The Texas Ranger's Bride (Lone Star Lawmen 1)

He gave her a probing glance. “Where was this taken?”

“At a beauty salon here in Austin where I go to get my hair styled.”

“How long ago?”

“Right before I left for Montana, about five and a half weeks ago.”

“You’re sure about the timing?”

“Yes. Normally I wear cowboy boots all the time and I always get my hair done later in the day. But that particular morning I had an early appointment and I put on those sandals before I left for the salon because I was in a hurry.”

“What time was your appointment?”

“Eight thirty in the morning.”

“Do you remember the date?”

“It was a Wednesday. I had to leave right after to make it to Glasgow in time for the rodeo on Saturday, August 2.”

“That meant you were in the salon on July 30. How big is the place?”

“It does a lot of business. The Blue Gardenia is on Third Street downtown.”

“I’ve heard of it. Do men get their hair cut and styled there, too?”

“Yes.” She shuddered. “That means he was in there watching me. He probably has dozens of pictures of me. It’s sickening and depraved.”

“Stay strong, Kellie. We’re going to catch him.”

A moan escaped her. “What about his twin?”

When she looked at him, the dark blue of his eyes seemed to have turned black. “Him, too. Go on up to bed and set your alarm. We’ll leave for the airport at five thirty. Before we walk out the door, I’ll turn on the camera over the kitchen door on the garage side.”

“You think he’ll come while we’re gone?”

“I’m not sure.”

He obviously had more work to do she wasn’t privy to, so she got up from the table. “I don’t know how to thank you for what you’re doing. Your life is in danger, too.”

“But this is my job. One I like, though no one in my family does.”

“What did they want you to be?”

“An attorney like my father and his father and his father before him.”

So Cy was the lone wolf... His own person. She liked that about him very much.

“When this whole ghastly ordeal is over, I’ll tell your family personally that you have the undying gratitude from me and my family for coming to my rescue.”

His intense gaze continued to hold hers. “That’s nice to hear. Now try to get some sleep and leave the worrying to me.”

* * *

THE SECOND SHE disappeared upstairs, Cy phoned the crew in the surveillance van. “Lyle? The stalker put an envelope in Kellie’s mailbox today. There are eight tenants using that box. Did anyone approach it you can’t identify?”

“Yes. A woman with dark brown hair. I checked with the landlord of the property. He’s never seen her.”

A woman. “Strange. What time did the camera record it?”