Protective Confinement. Cassie Miles

find him for weeks? I have places I need to be. There’s a Navajo tribal council meeting this Thursday that I can’t miss. My half sister is getting married and I need to go up to Denver for a fitting on my bridesmaid dress.”

      “Neither of which is important compared to your personal safety.”

      “There must be some other way. I could hire a bodyguard.”

      Dash wasn’t about to leave her protection to some half-baked rent-a-cop. He stood and picked up his car keys. “Come with me, Cara. There’s something you need to see.”

      IT WAS A SHORT DRIVE to the Broken Bow Resort. In the morning light, the place looked even more seedy and dilapidated than the night before when Dash and his men had charged into an empty bungalow.

      “Why are we here?” she asked.

      “Russell rented one of these bungalows. We thought he was holding you here.” He shoved open the car door. “Come with me.”

      Her gait was halting, and he could see that she was half-exhausted though she wouldn’t admit her weakness to the paramedics or him. Or even to her mother.

      As they approached, he nodded toward a motor home. Inside were a couple of agents who were keeping an eye on the place in case Russell returned.

      Last night, they’d gone through this door with a battering ram. Though it appeared to be closed, the lock didn’t work. Dash pushed it open and walked into the dingy little room. “Russell isn’t going to give up easily. He wants you, Cara.”

      “I know,” she said quietly.

      “He’ll do anything to get his hands on you again. Anything.”

      In her eyes, he saw a healthy glimmer of fear; she was beginning to comprehend the danger that surrounded her.

      In the bedroom, he directed her toward the mirror. “Take a look.”

      Taped to the mirror were fourteen snapshots of Cara in various settings. In the classroom. Walking across the campus. Laughing. Poring over a textbook. Each picture was carefully annotated with time and date. The center photo was inside a lipstick heart. Above it all was a neatly printed banner that read: Mine in Life. Mine in Death.

      “He’s obsessed with you,” Dash said. “He won’t give up until he has you.”

      She turned on her heel and walked out of the bedroom. Her hand covered her mouth, and he thought she might vomit. Her shoulders trembled. In a quiet voice, she said, “We need to return to my house. I’ll need to pack a few things before I go with you.”

      “Smart decision.”

      “And I want to take Yazzie with me.”

      “Fine.”

      If it meant getting Cara to safety, he’d agree to a dozen furry orange beasts.

      RUSSELL GRAFF WATCHED from the parking lot in front of the diner down the road from the Broken Bow Resort as Cara emerged from the bungalow. She’d found herself a protector, but it wouldn’t do any good. She belonged to him. They were meant to be together.

      He pulled his black cowboy hat lower on his forehead. As they drove past, he started his engine. It was a good thing that he was using a rental car. A good thing that he’d burned down the deserted house off Route 24, leaving no trace of evidence.

      He merged into traffic and followed them. She was his property. Why didn’t the bitch understand? It looked as if he needed to teach Professor Cara a lesson.

      This time, he wouldn’t be so gentle.