluators say they’re both ahead of their age group. It sure takes a lot to keep one step ahead of them most days.” “Yeah, I already figured that one out. Thanks for trying to warn me this morning. I should’ve paid more attention.” “Traded places to confuse you, didn’t they?” “Yep. Pretty good at it, too,” he admitted. “How did you catch on?” “When the ponies arrived, I said, Casey, this one’s yours. Pick out a name, and the boy with the wrong shirt came running.” Zakia began to laugh but quickly squelched it. “Ponies? You got them ponies? How? When?” “Don’t look so stunned. You told me yourself they were good riders. My horses are all too big, so I emailed a friend of mine and had two ponies and saddles delivered this morning. You would’ve seen them for yourself if you’d walked over to the paddock with me.”

“I’ll check them out after lunch. I unpacked my case but my boots must still be in the truck. These shoes sank in the dirt too bad to walk any further this morning. I didn’t want to chance spraining an ankle. Thanks for asking though. It meant a lot that you wanted me to see part of your ranch.” Stunned, and not quite believing what he’d heard, he took her hand in his. “I didn’t think you were interested in the ranch, then or now.” “I’ve always been interested in the ranch. It’s such a part of who you are. How could you have thought otherwise?” He noted the sudden silence and looked toward the boys. Avid interest shone in their eyes and their expressions. Unsure if a reconciliation was in their future, and not wanting to get their hopes up just yet, he spoke in an undertone to Zakia, “We’ll discuss this later.” He turned toward Cammy and Casey. “Boys, you can’t fool me anymore. I know your secret now.” “What secret, Daddy?” “Yeah, what secret?” “Casey’s eyes are bluish-green and Cammy’s greenish-blue. I can tell who is who now.” “As long as they’re side-by-side. One on one it’s not as noticeable,” Zakia said. “I’ll know,” he stated firmly, and thought about how adorable they were, with their reddish-blond hair cut short and freckles sprinkled liberally across little noses. The boys giggled and played along, lapsing into ‘twin speak’ once again. Luke smiled indulgently at his sons but his thoughts centered on Zakia. Part of him glad, gloating even, because she’d come to him for help; another part afraid and angry. When she’d left the first time, she’d taken his heart. He’d almost killed himself working the ranch at all hours, trying to assuage the hurt that never seemed to heal. Now she’d come back. He watched her in his peripheral vision, wondering how she could sit there looking so innocent when she’d purposely denied him his sons. She’d better plan on staying for the long haul this time. No way was she taking his boys off this ranch now that he knew they existed. “Okay, guys. Lunch is over. Do you want to play on the swing in the backyard?”

“Swing!” they both said at the same time. At Luke’s nod, they made a beeline for the back door. “Is it safe for them to be outside on their own? What if the bull gets loose?” “Old Red will stay put. He’s not in heat and has everything he needs in the pasture. If I know Rounder, and I do, she’ll be running back and forth checking on the boys and her pups. She won’t let them run off anywhere. Besides, the swing is right outside the kitchen window,” he said, pointing in the general direction. “What if the stalker followed us somehow?” “Rounder will alert us if a stranger lurks nearby, but there’s been no sign of anyone hanging around. Now relax while I clean up the dishes.” “I’ll help,” she said, getting to her feet. “You cooked lunch.” “And you gave me my first morning off without kids in weeks.” “Did you sleep okay last night?” he asked. “Surprisingly, yes.” “Why surprising?” “My mind has a habit of not shutting off when I want it to,” she answered, her lip curling up in a frustrated snarl. “I know the feeling. You weren’t worried, were you?” he asked, perplexed at her coming back if she didn’t truly think he’d keep them safe. “No. For the first time in weeks it wasn’t fear keeping me awake.” “Good. What then?” “Being back at the ranch, I guess. Everything’s the same yet different.” “Yeah, having you here is different. We need to talk. Are you ready?” he asked. “Where do we start?” “Wherever you want to… your leaving, the pregnancy, their birth,” he suggested. She appeared deep in thought, then started talking. “I suffered a prolonged bout of illness right after the twins were born.” “What happened?” he asked, not quite able to mask his concern.

“One day I was fine, the next I was in a diabetic coma.” “What! Why didn’t your parents contact me?” “I don’t know the answer to that, Luke, except to say they probably thought they were honoring my wishes.” “Were they?” “No, not really. They didn’t know I’d planned to call you. By the time I came out of the coma, it just seemed a little too late.” “Too late to let me know I was a father?” “Too late to let you know I wanted to come home. I was sick for a long time, Luke. We couldn’t get my blood glucose to stabilize and I needed to stay with my parents and be close to the hospital, just in case. On top of that, I had post-partum depression and was tired all the time, unable to cope with the needs of two infants. Thank God for Mom and Dad. They took care of the boys and me for a good six months after they were born.” “Did you think I wouldn’t understand?” he blurted. “I thought you’d be angry and I couldn’t deal with that, not then. The doctor warned me against getting stressed out as it could cause my sugars to go crazy again. I sure didn’t want to end up in another coma so I made the decision to stay away until I had totally recovered and stuck to it. I knew I’d contact you again one day, but had no idea when and the longer it went on, the guiltier I felt, especially when the boys started asking where their Daddy was.” “You should’ve told me anyway. I would have been there for you, for the boys.” “How, Luke? You wouldn’t leave the ranch and I couldn’t leave the city.” “We could’ve worked something out,” he stated, annoyed because her words made sense. “I’m sorry, Luke, but other than occasional visits that would have torn us both apart, there was nothing else I could do. It was months before I was well enough to cope with the hand I’d been dealt, but I admit to being selfish too, wanting you to come for me because you loved me, not out of a sense of duty… but you never did.” “I’m sorry, Zakia. Stubborn pride and working the ranch were my only excuses at first. When it finally sank in that you weren’t coming back, I did drive up to see you. It was about a month after you’d left.” “You did? No one told me.”

“No one saw me. I parked on the street, trying to get up the nerve to approach you. I started the truck to pull into your parents’ driveway when another car pulled in. Some guy in a blood red Jag brought you home and I watched as he got out and walked you to the door. That’s when I knew it was over. I left and went to see a lawyer the next day so you’d have your freedom, but it darn near killed me.” “Oh, Luke,” she said, reaching out a hand to touch his face, “That must have been difficult for you, but I wasn’t seeing anyone.” “You weren’t? Then who was that guy?” “Lance Kildare. He works for Dad and needed an escort to some function or other. Mom and Dad set me up to get me out of the house.” “Damn. I feel ten kinds of a fool. We’ve wasted so much time. Where do we go from here?” “I don’t know, Luke, but it sure feels good to be home.”

Chapter Four

Candy and Dandy were the names the boys decided on for their ponies and they were constantly begging to go for a ride. “No more tricks?” Luke asked. “Uh, uh.”, “No way!” they chorused, their faces solemn. “Okay. What do you say, Zakia? Want to take these two little tricksters for a ride?” “I’d love to. Give me a few minutes to find my boots. I think I left them in the truck.” “I’ll check the truck while you get your hat. You bought yourself one too, didn’t you?” “Of course! No cowgirl should be caught on a ranch without a hat,” she replied. “It’s in my room. Be right back.” Luke found the boots in the back of the truck. They were still in the original packaging and they were white! What person in their right mind would buy white leather boots to wear on a ranch? Shaking his head, he was about to close the back door when he spied another box further back. Thinking it was something else she might need, he pulled off the blanket that partially covered the box and discovered two more pairs of boots. One in black leather and the other pair a tan brown. He balanced all three boxes in one hand, closed the door of the truck and whistled his way to the house. She wouldn’t have bought so many pairs of boots if she didn’t plan on staying. Would she? He entered through the mudroom taking the back door into the kitchen and there he stopped dead in his tracks, whistle and all. Standing in front of him was the sexiest cowgirl he’d ever seen. A white Stetson graced a thick, wavy mane of golden honey that flowed over her shoulders to caress breasts encased in a light blue sleeveless snap shirt, tucked into skin tight, low riding Levi’s. Stunned and breathless, he could only stand and stare until the giggles of the twins and Zakia’a self-conscious fidgeting brought him back to reality. “Lady, you make one heck of a cowgirl. Now get your boots on and let’s ride,” he teased, his message full of innuendo he couldn’t voice in front of the kids. “I think you need this pair.” He placed the

other two on the counter in order to remove the fancy white leather boots. The minute they were outside the twins raced ahead to the barn to get the saddles for their ponies. “Hey, guys. Where’re you going?” Luke asked. “To the barn,” answered Cammy. “To get our saddles,” Casey said. “You want to carry them out to the horses?” As they nodded their heads, Luke removed his hat and scratched his head, saying, “Okay, if that’s what you want to do, but your Mom and I are going to get our horses and bring them over here to saddle up.” “Why?” came the duet. “Well, it’s easier to lead a horse to the barn than it is to carry a saddle to the corral.” “Oh!” “Okay!” He had to admire their exuberance as he watched them run toward the corral to get their ponies. “Were we really that young once?” Luke asked, amazed at the energy of two little boys. “Oh, yeah, but not anywhere near as active though. It’s even worse since we’ve been here.” “How do you figure?” She laughed in reply. “I haven’t heard either one complain about being bored since we got here.” About to burst with pride, he still asked hesitantly, “That’s good, right?” “You bet. When we left to come here, their main concern was wondering if there’d be other kids to play with. Instead they discovered Daddy, puppies and ponies.” “You didn’t explain where you were going?” “Couldn’t. No one knows. Didn’t want to chance them making a slip.” “Nobody knows you’re here?” he questioned in disbelief. The Zakia he knew before would never knowingly cut herself off from civilization that way. “How will you know when they catch this guy? What about your parents?” “I mailed them a note before I left saying we were going on an extended vacation and that we were safe, not to worry.” “You shouldn’t call anyone from here, too dangerous. This

guy might have access to phone tracers and who knows what else? How will you know when it’s over?” “A friend has the number to a secure satellite phone installed in the truck.” “Zakia, your truck. Doesn’t it have a GPS tracer?” “Probably, but the truck isn’t registered to me,” she replied with a smug grin. “It appears you’ve thought of everything, but what if he figures out where you’ve gone. Is there any way he could find out who the boys’ father is?” Her face paled as she stopped and turned to him, grabbing his arm to halt his progress. “Your name is on the birth certificate but how could he access that?” “Depends on who this guy is and what connections he has. I don’t want to alarm you but I sent an email to a cop friend of mine, advising him of the situation. He wanted to know if this guy could be a cop.” “I don’t think so, but he could be anybody, Luke. You and Dad are the only two men I trust right now,” she asserted. “First the ponies and now this. Just how many emails did you send last night?” “Two. I’ll contact Blake when we’ve finished our ride and advise him not to contact the detachment in Calgary or do any digging through the department that could lead this guy to the ranch. I will ask him to be on the lookout for strangers in town though. Could it be a woman harassing you?” “The police didn’t think so and neither do I. Something about this guy and his messages so far seem vaguely familiar, but I haven’t got a clue why.” “Blake said statistics prove the majority of perpetrators know their victims. I wouldn’t be surprised if you know him in some way, but from where or when?” Glancing toward the corral, Luke saw the boys leading their ponies through the gate before latching it once again. “The twins are heading toward us with their ponies. We don’t have time for this now, but we’ll discuss possible theories more in depth later.” He reached to tuck a wayward strand of silken hair behind her ear and couldn’t help but caress her cheek as he uttered, “Trust me, Zia. I’ll protect you with my life if need be. Nothing will happen to the three of you on my watch. Let’s just saddle up and enjoy the ride.”

**** Right there and then, Zakia fell in love with him all over again. Once he’d used his pet name for her, she knew her arrogant, macho cowboy had been the right person to turn to after all. Zakia turned with a wide smile on her face, relieved and very much at ease for the moment, as she made a big scene over the ponies. “They’re adorable… and they’re twins! How can you tell them apart?” “Easy peasey, Mommy. Candy likes sugar cubes.” “And Dandy prefers carrots. Besides, Candy has smaller ears and she’s female,” Casey explained, as if she should have noticed right off that his pony was male. “Oops. Didn’t notice that.” “Okay, guys. Go saddle up. We’ll be right behind you if you need any help,” Luke said. “We know how.” “We can do it.” Continuing on to the corral, Luke singled out a bay gelding for himself and a palomino mare for Zakia. “She’s a beauty. What’s her name?” “Would you believe Coco?” “Why would you name such a beautiful horse Coco?” she chastised, smiling. “It’s actually short for Coconut. She loves the stuff. Got into a bag of groceries that I’d set aside in the barn and wouldn’t let me have the coconut back. She cracked it open with her hoof and was having a great time. Ergo, Coconut.” Zakia was imagining the scenario and grinning widely as they walked the short distance back to the barn. “Why did you have groceries in the barn?” “I was on my way to the house when I heard Rounder barking. She’d found a new litter of barn cats in residence, but Mama Kitty wouldn’t let her get near the babies. I rescued Rounder from her sharp claws and closed up the barn, giving her time to move the kittens to a safer place. By the time I remembered the groceries, most of them were stall fodder.” When Luke and Zakia returned to the yard, they hitched their mounts to a fence rail and went to ferret out saddles. The boys were beside the tack room. They’d gotten their saddles and had their ponies hitched to a chair, which they were using to climb up on to saddle

them easier. Luke laughed out loud at their inventiveness, which was the wrong thing to do. Zakia screamed in fear as the spooked ponies jerked their leads, up-ended the chair and sent the boys flying. Chaos reigned until Luke had the ponies quieted down and under control. Zakia went running to the boys just as they got to their feet, dusting off their backsides and… laughing. Here she was worried they’d broken their fool necks and they get up laughing! Luckily, as it turned out, they’d landed in a clean stall filled with fresh hay. “That was cool.” “It was sooo fun.” “You boys all right?” Luke called. “Yes, Daddy,” they both replied. “Are you sure you’re okay?” “Yes, Mommy.” “Well then, let’s get our mounts saddled up and get out of here. You boys had a great idea, but next time, hitch your ponies to something that doesn’t move, not the chair you intend to climb up on. Now, lead them outside and hitch the reins to the rail. Your mother and I will bring your saddles.” Zakia helped Luke saddle the horses and he commended the boys’ efforts by way of checking to make sure all was done correctly. He gave each of them a leg up and steadied them until they settled in their saddles. Then he turned to Zakia, grinning wolfishly. He gave her a leg up, their bodies brushing against each other, causing a heated friction that certainly wasn’t due to the heat of the sun. Her mouth went dry. His hands lingered on her thigh as he steadied her and she felt the telltale heat diffuse her face. **** Could he trust the promise and desire in her eyes? Desire he could handle, but keeping sex separate from the love they once knew, he wasn’t sure he could and he had to keep his heart to himself. She’d broken it badly once before. No way would he survive her leaving again. This time around, they had the boys to consider, not just themselves. Saddled up and raring to go, the boys looked to Luke for direction. “We’ll stick to the trail today so you can get a feel for the land. A good cowboy,” glancing over at a flushed and sexy-looking

Zakia, “or cowgirl, needs to be aware of landmarks when they’re riding to mark the way for the ride back. You don’t want to get lost, do you?” “No, Daddy.” “All right, then. The first lesson you need to learn is direction. See those mountains way over there?” he asked. At the nod of heads he continued, “Those are the Rocky Mountains. They are west of us and the ranch house.” They nodded their heads in understanding and he continued, pointing in each direction as he explained, “That means our driveway is south, the road to town is east and we’re heading due north to the creek. I’ll have to find a compass for each of you and show you how one works, but for today we’ll just follow the trail to the creek and back. All set?” They nodded eagerly. “Let’s ride.” He motioned for the boys to ride ahead and set the pace. The twins rode side by side across the field, not once veering off the trail to investigate anything, even though they were normally curious about everything they came across. On one particularly straight stretch, they broke into a trot and the adults followed suit as the horses were starting to get restless. Soon they were galloping across the open prairie with windblown hair and laughter in the air. Life just didn’t get much better than this, Luke thought, his heart swelling with love for Casey and Cammy. As to Zakia, the jury was still out on that one. He still desired her as much, if not more than he ever had, but was the attraction just a healthy lust for the woman’s body, or did he want what was impossible to have? How could he ever trust her again when she’d not only left him, but kept him in the dark regarding his sons’ existence? He watched her ride, comfortable in the saddle, her golden tresses floating free in the wind, hat tipped back and a glow of pleasure radiating her features. Luke felt the tug of desire come alive in his groin. Nope. He knew he couldn’t trust her one iota, but she sure was a beautiful sight riding that horse. “Is that Cam’s Place?” Zakia asked, pointing toward a log cabin almost hidden among the trees. Taken aback at being caught staring, Luke turned in the direction she indicated. “Yep. That’s his house.” “That’s not just any old bungalow,” she chastised Luke. “Why would you downgrade what your uncle built out here? That’s the most beautiful log cabin I’ve ever seen. Would he mind if you took us

on a tour?” “Probably not, but the key ring is hanging on a hook in the ranch kitchen. Remind me to grab it next time.” “Okay. I’d love to see inside.” “We should have done more of this before,” he said after a moment. “I didn’t know how to ride back then.” “You didn’t? Why didn’t you ask me to teach you?” “You were always so busy, up before the sun and sometimes working far into the night birthing colts and calves. When would you have had the time?” “We could have figured something out. Is that why you never showed an interest in the ranch beyond the flower and vegetable gardening?” “Mostly, I was waiting to be included; for you to ask me to accompany you somewhere, anywhere, outside the bedroom. Even your trips to town for supplies didn’t include me as there was only room in the truck for you, your father and your uncle.” “Ahh, Zia. I didn’t realize. Why didn’t you tell me back then? And you not knowing how to cook either. You must have felt like I’d thrown you in at the deep end.” “Oh, I don’t know. It wasn’t all bad,” she said, a coy smile lighting up her face. He smiled in response. “Hmm, I remember long nights of tangled sheets and bodies as we loved each other over and over again. Having you here to come home to made all the hard work worthwhile.” “That was part of the problem, don’t you see. I began to feel like you’d never willingly share your life with me… your whole life, ranch and all. At first, loving you and being loved by you was enough, until I realized the ranch was more important. That’s when I started feeling like a glorified love slave, kept captive miles from civilization. The only friend I made my whole time here was the bunkhouse cook. When I realized I saw him more than I did you, I became homesick. I tried to fight the feeling, tried not to bother you, but one day I’d just had enough and left. I’m still not certain if I meant to stay away at that point or not, but the rest, as they say is history.” “It’s the rest that we need to talk about if we’re ever going to

put our past behind us.” “I know. It’s just hard knowing where to start.” “We’ll save the rest for later. Let’s catch up to the boys.” **** Zakia found the ride exhilarating but extremely strenuous. Only by concentrating on Cammy and Casey or the surrounding landscape could she keep her eyes off Luke. Man, oh, man! He filled out a pair of jeans like they were a second skin. His hands, strong and steady on the reins, had her wishing they were holding her as he gently but firmly guided his horse. The sun was working its way toward the horizon and cast Luke in a bronzed silhouette, all hard, lean, muscled lines and rugged, windblown features from working the ranch. Just watching him ride, sitting alert and erect astride his horse turned her on. When he smiled that devilish smile of his, she could feel her insides begin a rapid meltdown. It was a darned good thing she was riding a horse. If she had to get down and walk, she was certain her legs would never carry her. She faced forward again, relieved to see the ranch come into view until a strange vehicle parked next to the house drew her attention. “Luke? Someone’s here, at the ranch house. Do you recognize that vehicle?” He glanced in the direction of the ranch and smiled. “Yep, sure do. Boys, you’re about to meet your Grandpa and Grandma Manning. Race you the rest of the way.” Luke and the boys raced on ahead but Zakia held back, not knowing how Lucas Senior would feel about her return and uncertain of her welcome. She realized lagging behind was a bad maneuver as soon as she arrived in the ranch yard. Everyone had done their meet and greet and waited on her. She’d never felt so conspicuous in her life as, shaking badly, she dismounted. Before she could turn and properly greet the new arrivals, Luke’s father grabbed her from behind in a gigantic bear hug that had her laughing, crying and struggling to breathe, all at the same time. Lucas twirled her off her feet as he exclaimed, “Lordy, girl. You’re a sight for sore eyes. Took you long enough to find your way back to the ranch and this here scallywag son of mine… and with grandsons for me, too! I told him he should’a gone after ya. Plannin’ on staying a spell this time?” he asked as he set her back on her feet.

“Dad, let Zakia catch her breath before you bombard her with questions. We’re all just getting to know each other.” Looking toward Zakia he added, “We’re just taking things one step at a time right now.” “Zakie, girl, let me introduce you to Winnie, my darlin’ wife these past couple ‘a years. She’s no slouch. Keeps me on my toes, I tell ya.” The smile in his eyes belied the harshness of his words as he made the introduction. “Someone has to if we want that old ticker of yours to keep on ticking,” Winnie reprimanded before she turned warm, hazel eyes on Zakia. “I’ve heard so much about you. Welcome back, Zakia. You have two beautiful boys. How ever did you manage them alone all these years?” Zakia returned the smile and allowed the older woman to embrace her in a hug of genuine welcome. “They’re good boys, but I can’t say life’s been easy… or boring for that matter.” “I don’t expect it was, if they’re anything like the rest of the Mannings. Let’s you and I catch up over a nice cup of tea. We brought supper for Luke, a ham and potato scallop casserole, not knowing you and the boys were here. I’m not sure if there’ll be enough to go around though.” “That’s wonderful! We’ve been out riding all afternoon and I forgot to take something out for supper. I remember seeing some salad fixings in Luke’s fridge. I can soon whip up a salad to go with what you’ve brought and we’ll have plenty. You are staying aren’t you?” “We planned to but we wouldn’t want to intrude.” “Hey, I’m the intruder here,” Zakia said. “So don’t you worry about it. I’d love to get to know you better and the boys seemed thrilled to have another grandfather. We’ll do fine.” She looked across at Luke and saw the pride in his expression as he watched the twins interact with his father. “Good looking crew, those Mannings,” Winnie commented as she, too, watched the bonding going on in the ranch yard. “Yes, they are. Come on in and we’ll have that tea with some cookies made fresh this morning.” “Sounds wonderful. Lead the way.” She removed a foilcovered dish from the seat of the truck and they entered the house chatting like old friends instead of new acquaintances.

Chapter Five

Winnie and Zakia took refreshments and a plate of cookies outside to the men and boys, then decided to sit on the front porch overseeing the goings on as they chatted. “What happened to Luke’s cook and the bunkhouse guys? I haven’t seen anyone but Luke since I’ve been here. This is still a working ranch, right?” “Oh, yes! Luke still works the ranch and has implemented several changes. Of course, he’s worked himself nearly to death doing it. The Thunder Creek ranch hands joined ours for an early round up. Before we can bring the herd in from the range, they have to check and repair all the fencing. It takes a good week or two to round ‘em up, bring ‘em in and cull the herd for market. When they finish with ours, the men come over here and do it all over again. It’s quite a process.” “I can imagine. Do Luke and his father take part?” “We all do in one way or another. This is a busy time of year. By the time they start in over here, it’ll be time for the boys to start school. Will you be registering them in town or going back to the city?” “I’ll be home schooling them until we see how things work out.” That wasn’t the complete truth but was as far as Zakia dared go for now. Winnie was friendly and outgoing, but could she be trusted with her secret? She’d let Luke decide. The fewer who knew what had brought her back, the less chance of making a slip to the wrong person. “Oh, they’ll enjoy that, I’m sure. But wouldn’t they like to make some new friends while they’re here?” “Right now they’re just excited to have their Daddy and now another set of grandparents. They haven’t even watched television since we got here.” “Well, that’s quite a coupe in this day and age. What made you stay away so long… if you don’t mind my asking?” “I don’t mind but there’s no easy answer. Pride mostly.” She chose the rest of her words with care. “Fear of rejection after the way I left plus a few unpredictable events. Pick one, maybe all. I’m really

not sure. All I do know is I’m glad to be here now.” Winnie smiled and let the subject rest as she regaled Zakia with stories of her marriage to Lucas, Senior, and the trials of adjusting to a man in her life again. “Other than my sons, I’d been alone going on ten years when Lucas and I met up again at a dance in town. Roy’s my oldest, from my first marriage and he still hasn’t accepted Lucas but you can’t win them all. Jack and Michael like him and they get along well enough.” “You’re the one who has to live with him. It’s your happiness that counts. And what’s that saying? Third time’s the charm. Your boys should be glad to see you happy. He’ll adjust.” “I hope so,” Winnie mused, picking up a cookie and taking a bite. “These are delicious! I’ll have to get your recipe.” “No problem. Remind me to write it out for you after dinner. Speaking of which, I’ll put the casserole in the oven to reheat while I toss up the salad I promised.” “Need any help?” Winnie asked hopefully. “Sure do. Come on in. Many hands make light work. We’ll have dinner on the table in no time.” While the women busied themselves in the kitchen, the men were teaching the boys how to hold a rope and lasso… or trying to. The twins kept getting tangled in the rope. At one point, Casey’s rope went backwards instead of forwards and Grandpa got lassoed instead of the fence post. Winnie and Zakia watched out the window as they worked side-by-side, hooting with laughter at their antics. **** “Daddy, I’m hungry,” Casey said. “When do we eat?” “Well, now, cowboys need to wash up real good before supper. Once we do that, we can check with your Mom. Dad, are you and Winnie staying for supper?” “I think so. Have to check with the wife on that one,” he chuckled. On entering the kitchen, Luke saw the table set for six and nodded to his father. The ‘men’ had worked up quite an appetite with their lassoing, tucking into their dinner with gusto. When Zakia brought plates of apple pie to the table, he thought for sure he’d died and gone to heaven. “Zakia, that was delicious,” he complimented.

“Thanks. Winnie brought the casserole.” “Then my thanks go to Winnie as well,” Luke said as he rose to pour coffee. “What would you two cowpokes like to drink?” “Milk,” said Casey. “Juice,” answered Cammy. Luke laughed, “That’s the first time I’ve heard them ask for something different.” “It happens, but rarely,” Zakia said. They chatted about the round up in progress, then the boys ran upstairs to find their ‘Skip-Bo’ cards while the men helped clear the table. The women washed dishes and put them away while the twins taught father and grandfather how to play their favorite card game. It turned out to be a relaxed family evening, ending with a bath and bedtime for the boys after they’d seen their grandparents off. “What do you usually do in the evenings around here?” Zakia asked as they sat on the front porch, enjoying the peace and quiet of the night. Surprised at the question and not liking it much, he automatically stiffened in response and it showed in his voice when he replied, “Bored already?” “Is that what you think?” “You’ve been here almost twenty-four hours. Withdrawal must be settin’ in.” She rose to her feet. “You would see it that way. Good night, Luke. This has been a long day.” He moved so quickly that suddenly, he was between her and the door. “What other way is there to see it, Zakia?” he asked as he took her in his arms, halting her retreat. “Make me understand.” “I asked because I didn’t want to keep you from doing… uh… anything that you’d normally be doing. You don’t have to stay home and entertain me if you want to be elsewhere.” “Now, Zakia, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were asking if I had a girlfriend,” he teased. Pausing to tilt her head back for a better look at her expression, he was surprised to see tears glistening in the moonlight. “Ah, Zia. No one has ever compared to you. I promised to protect you and the boys, didn’t I?” She nodded. “Then don’t worry about what may or may not await me in town. Here is where I need to be.” “Okay.”

“Just out of curiosity, what would you have done if I’d remarried and had a passel of kids?” She jerked in his arms as if from a physical blow but couldn’t answer. “Never thought of that, did you?” “Yes, Luke. That’s all I’ve thought about since I left here five years ago and it just about tore me apart driving here yesterday, not knowing.” “What would you have done?” “I probably would have left the boys with you and gone back to face the stalker.” “Why?” “So they’d be safe,” she replied, deliberately misunderstanding. “Why would you go back to face him?” “Because I had nowhere else to go,” she replied honestly. “Ah, Zia. I’m here,” he said, drawing her into his arms. “I’ve always been here.” “Thanks, Luke. I’m glad… so glad.” “To put your mind at ease, I told Dad about your stalker. They won’t let anyone know you’re here, although it’ll probably kill Dad not to announce to all and sundry that he’s a grandfather… twice,” he grinned down at her as he spoke. “Thanks, Luke. I knew your father would be all right but I wasn’t sure about Winnie so I didn’t say anything.” “Winnie’s okay.” “Yeah, I like her.” “It’s going to be hard to keep your reappearance a secret once our round up starts. If we put it off, it’ll likely arouse suspicion and draw unnecessary attention to the ranch.” “That’s not for a couple weeks yet, is it?” “Two or three. Depends.” “Maybe, hopefully, the police will have caught him by then or at least know who he is.” “I talked to Blake again tonight while you were bathing the boys. He says the guy is smart not to have left some kind of clue to his identity by now. They’re hoping he’ll slip up and make a mistake, then we’ll have him.” “Who’s Blake?”

