Chapter Five
T-Rex felt his muscles tighten. He’d never been this uncomfortable sitting across a table from a beautiful woman. When she stared at him and demanded he tell her about himself, his pulse kicked up a notch. He swallowed the last of his beer and set down his mug. What did she really want to know?
Did she want to hear that he’d watched his best gunnery sergeant nearly get blown apart? That he wished he could have taken Gunny’s place in that explosion? That he loved women but avoided relationships because of the profession he’d chosen to dedicate his life to? He didn’t want to talk about himself, so he stalled. “Like what?”
“Not going to make this easy, are you?” Sierra nodded, squared her shoulders and launched. “You can start by telling me which branch of the service you’re in.”
“Marine Corps.” That wasn’t so hard. He relaxed a little.
“How long?” she demanded.
“Ten years.”
“That’s quite a commitment.” She drew in a breath and let it out. “Have you been deployed to a war zone?”
Tension shot up again. He nodded, his glance dropping to his empty mug. “Four times.”
Sierra’s brows drew together, and she reached across the table, laying her hand on his arm. “Thank you for your service.”
The heat of her touch sent his blood burning through his veins. He didn’t feel like he had done anything to be thanked for. While he was walking around on two perfectly good legs, Gunny couldn’t even hold his newborn son in his arms, or hug his girls.
T-Rex shook off her touch and moved his hands to his lap. “My turn.”
She nodded. “Shoot.”
“How long were you married to your charming husband?”
“Seven years.”
“Was he as abusive the entire time you two were married?”
Sierra glanced to the far corner of the room, her brows wrinkled. “He’s always been demanding. I thought he’d mellow as we grew older together, but he didn’t. Then he lost his job as a truck driver due to an accident a couple years ago. He was home all the time and I went to work. That’s when he got mean.”
“Children?”
She shook her head, her shoulders sinking a degree. “No. No children.”
“By choice, or luck of the draw?”
“It just didn’t happen. If I could, I’d have a dozen children.”
“Do you come from a big family?”
She shook her head. “No. My parents died when I was six. I was raised in the foster care system.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” She smiled. “My foster parents were very good to me.”
“Were?”
She sighed. “They passed away within months of each other five years ago. I miss them.”
“No siblings?” he asked.
She shook her head. “You?”
T-Rex nodded. “I have a sister in Texas. She’s married with three little boys.”
Sierra looked at him with a smile. “They must love their Uncle T-Rex.”
“I doubt it.” He shrugged. “I don’t see them often enough.” Hell, he hadn’t seen them since they were all in diapers. He made a mental note to visit his sister.
“Parents?”
“Retired and traveling around the country in a motor home.” He shook his head. “They sold the home and ranch we grew up on and bought a motor coach. They never spend more than four months in any one place. Their goal is to explore every national park in the United States before they die. And a few dozen state parks.”
Sierra leaned her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her palm. “Wow, sounds like a wonderful way to spend your retirement.” A long strand of her blond hair fell forward over her cheek.
Without thinking, T-Rex reached across the table and tucked it behind her ear. He brushed his knuckles across her cheek, that same electric current sending shock waves through his system. He snatched back his hand. “Why do you stay here?”
She shrugged. “I love this town and most of the people in it. Minus one ex-husband. It’s a great place to live and raise a family.”
“But you aren’t married and, from what you’ve just told me, you don’t have family here.”
She shrugged. “I’d love to travel, but I never considered doing it alone.” Her lips twisted. “I’d want to share my adventures with someone else. I couldn’t see myself standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon and having no one to share my appreciation for what I’d be seeing.” Sierra laughed. “Sounds dumb, but that’s how I feel. Besides, I was married from the time I left college until just a few months ago. We didn’t have the money to travel. We barely had enough to pay the rent. So, there you have it. That’s my pathetic life in a nutshell. The best part about it is working with the children. I love those kids.”
“And they all love you.”
“The little traitors were quick to switch their loyalties when you came through the door.” She winked at him. “Why don’t you have children?” Her eyes widened suddenly. “Wow, I don’t even know if you’re married.” She pressed her hand to her lips.
He shook his head. “I’m not, and I don’t have any children.” Leaning toward her, he said in a low voice for only her ears, “Besides, I wouldn’t have kissed you if I had a wife. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe you only kiss the one you’re committed to.”
Sierra sank back against her seat. “Whew. You never know. I’ve been out of the dating scene for a long time. Heck, I don’t think I’ve ever been in it. I married my high school sweetheart two years into college.”
“What did you major in?” he asked.
“I would have majored in elementary education, but I didn’t get to finish.” She rubbed the third finger on her left hand.
“Why?”
“Clay thought college was a waste of time. He dropped out and got a job as a truck driver and we got married. When it came time for fall semester to start, he wouldn’t let me go back. He said it cost too much, and what did I need a college education for anyway? He made enough money driving a truck to support us.”
