Call of the Cougar

  "Oh, yeah. You're not on it. You should be. They catch a lot of criminals that way. Other places online too. When you set up your page, you need to 'like' hers."

  "Did one of her pictures show this?" She pointed to the ivory fragment.

  "I don't know. It looked like a bunch of pictures of rocks to me."

  "Tracey!" Hal shouted.

  She moved back to the ladder. Even though her throat was irritated and her voice rough, she was feeling a little better. Tears still filled her eyes though. She was glad she saw that tusk fragment, but she was totally pissed off that they hadn't caught the culprits when they had hidden the tusks here.

  "Yeah?"

  "What the hell are you doing here? At this hour. And why didn't you ask for backup?"

  "I'm spelunking. And I think I might have found some evidence of a crime."

  Hal didn't say anything to her, but she heard him talking to someone else at the mouth of the cave.

  Then he shouted, "What kind of evidence?"

  "A fragment of an elephant tusk."

  ***

  Police were all over the place as Hal and Stryker helped get Tracey and Ricky out of the mine. Some of her fellow FWS Special Agents went down into the shaft to secure any other evidence that could be related to the tusk, smiling, and giving her a thumbs up.

  She smiled back.

  Hal had called Mick to let him know as soon as he learned she was safe down in the shaft, and assured Mick that she was coming home with him until someone caught the bastards who were responsible. Or else she was stuck staying with her boss.

  Ricky was being put into protective custody. Mick was seeing to that.

  Stryker was shaking his head as soon as he heard Hal say, "Okay, we're packing you up and you're coming home with me."

  Arms folded, Tracey raised her brows. "What if I wanted to go home with Stryker?"

  Stryker smiled.

  Hell, and Stryker had already kissed her!

  "Stryker?" Hal asked.

  Looking thrilled that he had a chance, Stryker grinned. "Fine with me."

  "He doesn't have a puppy. I'll stay with you, Hal. And you can serve as my bodyguard. All right?" Tracey didn't look real happy about it. Not because of the business about staying with him, he didn't think. But because she had to be guarded.

  "All right. Can someone bring her suitcases to my place?" Hal asked.

  Tracey shook her head. "We can drive back there. I'd really rather pack my own things, if you don't mind."

  "I've got to head back there anyway," Chase said. "I'll give you a deputy sheriff escort."

  "Okay, I'll drive his car to the ranch," Dan said. "Stryker, do you want to follow me and then when Hal and Tracey get back to the ranch, you and I can return to the mine to pick up my vehicle?"

  "Yeah, sure." Stryker turned to Tracey before Hal and she left. "You didn't say what kind of a puppy you like."

  Hal and Tracey laughed.

  "German shepherd," Ricky said, as if Stryker was asking him.

  Everyone looked at him.

  Ricky shrugged. "That's what I'd like, if anyone was asking. Do you have a puppy?" he asked Hal.

  "He's got a new foal," Stryker said.

  "A baby horse?" Ricky's eyes grew big. "I never seen a baby horse for real. You could be my bodyguard. I could help feed the baby horse. This line of work I'm doing is getting kinda dangerous. I think I'm gonna quit it."

  "The mare nurses the foal."

  "Oh. Well, I could feed the mare. I'm real handy. Just ask her." Ricky waved his thumb in Tracey's direction.

  "Ah, come on, Hal. Give the kid a break. Let him work for you." Stryker was grinning.

  Hal looked at Tracey and she was smiling.

  Ah, hell.

  "Can I have my gun back? I didn't use it to commit any crimes. And it's not stolen. But just in case you're not around—"

  "No," everyone said.

  "Okay. Just saying." Ricky shoved his hands in his pockets.

  "What about your clothes, Ricky?" Tracey asked.

  "Stuff's in a bag in my car."

  Hal called Mick back. "Okay, I'm safeguarding both Tracey and Ricky."

  Mick was silent.

  "Ted will help safeguard Ricky. And keep him off the streets. He can stay in the bunkhouse with Ted."

  "Cool," Ricky said.

  "Tracey's staying with me in the main house. But she can watch out for him too."

  "Who's going to be watching out for you?" Mick asked and he was serious.