“My friend in the RCMP.” “Oh. Did he know if anything else has happened? Does he think the stalker knows I’m gone?” “He didn’t say, but he didn’t ask questions, officially. It was a routine call on another matter and he just took the opportunity to ask if there was anything else going on?” “Maybe it’s time I checked the satellite phone.” “Could be. Want some moral support while you do?” “It’s just a phone, Luke.” “I know, but it’s the message it may carry that worries me.” “Okay, let’s go check the phone, together.” **** They crossed the yard and she approached the truck with a feeling of impending doom, secretly glad Luke had insisted on coming with her. Proud and independent she might be, but she was no fool. Terror took a front row seat to her pride and independence these days. Luke reached around her to open the truck door and Zakia climbed inside. With shaking hands she snatched up the phone, turned it on, and waited, and waited. She was just about to sigh with relief and turn the phone off again when the dreaded recording came on. “You have one new message.” She stared at the phone as if she expected her stalker to come barging through, then pressed the button to activate her message. Putting the phone on speaker so Luke could hear was probably the smartest thing she’d done all day. “Hi. By now you’re probably wondering what’s going on so I thought I’d call and clue you in. I’m on a pay phone on the other side of town so don’t worry. If this guy taps my phone he gets zilch… nada, nothing. By the way, the Caddy rendezvous went as planned. Hilarious! Zakia smiled at Luke’s questioning look. “I’ll explain later.” “Anyway, the security guards got worried and went into your place around midnight to check on things because they hadn’t seen you come home. The place had been trashed and the guy left a message for you on your bedroom mirror. Once again, there was no forced entry, he didn’t trip the alarms and the guards heard nothing. This guy is good. Too bad he’s working for the wrong side. Your parents are worried sick and the cops are doing a door-to-door, trying

to find out if anyone saw or heard anything.” She felt Luke’s hand come to rest on her shoulder, his touch reassuring. “Should I tell them? No, I’ll stick to the plan. You know my number if you need me but I don’t advise contact yet. This guy seems to be capable of… well… a lot of things. Message said he’d find you but don’t worry. Nothing you have with you is traceable; and remember not to use your financial accounts. There’s extra cash locked in the glove box. Did I tell you? That’s all for now, girl. Stay safe.” Zakia hit the button to end the message and sat there holding the phone as if it were a lifeline to another world. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she looked up at Luke. “Sam’s the best friend I’ve ever had.” “She sounds like a good one, all right. She said he trashed your house. Has he done that before?” Zakia shook her head and started to shake. “Are you all right?” “Oh yeah, I’m fine, just peachy. My house gets trashed every day.” “The police are going to catch this guy. You know that.” “When, Luke? When? Is this before or after he hurts a member of my family or one of my friends to get to me? Why me? Why is he after me? I don’t understand any of this.” “There’s no way we can understand what goes through this psycho’s head. Why did he target you? Maybe you looked at him the wrong way when you passed him on the street. Maybe it’s not even something you did. Does your father have any enemies?” “Possibly, but he does corporate law not criminal. There’s never been any mention of my father in the messages this guy left for me. No, this is personal. I could feel his animosity toward me with every message he left. What I don’t know is why.” “We’ll figure it out.” “How are we supposed to find the answers when the cops can’t? I’ve given them the names of every person I’ve ever had words with right back to grade school. My friends have done the same. Mom and Dad made a list. Everything and everybody they’ve investigated has come to a dead end. What can we do? What else is there to do?” “Zia, when exactly did this all start?”

“A couple of years ago.” “Years? A couple years ago? You’ve had this guy after you that long?” “Well, yeah. It was just harmless stuff at first. You know, flowers left at the front door or notes tucked under my windshield wipers. Poetry, chocolates and things that were kind of sweet, like a secret admirer, but as time went on things changed.” “Changed how?” “The flowers were left inside my house. I found them when I got home. It spooked me and I called the police. There were no fingerprints, no forced entry, no note, but things started to escalate after that. I had new locks installed, a new security system replaced the old one plus I had round-the-clock security guards watching the house. Dad even went so far as to hire a bodyguard, but I refused. The thought of taking someone everywhere I went was ludicrous. What kind of impression would that leave on the boys? I’ve tried very hard to keep everything low key but it hasn’t been easy.” “And even with all those precautions, he got into your house?” “Yes. Almost as if he could walk through walls, invisible or something.” “Don’t be giving him powers he can’t possibly possess. Whoever he is, he’s human, like the rest of us. Where do you live?” “I live in a half-duplex on Kensington, in the west side of Calgary. Why?’ “Who lives in the other half?” “My landlord.” “Do you know him well?” “I’ve leased the duplex for three years now. I know him but we don’t socialize or anything.” “Does he have a set of the new keys, the security code?” “No. The police informed him that as long as the rent was paid and I was under police protection he wasn’t entitled to have a key. The original locks and security system are to be replaced if and when I ever move.” “So you have both sets?” “Well, no. Not exactly.” “Who has the other set, Zia? Your parents?” “No. My babysitter,” she said, holding up the phone and

motioning with it. “Sam stayed with the kids at night when I catered parties.” “And you trust her?” “You heard her just now, Luke. What do you think?” Nodding his head, he agreed, saying, “I think you were right to trust her. She sounds like a real good friend, but is she involved with someone who would have access to the keys?” “Maybe. I hadn’t thought of that. I always figured she kept them on her but I’m not sure.” “If she left them hanging somewhere, anyone could have ‘borrowed’ them long enough to make a copy.” “How would they know the keys were for my house?” “Is Sam the type to label things?” “Yeah. Oh, God, Luke! If Sam is in any way responsible she’ll never forgive herself.” “Don’t jump the gun on this. We’re just theorizing here.” “How did you get to be so smart?” she teased. “Spent a lot of lonely nights watching CSI. I also like to read murder mysteries.” “A man of many talents. Okay, all jokes aside. How do we check out your theory?” “We don’t. My buddy, Blake, will do that.” “How? He’s not supposed to know I’m here.” “He’s transporting a prisoner to Calgary in the morning to face criminal charges. Once he turns the guy over, he’s going to check with his contact there and I’ll get him to put a bug in his ear, so-tospeak.” “What else can we do? Any other ideas?” “You live in the older part of the west end or the newer part?” Luke asked. “The older section. The homes have more warmth and character than new ones. Why?” “I’ll get him to drop a hint about town planning and underground tunnels. Some of those older houses had secret entrances and tunnels connected to a gigantic underground bunker during World War Two, a sort of bomb shelter.” “Really? I’ve lived in Calgary all my life and I’ve never heard anything like that.” “Not many people know nowadays. My grandfather lived in

town during most of the war. He had a bum leg and couldn’t get into the army, but he was part of an emergency measures group here at home.” “Do you honestly think there could be a secret entrance to my house or an underground tunnel of some kind?” “It’s possible. The city closed most of them when they updated the sewage system but it’s worth checking out. This guy has to be getting in somewhere.” “We’re on a roll, now. Anything else you can think of?” “Zia, did he ever leave anything inside your car?” “No, I don’t think so. Anything to do with the car was usually stuck under the wipers. Why? What are you getting at?” “He can get into your house but not your car. Why? Something to think about.” “Yeah. Enough thinking already. I’m starting to get a headache. I’m going back to the house. You coming?” “After I check on Rounder and the pups. Do you want to bring the phone in?” “No. The phone has to stay here or I’ll be tempted to call Sam or my parents. I think I should lock the truck though,” she said as she got out. “Good idea, but the idea seems weird. I’ve never had to lock vehicles around here before.” “Sorry for landing all this in your lap, Luke,” she said. He closed the distance between them in two long strides and took her in his arms to comfort her. “Hey. None of that. I’m glad you trusted me enough to come home.” “Home. That’s it, Luke!” “What?” “At home the boys and I go by Fielding. It seemed simpler at the time but I’m glad now. Unless he knew I was married once, he wouldn’t know the Manning name,” she explained excitedly. “Luke, we really are safe here!” “Maybe so, but don’t let your guard down. We have to be certain he doesn’t have access to personal information, and we’re not.” “Yeah, you’re right. I really do have a headache now. See you in the morning. Good night, Luke, and thanks for helping out.” ****

The last place she visited was her friend, the bitchy drycleaner. He’d monitor the comings and goings there for a day or two. She’d surface eventually… for school if nothing else. Enjoy your little vacation, Zakia. It’ll be the last one you’ll ever have.

Chapter Six

The next few days were full of activity as they spent precious time together as a family. Zakia and the boys helped Luke with ranch chores in the mornings but as most of the herd were in the outer pastures and the horses in the corral, there wasn’t a lot to do. Luke accompanied them for a short ride every day. They had even camped out by the creek overnight and the boys loved it. Himself, not so much. It was great to have his family with him, but he didn’t sleep much. His discomfort not in any way due to the hardpacked earth beneath them. Having Zakia that close in the confines of the tent sent his libido into overdrive. The next day was super hot and they’d gone for the promised swim and picnic at the creek. To witness how those shapely curves filled out a swimsuit saw him diving back into the cool mountain water time and time again. Rain had been in short supply this year, so when the heavens opened with a surprise shower, Luke thought they had reason to celebrate. They drove over to Fort McLeod and visited with the grandparents for part of the day, then went shopping. Pizza, pop, popcorn and movies were the order of the day. Two little boys in pajamas sat on either side of their father and watched a western movie about real cowboys and cattle drives. Luke explained that John Wayne was his hero, a legend. The man would always be remembered as the best cowboy ever to ride the range. **** Zakia sat in the recliner, watching Luke’s interaction with his sons. He could tell them apart already, although they’d tried to fool him many times since that first day. Luke and Zakia now took turns reading to the boys at nighttime and getting them ready for bed. Life was settling into such an easy routine, she found herself letting her guard down at times... and not just about the stalker, either. Luke was a natural with the children and she regretted the day she’d ever walked away from such a gentle, caring man. He was the first and only man she’d ever loved, and she’d hurt him badly when she left, but she knew the pain of her defection was nothing in comparison to the pain she’d unknowingly inflicted by keeping his

sons away from him. She’d broken his trust and without it, love could not flourish. He still desired her; she knew that look in his eyes. Lust was a far cry from love but it was getting harder and harder to go to her own room at the end of the day when it wasn’t where she wanted to be. She ached to be in his arms, in his bed, to feel his hands, his mouth on her breasts, to have him push deep inside her. She shifted position, trying to assuage the need her thoughts provoked. Could they be together tonight? Would he want to be with her again? To tease and pleasure her? She sighed and shifted again. Did that mean she wanted to use him to escape for a little while? Was that all it boiled down to? No. Zakia loved this man with all her heart and if she were to die tomorrow, she’d die happy if she could have one more night with him. Thoughts, dreams and wishes combined to the point where Zakia closed her eyes and let her mind lead her back to a happier time, to remembering being loved and cherished by this man. **** When they arrived at the hotel, they discovered it to be a Victorian style Chateau. Luke gallantly swept her up into his arms, train trailing behind, and carried his bride over the threshold. He kicked the door closed with his shiny, new cowboy boots and carried her straight through to the bedroom, setting her on her feet and stealing a kiss… a kiss that ignited her passion and sizzled through to her toes.. “I love holding you in my arms, Mrs. Manning.” He interrupted each word with a kiss to her eyes, her nose, her chin and then reclaimed her lips. “And I love being held by you, Mr. Manning. Your strength astounds me,” she said, blushing as she stroked his well-muscled biceps. “You ain’t seen nothing yet, Sweetheart,” he responded with a leering grin and raised eyebrow as he swept her up once again and twirled her around the room. At the discreet knock on the sitting room door, he stood a giggling Zakia on her feet. “That must be the Bellboy with our cases. I’ll be right back.” Zakia watched him go, awaiting his return with nervous

anticipation. She walked to the window, pleasantly surprised by the view. Theirs was a corner suite on the seventh floor and the bedroom overlooked the Saskatchewan River. When Luke strolled back into the bedroom, he carried a bottle of champagne and crystal glasses. “Guess they’re afraid we might die of thirst or starvation,” he joked. “We have champagne for our own private celebration and a basket full of goodies if we get hungry for more than each other.” “Luke, stop teasing me.” Another blush. “Ah, my beautiful, innocent bride. Do my words shock you?” he asked as he set the glasses down and closed the gap between them. “Will you be offended when we undress each other? When we are lying naked together?” He held her close and kissed her, gently at first, then with deepening passion as she opened her mouth to him. Her body, stiff with nervousness at first, began to thaw as Luke’s kisses reminded her this was her wedding night. This was the man she loved; the man she wanted. She reached up, twining her fingers in his hair and pulling him closer as she began to return his kisses with equal ardor. His hands stroked up and down her back in a comforting gesture until the cool air made her conscious of the undone zipper at her back. This was it, the night she’d been waiting for. Would he be patient with her inexperience? She shoved the tuxedo jacket off his shoulders and tugged the cummerbund free. Her fumbling fingers undid the buttons of his shirt, struggling to pull it free of his pants and down over his arms. Hopelessly tangled in loose clothing, they were forced to break their kiss momentarily as she slipped her arms from dress, slip and bra and he tore off his shirt, throwing the garment unceremoniously to the floor. Bare to the waist, they devoured each other with their eyes and exulted in the feel of skin on skin when they embraced once again. His bare chest rubbed against her breasts, sensations rocketing through her entire body. She clung to him, whimpering in delight and need, for what, she didn’t know. He released the remaining length of zipper, leisurely undoing the slide to let the beautiful, satin dress and undergarments fall to the floor at her feet. Afraid she’d die of embarrassment when he

discovered the sexy little white thong his virgin bride was wearing, she stood nervously, watching the expression of surprise come and go on his face. Luke stood there for so long, staring at her, she wondered if he was thinking her too bold… until he reached out for her and held her tight against his erection. “Feel what you do to me, Zia. This is part of the love I have for you. Tonight we make love and become one for the first time. Tonight you become mine.” “And you mine, Luke. I’ve waited forever for this moment. Make love to me. Love me now.” “I will and I do but there’s no rush. The night is ours to love, to play, to experiment and so much more. I need to make love to you, my darling Zia, but I want to make the experience good for you, too. So, we’ll take our time and explore and allow the secrets of our bodies to reveal themselves. This will be our night of love to remember. For us. For always.” “I’m loving the sound of that. Memories of love… forever. Teach me, Luke. Show me how to be your lover, your wife.” As she said these words she boldly undid his silver buckle and the zipper below it, sliding dress pants and briefs down over his hips, letting him spring forth. She stared at the size of his hard, thickened length in total amazement, then reached one hand tentatively forward to slide down his silken length. He groaned and she swiftly pulled her hand back. “No, don’t stop, Darlin’. I love the feel of your hand on me.” He took her hand and placed it on his rigid cock, coaxing her fingers to wrap around it. “See what you do to me? I’m hard for you, baby. Real hard.” She moved her hand up and down his erection, loving the feel of soft skin over rigid muscle. “That’s it, stroke it, babe. Stroke it harder, faster. Yeah, oh yeah, what you do to me.” She paused to push his clothes out of the way, down wellmuscled thighs to his knees, only to get caught up on his boots. “Sorry, Darlin’. Always a cowboy,” he apologized as he backed up to sit on the bed and struggled to remove his cowboy boots, pants, briefs and socks. She waited, standing proudly before him, clad only in the thong panties, her smooth, silky skin and pert breasts bared to his

view, shyly wanting to cover up yet passionately wanting his eyes on her… all of her. In front of her shy, untrained eyes, he undressed and stood before her, magnificent and erect. “Darlin’ you are one exquisite, sexy woman… my woman. How did I get to be so lucky?” he said as his eyes studied her from top to bottom. She stood still as he reached out, reverently almost, and skimmed his hands from her shoulders to her breasts, cupping them gently and circling the nipples with his thumbs. Molten heat followed his every touch. Her body was on fire. Need and desire turned her legs to jelly. They could no longer keep her upright. Grabbing his hands, she sank to her knees on the plush carpet, pulling him down with her. Luke kissed and fondled her breasts until she begged for more. He nipped, nibbled and suckled as he slid his free hand down over her hips. Her pussy was hot and wet… for him. She sensed him holding back, knowing this was her first time, but she wanted none of it. She’d waited forever for this moment. Cupping her, he rubbed gently, building her to fever pitch before carefully inserting one finger. She shivered in response, pushing herself against his hand, encouraging him to do as he would. She wanted to experience everything she’d fanaticized about, everything possible. She tensed as he began working his finger in and out and around until she came apart, exploding in wave after wave of pleasure. “Luke, I can’t stand anymore playing around. I need to feel you inside me.” In answer, he got to his feet, lifting her into his arms and kissed her passionately as he carried her over to the king-sized bed, before stretching out beside her. “Our first time making love as man and wife will not be on the floor. I want you to remember this night, remember us together and remember our love, always.” “Yes, Luke, oh, yes. You’ve already made this a night to remember. Is sex always this good?” “No, Sweetheart. There’s more to come, much more.” He kissed her again, moving his hand languorously over her nude form. “Our making love will be even better… much better.” His kisses delighted her as he worked his way down her body. When he reached her sopping pussy, she felt his tongue reach out, flicking over the sensitized nub. Her body writhed in ecstasy. Never

had she dreamed of such intimate kisses. She grabbed his head, pulling him closer, her body moving of its own volition as he licked and suckled her clit to an earth-shaking climax. “Now, Luke! Fill me now.” He moved into position, his cock pressing against her entrance. Little by little, he pushed inside. She felt the distinct sting of pain and he paused, allowing her insides to stretch to accommodate him. Then he pulled out and pushed back in, again and again. She gloried in their joining, caught up in a natural rhythm as old as time as she met each thrust of his cock with an upward push. Her seeking hands found purchase in his hair as she pulled him down for a long, passion-filled kiss, their dueling tongues mimicking the motions of their joined bodies. Unbearable pleasure built inside her, almost painful in its intensity, yet she wanted more. She moved faster against him, harder, increasing the pace until she climaxed in a burst of sensation, so complete, so wonderful, she felt dazed. She held him tight as he thrust into her a few more times before finding his own release. “That… was… amazing,” she said, when she had a modicum of breath back. “You are amazing. Who would’ve thought my innocent, young bride hid such a passionate nature?” He rolled to the side, leaning forward to suck a rosy nipple into his mouth. She arched her back in response, pushing her breasts against him. “Ready again so soon, my sweet?” “Can we?” she asked eagerly, unaware that such a thing was possible. He chuckled. “Give me a few minutes. We’ll hit the shower and start again.” She ran her hand down along his side, coming to rest on his hip. “You mean shower together?” “Yes, my darling wife. I intend to make the most of our time together before we have to head back to the ranch. Until then, we do everything together.” “Hmmm, I’m loving the sound of that,” she purred as she snuggled closer. She could hear his heart beating a rapid tattoo, as was her own. Content to follow his lead, for now, she accompanied him to

the shower a short time later. The tepid water sluiced over their heated bodies as they soaped and stroked each other, excitement building anew in the steamy cubicle. He turned her to face the wall and entered her from behind, his hands holding her breasts, massaging them at first, then reaching down to finger her clit, holding her tighter against him. Her pleasure threatened to engulf her as her orgasm exploded around his stiff cock, their mingled juices running hot down the insides of her thighs. Luke soaped her again as he held her against him, then allowed the cooling water to rinse their bodies before shutting off the taps. He stepped from the shower and grabbed a bath sheet off the heated rail, enfolding her in its warmth as he dried every inch of her body. “Oh, Luke, you’ve made me feel so loved, cherished even.” “I’m enjoying teaching you the art of making love. Never fear, this cowboy has sworn to love and cherish you forever, and I will.” He kissed her then and dried off. They went through to the bedroom and he popped the cork on the champagne, filling their glasses. He passed her a glass, clinking his against it in toast. “To us and a love-filled future.” “To us, forever and always.” The bubbles tickled her nose as she sipped the golden liquid. “Shall we sample the basket of goodies or dress for dinner?” “Can we order room service?” she asked. “I’m starving.” “We can do anything we like. The night is ours.” He crossed to the bureau and picked up the room service menu, ordering the evening special for them both, then coming back to take her in his arms once more. “We have about twenty minutes until the food arrives. How would you like to spend the time?” “Maybe we could indulge in some of that fruit to stave off the hunger.” He laughed. “Worked up an appetite, did you?” She felt the heat of a blush warming her cheeks, but could find no words to reply. He took pity on her then and led her to the basket. “Take your pick. We don’t want your energy depleted before the night is over.” She plucked out a branch of grapes, feeding him and herself by turns. Heat built again as they nibbled on succulent, red grapes and

each other, so immersed that, when dinner arrived, the discreet knock on the door came as a total surprise. Daylight was beginning to filter through the curtains when they fell into an exhausted sleep, spoon fashion, his arms wrapped around her tight. She awoke to the sound of the phone ringing. Last call for breakfast was eleven o’clock, so Luke had left a wake-up call for ten thirty. Quickly showered and dressed, they made their way to the dining room just before the cut-off time. Theirs was a table for two with a spectacular view overlooking the river valley. Several times, she’d looked up to see Luke’s eyes on her. She felt self-conscious, thinking everyone knew why they were here and what they’d spent the night doing. “Not everyone knows we’re here as newlyweds, Zakia. You don’t need to blush and look so guilty every time someone looks our way,” he teased. Boldly she replied, “I’m not feeling guilty at all, Luke, and if I’m blushing it’s because I want to hurry up and finish eating so we can go back upstairs.” Luke roared with laughter as he stood, drawing many looks their way. He pulled her to her feet, held her tight against him and kissed her, right there in the midst of the crowded restaurant, then literally swept her off her feet and strode quickly to the door. Behind them, the crowd erupted with laughter, catcalls and harmonious applause. **** When Zakia awoke, her body remembered and responded to the unbearable yet pleasurable ache of desire running rampant through her veins. She must have made a noise of some kind to draw Luke’s attention, as his gaze was on her now, riveted to the peaked nipples pushing against the cotton of her summer top. This night, she vowed they would be together. Tomorrow could take care of itself. Luke cleared his throat and directed his gaze to her face. “The twins fell asleep as the movie ended. I’ll carry them up to bed.” Her eyes hungrily locked with his and she knew his need was just as great as her own. Daily she’d wanted him, each day more than the one before. Luke got to his feet with Cammy while Zakia crossed to sit on the sofa and balance Casey at her side. He returned for Casey, but she

noticed he’d had the foresight to lock up first and turn off the lights. There would be no reason to return downstairs tonight. **** Stupid, idiotic cops! He knew they had her place staked out. Did they think he’d stumble into their trap? Ha! He was much smarter than they were. Maybe it was time to get out of town for a while. He’d go on vacation like she did! When he got back, she’d be home and he’d have work to do. Pleasurable work… making her pay.

Chapter Seven

He watched as she turned on the nightlight, took one last look at the innocence of their sons in sleep, then closed the door quietly and retreated into the hallway and Luke’s waiting arms. “Are you sure this is what you want, Zia?” he asked softly. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. I want you, Luke.” He tightened his arms around her, claiming her mouth in a frenzy of pent up need and longing. Years of torment and abstinence added to their urgency and the heat of desire flashed as bright as an oxygen fed flame, consuming them both. Luke grabbed her with both hands, lifted and held her tight against his erection. “See what you do to me, Zakia. Feel how hard I am for you.” She wrapped her legs around his waist bringing them closer still. “I need you, Luke. I need to feel you inside me. Make love to me now.” “Soon, Baby, soon,” he said, hitching her a little higher before he began the long, slow, torturous walk down the hall to the master bedroom. “My room’s closer,” she offered. “Ah, but for what I have in mind, it’s better if the boys can’t overhear.” She giggled in remembrance. “You always did like to hear me scream your name.” “Among other things.” Luke reached behind him to close and lock the door as they entered the bedroom. He continued across the room, then allowed her body to slide slowly down the ridge of his erection until she reached a sitting position at the edge of the bed. Kneeling in front of her, he pulled off the black cowboy boots she wore and delighted at the arch of one dainty foot as he slowly removed her stocking. Massaging her foot and running his hands up the calf of her leg as far as her jeans would allow, he remembered how eagerly she’d responded to his caresses once before. Turning to repeat the process on her right foot, he was surprised to discover an ugly scar around her ankle, still slightly raw, that hadn’t been there before. Looking up into her face,

he questioned, “What happened?” “One of the stalker’s nastier surprises. Got caught in a bear trap hidden in the grass. I screamed, security came running and it was all over in a few minutes, except for the gaping puncture wounds left by the metal jaw imprints.” Angry on her behalf, for the pain and terror of being caught in such a trap and the marring of such a beautiful leg, he scowled. “I hope he does show up here so I can have the pleasure of inflicting some damage of my own. These things were outlawed years ago.” Leaning forward as he massaged her foot, he lovingly kissed the sore spots, licking them gently with his tongue. He felt her place a hand on either side of his head, tilting it back until she could look into his eyes. “Love me, Luke. Make me forget, even if it’s only for tonight.” “Is that all you want, Zakia? To forget?” “No, Luke. I also want to remember… us… together… as we were. Take me there. Take me back to feeling loved and cherished in your arms. I need you, Luke. I need this. Please,” she begged, leaning forward and cushioning his head in the valley between her breasts. Wanting to be honest and give her a chance to back out now, while he still had a hope in hell of surviving the night, he pulled away and stared directly into her glowing emerald eyes. “This doesn’t change anything between us, Zia. Lord knows, I’ve always loved you and I still desire you, but I can’t forgive you for keeping my sons away from me and I don’t trust you not to leave again once the danger is past.” Sliding off the edge of the bed to kneel at his side, she reassured him. “This is now, Luke. I’ll worry about tomorrow later. Just make love to me now.” He kissed her as his hands reached for the clasp that held her hair back. Soon, her beautiful golden hair sifted through his fingers, as fine and silky as he remembered. “Luke, not to spoil the mood or anything, but can you put my hairclip on the nightstand?” “Special, is it?” he asked, a touch of jealousy surfacing as he looked at the clasp. The clip was gold toned and its design consisted of two laughing angels. “Yes, Sam took the boys shopping for my birthday and this is what they found. I love it. It reminds me so much of them, I’ve worn

it every day since.” He smiled, suddenly understanding. The cherubs depicted reminded him so much of Casey and Cammy that he understood immediately why it was so special to her. He placed it on the stand and reached for her again. Soon they were hopelessly beyond caring about anything except coming together as one. Half-undressed, they became tangled together, arms, legs and clothing, in their rush for the completion they’d been aching for and striving toward since meeting up again. “Sorry, Darlin’. Always a cowboy,” he apologized. He sat on the edge of the bed and struggled to remove his cowboy boots, then disposed of pants, briefs and socks. When he looked up and saw the still smooth, silky skin of her upper torso and full breasts partially covered by her beautiful, long, blonde hair, he had to ask himself how he got to be so lucky. Déjà vu was very much in existence as he admired the woman standing before him. Zakia was still every bit the exquisite, sexy woman she’d been on their wedding night, only now she was trying hard not to giggle. “What’s so funny,” he asked with a grin as he reached for her. “Just a little touch of déjà vu going on.” “I was thinking the same thing. You’re just as beautiful now as you were on our wedding night,” he stated as he pulled her back into his arms. “Well, I was thinking it funny that you said those exact same words on our wedding night.” “What words?” he asked, curious and trying to think. “Sorry, Darlin’. Always a cowboy.” “Ooohh, those words. It’s true. A cowboy doesn’t go too far without his boots.” “Did you mean it, Luke?” “Mean what?” “That you still think I’m beautiful.” “Do I need to install mirrors on every wall in the house?” he teased. “Yes, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and sexily built. Now, shut up and kiss me.” “Oh, I so like a man who knows what he wants,” she cooed. When she reached for him, pulling him down for a kiss filled with all the passion he remembered, his heart soared. Gone was the polite restraint they’d held to since her arrival. He kissed her back,

longing for more, aching for the promise her lips delivered. His hands moved to her breasts, rubbing and tweaking the nipples to turgid peaks, then massaging the silken softness until she moaned against his mouth in pleasure. Breaking the kiss, he took one rosy nipple into his mouth, sucking and nipping lightly before transferring his attention to the other one. He worked his way down her body, one kiss at a time, having to keep a tight rein on his control as she breathed his name over and over again. Her body writhed beneath him as he reached her sopping pussy, her unique scent driving him wild as always. He parted her lips and kissed her, rubbing tiny circles on her clit with his thumb. His other hand reached beneath her to fondle her ass as he began sucking her, his tongue laving and prodding her wetness until he could take no more. Rising up, he coaxed her legs apart with his knees and positioned himself. As he looked into her desire-glazed eyes, he moved, pushing into her with one hard thrust. Then he stilled. It had been as tight as their first time. “Did I hurt you?” “Uh, uh.” She shook her head as her body began to move, encouraging him to pull out and push into her warmth again. She grabbed his hips, pulling him closer, deeper, and they fell into a rhythm that told of their familiarity with each other. It was as if he’d gone back in time, back to the days of love and laughter, caring and sharing their lives, completing each other. He thrust in and out, faster, harder, seeking the rapture he’d only found with the woman lying beneath him. Thought took a long, slow ride after that as they concentrated on catching up on years of lost loving, and he was pleased to note, she still had that deep, husky, pleading note in her voice when she screamed his name. **** “Daddy, why is your door locked?” “Don’t you want to play with us today?” “Where’s Mommy?” “We can’t find her.” The barrage of questions came from two little boys stationed outside the bedroom door. “Just a minute guys. I’ll be right there.” Turning to a lovingly tousled Zakia, he smiled. “How do you want to handle this?”

