Cops And...Lovers? (5 page)

The farmhouse was set on several acres. A big maple tree shaded the side yard. Beyond, a small barn with Dutch doors and an adjacent circular pen stood as if in testimony that Bandito had once led a very busy life. The fact that Stephanie no longer rode her horse bothered
Erin
. Childhood was precious and she didn't want to see this little girl miss out on any of it.

The front door swung open. "Nick? Stephanie? For goodness sakes, what are you doing home this time of day?" A short, round woman with graying hair and bifocals greeted them with a maternal smile. "Do we have a guest?"

"This is Deputy McNeal." Nick looked at
Erin
. "This is Mrs.
Thornsberry
."

Relief trembled through
Erin
that Stephanie and Nick had a strong woman in their lives. Mrs.
Thornsberry
wasn't a day under seventy, but
Erin
could tell the instant they made eye contact that the woman was anything but frail. Mrs.
Thornsberry
might be only five feet tall, but behind that gentle facade and favorite-aunt voice lay the compassion and wisdom of a grandmother, and the iron will of a five-star general.

"I'm pleased to meet you,"
Erin
said sincerely.

Mrs.
Thornsberry's
gaze was unwavering. "Welcome to
Logan
Falls
." Her eyes settled on Stephanie, and she frowned. "Why aren't you in school, young lady?"

The little girl concentrated on her sneakers.

Nick squeezed his daughter's shoulder. "She showed up at the station. Said she wanted to ride with me today."

"Cutting
class
again, more like it." Though the nanny's voice was firm,
Erin
didn't miss the thinly concealed sympathy in it. Mrs.
Thornsberry
swung the door wide and walked back into the house. "Grab
Steph's
book bag, will you?" she said over her shoulder to
Erin
.

Erin
lifted the book bag from Stephanie's lap.

Nick shot her a small, covert smile. "I think you passed inspection."

"I take it that's good?"
Erin
said.

"Took Hector a few tries."

Without waiting for a response, he pushed the wheelchair over the custom-made threshold.
Erin
followed with the book bag.

The first thing she noticed was the aroma of home-cooked food. Frank Sinatra's silky voice filled the air. The furniture was older, but of fine quality. A comfortable-looking sofa and matching easy chair sat in a grouping across from a console TV. In the dining room beyond, a sewing machine and bundles of fabric covered the length of the dinner table.

"You caught me mending," Mrs.
Thornsberry
said. "Stephanie, I expect you have homework." Without missing a beat she turned to Nick and looked at him over her bifocals. "Shall I call the principal this time, or do you want to?"

He grimaced. "I took care of it."

"Are you going to take her back to school?" the nanny asked.

"She wants to stay home today," he said.

"She's missed an awful lot this year."

"I'll see about getting her assignments,
Em
."

Nodding, Mrs.
Thornsberry
turned to
Erin
. "Would you like coffee?"

"We can't stay," Nick interjected.

"Oh, come now, Chief. Don't put me off. I just made a fresh pot of that hazelnut stuff."

"I don't have any homework," Stephanie complained.

Mrs.
Thornsberry
clucked her tongue. "Then why don't you go into your room and write me a nice letter explaining why you left school without permission again, honey?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"I'll bring you some milk and cookies in a bit," the nanny finished. "Do you take cream, Deputy McNeal?"

The woman switched topics so
effortlessly,
it took
Erin
a moment to realize she was speaking to her. "Call me Erin," she said. "Cream would be fine. Thank you."

Stephanie turned her wheelchair and started down the hall. Something warm jumped in
Erin
's chest when Nick followed, stooping to kiss his daughter's cheek. "Do as Mrs. T.
asks
,
Steph
," he said softly. "I'll be home in time for dinner."

The little girl looked at him from beneath long lashes. "Will you teach me how to play chess tonight?"

"You already know how to play chess." He touched her cheek with his knuckles. "You beat the pants off me last time."

She grinned. "I'll let you win."

"Deal." Nick held out his hand, and she gave him a high five.

"'Kay." The little girl wheeled toward her room.
Erin
couldn't help but feel she'd intruded on a private moment, but she hadn't been able to look away. The grim-faced police chief who'd berated her just half an hour earlier seemed incongruous with the father who dealt so gently with this child.

She was still staring when he turned toward her. The warmth in her chest spread when his gaze met hers. For an instant, she thought she'd never seen a man look so sad.

"Hell of a way for you to spend your first morning on the job," he said.

"It's okay," she replied, realizing the situation was probably just as uncomfortable for him.