  Hal smiled.

  Chapter 9

  After explaining a million times to Hal why she'd joined Ricky in the cave, while she had packed her clothes and personal affects at the cabin, they returned to Hal's ranch. Tracey stalked off down the hallway to the bedrooms of his ranch house, trying to keep her annoyance under wraps. She wasn't eager to give up her freedom and certainly didn't like that she might have to be safeguarded. Mostly, she didn't feel the need to explain how she investigated a case. With her boss, yes? With anyone else? No.

  "Which bedroom is mine?"

  "Any of them. Master bedroom included."

  She looked over her shoulder at Hal.

  His mouth was curved up in a sexy way, his eyes smiling.

  She smiled back. "And… you'll move out?"

  "Of the master bedroom? Hell no. What kind of a male cougar do you think I am?"

  She chuckled. "Cute." Then she checked out each of the other bedrooms and found the one she wanted. All dressed in blue, view of the rocky cliffs in the distance, furthest away from the master bedroom for more privacy. Perfect. Each of the bedrooms even had access to the deck. Sweet.

  "Did you want me to wake you up to go running in the morning?"

  She gave him a get-real look.

  He grinned. "Okay, we'll play it by ear."

  "Do you think Ricky will be all right out here?"

  "Yeah, he'll be fine. He was about ready to fall asleep on his feet when we were standing in the stable, until he saw the foal. Did you see his expression?"

  "Yeah. He loved her."

  "I think it's a good deal for him. Get some sleep and when I see you, I'll see you. But don't even think of going anywhere without me."

  "The shower?"

  He smiled.

  She felt her cheeks heat. "Right." Then she entered the bedroom, shut the door, and headed for the bathroom. She wasn't getting up until it was midday, the way she was feeling.

  She let out her breath. She hadn't really even thanked Hal for taking Ricky in. She'd already thanked everyone at the scene with helping to rescue them. But taking Ricky into his household? That was going above and beyond the call of duty.

  She'd thank Hal in the morning. She took a nice long shower, then pulled on a silky green nightie, and climbed into bed, hoping that the Special Agents doing the investigation on the ivory tusk would find some other evidence to link the traffickers with the crime scene.

  She closed her eyes, thankful that she and Ricky had gotten out of the main tunnel quickly enough to avoid breathing the tear gas for very long. She was feeling fine now.

  She began to think about what Ricky had said about Jessie posting pictures on Facebook. She reached over, grabbed her phone off the bedside table, and searched for her sister's page. Over fifteen hundred photos?

  ***

  Hal headed for his bedroom when he noticed a light on in Tracey's room. "Need something to help you sleep?"

  "No, thanks… Would it be too late or too early to have a glass of wine?"

  He laughed. Then he thought of Stryker having wine and a movie with her and he got a kiss! "Seriously?"

  "Nah. Night."

  "Night."

  He stalked off to his bedroom, glad that she was fine, but not liking that this business with Tracey being shot at seemed so…personal. He turned around and headed back to her door. "Tracey, don't you think this is kind of personal?"

  "Me staying with you?"

  He chuckled. "No, this business with the
traffickers."

  "Yeah, I do. But I can't figure out why it would be. Hold on." The sheets rustled, the mattress creaked, then quiet, until he heard her light footfalls crossing the carpeted floor to reach the door.

  She opened the door. "Want to watch the sun rise and talk about it?"

  He glanced down at her fuzzy blue robe and slipper boots. "Will you be warm enough?"

  "Sure. You can light a fire."

  He grinned.

  "In the fireplace out there."

  "Yeah, sure. Let me grab a blanket in case you get cold, and I'll make us a couple of cups of cocoa, if you'd like. Whip cream on top."

  "Okay. That's as good as wine."

  Before long, they were sitting in front of the outdoor fireplace on one of the cushioned benches, Hal's arm around Tracey, the extra-soft brown blanket covering their laps, and she was snuggled against him while they drank cups of cocoa. He loved this and he was glad, despite that she'd had chips and wine and watched a movie with Stryker last night, she'd wanted to stay with him and not Stryker this morning.

  "This is so nice," she said.