“That’s something we should have discussed before, I guess. You said it yourself last night. This doesn’t change anything.” “Yeah, I know what I said but what do we tell the boys?” “Just tell them you got horny and I was available,” she said, slightly miffed because she was hoping their night of loving would change everything. “Don’t be sarcastic, Zia. I’ve never been in this situation before. What do we do?” Stunned that he’d again called her by the pet name he’d used years ago, his question didn’t totally register right away. When it did, she was livid. “I’ve never been in this kind of situation before either.” Quickly pulling on her clothes, she went into his bathroom to wash up and brush her hair. When she returned to the bedroom, he was fully dressed and about to open the door. “Hi, guys,” said Luke, opening the door wide to admit the twins. “What’s Mommy doing in here?” “Did you lock her in?” Pushing him aside before he could answer, Zakia leaned over Casey and Cammy in an intimidating way saying, “Nosy little munchkins first thing in the morning, aren’t you? We locked the door to have a private conversation away from the curious ears of two little boys. Know who they are?” she teased as she wiggled her eyebrows at them. “Us?’ they chorused in answer, giggling at her expression. “You got it. Now, what do my two favorite cowboys want for breakfast?” “Ham and eggs.” “And toast and jam.” “Okay. Did you wash up this morning?” At their nods she continued, “Then go get dressed while I start breakfast.” “We need to hurry.” “We want to see the kittens and puppies.” “Kittens?” asked Zakia. “Yeah, they found a new litter of kittens in the hayloft,” Luke explained. “They’re only a few days old. Boys, you’ll need to be extra careful around them. Mama Kitty isn’t very friendly and if she thinks her babies are in danger, she’ll move them somewhere else.” “I’m surprised they didn’t mention them yesterday.”

“We left for Dad’s shortly after finding them and they were probably too excited by the trip to Grandpa’s.” Zakia went to the kitchen, her anger and hurt momentarily diverted by the conversation. The twins sure did like the ranch. Daddy, puppies, ponies and now kittens… they’d never want to return to the city. Not once had they asked to call their friends or grandparents, which was a relief. She didn’t want to have to explain to two five year olds why they couldn’t tell anyone about their Daddy. She sighed. Next week the new school year would start. They should be enjoying the ‘first day of school’ experience with their friends but she’d be home schooling them for a while. Just how much of the stalker business were they privy to? She didn’t know what, if anything, they’d overheard. Not wanting them to grow up nervous and afraid, she’d kept it from them, except for constantly reminding them not to talk to strangers. Luke rudely interrupted her musings when he marched into the kitchen, grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him, demanding, “We have to talk.” A fried egg went flying, hitting him smack in the middle of his chest as he’d grabbed the arm she was using for the spatula. Laughing and crying at the same time, her emotions on a perilous roller coaster ride, she watched the yolk run down the front of his pale blue T-shirt and disappear beneath the covering of his denim snap shirt. Luke looked down as the heat and grease penetrated the cotton fabric of his T-shirt, just in time to watch it disappear beneath his long-sleeved shirt, which he’d only fastened halfway. He rushed to the garbage bin in the corner, lifted the lid and bent over to shake off the egg, then pulled both shirts over his head. “You can stop laughing now and finish cooking breakfast. I’m going upstairs to change.” Zakia no longer felt like cooking. She wanted to sink to an indistinguishable heap right there on the kitchen floor and have a good, cleansing, crying jag, but the sounds of childish laughter kept her at the stove and she managed to rescue the other three eggs to place on each plate with the ham and toast already there. For herself, coffee and toast would have to do as she didn’t have much of an appetite this morning. How could a day that had started out so wonderful, awakening in her lover’s arms, go downhill so damned fast, she wondered, perplexed, angry and hurt. How could

he even think she’d brought men home, let alone allowed them to stay when her sons were there? Luke re-entered the kitchen wearing a clean shirt and T-shirt, poured himself a coffee and sat down at the table. He looked questioningly at the one egg on his plate but, wisely, didn’t comment, just dug in and finished eating in no time at all. Pouring a second cup of coffee, he sat back down and chatted with Casey and Cammy, planning their day as he had done since that first morning, only today Zakia didn’t participate in the discussion. No one seemed to notice and when she got up to refill her cup and take it out on the front porch, she felt like an outsider. She didn’t belong here. Not really. The twins were the only reason he’d agreed to let her stay. He might lust after her but he’d made it plain that sex was all she could expect from him… that and a father for their children. Last night really hadn’t changed a thing. Zakia sat and enjoyed the freshness in the cool morning air. Taking a deep breath, she realized she didn’t miss the city at all. She’d become accustomed to life on the ranch in the short time since she’d returned and actually looked forward to their morning ride. Fall would soon be upon them. She loved the crispness in the air and the changing colors, being able to work or ride outside without danger of heat exhaustion. Although that would also mean swimming at the creek was almost at an end for this year. Where would they be next year at this time? Would Luke have a change of heart about her staying, seeing as how the boys loved it here so much? Would he prefer holiday visits? Or would he try to take them away from her? Sitting up straight in her chair, she almost slopped her coffee as the thought came to her. Luke wouldn’t be that cruel… would he? What should she do? What could she do? As long as the stalker was still a viable threat, she couldn’t take the boys and leave. They were much safer here and so was she. No longer wanting Luke’s protection for herself, but needing it anyway, she began to think how best to act during the rest of their stay. One thing was for certain, he sure as hell wouldn’t find her in his bed again! Zakia decided to play it cool and try not to be alone with him any more than she had to be. Luke and the twins appeared around the corner of the house, with the boys running ahead excitedly.

“Mommy!” “Mommy!” “Right here. What’s up?” she called out. “Daddy’s taking us on a hayride today.” “To check the fences and stuff. “We’ll have lots of fun.” “Are you coming, too?” She shot a questioning look in Luke’s direction and he hurried to explain. “I need to find out how much fencing needs to be replaced or repaired before we round up the cattle so I can order in supplies. They’re usually on order by now. I can’t leave it much later. If we hook the hay wagon to the back of the tractor, the boys can enjoy a hayride while I drive the fence line. It’ll make a nice change for them instead of riding their ponies.” She remembered a sleigh ride with Luke her first, and only, Christmas on the ranch. “How long will you be gone?” she asked shaking off the memory. “It’ll take most of the day. We’ll need to pack a lunch. You coming?” “Yeah, Mommy, pleeeease.” “You come too, pleeeeease.” “Well, since your Daddy has to drive the tractor, I guess I’ll have to. Someone has to keep you two from falling off,” she teased, enjoying the thought of a carefree day in the sun. “I’ll go pack enough food for lunch and supper, just in case. I’ll round up some blankets, too.” “The boys and I will get busy pitching hay,” Luke informed her. “We’ll pull up in front of the house when we’re ready.” Zakia picked up her cup to return to the kitchen when she heard the tractor start up. Worried the boys might carelessly get in the way, she stood and watched with baited breath until the tractor came in sight. She should’ve known not to worry. Luke was sitting high up on the tractor seat driving slowly and carefully with a twin holding on to him from either side. She watched until they drove out of sight around the corner of the barn, finally admitting to herself how much those three men meant to her. She returned to the kitchen, made short work of the breakfast dishes and put a decent lunch together for their outing. In the upstairs closet, she rummaged around until she unearthed some blankets that

wouldn’t be any worse for wear after a day on the hay wagon. Zakia placed the loaded cooler and blankets on the front porch then went back inside to fetch her cowboy hat and put on her boots. When she returned outside, they still hadn’t appeared with the wagon so she walked over to investigate. Luke had placed square bales of hay around the outside edge of the wagon as extra insurance the boys would stay on the wagon and not take a nosedive over the side. They’d torn apart a few bales to make a comfortable seating area but it looked like they’d gotten a little carried away. There was hay everywhere and in the midst of it were Luke, Casey and Cammy, wrestling and laughing, spitting out hay and having a grand old time. Rounder had taken a break from her pups long enough to investigate the noise and was running back and forth, yipping and barking and trying desperately to jump up on the wagon and join in the fun. While she vacillated on returning to the front porch to wait or joining in the fun, the decision was taken from her when Luke suddenly spotted her, jumped down and, picking her up, swung her up on the wagon face first in a pile of hay. Their father had gotten away but the twins attacked as soon as they had another target and they had her covered in hay while still struggling to right herself. In retaliation, she grabbed Casey by the ankle and pulled, causing him to lose his balance and collapse backward into a heap of hay. Cammy grabbed a handful of hay to stuff down the back of her shirt, but before he could turn around with it, she poked him behind the knees and he went down, hay flying everywhere as he flailed his arms and tried valiantly to hold onto thin air to keep from crashing head first into the hay pile. Chaos reigned when Luke jumped back onto the wagon and joined the fray. Laughter rang out over the fields as the Mannings played. Much later than originally planned, they loaded the wagon and headed off on their hayride, happy but exhausted. Rounder followed them a little ways, still yipping and barking as if on a round up, but wouldn’t travel too far from her babies yet; turning back before they’d lost sight of the barn. Curled up in the back of the wagon on either side of their mother, the rocking motion of the wagon combined with the total exhaustion from wrestling had the twins nodding off in no time at all. Totally lost in thought and smiling contentedly, Zakia

enjoyed the peace and quiet and, not getting much sleep the night before, soon joined them in slumber. **** When Luke stopped the tractor a short while later to investigate a section of fencing and make notes, he walked around to the back of the wagon and found them all fast asleep in the hay. No wonder he hadn’t heard any of the silly songs they sang while on horseback. Love swelled his heart near to bursting as he watched his family sleeping contentedly, trusting him to keep them safe. Until this moment, he hadn’t realized how lonely an existence he’d been living. He hadn’t ever stopped to consider how completely meaningless his life was without love and someone to share it with. Bitterness and pride were poor company compared to the love and laughter he had experienced today with his family. He wanted more days like today and more nights like last night. He wanted forever, if she would have him after acting like such a jerk. Yep. They definitely needed to talk. Soon. Luke whistled as he worked through the remainder of the morning, taking a break for lunch only when the trio on the hay wagon woke up to keep him company.

Chapter Eight

After everyone had eaten and the remainder of lunch packed away, Luke followed the fence line toward the creek, examining posts and barbed wire as he went. “Most of this fencing is in pretty good shape,” he remarked. “We need to repair the fences on the farthest fields first as the herd will pasture in the outer fields until cold weather sets in. Later, we’ll move the herd to the paddocks nearer the barn for easier care during the winter months.” Casey and Cammy hung onto their father and listened with rapt attention as he explained the need to keep moving the herd so as not to deplete the feed in any one area. “Once the snow starts, we have to take hay out to the fields for the livestock to eat. In bad weather, the ranch hands don’t have as far to go to feed and care for the animals. That’s the main reason why it’s best for the herd to winter close to home.” Zakia listened to the melodic sound of Luke’s voice as he kept up a running commentary for the children and patiently answered all their questions, learning more about ranching in one afternoon than she had in all the time she’d lived there before. Why had he kept her in ignorance of the differing aspects of ranch life? He could have easily taught her how to ride or at the very least, taken her for a ride through the fields on the tractor, similar to what they were doing today. Why had he kept the ranching part of his life separate? Perhaps he’d regretted the marriage as soon as the honeymoon was over and they’d returned home, faced with new responsibilities. Maybe she hadn’t measured up to his satisfaction at all, except in the bedroom. They’d never had any problems in bed, except for a consistent shortage of sleep. She smiled to herself as she lay back on the hay and studied the sky, searching for solutions in the clouds as they drifted overhead. Her lack of sleep the night before was still playing havoc with her and she was soon drifting off like the clouds. When next she woke, the wagon had stopped and so had the tractor. The mountains seemed so much closer and, looking around the surrounding countryside, realized she was on a part of the ranch she’d never been to before. Standing up and looking ahead, she could

see some kind of ramshackle hut with the door standing ajar. She heard childish giggles and low male laughter coming from the hut signifying Luke and the boys were inside. Zakia climbed down off the wagon, made her way over to it and was surprised at the cleanliness and orderly appearance inside. “Hey, guys. What are you doing in here?” “Just checking supplies. This is one of our line shacks. There are four of them on the property.” “It’s mighty small, but clean and cozy. What are the line shacks used for?” “Ranch hands mostly. When the herd is in one of the outer pastures, ranch hands take turns staying out here to watch over them. They’re also good protection if you’re caught in a storm and need to find shelter, fast.” “Why wouldn’t you just head back to the ranch when you see a storm moving in? Why venture out this far if you knew it was going to storm?” “Any number of reasons. A lame horse, sickness, flash flood, any of those would have a smart person holing up in the closest shelter. On a ranch, the livestock comes first and if you sense danger to the herd, coyotes, rustlers, whatever, you need to check it out.” “Wow. There certainly is a lot to learn.” “Yep. But most of its common sense. Now, let’s have a bite to eat before we head back to the ranch house.” Luke, urged on by the twins, started a fire in the fireplace and unearthed a bag of marshmallows. As the sun slowly sank toward the horizon, a feeling of camaraderie and genuine interest overcame her as they took turns telling jokes and began singing silly songs. As dusk turned to the dark of night, the fire was the only light and Luke surprised them all with his penchant for telling ghost stories, which had the twins clinging to her in mock terror. The toasted marshmallows tasted better than any she’d ever eaten as she spent quality time with her children and the man she’d never stopped loving. The full moon saddened Zakia when it made its appearance, knowing they were about to leave this magical place situated at the edge of the prairie. Here, tonight, they’d been a family, spending time together, laughing, sharing, and caring for one another in the circle of light from the fire. Unknown threats had been left behind as they

relaxed and simply enjoyed each other’s company. Now it was time to load up and head back to reality and the ranch house. As they were getting ready to leave, Luke’s voice surprised her, coming out of the darkness to inquire, “Zia, I was wondering if you wanted to learn how to drive a tractor?” Surprise and incredulity showed in her voice as she answered, “What? Now? Tonight?” “Sure. Why not?” “Will the boys be okay by themselves on the wagon?” “Let’s ask them. Case, Cam, is it okay if I teach Mommy how to drive the tractor? You won’t fall off the wagon, will you?” Squeals of laughter turned to uncontrollable giggles before the requested answer, make that answers, were voiced. “We’ll be careful. You can teach Mommy.” “We won’t fall off, Daddy.” “We can lie down.” “If it gets too bumpy.” Zakia responded somewhat sarcastically, saying, “Thanks for the vote of confidence guys,” but she smiled to take any sting out of the words. “Okay then. Let’s get this show on the road.” Zakia followed Luke to the side of the tractor. “There are steps on either side of the cab. Don’t be confused by the control panel. You’ll only be using a couple of the gadgets indicated on there. Now, up we go.” Giving her a nudge to get her climbing, Luke followed behind her, very much enjoying the moonlit view. “Do you want me to sit on the seat?” “It makes it a lot easier to drive if you do,” he replied, teasing her. Secretly thrilled that Luke had offered to teach her how to drive his tractor, or maybe not so secretly since she was grinning ear to ear, Zakia sat in the driver’s seat. As eager to learn as any first timer, her anger of the morning completely forgotten in the face of this new source of camaraderie with Luke, she registered the elaborate control panel in awe. He stood on the step beside her, his weight supported by resting his arm along the back of her seat, pointed out the controls she needed to know and gave a brief rundown on the rest. “Have you driven a standard shift before?”

“Yes.” She had driven a standard shift before and didn’t particularly like it, but she could still drive one when the need presented itself, as now. She concentrated real hard on everything Luke was saying, her mind wandering to the man himself due to the close proximity of the cab, but Zakia enjoyed this time alone with him. When the boys started hollering to get going, Luke encouraged her to turn the key and put the beast in gear while he reached up and flicked the switch for the upper headlights to light their way. After a shaky and bumpy start with all three guys laughing good-naturedly and cheering her on, Zakia finally got the hang of it and the ride progressed rather well after that. She followed Luke’s directions, since her own sense of direction was befuddled due to the surrounding darkness and falling asleep on the way out. Once they were back on the main trail and headed in the direction of the ranch house, Luke jumped down to open and close gates as they appeared. “The trail goes quite a ways before there’s another gate,” he said after closing yet another gate behind them. “Will you be all right if I jump in the back with the boys?” “Sure. Go ahead. They’d probably enjoy the company, but don’t blame me if we get lost.” He laughed out loud, as she knew he would, breaking the silence of the night and drawing the boys’ attention. “We can’t get lost. This part of the trail only leads to one place… home.” That he’d included her in the reference to home made her feel closer to being a wife than his temporary lover. He could’ve said ‘my home’ or ‘my house’ but he didn’t. Had he changed his mind? Was forever in their future? Time would tell. Her attention diverted by the squeals of childish laughter as Luke jumped on the hay wagon, she almost stalled the tractor taking off again but managed to correct her actions just in time. “Don’t think you guys get to have all the fun. I like hayrides, too. Scooch over, Casey.” Giggles then, “I’m Cammy,” the twin said as he scooched over so Luke could sit between them. “Hey! Gimmee a break guys. It’s dark out. How am I supposed to know?” he defended himself, then from the sounds of their childish giggles, Luke proceeded to tickle them. When they’d

calmed down, they sang cowboy songs, loud and clear into the night sky. Tired of that, the boys asked him to tell a story about ranching and she listened as he told of the past year’s cattle drive to market. Before he finished the telling, silence indicated the two little boys must have fallen asleep and she imagined Luke enjoyed the warmth and comfort of having them near as they cuddled together in the hay. When the tractor came to a halt, signaling another gate, she turned to watch as Luke disentangled himself and jumped down. “Do you want me to drive the rest of the way?” “If you want to.” She rose and started to back down the steps to the ground. “Stay and keep me company?” he asked. “What about the boys? Shouldn’t one of us be back there in case they wake up?” “Nope. They know where we are.” “Okay, then.” He took the seat and she prepared to hang on as he had earlier. “I guess this means I get to jump up and down for the opening and closing of gates.” “Only one, when we get to the barnyard. Come over here.” Grabbing her hand, he surprised her by pulling her down on his lap. “Luke, what are you doing? You can’t drive with me like this.” “You’re right.” When he lifted her again she whispered a sigh of disappointment which quickly changed to an audible shriek when he turned her around in his arms and set her down with her long, agile legs straddling his waist. “Ah, Luke?” “Yes?” “Why are we sitting like this?” “Because I want to do this.” There was something truly decadent about straddling her man and kissing in the dark when they might get caught any minute. His already hard erection pressed against her causing a riot of sensation to stream through her body. She wiggled closer and earned an earthy moan for her troubles. “Oh, Baby! What you do to me.” She laughed. “Oh, Baby! What I’d do to you if we didn’t have two little boys in the wagon.”

“Hold that thought. We’ll be home soon.” “Promises, promises,” she teased. He kissed her soundly, then started the tractor, put it in gear and she marveled that he managed to restrain himself from the urge to gun it on the way home. Bouncing over the fields with her on his lap must be hard on his hard-on. She giggled at the thought. His jeans must have been almost bursting at the seams by the time they pulled up in front of the ranch house. They groaned in unison at the work of unloading the wagon when all they wanted to do was lie back in the hay and make mad, passionate love until sunrise. Zakia took the cooler to the kitchen and unloaded it while Luke carried the boys up to bed. She returned to the wagon to shake out the blankets just as Luke reappeared and, picking her up, swung her up onto the pile of hay then climbed up beside her. “I can’t wait another minute.” The next she knew, they were both naked, lying entwined on the blankets. Making glorious, abandoned love in the moonlight turned out to be an aphrodisiac in itself. It was like nothing she’d ever experienced before and hoped she’d experience again, and soon. It felt like the power of the entire universe was behind her as she straddled him and rode, pushing down and lifting up, his powerful shaft pulsing and thrusting deep. Their sweat slicked bodies shone in the moonlight. She saw his hands reach for her, felt their warm touch on her breasts as he cupped their fullness and squeezed, spurring her on to move faster as she continued her midnight ride. Suddenly, she was on her back in the hay with Luke still inside her. He leaned forward, kissing her lips and fondling her breasts, taking his time. “Luke, move! Fuck me now.” “Tsk, tsk, my love. Such crude language, but it gets my vote.” He began to move again, slow, tortuous moves, grinding his pelvis against hers, creating a magnificent tension that had her grasping his shoulders and holding him tight as she rotated against him. When he pulled back, he thrust deep and hard, faster, harder, demanding completion until they succumbed with one last exultant cry into the still night. “I really do like the way you scream my name,” Luke remarked as his breathing neared normal. “You are one hell of a woman, Zia.” “You’re not so bad yourself, Luke.”

“Not bad! Is that all you have to say after great sex like that?” “Well, what do you expect,” she teased, “This time it was me doing most of the work.” “Is that a complaint I’m hearing?” he asked in a mock threatening manner. “Complain about you being rock hard and willing? Not me. But it is nice being in control once in a while.” “Just don’t start thinking you’re the boss, woman. I’ve got plenty of ideas and stamina left to tide us over.” “For how long, Luke?” she asked, suddenly feeling melancholy. “How long before I can convince you to trust me again and give us a try?” “Yeah. I’ve been thinking. We need to talk and I’m sorry about this morning. I never meant the words to come out sounding like they did. I know I hurt you and I’m real sorry, Zia.” “I just couldn’t believe you’d think that of me.” “Truly, I don’t know what to think, but I don’t believe you’d play fast and loose, especially with the boys around.” “Thank you, I think. But what are you trying to say exactly?” “I don’t know. It’s been five long years and then some. I haven’t been celibate all that time and I don’t expect you were either.” “If you’re asking who else I’ve been with, the answer is nobody, Luke. No one has ever come close to you and I won’t settle for second best.” “What are you saying?” “You’re the only man I’ve ever loved, the only man I’ve ever made love to. Sex without love is meaningless to me. I had it all once, with you, and let it go. I left but found I couldn’t settle for anything less than everything.” “Oh, Zia. If only I’d known. Stubborn pride got in the way. I figured if you loved me enough, you’d be back, or call or something. Life was miserable without you. Dad told me to go after you before I drove him crazy, but I couldn’t. I knew I was partially to blame for your leaving but I didn’t admit it for a long, long time.” She knew what it had cost him to say the words, but she’d needed to hear them. Now it was her turn. “It only took a couple of weeks to realize I’d made a terrible mistake, but I wasn’t real good at eating crow and didn’t know how to approach the idea of my returning. Every time I picked up the phone to call you, I chickened

out. I couldn’t do it. I was afraid I’d killed your love for me and you’d refuse to take me back. That why I wrote when I found out I was pregnant, although at the time, I didn’t know I was carrying twins. I figured that if you replied, we stood a good chance of trying again… but you didn’t. ” “I didn’t receive any letter!” he ground out. “When did you send it? What about when you birthed the boys? Why didn’t you come back or call then, Zia? You must have known I’d take you back then, that I’d want to see them.” “I sent it about two months after I’d left. I knew I was pregnant but wanted to tell you in person. And I was selfish enough to have you want me for me, not just because I was pregnant. So time went on and I didn’t call, you didn’t call, and then I didn’t know how to call and tell you. There’d been too much time go by and I was afraid you’d really hate me.” “Ah, Zakia. I could never hate you, although I did try. I’d convinced myself that I never wanted to lay eyes on you again. Then you showed up here. At first, I thought I was hallucinating, but then you spoke and my insides turned to mush right then and there.” “You sure could have fooled me,” she stated wryly. “You ordered me to leave and turned to walk away so fast I didn’t think you were glad to see me at all.” “A man has his pride. The sound of your voice in the darkness of night was enough to give me an instant hard-on. I wasn’t about to let you know you still had that kind of effect on me so I ordered you to leave. I didn’t think or ask questions. I just reacted. I’m sorry, Zia. You trusted me enough to come to me for help and I wasn’t even man enough to hear you out.” “Luke, we haven’t checked the satellite phone for days. Maybe it’s all over by now.” “And maybe pigs can fly. Sorry, Zia, but I don’t think that nutcase is going to go away. He’s probably just biding his time, watching and waiting for you to come home.” “Well, as much as I hate to get up, we may as well get dressed and check for messages before we go inside.” “The phone can wait until tomorrow.” “Tomorrow the boys will be up and about and you never know where they’ll be. I’d rather check while they’re sleeping. Come with me?” she pleaded.

“You know it.” He swooped in for one long, lingering kiss as if it could be their last, then pulled on his jeans and helped her down off the wagon. “Where’s the key?” “In my pocket,” she admitted sheepishly. “I didn’t want to leave it lying around, just in case.” “Okay. You don’t need to explain. Let’s get this over with. Come to think on it, Rounder should have come to greet us.” Luke glanced toward the barn door, worried now. It was closed and he’d left it open for her. “Maybe the puppies are keeping her busy,” she suggested. “Maybe.” They walked toward the truck, arm in arm and, looking ahead, Luke noticed moonlight glinting on broken glass and promptly changed direction. “Don’t say a word. We’re just going to the barn to check on the puppies first.” “Okay, but I thought we could get the messages first, if there are any.” “There’s a message, all right. I’ll explain in a minute.” Reaching the barn, he pushed the door open and Rounder came running. She barked at Luke and ran into the yard as if the hounds of hell were nipping at her heels. “What’s going on, Luke?” “Someone’s been here. The driver’s side window is broken out of your truck.”