“And he lost his license.”
She nodded. “Over a year ago.”
“Seven years and no children. That from a woman who loves kids.” He raised his brows.
“I wanted them.” She shrugged and looked away. “They never seemed to happen. Can we talk about something else?”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
“It’s okay. It was a sore subject in our marriage, and it still hurts.”
“Then let’s talk about what to order.” He popped open a menu and perused the items he had yet to try. Soon, the waitress delivered a bison burger for him and a Southwestern chicken salad for Sierra. They spent the rest of the meal talking about the upcoming football season and who they thought would play in the bowl games.
When he’d finished the burger and fries, he ordered another beer and sat back. “I’m surprised you know your college football teams.”
She sipped from her wineglass and raised her brows. “Why? Because I’m a girl?”
“No,” he hedged. “Because you’re a woman. I thought most women disliked sports.”
“That’s a sexist remark.”
“Guilty.”
“My foster mother and father were huge football fans. We spent many weekends watching the games and yelling until our throats were raw.” She smiled, her face softening. “I miss that.”
“Was your ex a fan?”
She shook her head. “He liked hockey. Don’t get me wrong. I love watching a good hockey game, too. But I missed watching football.”
“He wouldn’t let you watch football?”
“No.”
“Jerk,” T-Rex muttered just loud enough for her to hear.
Sierra laughed. “My thoughts exactly.” For a long moment, her smile lingered. Then it disappeared altogether.
T-Rex found himself wanting to make her smile again.
“Speak of the devil.” Sierra nodded toward the entrance and ducked her head.
T-Rex glanced in the direction indicated.
Clay Ellis strutted into the tavern, cocky as hell, sneering at anyone who dared to give a friendly greeting.
“Don’t worry. He can’t hurt you here,” T-Rex said, clenching his fists beneath the table.
“I know. But he can make a fuss.” She set down her wineglass. “We can leave now, if you want.”
“I’d rather you finished your wine and I finished my beer and neither one of us lets him get to us.”
She laughed, though it sounded less than convincing. “You’re right.” She lifted her glass and sipped. “I shouldn’t let him get to me. I’m done with him.” As she spoke, she lifted her glass. Her hand shook so much, the wine spilled onto her chest. “Darn. This was my favorite sweater.” She dabbed at the stain with her napkin. When that didn’t help, she looked up. “I’d better go to the ladies’ room and see if I can get this out before it sets.”
T-Rex watched as she left their table. His gaze switched from her to where Ellis leaned against the bar, flirting with one of the waitresses trying to fill a drink order.
As far as T-Rex could tell, Ellis hadn’t seen Sierra.
“T-Rex, glad we found you.” Caveman slipped into the chair Sierra had vacated a minute before. “We’ve been looking for you.”
Kevin Garner, Ghost, Caveman and Hawkeye pulled up chairs around the little table.
“Uh, guys, I’m here with someone.”
“Yeah?” Hawkeye, the army ranger of the group of military men, glanced around. “I don’t see anyone else.”
As one, all four men craned their necks, searching the room.
“Who is she?” Ghost asked. The Navy SEAL smiled, refusing to let T-Rex off the hook.
“Who said it was a she?” T-Rex drummed his fingers on the table, willing the men to leave before Sierra returned.
Caveman laughed. “You, by the way you’re avoiding the question.” The Delta-Force soldier crossed his arms. These men weren’t going to give up until they got an answer.
“It doesn’t matter.” The only way T-Rex would get rid of them was to find out what they wanted. “What’s up?”
“Charlie found the social media site the Free America group moved to,” Ghost said. Charlie McClain was an old flame of Ghost’s who moonlighted as a cybersnoop for the Department of Homeland Security.
“And?” T-Rex prompted to move the conversation along.
Ghost leaned closer, lowering his voice so that others couldn’t hear. “There’s been more noise about a potential takeover in the very near future.”
“Any dates given?” T-Rex asked.
“No, just a general call to arms to stand ready.”
“Great. And we’re no closer to figuring out who’s involved with the Free America group?”
“Our computer gurus, Hack and Charlie, said that anyone could have set up that group from a public library,” Garner said. “The members of the group are using aliases, probably set up on public Wi-Fi systems.”
T-Rex’s fingers clenched into fists. “How much time do you think we have until they make their move?”
“We’ve known something was coming for the past couple weeks we’ve been here,” Caveman said.
Garner, the team’s leader, shrugged. “It could be a couple more weeks from now, or it could be any day. What did you find at the county records office?”
T-Rex pulled his wallet from his pocket and removed the notepad he’d used to record his notes. Then he brought up the photos of the maps on his cell phone. “Not much more than we already know. Olivia Dawson—” he glanced toward Hawkeye, who’d established a relationship with the woman “—owns this portion of land bordering the current pipeline easement.” He pointed to the middle of the map on his phone. “On the north side of the easement is the national park all the way through the mountainous area. East of the Dawson spread, the land was recently sold to Pinnacle Enterprises.”
