LITMIR.BIZ

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the reckless juveniles in line?”

      “I’m not arguing about you being the best deputy I have. I’m only doing what that Texas Ranger friend of yours suggested.”

      She walked to the cell doors for him to remove the handcuffs, her fingers definitely uncrossed. “You didn’t have to cuff me.”

      “Now, darlin’, you know that’s not true.” Dan drew another circle in the air and Avery turned around. “If I hadn’t surprised you, then you wouldn’t be here.”

      He removed the cuffs and she rubbed her wrists, glad to be free. Well, almost free. She looked at the three walls of the small county jail. “You can’t be serious about keeping me here. How long?”

      “Until the Rangers have everything under control. It shouldn’t take long. They’re very capable men who know what they’re doing.”

      Right. Men.

      “He didn’t do it, you know.” She stated the fact without having spoken to her brother. He hadn’t called her or their mom during all the confusion, but she knew it was true. She knew that he’d been framed. And she knew that she could find out the person responsible—if she was allowed to help. But the Texas Rangers were on top of it and didn’t need her.

      “I haven’t met him, but I’ve never thought he murdered those two women. He’s your brother.” Dan turned to leave. “But that makes no never mind. If he were here, I’d have to take him in. Since I don’t believe it and a criminal family is involved, I tend to agree with your friend—I mean Lieutenant Ryder. You need to stay safe and won’t be if you go traipsing off to Austin trying to help your brother from this predicament.”

      “I promise to stay out of trouble,” she said with crossed fingers.

      “I tend not to believe you, Avery. Don’t get me wrong. You’re a blasted good deputy and can take over this office in a New York minute. But staying out of trouble when your brother’s being hunted for murder?” Dan shook his head and pursed his lips, rubbing the graying whiskers on his chin. “No, missy, I just don’t believe you’ll stay in Dalhart voluntarily. So this is the best solution.”

      “I can’t believe you are seriously going to keep me locked up.” She threw her hands in the air and walked over to the very visible toilet. “Are you really going to make me stay here while my fellow deputies watch me tinkle on a video screen?”

      “Avery, we’ll make it work and find a way to keep your privacy. But I guarantee you one thing... I like you being alive more than I’m worried about any of that.” Dan waved his hand in the air toward the toilet area. “I’ll have someone bring your standing order from the Dairy Barn for dinner. You can have the bag you packed as soon as Julie goes through it for weapons.”

      “What weapons?”

      “Anything sharp or heavy you can use to hurt Bo and Derek.” He laughed over his shoulder as he walked away. Probably because he used her movie-reference nicknames for his two perfect-ten deputies.

      She’d packed too fast to think about a heavy object that could be used to hit anyone over the head. She’d had no idea that she’d need anything sturdier than extra undies, socks and a toothbrush. Carrying her service weapon would have been enough for what she’d intended.

      Well, then again, it wouldn’t take much to get the jump on the two young men. She’d put both of them on the training mat right after she arrived. At least she could do that six months ago. After the first training workout, they wouldn’t come with her again. They were afraid to hurt her. Big laugh. She predicted their moves as soon as they faced her because they thought of her as a woman. She’d practiced with Jesse her entire life.

      Jesse. The man behind all her problems.

      None of that mattered at the moment unless it would help her get free of this place. This was all Jesse’s fault. She plopped down on the thin mattress and right back up. They’d forgotten to take her cell out of her back pocket. She tapped a number still on speed dial and waited.

      “Hey, Avery. Been a long time. Like your new job?”

      Oh, that voice. She’d missed it. Even being embarrassed beyond anything she could have imagined, she’d still missed him. “Jesse Ryder, if anything happens to my brother because you won’t let me help...”

      “Whoa, whoa, whoa, Avery. You know me better than that. I’m doing everything I can. We all are.”

      She recognized his sincerity. He believed the best of the best were on the case. And she hadn’t been good enough to be a part of the best. “I need you to make a call to my boss and get me out of here.”

      “Where’s ‘here,’ babe?”

      Oh man, there had been a time when she yearned for him to use that endearment. Now was not it. “Exactly where you suggested Dan hold me until my brother’s problem is over.”

      Laughter. Lots of laughter. And then a little more laughter. “Are you serious? I made a tiny suggestion and he put you behind bars? How did anybody get the drop on you?”

      “Your sweet-talking won’t work this time. I’m going to stay angry forever. Especially now. I am not one of those girls who hangs on your every word. So you make that call and get me out of here.”

      She’d been exactly one of those girls. From the time she could run, she’d followed her brother and his best friend everywhere. She’d pined for Jesse and gone unnoticed when they were teens. And for just a short period of three months last year, she’d been the happiest girl on the planet.

      “There’s nothing to be done, Avery. I’ll be a pal and call in a couple of days to update you. Even that’s against the rules and you know it.”

      “I wouldn’t call you a pal at this particular moment.”

      He cleared his throat. She could tell he was about to mention that horrible night when they’d almost made love. That sounded pathetic and she wasn’t even saying it out loud. If he apologized for walking out on her...

      “I haven’t had a chance to explain—”

      “I don’t want to hear it. It’s done. Over. I’ve moved on. Moved to the far northwest of Texas, in fact.”

      Living in Austin after the guys had been promoted had become impossible. Everywhere she’d gone there had been a memory of one of them. She might have been able to handle missing her brother—eventually.

      But Jesse? She’d been head over heels in love with him her entire life. One day out of the blue last year, she’d caught him looking at her differently. Then it was three months of clandestine, sexy kisses. Three months of sensual foreplay. And one night they’d almost made love. Whatever she’d done wrong, it had scared Jesse into walking out.

      “I grew up next door to you, too. Remember? It doesn’t sound like you’ve moved on. So when are you going to let me explain?”

      She pressed the disconnect button. She was angry and needed to stay that way. Focusing on her job was the only thing keeping her sane in this little town. There wasn’t anything to really worry about. Right? Seriously, this was her brother. Of course she was worried. It was the first time they hadn’t been together for a crisis.

      Dan might have turned the key in the lock, but Jesse was responsible. She could focus her anger on that man. He deserved it for putting the idea into Dan’s head.

      “Oh yeah. The next time I see Jesse Ryder...I’m definitely going to kill him.”

       Chapter One

      Late April, the South Texas Desert

      “Please, please. I beg you. I...I have money. Lots of money. I can pay you more than Tenoreno.”

      Rosco had awakened from the drug and would soon

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