Chapter ine

“Oh, no!” she whispered. “That’s why I let Rounder out. If anyone’s still here, Rounder will find him. He must have closed the barn door when she was busy with the pups. Come on. I’m going to get my gun. I let my guard down and forgot to take it today. Probably what he’s been counting on. My lapse in judgment could’ve gotten us all killed.” “Don’t beat yourself up over it, Luke. The bastard is sneaky. But how did he know which one was my truck?” “Good question. We’ll find out soon enough.” Rounder was waiting for them at the barn door when they went back outside. She was sitting erect, standing guard as if to warn off any would-be threats. Luke squatted down beside her, ruffled her fur and produced a doggie treat. “Thanks, girl. You’re the best.” Standing up, he said, “As least the bastard didn’t hurt her. We’re going to the house. Stay with me.” “But the phone.” “Tomorrow, Zia. We already know he’s found you. If there’s anything else, we’ll find out tomorrow. Right now we need to be with the boys.” “You’re right, Luke. I’m sorry. Let’s go.” As they passed the hay wagon, Zakia visibly flinched and said, “Oh no! What if he was still here, watching while we… Luke?” “Then he knows we’re back together and that I’m a danger to his plans. I hope he got an eyeful because that’s all he’s going to get. Go inside. I’m right behind you.” She walked up the steps, wanting to rush in to check on the boys, but afraid her stalker might be inside. “I don’t think he’s been in the house or Rounder would have come up here and sat guard,” Luke assured her as they went inside, then closed and locked the door. They carefully checked the house one room at a time, beginning with the boys’ room, making sure they locked everything up solid as they went. They finished up in the kitchen and Zakia put the kettle on to boil. “You may as well call your friend and get the latest news,”

Luke suggested. “You won’t sleep tonight otherwise and, like I said before, he knows where you are.” “Thanks, Luke,” she said as she picked up the phone to dial. Just as it started to ring, Zakia looked at the clock and saw that it was way past midnight. Sam would be asleep. She went to hang up but heard her name before she placed it back on the hook. “Sam? Are you awake?” “I am now. What’s happened? Why are you calling?” “He found me,” Zakia sobbed into the phone. “He found me, Sam.” “Where are you? I’ll be there as soon as I can.” “With Luke.” “Well, I’ll be damned. How’s it going? I suppose you can’t answer that. He’s right there isn’t he?” “Yes, Sam. Luke’s been terrific and the boys adore him.” “Do you want me to come down there? Or is three a crowd?” “Just a minute.” Zakia punched the hold button and explained to Luke, “Sam’s ex-military and my best friend. Should she stay put or do we need her here?” “With the round-up scheduled for next week it would help to have an extra set of eyes. Tell her to come on down.” Turning back to the phone, Zia spoke, “When can you clear things to come down? Uh, huh… yeah… Turn right when you get to Granum and go about twenty-two kilometers. You remember the name of the ranch? Watch for it… This number showed up on your phone? Okay… Yes, write it down and if you get lost, call me… Thanks, Sam. See you then.” She slowly hung up the phone, not wanting to sever this lifeline with her friend. Zakia turned around to find Luke waiting with arms opened wide. She rushed headlong into them, frantic to find some comfort in a world gone crazy once again. Her head pressed against his chest, she could hear his rapid heartbeat in tune with hers and time stood still as he held her tightly against him. Shifting slightly, she looked up into his eyes, seeing the worry and concern registered there. “Sam will be here sometime tomorrow, as soon as she can get someone in to manage the business for a few days.” “What kind of business?” “She runs a drycleaners on my side of town; has been in

business going on six years now.” “You said she has a military background?” “Yeah, did her tour of duty. Came home with a severed right arm and a medical discharge but not much money; just enough for a down payment on her business.” “How did you two meet? It seems your lives are total opposites, socially and economically.” “Is that a hint of snobbishness I’m hearing, Luke?” “Not at all. Just stating the facts as I see ‘em.” “I met Sam at an entrepreneurial function when I first started thinking about catering and we’ve been friends ever since. Buying a business and getting established takes a fair amount of money and, luckily, I was in a position to help her out a little bit, legal fees and what not.” “So she figures she owes you?” Laughing as she replied, Zakia answered his question saying, “No, not anymore. When she got the truck and helped me get out of town, she said we were even. But we are good friends, closer than sisters would be, if either of us had any.” “At least you had each other.” “Yeah. She’s the only one, other than my parents, who knew why I’d returned to the city. During one of our all night gabfests when my parents had the boys, I told her about you and the ranch. She urged me to contact you, but I couldn’t. Sam was almost ecstatic on the phone just now. Couldn’t you tell?” “No, I was focused on you, not the conversation. Standing idly by while you sobbed your heart out is the hardest thing I’ve done in years. Wanting to hold you and comfort you, to reassure you and let you know I’d keep you safe, I could barely wait for you to hang up the damned phone.” “Luke, what do we do now?” “Now, I call my friend Blake and set up an undercover operation during the round-up.” “Won’t your regular ranch hands be curious?” “Not really. The ranch is doing better every year. They shouldn’t be too surprised if I hire a few extra men for the round-up.” “There’s a big difference between cops and cowboys. How do you expect to get around that?” Luke laughed. “Around these parts, we learn to ride a horse

before anything else. Blake and a couple of his RCMP buddies were ranchers before they became cops.” “But won’t they be known to your regular guys?” “Not unless they’ve been in trouble with the law lately. I already gave Blake a list of all the ranch hands, Dad’s and mine. He’s making sure the coast is clear on that score. Good question though. Are you sure you weren’t a police woman in a former life?” “The ways things are going, I don’t need to worry about a former life, just this one.” “Ah, Babe. I wish I could tell you not to worry but you… we, need to stay on our toes. If you see or hear anything out of the ordinary, I need to know about it. Understood?” “Understood.” He swooped in for a swift kiss then stepped back, holding her at arm’s length. “You should get some sleep. The boys will be up in a few hours.” “What about you?” “I’ll stay up until Blake or one of his men is here to stand guard. I’m not going to make it easy for this guy. We’ll have one or two cops in the house at all times plus Sam when she gets here. We’ll get him, Zia. You’re not alone any more.” Reaching up to place her hands on either side of his face, she brought his head down on a level with hers and kissed him, softly, tenderly, letting her love show in the sweetest of ways. “Thank you, Luke. I’m sorry I dragged you into this, but there’s no one else I’d trust more.” She paused for another kiss. “No one else I’d rather have looking out for me and the boys.” One final, mind-blowing kiss later, she reluctantly released him and climbed the stairs to her bedroom, alone. It took a supreme effort to keep putting one foot in front of the other as she climbed. Not once did she look back. She couldn’t. She dared not. Afraid if she did she’d be running back downstairs and they’d be making fast, furious love right there in the front entry. Wouldn’t that be just dandy for the boys, or the stalker, to walk in on? **** Luke watched her jeans clad rear until she was out of sight and he heard her bedroom door softly close. Giving his head a shake to help clear his mind and calm his libido, he dragged his feet on the way to the den, wishing with all he had in him that he could just

follow her upstairs, hold her and make love the way she’d promised with that final kiss. It was going to be another long, lonely night on the ranch. May as well get hold of Blake as he’d said he would, then he’d get some work done on the ranch accounts. Blake answered on the second ring. “Hello. Constable Northrup.” “Hi, Blake. Time to put our plan in motion. Here’s been here.” “Damn. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” “Don’t come in uniform in case he’s watching from somewhere close by. Rounder didn’t pick up a trail so I’m fairly certain he came and left by car. Brazen bastard!” “How did you know he’d been there?” “Broken window in her truck.” “Did you touch anything?” “Nope. Saw the moonlight glinting on broken glass and headed to the barn instead. Let Rounder out and got my rifle.” “I’ll get a forensics team on it first thing in the morning. Tonight we’ll get together and do a little brainstorming.” “Until then, I’ll get some ranch accounts in order. See you later.” “Give me half an hour and I’ll be knocking at your front door,” he said before the line went dead. Luke tried to accomplish something with the ranch accounts while waiting but couldn’t concentrate, finally gave up and walked the floors from room to room, checking and double-checking door and window locks. **** Blake had been Luke’s best friend since grade school and best man at his wedding. He’d also gotten shit-faced drunk a time or two with him after Zakia had left. He wasn’t sure how Blake really felt about her being back, and bringing trouble with her, but he would help. That’s just the kind of man Blake was. Luke saw his friend’s truck pull up out front and was reaching for the doorknob when the knock sounded. Coffee was ready so they sat down and went right to work. “Sorry to be so late, Luke, but I now have a firm commitment of officers willing to work the round up with us. Officially, they’ll be on vacation and my second in command, Duncan, will take over the day-to-day running of the detachment in my absence. In keeping a

low profile, the men know not to leak news of our whereabouts to anyone not directly involved in the operation. I also pulled a few updates off the computer at work before coming out here. Called Calgary and explained the situation to my contact there and he sent them through. They still think it has to be someone she knows in order for it to be this personal. She come up with any ideas yet?” “No, just what we asked you to check on. How did that go?” “According to the city engineers’ office, the old tunnels not used for the new sewer system were blocked off with a wall of cement so there shouldn’t be any access tunnels under her house. Intriguing, to my way of thinking, is the way the blueprints for that particular house are not on file.” “Are they supposed to be?” Luke asked. “Yes. In order for a building permit to be issued, a copy of the blueprint has to be filed with the town office. I found the file. The blueprint is listed on the inside cover as being included, but it’s not there.” “Strange. Who owns the house?” “A Leroy Williams, grew up south of here actually, just outside Granum. I checked him out. No record. Squeaky clean. Selfemployed, don’t know at what though.” “Coincidence, you think?” “I don’t usually put much stock in coincidence, Luke, but Calgary also checked him out when all this started and he came up clean. I haven’t totally ruled him out yet, given his proximity to Zakia, but apparently he had alibis for some of the incidents.” “Okay. Who else would have access to the records?” “Records clerks, title searchers, legal staff, you name it. That’s why it’s called public records.” Shrugging his shoulders, Blake said, “I need to ask Zakia about her relationship with Mr. Williams and,” checking through his notes he came up with another name, “Lance Kildare.” “That sounds familiar. Who is he?” “His name came into play a few days ago when he left a message on her answering machine. Rather cryptic remarks, which could be considered threatening, the way it’s worded. Sounds like they were close at one time. This probably isn’t going to be easy for her, or you for that matter, but I need to know how close. According to the police report, he’s a friend of the family, works in her father’s

law firm, no criminal record for him either.” “Could be he’s just someone hoping to advance in the Fielding firm by sliding along on her shirt tails,” Luke said. “Could be. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that are overlooked in these investigations. Do you know of anyone named Sam?” “Yeah, her best friend. Why?” “Male or female?” “Female.” “Would you happen to know her last name?” Blake asked. “No, I don’t. What’s this all about?” “Calgary RCMP are running a check on her as we speak. She left a message on Zakia’s phone late tonight.” “How late? What message.” “Just before midnight. It was a brief message, something about a satellite phone not having room for another message. Asked what was going on and wanted Zakia to call.” “Coincidence again,” Luke chuckled. At Blake’s confused glare, he shrugged. “It’s been rather hectic around here the past couple of days and we hadn’t thought to check the phone in Zakia’s truck. Sam’s the only one with the number, by the way. We were on our way over to do that tonight when I noticed the busted window so we didn’t get that far. I thought it best to steer clear of the truck in the darkness and wait for daylight to investigate. Zakia called her just after midnight when we got back to the house.” Blake’s phone rang. He excused himself to Luke and answered. It was a short call and Luke could tell by the bits and pieces of conversation he overheard that it was about Zakia’s case. Sam’s name was mentioned a couple of times. Luke didn’t have long to wait for an explanation. Blake hung up and immediately started talking, informing him of what he’d just learned, “Samantha Leigh Muldoon, is her friend’s full name. Her fingerprints are on file in AFIS and she is registered as ex-military. She’d have the training, the means and the opportunity to carry out a stalking threat against Zakia.” “What about motive?” “I’d have to check with Zakia on that. Maybe they’re rivals in business, same boyfriends, whatever. What?” he asked, taken aback when Luke started laughing.

“They’re best friends, Blake. No boyfriends, same or otherwise, and Zakia does catering, Sam owns a dry cleaning store. You’re barking up the wrong tree on that one.” “Still, I need to investigate every lead, no matter how ludicrous it may seem to you. If nothing else, it’ll provide a little comic relief when I blunder.” “Sorry, Blake, but it did hit me as funny. Sam will be here tomorrow,” a quick look at his watch had him correcting himself, “make that later today. Interrogate her if you must but she’s the one who helped Zakia get out of town safely. We owe her, so take it easy on her, all right?” “Just doing my job, Buddy.” “I know. You’re the best and the most thorough in what you do. That’s why I wanted you calling the shots on this one. I know I can trust you implicitly, Blake. Can you say the same about the men you have coming for the round up?” “I’d trust them with my life,” he stated. “Yeah, but this is my life we’re talking about… Zakia and my sons.” “I trust them to serve and protect, whoever needs it. Does that reassure you?” “Yeah. Thanks, Blake.” “No problem. Now go get some shut-eye. You look like you haven’t slept in a week. I’ll keep watch. Good night,” Blake said as he rose to pour another cup of coffee. “Good night, Blake. My room’s at the far end of the hall now if you need me. I switched over to the master bedroom when Dad remarried.” “If anything happens, I’ll find you. Don’t worry.” “Okay.” On his way past Zakia’s bedroom, Luke was tempted to check and see if she was awake. Instead, he found himself looking in on the twins. In sleep, they projected an innocence all too often superimposed by mischief during the day. What one didn’t think of, the other one did and he couldn’t imagine life without them, or their mother, when this was over. He just couldn’t imagine going back to his lonely excuse for living, existing day to day, now he knew what it meant to be a part of a real family. To have people to love and care for, who loved and cared for him in return. Closing the door quietly as he backed out of their room, he

turned to find Zakia framed in her bedroom doorway. “Can’t sleep?” he asked. “No. I heard you come up and I was going to your room, but when I opened the door you were standing there, watching the boys sleep.” “Do you want to go down and speak with Blake?” “No, I’ll see him in the morning. I just need to be with you right now. Hold me, Luke. Please.” She didn’t need to ask again as he stood the rifle against the wall and enfolded her in strong arms, pulling her close and making her feel safe in the midst of the turmoil her life had become. “Come. Let’s go to bed.” “Yours or mine?” “Mine. Blake will wake us if anything else happens.” Picking up the rifle with one hand, and hating the need for it, he kept his other arm wrapped securely around her waist as he guided her down the hallway. Once they’d reached their destination, want and need took over and danger slipped away into the night as they came together again in love behind the locked door.

Chapter Ten

The sun brought him wide-awake as it crept slowly into the sky, shining brightly across the bed where they lay entwined. A new day had begun. “Morning, Zia,” Luke whispered, nuzzling her neck from behind and running his hand along the smooth, silken expanse of her torso and back up again to reach around and cup her breast. “I could get used to waking up to this every morning.” “Mmm,” she responded, stretching like a cat and beginning to purr. “Think we have time before the boys wake up?” “I definitely think we should give it a try,” she giggled as his erection prodded her from behind. In the next instant he rolled her over and kissed her, a loving, passionate kiss, then mounted up, ready to ride. What followed was fast and furious and reaffirmed they were still alive as they came together with the morning sun gilding their bodies, turning everything it touched to gold. “Let’s hit the shower before we run out of time,” Luke suggested, just before a light knock sounded on the bedroom door. “Luke, you awake?” came the soft-voiced question. “Yeah. What’s up?” he asked as he climbed out of bed, stood stark naked in all his glory, then bent to retrieve his jeans from the day before. “The forensics team is here. I thought you should handle it as I’m supposed to be incognito.” “Fair enough. I’ll be right down.” He playfully slapped Zakia’s butt as she bent over to retrieve her nightgown from the floor where it had landed in their haste for fulfillment the night before. “No time for a shower now but I’ll catch up with you later.” “Sooner. That’s my truck out there and I want to see for myself what that bastard’s been up to.” “Zakia, let me handle this for you, okay? The boys will be up soon and they’ll need you.” He saw her hesitate, mulling it over uncertainly. “Promise you won’t keep anything from me?”

“I promise.” He kissed her tenderly and finished getting dressed, ready to face the day. Kissing her one last time, he took up his rifle and left the room. **** Zakia slipped her nightgown over her head and returned to shower in her own room. She’d just wrapped her toweling robe around her and gone back into the bedroom to dress, when she heard a commotion in the yard. Crossing to the window, she saw an abundance of trucks and horse trailers as the ranch hands arrived to get ready for the Thunder Creek round up. She thought some of them looked familiar, but in the end, only one cowboy stood out as memorable in the crowd below… Luke. Rugged and windblown, taller and broader than most of the wranglers, confidence easily apparent in his stance and more handsome than a man had any right to be, she couldn’t take her eyes off him as he welcomed everybody to the ranch. Zakia witnessed his enthusiasm as he became caught up in the excitement of the impending cattle drive. “Mommy, are you awake?” came the question as a knock sounded on her bedroom door. She crossed the room and opened it to find only Casey. “I just got out of the shower. Where’s your brother?” “Downstairs with Daddy’s friend.” “Why isn’t he with you?” she asked, perplexed and anxious because they always did everything together. “Is he all right?” “Yes, Mommy. But we’re hungry so Cammy’s helping Blake make breakfast. It’s mostly ready. You coming to eat?” “I’ll get dressed and be right down.” “Don’t forget to take the towel off your head,” he giggled, then turned to go back downstairs, leaving her staring after him, amused at his statement. She always wrapped a towel around her head, turban style, to soak up the excess moisture from her thick hair after washing it. The boys were used to it but for some reason they wanted her to look presentable today. So be it. She picked out a pair of dark brown jeans and a sunshine yellow shirt, dressed and pulled on her tan colored boots. After she dried her hair, tying it back with a yellow ribbon, she clipped on her favorite barrette and headed to the kitchen. Luke and the boys were

sitting around the table, eating breakfast, in company with a goodlooking man about the same size and age as Luke. Wow! They sure grew them big and beautiful around here! Luke stood up as she came in and re-introduced her to his best friend. “Zakia, do you remember Blake? He was best man at our wedding.” “I remember your best man, but if this is the same Blake, I wouldn’t have known him if I’d met him on the street. You certainly have grown and matured over the years, Blake,” she said as she shook the hand he held out. “So have you, Zakia, but I’d know that face anywhere,” he said as he held Zakia’s tiny hand in his much larger one. Clearing his throat, Luke informed her, “Blake needs to ask you a few questions about some friends of yours after breakfast. The boys and I will be with Rounder and her pups if you need us.” “You weren’t outside long. Anything I need to know?” she asked, trying to get information without alerting the kids. “Not much. A rock through the window and a busted phone.” “Is the bad guy back, Mommy?” “Did he break your phone?” Not sure exactly what to say to them, yet she refused to out and out lie, she decided on the truth. “Yes, Cammy, Casey. The bad guy found us and he’s playing stupid games again. He broke the window in my truck last night and my phone. It’s important for you to always be with Daddy or me until the police catch him. Understand?” “Yes, Mommy.” “Daddy and Unca Blake will catch the bad guy.” “Uncle Blake?” she questioned. “Honorary title. Kid friendly,” Luke explained. “Something like Auntie Sam?” she grinned. “Exactly like,” he agreed. “Okay. Now that’s settled, I need coffee. Did you guys make enough breakfast for me, too?” she asked, looking around the kitchen. “Yep, it’s keeping warm in the oven,” Blake answered. Shooting him a smile of gratitude, Zakia opened the oven door and exclaimed, “My goodness! Is all that for me?” Luke chuckled. “Gotta keep up your energy for the days ahead. If you can’t handle it, I could sure use another bite or two.” “It’s a deal,” she said, smiling as she removed a plate piled

high with French toast and bacon, her mind on the sexual innuendo explicit in his words. He immediately speared a couple slices of French toast and transferred them to his plate before filching some of the bacon as well. “Okay, that’s enough. I’m sure I can manage eating the rest. Gotta keep up my strength, you know.” Everyone laughed and started talking and joking. The mood around the table improved dramatically, easygoing and jovial, until a loud knock sounded on the front door. Luke pushed back his chair and rose. “I’ll get it.” Silence reigned over the kitchen until Luke returned and, instructing the boys to stay with Uncle Blake, asked Zakia to accompany him outside. “Forensics is finished with the truck. Before they tow it away, they’d like you to check it out, see if anything’s missing.” “All right.” “He left you a note you need to see as well.” “I knew you were holding something back because of the children. It’s not like him to not leave a message of some kind. Come on. Let’s get this over with.” The yard was still plenty busy with the ranch hands unloading horses and transferring their belongings to the bunkhouse. The area around her truck look surreal, cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape and several officers busy scouring the area. She noticed several ranch hands staring curiously in that direction. She and Luke ducked under the police barrier and proceeded to walk toward the officer in charge. Constable Wallace greeted them and passed her the note, now encased in plastic. Thought you were so smart, tricking me on the highway and pulling a disappearing act. You’ll pay for making me wait, wasting my time looking for you. Where once there were three, now there are four, soon to be no more. “Oh, my God! Now he’s threatening you and the boys, Luke. What do we do?” “Exactly what we planned, Zia. He won’t harm a hair on any of you.” “Or you, Luke. I couldn’t go on without you now. Promise me you’ll stay safe.”

“I promise, but if it comes down to a choice, you have to promise you’ll take the boys and get to safety.” “But I need you, too,” she pleaded. “This isn’t fair.” “This guy is mad now. He’s bound to make a mistake soon and then we’ll have him.” “I hope so, Luke.” “Ms. Fielding, could you please check to see if anything is missing?” the officer reminded. “Of course.” Opening the truck’s driver side door, she glanced in but could see nothing out of place. The back seat revealed an open bag of chips, leftover from the drive to the ranch. Going around to access the passenger side, she used her key to open the still-locked glove box and took out the envelope Sam had placed inside. It was still sealed and she opened it, surprised to find several hundred-dollar bills. Nothing was missing, except her phone, which the police had already bagged as evidence. “Looks like someone tried to force the glove box open and didn’t succeed. Not a good place to store that much cash, Ms. Fielding.” “It was emergency money in case I had to run again. I left it there for safekeeping.” “I have a safe in the house, if you want me to lock it up.” “Thanks, Luke. That’s probably the best bet for now.” The tow truck pulled in and they returned to the house to find Blake and the boys doing dishes. “Hey! I could get used to this,” Zakia said, attempting a smile as she gave each of her boys a hug. “Have I told you guys lately how much I love you?” “Yes, Mommy.” “All the time,” Cammy giggled. “Well, let me say it again. I love you, Casey and Cammy. You’re the best little boys in the world.” The twins giggled. “Break it up, guys. I’m getting way ahead of my helpers here,” Blake joked as he continued washing dishes. Zakia and Luke grabbed a fresh cup of coffee and sat at the table, holding hands and talking quietly while Blake and the boys finished the dishes. “How long before the round up starts?’ she asked.

“It’ll be a few days of mending fences and getting things ready. Then we still have to load the wagons with supplies for the trip.” “What about the boys and I, and Sam? Where do we fit in?” “You’re coming with us. It’s the best and easiest way to look out for you and keep you close. The four of you will be riding in a covered wagon. I was going to let the boys ride their ponies but it’s too dangerous now with this wacko running loose. You’re better off under cover.” “Thanks, Luke. I’d be a nervous wreck for sure if I had to sit and wait here for you to get back. I wouldn’t dare venture out of the house or let the boys out to play either.” “Not going to happen. The wagon will be driven by Blake or one of his men, plus you’ll have Sam as added protection. I’ll be close by. Nothing’s going to happen to the three most important people in my world.” “I’ll be glad when this is over.” “Think of the possibilities,” Luke remarked with a lascivious grin. Laughing for the first time that day, Zakia felt good, knowing they would be facing the challenge of the next couple of weeks together. **** Her laughter mesmerized him and lit up her emerald green eyes making them sparkle with life. He loved this woman and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. They’d get through this. They had to. Life wouldn’t be cruel enough to take her from him twice. He wouldn’t let that happen, he couldn’t. Without her in his life, the sun would never shine for him again. He’d get the slimy, stalker bastard, even if it was the last thing he’d ever do!

Chapter Eleven

Blake’s voice drew their attention. “Okay you two, dishes are done. What’s next?” “Daddy.” “Puppies.” “Okay,” Luke agreed, laughing at their enthusiasm “Daddy and puppies it is. Let’s go visit Rounder.” The door closed behind them and Blake joined Zakia at the table, “How have you been holding up through all this?” “Better now that I’m here, although it’s an awful burden for Luke to carry, worrying about us.” “That’s what men do, especially men like Luke. I’d hate to see him hurt again,” he said. Immediately on the defensive, her tone was sharp as she replied, “So would I, but what does that have to do with the stalker finding me?” “Touché,” he said, “We’ll stick to the job.” “Thank you, although ‘this job’ as you put it, and the way things turn out have a large bearing on what Luke and I can expect for a future.” Looking thoughtful he said, “Agreed. Let’s get to work. Who’s Sam? Why is she coming here?” “Samantha Muldoon is my best friend. She’s coming here for moral support and as added protection. She’s ex-military.” “As ex-military, she’d have the knowledge and opportunity to pull off this stalker stunt. Have you considered that?” Affronted and annoyed on her friend’s behalf, she replied, “Not at all. Like I said, she’s my best friend. You don’t make accusations like that against your best friend, especially when her ‘knowledge’ is what enabled me to get out of the city undetected.” “Please explain how that came about.” “Sam let me store things at the dry cleaning store she owns. When it was time to leave, she rented a truck anonymously through a friend of hers, and had it packed up, full of gas and ready to go. Not only that, she thought of extras, like the satellite phone, snacks and movies for the boys and extra cash. Sam and some of her friends even

lured the stalker out of town in an elaborate ruse to give me time to get away.” “How did she accomplish that?” Blake asked. She explained about the clothes and the car chase. She’d just finished the telling of it when they became aware of renewed commotion in the yard. **** They moved to the window overlooking the yard in time to see Sam just emerging from her Chevy Tracker, painted up in camouflage detail. Hair as dark as midnight, cut short and curled toward her face in a sassy, don’t take no crap style, didn’t take anything away from the long-legged beauty encased in skintight blue jeans and longsleeved shirt who was currently bracing herself to accept the onslaught of Cammy and Casey as they ran toward her. Zakia saw the interest etched on Blake’s face and spoke, tongue-in-cheek, “That’s her now. Go ahead and tell her your suspicions. She’ll get quite a laugh.” “No, I believe you. There’s no need to… well… I should interrogate her and, ah, get a feel for her, ah, special abilities since she’ll be staying with us as part of the team. I can fill her in on the, ah, plans we have set up.” “Luke’s probably explaining to her now or as soon as the boys let go of her. Let’s get back to the inquisition, shall we?” she suggested. “Uh… yeah. Do you mind if we wait on that? I should be the one to meet your friend and fill her in on what’s happening. We can finish this up later.” Smirking, her knowing grin wide, Zakia led the way outside. **** After an exuberant greeting, she introduced Sam and Blake and proceeded to watch the sparks fly. He might be smitten, but Sam was used to competing with men more so than cuddling up to one. Blake certainly had his work cut out for him. Glancing at Luke, she caught a look of surprise on his face and nodded, conspiratorially. The next few days would be interesting, real interesting. “Sam, come up to the house and I’ll show you your room, then we can relax with a coffee and catch up.” “Okay, Zak. Let me get my bag.” Blake pounced quickly, offering, “I’ll get that for you, Sam.”

As she rounded her Chevy to open the rear door, she stopped, looked him over as if he lacked the necessary whatever, and replied, “No need, I can manage.” She pulled the duffel from the back using her good, left arm and closed the door with her right. Blake was so concentrated on her face and body he hadn’t even noticed Sam’s prosthesis. Sam shook her head and strode lithely past him, his eyes following her every move. Zakia laughed as Sam put on a show for his benefit, sashaying up to the house beside her friend. Once inside with the door closed, both women burst into delighted laughter as they commented on Blake’s attentions. “Is he for real? Men don’t really go gaga like that these days, do they?” “You should have seen his face when he saw you getting out of the truck,” Zakia giggled, “I’d say gaga is about right.” “Tell me something I don’t know. His eyes were glued so tight to my ass he didn’t even notice my hand.” “Hey, that’s a bonus that could work in your favor, and besides, that new prosthesis looks real.” “I know, but a woman likes to be noticed for more than a pretty face and a good ass.” “We all have to start somewhere. Maybe you should give him a chance.” “Maybe,” she mused. “He sure is gorgeous.” “So you did notice! Yes, he is extremely gorgeous, and I’d have had to slap you upside the head if you hadn’t realized it.” “Oh, I noticed all right. I also took note of the bulge in the front of his jeans and tried to walk behind him to get a look at his tush, but he turned and followed.” Laughing uncontrollably, the women headed upstairs to the spare room next to Zakia’s. Sam opened the window to let in some fresh air while Zakia went to the linen closet for sheets and blankets. When Zakia returned, Sam was still at the window, ogling Blake and the ranch hands in the yard. She crossed the room to stand beside her. “See any you like?” “They sure grow them gorgeous down here on the ranch,” Sam answered as she continued to look out the window. She moved to balance her left hip on the windowsill and it wasn’t long before she had an audience.

Both women saw Luke laugh at something Blake said, causing his friend to storm off in the direction of the barn. Luke looked up at the window and held his hands out, palms up, in an innocent gesture as he shrugged his shoulders and smiled. Sam laughed and turned to her friend. “I like your cowboy, Zak. He’s quick on the uptake and handsome to boot.” “Yes, I know. He’s that and more. I don’t know how I managed without him all these years. What a waste.” “Not a waste. Life is never that. Consider it part of the learning curve, growing up and all that. Put it behind you and keep looking to the future.” “Is that how you handled losing your arm?” “I was grateful it was my arm, not my life. Many of my teammates didn’t make it.” “I’m so sorry, Sam. I wish I could’ve been there for you.” “Yeah, well, if wishes were horses….” She smiled, “I’m just glad I’m here for you now.” “Me, too, Sam. I’m glad you’re here. All the testosterone around here needs to have an outlet and Luke warned the guys off me as soon as they arrived this morning,” she giggled. “It seems he’s a mite possessive where I’m concerned.” “Good. I’m glad for you. You deserve the happy ever after, especially after what you’ve been through.” “Thanks, Sam. Your support means a lot. Now, let’s go put on a fresh pot of coffee and catch up before I have to get lunch ready.” “Lead the way.” When they reached the kitchen, Luke and the boys were there ahead of them, all three busy making peanut butter and jam sandwiches. “Hi, guys. Is that lunch in the making?” “What else?” asked Luke, his smiling gaze lighting on Zakia, letting her know without words how pleased he was to see her looking more relaxed. “Coffee’s on, if one of you girls wants to pour,” Luke said. “Thanks, Luke. What was Blake miffed about earlier?” He laughed. “I just happened to mention that it looked as if he’d have some competition, and he looked around the ranch yard, taking exception to my comment.” “Oh, is that all?”

