Free Rancher Rescue by Barb Han Page B

Besides, she wasn’t prepared to discuss her situation with anyone. Except Caleb. And she’d told him things about her relationship with her sister she’d never spoken aloud to another soul. It was probably the circumstances that had her wanting to tell him everything about her. It was as if she wanted at least one person to really know her. The feeling of danger and the very real possibility she might not be alive tomorrow played tricks on her emotions. “Who’s it from?”
    The well-meaning Ms. Ranker held out the envelope. No doubt she wanted to know more about the handsome cowboy. Plus, it wasn’t like Katherine not to invite her landlady inside or to be so cryptic.
    She cleared her throat and tugged at the envelope.
    A slight smile was all she could expect by way of apology as the older woman loosened her grip enough for her to take possession.
    Katherine’s gaze flew from the return address to Caleb. The letter was from Leann. Katherine pressed it against the laptop she was still clutching.
    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the door across the courtyard open. A long metal barrel poked out. A gun?
    A shower of bullets descended around them at the same time Katherine opened her mouth to warn them. A bullet slammed into the laptop. Before she could think or move, she felt the impact against her chest.
    Ms. Ranker’s eyes bulged before she slumped to the ground.
    In the next second Caleb was on top of Katherine, covering her, protecting her.
    “Are you hit?” he asked.
    “I don’t think so. Can’t say the same for my computer.” She’d dropped it the moment a bullet hit and then embedded. The hunk of metal she’d clasped to her chest had just saved her life.
    He angled his head toward the kitchen. “Go. I’ll fire when they get close enough.”
    Before she could respond, he’d urged her to keep moving as he pulled the gun to his shoulder.
    When bullets exploded from the end of it, her heart hammered her chest.
    Didn’t matter. No time to look back. If Caleb thought she’d get out through the side window, she was in no position to argue. She clawed her way across the taupe carpet until she reached the cold tiles of the kitchen.
    A moment later he was lifting her through the opened window and she was running.
    Her heartbeat painfully stabbed her ribs.
    Why were they shooting? They must’ve been watching the whole time. Did they think she’d found what they were looking for?
    Oh. God. Noah. What would happen to him?
    Her legs moved fast. She barely acknowledged the blood soaking her bandages. She had to run. Get out of there.
    Caleb guided her to the sedan. “Get in and stay down.”
    Katherine curled up in a ball on the floorboard. If the bad guys knew where she lived, wouldn’t they recognize her car, too?
    What about Ms. Ranker? Katherine had been so busy ducking she didn’t even look. “Is my landlady...?” Katherine couldn’t finish the sentence.
    Caleb shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
    “Max?”
    “I think he got away.”
    Katherine gripped the envelope, fighting against the tears threatening to overwhelm her. Release the deluge and she wouldn’t be able to stop. “Maybe this is what they’re looking for.” She held up the envelope that had cost Ms. Ranker’s life.
    His focus shifted from the rearview to the side mirrors. “Might be.”
    She ripped open the letter and overturned it on the seat.
    A CD fell out.
    “A file?”
    “Sure looks like it.” Caleb glanced around. “Stay here and stay low. Do not look up until I get back.”
    Before she could ask why or argue, he disappeared.
    Katherine made herself into the smallest ball she could, praying for his safe return.
    She couldn’t even think of doing any of this without him. And yet, didn’t everyone flake out on her eventually?
    Even her parents.
    The memory of standing on stage, alone, her senior year of high school pushed through her thoughts. The anticipation of seeing her parents’ smiling faces in the crowd as