"I should tell you up front that most of my deputies have picked Stephanie up at one time or another." He grimaced. "She's been cutting school. Most times, I'm around. But if I'm not, I expect whoever's on duty to drive her home."

"I'll be happy to drive her home when you're not around."

"
Steph's
a good kid. She's just going through a tough time right now."

"How old is she?"

"She'll be nine on Saturday."

Erin
didn't have any idea what kind of birthday gift a nine-year-old girl would want, but knew she wanted to get her something. Anything to bring some joy—no matter how minute—into that little girl's life.

"How long has she been cutting school?" she asked.

"About a year."

Remembering he didn't wear a ring, she said, "Divorce is tough on kids, but they're amazingly resilient."

His jaw tightened, but he didn't look away. "I'm a widower."

The shadow in his eyes came and went so quickly,
Erin
wasn't sure she'd seen it at all. Appalled by her blunder, she cringed. "I'm sorry. I just assumed—"

"It's a common assumption. Don't sweat it."

Considering Nick was a widower, Stephanie's behavior took on a whole new light. A pang went through
Erin
when she thought of her own mother, and how lonely a young girl could be growing up without one.

"Here's your coffee."

Erin
looked up, relieved to see Mrs.
Thornsberry
coming from the kitchen with a tray. The coffee smelled like heaven.

"Thank you," she said, accepting her cup.

"Did you invite
Erin
to Stephanie's party on Saturday, Chief?" the nanny asked.

Nick shot the older woman a warning look over the rim of his cup. "No."

Judging from his expression,
Erin
deduced he wasn't necessarily glad the nanny had brought up the subject.
Erin
couldn't blame him, after the way she'd reacted to his daughter's wheelchair. Besides, she didn't know any of them well enough to expect to get invited to a party. Vowing not to take it personally, she moved to let him off the hook. "I'll probably be tied up unpacking—"

"Nonsense," Mrs.
Thornsberry
said. "It will be a good opportunity for you to get to know Stephanie and Nick. Hector will be here, too. We'd like you to come—"

"She's going to be on duty,
Em
," Nick interjected.

Mrs.
Thornsberry
barely spared him a glance. "Well, maybe you can stop in for a piece of cake after your shift."

Nick's cell phone chirped. Murmuring a quick apology, he set his cup on the dining room table, tugged the phone from his pocket and answered with a curt utterance of his name.

"When?" he asked sharply.

His tone caught
Erin
's attention, and she set her own cup on the table.

"I'll be right there." Shoving the phone back into his pocket, he turned to
Erin
. "We've got an emergency call."

Chapter 3

«
^
»

N
ick sprinted to the truck and jerked open the door. Emergency calls didn't come often, but when they did, he took them very seriously. Sliding behind the wheel, he snatched up the radio mike. "What do you have, dispatch?"

Vaguely, he was aware of
Erin
settling into the passenger seat beside him, strands of hair streaming out of her bun. Hell of a thing for him to be thinking about when he should have his mind on the voice coming over the mike.

"Code three at the Brass Rail Saloon," the dispatcher's voice said. "Robbery in progress."

"That's the second time in two weeks. Who called it in?"

"Passerby saw a white male in a blue shirt kick in the front door."

"Well, that's real subtle." He started the Suburban and slammed it into gear. Dust and gravel spewed into the air as he sped down the driveway. "Put out a call to the sheriff's office," he barked into the mike. "Tell Hector to put on his vest and get over there, too. No one goes inside. I'm on my way." Once on the highway, he flipped on his emergency lights, no siren, and floored the accelerator.

"Juvenile delinquents?"
Erin
asked. "Domestic disputes?"

He looked over to see her strapping on her seat belt. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes wide and alert. She looked excited. He wasn't sure that was a good sign. "Same place got hit last week," he said. "Patrick doesn't make his bank drops as often as he should. He lost over two thousand dollars. The
perp
carried
a cannon
."

"Are we going to go in?" she asked.

"I'm going to assess the situation."

"They could be gone by the time—"

"I'll go in if I think it's warranted."

"I'll cover you."

"I want you to stay in the truck." He whipped the vehicle around a corner at breakneck speed. "I want this low-key. No one gets hurt."

"You might need me to back you—"

"This isn't Chicago, McNeal."

"Last I heard
perps
with guns weren't limited to
Chicago
."

He glanced away from his driving and glared at her. He could almost feel the excitement coming off her. Uneasiness swirled in his gut. "If you've got something to prove, I suggest you do it elsewhere."