“That and about thirty interested wranglers looking up at that bedroom window. You sure do know how to cause a scene, Sam,” he chuckled, shaking his head, “and you just got here. Makes me wonder what life’s going to be like on the round up. For what it’s worth, I’ve never seen Blake go all gooey-eyed over a woman.” “We’re going on the round up?” Sam asked in surprise. “Yep, you and I and the twins here get to ride in a covered wagon, just like in the olden days. Isn’t that right, boys?” “Yes, Mommy.” “In the wagon.” “I’ve never been on a round up before. This is exciting.” “We haven’t been on one either, Sam. We’re looking forward to it,” Zakia said. Blake came in just then, turned all red in the face when he saw Sam, and poured himself a coffee. “Zakia, we’ll have to finish up where we left off this morning. Luke, Sam what are your plans?” “I’m taking the boys for a short ride. They’ve been patiently waiting all morning.” Zakia chewed her bottom lip as she often did when something troubled her. “Do you think that’s wise, Luke?” “Some of the ranch hands are coming, too. There will be plenty of outriders.” “I’m staying right here,” Sam spoke into the silence that followed Luke’s announcement. “If Blake needs more information, I can help supply it.” “That’s not necessary. We can get together later to discuss what you know, Sam,” Blake offered. “You can go riding if you want to.” Sam slowly counted to ten as Zakia began to usher the boys outside. “Are you trying to piss me off or does it just come naturally to you?” she asked Blake. Her voice slow and precise, Zakia knew she tried to hold onto her temper. “What do you mean?” Zakia almost felt sorry for Blake. Not many men dared go a round with Sam. “I mean, I do not need your permission to go riding. No man tells me what to do. If I stay, that’s my decision to make, not yours,

and I’ve already told you, I’m staying.” “Okay. Jeesh! I was just trying to be nice,” sputtered Blake in the face of her anger. “Well, don’t try so hard and maybe,” she hesitated, “maybe we’ll get along just fine.” She shot a hot, sultry glance his way, full of innuendo as she uttered those final words. **** Luke stood at the counter, looking from one to the other during their discussion, and was well aware that his friend was going down for the count, whether he knew it or not. Deciding it was time to collect the kids and head for the hills, Luke left them alone in the kitchen and went looking for Zakia. He found her on the front porch, frantically trying to explain to two curious little boys, why Mommy was laughing so hard. Seeing Luke, she bee-lined toward him, dying to ask what happened but she couldn’t catch her breath. He held her close for a few minutes, not knowing what to say. Suddenly, he got the joke and a hearty rumble built up inside him until he had no choice but to join in the laughter. “I think Uncle Blake has met his match, boys,” Luke informed the boys. “I think Auntie Sam has, too,” said Zakia. “Does that mean they….” “Like each other?” As the parents nodded their heads, the boys were full of comments and questions. “It sure didn’t sound like it.” “I thought they were fighting.” “Will they be kissing and stuff?” “Are they getting married?” As their parents cracked up and laughed so hard their ribs hurt, together, the boys said, “Not again.” When Blake and Sam opened the door to see what was going on, Casey and Cammy gave them such strange looks, Luke thought it best to get them out of there before they said something they shouldn’t. **** Zakia watched them go with mixed emotions. Uppermost in her mind and heart were feelings of love and laughter. Turning to go back into the house and seeing Sam and Blake

standing side by side in the doorway was almost enough to send her off again, but she managed to hold back hilarity by looking toward Luke and the boys once again. At least now, she knew the reason for his abrupt departure. “Time to get this interrogation over with,” Zakia stated as she turned around to enter the house one more time. “What questions do you have for me, Blake?” “I left my notepad on the table. We’d better go in. You’re a sitting duck out here.” They gathered around the kitchen table waiting for Blake to finish consulting his notes and start asking questions. Zakia got up to make herself a cup of tea. “Anyone else want a tea or coffee?” she asked. Both shook their heads and Blake started talking, “I’ve received copies of everything from the Calgary detachment, but there seem to be a couple things overlooked.” “Such as?” “Your current residence. How long have you lived there? What kind of relationship do you have with your landlord? Has he always owned the house or did the property change hands since you’ve been there?” “I’ve lived there for three years and rented from the same man all that time. His name is Leroy Williams. I know him, of course. We’re friendly but we’re not friends. We don’t socialize or anything.” “Have you ever seen the blueprints for the house?” he asked. “No. Why would I?” “No particular reason, except they’re missing.” “What would that have to do with me?” “Nothing, except for the possibility of secret panels and underground entrances.” “Oh! Did you find something?” “Not without the blueprints or having someone go down into the sewer system.” “Yucky. Not me. Any other questions?” Zakia asked. “How do you know a man named Lance Kildare?” “He works in my father’s law firm. Why?” “Are you close?” he asked. “No! What’s going on, Blake? How does Lance fit into this?” “Mr. Kildare left a message on your answering machine…

rather cryptic remarks that could be considered threatening, the way it was worded. Sounded like you two were close at one time.” “In his dreams, maybe.” “If that’s the case, then why would he call you?” “He started bugging me about the staff Christmas party already. This year he has it in his head that we should go together, be ‘seen’ together. Lance is an okay guy but I’m not willing to play games in order for him to advance with the firm. He figures attending the party with me would draw Dad’s attention to him. Ha! If he can’t be noticed by the work he does, he shouldn’t be looking for any kind of promotion and I told him so.” “Did it get ugly?” “Yeah, kind of,” Zakia answered. “How?” “He came to the house once too often. The last time I slammed the door in his face.” “Yeah. So?” he asked, his expression puzzled. “He didn’t move fast enough. The door broke his nose.” Sam squealed and said, “You go girl! How come you never told me about that?” “I’m not exactly proud of it. Now he thinks I owe him and he’s still bugging me about the staff party.” “Could he be your stalker?” Blake asked. “Nope. Not unless someone else wrote the script. I don’t think Lance has ever had an original thought of his own.” “Like that, eh?” said Blake. “Exactly like that. He gets upset, mad, whatever, but it blows over. He’s too busy trying to kiss up to everyone. Besides, this stalker business has been going on for over two years now, Lance has been bugging me to date him since high school. “So you’re friends?” “Nope. I like friends I can talk to and share with, like Sam here. Lance is too selfish to make anyone a good friend.” “Thanks, friend. I like you, too.” “Okay, on to you two. How did you meet?” Blake asked. “At a town function for entrepreneurs,” Zakia answered. “City socialite and military mama at the same gathering. That must have been an eclectic group of people.” “Military Mama?” Sam questioned.

“No offence meant,” he quickly added. “None taken. I kinda like the thought of being a military mama. Is that anything like a bikers’ club mama?” Zakia hooted with laughter while Blake grew red in the face with her meaning. “I just meant that you two women are total opposites. What are the chances of you meeting and becoming friends?” “I don’t know what the odds are. Pretty slim I’d say, but I sure am glad we met,” she said, putting her arm around Zakia’s shoulders. Blake stared, his expression horrified. “What’s wrong with your hand?” **** Zakia knew Sam had forgotten about her arm. She’d lived with it for years and, among friends, never noticed it much, but Blake’s question had thrown her for a minute. Sam was rarely lost for words and Zakia noticed the devilish glint in her eye just before she undid the clip. “You mean this old thing?” she said as she whipped the prosthesis out of the sleeve and shook it in Blake’s face. “I’m sorry, Sam,” he said, recovering quicker than most. “That wasn’t very tactful. I deserved that. What happened? War wound?” “Yep. Piece of flying shrapnel severed it right off. It’s okay, Blake. I’m used to the odd looks and the questions. Don’t worry about it. At least I survived, many didn’t.” “Sometimes, it takes more guts to survive in this world,” Blake said as he looked at Sam, “but I’m glad you did.” “Should I leave?” Zakia asked facetiously. “Are we all done playing twenty questions?” “Yeah. That’s it for now,” Blake assured her. “Where’re you headed, Zak?” Sam asked. “Just out front to see if Luke and the boys are back yet.” Sam rose to her feet. “I’ll come with you.” Blake was not being left behind. “Why don’t I take you two beautiful girls for a walk?” he said as he jumped to his feet. “I don’t know. Why don’t you?” Sam quipped. “Quit teasing him, Sam, and let’s go.” Exiting through the kitchen door, the unlikely threesome headed for the corral where the horses were. ****

“When will your men arrive, Blake?” Zakia asked as they paused at the corral to admire the horses. “They’re here already.” “How will we know who’s who?” “Good question, Sam, but I don’t have an answer for that yet. It’s not like we can go undercover wearing uniforms.” “No, but I like the under cover bit,” she teased. “Here they come now,” Zakia said as a group of riders came into view. Breathing a sigh of relief at their safe return, she turned to her friend. “What would you like to do now that you’re here, Sam?” “I’m not sure. What kind of animals does he keep here?” “Cattle and horses.” “What’s in the barn?” “A litter of puppies in a horse stall and a litter of kittens in the hayloft,” she laughed. “Not your typical farm animals.” “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been on a farm,” Sam replied. “Although I did expect to see cows and horses.” “The herd’s in one of the far pastures. We’ll be bringing them in closer during the round up. Shall we walk out and meet the troops?” Blake’s eyes scanned the area and shook his head, “Sorry, Zakia. The trail’s too open once we leave the safety of the house and barn. With that yellow shirt, you’d make an excellent target.” “Yeah,” she said looking down at her shirt. “I never thought of that. I’ll have to try to blend in better.” “Good idea. Sam, would you like to see the puppies? Luke said they were born the night Zakia arrived.” “Oh, they’re just babies then. Lead me to ‘em.” “Coming?” “No. I’ll wait for my guys. They’re almost here.” Blake hesitated. “Don’t walk out into the open, okay? If you got hurt, Luke would have my head.” “Don’t worry. I’ll wait right here.” His look of relief seemed almost comical. Obviously, he wanted some time alone with Sam. Yep! They may have found their match. She smiled as her three favorite men rode into the yard.

Chapter Twelve

Zakia could tell they’d had a fun ride due to the happy grins on all their faces, men and boys alike. Wranglers totally surrounded and protected Luke and the boys as they rode up to the corral where she waited. “Hi, Mommy. You should’a come riding.” “It was fun. We rode in a circle.” “Oh? Were the cowboys practicing their round up skills?” Zakia teased. “Yes, ma’am, and they had us rounded up in the middle,” Luke said as he played along. “Sounds like fun. I guess I should have gone with you.” “I’ll round you up shortly for supper,” Luke said. “Cook says he’s making enough for everybody tonight seeing as how it’s their first night back and all. It gives you the night off plus the added bonus of you and Sam getting a chance to know some of the men. Just don’t get too friendly,” he warned, the light of desire already shining in his eyes. “Wouldn’t think of it, Boss man.” The twins giggled, drawing their attention to the fact that they had an audience. Zakia grinned and shook her head. Memories sure did get short when you had loving on the brain. “We have to get the saddles off our mounts and give them a good rubdown. We’ll find you once we have the horses taken care of.” “All right. I’ll hold you to that.” Zakia returned to the house and climbed the porch steps only to stop dead still and scream. By the time the men got to her side, she was kneeling on the porch floor holding a dead kitten in her arms as if it were a baby and sobbing uncontrollably. Looking up at Luke, she said, “She’s still warm.” “It wasn’t there a few minutes ago when we went to the barn,” Blake said, gingerly removing the kitten from Zakia’s grasp. “Her neck’s broken. At least it was quick.” “She’s just a baby. Quick or not, why pick on her?” A light bulb went off in her head, “Oh my God! Where are the boys?”

“Don’t worry. They’re safe. I asked Sam to keep them in the barn,” Luke answered. “Rounder’s in there, too.” “We didn’t know why you were screaming and thought it best,” Blake assured her. “I’ll round up some men and have a look around.” “For who? He’s either long gone or one of the wranglers and I don’t like that idea one little bit,” stated Luke. “Neither do I, old Buddy. Neither do I. Still, I’m going inside to look around, make sure he’s not hiding in the house somewhere.” “Good idea. I’m coming with you” “Luke, would you come with me to get the boys? Blake will check out the house and tend to that poor kitten.” “Yeah, sure. Blake, you okay with that? Get someone up here to watch your back.” “Sure. Go with Zakia.” “I can’t help but wonder how this guy got past mama kitty,” Luke mused aloud. “She’s so fiercely protective of her kittens. Or Rounder for that matter.” “Rounder ran out to meet you guys,” Blake said. “This guy has patience, lots of patience. He’s been playing this game for a long time. He probably hid out in the barn and waited until she went to find something to eat, then swiped one of her babies. Well, he’s not going to get his filthy hands on one of mine!” she said, getting to her feet and heading back down the steps. Luke joined her and they set off for the barn together. Both boys came running as soon as they entered the barn and wrapped their tiny little arms around her waist. “Mommy, Mommy. Are you okay?” “We heard you screaming.” Thinking quickly, she said, “I’m sorry, guys. One of the barn cats must have left a dead mouse on the front step. It really scared me.” “Why would it do that?” Casey asked. “Well,” Luke answered, “Usually when a pet leaves a present for its owner, it’s to show how much they like him or her.” “Do your cats like you, Daddy?” Cammy asked. “I hope so. I’m the one who feeds them all winter when food is scarce for them. Did you get the saddles put away and the ponies brushed?”

Sam answered as the boys nodded their heads. “I helped. We tended to your horse, too, Luke.” “Thanks, you guys. Great job! We just need to go find us a blanket to spread on the ground. Cook is feeding everyone in the bunkhouse yard. We’ll even have a campfire, a big one.” “Think you’d have a spare blanket for me?” Sam asked. “If not, you can share ours,” Zakia responded, grateful to have her friend with her. “Uh, uh,” she smirked. “I’d like to find out just how many of Luke’s cowboys single me out. There’s a lot of testosterone on this ranch to sample.” Luke guffawed loudly. “Sam, if you continue to dress like you are now, no blanket ever made would be big enough to hold your suitors tonight.” “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” she asked, looking down at her clothing. “Long sleeved blouse tied up in front to expose a sexy glimpse of satiny midriff? Top buttons undone to show enticing hints of cleavage? Jeans so tight you could’ve been poured into them? Nothing much wrong that I can see,” Blake stated sardonically as he walked up beside her. “Really, Blake? You like what I’m wearing?” “Yeah, if I had time to uh, to… little ears,” he replied, nodding toward the boys. Zakia and Luke laughed at Blake’s discomfiture when he realized the twins were paying rapt attention to the conversation. “I’d better go find myself a sweater.” “I’m sure we can find enough blankets for everyone,” Luke offered. “I’ll need to ferret out jackets for the boys and me in case it turns cool,” Zakia said. “Let’s go up to the house and load up.” A short while later, the entire ranch staff and guests situated themselves around a large, open campfire over which stood a gigantic tripod with a side of beef turning slowly on a spit as it cooked. The feast was Cook’s idea, planned early this morning as soon as they’d returned from the Grayson ranch. Foil wrapped potatoes nestled among the coals along with some foil wrapped bundles containing mixed vegetables. Gravy, kept warm in a stainless steel pot at the edge of the fire and homemade

biscuits, keeping warm in the bunkhouse oven, completed the hearty meal. Even the coffee was in place on the fire. Cook clearly had everything under control. They ate, joked and laughed with a camaraderie seldom seen. The wranglers were terrific about toning down their stories and jokes due to the presence of the women and children. There was goodnatured ribbing directed Luke’s way for being the father of twins, boys at that. Some of the older hands remembered Zakia and welcomed her back profusely with reference to the boss not being so grumpy now. With the food eaten, a couple of guitars appeared and everybody sang along with the familiar tunes. It was a great evening, and Zakia was reluctant to leave the campfire gathering, but it was getting late and the boys were barely holding their heads up. “Luke, we need to get the boys to bed. They’re half asleep now.” “I’ll carry one for you,” Blake offered. “Thanks,” Luke said as he lifted Casey in his arms. Zakia followed the men with Sam at her side. “I wonder who the idiot is and how he found you?” Sam said. “I don’t know but it’s almost spooky the way he comes and goes and no one sees him.” “Yeah, like that kitten. We weren’t gone that long. How did he manage to get it in place so quickly after killing it?” “Luke,” Zakia called softly, “Should we sit on the porch while Blake checks the house?” “Don’t need to. I locked the windows and doors when we went over to the campfire.” “Okay.” “I’ve had men taking turns watching the house, but I’ll go in first and check if it’ll make you feel better,” Blake offered. “No, thanks. If Luke thinks it’s safe to go in, I trust him.” “What if he jimmied a lock and got in?” Sam asked. “Zakia, Sam, have a seat and hold the boys while Blake and I search the house.” “Good call, Luke. A person can never be too careful with a lunatic running around,” Sam commended as she sat down and held a sleepy Cammy on her lap. The two women sat in companionable silence for a few

minutes, listening for sounds that would mean an intruder in the house or nearby. None came. “I could get used to quiet like this,” Sam whispered. “Especially on nights this warm and beautiful,” Zakia agreed. “Oh, I don’t know. Winter nights are probably just as beautiful in their own way.” “Yes, they are,” she replied, remembering the nights her and Luke had bundled up and sat out here, just the two of them, together, to revel in the quiet beauty of moonlight glistening on pure white snowy fields. The door opened and the women were relieved of their burdens as the men carried the sleepy boys up to bed. Bringing up the rear, Zakia firmly locked the door before following. Removing jackets, belts and boots, Zakia decided it wouldn’t hurt the boys to sleep in their clothes this once, so she covered them up and went downstairs to join the others. She flicked on the light and ducked into her room to hang up her jacket and don a long-sleeved sweater. She turned to survey her appearance in the mirror, and that’s when she saw it. She sank brokenly to the carpet, her back resting against the footboard on the bed. Unaware of the passage of time, she didn’t know how long she’d been sitting there, staring at the message on the mirror when Luke came upstairs looking for her. **** He saw her huddled on the floor, arms wrapped tightly around her waist as if in pain, rocking slightly and staring straight ahead as if in shock. Luke rushed to her side, instinctively knowing something else had happened. Gathering her close he asked, “What is it, honey? What’s happened?” She was drenched with sweat and shaking uncontrollably. When he didn’t immediately get an answer, he shifted positions and gave a cursory glance around the room. Seeing the message on the mirror that had sent a strong woman like Zakia into shock, Luke shook uncontrollably with rage. “Son of a bitch! I’m going to get you, you bastard!” He sprang into action, jumping to his feet with Zakia in his arms and murmuring reassuringly non-stop as his long-legged stride made short work of covering the length of the hallway. His lips caressed her hair and face until he stepped into his room. There he

placed her on the bed, stripped off her outer clothes and covered her with the duvet. He wanted nothing more than to crawl in beside her, but he had work to do. Downstairs, Luke explained what had happened and Sam volunteered to sit with Zakia. Blake grabbed his camera and forensics kit and followed Luke to Zakia’s bedroom, where they stood, stunned at the viciousness of the message. Luke could only imagine the horrific effect this latest message would have had on Zakia as she walked in unprepared. Hell, he was stunned and he’d known what was there. Reading the message again, which seemed to be written in lipstick, had ghostly chills running down his spine. You think you’re so safe, but I know better. You’ll be the last. I’ll let the wounds fester. All their precautions and still you will lose. I’ll get you, you bitch, whenever I choose. ”I’ve seen a lot in my days on the force, but this cuts me to the core.” Blake quickly took pictures, dusted for prints and scraped a sample off the mirror to have it analyzed. He’d come upstairs armed with paper towels, window cleaner and vinegar. That mess was coming off before anyone else saw it and went to pieces. Luke and Blake searched the house for a point of entry. “Looks like he got in through a basement window, so that tells us this guy could be tall but he isn’t very big, physically,” Blake said. “There’s a good shoe print in the dust and dirt on the floor. I don’t have much reason to come down here so it doesn’t get cleaned often. That’s probably why I didn’t think to check those windows earlier.” “Don’t beat yourself up over it, Luke. I never thought of the basement either, and I should have. I’ll check all the windows down here after I take pictures and dust for prints.” “If you don’t need me, I’ll go check on Zakia.” “I’m fine. Go.” Walking into his room to hear Zakia sobbing her heart out just about tore him apart but he knew it was a good sign. At least she wasn’t in a zombie state anymore. “I’m here, Babe. I just wanted to tell you not to worry. He’s not going to win. I won’t let him.” As she started to quiet down, he kept talking, assuring her that all was well. “He left a message because he couldn’t get to you. And

he won’t, that I promise. He can threaten all he wants. He’s only expending hot air. He knows we’re on to him and getting close and he doesn’t like it. We’ll get him, Zia. He won’t get a chance to touch you or the boys.” By the time he’d finished speaking, Luke was sitting beside her on the bed and gently took her in his arms, soothing her better than words ever could. “I have to go help Blake for a few minutes but I’ll be back soon. Sam is staying in here with you. Okay?” Zakia sobbed out, “Who’s with the boys?” “Blake and I are taking turns checking on them. I’ll be here with you soon and Sam can stay with them. All right?” “Sam can go now. I’m okay.” “No, you’re not. You’ve had a nasty shock and you need someone with you for the next little while. I’ll just be with Blake for a minute or two, and then I’ll be back. I promise.” “Sam and I can sit with the boys until you get back,” she said, “I don’t want them left alone for a minute.” When she stood, she wobbled alarmingly and Luke caught her up before she fell. “Okay. Sam can go to the boys.” Luke said, laying her gently on the bed. “I’ll be right back.” **** They left the room together and walked to the twins’ room to check that all was as it should be. Luke watched Sam by the faint glow of the nightlight as she quietly crossed to the window where she perched on the window seat, drew her knees up to her chest and held tight, her eyes scouring the night’s darkness. It was so calm and beautiful earlier, now they all could sense an unseen menace hiding in the shadows. “Where are you, you coward?” she whispered into the night. “You get your kicks picking on a defenseless woman and now her children. You deserve to die a slow, horrible death for what you’re putting her through. You’ll get what’s coming to you, but it won’t be what you’re expecting. Not in the least!” Luke left, returning with a fold out cot. Sam went to her room and changed, prepared to do guard duty for her friend. She came back with her pistol and her sleeping bag in hand and went to lie on the cot, placing her gun within easy reach beneath her pillow. He sensed she wasn’t afraid to face the crazed fool or to die

for that matter. Like him, she was only afraid of not being good enough, of letting Zakia down when she needed them the most.

Chapter Thirteen

Blake sacked out on the sofa in the den while one of his men kept first watch inside and two patrolled outside. Luke had offered the use of his men for patrol duty, but as they weren’t certain who the stalker was, Blake thought it was better not to go beyond those who had nothing to gain or lose, regardless of how this played out. Knowing the house was as safe as it could be for the night, Luke headed upstairs, anxious to check on the boys and Zakia. Finally arriving in his room, Luke undressed and crawled in beside Zakia, enfolding her in the crook of his arm and thanking the Lord she’d come out of her stupor. That message had been enough to make a saint succumb to terror. For his kind-hearted Zia to be the one to find it, that it had been written with her in mind, just about blew him away. “Luke, are the boys all right?” “Yes. I put a portable cot in there for Sam. She won’t let anything happen to them.” “I know. Sam told me tonight that she’d learned to shoot and handle a knife with her left hand. She learned after I told her about the stalker, Luke.” “That’s one hell of a girl friend, girlfriend,” he said, trying to lighten the mood so she’d relax and get a better night’s sleep. “Am I your girlfriend, Luke?” she queried, needing to know. “You have to know you’re more than that, Zia. This doesn’t seem the best of times to ask, so I’ll tell you, when this is over I intend for us to get married again.” “Oh, Luke. I thought I’d lost you forever.” “Nope. I think we just found each other, but I’ve loved you forever it seems.” “As I’ve loved you. I wish all this was behind us.” “Me, too, Babe, but let’s not think about it any more tonight. I have other things on my mind.” He rolled her over and began kissing her on the forehead, the eyes, the nose, the chin, working around to an ear, which he nibbled and laved and blew gently into. His hands kept busy too as he massaged her breasts and teased her nipples between thumb and forefinger until they stood at attention for him.

Luke gasped as he felt her cold hands grasp his erection, but they warmed up fast as she stroked up and down and around, massaging the tip until his cock was so swollen with need, he knew he was going to explode, and soon. Trying to get himself under control, he paused and pulled away, but her hands caressed his ass instead, trying to pull him closer… closer. His mind told him to slow down, practice control, but his body had other ideas as he willingly gave himself over to her ministrations, allowing himself to be pulled deep inside her. After pausing a moment to relish the feeling of slick, molten heat surrounding his hardened flesh, Luke began to move in an age-old rhythm that had them both climaxing way too soon. Whenever he and Zakia made love, he tried to restrain himself, prided himself on making every experience as good if not better than the last, but this time the fierce emotions in his soul aligned with hers to create a maelstrom of frenzied coupling. Who knew when they’d get the chance to be together again? He refused to consider ‘if’ for ‘when.’ Luke vowed earlier that day, seeing the helpless kitten dead in Zakia’s arms, that he’d do what had to be done to finish this episode with the stalker once and for all. “Zia?” he whispered questioningly after he’d recouped enough to have his breathing almost returned to normal. “Yes, Luke.” “I’m thinking of starting the round up sooner than planned. We can repair the outer pastures tomorrow and the rest when we get back.” “Why, Luke?” “I want to flush this guy out. He’ll think he can get to us on the cattle drive, but he can’t possibly know how many cops are with us, unless he’s in law enforcement. If this guy has insinuated himself within this year’s crew of wranglers, he’s bound to make a mistake. Then we’ll have him.” “But Luke, we’re out in the open. This guy can take a pot shot at any one of us anytime.” “Not really. It’s all open range and because Blake’s men will be watching for anything out of the ordinary, it’s actually going to be safer.” “At least here we have four walls surrounding us. Out there the most protection we’ll have is a canvas covered wagon.”

“Ahhh, but not just any wagon. It’s being made special and due for delivery the day after tomorrow, which makes it a perfect time to leave.” “What have you been up to, Luke?” “Just figuring out a way to keep my family safe. Blake helped. The wagon is covered in canvas but it’s lined with a bullet-proof material similar to the armored cars used to transport money.” “It’ll be like an oven in there!” she exclaimed. “Nope, vented and air conditioned. Front and back flaps will be hung to look normal, but they’re not.” “Not exactly your normal wagon-ride.” “No, but at the first sign of trouble it can be locked up tighter than Fort Knox.” “Will you ride with us in the wagon?” “Part of the time. Blake and I will take turns driving the wagon. Sam and the men will be armed at all times and so will we. The lookouts and outriders will have walkie-talkies to report anything suspicious. No one will get to you or the boys. I promise you that, Zia.” “Thank you, Luke, but I don’t want anything to happen to you either.” “It won’t. I plan on loving you for a long, long time to come,” and he demonstrated exactly what he meant as he began making love to her all over again. **** They awoke in the early hours before dawn and made love again before getting out of bed. It was almost as if they had to reaffirm living and loving before they could face the day. Showered and dressed, they presented themselves in the kitchen where someone had thoughtfully made a fresh pot of coffee. They were sitting at the old oak table with a cup when Blake came in through the kitchen door. “Good morning, you two. You’ll be relieved to know there was nothing else to report during the overnight hours except a couple of wranglers out and about. It seems something spooked their horses and they went out to the corral to investigate. They didn’t see anybody and went back to bed, figuring a prairie dog or something. I have their names if you want to know who they were.” “Yeah, later. Did you already talk to them?” Luke asked.

“Yeah. They seem to be on the level.” “What do you think about leaving on the round up a few days early, Blake?” “When?” “Tomorrow.” “Can we be ready to go that soon?” Blake asked. “Yep, as long as the wagon gets here on time. I’m sending the men out to repair the fences on the outer pasture. We’ll do the rest when we return.” “Fair enough, but why? What are you thinking?” “I’m thinking the women and children would be safer in the wagon and it just might flush this guy out if he thinks we’re easy pickings.” He watched as Blake mulled it over in his mind like he always did, trying to see all the different angles. Making up his mind, he nodded his head in agreement. “Yep, it just might work.” “Good. I’d like to see an end to all this,” Zakia said. “Don’t we all,” said Luke, squeezing her hand. The day was busy with most of the men riding out to repair fencing. Cook went into town to stock up on supplies for the trip. Sam and Zakia did laundry and sorted out clothes for their cross-country adventure. They also restocked the medical kit, just in case. Blake and two of his men stayed behind to guard the house. The women and children were virtually under house arrest and stayed inside, but they made good use of their time packing and baking treats for their first round up. They couldn’t help but be excited, after all, it was a new experience for all four of them. Zakia and Sam found the time too long if they were just sitting and waiting so they kept busy and it helped to keep the twins from champing at the bit. The boys had become so used to having the run of the ranch yard and outbuildings, it was difficult to keep them inside. Luke rode home at noon to check on them and took pity on the boys when he saw their wistful expressions. After lunch, he took them out to the barn to visit Rounder and her puppies. They were becoming quite playful and looked forward to the boys’ visits. He returned them to the relative safety of the house, then rode back to the far pasture to help complete the needed repairs. It was a tired and straggly bunch of cowboys that rode into the

ranch yard that evening. They’d had a very successful day, completing repairs on three outer pastures. Luke had called his father that morning and informed him of the change in plans. Still a partner and wanting to help out on Thunder Creek, he informed Luke that he and Winnie would be riding along. It was no more than Luke expected and he had no complaints as he enjoyed spending time with his father. Lucas, Senior, called back after dinner to finalize plans for the round up. “Hi, Luke. How’d it go with the repairs today?” “Fine, Dad. We managed to get three of the outer pastures ready for livestock.” “That’s a good crew we’ve got. I’ve a favor to ask.” “Sure, Dad. What is it?” “Roy’s home for a visit. Winnie’s oldest son, remember him?” “Yeah. What about him?” “Well, it seems he’s taken up photography and wants to do a photo shoot centered around a cattle round up. Wants to know if he can tag along. What do you think?” “I think I fired his sorry ass for a reason, Dad. I’m not sure I want him around, especially now.” “I can’t say as I blame you, son, and he’s never really liked me, but I thought if I could arrange for him to come along on the round up, it might change his attitude some. It would sure make things easier for Winnie and me. What do you say?” “Do we get our pick of the shots?” Luke wavered in the face of his father’s dilemma. “I can ask. He’d be riding on the outskirts during the day to get better shots, he says, and won’t be in the way of the wranglers. Shouldn’t be any trouble.” “Hope not. Here’s also hoping he’s managed to grow up some. I don’t want him pulling any of his juvenile tricks with Zakia and the boys riding along. Tell him we leave tomorrow morning as soon as everything’s loaded and ready to go.” “Will do, and Luke?” “Yeah, Dad?” “Thanks.” “No problem. That’s what family is for.” Replacing the receiver, he turned to find Zakia standing behind him. “Problems?” she asked.

