Rebecca Winters - The Texas Ranger's Nanny

Claire sat in the chair matching the one Kit occupied and looped her arms around her raised knees to watch over them. She didn’t know when she fell asleep, but the ringing of someone’s cell phone woke her up. Her watch said ten after six in the morning.

Vic jackknifed into a sitting position and answered his phone. At this point Kit had awakened and stood up. She overheard Vic say the name TJ. He was talking to the head of the Rangers.

When he disconnected, he sprang to his feet. “The police caught up with Leroy at an all-night bar in Buda.”

“Buda? It’s not that far away. Thank heaven!” she cried.

“Amen to that. Leroy’s truck was parked outside. The logo the apartment building manager told us about helped find him fast. That clue saved the day. He thought it said ‘duda’ or something close. The officers have taken him into custody at the jail downtown. Guess who was with him?”

“The two guys who got in the fight with him at the park.”

“You’re right on the money, Kit. They were hauled in for questioning, too. Let’s go. I’ll get changed and meet you outside.”

After he disappeared, Claire turned to Kit. “Can I come with you?”

“I know how much you love Jeremy, but this is a police matter.”

“But I feel responsible.”

“In what way?”

“The second I didn’t see Jeremy, I should have run right in the school instead of waiting in the car for a few more minutes.”

“That wouldn’t have made any difference, Claire. This kidnapping was planned down to the second. You shouldn’t feel any guilt, but I guess it’s human nature.”

“It is,” she said. “I can’t stay here and just wait and wait.”

He studied her for a moment. “Maybe you can’t come with us, but if you drive down to the city jail, I’ll tell them to let you in. You can talk to Vic after he’s through vetting Leroy.”

“Thank you, Kit.” She smiled at him gratefully and raced to her bedroom to get dressed.

It took her only a minute to pull on some jeans and a knit top. She slipped on her walking sandals. After brushing her hair, she grabbed her purse and ran through the house to the door behind the kitchen. It led to the garage.

After she’d activated the remote, she backed out and took off for downtown Austin. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a van parked a few houses away and knew it was the surveillance team. Before long she realized they were following her. Those were Vic’s instructions.

I love him. I love his son.

She knew where to find the jail. One day several months ago, she’d humored Jeremy by driving him to see it. Claire had so many memories of him.

After making sure her car door was locked, she walked to the entrance, where an officer met her.

“Can I see some ID?”

She pulled her license from her wallet and showed it to him.

“You’re Ms. Ames. Ranger Saunders said to let you in. You can sit in the lounge to wait for him.” He checked the contents of her purse and gave it back to her.

“Thank you.”

When she opened the door, the cold blast of A/C was welcome. Vic probably wouldn’t like it that she’d come, but she couldn’t stand to sit in the house and do nothing. Kit understood that. A dozen or so others were also waiting in the lounge. But they were here to visit inmates and had to wait until it was their turn.

It was a whole other world down here. Claire shuddered. This was the dark side of life Vic had to deal with day in and day out. But to face the man who’d kidnapped Jeremy had to be something else altogether. She’d never seen Vic’s dark side. She didn’t believe he had one. But this morning he was going to be tested.

Claire decided it was a good thing she wasn’t the one in that jail cell with Leroy. The urge to strangle that monster with her bare hands was so strong she wasn’t sure she’d be able to contain it.

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