AdonisinTexas (4 page)

Was she just setting herself up for more grief and further
complications in this town?

Chapter Two

Ryan delivered to Sheriff Johnson the plastic bag with what
he hoped weren’t smudged fingerprints on the sack and can inside. He’d been
vigilant in handling the evidence, but damn…Ginger Monroe had him all spun up.

In a million years, he’d never imagined the pint-sized
blonde would mature into such a beautiful, spunky woman. She’d been pretty in
school, no doubt about it. But so tiny and fragile, a big guy like himself had
never considered she’d find him appealing in a romantic sense. Though, he had
carried her books to class on numerous occasions when her arms were full.

He’d liked her back then, but now… She revved his engine in
the most carnal way, what with her long, bouncy curls and big green eyes. Her
face was delicately sculpted with high cheekbones and perfectly shaped,
crimson-colored lips. And her body…

Ryan had never imagined himself with a petite woman,
particularly given his six-foot-two-inch stature. Yet Ginger had a shapely
figure that didn’t need sexy clothes to entice a man. As evidenced by the jerks
who had accosted her.

As fury flashed through him at the danger she’d been in, he
greeted the sheriff with a handshake after setting the bag on his desk.

“Welcome home, son,” Sheriff Johnson said. “I got your
recommendation from the academy in Arizona. All your paperwork has arrived as
well. The post-grad program you enrolled in took care of your medical and psych
exams, your background check and polygraph and your drug and alcohol
screenings. That cuts a lot of time out of the interviewing process.”

“Thanks for the opportunity to apply as a deputy, sir. From
that first criminology class I took in college, I’ve had a burning desire to
join the law enforcement field.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing firsthand what you have to
offer.”

Ryan said, “I was very happy to finally see an opening in my
hometown.”

“Miller Parks is retiring next month,” the sheriff told him.
“I’ve got a few other applicants for his position, but they haven’t been to a
police academy. Your credentials are impressive.”

“Thank you. I assure you I’m fully committed to this
career.”

“Good to hear,” the sheriff said as he briefly clasped
Ryan’s shoulder. “We’ll get to the interview tomorrow, as scheduled. In the
meantime…” He eyed the paper bag. “What’d you bring me?”

Ryan had mulled over in his mind how not to implicate Ginger
in what had happened this evening, but wasn’t wholly sure he could keep her out
of it. Hopefully, he could treat her as more of a silent witness, and then if
the sheriff’s department caught the culprits, he might be able to persuade her
to press charges and get these guys off the street.

“Seems there was a scuffle in one of the downtown shops
earlier. A robbery and an assault with the potential for an attempted rape.” He
thought of what Ginger had said about the men wanting to take her with them and
added, “Maybe even attempted kidnapping.”

The sheriff sank into his chair. “What’s this?” he asked
with a furrowed brow. He was in his late forties with salt-and-pepper hair, but
he’d kept himself in excellent physical condition. He’d been the sheriff as
long as Ryan could remember.

“I’m not at liberty to divulge the victim’s name—at least,
not until I can convince her to come forward on her own. But I was there and I
have a solid description of one of the men, a partial of the other and this.”
He inclined his head toward the bag. “The one I didn’t get a good look at left
his beer at the scene. I think I’ve transported it appropriately. You should be
able to get prints.”

Sheriff Johnson whistled under his breath. “Nice work, son.
Now what exactly happened?”

Without mentioning he’d been at the diner—simply saying he’d
walked in on what was clearly a bad situation—Ryan relayed the incidents as
he’d experienced them while the sheriff filled out a report. When he was done,
Ryan added, “The vic doesn’t want to be identified, as I mentioned, but I’m
hoping you can recover her money and keep the perps from striking again.”

“If I locate them, I’ll need her to ID them in a lineup.”

Ryan nodded. “I think she’ll agree to that. It’s anonymous.
I could pick them out too. I don’t want to obstruct justice in any way. I’ll do
whatever I need to in order to help out.”

“Hmm,” the sheriff muttered. “Sounds like she’s not willing
to press charges.”

“I won’t say that’s a definite. I just think she’s
intimidated by my family.”

A dark brow jerked up. “The Bains do have a way of singling
out those who go against the grain. No offense.”