"I'm sure this will come as a shock, but I know what I'm doing."

"Why don't you prove it by following my orders?"

Nick ran the traffic light at
Main Street
. He'd wondered when her ego would enter the picture. He wondered what he was going to do about it. Damn, he didn't need this headache.

The Brass Rail Saloon was at the end of the block. He pulled into the side lot of the adjacent building, out of sight. Dust billowed as the truck came to a halt. "Stay put, McNeal," he snapped. Pulling his revolver from his holster, he shoved open the door and hit the ground running.

* * *

The initial burst of adrenaline had kicked through
Erin
's veins the instant she heard the call come over the police radio. Now, as she watched Nick sprint across the parking lot toward the rear of the bar, she struggled to keep her frustration in check.

If you've got something to prove, I suggest you do it elsewhere.

That he'd ordered her to stay in the truck stung. She told herself he'd misjudged her. Just because she wasn't afraid to jump into a fray didn't mean she was overzealous. She merely liked police work. That heady rush that came with danger. The euphoria that followed an arrest that had been successful because of skill and police know-how. Nick didn't know her well enough to make blanket assumptions. She didn't have anything to prove—not to herself, certainly not to Nick Ryan.

Frustration choked her as she watched him disappear around the rear of the building. "Oh, this is just peachy," she muttered.

In her peripheral vision, she saw a car turn into the front lot. Not a sheriff's department vehicle, but an old Ford with wide tires and a loud engine.
Erin
held her breath as the vehicle stopped directly in front of the bar. The driver got out and looked around. He was the size of a bull and just as mean looking. An alarm jangled in her head when she spotted the butt of a pistol sticking out of the waistband of his jeans.

She told herself it was tension that had her hands shaking. But she knew intimately the many faces of fear. The heady rush of blood. The jitter of nerves. The coppery taste at the back of her throat.

It took her all of two seconds to realize she wasn't going to sit in the truck when there was an armed suspect in plain sight. Slipping her gun from her holster, she unlatched the door and stepped out of the vehicle. Adrenaline hummed through her muscles as she jogged to the building and pressed herself against the brick exterior. Except for the old Ford, the lot was empty. Nick was nowhere in sight.

Sticking close to the brick, she eased along the side of the building. The gun felt heavy in her hand. Sweat slicked her palm. Her heart beat out of control in her chest. She felt the flashback coming on and fought it, but the images rushed at her, playing in her mind's eye like a bad video. Danny lying hound and helpless. The blast of a gunshot. The smell of gunpowder and fear. Pain so sharp it took her breath.

Panting rapidly, sweating beneath her uniform, she shook off the memory, steeling herself against the deluge of emotions that followed. Not now. Not when Nick was relying on her. She couldn't let him down. Not like she had Danny.

Movement at the front of the tavern drew her attention. A second man had emerged from the front door carrying a brown paper bag. Nick's words rang in the back of her mind. She wondered if his orders included letting two armed suspects get away. On the other hand, two armed men against a single cop wasn't something she felt comfortable with—especially knowing what had happened the last time she'd faced those odds. She didn't have backup. She was still a probationary officer. She hadn't even been issued cuffs yet. But there was no way she could stand back and let them walk away with a bagful of money and the knowledge that they'd outsmarted two small-town cops.
Erin
figured she didn't have a choice but to stop them.

Heart pounding, she sidled toward the front of the building and waited. When the men started for the car, she stepped into view. "Police!" she shouted. "Drop your weapons!"

The driver spun, glaring at her with rodent-like eyes. He snarled a profanity, making no move to relinquish his gun.

"Drop it!" she shouted. "Now!"

He shot a look at his partner and muttered something, but
Erin
couldn't hear him over the thunder of blood in her ears.

"I didn't do
nothin
',"
he spat.

"Drop the gun!"

He tossed the weapon on the gravel. "You're
makin
' a mistake."

"Get your hands where I can see them," she snapped.

Lips peeled back in a snarl, he raised his hands.

"Get on the ground! Facedown! Now!"

Muttering an oath, the man got down on his knees, then eased himself facedown on the gravel.
Erin
edged closer and kicked his gun away.

She turned to the second man. "You, too. On the ground."

He sneered at her. "What you gonna do if I decide I'd rather take my chances with you, lady cop?"

"Make you regret it," she said.

Never taking his eyes from her, he lowered himself to the ground and lay flat.

