Joanna Wayne - Live Ammo

“How’s it going?” he asked when Cork finally answered.

“Busy. Just finished moving the cattle scheduled for their injections into the holding pens. And one of the horses is acting colicky. Don’t know what brought it on. There’s been no change in the feed.”

“Which horse?”

“King.”

Damien’s personal horse. “Keep an eye on King. Administer the usual treatment, but don’t hesitate to call Doctor Benson if you think it’s necessary.”

“Will do,” Cork said. “Are you heading back this way yet?”

“No, I decided last minute to take care of some other business while I’m in town. I’m not sure what time I’ll get back to the Bent Pine,” Tague said. “I could be late so tell Mother not to wait dinner on me.”

“I’ll let her know.”

“If anything comes up, you can always reach me on my cell,” Tague added.

“Gotcha.”

While he had the phone out, he made a quick call to Harry Rucker and let him know that he might not make it to his shop to pick up the saddle today.

It was forty-five minutes of pacing later when Alexis came swinging out the door.

“Me got a sucker,” Tommy said, holding up a bright red lollipop before poking it between his lips.

Alexis’s brows arched. “You’re still here.”

“I told you I’d wait,” he said.

“I know, but I thought you might reconsider and decide you’d wasted enough time on me.”

“I wanted to make sure the boy is okay.”

“Really? You stayed for Tommy?” Her expression registered surprise and a hint of pleasure. “I appreciate that.”

“So where is my lollipop?” Tague asked.

“Sorry. You have to get examined to earn one of those.”

“Maybe we can work on that later?”

Her cheeks reddened.

“Once again, only teasing,” Tague said. “I’m just here to taxi you home.” He opened the door and they walked out of the waiting room together, Tommy sucking for all he was worth and holding fast to his mother’s hand.

Once Tommy was safely buckled into the backseat, Alexis climbed into the front seat with Tague.

Tague started the engine. “I’ll need directions.”

“Take a left when you leave the parking lot, then a right at the second light. My apartment complex is two miles down on the right. It takes up two blocks. You can’t miss it.”

“That would have been a long walk in this heat.”

“Ten steps is a long walk in this heat. I’m sure I would have opted for a taxi. I have cash at home that I could have paid him with.”

“Did the doctor give Tommy a good report?”

“He said he’ll have some bruising where the safety belt dug into his shoulder and on at least one of his legs. The flesh is already turning purple. But Dr. Pendleton detected no signs of internal injuries or sprains.”

“That’s great and incredible, especially seeing the condition of your Honda.”

“I know. I hate to even think about how close we skirted tragedy.”

“My mother would say that angels saw Tommy through the danger,” Tague said.

“I think I’d like your mother.”

Unfortunately, the thief had also been uninjured and able to flee the scene.

Alexis turned toward the backseat to check on Tommy. “Remind me when we get to my house and I’ll clean the sticky handprints from your seat.”

“Absolutely. Can’t have you messing up my work truck. Cows wouldn’t like it.”

Alexis wrinkled her nose. “You don’t really put cows in here, do you?”

“Not in the cab. And speaking of bruising, you have a nice range of ugly colors painting your eye.”

She pulled down the visor and checked her reflection in the mirror. “Pretty hideous, isn’t it?”

“I wouldn’t go that far. Did the doctor say what you should do for that?”

“Put ice on it. In fact, his nurse had me keep a cold pack on it while I waited for the doctor to see Tommy.”

“What about that bump on your head?”

“He thinks I should have gone to the emergency room, but since I didn’t, and since I’m not having any problems with coherence, balance or unusual pain, he says I should just watch for symptoms of a concussion. In other words, it’s no big deal.”

“So you both got good reports. That should relieve your mind.”

“The only thing that could make it better would be to learn that the thief looks even worse after wrecking my car than I do.”

Once Tague had turned the corner, he spotted a supermarket on the right.

“You never got your groceries,” he said. “Do you want to stop now?”

“Thanks, but I can get what I need later.”

“Why wait? You have a vehicle and a guy to tote the bags now. Unless you have a handy man at your disposal.”

“I don’t have any man at my disposal, handy or otherwise.”

The answer pleased him, though it shouldn’t have. It wasn’t like he was going to stick around for more than a day. They were strangers. He was helping out in a crunch.

The fact that she was fascinating and a temptress even with her black eye didn’t mean he was looking to start parking his boots under her bed or even pop in for a beer on occasion. Not that she’d invited him.

He pulled into the supermarket lot and found a spot near the front door.

Alexis looked around cautiously as he parked, as if she half expected the monster who’d attacked her earlier to show up for a rematch.

“I don’t have any money with me,” she reminded him as she opened her car door.

“I do.”

“I’ll pay you back when we get to my house,” she said.

“Better than that, you can fix me a sandwich. I missed lunch and I’m famished.”

“I should provide more than a sandwich after all you’ve done,” she said, “but to tell you the truth, I’m a lousy cook.”

“Now you tell me after I’ve wasted a whole day on you.”

“Whoa, cowboy. I never asked you to do…”

“Just trying to ease a little of the tension that’s got you gripping my door handle so tight, you’re liable to dent it.”

He was beginning to think it wasn’t only cops she mistrusted, but men in general.

She exhaled slowly. “I am a little uptight.”

“And you have every right to be. But you’re safe now, so let’s go buy some groceries.”

“Want kokalat,” Tommy said, as she released the catch on his safety belt.

“I don’t think you need chocolate,” she said. “You just had a lollipop.”

“All gone. Want kokalat,” he said, unperturbed by reason.

“You can choose a chocolate bar for later, but you can’t open it until after dinner,” Alexis said as they started toward the door.

Tommy walked between them until they reached the lines of empty carts. Then Alexis swung him up and settled him in the child seat, buckling him in so that he couldn’t crawl or fall out.

It struck Tague how much they must look like a typical family out shopping.

The thought terrified him. He walked away from Alexis as soon as they entered the store, shopping alone to buy a few items, including a couple of steaks, two baking potatoes and a nice bottle of wine. Alexis could use a glass after the day she’d had. And he hadn’t been kidding about being starved. A sandwich wouldn’t cut it.

* * *

“T OMMY ’ S FALLEN ASLEEP ,” Alexis said when they arrived at her apartment with the few groceries she’d bought. “I should have known he was being too quiet.”

She shifted Tommy’s head to a more comfortable position and then unbuckled his safety belt before lifting him into her arms.

“Why don’t you let me carry him in for you?” Tague offered.

“I can handle him.”

“I wouldn’t feel too manly following you up the stairs empty-handed while you’re lugging a sleeping kid.”