“West of Dawson’s ranch is owned by BRE Inc.”
“Any idea who BRE Inc. is?” Caveman asked.
Garner’s lips thinned. “Bryson Rausch Enterprises.”
“The big shot in town?” Ghost asked.
Hawkeye’s brows descended. “Liv says Rausch owns half the town. He offered to buy her ranch before her father’s casket settled in his grave.”
“I can’t imagine the man risking a connection to the Free America group,” Ghost said. “Why would he? He has plenty of money.”
“I can’t help but think what’s happening with the pipeline is somehow connected with Free America.” Garner stared into the distance.
“Wayne Batson admitted he was paid to kill the pipeline inspector,” Caveman said.
“But he didn’t share the name of the guy who funded him,” Ghost reminded them.
“Hack hasn’t found the money Batson claims he was paid.”
“Unless he was paid in kind.” T-Rex’s eyes narrowed. “Do you suppose he was paid in weapons?”
“The weapons we can’t find?” Caveman asked.
“Yes, those.” T-Rex drummed his fingers on the table. “The ones that arrived in the boxes discovered in the Lucky Lou Mine.”
Garner nodded, his own eyes narrowing. “Could be.”
“We know Batson had a tactical training facility on his property and that he was training individuals there,” T-Rex reminded them.
Leaning forward, Garner’s eyes narrowed. “We can only assume they were members of the Free America group and Batson was one of them. But we have no evidence, and Batson didn’t keep written or video records of those who came for the training.”
“We all surveyed the site,” Ghost said. “Watson had mock-ups of several buildings in a group, but we still don’t know if they were generic buildings or in the configuration of the planned takeover target.”
“We don’t have much more than we had when we started.” T-Rex slid the notepad over to Garner.
“I’ll have Hack check into Pinnacle and continue digging into Rausch’s business. He’s in the process of reviewing Batson’s computer. We hope to glean something from his contacts list.”
T-Rex nodded. “What’s the plan for tomorrow?”
“We could use some help in the office going through any names Hack comes up with on the contacts list,” Garner said.
Ghost raised a hand. “Charlie and I can help.”
“I need someone to go interview a man called Leo Fratiani.” Garner glanced at T-Rex.
“The other man who offered to purchase Liv’s ranch?” T-Rex asked.
“Yes. We need to know his angle,” Garner said. “Hack ran a background check on him. He didn’t show up on any criminal, military or government databases, but he wants the Dawson place. That makes him a potential for funding Batson’s murder of the pipeline inspector.”
“Got anything on a Clay Ellis?” T-Rex asked. His attention spun to the bar where Sierra’s ex-husband had been standing. He wasn’t there. T-Rex sat up straighter, scanning the interior of the tavern.
“I don’t have anything on Clay Ellis. Is he a person of interest?” Garner asked.
T-Rex pushed back from the table and stood so fast, his chair fell over backward. “Sorry. I have to go check on someone.” He set the chair up straight and hurried toward the restrooms at the back of the tavern.
* * *
SIERRA HAD HURRIED to the ladies’ room, angry with herself for spilling the wine on her favorite white sweater. She barely made enough money to pay rent, and she hadn’t brought all of her clothes from the home she’d shared with Clay. Shortly after she’d left him, he’d told her he’d torched her things in the burning barrel. What she’d packed into the two suitcases was all she had left, all she owned.
Once in the ladies’ restroom, she stripped out of her sweater, stuck the wine-stained portion under the faucet and rubbed to get the stain out. Perhaps the spilled wine had been a chance for her to get her act together. Her hands were still shaking uncontrollably. She rubbed the stain harder. She shouldn’t let Clay get to her. They were divorced, and she had a restraining order. All she had to do was call the sheriff and tell him Clay was causing trouble.
The only problem with that scenario was that calling the sheriff had never really helped her situation. Any time she’d fought back against Clay’s abuse, it had only made things worse. When she was still married to the man, she had gotten to the point she’d kept her mouth shut and faded into the woodwork.
Well, she’d be darned if she did it anymore. Leaving him had taken all of her willpower at the time. Since she’d been out of his house and on her own, she’d found her own self-worth. She refused to go back to being that coward she’d been for far too long.
She had her back to the door when it swung open.
Embarrassed at being caught standing in her bra, she clutched her sweater to her chest and spun toward the door, an apology on her lips.
Her words froze and her heart ground to a stop. “Clay, what are you doing in here?”
Her ex-husband stood in the doorway, his lip pulled back in a snarl, his dirty blond hair in need of a cut and a good shampoo. His gray eyes narrowed. “Coming to get what belongs to me.”