  "Really nice. I'm glad you suggested it. I've never come out here to witness the sun rise." He rubbed her arm, covered in the soft, fuzzy robe.

  "Love this. I think while I stay here, I'll come out here to watch the sun rise every morning. It's so peaceful. Like the cabins at Pinyon Pines, but different. The view, the scents, and sounds."

  And you, he wanted to say. Just coming out here by himself would never have been quite like this, feeling her bundled under his arm, her robe and the woman so soft and huggable. She smelled of strawberries, whip cream, and chocolate, all sweetness.

  "I wanted to thank you for taking Ricky in. I think he's a good guy deep down, but he just needs some parental guidance, even if he's now an adult. He needs some goals in life that don't include a life of crime."

  "I agree. Ted's good with kids and animals. I know Ricky is an adult, barely, but I believe the same as you do, or I wouldn't have taken him in. I think he'd be a lot better off staying here for the time being rather than managing on his own. Ted got into some scrapes of his own when he was a kid. So I'm sure with Ted teaching him the ropes, it will help Ricky."

  She suddenly looked up at Hal. "I didn't even think of the problem it could be as far as Ricky not being one of us."

  "We'll be careful around him. It shouldn't be a problem." He'd already considered it and thought it would work out. When Ricky had waited for Hal to give his okay, he had looked at him so hopeful-like, Hal hadn't had the heart to say no. Besides, it seemed to help win Tracey over, and he was glad he could make her happy.

  She settled back down against him. "Sorry about messing up our run this morning since we'll surely be asleep before long."

  He shook his head and tightened his hold on her. "It gives me a better plan. I wouldn't have given this up for anything. We'll go for a run during the heat of the day. I'll take you up to the cliffs."

  She nodded and finished her cocoa. He set the mugs on the table and they watched for the sunrise as a faint glimmer of light began to appear.

  "So what do you think this could be about that would make it so personal?" Hal asked.

  "Ricky said it might have to do with the pictures my sister took. And that the traffickers think that I'm the same person. I looked, but she's got so many pictures, I got too tired trying to figure out if any of them have anything to do with trafficking on the tiny screen on my phone."

  "Other than the one that showed the mines."

  "Right."

  "Mick will contact Jessie for the photos."

  "Right. I was trying to see if I might catch anything on them."

  "Were you involved in any other cases where you were investigating this Mooney, or maybe even someone else, and he's got it in for you because you're so dogged about bringing him down?"

  "Maybe. I haven't seen a connection."

  "Maybe a much earlier case?"

  "I've thought about it since the first shootout. They hid the tusks in the abandoned building in Anderson, and now at this gold mine. The only connection I can see is they're both abandoned mining camps."

  The sun began to rise—the vivid purple, pink, yellow colors painting the sky—breathtaking.

  "Oh, now that's really beautiful." She sounded sleepy and he wished he could carry her to his bed and provide real bodyguard protection.

  After the fantastical colors faded from the sky, she patted Hal's leg. "Time for me to turn in or I'll be useless for the rest of the day."

  "Me too." He noticed Ted leaving the bunkhouse with Ricky, who was yawning and rubbing the sleep from one eye.

  They both caught sight of Hal and Tracey sitting together in such an intimate pose on the deck. Ted grinned. Ricky's jaw dropped.

  Hal waved at them, then Tracey grabbed the two empty mugs, while he carried the blanket and escorted her into the house.

  After dropping the blanket over the arm of the couch, Hal felt his phone immediately vibrate, and he answered it. "Yeah, Ted, we haven't gone to bed yet. Unless it's a real emergency, I would appreciate no calls."

  "You got it, boss man." Ted laughed.

  Hal smiled.

  Tracey put the mugs in the dishwasher, then turned and smiled at Hal. "What?"

  "I think Ted was really surprised to see me sitting out, watching the sun rise with a beautiful she-cat."

  "Except for the she-cat part, Ricky looked a bit surprised too. Thanks for being the first to come to my rescue. We didn't talk about it, but I assumed you got a call from the dispatcher and your ranch was closer to the gold mine."

  He could let it go, and just say that was what it was, but he had to be truthful. "Stryker had called me."

  Her eyes rounded. "After he left my place?"