“None taken.”

“You’re willing to help this person and keep her name from
the papers when word gets out about a robbery? Because word
always
gets
out in this town, son.”

“I don’t want her feeling pressured. She had a pretty tough
night.” Ginger’s imploring look remained stamped on his brain. And he
understood her plight and her concerns.

“Something about her that your aunt and uncle disapprove of,
I assume.”

Ryan shrugged. “She wouldn’t be the first person they’ve
disapproved of.”

The sheriff nodded his head. “Point taken. Well… Let me see
what I can come up with, based on your descriptions and summation of the
incident.” He stood and extended his hand to Ryan in parting. But then he drew
it back and suggested, “Unless you’d care to observe this process as part of
the interview.”

Ryan knew he had a written test and several hours at the
shooting range ahead of him tomorrow, but he rose to the challenge of finding
the two guys who’d robbed and attacked Ginger.

“I’d appreciate the opportunity, sir.”

They shook hands, and the sheriff said, “I’ll see you first
thing in the morning.”

Pleased with the turn of events, Ryan left Sheriff Johnson’s
office. Unfortunately, his optimism evaporated when he caught a glimpse of his
aunt and uncle leaving Pietro’s and heading toward him.

They had no idea he’d rolled into town late this afternoon,
and they certainly didn’t know why he was here. Or that he wasn’t intending to
work with Jonathan at the church. The ministry was not his calling. Solving
crimes and helping people like Ginger was.

Okay,
protecting
Ginger was now part of his mission.
He couldn’t help it. She was a spitfire, but so pretty and dainty, he just
wanted to tuck her against his body and shield her from everything and
everyone. Including his sometimes overbearing relatives.

His aunt hurried toward him, her hands clasped together at
her chest. When she reached Ryan, she held his face in her palms and said, “You
are such a sight for sore eyes.” She then gave him a hug and added, “My
goodness, look how tall and strong you’ve gotten.”

He hadn’t been back to Wilder in seven years, but the Bains
had attended his college graduation. Though he officially held a degree in
ministry, he’d minored in criminology, something they were unaware of, as the
dean hadn’t announced it when he’d handed over Ryan’s diploma.

Giving both of them a smile, he said, “It’s so good to see
you. Been much too long.” He shook his uncle’s hand and added, “I would have
called to let you know I was coming, but the trip came up unexpectedly.”

Jonathan clasped his shoulder and said, “We’re so happy to
have you back. Lydia will make up your room.”

With an inward cringe, he admitted, “I already booked a
suite at Reese Middleton’s bed and breakfast. She said she could use the
business when I contacted her.”

His aunt made a soft
tsking
noise. “Why on earth
would you stay anywhere but home?”

“I didn’t want to impose,” he simply told her.

Ryan didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but he’d never really
thought of their house as home. Especially not after he’d graduated high school
and had moved to Arizona before his first semester had even started. The
tension at the Bains’ residence had increased over the years and he’d been glad
to escape the overly strict and often pious environment.

That did not mean he didn’t love his relatives and appreciate
them taking him in when he was seventeen, after his parents had died in a car
crash outside Austin. But he didn’t wholly subscribe to all their beliefs.

“Well,” his uncle said, “you know you’re certainly welcome
to stay with us. Anytime.”

“Thank you.”

“What brings you to town?” his aunt asked, still visibly
prickled by what she clearly considered a personal slight. She was probably
worried people would gossip about him not wanting to stay with his own family.

Ryan’s shoulders bunched, not just at the fact his aunt
obsessed over what everyone thought of her, but her question put him on edge
too. He’d have to break the news to them eventually, so he said, “Job
interview.”

Under the glow of the lampposts, he saw his aunt’s confused
look. “But there aren’t any current openings at the church.”

“No,” Ryan said. “But there is an opening with the sheriff’s
office.”

Lydia’s jaw dropped. Jonathan took a step back and regarded
him quizzically. He said, “I don’t understand. Why would you apply for a deputy
position?”

Ryan told them, “I completed the police academy in Phoenix
and then went on ride-alongs and took EMT classes while working for the court.
Law enforcement is where my interest lies.”