“No. Dad just called to say Winnie’s son, Roy, is in town and asked if it’s all right for him to come on the round up.” “Oh. Is he as nice as his mother?” “Not by a long shot. You may not remember him but he used to work here. Apparently he’s some kind of photographer now, wanting to take pictures of the round up.” “That’s good isn’t it?” she asked. “Could be. Never had anyone take pictures before. First time for everything, right?” “Right.” “Where are the boys?” “Upstairs in bed, waiting for Daddy to tuck them in.” At his shocked look, Zakia explained, “They wanted to go to bed early so the round up will come sooner.” Luke laughed, grabbed her for a quick yet thorough kiss, then bounded up the stairs two at a time, his laughter ringing out, loud and clear at the thought processes of little boys. When he arrived in their room, he tucked them in and got conned into reading a book, which he was certain Zakia had already done. They fell asleep halfway through and he stood, watching them sleep and wondered how he’d ever lived without them, without family of his own to come home to every night. Lost in thought, he backed quietly out into the hallway, closing the door behind him as he went. **** Blake found an old John Wayne western among Luke’s movie collection and suggested it would be a good pastime on their last evening before the round up. Zakia popped some popcorn and made hot chocolate, trying to make it a more festive affair. She’d found comfort food to be a great stress reliever during the turmoil of the last few years, especially since the advent of the stalker. All was in readiness for a nice quiet evening when Luke reappeared downstairs. Foregoing the recliner, his usual seat in the room, he sank into the welcoming cushions of the sofa. When Zakia passed him his mug of hot chocolate, he patted the seat beside him in open invitation, which she was heading for anyway, as he soon found out when she set her mug beside his and went back for the single bowl of popcorn to share. Blake took over the recliner and Sam seated herself in the overstuffed armchair, directly across from Blake. Watching the movie and commenting here and there on the

different aspects of ranching, then and now, the girls got a better feel for the adventure they were about to impart on in the morning. The credits were rolling and four sleepy adults were thinking of heading to bed when they heard a loud thump on the front porch. Blake stayed behind to guard the women while Matt, the guard in the kitchen, came running with gun drawn, meeting Luke at the door. Slowly pushing aside the curtain, Luke could detect no movement. Gingerly opening the door, he looked out, his glance falling on a boot lying outside the door. “That’s one of Cole’s boots,” Matt said. “He bragged earlier today about having the only pair of two-toned, brown, ostrich leather boots. I thought the boots looked like they were imprinted with raised pimples on the foot part.” “Blake, you’d better come see this,” Luke said now. Luke heard him caution the women before he left the room. “Stay away from the window.” Seeing the boot, Blake closed and locked the door then turned to Luke. “Cole was stationed around back with Randy. We’ll have to round up some men and go check on them. One or the other should have radioed in by now if there was a disturbance of some kind.” Luke agreed wholeheartedly. “I’ll go turn on the floodlights for the house and yard. We stand a better chance of locating the men that way.” “We’ll also make better targets,” Blake said. “Can’t help that. If those men are hurt we need to find them ASAP.” They went back inside. “Sam, have you got your gun?” “Yep. I’ve had one on me almost constantly since I arrived.” “Okay. You guard the front entry while we go out the back. One of Blake’s men will stand watch in the kitchen. Zia?” “I’m going up to stay with the boys,” she said as she mounted the stairs. “Be careful. Don’t let him hurt anyone else. Don’t let him win.” “He won’t win, Zia. He just wants us to think he will.” “I know, Luke. And he’s doing a damned fine job of it so far,” she said, her entire demeanor worried and dispirited as she trudged slowly upstairs to sit with her babies. Luke watched until she rounded the landing and disappeared from sight, the dejected slump of her shoulders telling him how badly

this latest incident had taken its toll. Turning toward the kitchen, he said to Blake, “Time to find out what happened to your men. Be careful out there.” Once they were in place at different windows, Luke flipped the switch turning all the floodlights on at once, and they scanned quickly and intently for any sign of movement in the yard. Seeing none, they went out onto the back porch, immediately joined by a bunch of confused, sleepy cowboys with guns drawn, awakened by the blinding lights. “What’s going on?” one asked. Luke and Blake had filled them in on the imminent danger early that morning and given the wranglers a choice to stay and help or leave and be assured of safety from the stalker. No one left. “We have two men not reporting in. They’re considered down and may be injured,” Blake said “A few minutes ago someone tossed Cole’s boot onto the front porch to get our attention and Randy hasn’t radioed in. We need to find them, pronto. We’ll spread out in a line across the back yard and search toward the field. Any questions?” He scanned the crowd, seeing a multitude of shaking heads. “Then line up and let’s go.” They found Randy soon enough, lying on his back in the long grass at the side of the greenhouse. Thinking the worst, Luke kneeled next to him and checked for a pulse, relieved to find it strong and steady, but had a panicky feeling start low in his gut when they couldn’t wake him. Instructing two of the men to take him to the house and call a doctor, the remainder of the men continued the search for the bootless Cole. Searching for well over an hour, they were about to give up and call in a rescue squad when there was a rustling in the woods at the back edge of the lawn. One of the searchers noticed the sound right away and, as the floodlights didn’t reach back that far, Blake trained his flashlight on the area. They all breathed a collective, heartfelt sigh of relief when Cole himself staggered out into the open. “Where have you been, Cole? What happened?” Blake asked. Seeing the searchers all gathered around waiting for his reply, he asked, “Why? How long have I been missing?” “At least an hour and a half, maybe more.” “The last I remember, I’d gone off to have a leak. There was a sharp pain in my neck, like a mosquito bite and I woke up face down

in the bushes. Who stole my boot?” he asked as he reached around to rub the sore spot at the back of his neck, “Well, I’ll be damned. Blake, what’s stuck in my neck?” Shining his light on the area in question, Blake spoke calmly as he eased a small tranquilizer dart out of Cole’s neck, “Looks like you’ve been tranquilized, my friend.” Holding gingerly to the shaft of the dart with two fingers, Blake bagged it as evidence. “A doctor has already been called for Randy. Come up to the house so you can be checked over as well.” Turning to the searchers when they reached the house, Blake thanked them and wished them a good night, reaffirming that if they’d changed their minds, they were free to leave. Surprisingly, it was Cole who spoke up. “Seems to me he could’ve killed me if he wanted to, but he didn’t. We very well could be in danger if we get in this guy’s way, but this proves his vendetta is personal. Luke needs help and I’m staying, provided I can stay on my feet,” he joked. “You can count on me, Blake,” he said, turning toward his boss. A general chorus of ‘yeahs’ and ‘I’m ins’ followed before the men streamed toward the bunkhouse to sleep during what was left of the night, all except two, who volunteered to do guard duty together until dawn. They reentered the house through the kitchen door and soon after the doctor arrived at the front. He confirmed what Blake had already discovered; both men had been shot with some type of mild tranquilizer dart. The doctor assured them they should have no lasting affects from the drug once it had worn off. Their conclusion of the night’s activity was of another warning having been issued. Bringing Zakia and Sam in on the discussion that followed resulted in a unanimous decision. They would take careful note of the people traveling around Luke and his family at all times, but the round up would proceed as planned in the morning. During the night, three of Luke’s favorite horses got sick. He called the local vet immediately but he couldn’t arrive until later in the morning. In the meantime, he told them to take away their food and water and stable the sick horses, keeping them away from the rest of the herd. Lucas Senior and Winnie arrived with their horses and

supplies just in time for a coffee before heading out. Roy was nowhere to be seen and Luke hoped he’d found something else to photograph. His hopes were dashed when Winnie informed him that Roy had a few things to pick up in town, but he’d be along later. “The extra wagon arrived early this morning,” Luke told his father as they sat around the table having one last cup of coffee before leaving on the round up. “Everything’s packed and ready to go but I’ll have to leave a couple of men behind to wait for the vet and take care of the sick horses.” “How could three of them get sick all at once? They’ve been in the paddock all summer, haven’t they?” his father asked. “Have you moved them to a new field lately?” “No, but we rode out to mend fence lines yesterday. They may have run across something in one of the outer fields.” “Have your buddy, Blake, run a check on the food and water in their paddock and make sure the other horses get moved in case there’s something out there hurtin’ the horses.” “Already been done, Dad. Now we just sit and wait for the test results.” “Winnie and I’ll do the sittin’ and waitin’. We’re gettin’ too old to ride all day anyway. We’ll be happy to stay right here and keep an eye on things while you’re gone.” “Are you sure about that, Dad? There’s been some weird goings on around here lately.” “Like what?” “The stalker’s been letting us know he’s around. Zakia’s truck was broken into, then she found a kitten on the step with its’ neck broke, and a message on her mirror. Then last night two of the guards were shot with tranquilizer darts. You don’t have to stay and put yourselves at risk.” “This guy’s after you and yours, not us. We’ll be safe enough. My guess is he’s already aware of the round up and won’t be around here to pester us anyway.” “I hope not. We’re hoping he’ll make a mistake and show his true colors. At any rate, he should be easier to detect on the wide-open range.” “Not necessarily. Remember, during the round up all the wranglers carry guns to be prepared for the unexpected. You might be putting yourselves in more danger by leaving.”

“Then so be it,” Zakia said. “I’m tired of being afraid. We need an end to this.” Blake frowned. “We’ll get him, Zakia.” “He’s not going to win. I promised you that before, Zia, and I mean it even more now,” Luke assured her. Turning to his father, he asked one more time, “Are you both sure about staying?” Lucas Senior looked to his wife, who nodded her head in agreement. “We’re sure,” he said. Standing up and placing his empty cup in the sink, Luke spoke to the rest of the gathering, “Then saddle up and let’s ride.” Two little boys jumped up excitedly, making a mad dash for the door. “Wait for us,” yelled Zakia, relieved when they halted at the closed kitchen door. “We’re heading west toward the hills. Roy can catch up easy enough if he’s coming,” Luke said. “We’ll be sure to let him know. Have a safe journey, Son.” “See you when we get back. Thanks for taking care of things here.” “No problem. You just take care of that family of yours and make sure y’all get back safely.” “Yes, Sir.” Luke grinned on his way out the door. He was still grinning as he handed Zakia and the twins up into the wagon. If that bastard stalker was watching, he hoped he saw all the smiling faces, not daunted in the least by the tricks he’d come up with to date. Maybe their carefree attitudes would be the catalyst to piss him off enough to try something, sooner rather than later.

Chapter Fourteen

It was almost midday when the wranglers moved out. Half rode ahead of the wagons and the other half behind. Once clear of the gates, they were able to spread out some, making what appeared to be a circle round the wagons. The twins were excited to come along on Daddy’s round up. At the moment, they were perched on a bale of hay behind the driver’s seat, talking to Blake and Sam. “How come you’re sitting up there with Unca Blake?” Cammy asked. “Just enjoying the landscape,” Sam replied. “Oh, we thought it was because you liked him,” Casey said. Zakia chuckled as her friend went momentarily speechless at the comment. Sam quickly gathered her wits and whispered over her shoulder loud enough for Blake to hear, “Oh, well, I do like him, but don’t let him know. Would you like to sit up here for a little while?” Sam helped them climb over the divider. Zakia found the wagon plenty high enough to stand up in and moved to the front. Perching on the bale of hay the twins had just vacated, she leaned forward. “Is it wise for the boys to sit up there in plain view?” she asked Sam. “They’re not really. The front of the wagon almost hides them when they sit up here. I was careful to situate them between Blake and I so they have protection on each side. There’s nothing to worry about, Zak. I wouldn’t have let them come up here if I thought it was too exposed or too dangerous.” “I know. I guess I just had to be reassured they’d be all right.” “They’re all right.” “Can you see Luke?” “Yep. He’s riding the big black stallion, over there,” she said, pointing ahead and to the left of the wagon. “Oh, yeah!. I’d know that muscled, body anywhere,” she mused. “He sits that big bruiser of a horse rather well, don’t you think?” Privately, she was thinking how well she liked to ride or be ridden by him.

“Mommy, do you like my Daddy?” Cammy asked, always the more curious of the two. “Yes, I do.” “Are you and Daddy gonna marry?” Casey questioned, wanting to nail down the facts. “I think so. Why?” “We love Daddy.” “We love being cowboys.” “I think you make pretty good looking cowboys, too,” she said, proud of her boys. “Won’t you miss your friends in the city?” “Nah. Daddy’s more fun.” “And the puppies need us.” “Is that right?” she teased, knowing how they adored Rounder’s litter. “Yes, Mommy.” “They’ll miss us if we go.” “So what you’re saying is that we should stay here and live on the ranch?” “Yes, we stay on the ranch.” “With Daddy and the puppies.” “And our ponies.” “And you too, Mommy.” Her heart almost broke at the sincerity in their voices. She should have come back sooner. They’d missed so much. “Well I guess we’ll have to talk about it with Daddy. Is tonight all right?” “Yes.” “Yeah.” “Did you put them up to this, Sam?” Zakia asked, catching the smirk on her friend’s face. “Nope. They thought this one up on their own,” she answered. “The cowboys are reigning in up ahead. Better hop back in the wagon, boys,” Blake said with a sideways look at Sam that meant hurry. Zakia grabbed one and Sam crawled in back with the other, waiting quietly until they learned the reason for the abrupt stop. Two of the wranglers headed off to the west, riding into the sunset, while another rode back to report to Luke. He wasn’t long riding over to speak with Blake. “One of the men noticed the setting sun glinting off something

to the west. May have been binoculars or a gun, might be nothing but shiny rock or someone’s discarded soft drink can. He and another rider went to investigate. We’ll wait here until they return.” Luke hitched his horse to the back of the wagon and crawled inside to join his family while they waited for news. Sam graciously went back up front. “Hi, Daddy.” “Hi, Casey.” “Can you marry our Mommy?” Luke smiled. “If she’ll have me, Cammy.” “Today?” “No, not today.” “Why not?” “Women like to dress up pretty for a wedding, not be all dusty from a cattle drive.” Giggling, Cammy said, “But we don’t have cattle yet.” “We don’t have a preacher either,” Luke said. “Oh. We need a preacher?” “Yes, if we want the marriage to be legal,” he answered, smiling at their questions. “What’s legal?” asked Cammy. “Legal means it’s okay with the law, so we have to wait until we get back and find a preacher. Okay, guys?” “What about me,” Zakia asked. “Don’t I have anything to say?” “Just say, yes, I’ll marry you, Luke.” “All right then. Yes, I’ll marry you, Luke.” “So we can stay on the ranch forever?” “With you and the puppies and ponies?” “Yep. Looks like it.” The words were no sooner out of his mouth than the twins jumped him and gave hugs tight enough to choke him. He loved it, and as soon as he had an arm free, drew Zakia into his embrace to complete the circle. He heard one of the outriders return, speaking hurriedly with Blake as soon as he pulled up. Luke stood and moved to the front of the wagon. “What did you find?” he asked the wrangler. “A tall, lanky fella said he had permission to ride along. He’s a photographer, Roy Grayson.”

“Yes, he does, but I was hoping he wouldn’t show. Why’s he riding so far out?” “To get better shots, he said. Also doesn’t want to get his camera full of dust from the horses.” “That actually makes sense and he can take pictures from up there all he wants. The farther away he is the better. Go tell the guys to get moving again. I want to make it to the river by sundown.” “What’s with you and this guy?” Blake asked. “He’s my stepbrother but I don’t have to like him. How someone as nice as Winnie gave birth to the likes of that is beyond me.” “Sibling rivalry. I can understand that.” “Not really. It started long before Dad remarried. Roy used to work for me but I fired his ass for drinking on the job. He’d passed out in the barn one day with a cigarette in his hand and almost burned the place down.” “Whew! I’d be pissed, too.” “Darned right!” Luke took his leave of Zakia and the boys and, stealing a hug and a kiss as he went, had the twins giggling uncontrollably as he left the comparative safety of the wagon and mounted his horse to ride alongside. When they reached the Oldman River, Luke called a halt for the day and the group made camp. The wranglers brushed, watered and fed their horses before putting them to pasture overnight. Firewood was gathered, Cook got supper started and bedrolls were in place. Some of the men brought pup tents, but most preferred to sleep under the stars as the early pioneers did and spread their bedrolls near the fire. Luke arranged for the twins to sleep on either side of him near the fire, knowing there were men on guard duty to alert him if danger was near. Sam would stay with Zakia, willingly placing herself on guard duty at all times to protect her friend. The fire was blazing and Cook’s offerings eaten with great relish. Guitars appeared once again and cowboy songs were sung in the crisp night air of early autumn. Zakia and Sam sat close to Luke, Blake and the twins. They had a wonderful time singing along and clapping hands to the music, but all too soon, it was time for bed as morning came early on the range. A smaller campfire up on the ridge signified Roy’s intention

to camp alone. So be it. Luke hoped he’d brought his own grub and didn’t intend for cook to send a plate up to him. If he thought his cook would provide meals to go, Roy had another thing coming. An uneventful night passed, for which they were all extremely grateful, but no one dared let down his or her guard. Danger was out there, they just didn’t know who, when or what form it would take. They broke camp the next morning right after breakfast and the most horrible coffee Zakia had occasion to drink. Crossing the river, they traveled along its banks until they reached the area that would become their main camp while the wranglers rounded up strays. The rest of the day was busy as the men set up a temporary corral to hold the cattle until they were all rounded up and ready to herd home. Casey and Cammy worked side-by-side with their father and all three wore easy grins most of the time, happy just to be together. Luke was constantly on the lookout for trouble, ready to grab the boys and dive for cover to protect them if need be. Late that afternoon, he heard a shot fired in the direction of their wagon. He and Blake grabbed the boys and went running to discover that Zakia and Sam had been walking near the wagon when they were surprised by a slight noise, resembling the whistle of the wind. Sam, ever observant, noticed a tranquilizer dart embedded in the canvas and had fired one shot to raise the alarm. Everyone, even the cook, came running. Now they knew for certain they were being followed and a strange kind of excitement filled the air as the men prepared to defend Luke and his family. The wranglers mounted up and surrounded Zakia’s wagon while Luke got the women and children safely inside, climbing aboard to help protect them himself. The type of dart used indicated the stalker was using a tranquilizer rifle. “A tranquilizer gun, or any gun for that matter, loses its accuracy if shot from too far away,” Blake said. “This guy would want the most distance he could get and still maintain accuracy. Probably max, five hundreds yards, but we’ll search a radius of one mile from camp. If we haven’t come across any tracks by then, we’ll head back.” Luke didn’t like thinking it was one of his wranglers causing trouble. He trusted his men. Always had, for the most part. How could

it be them when they’d been busy rounding up his father’s cattle the past couple of weeks? It just didn’t make sense. Blake and the wranglers rode in an ever-widening circle away from camp, looking for tracks in an otherwise barren landscape. They found what they’d been looking for in a rocky patch of the lower foothills of the Rockies, west of the camp, but the rider was long gone. Blake investigated the site thoroughly, but, other than a couple of cigarette butts he’d bagged, the man had left no trace of his identity behind, so they returned to camp empty handed. The stalker was no longer in the immediate area and guards were in place to ensure it stayed that way. Luke enjoyed his family, the campsite and the camaraderie of the wranglers, as he never had before. Each in his own way was ready and willing to protect Zakia and his boys. He certainly had a loyal crew. Looking around the campfire at the faces he knew so well, he figured a man couldn’t ask for much better than that. Because of the imminent and expected use of the tranquilizer gun, guards were posted in teams of two, four hours each, allowing everyone to get some sleep. If one got hit with a dart, the other would immediately fire a shot into the air. It was a good plan and it worked well. One of the wranglers went down for the count at about three in the morning and a shot rang out, alerting the camp. Blake and his men were immediately on their feet, some heading in the direction of the shot, others focused on getting to Luke’s wagon. He’d been lying awake in the wagon, so close to Zakia and yet so far away, when he heard the single shot ring out. It was almost a relief to get up and have something to do. He should never have given in to the boys’ urging to sleep in the wagon with them. Hell, he couldn’t even opt for a cold shower, and although a dip in the river might do the trick, his men would surely think he’d gone daft at this time of the morning. He crawled to the opening, climbed out and went to see what this new commotion was about. **** Breathing a heartfelt sigh of longing and relief, Zakia watched him go. As much as she enjoyed having Luke near, it was nigh on impossible to sleep when she wanted him so much yet couldn’t have him due to the boys sleeping peacefully between them. Lying awake, imagining all the things she’d like to do to him and with him, had

made her mighty hot and uncomfortable. Sometimes she wished her imagination wasn’t so good or her memories so vivid. Comforting herself with the knowledge of his nearness, which was more than she’d had the past eight years, Zakia finally drifted off to sleep where her subconscious allowed her dreams full reign.

Chapter Fifteen

Luke followed the crowd to the outskirts of the camp where all the activity was centered. “What happened, Blake?” “Seems like our man is having fun with his darts again. Got Joe in the back with one. Two of the men are carrying him down to his bedroll to keep him warm until he wakes up.” “Unless the darts have stronger tranq juice in them now.” “Let’s hope not. This guy’s just toying with us so far. Zakia is the one he really wants. As long as we keep her and the twins safe, we should be able to nab him soon.” “How can we do that? We can’t track him at night. Hell, he got away from us in broad daylight! Maybe bringing Zakia and the boys out here was a mistake,” Luke said. “I don’t think so,” Blake assured him. “This stalker is getting more and more brazen. So far, he’s managed to remain out of sight. Now he thinks he’s smarter than we are but he’ll slip up.” “Let’s hope it’s soon. If there’s nothing else, I’m going back to bed.” “Good night, Luke. Try not to worry.” “Yeah. Sure.” Walking back to the wagon, Luke was thinking about grabbing his bedroll and sleeping outside so a body could get some rest, but as he approached the wagon, he noticed something glowing in the light of the freshly stoked campfire. “Anyone got a flashlight handy?” “Here, Boss.” Luke took the flashlight and turned it toward the object in question. “Damn! Son of a bitch! Damn!” “What is it, Boss?” asked Pete, the wrangler who’d passed him the light. Barely able to speak through the lump in his throat, he said, “Get a feed bag or something, Pete. It’s Sampson, one of Rounder’s pups.” “Damn! This guy is sick, Boss.” “He’s also a dead man, Pete. When I find him, he’s dead.” Blake came up beside him and laid a hand on his shoulder, “How did he get this close without anyone seeing him?” he asked. Luke jerked his head up at the question and ran for the back of

the wagon. Shining the light inside, he breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief when he noted everyone sleeping peacefully. “Thank God!” he exclaimed, shaking from head to foot due to shock and worry. “Come, sit down,” Blake urged. “Can’t. I’m going to get back inside and lock it up for the night. No sense taking chances when we can stay safe.” “Go ahead. That’s what we ordered it for. I’ll go turn on the generator to run the air conditioning or you’ll be dehydrated come morning.” “Thanks. Night, Blake.” Luke entered the wagon, locked it up securely and lay down to rest his weary head, wondering what would happen next. **** Early the following morning, Zakia heard Luke send Pete back to the ranch house to take Rounder and her puppies into the house. She emerged from the wagon as Pete rode away. When she went to stand beside Luke, he surprised her by enveloping her in a heartwarming embrace that swept the remainder of the night’s cobwebs from her brain. “Ummm. I could get used to this,” she murmured as he finally allowed them to come up for air. “I heard you talking to Pete. What happened?” Taking her arm in his and moving a few steps away from the wagon so as not to be overheard by little ears, Luke explained, “Sampson showed up here last night. When I found him, he wasn’t breathing. I’ve sent Pete back to move Rounder and the rest of the pups into the ranch house.” “Oh no! Poor Sampson. Casey and Cammy will be devastated. Where did you find him?” “In front of the wagon.” “The stalker again,” she hissed, her fists clenching at her sides, “That bastard!” It was going to break the boys’ little hearts to find out that Sampson was gone. She was glad Luke was taking measures to protect the rest of the litter. “Sorry to intrude,” Blake said, “Luke, could you show me where you found the pup? I want to check around, see if I can find anything before the boys wake up.” “Sure, Blake” Walking over to the front of the wagon he stopped and pointed. “He was lying right there.” “How did you manage to see him in the dark?” Blake asked as

he surveyed the immediate area. “Didn’t know it was him at first. I saw something shiny and borrowed Pete’s flashlight. The pup’s head was facing the campfire and the light reflected in his eyes attracted my attention.” “What do you want to do now? This guy’s getting a little too bold to leave Zakia and the boys with only Sam to guard them,” Blake asked. “We’ll be fine, Luke. We won’t venture too far from the wagon.” “This round up hasn’t been much fun for you so far,” Luke said as he held her close. “The trip has been fine but I could do with a little less adventure, stalker wise.” “Soon, Zakia. He’s getting bolder. He’ll slip up and we’ll have him. I know it,” Blake reassured, as he had done for Luke the previous night. “Thanks, Blake. You’re a good man and a good friend to have,” she praised. “I smell coffee and I see Cook has breakfast ready. Could you fix a couple plates and mugs and bring it over, Luke? I don’t want to leave the boys.” “Sam’s here. She’ll watch over them,” Luke asserted. “I know. But I’ll feel better staying close by.” “Okay. Coffee and sustenance coming right up,” Luke said, then sauntered toward Cook’s table set up near the campfire. She watched as Blake continued poking around the area in front of the wagon and, finding something, abruptly stopped and bagged it before he straightened back up. “This must have fallen out of his pocket when he placed the pup here last night,” Blake said. “There’s also one real good boot print. I’m going to take some pictures before I try to cast it. Make sure no one goes around that side of the wagon until I get back.” “Uh huh,” she agreed, looking at the object he’d found, “Is that a lighter?” “Yep, fancy one at that.” He held it out for her to see. There was an inscription of some kind engraved on the front of the Zippo, although it was too small and scratched up to make out what it said. “This might be his downfall. We found cigarette butts when we found where he’d been standing to fire that dart your way. I’ll let

Luke know this guy’s a smoker. We can keep a look out for someone bumming fire.” “He might have just had it to light a campfire,” Zakia offered. “True enough, but we did find those butts. Keep your eyes and ears open just in case. I’m going to get my equipment and lock up the evidence I’ve uncovered so far. I’ll be back with a couple of my men to follow those footprints and see where they lead. He doesn’t seem to have covered his tracks too well in the dark.” “Good luck. I hope you find him so this can end soon, preferably today.” “Me, too, Zakia. Me too. We’ll do our best.” “I know you will. Thanks, Blake.” Zakia climbed up on the driver’s platform to wait for Luke and her coffee. One thing about Cook’s coffee, a single cup was strong enough to keep you awake and alert all day long. She needed it after the restless night she’d put in trying to sleep within the confines of the wagon with Luke almost close enough to touch. Watching him now, standing surefooted and steady in the early morning sunrise, gave rise to longings and desires better banked until the round up was over. He was standing by the campfire with two loaded plates in one hand and two mugs of coffee in the other talking to Blake. **** “Luke, I found this in front of the wagon where you said you’d found the pup. Recognize it?” Blake asked. “No, I don’t.” “When we found the kitten, it was still warm. Was the pup?” Blake asked. “You’d have to ask Pete. I couldn’t bear to touch the poor thing.” “Are you certain it was dead and not just tranquilized?” “Yes, Blake. He was lying there motionless, not breathing, with his eyes wide open.” “Which one of the wranglers is Pete?” “He’s not here. I sent him back to the ranch house to move Rounder and the rest of her pups inside with Dad and Winnie. They’ll be safer there until this is over. He’ll be back later. I’ll ask him about it or send him over to you if the boys are within earshot.” “Okay, Luke. Enjoy your breakfast.” He returned to the wagon and the beautiful woman patiently

waiting and wondered for the hundredth time how he got to be so lucky. Whatever it took, he’d protect her and the boys until Blake and his men rounded up the stalker. “This might not be the hottest gruel ever, but I guarantee it’ll stick to your innards, preventing the onset of hunger,” he joked. As she looked at the plate filled with sliced ham and pancakes, Zakia licked her lips as her stomach rumbled, bringing Luke’s rumbling laugh into the crisp morning air. Taking the coffee and setting it on the front railing, she held the plates while he climbed up to join her. Zakia’s beautiful honey-gold hair was gilded by the sun, adding an otherworldly cast to her profile that had her looking as fresh and demure as any goddess ever pictured or spoken of. Her moistened lips drew his attention and he wanted to kiss her, right there in front of God and man. “Did Blake tell you about the footprints he found?” she asked. “No, just the lighter,” he said as he joined her on the bench seat. “He asked that we keep everyone away from the far side of the wagon until he can cast it. He’s also going to round up some of his men and do some tracking.” “Good, now let’s put it out of our minds and enjoy the beauty of the morning and each other’s company,” Luke suggested. “That’s a great idea, in theory,” she said, “but if I don’t keep talking with you sitting this close, I may have to ravish you right here in full view of the camp.” He chuckled softly, pulled her close and kissed her, tasting the sweetened coffee on her lips. “I’m afraid not, Zia. What you and I share is not up for public viewing. Though maybe we could crawl in back a little later and get Sam to keep the boys occupied for a while.” Suddenly serious again, Zakia reached over, ran a gentle hand down his unshaven cheek and said, “I’d love to, Luke, but if anything happened to the boys while we were indulging ourselves, I’d never forgive myself.” “I know, Zia. It would be the same for me. We won’t always have to be on guard against a madman. Once we put an end to his games, we’ll have many nights of loving ahead of us. Now, relax and eat your breakfast.” They had just finished eating when shots were fired. Luke

helped Zakia into the wagon and climbed in behind her to wait for news. When no more shots were fired the camp started to come alive again and everyone started speaking at once, refilling plates and coffee cups as if nothing had happened. Luke looked out and saw Blake get to his feet and walk over to meet two incoming riders. One spoke in a loud, bass voice, easily heard from the wagon. “Sorry about the scare but we heard a noise and were checking around up there when I came upon a rattlesnake, all curled up and ready to strike. Had to get him before he got me.” “Good job, Jake. Thanks for letting us know. You boys get some breakfast. I’ll send someone else back out,” Blake said. “Thanks, Boss.” “Thanks, Blake.” He sent two others off on guard duty, then strolled toward the wagon. Luke went inside when he heard the boys stirring. Sam stood at the rear of the wagon, talking and laughing with Zakia, a fresh mug of coffee in her hands. “Where’s Luke?” he heard Blake ask. “Inside with the boys. Do you need him?” Zakia asked. “Just wanted to give the all clear. Why aren’t you two in the wagon where it’s safe?” “I overheard your men telling you about the rattler when I went to refill my coffee mug, so when I came back I told Luke and Zak about it.” “Oh. Okay. But please remember we have procedures in place and should stick to the plan so there’s less chance of screw-ups.” “All right, Blake. No harm done,” Sam said. Luke stuck his head out what passed as a back door to the wagon. “I thought I heard you out here. Are you looking for me?” “I was, not anymore. We’re leaving to follow those tracks shortly, see where the trail leads. I’ll find you when we get back.” “Want me to come with you? I know these hills better than anyone.” “It’s not really a matter of knowing these hills, but thanks anyway. We want to see how far his trail goes. You’re better off staying here with your family for now, Luke.” “Okay, Blake. Good luck. I hope you find the bastard.” “Me, too, but it’s doubtful. He’s been pretty sneaky so far.”