Sierra jammed her arms into the sleeves of the sweater and dragged it over her head. “I don’t belong to you, Clay,” she said, her tone one of a parent explaining a simple concept to a particularly dense child. Once she had her sweater on, she slung her purse over her shoulder and dug her hand inside.
“You don’t have your boyfriend in here to get in the way.” He let the door close behind him and stalked her like a snake slithering up to its prey. “What are you going to do?”
“I’ll scream.”
He shook his head. “Won’t do you any good. The band is playing now. No one will hear you.” He reached out a hand toward her. “Come with me now and I won’t be angry.”
Her fingers curled around the hard plastic device T-Rex had armed her with. “I’m not going with you now or ever.” She stood straighter, ready to take him on.
“Woman, you’re coming with me, one way or another.” He grabbed her arm and spun her around, slammed her back into his chest and clamped his arm around her middle.
Holding tightly to the stun gun, Sierra let her purse fall to the floor. “Let go of me, Clay.”
“Or what?” He leaned close and whispered into her ear. “You’ll yell for your boyfriend?”
“I don’t need my boyfriend to fight my battles,” she said through gritted teeth as she flicked the on switch.
“That’s right. Come along quietly and no one gets hurt.”
“No way.” And someone was about to get hurt.
“Baby, you belong to me.” He edged her toward the door.
Sierra dug in her heels. “I’m not going with you. This is your last warning.”
He laughed. “Or what? You can’t fight me. You’re not strong enough.”
“I don’t have to be that kind of strong. I just have to be smarter than you. And that’s not all that hard.” She angled her arm backward and jabbed the stun gun into Clay’s thigh.
He screamed like a little girl, shook violently and fell to the floor.
At one time in her life, she might have felt sorry for the man lying on the ground, completely incapacitated. But not anymore.
Sierra waved the stun gun at him. “Don’t ever touch me again. Do you hear me?”
He lay there, his eyes wide, his body still twitching.
Flipping her hair back over her shoulders, Sierra tugged her damp sweater into place, picked up her purse off the floor and headed for the door. A woman with brown hair, wearing a leather jacket, stepped in as Sierra stepped out.
Sierra smiled at the brunette’s horrified expression. “Don’t worry, I’ll notify the manager he needs to clean the trash out of the restroom.”
The woman’s lips twisted. “He must have deserved it.”
“You have no idea.” With a last glance over her shoulder, Sierra left the restroom and plowed into a wall of muscles.
An iron grip descended on her arms, steadying her.
Shaken, she glanced up into T-Rex’s face and sagged against him. “Oh, thank God.”
He enveloped her in his strong arms. “What’s wrong?”
The woman in the leather jacket who’d walked in while Sierra had walked out pushed out of the ladies’ room, shaking her head with a smile as she passed Sierra and T-Rex in the hallway. As the door opened and closed, T-Rex had a chance to see what was inside.
His jaw tightened. “Ellis?”
Sierra held up the stun gun and grinned like the village idiot. “Couldn’t have done it without your help. Thank you.” She shook all over, but she’d never felt more empowered.
T-Rex caught her wrist, reached up and switched the device to the off position and then chuckled. “Glad it helped.” He dropped the device into her handbag. “Are you ready to go?”
“More than ready.” She gnawed on her bottom lip. “How long will the effects last again?”
“Sometimes as much as thirty minutes.”
“I hate that he will tie up the ladies’ restroom for all that time.”
“I’ll have someone remove him.” T-Rex curled his arm around her shoulders and guided her back to the table where his teammates had taken up residence.
Garner stood and held out his hand. “Miss Daniels, it’s good to see you again.” He frowned. “Is everything all right?”
T-Rex jerked his head toward the hallway. “Can you have someone clean up the dirtbag in the ladies’ restroom?”
“Holy hell, did I miss a fight?” Hawkeye jumped up, grinning.
“Miss Daniels had a run-in with her ex-husband, Clay Ellis,” T-Rex explained.
“I have a restraining order against him. You can call the sheriff and have him haul Clay out on charges of violating the order,” Sierra said. What was the use of a restraining order if the man wasn’t punished when he violated it? She’d hit him with a stun gun—how much madder would he get if he was hauled off to jail? Frankly, Sierra didn’t care. Clay deserved everything he had coming to him and more.
Garner nodded. “Don’t worry about the dirtbag. Just get Miss Daniels home.”
“Thank you,” Sierra said. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she had others, besides herself, looking out for her. With T-Rex’s arm around her, the chill of being caught in the ladies’ room by her ex began to fade.
The fact she’d taken care of herself gave her a surge of power, reinforcing her overall decision to get on with her life, without Clay Ellis. She’d been divorced for six months. Perhaps it was time to start dating.
A different kind of warmth spread through her, making her even more aware of the massive marine and the potential she’d felt in his kiss.