Relief vibrated through her. Lowering her weapon, she stepped back. Where in the world was Nick? The sheriff’s deputies? Where was Hector? Without backup, there wasn't much she could do to subdue these men if one of them decided to test her. Cursing under her breath, she glanced over her shoulder toward the building where the Suburban was parked.

An instant later a hard body slammed into her with the force of a Mack truck.
Erin
's breath left her lungs in a rush. Dread and surprise punched her with sickening force when she realized her mistake. Oh, God, the second man. He'd moved so quickly she hadn't even heard him get up.

The impact of his body sent her reeling. Her legs tangled with his and she sprawled on her back, her head cracking against the ground, hard enough to make her see stars. A dozen scenarios raced through her mind, the worst being that he would get control of her weapon. She couldn't let that happen. If Nick showed up now… No, she couldn't bear the thought of another cop getting hurt because of her.

Feeling his weight come down on top of her,
Erin
lashed out with her boots. She smelled sweat. Bad breath. Her right heel connected with his shin. He cursed and grabbed for her gun. She gripped her pistol tightly, tried to wedge it between them, but he was stronger, and no matter how much training she'd had she couldn't keep him from overpowering her. Refusing to acquiesce, she wrenched free and rolled. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the other man scramble to his feet. Her attacker made it to his knees, but
Erin
was quicker. She dropped into a shooter's stance. "Halt! Police officer! I'll shoot!"

Both men froze. The second man raised his hands. "I'm cool."

The driver glared at
Erin
. She was shaken, but by the looks of him, so was he. For several seconds they just stood there, breathing hard, staring at each other.

"Get on the ground!" Nick's deadly calm voice snapped through the air like a gunshot.

Relief poured through
Erin
with such force that for a moment she didn't trust her legs. Blinking the sweat from her eyes, she looked over her shoulder and saw Nick standing less than ten feet away, his weapon leveled on the man who'd attacked her. Hector Price and two deputies from the sheriff's department flanked him.

"We'll take it from here, McNeal," Nick growled.

Trembling violently with the aftereffects of high adrenaline,
Erin
turned away and holstered her revolver. She heard the sound of handcuffs clicking into place. In the distance, someone recited the Miranda rights. Nausea roiled in her gut. Well, that hadn't ever happened before. Afraid she was going to be
sick,
she started for Nick's truck. It was silly, but she didn't want him to see her like this. Not when she was raw and shaking and still scared half out of her wits.

"McNeal."

Her nerves jumped at the anger in his voice. What in the world did he have to be mad about? She'd just bagged two armed suspects for him, and probably saved his neck to boot.

"In a minute, Chief." She'd intended for her voice to come out stronger, but it shook like plucked guitar wire.

"Now, McNeal."

Sighing, she stopped but didn't turn around. Just a few more seconds and she'd be steadier. She drew a deep breath, willing her hands to stop shaking. Behind her, she heard Nick approach. Her nerves wound tighter. Lord, why couldn't he give her a moment to pull herself together?

Slowly, she turned, realizing how it must feel to face a firing squad. "I can see from the look on your face you're not going to thank me," she said.

His eyes raked her like sharp instruments as he drew nearer. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine."

He stopped less than a foot away—so close she could feel the heat of his anger mingling with the heady aroma of male sweat and aftershave. By the looks of him, she was in for a major butt-chewing.

"Good," he snapped. "Because you've got two minutes to explain to me what the hell you were trying to pull."

* * *

Nick wasn't sure if he wanted to throttle her on the spot or embrace her for bringing down two suspects twice her size single-handedly—even if she had done it by the skin of her teeth. He wasn't sure of a whole hell of a lot at the moment because his own adrenaline had yet to ebb. The only thing he knew for certain was that she looked shaken and vulnerable and tough all at once, and he wasn't sure which facet ticked him off the most. To top things off she looked way too good in that blue uniform with her flushed cheeks and red-brown hair tumbling over her shoulders like strands of tangled silk.

"I told you to stay in the truck, not to take down two armed suspects like some kind of female Rambo," he said.

"I wasn't going to let two thugs get away in the name of decorum. I'm sorry if that ticks you off, Chief, but I don't operate that way."

"You're a probationary officer, McNeal. You haven't even filled out your forms and already you're jumping on suspects."

"I backed you up."

"You disobeyed a direct order."

"I used my best judgment," she retorted. "Where in the hell were you?"

"The guy in the rear kept me a little too busy to
baby-sit
you."

Anger flared in her eyes. "I'm a trained police officer."

"You're
a loose
cannon."