“But your religious studies,” Lydia mumbled, obviously still
taken aback. “What about your degree and your desire to become a minister?”

“It morphed into something else,” was the best Ryan could
say. Not that he discounted his initial inclination by any means, but he’d
begun to realize church work wasn’t his calling after his first year in
college. That was when he’d shifted a portion of his focus.

“Well, this doesn’t make any sense at all,” his aunt
murmured with a disapproving frown.

His uncle, however, said, “Now, Lydia, it’s the boy’s choice
to make. Not ours.” To Ryan, he added, “If this is what you want, then of
course we support it and wish you luck with the interview.”

“Thank you. I could learn a lot from Sheriff Johnson and his
two deputies, before Miller Parks retires, that is.”

“We’re happy to have you back home,” his uncle assured him.
“Let’s get together and catch up soon. How’s Sunday evening at our house?”

“Sorry,” he said, feeling a tad guilty he didn’t have time
for them on his immediate calendar. “I’ve already made plans with Ginger
Monroe.”

“Ginger!” Lydia’s voice spiked an octave or two. “Ryan
Bain,” she said in her authoritative and chastising tone, as though he were
seventeen years old again and had left his underwear in the bathroom. “That
woman sells the most deplorable clothing and she is completely inappropriate. I
absolutely cannot abide—”

“Now, Lydia,” Jonathan interjected once again as he took her
by the arm, as though prepared to drag her off before she continued her rant.
“Ryan is an adult and Ginger is a very lovely woman. It’s not our place to say
who he can or cannot spend his time with.” In a level, reasonable tone, he
suggested, “Let’s try Monday.”

“Monday would be fine,” Ryan agreed, somewhat amused by the
exchange, but also partially disturbed by it. Ginger had been right about how
his aunt treated her and it made him damn glad he hadn’t divulged her identity
as tonight’s victim to the sheriff. The poor girl didn’t deserve another hassle
this evening.

“We’ll see you at six,” his uncle said. “Come along, Lydia.”

They continued on their way as Ryan watched them go. The
tension in Wilder hadn’t eased since he’d left. In fact, it seemed to have
gotten worse. He’d have to probe Ginger and find out what the hell was going on
in this town.

* * * * *

Ryan spent most of Saturday and the better part of Sunday
with the sheriff and, oftentimes, his deputies. He passed all his written and
physical assessment tests with flying colors and managed to impress the other
men at the shooting range. When they dove into identifying the criminals who’d
robbed Ginger, Sheriff Johnson was so taken with his dedication and enthusiasm,
he offered Ryan the job. By the time they’d knocked off for the day, they had a
few leads and Ryan was due at the uniform shop in Austin the next morning.

Psyched over his new career, he was feeling damn good as he
strode into Jess Mills’ flower shop and selected a delicate pink rose for
Ginger.

“You must be Ryan Bain,” the attractive, chestnut-haired
woman behind the counter said.

“I am.” It wasn’t Jess who’d greeted him, but he wasn’t
surprised this stranger knew who he was. Word always spread akin to wildfire in
this town, as the sheriff had mentioned.

“I’m Liza Brooks.” They shook hands as she happily added,
“About to become Mrs. Jack Wade, actually.”

“Congratulations. Jack is a great guy.” He was a year older
than Ryan’s aunt, who was thirty-one, and she’d been friends with him growing
up. Ryan remembered Jack as being a bit on the wild side in his younger years,
but Miller Parks had told him just today Jack was now on the City Council and owned
Wade’s Saloon. Ryan could only imagine how that sat with his Aunt Lydia.

“I’m ridiculously giddy over the whole thing,” Liza told him
with a self-deprecating laugh. “Obviously, since I tell complete strangers I’m
engaged.”

“I’d say Jack’s a lucky man.” He smiled at her as he handed
over cash for the rose. Then he glanced around the shop and added, “There was a
robbery on this street Friday night. You might want to be on the lookout for a
tall man with dark-brown hair and a short, stockier redhead.”

Liza’s eyes widened. “Who was robbed?”

“I can’t say just yet. But the sheriff’s office is going to
get word out tomorrow and post some signs around town. I thought you should
know, since you’re in here all by yourself.”

“Yeah, thanks for the warning. That’s alarming news.”