  "Yeah. He was worried that the call you had received wasn't from Anton, and that you might be getting involved in the case again. I tried calling you, wanting to tell you that if you were even thinking about following up a lead, I wanted to be your backup. Your partner."

  Her lips parted. She looked so incredibly appealing, and he wanted to take her in his arms, crush her body against his, and kiss her like he had never done with any other woman.

  But he wasn't sure whether she was thinking along the same lines as he was, or ready to slug him for having checked up on her.

  "And?" she asked.

  "I couldn't get hold of you. What were the odds that you would be out running as a cougar again?"

  She smiled a little. "And get treed by a pack of wolves."

  "Yeah. So I called Chase."

  "Before I even sent out the distress call?"

  "Yeah."

  "I could have been sleeping."

  "Right. But I had to be sure."

  "Poor Chase."

  Hal smiled. "Yeah, he told me the same thing. But he's been in the law enforcement business for too long, and with your history of getting into trouble…"

  "He checked and found I'd gone." She wrapped her arms around Hal's neck.

  "Yeah." Hal rested his hands on her waist. "I worried about you. I warned him that if he didn't check on you, I'd be over there."

  "Thank you, then, for worrying about me." She tilted her head up, and he was certain she was looking for a kiss.

  Did she kiss all the men she had "dates" with?

  He wasn't going to let the opportunity pass so he kissed her. He didn't want to push her further than she was ready for and turn her off, but when she kissed him back, wanting more, pressing for deeper contact, he wasn't sure just what she had in mind.

  He was certainly willing to go as far as she wanted, his hand gently cupping the back of her head, the other stroking her soft robe-covered back, their tongues colliding, teasing, stroking. His blood was on fire, and he was burning up as he pulled her harder against his body—his very aroused body.

  He wanted to rub up against her like a big cat would, wondering just what she was wearing under the robe. The same slinky nightie
she'd left by the door when she went running as a cougar? When he and everyone else had seen it, he had expected her to pick it up in her teeth and carry it to her bedroom. But when she didn't, he did the only thing he could think of, shifted, moved her nightie to the arm of the couch, and then dressed.

  He'd seen the way her eyes had taken in the new location of her nightie. Knew he'd picked it up, felt the silkiness, and probably had guessed he'd admired it.

  And now? He wondered if she was wearing that sweet bit of short silk to barely cover her beauty. He kissed her warm mouth, tasting the whip cream and cocoa and she-wolf. He looked into her eyes, darkened with lust, and smiled.

  She was so tired, and yet, she moved her arms lower and tightened her hold on him.

  He had to ask. "Did you want to—"

  "Hmm, yes. Go to sleep." She hesitated to pull away, and he was hopeful that meant she wanted to join him in bed, but then she said, "Night. And thanks."

  "You're not going to be too cold, are you?"

  She laughed. "No. But nice try."

  "What do you want for lunch when we finally get up to enjoy the day?"

  "Anything is fine with me."

  "Beef stroganoff? I can whip up a batch."

  "Sure. Sounds great."

  "All right. Then we'll run."

  He left her off at her room and continued on to his bedroom.

  "What else did Stryker tell you?" she asked, still standing at her door.

  "That he stayed over for a movie and wine."

  "And chips."

  Hal smiled.

  "Did he tell you we kissed?"

  Hal's smile grew. "I'm not competing with him."

  She smiled back at him. "Sure you are. I like it. It's never happened to me before. Keep up the good work." She entered her room and shut the door.

  He frowned. So what did that mean? She liked his kiss the same? Better? That she wasn't going to decide between the two of them? He thought when she stayed with him that had decided it. What if Stryker learned what kind of dog she liked best? And got a puppy?

  He shook his head and reminded himself he was an alpha male cougar. Not a pussy-whipped beta. Well, that had some appeal too.

  Chapter 10

  As soon as Hal woke, showered, and dressed, he was raring to go. Not only did he have the most charming houseguest known to a male shifter cat, but he'd had the best sleep in years, knowing his first foal was doing well. And he felt good about taking in a wayward "kid" to help give him some direction and maybe keep him out of trouble for a while. Maybe even help to set him on a better path for the future.