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

“No.”

“He just made another harassing call to Kellie. She pressed his buttons. I think he’s going to make something happen as soon as he returns to the town house.”

“I’ll let you know the minute he shows up. Anything you need and we’re ready.”

“I owe you for this, Kit.”

Cy hung up and walked back in the kitchen. Trust Luckey to get Kellie laughing about something. His friend had a way. “What’s so funny?” He’d trained his eyes on her, unable to look anywhere else.

Before she could answer, Cy’s phone rang. It was Kit. He turned his back to her. “What’s up?”

“The second we got off the phone, a woman with neck-length brown hair pulled into a stall driving a used blue Sentra sedan. She got out wearing a business suit and heels and has just let herself in the condo.”

“We’ve got him!” Cy blurted with elation. It felt as if he’d been waiting forever for this moment. “He’ll be watching from the upstairs window with the rifle. I’ll give him ten minutes before I back out of the garage.”

“We’re on it.”

He clicked off and turned to Luckey, who was drinking a glass of iced tea. Kellie was in the background cooking tacos for dinner. “This is it,” he muttered. “You know what to do.”

“Yup.”

Cy hurried upstairs and put on his bulletproof vest. Over it he wore a gray hoodie, and he went back down to the kitchen. “Be sure and save me some dinner.”

Kellie’s eyes look haunted. “You’re leaving now?” He heard the wobble in her voice. “You haven’t even drunk your iced tea.”

“Sorry. I’ve got some business to do, but Luckey will enjoy it. Remember he’s here to protect you. See you soon.”

He opened the kitchen door to the garage and closed it behind him. Once he was in the Subaru SUV, he sat there to synchronize his time to the second with Kit and the crew. He hoped that once he used the remote to open the garage door, the sound would alert the stalker that he was leaving. That was the signal for the crew to move in.

The plan was to back out slowly, giving Dan time to make his best shot.

Five, four, three, two, one.

Up went the garage door. Cy started the engine and let it idle for a minute to draw out the stalker. Then he started backing into the alley. At the point where he turned the car, he braked and shut off the motor. In the split second it took to open the door and roll to the ground, he heard three loud shots fired in succession, shattering the side windows.

Some of the glass grazed his neck and cheek. Moments passed as he stayed down and let the other Rangers do their jobs. Sirens blared as police cars and an ambulance converged in the alley. He got out of the car and saw the street now looked like a war zone. The paramedics ran over to him while he got to his feet and brushed off the bits of glass, but he was waiting for the call from Kit.

When it came, they were the sweetest words he’d ever heard. “Your plan worked perfectly. This stalker was caught in the act. He twisted and screamed while we cuffed him. Now he’s on his way to join his twin.”

Cy drank in gulps of air. “Thank God.”

He couldn’t wait to tell Kellie, but he had to ride in the ambulance first while they tended to his wounds, which were superficial. After he’d been taken to the ER, TJ was there to greet him. While Cy sat on the end of the examining table as the doctor put some small bandages over the cuts on his neck and cheek, the captain’s eyes played over him with grave concern.

“That was a hell of a thing you did out there tonight, offering yourself up as the sacrifice.”

“I was wearing my vest.”

“He could have shot your head off.”

“I ducked. It was all planned out.”

“If you ever try a stunt like that again...”

“You told me this was a high-profile case and you needed it solved ASAP. I just wanted to make sure those two lunatics are put away forever. Trying to take me out added another lifetime sentence to their list of heinous crimes.”

After the doctor left the cubicle, the captain said, “I phoned Ms. Parrish and her parents and told them the siege was over. They’re probably at her condo right now celebrating.”

Cy would have liked to tell her the news himself, but he’d had to follow protocol and get checked over first. “Their relief must be making new people out of them.”