Rebecca Winters – The Texas Ranger's Family (страница 7)

“I’ll let them know. As for his things here, we can go through them together. You might recognize clues that wouldn’t make sense to anyone else. I guess the crucial question is...would you be uncomfortable with me staying here for a while? Will it make your daughter unhappy? If the answer is yes to either of those questions, then I’ll have you watched and proceed on my own.”

Everything was happening so fast she could barely process it. Natalie put her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. “I can tell you’d prefer working from here.”

“I would. I came dressed for the part, just in case.” He sensed her hesitation. “But please don’t let that sway you. We’ll get the job done either way.”

He seemed decent up front. She didn’t know why, especially given the way Rod had deceived her, but she trusted him even though they hardly knew each other. “I want this menace gone from my life as soon as possible. I have confidence in you.”

“Thank you for that. My gut tells me the person who ransacked your house isn’t finished, and if I’m here ’round the clock I may be able to speed up the process of catching him. But you have to be absolutely comfortable with the decision.”

She’d been pacing the floor but came to a standstill. With her own personal Texas Ranger guarding her and Amy day and night, what was there to be worried about? “I am comfortable with it,” she stated quietly, “but I don’t have an extra bedroom.”

“That’s not a problem. I have a bedroll out in the car. I can put it down anywhere. Hopefully, I won’t prove too much of an inconvenience.”

“If there’s any inconvenience, it will be my daughter waking you up in the middle of the night when she starts crying. It doesn’t happen very often, but I’m warning you now her lungs are in perfect working order.”

His half smile melted her insides.

“While she’s asleep I’ll go out to the car and bring in my bedroll and groceries.”

“Groceries?

“I told you I came prepared. I stopped at the store on the way here. I’ll put my things in the den, out of sight.”

He’d thought of everything, she marveled. “Let me give you the second remote for the garage so you can pull your car in. I’ve got an extra house key for you, too. I asked Rod to give them back to me when he left for good.”

“Thank you.” He followed her into the kitchen where she started searching through a drawer.

“How soon do you think the police will release his car?”

“I’ll find out tomorrow.”

“I only ask because the baby quilt I made for Amy is missing. I can’t think why it would be in his car, but it’s the only place I haven’t looked. We only ever went places as a family in my car. He said his was for business only.”

“Everything they found when it was impounded will be returned to you.”

She nodded and handed him the key chain with the remote.

“Be right back.”

* * *

SO FAR, SO GOOD.

Kit walked outside, aware the surveillance team was still parked a little ways down the street. He phoned them and told them they could leave, but he wanted them back at six-thirty in the morning.

After activating the remote, he drove into the straightened-up garage and then pulled Natalie’s car inside, next to the laundry room door. He got out and made a first trip into the house with the groceries.

While she put the items away, he went back for his tool bag and suitcase. He took his things to the den with its floor-to-ceiling bookcase on one wall. The entertainment center took up the other wall. He noticed more framed pictures on the end tables; pictures of Natalie with a woman he guessed must be her mother.

He could see where Natalie Harris got her beauty. And the barefoot little girl in a ruffled, lemon-colored top and shorts who now came into the den with one of her push toys had the look of both of them. She stopped short of bumping into Kit’s shoe and looked up at him with her grayish-green eyes.

Was she about to cry at seeing a stranger? It didn’t even matter—Kit decided she was the cutest little girl he’d ever seen.

Natalie had come into the den and leaned down to address her daughter. “Amy? This is Ranger Saunders. He’s going to stay with us for a while.”

“Ranger Saunders is too hard to say. You can call me Kit.”

Surprised, Natalie stood. “Kit? I thought you said your name was Miles.”

“It is, but most people call me Kit. It’s my nickname.” He hunkered down next to Amy. “Hi, honey. What’s your name?”

“Tell him you’re called Amy,” her mother urged. “You can say it. Ay-mee.”

“Me,” her daughter mimicked, leaving out the A.

He smiled and pointed to his chest. “I’m Kit. Kit.”

“You can tell her mind is working on it,” Natalie murmured.

“Kit,” the little girl finally pronounced.

“Yes.” He nodded, pleased she’d picked it up so quickly. “I’m Kit, and you’re Amy. Now what’s that toy you’re pushing?”

She immediately started moving it around, showing him she understood.

“That makes a fun noise,” he said, encouraging her.

Pretty soon she’d circled the room. When she looked to see his reaction and smiled, it tugged on his emotions.

“Cow,” she said and ran out of the den on her sturdy legs.

Natalie eyed him in amusement. “She’s gone for her favorite animal in her toy box.”

While they exchanged a silent glance, Amy came back clutching the brown-and-white-spotted plush cow in her hand. She toddled over to Kit, almost stumbling, and held it up. “Cow.”

“That’s right. It’s a cow.” Kit took it. “Moo.”

“Moo-oo,” she repeated with all the earnestness in her then hurried out of the den.

“Oh, Kit. I’m sorry. Now that she’s got a captive audience in you she’s going to bring you all her farm animals.”

“I’m not complaining.” He sat on the couch and put the cow on the coffee table. Before long the golden-haired cherub returned and handed him a purple pig. “What’s this?” he asked her.

“Pig!”

Her enthusiasm caused him to burst into laughter. “That’s a colorful pig. What sound does it make?”

Amy tried to imitate the oink. He couldn’t believe she was so adorable.

“Oink, oink,” he grunted. Her giggle delighted him. “You’re without a doubt the cutest, smartest little girl on the planet. That’s because you’ve got a terrific mother.” Though her father had been a criminal, he’d done one thing right in his life to have helped create this angel.

“Come on, sweetie.” Natalie swept her up in her arms. “Let’s go out to the kitchen and give you a little snack.”

Kit followed them, enjoying the interplay between mother and daughter. After Amy had been put in her high chair, Natalie fastened a bib around her neck. Then she sliced half a banana into small pieces and put them on the tray. He took a seat at the table to watch while the little girl took her time eating each mouthful of the fruit.

He glanced at Natalie. “Since you weren’t expecting a guest to stay with you, I thought I’d fix us some lunch with the groceries I bought. How does that sound?”

“I was just going to ask if you’d like a sandwich.”

“Sounds good, but I’ll do it.”

She smiled, but he didn’t know what else was on her mind because her cell phone rang, reminding him of the reason he was here.

“Go ahead and answer it, but put it on speaker.”

Her smile faded before she reached for the phone and checked the Caller ID. “It’s Jillian.”

“Good. Let her know a cousin is visiting you and you won’t be going to work for a while, so you won’t be needing her services. The less she knows, the better.”

“I agree.” Her voice trembled. She clicked on. “Jillian—”

“Hi. I just want to know if you’re okay.”

“I’m much better today.”

“That’s good. You sound better. I saw a car in your driveway earlier. If you have company, call me when you have time to talk.”

“It’s all right, I have time now. I was going to call you today, anyway. My cousin Todd is here from Wyoming for a few days, so I’m taking more time off of work and won’t be needing you to look after Amy next week.”