Into Dust. B.J. Daniels

She stepped in, going straight to the window. After she attempted to open it for what little fresh air there might be, Jack came up behind her and lifted it a few inches. Just the closeness of him sent a shiver of anticipation through her.

      Cassidy wondered if he felt it as well and that’s why he quickly stepped away. Hot air rushed in but it smelled better.

      Turning, she spotted the bags he’d brought up. Digging out the scissors and hair dye, she headed for the bathroom, leaving the door open.

      “I saw a used clothing place around the corner,” Jack said from the other part of the hotel room. “I’ll go get you something else to wear.”

      “Don’t you need to know my size?” she asked, turning in the bathroom doorway, scissors in hand.

      He grinned as his gaze took her in. She felt warmth flood her. “I think I have it covered. Keep the door locked. I won’t be long.”

      * * *

      JACK HURRIED, not wanting to leave Cassidy alone for long. Inside the used-clothing shop, he quickly went to what he believed was her size and sorted through the clothes for something appropriate. Appropriate would be something totally different from what Cassidy had been wearing.

      All the time, his mind was racing as to what to do next. They needed somewhere to hide her while he tried to figure out what to do. If his father was as deeply involved in this as he suspected... He had to know the truth. Short of asking him outright, he realized there was only one way he might be able to find out what was going on.

      Now, he knew that his father had secrets. It was something he’d suspected, he realized, for a long while. When he’d worked at the warehouse, he’d discovered a locked drawer in his father’s desk. When he’d asked him about it, Tom Durand had said he just kept a little spare cash in it. He’d joked that he better never find it missing or he’d know who had taken it. Even at the time, Jack had questioned why his father would keep spare cash at the office. Tom Durand always carried a couple of grand on him.

      Now Jack wanted to know what was really in that locked drawer. Which meant he’d have to go to the warehouse tonight. He knew he had to move quickly. If he was right and one of the men had recognized him, then his father would try to cover up any improprieties.

      But what to do with Cassidy? He couldn’t leave her at the hotel. It didn’t feel safe with her alone. But where?

      With several outfits he thought would work for her, he checked out and headed back to the hotel. Before he’d left, he’d put his gun under one of the pillows on the bed. He didn’t like walking around Houston with a loaded weapon even though he had a permit to carry it.

      When he reached the hotel room, he used his key to open the door. He could hear her moving around in the bathroom and tried to relax. She was safe. At least for the moment.

      He’d just placed the bag with his purchases on the bed when she came out of the bathroom. Her brunette hair was cut in a short bob that framed her face. The dark color brought out the tiny trail of freckles that arched over her nose and made her blue eyes look even larger. He stopped short at the sight of her.

      “Is it that bad?” she asked in alarm.

      He shook his head. “It’s that good. You look...amazing.”

      She laughed, clearly relieved. “Isn’t it wild?” Rushing toward the bed, she said, “Let’s see what you got me to wear.” She held up the skirt and peasant blouse that went with it. “Oh, these are great. I can’t wait to try them on.” With that, she turned and hurried back into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

      He stared after her, surprised by her excitement—and a little worried. The woman was excited about wearing hand-me-down clothing that hadn’t even cost him twenty bucks? People reacted differently to fear, he knew, but Cassidy almost seemed to be treating this as if they were on some undercover adventure instead of probably running for their lives.

      * * *

      BUCK REALIZED HIS campaign manager was still speaking.

      “What about your girls? Are they on board?”

      He thought about his six daughters. He wouldn’t exactly say they were on board when it came to his political career. They’d grown up used to politics being discussed at meals, they’d lived through his run for senator and the subsequent years of his being gone to Washington.

      But he knew that as supportive as they’d often said they were, none of them wanted this kind of attention. “You don’t have to worry about them.”

      Jerrod eyed him as if reading between the lines. “We need them with you the night of the election. The public will want to see them—and the solidarity.”

      The election was months away, Buck thought. A lot could happen between now and then.

      “You have a big debate coming up,” Jerrod continued. “I need you to be on top of this. You can expect questions about Sarah and your relationship. Maybe you should go home and get some rest. We can do a run-through as the date approaches. I want you relaxed, confident and ready to be president. Make sure Sarah understands how important that is.”

      He nodded, although he wasn’t sure telling Sarah would make a whole lot of difference. The woman who’d returned after being presumed dead for twenty-two years looked like the Sarah Johnson Hamilton he’d known, but she didn’t act like her. Maybe that Sarah was gone and he was a fool for thinking he could recapture the past and put his family back together. Sarah said she supported him, but if anything, she didn’t want to live in the White House. Nor was she here with him now or waiting for him in their house back on the ranch.

      “I’ll be ready for the debate,” he said, picking up his Stetson. The best thing he could do now was to go back to Montana. He needed to find out what was going on with Sarah and see his daughters. He missed them and worried about them all the time even though they were settled into their own lives. Olivia and Bo were each now happily married. Olivia was talking about a second child, Bo was expecting twins, and Kat and Harper were engaged.

      Only Ainsley, his oldest, was still single, and his youngest, Cassidy. In truth, he had no idea where either of them was at this moment. Ainsley had taken a job scouting locations in Montana for film companies after dropping out of law school. Cassidy, as far as he knew, was still in New York dating some Frenchman she’d met while in Europe.

      After Jerrod dropped him off at the airport, Buckmaster put in a call to his youngest twin. He felt badly he hadn’t kept in touch. He’d spent so little time with them. He’d put his political career ahead of his family and was now doing it again.

      When Angelina was alive, her driving ambition had been a tornado-like force that had kept him aloft. He’d gotten caught up in her dream of his being president. But Angelina was gone and he had a bad feeling that he should have dropped out before the primaries. Now he would hurt his party and possibly lose the election for the Republicans. He told himself he was just tired. Things would look different tomorrow. Unfortunately, he doubted that.

      The call to Cassidy went directly to voice mail. “It’s your father. Please give me a call when you have time. I can’t remember the last time we talked.” He hung up realizing that she hadn’t been home in more than a year.

      As he boarded the plane—unlike some candidates, he flew commercial since it was what Montana voters expected of him—he told himself he had to convince Sarah to come on the campaign trail with him. With her by his side, he believed he could do anything. But without her, without his family...

      As soon as he landed in Bozeman, he called to tell Sarah he was on his way. He just had one thing he had to do first—make a call to the owner of a local jewelry store. The store had been closed for hours, but the owner promised to meet him there.

      He had no idea what had happened to the first engagement ring—let alone wedding band—he’d given Sarah, but if he hoped for a new beginning, it was time to put a ring on her finger.

      * * *

      AS