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“But...” She eyed him closely, then sighed. “Okay, but let’s make this fast, all right?”
At the house, Zach brought Katie inside and talked to Alex and Molly, then he jogged to Ben’s cabin and rapped sharply on the door.
The old man appeared after several seconds, one loop of suspender hanging down to his knees and a disgruntled expression on his face. He seemed unimpressed by Zach’s warning.
“That’s what we got ol’ Gabe for. Somebody comes, he barks.”
“Unless someone shoots him.”
“Now who would go and shoot an old dog? This ain’t some big city with crazy people in the news every day.”
Zach stifled a curse. “Then think about the problem if one of those people came out here wanting to make trouble. Do you have a rifle handy?”
The old man looked affronted. “Does a horse have teeth? Course I do.”
“Then load it, and go up to the house and stay with the kids. I don’t think there’ll be any problem, but I want to be sure. And don’t let anyone except Vivian through that front door.”
Muttering to himself, Ben wheeled away. He reappeared in a moment with an old Winchester rifle and a box of ammunition.
From over in the driveway came the impatient sound of a truck’s horn.
“Don’t hesitate to call 911 if you see anything.” Zach started for the truck. “Got it?”
“Won’t nothing happen here.” Ben strode toward the house, his rifle cradled in his arms. “But when you get back, there’d better be some explaining.”
“Explaining about what?” Dana asked as Zach climbed into the truck. “I’m sort of curious myself.”
Zach waited until they were out on the highway headed east, where the narrow, two-lane road rose and fell through gently rolling grassland that stretched as far as the eye could see.
“Remember why I let you and everyone else think Katie was my daughter?”
Dana shot a quick glance at him, her eyes filled with alarm. “You said that your sister was afraid of someone and wanted you to keep Katie safe. Have you heard something else?”
Once and for all, he wished he could tell her everything, so someday there might be a chance she’d understand and forgive the fact that he hadn’t revealed the truth earlier. But he couldn’t explain his connection to the DEA. Not yet.
After years of undercover work, he knew that the less he revealed, the more effective he could be. “The man she feared is now after Katie and me. He calls himself El Cazador. I don’t know his real name.”
Stepping on the brakes, she pulled over to the side of the road and faced him. “Then why on earth is he after you?”
“A past business deal, maybe. Or maybe he figures I know something that could hurt him.”
Dana drew in a sharp breath. “Have you told the sheriff?”
She looked so earnest, so filled with trust that the system would provide complete protection, that he wanted to pull her into his arms and protect that innocence. “No. El Cazador said if he saw the law being called in, he would target Katie, and I didn’t want to take that risk. Now...maybe it’s better if she and I leave the area.”
Dana stilled. “What?”
“Maybe the guy will follow me, and then I can figure out who he is.”
“But—”
“I can’t put you all at risk any longer.”
He reached for her then, cupping the back of her head and leaning toward her until he could lower his mouth to hers for a swift kiss, perhaps the last one he’d ever have. He felt his heart clench, then slowly rip in two even as he strove for the right note of nonchalance. “We both knew this was just a temporary stay, right? It’s been fun, but life goes on.”
At her sharply indrawn breath and the shock in her eyes, he knew his breezy dismissal was an echo of the last time he’d left Fossil Hill, and that this was the last chance he’d ever have with her.
“You’re right, of course,” she said coolly, drawing back. “It’s always best to just run.”
