Shotgun Justice. Angi Morgan

as tall as her brother, but she’d learned to be as strong as possible. Jesse got partial credit for that. They’d always gone toe-to-toe in wrestling or racing or even at the shooting range.

      “Do you know how fast you were going?”

      He wrinkled his brow, looking concerned. His eyes were searching the landscape. Didn’t he know there was nothing around? Maybe a couple of cows or deer, but no threats.

      “I think it was close to eighty or eighty-five. What are you doing out here without backup, Avery?”

      The ice around her heart melted a little at the sound of her name. It was so good to see him. And so embarrassing. “That’s well over the speed limit.” She took a defensive stance, stabilizing her shaking knees. “What are you doing here?”

      Her heart shook a little at the possibilities. He didn’t look as though he was bearing bad news. But if he wasn’t, then why had he come?

      “Can’t a guy visit a friend?”

      He was lying. She’d known him too long not to hear the warble in his voice. The one she’d recognized as he said being with her was great.

      “We’re not friends anymore. I haven’t returned any of your calls. A Texas Ranger like yourself would be able to pick up on that clue. So why are you here?”

      “Vacation?”

      “Are you asking me if you’re on vacation? Like I’d ever believe that. You’ve never taken a vacation. And your first wouldn’t be to Dallam County.”

      “Okay, you got me.” The smile left his face and his demeanor changed. “Enough kidding around. You seriously don’t have backup? We need to get you secured.”

      “Secured? What’s happened?”

      “I’d rather talk about it at the sheriff’s office. Let’s go.” He extended his hand her direction and she flinched. He looked shocked. She didn’t have a memory of that expression on his face before.

      Had she really never surprised him by following her own mind? Wow, I really was desperate if I never disagreed with him about anything.

      “I asked you a question, Mr. Ryder. What business do you have in Dalhart?”

      His handsomely chiseled face searched the road both directions. “I’d rather talk to you in private back at county.”

      “In case you didn’t notice...” She expanded her arms into the darkness lit by only her patrol lights. “This is pretty private. If you refuse to cooperate, I’m going to have to take you in.”

      Okay, she knew it was a stretch and she really didn’t have any reason to haul his backside to jail. But he deserved it. She remembered the three days of no privacy behind bars. Three days of trying to occupy the time by pretending to read a book. But most of all, the three days of being worried sick about her twin.

      The moonlight made her rarely used handcuffs sparkle when she pulled them from their pouch. “Turn around and put your hands on the car.”

      “You’re not arresting me.” He laughed, throwing back his head. Then he focused on her and squinted when she took a step forward. “Wait a minute... You are arresting me?” He took a step back, something on his belt clinking when it hit the rental. “What did I do? I’m here in an official capacity, Avery. You know I am.”

      Avery hadn’t heard Jesse’s voice this high-pitched since it changed in the seventh grade. She covered the laugh, trying to escape by clearing her throat as she pulled his left hand down and snapped the handcuffs around his wrist. “You’re refusing to cooperate. I don’t see that you’ve given me any choice.”

      “I’ve done nothing but cooperate. I didn’t have to stop, you know. I only did because I thought it might be you.” He slipped around to face her. “No one’s going to believe that I didn’t cooperate.”

      “This—” she pointed to him facing her instead of remaining where he was against the car “—this is not cooperating, Ranger Ryder.”

      “I can understand if you’re still angry about the last time we saw each other. We’ve never really gotten a chance to talk about what happened. Unfortunately, we don’t have time now except for an apology. You would have had one sooner if you’d returned my calls.” Jesse placed his hands on either side of her waist and began to lean closer.

      “That’s it.” She knocked his hand away, stepped to the side, whipped his arm behind him and forced him to kneel. “Nobody goes for my weapon and doesn’t go straight to a cell.”

      “I wasn’t going for your weapon and you know it.”

      “Well, we’ll just see what the judge has to say. Your word against mine. And I live here.”

      “Avery, I’m a Texas Ranger, for gosh sakes. This ludicrous charge will never stick. It’s not going to keep me from doing my job while I’m here. As soon as Sheriff Myers finds out I’ve arrived—”

      “Oh, don’t give me that, Jesse. Julie told me you were asking about me at the office.”

      His body stiffened. Something changed in his posture. He seemed worried or anxious. “Let go, Avery. This has gone far enough. I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if I have to.” The playfulness was gone from his voice. “Didn’t you get the message about Rosco and the threat?”

      She reached for his other hand, but he jerked it away, twisting out of her grasp. “No one’s given me a message and you’re not talking...your way...out of this.” She stuck a knee in the small of his back, taking his chest to the ground.

      He was halfway struggling with her now. Only halfway, since she was familiar with what he could do if he put his strength into a shove or his elbow into her gut.

      “I’m serious, Avery. Tenoreno put—” Jesse twisted to his back under her. “He hired someone to take you— Ow. Dammit, that hurts.”

      “Stop struggling and the cuffs won’t pinch you.” She still had hold of his arm that he’d pulled above his head. She was pulling it back to her when he got very still. It hit her just where she sat—straddled across his lap. She scrambled off. “Get up.”

      “Are you still going to arrest me?”

      “I owe you a night in jail. Two, actually, if I’m getting technical.”

      “I’m serious. Call it in, Avery. I haven’t been to Dalhart yet.”

      “Julie said a family friend asked where I was. You’re the only person that could be.”

      “Don’t you see? It’s the hit man. We can get a description—”

      “Oh, good grief. This is too much, Jesse. You don’t have to lie.”

      “They said they called, spoke to the sheriff and explained everything.” He remained on the ground. “I’m going to kill a state official.”

      She watched him, aware of his every move. He was tense, waiting for her to make a mistake. Maybe move the wrong way.

      “Tenoreno doesn’t care about me. I’m not a witness.” All the anger that she’d been suppressing seemed to bubble up to the surface. “I can’t believe you’d come up here and...and what? What could you possibly want to do? Sabotage my new career?”

      “Okay now.” He raised his hands above his chest. “I think you need to calm down.”

      Acting like a cop with a perp at her feet, she used her boot to flip him downhill to his chest, swiped his arm behind him and flicked the second handcuff onto his wrist before he could work his way free. “Do. Not. Tell me to calm down.”

      * * *

      AVERY GROUND HER knee into his kidney as she forced her words between her locked jaws. She was furious, and if he reacted, she’d get hurt.

      Deliberate