“Be careful out there,” Sam warned. “You don’t know who or what you’re up against.” “Don’t worry, Gorgeous. I’ll be back. Maybe next time we’re lying together we could share more than breakfast.” Sam blushed, remembering their dive under a wagon when the shots were fired. “In your dreams, Cowboy.” “Already been there,” he said, making her blush even rosier. “See you guys later,” he tossed nonchalantly over his shoulder as he walked away. **** Damn! Where did that lighter go? He needed to light a fire. It was cold in these mountains. But he wouldn’t be here much longer. Soon now, his work would be done and he’d have his revenge.

Chapter Sixteen

The wranglers mounted up after breakfast and headed out to do the job they were getting paid to do, round up cattle. More than a few of them cast worried glances toward Luke and his family. He could tell they didn’t really want to leave him unguarded, but he reassured them and sent them on their way. Blake and his men, walking their mounts at first, followed the trail away from camp to see where it would lead. The guy had to be hiding out up here somewhere and they were determined to find out where. Luke knew the location of the wagon would give them plenty of cover, so he posted a guard on the westward side, overlooking the foothills and entertained his family on the eastern side, where a man could see for miles and know if someone headed their way. Doing his best to make this a fun, family experience, Luke set up a horseshoe game and taught both women and children how to play. He was worried at first that Sam might not be able to play, but she’d proven to have a good left pitch and won the first round. Play continued until they were exhausted and ready to drop and the boys declared it was time for a break. Sam drew Luke’s attention to a cloud of dust in the distance. Going over to the wagon, he grabbed his binoculars to get a better look. It was Blake and his men, hell bent on getting back as fast as they could. “I wonder what they found to have them racing back like that?” Luke said. “At the rate they’re traveling, we’ll soon find out,” Sam said. “Maybe you should check with the guard. I haven’t seen or heard him since we set up over here.” “Good idea.” Giving the boys high fives and a kiss for Zakia, he walked around to the other side of the wagon where the guard was happily whittling on a piece of wood, rifle resting across his lap. “Anything new happening, Barry?” “Nothing moving out there at all, Boss.” “How can you whittle and watch too?” “No problem. Been doing it for years.” Holding up the piece

of wood fashioned into a running horse, he asked. “I’m making these for your boys. It’s just something to do to fill the time while I’m sitting around. What do you think? Will they like them?” “Barry, they’ll love them. You’re quite the craftsman.” “Naw, just like whittling a little now and then. Helps keep my mind sharp.” “I can see that. I just don’t know how you would see anyone approaching if you’re concentrating on whittling.” With his mind on his wood once more, Barry spoke to Luke saying, “Look to your right, Boss. See that third tree over there at the edge of the field?” “Yeah, why?” “Someone climbed up in that tree. Been there quite some time now. Don’t know what he’s waiting for but I reckon I can outlast him in the waiting department,” he chuckled. “Especially since he’s out of rifle range and, therefore, no threat to us.” “How did you know someone was up there?” “Peripheral vision. Saw him sneak over out of the corner of my eye. Never had to move my head. Reckon I should go check it out?” “Nope. You’re doing fine, Barry. It’s probably Roy Grayson, trying to get a better shot of the camp. If he starts moving, let me know.” “Will do, Boss. But if it’s Grayson, why sneak over?” “You’ve got a point there. I’ll mention it to Blake when I see him.” “Going to get myself a cup of that stuff Cook calls coffee. Want one?” “Not right now, thanks. I’m joining the family for dinner in a minute or two. See you later and keep up the good work.” He returned to the women and children, but didn’t have to wait long to know what the men had found. Blake dismounted and, taking Luke off to one side, informed him, “We found out where he’d been keeping the pup. There was a rope and fresh droppings up there so we know the puppy was alive until yesterday. I’m radioing in for a K9 team. I’m hoping there’ll be enough scent on the rope for a trained tracking dog to pick up the trail again. We lost it in the rocky slopes.” “Good work, Blake. Go ahead and radio in for your police dog

team. It would be nice to have this over with by nightfall.” “Wouldn’t it just. I hope they’re available.” Blake jumped into the back of the covered wagon and radioed his department. They were in luck. The K9 team was off duty and in house. They agreed to come right out and Blake gave directions to the campsite before signing off. Returning to Luke’s side, he said, “He’s on his way. I’m going to get my men and change horses. These ones need a good brushing and deserve a rest. We really pushed them on the way back.” “Horses love a good run. Go take care of them. I’ll watch for your man. How’s he traveling, four by four?” “Yep. ETA is forty minutes, give or take.” “Then I’ll take care of the horses. You and your men get Cook to feed you before heading out again. It’s hard to say how long you’ll be.” “All right, Luke. Sounds like a good idea. Thanks.” “I’ll have thanks enough when this guy can’t cause any more trouble.” “Can’t argue with you there. I’ll get my men and go bug your cook.” “See you later, Blake.” Keeping the women and children near him at all times, Luke and the boys brushed down the horses, fed them and walked them over to the river for a nice long drink. **** Sam and Zakia sat on the bank and let their feet dangle in the cold water while talking quietly to each other. “Zak, I know we’ve touched on this before but what made you leave the ranch? Any fool can see how much in love you two are. What happened?” “Life happened and neither of us was prepared for the stark reality of it.” “Well, that’s cryptic enough, but what do you mean?” “As many trips as I had made to the ranch with Luke before we married, I never once saw domestic help. Luke and his father and uncle did all the cooking and cleaning and I, foolishly, assumed the staff had weekends off. After we married, all the cooking, cleaning and laundry fell to me and I felt hopelessly inadequate. I didn’t know how to do any of that. The bunkhouse cook taught me the basics so I could get a decent meal on the table, and Luke showed me where the

cleaning supplies were kept and which was used for what. Trying to be the perfect wife wore me out so bad that I was exhausted and fell into bed at night, going to sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.” She paused for a moment before continuing. “Luke was always gone. He spent more time on his horse than he did with me. He never offered to show me the ranch or teach me to ride and I felt like an outsider, except in bed, and the more tired I got, the less pleasure I found there. Later, I realized that the fatigue was a symptom of being pregnant, but at the time I was just plain tired. I didn’t know how to deal with things very well. So I left.” “When you found out you were pregnant, why didn’t you go back then?” “I was actually packing to return the day divorce papers arrived. It seemed that I’d waited too long and he didn’t want me anymore.” “Oh, Zak. What a mess. It’s a wonder you survived it all.” “If it wasn’t for the boys, I might not have.” “Yes, you would’ve. You’re a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for.” “Spoken like a true friend. Thanks, Sam.” “Hey, what are friends for if they can’t help you see sense once in a while?” Laughing, they got to their feet to rejoin Luke and the boys only to discover that they’d already walked back without them. “That’s strange. Why would they leave without us?” Zakia asked thoughtfully. “Maybe he didn’t realize we were still sitting down by the river. Anyway, we’d better head back to camp before someone sounds the alarm.” Carrying their boots and socks wasn’t very bright with rattlers around, so they stopped to pull them on. That’s when Sam went down, hard. Before Zakia had time to scream, she felt a pin prick at the back of her shoulder and knew she’d been the target of a tranquilizer dart, just as her legs went out from under her and she collapsed on the ground. **** When Luke returned to camp, Barry was waiting for him. “That guy climbed down and slunk off toward the river, Boss, but he was too far away for me to get a fix on who he was.”

“How long ago?” “Just a few minutes afore you got here.” “Did the women walk back this way?” “No, Boss. Haven’t seen ‘em since they left with you.” “Damn! Watch the boys for me, Barry. Don’t let them out of your sight.” “I won’t, Boss. I can give them those horses I just finished whittling.” Luke, Blake and a couple of his men returned to the river, looking for the women. They found Sam, still out cold, but Zakia was nowhere in sight. Luke kneeled beside Sam and felt for a pulse. Finding it strong and steady, he breathed a sigh of relief and got to his feet. “She’s alive, another tranq. Take her back to camp. I need to find Zakia.” He watched as Blake swung Sam up into his arms and carried her back to the wagon. Luke knew he should wait for the K-9 team, but the longer they waited, the further away that asshole would get with his Zia. He paced the river in both directions, frantically searching for a sign of some kind so he’d know which way to go. He had to find her. He’d promised her he’d protect her and now she was in the hands of a madman. “Luke, come on back to camp,” Blake urged when he returned to the riverbank. “We need to organize a search party.” That made more sense than going it alone, but Luke felt he was deserting Zakia, leaving her behind, when he returned to camp. If that slimy bastard hurts her in any way, he’s going to wish he was dead by the time I get through with him. The wranglers penned up about thirty head of cattle when they came in for their noon meal, finding the entire camp in an uproar. Plans had changed. Ten of Luke’s best men would stay behind to guard the unconscious Sam and the twins while the remainder would join the search for Zakia. When the K9 unit arrived, Luke gave them a piece of Zakia’s clothing. The dog sniffed it and sniffed around for a while, then took off at a run toward the river. Luke, Blake and the rest of the wranglers allowed them some lead, but followed closely, searching along the way for any sign of movement. Two of the men rode downriver, thinking he might have killed her and thrown her in, letting the water take her body downstream.

They followed as far as the beaver dam built in the bend of the river then doubled back, watching for any signs of life or movement in case she’d gotten away. They hated to report back to Luke empty handed, but at least they hadn’t found her face down in the water. When the tracking dog got to the river, he ran back and forth along the bank then plunged into the icy water and swam to the other side, his handler trying hard to keep up. Sniffing around on the opposite bank, the dog finally picked up the scent again and ran alongside the river until he got to the woods. Luke and his searchers followed their progress from the opposite bank, ready to cross the river if the dog veered away from the water. Time was not on their side, even though the stalker couldn’t be too far ahead, especially since he was probably carrying Zakia as there was no way she would’ve gone willingly. But if they didn’t find her soon, it might be too late. ,o! Luke refused to accept defeat. He would soon have Zakia back in his arms where she belonged. That sneaky, conniving bastard would pay dearly for this. If he’d harmed her at all, in any way, he’d kill him and damn his crazy, twisted soul to hell! **** Zakia awoke slowly, her head pounding an unmerciful beat into her skull. She reached to soothe the pounding ache but found she couldn’t. Her hands were tied together and the rope was attached to some kind of hook in the wall. She couldn’t pull free. He had her! Regardless of the protection they’d had in place, he’d gotten through. The bastard better not have hurt Luke or the boys. Strangely enough, she wasn’t afraid anymore. Now that the worst had happened, she was relieved, sort of, and angry. Very angry! How dare he stalk her and terrorize her family. Soon she’d know who he was and he’d know the full measure of a woman who’s anger raged inside. But first, she had to get free. Looking around, she began to take stock of the situation and realized she was in a small travel trailer of some sort, and it was moving. She was lying on a bed, but that’s where any effort at comfortable amenities ended. Her ankles were tied with rope and hooked securely at the foot of the bed. Zakia tried her best but couldn’t move except to roll slightly to either side. Wondering for the zillionth time who the stalker was and why he was so fixated on her, Zakia again came up drawing a blank. She

honestly didn’t know what she’d ever done to deserve to be haunted and hunted down like this. Briefly, she wondered where they were headed, then realized it didn’t matter. She may as well rest while she could. Tiring herself out tugging at the ropes would only weaken her flagging spirits further, and she’d need all her strength if an opportunity to escape presented itself any time soon. **** Driving his truck through the mountains, he gleefully admitted his superiority. No one could hide from him for long and no one could detract him from his purpose. They might have slowed him down, but his will prevailed, as he had proven today.

Chapter Seventeen

Luke was disappointed when the trail petered out at a campsite. Whoever had taken Zakia had boldly camped out in the woods overlooking their camp. The clearing was just big enough that a few well-placed boughs and blankets effectively hid the firelight from view below. “Luke, we have tire tracks over here. Looks like our guy was hauling a trailer of some sort.” “Probably a horse trailer. You followed him on horseback once, remember? After Sampson.” His throat dried up wondering if the same fate awaited Zakia. They had to find her… and soon. “Yeah, but I don’t think this is a horse trailer. No sign of a ramp and well-trampled grass at one side suggests a door. What do you think?” Luke walked over to study the area in question when all he really wanted to do was find the bastard and take his wife home. “Okay. The guy had a trailer up here. Where is he now and where is the horse he rode?” “My guess is he’s got the horse close by in case he needed it again. We’ll keep looking but we’ll have to send the dog home. The stalker must have seen him arrive. He’s dosed the entire area in ammonia to mess up his sense of smell, but he’ll be okay after a while. No lasting effects, thank God.” “This guy seems to get his kicks by being cruel to animals. I’ll be glad when we catch up to him.” “Do you know of any roads up here suitable for vehicles?” “Not really, Blake. I’ve always traveled the area on horseback.” “Apparently this guy’s driving a four wheel drive vehicle then.” “I would say so. There’s some pretty rough country up here.” “The K9 team has four wheel drive. I’ll go see if we can recruit him and his truck for some off road tracking.” “Good idea, but I’m going back for my horse. I’ll take a few men with me to pick up the trail here and see where it leads.” “Take one of my men with you so you’ll have the law on your

side. I don’t want you ruining your life by doing something foolish. You have your two boys to think of.” “You know me too well, Blake, but you’re right. I’ll take one of your men with me if it’ll make you feel better.” “Good choice. Let’s get back to camp. The sun is already on its way down. We don’t have much daylight left.” When they returned to camp, Cook had supper ready and the boys were already eating. He’d made a beef stew and biscuits for the crew but Casey and Cammy had begged for a hamburger. Being a soft touch around kids, especially the Boss’s, he’d made two larger biscuits to hold the meat patties and the twins were happily munching their burgers, ketchup all over their cherubic little faces. Luke didn’t want to alarm them or give them cause for worry, but when they noticed their Mommy wasn’t with him, they asked, “Why isn’t Mommy here?” “Did she get lost?” “Only for a little while guys. Uncle Blake and I will find her.” “Can we come, too?” “We can help look.” Kneeling down beside them, Luke put an arm around each one and said, “Thanks for wanting to help look for your Mommy, but I need you to do me a real big favor.” “Okay.” “What?” “I need you to stay here and wait in case Mommy finds her way back to camp. Will you do that? Stay here with Auntie Sam and Barry and wait for Mommy.” “Yes, she’ll be back.” “She’ll miss us.” “She certainly will. Did you save me a hamburger?” “Sorry, Daddy.” “Cook made ‘em special for us.” “That’s all right. I can smell Cook’s delicious beef stew. A bowl of that and some biscuits will do me just fine.” He smiled tiredly as he got to his feet and gave them each a hug. “As a matter of fact, I’ll go get some now before the wranglers eat it all.” He didn’t feel much like eating but knew he had to keep up his strength so he washed up and went over to where Cook was dishing up bowls of stew. Grabbing one and throwing a couple

biscuits on top, he poured a cup of coffee and wandered over to join Sam and Blake. “How are you feeling, Sam?” “A little woozy but otherwise all right. Everything happened so fast. I’m sorry I let you down, Luke.” “It could’ve just as easily been me hit with that dart. Don’t be thinking you let anyone down. Feel up to watching the boys while we go searching?” “You trust me to watch the twins?” she stammered. “Of course I do and so would Zakia if she were here. They’re used to you and if we’re not back by nightfall, you can put them to bed.” “I’ll take good care of them, Luke. Should we head back to the ranch house?” “They’d probably worry too much about their mother if you did that. I think it’s better to wait here for now, less alarming for them. What do you think, Blake?” “You’re right, as usual. We’ll take our bedrolls in case we get stuck in the mountains overnight, but we’ll be back at first light if not before,” he assured Sam. “I hope you find her soon,” she said as they walked toward the boys. “So do I,” said Blake. Luke went to pack up his bedroll and say goodbye to the twins, but heard Blake as he walked away. “They’ve just found each other again. It would be a crying shame for him to lose her now.” I’m not going to lose her. I can’t. Grabbing his bedroll, he turned toward the truck and waited for his men to mount up. The men on horses could follow the trail better than Blake in the truck, but at least they’d have a vehicle along for emergency transport. Once mounted, Luke and his men wasted no time getting back to the campsite where they’d lost the trail. Hopefully, they’d be able to pick up telltale signs of a vehicle passing through. Luke knew to reach the closest road of any kind they’d need to head south toward Pincher Creek. Was the stalker aware of that? Would that be where he’s headed? How did he even get out here without one of his men picking up on it? It’s pretty hard to hide a

four-wheel drive vehicle hauling a trailer of any kind. He wouldn’t be crazy enough to head up over the Rocky Mountains, would he? As hard as he tried, Luke couldn’t get a handle on this guy and decided to just follow the trail for now and see where they ended up. They would be traversing plenty of rocky territory along the foothills. Hopefully, they’d get lucky and the guy would have busted a tire or spring or something. “I’m coming, Zakia. I’ll find you,” he promised as he muttered the words, his voice cracking with the strain of holding back thoughts and emotions better left behind. Once they left the stalker’s campsite behind, Luke put his two best trackers out front to guide them. It wasn’t long until they picked up the trail where some bushes had been disturbed and, following the trail a ways, Luke realized they were heading north toward Calgary. There was a secondary road up ahead that could be accessed to go west over the Rockies or east into Nanton. Doubling back to inform Blake of his thoughts, he noticed smoke drifting up from the ground where it shouldn’t be. Dismounting and going to investigate, Luke cursed under his breath at the stupidity of the stalker. It had to have been him who threw the cigarette butt out into the dry grass. None of his wranglers would, he knew that. Stomping out the smoldering fire until there was no sign of smoke, Luke could see the K9 vehicle coming and stood aside waiting for Blake. While he waited, he remembered another time when a carelessly dropped cigarette had nearly burned down his horse barn full of horses. He’d had Roy to thank that time. Roy Grayson! He hadn’t joined the campsite for food or company and Luke had been relieved not to have to put up with him. He had thought Roy scared to face him and playing it safe at the time, but maybe he was more afraid of being recognized… by Zakia. It made sense in a weird kind of way. When Blake pulled up alongside, Luke explained what had happened and asked about Roy Grayson. “Do you remember who went up to check out his campsite that first night, Blake?” “Not off hand but I’d have it written in my notes. Just a minute.” Blake leafed through the pages of his notebook until he came to the first camp stop. “Your men, Pete and Barry, went to investigate. Why?”

“I’m just wondering if Roy camped out under the stars and rode a horse out here like the rest of us or did he drive out?” “I hear what you’re saying, Luke. You may be right. Let’s check with your men.” “Can’t right now. Barry stayed behind to help guard the camp and I sent Pete back to the Ranch house this morning to move Rounder and her pups. He might’ve made it back to camp by now, though he’d stay there, not knowing where we rode off to.” “We keep hitting dead ends at every turn, but this is the best lead yet. I’ll radio the detachment and get an address for Roy.” “No need to do a lot of searching. Just call Dad. He’d know.” “Do you really want to involve him and Winnie in this when we don’t have any solid evidence against Roy? It’s just a hunch, but a damned good one. I’ll get a team to search your father’s property and if, by that time, he hasn’t turned up, the department should have located a permanent address on him.” “You’re right, Blake. Let’s not involve them unless we have to. Don’t bother with a warrant for Dad’s place. I’m giving permission for the search and I’ll square it with him when I see him. We need to act fast.” “I’ll call it in.” A few minutes later, Blake hollered out, “No reception. We need to get to a clearing.” “There’s one up ahead. Follow me.” Mounting up, Luke led the way and they were there in minutes. Blake made his call and they were soon underway again, trying to catch up to the tracking crew. **** Zakia must have dozed off again, for when she awoke the trailer had stopped moving and her head was much clearer than before. Listening intently for any kind of noise to suggest her whereabouts, she jumped nervously when the door was suddenly yanked open. In walked her attacker, wearing blue jeans, cowboy boots and a plaid shirt like any other cowboy, except this one was wearing a ski mask. “Figured you’d be awake by now. Forgot to gag you.” “Why are you doing this? What do you want?” “You’ll find out soon enough,” he laughed, checking to make sure her bonds were still secure. “Yep. You’ll find out soon enough.” His evil laugh stayed with her long after they’d started moving again. Who was he? Something about him seemed familiar. Where

was he taking her? It wasn’t long before she started hearing other traffic noises, signaling they were getting closer to civilization. A few miles further on, the trailer slowed down and came to a stop again. No wonder he’d gagged her. She’d have been screaming her head off by now. Listening intently, she was soon rewarded by the ping, ping, ping of a gas pump and knew he had stopped for a refill. They must still have a ways to go then. Zakia found it strange that she wasn’t really afraid. She felt numb… and angry. As a matter of fact, she was angrier than she’d ever been in her life, but knowing her kids were safe with Luke, lessened her fear of this man to the point where it was almost nonexistent. If he thought she was willing to lay down and die because he said so, then this guy was in for a surprise. He was only flesh and blood, just like the rest of the people he came into contact with each day and she was no meek little mouse. He had to untie her at some point. She’d get her chance. She just had to bide her time and be nice to the man, even if that was what killed her!

Chapter Eighteen

Luke followed the trail of the wranglers and soon caught up. It was slower going for the lead trackers as they had to keep the actual trail in sight. The rest just followed behind. Calling a halt, Luke asked, “Does anyone remember camping that first night when Pete and Barry had to check out a smaller fire on the hill?” “Sure, Boss.” A lot of nods followed those two words. “Did our boys say anything to any of you about Roy’s camp?” “What do you mean, Boss?” “Did Roy have a bedroll and a horse? How was he traveling?” “Oh, yeah. Pete said Roy told them his camera equipment was set up in the trailer, so he could develop pictures on site. He was hauling it with a truck, a fancy, new four wheel drive Chevy.” “Thanks, Billy.” Turning to Blake, he said, “That pretty much proves my theory. What now?” “I’ll radio it in and have them put out an APB on the truck.” At Luke’s concerned look, he added, “I do know how to do my job, Luke. I will advise that it’s a hostage situation, to approach with caution if sited. That suit you?” “Yeah. Thanks, Blake.” Getting back in the truck, Blake got on the radio to have Roy’s vehicle checked out. “Luke, we may have a problem. There aren’t any motor vehicles registered to a Roy Grayson in the entire province. Could it be under a girlfriend’s name, a family vehicle? Any suggestions?” “Time to check with Dad and Winnie.” “Hold on.” The crackle of the radio came through loud and clear. A truck and camper trailer fitting the description was stolen from a campsite outside Fort McLeod three days ago. “Well, I guess we know what Roy had to ‘pick up’ in town that day.” “Seems like. Why was it you fired him again?” “He got drunk and passed out in the barn with a lit cigarette in his hand. If I hadn’t noticed the lights and gone out to investigate, I’d never have gotten out there in time. The boys and I put the fire out quick enough and got Roy out as soon as we could but he’d been

badly burned. The fire started in the hay he’d passed out on, Blake. We couldn’t even get near him at first.” “Well, it sure seems like he holds a grudge, but where does Zakia fit into all this?” “I wish I knew. Roy always considered himself a ladies man but from all reports, the fire changed that.” “Was she here when Roy worked for you?” “Yeah, but Dad was still in charge of the ranch when Zakia and I married. This mess with Roy happened about three or four years back. Zakia had nothing to do with it.” “Okay, Luke. I think we may as well head back to camp. Get a few of your guys to keep following the trail and report back when they can. Any of them own cell phones?” “Most cell phones don’t work out here, but if the trail leads to a populated area, they’ll be able to call the ranch house.” “Good enough. I’ll wait while you inform your men of the change of plans.” Luke told the wranglers of the change and the reason for it, asking who was willing to keep riding. The two lead trackers and two of Blake’s men stayed on the trail. The rest would return with Luke. Soon they were on their way. Luke knew an easier route across country and they arrived back at the campsite before dark. After passing the reins off to one of the wranglers and asking him to tend his horse, he went in search of Sam and the boys wondering why they hadn’t come running as usual. He found them playing horseshoes where he’d set them up behind the wagon. When the boys saw him, they tackled him full on. It was all he could do to remain standing. “Hey, guys. Sam treating you okay?” He forced a grin for their benefit. “Yep. Where’s Mommy?” “Did you find her?” “Not yet, but we should know where she is in the morning.” “Why not now?” “Where is she?” “We think she may be hiding from the bad man,” said Luke, trying to assure them that she was safe. “Where?” “At the ranch?” “No. She’s in the city I think,” he said, trying not to lie to

them, but not wanting them to worry too much. “I don’t want to go to the city.” “I want to stay here.” “You can stay with Sam and the grandparents at our ranch house. I’ll go find Mommy and bring her home. Okay?” “Okay.” “We wait.” “Good boys!” When he walked away from them to get a cup of coffee, Sam followed, motioning for Pete and Barry to keep on the lookout. “Luke, maybe I should go with you,” Sam suggested. “Do you even know her address?” “No, but you do. If you want to go back, Dad and Winnie will care for the boys, but I’d prefer you to stay. The boys know you much better and will be less alarmed if someone they know and trust is nearby.” “I understand that, but what aren’t you telling me?” “We think my step brother, Roy Grayson, has her.” “The photographer? Why?” “It’s a long story. Suffice it to say I can’t go into detail right now, but he’s taken Zakia to get back at me.” “Do you think he’d kill her?” Luke flinched at her words but answered as honestly as he could. “I don’t know, Sam. It certainly looks that way, but I don’t intend to give him the chance. I’m going to find her and see that bastard behind bars. If he doesn’t get his revenge by hurting Zakia, he could come back after the boys. I need you to stay with them, Sam.” “Of course I will. When do you leave for Calgary?” “I’m leaving with Blake tonight. Barry will make sure you get back to the ranch tomorrow. Did Pete get back?” At her nod, he continued, “Take him with you for extra security. The rest of the wranglers will stay and complete the round up. Any questions?” “Will your father stay on until you get back, or will they want to go home once I’m there?” “I’m hoping they’ll stay on. I need you to talk to Winnie, find out as much as you can about Roy. Can you pretend you met him out here and are interested?” “Sure, but why not just ask what you want to know?” “I don’t want to make accusations and get her all worked up in

case it happens to be someone else.” “But you don’t really think so, do you, Luke?” “No. I think Roy Grayson has Zakia and he’ll be one sorry son of a bitch when I catch up to him.” “Poor Winnie. For her sake, I hope it turns out to be someone else. She seems like such a nice person.” “Too nice to deserve a son like that, but I need to get going. I’ll stop at the ranch house and let Dad know what’s happening, but Winnie will have to be kept in the dark in case she tries to get a message to Roy. Finding out he’s our number one suspect might be the catalyst that sends him totally off his rocker. I don’t want Zakia anywhere near him if that happens.” “I hear you, Luke. Why don’t the boys and I head back tonight? That way, I may be able to get some information for you a little sooner.” “It’s rough country out here at night. I wouldn’t want the horses to stumble into a gopher hole or something and end up lame,” Luke explained as Blake walked up beside him. “Oh. I hadn’t thought of that.” “What about the generator?” Blake suggested. “It could run a light long enough to get back to the yard, or at least most of the way back.” “Yeah, but we’d need a light to run. All we brought were flashlights and oil lanterns.” “There’s a search light in the K9 unit. Let me check on it.” Blake returned a few minutes later with the light in hand. “It plugs into an auxiliary adapter, as I thought. It should run on generated power easy enough. Let’s try it.” They walked back to the wagon where Blake jumped up and affixed the light to the buckboard type platform before hauling out the generator. When he got it wired up, the light was blindingly bright. “There! What did I tell ya?” Blake said, pleased with himself. “Great. I’ll call a meeting and let the men know what’s happening. Sam, maybe you could talk Cook into parting with some sandwiches for the trip in case the boys don’t sleep. This night time ride will be another part of the adventure to them.” “Will do, Luke. See you later.” **** Zakia dozed off and on during the entire trip, crediting her sleepiness

