She nodded.
He moved to Edwards and dug through the FBI agent’s phone. “He used this?”
She nodded because that was the cell Edwards had used to call Kessler. “I assume it was Kessler he was speaking to.”
“I’m going to find out. And then I’m going to take the rest of them down.”
She bit her lip and nodded.
“Just without the part where you have a gun to your head.”
She tried to smile but couldn’t quite make it happen. Tessa tucked her knees up and held on, trying to hold it together. Her gaze drifted to the dead man and she squeezed her eyes shut.
“Yeah, it’s me. Run this number.” Caleb paused. “She’s hanging in there. My Tessa is tough.”
She opened her eyes raising one brow at him. Feeling anything but that right now.
He winked at her, then said into the phone, “Just run the number. It’s Kessler.” Pause. “Got it. Bye.” He hung up. “That was Noah. He’s headed this way.”
Caleb shifted over to her. “He was actually bummed he wouldn’t be able to be here in time to help get you back from Edwards. But he’ll be here for Christmas.”
She wanted to tell him that was great. The words stuck in her throat and her eyes filled with tears—a delayed reaction.
“Okay, we’ve been here long enough.” Caleb gathered her up and lifted her to her feet.
All she had to do was hold on, lean into his strength and let him help her. “Thanks.”
“You don’t have to thank me. It was my pleasure.” He kissed her forehead, holding onto her. “Let’s get out of here.”
Caleb started to walk her to the road.
“This is my house, I could just go inside.”
“You need to see a doctor, and this place needs to be cleared as a crime scene.” He walked her toward the road.
“I want to see Pops.”
“He’s going to want to see you,” Caleb said. “The woman who saved his grandson’s life.”
“I don’t want to ever do anything like that again.”
His hold on her tightened for a second. “I think that can be arranged. In fact, I’m thinking I might wrap up this case and come home permanently. Help Pops out with the ranch, since he’s getting older and he can’t do it all himself.”
“You can’t have my housekeeping job. It’s my fun money.”
Caleb chuckled. “I like the idea of you coming by and visiting. As long as you and I can have lunch after you’re done.”
“I think that can be arranged.”
“Good, because I’m hoping the girl next door can arrange it so that I can take her out for dinner, too.”
“She’d like that.”
“Yeah? Good to know.”
“She also likes hiking on her days off, sunset walks across the fields. One day she’d like to get chickens but doesn’t know how to construct a coop.”
“I can figure it out. Anything else?”
