Cowboy in the Extreme. Rita Herron

Brody’s friend. I was at the main house when Kim called about the break-in.”

       Sheriff McRae introduced himself, then followed Brandon over to the sofa, where she sat trying to compose herself. But having someone try to break into her cabin and seeing Brandon so close that she could touch him had her nerves tied in knots.

       “What happened?” Sheriff McRae asked. “Did you see anyone?”

       Kim swallowed hard. The sheriff was a big guy with a barrel chest and eyes that cut through her. “No, I was in bed when I heard a noise,” Kim said. “I heard footsteps and the lamp crashed to the floor, so I ran to Lucy’s room and locked her door. Then we hid in the closet.”

       Sheriff McRae shifted on the balls of his feet. “Let me take a look around.” He examined the lock, then stooped down to study the dirt marring the wood entryway. “It looks like he picked the lock.”

       “Johnny said there were problems on the ranch before,” Brandon said. “A fire and fencing cut.”

       “Yes, I’ve been investigating those incidents,” Sheriff McRae said. “This could be related. I’ll get a crime kit and dust for fingerprints.”

       He glanced back at the door. “Was the intruder still here when you arrived, Woodstock?”

       Brandon shook his head. “I heard a horse galloping away in the back, but I was worried about Kim and her daughter so I checked inside first.”

       Sheriff McRae nodded, then angled his head toward Kim.

       “Ma’am, can you think of anyone who’d want to hurt you? Do you have any enemies?”

       Kim shook her head. “No.”

       “How about a husband or boyfriend?”

       Kim felt Brandon’s gaze burning through her, and gritted her teeth. “No.”

       Sheriff McRae raised a brow. “No ex-husband who might want the child?”

       She knew he was thinking about Rachel’s situation, that her ex had been stalking her and tried to kidnap their son. “I’ve never been married.”

       “What about the little girl’s father?”

       Kim glared at him for asking such a question in front of her daughter. “I said no.”

       “Wait a minute,” Brandon cut in, his tone worried. “Johnny called earlier to warn me, Kim. There was a prison break. Carter escaped.”

       Kim gasped, perspiration beading on her neck. “I have to talk to Johnny.”

       The sheriff gave her an odd look, but she didn’t wait to explain. She settled Lucy on the sofa and covered her with an afghan, then took her phone and stepped onto the porch.

       The sheriff’s questions were too probing. Too close to home. She had to do something. Get away. Hide.

       If Carter had escaped and knew she was here, he might have come after Lucy.

      BRANDON RECOGNIZED the fear and panic in Kim’s eyes and wanted to comfort her. But he had given up that right when he’d left her and married Marty.

       Besides, she had slept with Carter. Just the thought of her in Carter’s arms, in his bed, roused his anger.

       Hell, if Carter was coming here to see his daughter, Brandon could hardly blame him.

       It was exactly what he would do if Lucy had been his child, and he’d been locked up for years, unable to watch her grow up and spend holidays and birthdays with her.

       Had Kim carried Lucy to the prison to see Carter? What had she told the little girl about her father?

       Pain knifed through him, an ache so raw that he had to suck air through his teeth to stem a moan.

       He would never have a child of his own. He couldn’t risk it.

       Not knowing whether he might pass on the same genetic disorder that had tormented his younger sister. Not after losing her to it…

       It was the final straw that had ended his marriage to Marty. She had wanted a family. He had adamantly refused. He could not chance bringing a child into the world only to watch the child suffer the way Joanie had.

       Besides, he’d known it was a last frantic attempt on Marty’s part to tie him to her.

       God knows, he’d wanted to love her.

       But he hadn’t been able to and she’d known it.

       Because he’d given his heart to Kim years ago, and he’d never gotten it back.

       “What’s going on?” Sheriff McRae asked. “You mean the prison break earlier at the state pen where a guard was shot?”

       Brandon nodded. “I’m afraid so.”

       “Do you know one of the prisoners?”

       “Yes. Carter Flagstone.” He tightened his fists to control his temper. “He and Johnny Long and Kim and I grew up together.”

       Sheriff McRae grimaced and folded his arms. “You think he’ll come to you for help?”

       Brandon made a sarcastic sound. “Hardly. We had a falling-out a few years back. After he was arrested, we lost touch.” Because Brandon had hated his guts for sleeping with Kim. And Carter had accused him of not giving him an alibi because of that night. It was a pretty messed-up story.

       “This falling out…” Sheriff McRae cocked his head sideways. “It wouldn’t happen to be about Kim?”

       Brandon heaved a weary sigh. “Yeah, it would. That and the fact that Johnny and I didn’t stand up for him in court like he thought we should have.”

       “So you think he’s looking for revenge?”

       Brandon hated to bad-mouth his old buddy. But Carter had been trouble in the old days, drinking and fighting, conning his way into women’s beds, starting bar brawls, and then having blackouts. No telling how prison life had hardened him. Like Johnny said, he must be desperate.

       “It’s possible,” Brandon said. He glanced at the sleeping little redhead on the sofa all curled up beneath the blanket hugging her stuffed lamb to her. “Either that, or he came here to see his daughter.”

      KIM PRESSED THE PHONE to her ear in a white-knuckled grip, keeping an eye on Lucy from the doorway of the porch. The sheriff went to his car and returned a moment later, murmuring he was going to check for fingerprints. “Johnny—”

       “What’s wrong, Kim?”

       A sliver of guilt bled through Kim at his distressed tone. She hated to disturb him when he and Rachel were just getting settled in. “Someone broke into the cabin tonight.”

       Johnny made a shocked sound. “Are you and Lucy all right?”

       Tears pricked Kim’s eyes as she saw Brandon scrape a hand through his thick, wavy dark hair. “Yes. I called for Brody, but he wasn’t there. Brandon answered and came over.”

       “Brandon’s there with you?”

       “Yes.”

       “Thank God.”

       Kim breathed in and out to wrestle her emotions under control. She’d relied on Johnny for so long she didn’t know how not to. He was the only one she’d ever let down her guard around. He was the only one who knew the truth.

       Johnny cleared his throat. “Kim, are you really okay?”

       His words hung in the air. He was referring to the fact that she’d seen Brandon face-to-face for the first time in years. “No…” She sucked in another breath. “But I will be. The sheriff’s here now.”

       “Good.”

       She closed her eyes, reliving the nightmarish memory. “You should have called me and