SEVENTEEN
Terra sat in her vehicle on a hidden turnoff with the car’s lights off. She’d called the county dispatch to ask for assistance. She was able to lose her pursuer when she topped a hill and immediately turned off on an old dirt road, then flipped off her lights. As a special agent who was also deputized to conduct investigations and make arrests on behalf of the county, she perhaps should turn the tables and face off with her pursuer, but backup would take too long to arrive. Her vehicle wasn’t equipped with flashing lights and sirens either.
She couldn’t even be certain she was actually being pursued.
No laws had been broken.
She had no idea of the driver’s intentions. Follow her? Harm her?
Why would someone follow me?
Or had she misunderstood the driver’s actions?
Terra calmed her breathing. Just because she wasn’t going to confront the driver didn’t mean she couldn’t find out who was behind the wheel.
A car sped by on the street. It had to be the same car that had trailed her—she hadn’t seen another vehicle on the road between them—and now she would be the one to follow.
She maneuvered the car from its hiding place and onto the two-lane road, her only intention to get a look at the license plate. The vehicle was too far ahead for her to catch up without drawing attention, but it finally slowed. At the bottom of the hill, brake lights signaled the car had stopped, and then it turned left—the direction of Gramps’s ranch.
Her heart pounded.
As she accelerated, she snatched her cell and returned Jack’s call, but got no answer. She left him a voice mail to call her. Terra stopped and then turned left, but the vehicle had disappeared. She’d lost them. She banged the steering wheel.
What kind of special agent was she?
She’d been too scared to face off with her shadow. But a healthy dose of fear and wisdom kept people alive. Terra turned around and drove back the other way, looking for another road or turnoff. After a few minutes, she gave up and headed back toward the ranch. By the time she slowed to take the drive up to the house, she still hadn’t seen another vehicle. She took the drive slowly as it wound between trees and around a foothill, all the while searching the shadows and any turnouts, remaining on alert to possible intruders.
Spotting no vehicles in hiding, she continued to the house and parked near the door. Motion-sensor lights came on.
Terra released a sigh and contacted the county dispatch, informing them there was no need to send a deputy, after all. The county was big, and the deputies were too few and far between.
Gathering her things, she quickly moved to the front door but still got soaked. Then she unlocked and disarmed the place, and then rearmed it. Now she wished she had opted to drive back to her apartment, which was much smaller and easier to guard.
After flipping on the lights, Terra changed out of her wet clothes and went to the kitchen to retrieve leftovers from the fridge. She was famished.
A knock came at the front door.
Terra’s heart leapt to her throat, then she realized whoever the county had sent had probably decided to still make the drive to see if she was all right. She forced her shaking hands to steady.
Whoever had followed her wasn’t going to knock on the front door. She gathered her composure, along with her weapon, and slipped quietly down the hall toward the door, where she hesitated.
She should look through the peephole. But what if—
“Come on, Terra,” Jack said. “I know you’re here. Please open up.”
Relief swelled inside. Terra turned off the alarm and opened the door. Jack’s outstretched arm held him up against the doorframe, and he was soaking wet.
“Hurry, get in here.” She practically yanked him inside, then armed the security system.
Terra glanced at the floor. “You’re dripping.”
“Sorry. It started raining again as I got out of the truck.”
“And you got out of the truck anyway? I’m impressed.” And so relieved to see you.
“I heard you had some trouble tonight. I was already on my way.”
“You were?” Her cheeks warmed. “Why?” He’d been on his way to see her about the investigation, of course. Why did she even have to ask?