Part 22 (1/2)

For the first time the parallels between Jonathan Reed and Jake Madigan were painfully clear to her. Abby didn't want to believe it, but experience told her Jake was going to feed her to the wolves to save his career. The knowledge devastated her. Jake was an honorable man, after all. A lawman who would abide by not only his personal code of honor, but by society's strict moral code. There was no place in his life for a convict.

The knowledge cut her clean through.

”Abby-” He started toward her.

Raising her hands, she stepped back. ”Please, don't do this to me.” She desperately needed to feel his arms around her, but pride wouldn't let her say it, wouldn't let her reach for him. She couldn't bring herself to go to him.

Jake took the decision from her. Crossing the distance between them in one resolute stride, he reached for her. She tried to back away, but he caught her hand and pulled her to him. The solid warmth of his body against hers was like coming home. Abby heard a sob; realized with some surprise it had come from her. Closing her eyes against the pain of holding him close, yet knowing they could never have a future, she clung to him for a moment.

”I know a lawyer over in Boulder,” he said. ”He owes me a favor. Buzz Malone and I are good friends. He's an ex-cop, Abby. He'll give me a hand. I'll find proof. I swear, I won't let you down.”

”Don't make promises you can't keep.”

”I always keep my word.” Pulling back slightly, he smiled at her, but the smile was fringed with strain. ”You'll be all right. I'll get you put in special lockup as soon as I can. Even if it's over in another county for now, I'll work on that first, so you'll be safe. Everything will be fine. I promise.”

Because she couldn't speak, she nodded. But she didn't believe him. She'd believed once too many times and the results had shattered her life.

He kissed her then. A hard kiss that shouldn't have been s.e.xual, but aroused her nonetheless. He was the only man in the world who could do that to her. The irony that he was the same man who was about to destroy her life didn't elude her.

Chapter 14.

Half an hour later Jake and Abby rode into the parking lot of the ranger station. Normally, the place was deserted this time of year; most people in Colorado preferred the ski slopes over hiking and camping in the rain. But this afternoon the place was crawling with law enforcement. Two Chaffee County sheriff's vehicles were parked outside the small, neat building. A white D.O.C. van with a prisoner cage in the rear was parked next to it. At the gate twenty yards away, a Channel Seven news van replete with a satellite dish and a smartly dressed reporter, sat with its engine rumbling like a hungry predator waiting for prey.

Jake stopped his horse a few feet from the nearest Chaffee County cruiser. He heard the door of the ranger's office slam and looked up. Two burly sheriff's deputies in matching county-issue slickers approached.

His gaze swept to Abby. Her face blanched when she spotted the two men. Her hands shook visibly as she tangled her fingers in the mule's stubby mane. She was breathing rapidly, her breaths spewing vapor as if she'd just run a mile.

”Easy, honey,” Jake said quietly. ”Just...stay calm. Everything's going to be all right.”

He could tell she wanted to say something back, but the two men reached them and the opportunity vanished. One of the men took the mule's lead while the other walked over to Jake.

”Deputy Madigan? You okay?”

”Fine.” Letting the reins fall to the ground, he dismounted. ”We're both cold and hungry and tired as h.e.l.l.”

The door of the ranger station slammed again. Jake looked up to see Buzz Malone and John Maitland approach. Behind them, two D.O.C. officials followed. Jake recognized one of them as the suit from the morning of the briefing. It seemed like a lifetime ago. The other was a tall, big-boned woman wearing an ill-fitting uniform and a don't-mess-with-me expression.

Jake couldn't ever remember feeling so off kilter. He'd always been able to keep a handle on his emotions, on what he was thinking and feeling and doing. But he had the disturbing impression that these people were going to take one look at him and know he and Abby had become lovers. Aside from getting shot, he couldn't think of a faster way to end a cop's career.

He risked a look at Abby. Her face was still sheet-white, but her expression was composed. Even from four feet away he could see that she was shaking. Her hair was wet, and it was d.a.m.n cold, but he didn't think the trembling had anything to do with the temperature.

G.o.d, he hated this.

”Ma'am, get down off the mule,” instructed one of the deputies, stepping over to the animal's left side. ”Right now.”

”You okay, Jake?”

He dragged his gaze from Abby, caught Buzz Malone's concerned look.

”Peachy,” he muttered.

”That's one h.e.l.l of a s.h.i.+ner you got there.”

”Yeah, well, it's been one h.e.l.l of a couple of days.”

Jake knew he should walk away now while the walking was still good. While he still could. But the very thought of leaving her tore at his insides like a vicious little animal.

He knew better than to look at her. Not when his control was tattered and he could feel the rise of her fear as surely as he could taste the bile at the back of his throat. He'd known this was going to be hard, but he hadn't imagined it would tear him up inside.

The sight of her devastated him. Even cold and wet and disheartened she was beautiful. Fear permeated her expression. She wouldn't look at him, and Jake instinctively knew why. He knew it would be too hard for her to maintain the guise of lawman and convict.

”Ma'am, I said get down off the mule.” The burly deputy pulled a set of cuffs from his pocket.

More than anything Jake wanted to talk to her, to rea.s.sure her, to make her believe that he was going to come through for her.

Without speaking to the deputies or Buzz, he walked over to the mule and reached up to help her down. He was aware of the other men hanging back. He could feel their questioning gazes on his back. For the first time in his professional career he didn't give a d.a.m.n.

”Come on down,” he said. ”It's okay.”

Abby looked down at him. Jake nearly flinched at the pain in her eyes. ”Easy,” he said. ”Slide down. I've got you.”

She slid off the mule. Jake caught her at her shoulders and eased her to the ground. He felt the pull of her softness, the soft scent of her hair, the pain in her eyes, tugging at him like a powerful tide.

”You'll be all right,” he whispered.

”Deputy Madigan, Officer Walters will take the prisoner from here.”

Feeling shaken and off balance, he turned away. In the back of his mind he could still see the look of betrayal on her face. He could still feel the warmth of her flesh against his skin. Smell her sweet scent with every breath he took.

Buzz Malone and John Maitland were watching him oddly. Jake took a tentative step toward Buzz. The older man's gaze sharpened, but he didn't say anything. Jake could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew something wasn't right. That by-the-book Jake Madigan had stepped over the line.

Behind him, he heard the female D.O.C. officer speak to Abby. ”Nichols, turn around and give me your wrists.”

Jake's heart pummeled his ribs when the sound of the cuffs snapping into place reached him. He'd known they were going to cuff her, search her, interrogate her. He knew it could be hours before she got into dry clothes and got something to eat. They hadn't eaten since the day before, and he couldn't stand the thought of her going hungry.

The sound of shoes against gravel turned him around. He looked up in time to see the male officer put his hands between Abby's shoulder blades and shove her toward the cruiser. She stumbled, lost her balance and went down on her knees.

Jake saw red. He didn't remember moving. Didn't remember lunging forward and grabbing the other man's collar and jerking him around. He saw surprise on the deputy's face. Pulling back, he punched him hard. Pain streaked up his knuckles, but Jake reveled in the diversion. Anything was better than the hurt ripping through his chest.

Out of the corner of his eye he heard the female officer gasp. Then her partner hit the ground like a sack of potatoes.

”Madigan, what the holy h.e.l.l are you doing?”

Vaguely, he heard Buzz Malone's angry voice. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Abby on her knees on the wet asphalt, trembling, her head down. Jake felt as if he were having an out-of-body experience. He started toward her, but Buzz's hand on his arm stopped him.

”Cool your jets, Jake.”