The Texas Ranger's Reward. Rebecca Winters

she was thinking about what he’d told her. Until people got up to leave, she didn’t even realize the movie was over.

      “I wish we could watch it again,” Casey said to his dad.

      “I know, but we can’t. We’re due at your aunt Pat’s for dinner. Let’s go.”

      Melissa filed out of the row after them. They made their way through the lobby and outside. Without looking at his father, she patted Casey on the shoulder. “Thanks for inviting me. I loved the movie and the popcorn. Now I have to go or I’ll be late for my dinner date.” In this case she hoped she could be forgiven for a small white lie.

      “I wish you could come with us.”

      “But she can’t.” His father’s voice had an edge. “Have you thanked her for coming?”

      Casey’s blue eyes revealed a poignant longing that caught her off guard. “Thanks, Melissa.”

      She smiled. “I bet I had a better time than you did. Have fun at your aunt’s. Are you taking Dexter with you?”

      He nodded.

      “Lucky dog,” she said, and hurried off to her Jeep to prevent his father from having to say another word.

      Once inside, she reached into her purse for her iPhone and searched for Lufka’s in Salt Lake. A list with that spelling came up. She clicked on the first entry, and up popped the website for the Lufka Private Investigator firm on Wasatch Boulevard. Now she remembered where she’d seen it before. She’d passed their place of business hundreds of times.

      Her eyes took in the information. The firm covered everything from surveillance and insurance fraud to missing persons, stalking cases, theft of property and protection to individuals. In Melissa’s mind, Mr. Stillman had traded one dangerous job for another, and would make an adversary without equal.

      Not wasting another second, she headed for her parents’ home. She knew they had a business dinner tonight, but maybe they hadn’t left yet. Melissa needed to talk to them. She had an idea.

       Chapter Three

      After dropping Casey off at school Monday morning, Travis drove to work. Despite the promise of another hot, beautiful September day, he was in a foul mood.

      As he was getting out of his car, Chaz walked over to him. “Things must be better with Casey or you wouldn’t be here.” But when he got closer and scrutinized him, he added, “So how come you look like you haven’t slept in a week? What’s wrong?”

      “Let’s just say I’ve been haunted by a ghost.”

      Chaz frowned. The guys knew about Valerie and had always been sensitive to his moods. “That doesn’t sound good. Want to talk about it?”

      Travis let out a deep sigh. “Maybe I should.” He looked around. Roman wasn’t here yet. When his boss arrived, they were going to go over the new missing person’s case he’d been assigned. Travis had barely started the groundwork, and had some questions only Roman could answer through his connections with the police department. “Sure you have the time?”

      “I’ll make it. Come on.”

      He followed Chaz inside. Somebody had brought SweetSpuds for the staff, probably Mitch. Since marrying Heidi Norris, whose family owned the SweetSpuds doughnut company, Mitch kept them in good supply. Before long they would all have to go on a strict diet, but not this morning.

      Travis poured them coffee and took it to Chaz’s office, while his friend carried the doughnuts. “You know the therapist Casey saw last week, and then he suddenly had a miraculous recovery?” He sat down heavily in a visitor’s chair.

      Chaz’s eyes narrowed as he settled behind his desk. “Yeah?”

      Travis rubbed his face with his hands before letting out a groan. “Weird as this may sound, she looks and acts like … Valerie.”

      A shadow crept over Chaz’s face. “You mean …”

      “I mean Melissa Dalton could be her double, in a superficial way, of course. I almost had a heart attack when I met her.” His voice grated as he continued, “It hit me so hard, I couldn’t respond naturally around her.” He drank some coffee, but forgot it was hot, and the liquid scalded his tongue.

      “And Casey?”

      “I don’t even know where to begin.”

      Chaz leaned forward. “Has he said she reminds him of his mother?”

      “No. I think he’s afraid to admit it to me, but I’m convinced he’s already bonded with her. Since she went to that movie with us on Friday, he’s worked himself up into seeing her again. I shouldn’t have given in to him. I feared there’d be a price to pay, but the thought of him refusing to go to school drove me to it. I purposely made it for the afternoon and—”

      “Travis,” Chaz broke in. “I’m confused.”

      “You’re not the only one.”

      “Try telling me this from the beginning.”

      He nodded. “Okay. Last Monday, when I took Casey to his first appointment with her, she challenged him to walk without his crutches. Just like that, he put them down and started walking around the therapy room with her. It was amazing. If I hadn’t been there to witness it, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

      For the next five minutes Travis unloaded to Chaz. When he’d finished, his friend stared hard at him. “My next question for you is might there be a part of you that wants to see her again?”

      “Hell, no!” Travis shot out of the chair and began pacing. If he did want to see her again, he’d need his head examined. “But Casey does.”

      “How come you’re so upset? If you don’t want anything more to do with her, then Casey will have to accept it. Even if he goes into another funk for a week or two, that will be the end of it.”

      Travis sighed. “You’re right. I just need to get over the shock. Thanks for talking to me. I’d better get to work. Roman should be here by now.”

      “Bring Casey over tonight. We’ve invited Mitch and Heidi. They’ll bring Zack. It’s still beautiful weather. We’re going to grill some hamburgers out on the deck. Lacey and Abby will be thrilled if you two come.”

      “Thanks, Chaz. I think I’ll take you up on that. It’ll be fun for Casey. I’ll bring the dessert.”

      His friend smiled. “Not necessary. Just make sure Dexter comes, too. Abby loves him.”

      “Will do.”

      Travis headed to Roman’s office, feeling better after having aired his fears to Chaz. But he hadn’t told him everything. On Friday he’d discovered Melissa Dalton was the only woman of his acquaintance who showed no personal interest in him. He knew it when he couldn’t feel any vibes coming from her.

      Travis wasn’t a vain man, but the few times she’d glanced at him, she’d seemed to look right through him. Their conversation on the phone when he’d told her about Valerie had been brief and to the point. She didn’t draw things out or show undue curiosity. Didn’t voice the usual platitudes.

      Generous as she’d been to Casey, Travis sensed she wouldn’t like it if he brought his son around her again. She’d been professional and accommodating to her patient, but there was a limit, and Casey had reached it. Travis needed therapy if he allowed this situation to get to him. There was no reason they would ever see each other again. Ships passing in the night.

      Roman had arrived, and motioned to him from his office. “Come on in and sit down. I’ve got something to discuss with you.”

      “I was just going to ask you a few questions concerning the new case myself.”

      His boss shook his head. “I’ve turned it over to Rand.”