to the remnants of the tranquilizer drug still in her system. She was definitely hyped enough to stay awake. There was plenty of stopping and starting going on right now and the amount of traffic noise would indicate they were in a town or city somewhere. Not knowing how long she’d slept, there wasn’t any point in trying to guess which town. No longer struggling against her bonds, she’d learned how futile that was the first time she’d awakened, Zakia tried to conserve her energy. She had a feeling they were almost there, wherever that was. Tied hand and foot as she was at least she didn’t have to worry about falling out of bed when he’d had to stop quickly a few times. She started giggling silently to herself because of the gag, and in spite of the situation, Zakia felt she might be giving in to hysteria. No way should she be finding hilarity in her current situation. Mama always said it was better to laugh than cry. Maybe she’d learned that lesson better than she thought. Noticing the dim light in the trailer, Zakia glanced toward the window at the far end. Although she couldn’t see through the curtains, she could tell that daylight was almost at an end. What would the night bring? She shivered automatically as her mind tormented her with imagined terrors. What did this guy want with her? What had she done to him to deserve this? Until she knew who he was she could not get a handle on the why of things, but she desperately needed to know. Feeling the trailer slow down and slowly turn a corner to the left, Zakia flinched when it hit a curb, bouncing her into the air and tightening the bonds on her wrists momentarily. She silently giggled again. At least she hadn’t fallen out of bed although this time her feet had hit the floor pretty hard. Her feet had hit the floor! The hook had come loose with the bump. She had to move fast! Getting her feet under her and pushing upwards, she was able to disengage the hook holding her wrists. At least he hadn’t tied them behind her back. Pulling the gag out of her mouth, she tried desperately to untie her hands with her teeth, but it wasn’t working. Changing tactics, she managed to untie her feet after a few tries. At least she’d be able to run. Giggling again, and thinking she really must be going insane, she realized she’d slept with her boots on. Briefly, she grinned and wondered if that meant she was a real cowgirl now. Luke would be proud of her. He’d also be worried sick. How were the boys handling

her absence? Enough of that! Pushing thoughts of Luke and her babies to the back of her mind, she concentrated on untying her hands. Crossing the small space to reach the counter, she searched drawers and cupboards for something sharp until she came up with a carrot peeler. It wasn’t much but would have to do. It took an excruciatingly long while but eventually it sliced through the ropes holding her hands together. Pulling the curtain aside at the rear of the trailer, she recognized the city lights of Calgary. They were on her street, on Kensington Road. Why? Was he taking her home? For what reason? Instead of turning into her driveway, they turned in on the landlord’s side and kept going. Still looking out the rear window, she realized he’d pulled into the garage and the door was closing. She had to get out of there…now! Trying the door she found it mercifully unlocked, opened it and jumped out, prepared to run. What she wasn’t prepared for was to sprain her ankle when she landed or find herself on an elevator going down into the earth. He must have activated it with some kind of pocket remote. This must lead to one of the tunnels Luke had told her about. Scrambling for purchase on the greasy, moving floor, she limped as quickly as she could to the edge of the platform and tried to jump back up to the landing. Falling in an untidy heap to the floor after the third attempt, she’d only succeeded in hurting her ankle worse. Crawling back to the trailer, Zakia knew she had to find a weapon of some kind to defend herself with before her captor found out she was loose. Pocketing the carrot peeler, at least it had a sharp point, she continued investigating the contents of the cupboards and a can of vegetable cooking spray caught her eye. Opening a side door she thought was a closet, she discovered a tiny toilet and shower room. It stank to high heaven but she was in dire need and at least the door locked. She could lock herself inside if need be. Lock herself in! Going back to the entrance, she locked the door, hoping and praying that he didn’t have the key with him. Poking around some more, she discovered the seat on one side of the table opened to reveal a storage area filled with blankets. Hurriedly checking the other bench seat before all hope of light was lost, Zakia hit pay dirt. It contained outdoor games of every kind, it seemed, including croquet, horseshoes and baseball! Boy! Was she

ever going to be a committed baseball fan when this horrid game was over! Hearing a clunk and knowing they’d reached bottom when the trailer started moving forward again, Zakia sat at the table and concentrated on memorizing the sequence of turns. Except for the faint spill of light from the vehicle’s headlights, it was as black outside the window as the witch’s cauldron in the remake of Hansel and Gretel the boys liked to watch. Zakia knew she’d never find her way out if she couldn’t remember the turns. Suddenly she felt the truck shudder to a stop. It started backing up, turning as it did so. He was driving much too fast. Afraid he might be getting ready to slam the trailer into the cement wall of the old bunker, Zakia scrambled back to the bed in the rear and held on for dear life. When the trailer came to a stop without the dreaded crash, Zakia positioned herself beside the door, ready to cause severe damage when it opened. But the door never opened. She heard scraping noises and the trailer lifted slightly and dropped again, but that was all until she heard the truck pulling away. He was leaving. He’d brought her down here and now he was leaving. It didn’t make sense. Did he intend to leave her down here to die? Belatedly she realized that’s exactly what he intended. He didn’t even know she was untied! What a bastard! What was the point of all this if she wasn’t even to find out why? Damn him! She was not spending eternity in a concrete bunker. Feeling around until she located the lantern she’d seen earlier, she set it on the table and groped in the drawer for matches. Once she could no longer hear the truck, she lit it. Then she took two of the croquet mallets, the two metal spikes for horseshoes and duct tape she’d found to fashion a cane of sorts. The well-stocked pantry was a complete surprise. To give the devil his due, maybe he figured on her surviving down here, provided she got the bonds untied, which she had. Maybe he’d be back. Huh! Even if that was the case, she wanted to be long gone before he returned. Packing a bag with foodstuffs and bottled water, Zakia took one last look around before leaving the comparative safety of the trailer. That was when she saw it… sitting in a cubby at the back of the table, plain as day, a flashlight and a bottle of pain reliever. Taking two tablets and pocketing the bottle, she tried the

flashlight then packed it and grabbed the lantern. She’d use it for light until it ran out. Stepping gingerly down from the trailer, she tested her ability to walk with the aid of the makeshift crutch. It was slow going, too slow, with too many rodents scurrying about. Regrettably, she returned to the trailer to put her foot up and try to get the swelling down. She’d have to remove the boot but was afraid she wouldn’t get it back on. Finding a bag of ice in the little fridge was a bonus. Rooting around in the cupboards once again, she unearthed a cup towel and filled it with ice. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she gritted her teeth against the pain and tugged at her boot until it finally let go. Wrapping her injured ankle in ice, she lay back on the bed and, releasing her breath on a hiss, finally allowed the tears to fall. “Luke, where are you? Come find me, please. I need you.” Exhausted by her efforts, once the tablets and the ice took the edge off the pain, Zakia turned out the lantern and let darkness take over while she waited, but she hadn’t counted on falling asleep.

Chapter ineteen

Casey and Cammy were looking forward to a nighttime ride across the prairie and getting spoiled by doting grandparents when they got back to the ranch house. Luke knew they were in good hands with Sam, especially with Pete and Barry along for back up, just in case. Blake had also instructed a couple of his men to ride along and stay with them until he contacted them and gave the all clear. They both knew Zakia was the one in real danger right now. Luke had to concentrate his efforts on finding her and getting her back. His life would never be the same without her and he refused to contemplate failure. She’d come to him for protection and he’d let her down, but he’d find her and take her home again, soon, he vowed. Getting in and out of the truck to open and close gates on the way back to the house, Luke had plenty of time to think of the hours he’d spent with his lovely Zakia since she’d returned. Having her back in his arms felt so right. He’d tried, desperately, to hold back his love but it was as much a part of him as breathing. Luke still got a little miffed when he thought of the misunderstandings and wasted years, but he’d come to realize he was as much at fault as she was. He could’ve, make that should’ve, brought her home years ago. They had been too young back then. They had both been in the wrong. Closing the final gate, he jumped back in the truck for the final leg of the trip home and tried to figure out how much to tell his father. He didn’t want to lie to him but he couldn’t take a chance on him letting something slip. Finally, he settled on the truth, or at least a portion of it… the stalker had Zakia and it looked like they were heading into the city. Lucas Senior was sitting in the rocker on the front porch in the dark when they pulled up in front of the house a short time later. “What’s wrong, Dad? Couldn’t sleep?” “Nope. Danged arthritis. Must be a storm brewin’. What are you doin’ home?” “There’s been a change of plans. The stalker has Zakia. It looks like he’s heading for Calgary. I’m going up there with Blake and his men. Sam and the boys are on their way home in the wagon

with Barry and Pete. The rest of the wranglers will finish the round up. Can you stay until I get back?” “You know it, Son. How did he get hold of our girl with all that protection in place?” “Those damned tranquilizer darts. He’s been playing with us for days but we’re about to put an end to his games.” “Do you know who it is?” “We know he’s driving a stolen truck and camper trailer,” Luke hedged. “Someone’s bound to spot it going through town. We need to get going. I want to be there for Zakia.” “Then git. I’ll hold the fort. Don’t worry.” “Thanks, Dad. I’ll call as soon as I know anything.” “I’ll be holding you to it. Be careful.” “I will. See you when I get back.” Walking back over to where Blake waited in his truck, Luke jumped in beside him. “K9 unit go home?” “Yeah. Figured they’d done their share. We can pick up another unit in Calgary if we need it.” “Do you think we will?” “Hard to say. The department is still trying to find an address on this guy.” “I wanted to ask Dad but I couldn’t figure out how without telling him what we suspect. Sam did give me Zakia’s address though.” “Good! We may need it. This guy has to live in fairly close proximity to Zakia’s place in order to torment her as often as he did without being seen. We’ll find him, Luke. Don’t worry.” “Easy for you to say. It’s my life we’re talking about here. I don’t know what I’ll do if we don’t find her in time.” “You’ll go home to your kids and rebuild your life, but hopefully it won’t come to that.” “We have to find her. My sons will hate me if I don’t bring her home. Hell, I’ll hate me!” “We’ll find her. While you were talking to your father a truck and trailer fitting the description was spotted in Calgary but got away in the heavy rush hour traffic.” “How does a truck hauling a trailer get away?” Luke asked sarcastically. “When said truck cuts through two lanes of traffic to exit the

highway, causing an accident that held up traffic for half an hour or more.” “Oh. Sorry, Blake. Didn’t mean to jump down your throat.” “I know. It’s all right, Buddy. We’ll find her.” **** Pain exploded inside Zakia’s ankle, causing her to jump up in alarm and dislodge the ice pack, now melted and barely cold. At least the swelling had gone down, even if it was paining worse than before. She grabbed the flashlight from the pack beside the bed and pulled herself up to a standing position. Taking the pack in her free hand she half hopped, half hobbled to the table and sat down, resting her sore foot on the opposite bench seat. Thank God it was padded! She palmed the bottle of pain pills and a bottle of water, unscrewed the cap and shook out two, swallowing them down with a swig of water. Hunger was her next concern as she was feeling faint and didn’t know how long it had been since she’d eaten. Leaving the food in the pack for later, Zakia hopped to the fridge and found salad fixings and milk, apples and pears. She’d survive quite nicely, thank you, yet found it highly unlikely that her captor would’ve stocked the larder for her benefit. Her captor. Huh! Leroy Williams. She may as well call him by name. The rotten little weasel! As private and secretive as her landlord had been, she was in no doubt whatsoever now that he was her stalker. No one else would have access to his house or garage. But what did she ever do to deserve this kind of treatment? She paid her rent on time. She didn’t party. Her boys were a little rambunctious at times but what kids weren’t? Was he ever going to get a talking to when she got out of here! Looking down at her injured ankle, she changed that to if she got out of here. It was already starting to swell again. She’d have to rest it more before trying to walk on it any distance. But first, she’d eat. Using precious little of her bottled water, Zakia rinsed her hands before preparing her food, laughing at herself because of a few germs when faced with everything else. The ingrained habits of a lifetime didn’t go away overnight. She ate, used the facilities and fixed another ice pack before lying down and elevating her ankle once again. Once she turned the light off, she mused about how day and night ran together down here

in the dark. She had no idea of the day or time. Had he just captured her today? Or had it been yesterday or the day before that? Sleeping so much really disoriented a person, but it was hardly her fault. That tranquilizer dart must have been really potent, although the men had come to after about an hour and a half. At least she knew where she was, sort of. Even if she couldn’t remember all the twists and turns, there had to be more than one way out of here. They had come down through his garage, but there was no garage on her side. How did he gain entry to her apartment then? There must be a secret door or secret panel of some kind. Maybe it was in the basement. As the tablets took effect and the throbbing in her ankle lessened, Zakia found herself surrendering to the darkness and dozing once again. **** Calgary was a sprawling metropolis made up of many districts and subdivisions. The Calgary Police had a precinct located on Kensington Road NW, near where the Louise Bridge crosses the Bow River and not far from where Zakia had her apartment. It was to this precinct that Blake and Luke headed. Officer Patrick DuShane had been in charge of the investigation since day one and greeted them heartily upon arrival. “Constable Northrup, welcome to Calgary, I’m Officer DuShane. We spoke earlier.” Shaking hands with the robust, friendly officer, Blake said, “Call me Blake. This is my friend, Luke Manning. I appreciate your taking the time to speak with us.” DuShane acknowledged Luke with a nod. “Call me Patrick. I would appreciate any information you have on this case. Please, come into my office.” Once seated, Patrick wasted no time. “I assure you, Blake, you will have the full cooperation of this staff and unlimited access to equipment and information on file pertaining to Ms. Fielding’s case. Now, give me a rundown on what’s been happening since she left Calgary.” Blake filled him in on the basic facts and ended with, “So we have reason to believe this Roy Grayson has abducted her and intends bodily harm. We have to act fast. You know your city better than we do. Where’s the best place to hide with a stolen truck and camper

trailer?” “Since your phone call earlier I’ve had my men keeping watch at the local campsites and all roads leading into the city. As I said before, he was spotted and gave us the slip as he exited the bridge and turned east on Memorial Drive. We’ve concentrated our search mainly on this side of the river since then, but no further sightings have been reported.” “Has there been any more activity at her apartment?” Blake asked. “No, but I did have a cleaning crew go in once forensics was finished.” “Anything new come up on the landlord?” “Nothing, except he’s been out of town as well. We haven’t been able to reach him in days.” “Coincidence again?” Blake inserted. “Seemed highly unlikely, but the guy checked out initially.” “Initially, but not now? Is that what you’re inferring?” “Yes. Just before you walked in I got word that Williams’ personal vehicle, a nineteen ninety seven Dodge Ram, was found parked off to the far side of a mall parking lot close to where the truck and camper were stolen. Mall authorities had it hauled off the lot and impounded early this morning. Complained about it being an eyesore. Guess it is, according to the report.” “How soon can we get a search warrant?” “Should be ready just about anytime now. Care to take a stroll with me and go see the judge?” “Be glad to. Come on, Luke,” Blake said, glancing over to the window where Luke stood quietly listening to the conversation. “What’s wrong?” he asked when Luke didn’t budge. “It still bothers me how this guy, Williams, got in and out of her apartment without being seen. Any theories on that, Officer Patrick?” “None at all. We checked out the underground tunnels as Blake suggested days ago, but the reports all say the entrances not in use were bricked over.” “I’m not buying it. If the house is a dead end, I want permission to go down there.” “You’ve got it, now let’s pick up that warrant.” As it turned out, they had to cool their heels another thirty-five

minutes outside the judge’s chambers as he was still presiding over a courtroom. Champing at the bit, wanting to get going, to do something, Luke paced impatiently while time wasted away. Frustrated to no end and getting angrier by the minute, he worried that something would happen to Zakia before they could get to her. Aching to hold her in his arms once more, and caught up in the remembrance of her love, he almost didn’t hear the door open when the judge granted them entrance. A short time later, they were winging their way toward the duplex, following the flashing lights and siren as Patrick led the way. Forensics and two more patrol cars brought up the rear. Cutting the sirens before they reached the house, they were surprised to see lights on inside. Patrick and another Calgary officer approached the door and presented Williams with a search warrant. “What’s this all about?” he huffed angrily. “Ms. Fielding is missing and we have reason to believe you might know where she is.” “As long as she’s back before the rent’s due, what do I care?” he remarked snidely. Blake was standing beside Luke, within hearing distance, and just barely managed to hold him back at the comment. “You may not care, but we do,” Patrick advised. “Step aside please.” “You don’t have any right to waltz in here and tear my place apart.” Passing over the warrant, Patrick informed him, “This warrant gives me the right. Now step aside so we can enter or I’ll have you forcibly removed from the premises.” “A man can’t even relax in his own home. I knew that bitch would be trouble.” Luke lunged and got one solid punch and a few choice words in before Blake and Patrick managed to haul him back outside. “Police brutality!” Williams hollered. “I’m going to sue!” “Do I look like a cop, asshole?” Luke yelled. “Put Williams in the car and take his statement,” Patrick ordered the nearest cop. “That ought to keep him out of our way for a while.” “Luke, I know you’re worried but if you can’t control

yourself, you’ll have to wait this one out,” Blake urged. “You know what, Blake? I feel better already,” he said as he rubbed sore knuckles. “Let’s go find Zakia.” They followed Patrick into the house, careful not to touch anything, just looking for any sign that she’d been there. They completed a search of the entire house from basement to attic and back, but of Zakia there was no sign. Neither did they locate a secret entry of any kind. Entering the garage from the door off the kitchen and seeing no vehicle, they were about to leave when Luke spotted something shiny near the edge of the wall. It was one of Zakia’s hair clips! “Blake, Patrick, come see this. Zakia must have left this behind to let us know she’d been here,” he said, showing them the unusual hairclip. “The boys bought it for her on her birthday this year and she told me she’s worn it everyday since.” “Everyone, spread out. I want this garage searched inch by inch. Look for cracks, hidden doorways, sliding panels, remote triggers, anything that may indicate a secret room or hiding space,” ordered Patrick. “Patrick, I saw a remote in the kitchen. Didn’t pay much attention at the time. Looks like any ordinary garage door opener,” Blake admitted. “I’m going to get it and try it out.” Reappearing a few moments later with the remote in hand, Blake pressed the left button and the garage door opened. When he pressed the right hand button, expecting the door to close, the floor moved instead and someone screamed. Some of the cops immediately jumped off but the rest moved toward the middle as the platform slowly lowered into the unknown depths below. When it clanged to a stop, everyone stared into the cool, damp darkness beyond. “Anyone think to bring a flashlight?” Patrick asked just as a couple came to life, spearing the tunnel ahead of them with white beams of light and picking up darker shadows where the light bounced off the walls. Luke pulled a set of keys from his pocket that held a penlight. Turning it on, he aimed it at the floor and saw a set of tire tracks. “Blake, over this way.” Following the tracks, they came to the stolen truck and a dead end. The camper wasn’t attached.

“If he’s hurt her in any way, I swear I’m going to kill him,” Luke threatened. “Don’t issue threats in the presence of an officer of the law, Luke. If anything did happen to him, I wouldn’t want to testify against you.” “Don’t worry, Blake. I’ll settle for life with no parole. I hear the inmates can be mighty friendly to those who take out child, women and animal abusers.” “I’ll be happy to put the word out for you old buddy.” Retracing their steps, they followed the tracks of other officers as they ventured further into the tunnel. At one point, three tunnels branched off and they divided up. At another branch, Luke picked up tire tracks again. Watching the light dance along the tire tracks on the floor and hurrying as fast as they dared in the near dark, they almost missed the bunker where the camper was hidden. Racing to the door, Luke hauled it open and shone his light around inside, hoping beyond hope that Zakia would be there, warm and safe and waiting for him to find her.

Chapter Twenty

Finding the trailer empty, Luke fell to his knees in despair. “We’re too late, Blake. She’s not here. We’re too late,” he ranted. Pushing past Luke, Blake took the penlight from his numb fingers and cautiously entered the trailer. If Zakia had been held captive here, he didn’t want to destroy any evidence that would help nail Williams’ hide to the wall. Finding his way to the far end of the camper where the bed was located, Blake considered it wise not to draw Luke’s attention to the heavy hooks on the wall at either end. He did make a find worth mentioning though. “Hey, Luke! Is this one of Zakia’s boots?” he asked, holding it in the beam of the flashlight for Luke to see. “Yeah, it is. Are they both there?” “Nope, just this and an extremely wet towel that looks like it may have been used for an ice pack. She may be hurt.” Going back to the table and shining the light back and forth, Luke spied the roll of duct tape. “If he had her trussed up with this stuff, it’s a wonder she got it off,” Luke said as he considered the possibilities. “Nope. She was tied. I found some cut rope under the edge of the bed.” “Maybe he used this stuff in place of a gag,” Luke said. “Maybe. If she’s hurt, she may have used it to fashion a bandage or something. Let’s check around some more.” Luke spied a lantern and Blake came up with a can of fuel under the sink. Soon, they had plenty of light to search by. Blake didn’t pay much attention to the bench seat full of toys but Luke’s intuition started knocking on his brain and he went over to take a closer look, moving things around and taking stock of what he could see. Something was triggering the feeling he had. What was it? What was he seeing? Or missing? That’s it! “Blake, there’s a ball and glove here but no bat, and doesn’t croquet have four mallets?” he asked. “There’s only two here.” “What?” he asked, wondering what Luke was getting at. “The baseball bat and two croquet mallets are missing. I think Williams left her tied down here in the dark. My industrious little

Zakia got herself loose and found some weapons before trying to escape. Let’s look around outside again.” The lantern illuminated the surrounding area more effectively than the penlight had. It also drew other officers to their location. “What have you found?” asked Patrick. “The camper and signs that Zakia may have escaped. She could be wandering alone down here in the dark,” Blake explained briefly. “We’re trying to pick up her trail but we’re not having much luck,” Luke informed the curious officers as he motioned for people to stay back. “I’m going topside to call in a K9 team. There’s no radio reception down here,” Patrick informed them. “You coming?” Luke shook his head, still staring at the ground as he shone the lantern back and forth, back and forth, steadfastly searching for signs of a footprint or trail of any kind that would indicate which way she went. “We’ll continue this on our own if you don’t mind,” Luke suggested, knowing there was no way in hell he’d leave without checking around and making certain Zakia wasn’t passed out from pain or lost down here. “Not at all. I’ll be back as soon as I can arrange it,” Patrick assured them as he took a flashlight and headed off. The other officers remained behind to help in the search but it was Luke who noticed the scuffmarks on the floor and a red line running along one wall. Rubbing his finger over the red to assure himself that it wasn’t fresh blood, he smelled the distinct scent of permanent marker. “Blake, she went this way. She was even smart enough to leave a trail back to the camper in case she couldn’t find a way out. Let’s go.” “I’m right behind you, Buddy.” Following the red line and trudging through the underground tunnel for what seemed like miles, the trail suddenly came to a stop. “It’s about time you got here, Cowboy.” Luke stopped dead still at the sound of her sultry voice, shining the light around until he located her, slumped at the base of a ladder to the surface. Letting out a whoop and a holler that could be heard back home on the ranch, Luke swooped in and picked up his woman in a

tight embrace. He smothered her with kisses and had her gasping for breath, but Zakia just laughed and held on tight. ”What happened to your leg, Zia? Is it hurt bad?” “Bad enough that I couldn’t climb this damned ladder. I hurt it when I saw the garage door closing behind us. I jumped out, ready to run, but landed on my foot the wrong way and I’m sure it’s sprained. Cost me some time waiting for the swelling to go down or I would have been out of here by now. How did you find me?” “By following Roy’s trail away from the campsite. What I don’t understand is his connection to Leroy Williams,” Blake mused. Luke never said a single word, still busy nuzzling the back of Zakia’s neck and showering his woman with kisses. “Well, if you don’t mind, could we possibly get out of here and figure the rest out later. Although Luke is certainly trying his best, it’s damp and cold down here and I feel like I’ll never be warm again.” “Oh, you will, Darling. You will. That’s a promise!” Luke said as he lifted her completely into his arms and started walking back the way they’d come. When they reached the camper, Luke made Blake steal a blanket to wrap around her for the rest of the walk underground. Patrick met them at the elevator, K9 unit at the ready. “I’m happy to inform you that we no longer require your services,” Luke said. He smiled down at Zakia, still in his arms, so thankful that he’d found her. “I see that. How are you, Ms. Fielding? You’re hurt?” “Great observation, Sherlock,” Luke teased. “No wonder you made detective!” “Luke, stop teasing!” She turned her head to face Patrick. “It’s just a sprained ankle, nothing serious.” “Glad to hear it. I’ll need statements from all of you.” “Later! Zakia and I are headed for the nearest hospital. Blake, call home and tell Dad and the boys we found her. I’ll check with you later.” “I’ll have a car take you there,” Patrick offered. “Appreciate it. Let’s go.” Luke placed Zakia carefully into the car as if she was the most precious porcelain doll, then slipped inside to sit beside her, cuddling her close to his side. “I’ll meet you at the hospital after we finish with Williams.” “Okay, Blake. Thanks Buddy. See you then,” he said as the

car pulled away from the curb, lights and sirens flashing a warning to anyone who tried to get in their way. **** During an interminable wait in the emergency department, Zakia called her parents to let them know she was all right and the stalker was behind bars. She did indeed have a sprained ankle and the doctor ordered her to stay off it for a couple of days. Other than that, she suffered no ill effects from her adventure and was anxious to get home to start her new life with Luke and their children. Luke had slightly different plans, as she soon found out. While she’d been down at x-ray getting her picture taken, Luke had called and booked a hotel room. Then he’d called Patrick and arranged for an officer to stop by Zakia’s apartment for a change of clothes. Blake joined them as they waited for the results of the x-rays. And Sam called with some surprising information that tied everything together. It seems Leroy Williams and Roy Grayson were one and the same. His father was Leroy Williams, Senior, Winnie’s first husband. Once the police knew his identity and confronted him with it, Roy lost control and babbled like a baby. It had been easier for Winnie to enroll him as Grayson when he started school. In fact, her second husband wanted to adopt Roy, but he refused. Always a rebel and in and out of trouble, Winnie was secretly relieved when he’d gone to live in Calgary after the fire. She didn’t know what he worked at or where he lived. He’d never told her, but he always had money and paid cash for extensive plastic surgery, making him look entirely different than he had before the fire. “That’s why I didn’t recognize him,” Luke exclaimed. “But he knew Zakia would recognize her landlord, so he stayed away from the main campsite and patiently waited,” Blake said. “But why me?” Zakia asked. “Roy was an angry man. Angry at you for not giving him the time of day when it was obvious you weren’t happy on the ranch, or so he said. He even admitted to confiscating one of your letters, imagining the love note intended for him. When Luke fired him for being drunk on the job, he blamed it on you, Zakia. Apparently, he

had the hots for you and offered to take you to town the day you left, but you’d turned him down. He figured Luke found out about it and had been looking for an excuse to let him go. In his twisted mind, he’d done nothing wrong. He moved to the city but his frustration and anger intensified daily, until one day he’d run into you at the shopping mall and you hadn’t even recognized him. Of course, after the surgery, his own mother hadn’t recognized him, but that point was lost on Roy. You snubbed him and he saw a way to get even with you and with Luke.” “Wow! Mr. Williams always kept to himself. I don’t think I even knew his first name, not that it would have mattered. He was such a handsome, charismatic individual. I never would have thought he’d been burned or capable of terrorizing a person the way he did me.” “How did you end up renting from him?” Luke asked. “I had been thinking of getting my own place and starting my own business. Sam and I talked about it non-stop once we met. I helped her set up her business and she kept an eye open for larger size apartments. The rental notice was posted everywhere I went. It seemed like fate was lending a hand and when I went to see it I fell in love with the beautiful huge kitchen on the spot.” “I’d say he was stalking you even then,” Blake surmised. “He really was determined. What made him wait so long, I wonder?” “We have the twins to thank for that.” “The twins? How?” “It seemed that every time he planned his move, the twins demanded your attention and you’d stray from the plan.” “Plan? What plan?” “Do I hear a parrot in here?” Luke joked, even though he was intently following the conversation. “According to Williams, you’re a creature of habit, except where the twins were concerned. He’d finally thought to get rid of them first, but you got away. Thank God!” “So he didn’t so much ‘find me’ as force me to return to the ranch in order to hurt Luke too,” Zakia reasoned. “He was just playing games with all of us.” “No. It wasn’t a game. His intent to harm was real.” “Thank God it’s over,” Luke breathed in relief just as the

nurse called Zakia in to have her ankle wrapped. Zakia started to wheel herself over in the wheelchair and when Luke stood, hesitant, Blake said, “Go with her, Buddy. You’ve been apart long enough. I’ll see you when you get back to town.” “Thanks, Blake, for everything.” When he wheeled Zakia out of the hospital and into a waiting cab a short while later, Luke whispered, “You are my love, my life. Please say you’ll make an honest man of me. Marry me, Zakia.” “Yes, Luke. Oh, yes. This time it’s forever,” and they sealed their promise to each other with the steamiest of kisses. The silly smirk on her face was destined to remain until they were totally alone and she told him the rest of the doctor’s news… another adventure, beginning in about eight month’s time. The End

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