Ashe glanced back at him. “Excuse me?”

  “You know what I mean. Most bilagáana women, white women, don’t stay too long on the Reservation. This place fascinates them in the beginning, but then the novelty wears off and they return to their own world.”

  “Thanks for the advice, but there’s nothing going on between the Deputy Marshal and me,” Ashe said.

  As they waited for Casey to return, Ashe’s thoughts remained on her. The truth was inescapable now. He knew without a doubt that Casey’s first allegiance had been to her job, not to the feelings they’d shared. He could understand that to a point, but what had devastated him went deeper than the actions her job had demanded.

  At first he just hadn’t been able to figure out how she could have kept information from him so easily, even though she’d known how Fox’s disappearance had affected him. There should have been signs, nonverbal ones, that would have told him more. But the more he saw her at work, the more he understood. Casey had kept a part of her heart out of his reach, depending on herself and her job, focusing on those as the only permanent fixtures she could count on. She’d expected things to fall apart between them sooner or later, and that knowledge had kept her behind a barrier he could never completely cross.

  As Casey walked back into the room, his gut tightened. She wasn’t lost to him; she’d never been his to lose.

  “I’ve got bad news,” she said. “There is no employee named James—not in the Phoenix office or in any other section of our organization. There are two Jamesons though. One is female.”

  The captain shook his head. “It was U.S. Deputy Marshal James—a man. I’m sure of it.”

  “Well, that settles it. We now know how they discovered Fox was hiding in this jurisdiction,” Casey said. “All he had to do then was come to this community and start nosing around.”

  “Are you saying I’m the leak?” the captain challenged.

  “Yes, I’m afraid so.”

  “If that’s the MO he used, he must have made a lot of phone calls,” Todacheene said.

  “Possibly, or he might have followed a hunch, or a lead provided by someone else. Either way, we’re not left empty-handed. We now know that there’s a Phoenix connection, if only via a phone,” Ashe said.

  “It makes sense, considering her background,” Casey observed.

  “This time I really have to insist on seeing Katrina’s file,” Ashe said flatly. “As a cop working on this case, I need to acquaint myself with every bit of her past history.”

  Todacheene nodded to Casey. “He’s right. You can’t expect him to be much of an asset to the investigation if he only knows bits and pieces of the story.”

  Casey looked at Ashe. “You have a need to know, but I’d like you to see the comprehensive file that was made available to me. A lot of her father’s background, however, is classified. And none of the men he testified against are in this area. My office checked that already.”

  “I think it’s time for us to try and jog Fox’s memory. She holds the key.”

  “We’ve tried, but even hypnosis won’t work.”

  “Maybe talking to someone who cares for her instead of a stranger will help her find the answers we need,” Ashe said, thinking of Travis. Ashe had no doubt Fox would do just about anything for his brother.

  “Let’s talk to Fox again before making any decisions,” Casey suggested.

  “It might be a good idea to take Travis over to see her now,” Ashe said.

  “Okay, we’ll stop at your place and I’ll talk to him there.”

  “Fair enough.”

  They drove to Ashe’s trailer but, by the time they’d arrived, Ashe’s truck was gone, and so was Travis.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Casey searched around for signs of Travis, but the place was clearly deserted. Ashe went to where his pickup was usually parked and, as he crouched to study the tracks, she saw the anger on his face.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  “My guess is that my brother ran out of patience and decided to go looking for Fox himself. He knows where I like to hide my spare key. I usually put it in a magnet holder inside the back bumper, near the license plate. He obviously found the key, and drove off in my truck.” Ashe gestured at the rental sedan parked off to one side. “He knew that shiny new thing wouldn’t get far on some of our roads.”

  “Your brother sounds like a loose cannon. Not exactly what we need on this case. Tell me this—does he have enough information to actually find her?”

  Ashe considered it. “He’s extremely resourceful. My best guess is that he’ll figure it out, based on the little I did tell him. He knows it’s a place I consider safe, and that it’s in the middle of nowhere. Sooner or later he’ll show up at the lodge. That was one of the first places I looked.”

  “I’ll call Hayes and warn him.” Casey used her cell phone and managed to communicate with the retired marshal, though the connection was extremely poor. “He’ll handle it, but he won’t let anyone get near Fox until she or you can confirm his identity.”

  “I should warn you that nothing stops my brother. It was always that way, but it’s even more so now that he’s an Army Ranger. I just hope no one gets hurt before the ID is made.”

  They were on their way toward the lodge in Ashe’s carryall when a call came over the radio. Switching to a tactical channel, Ashe connected with Officer John Nakai, remembering to be careful what he said.

  “What’s going on?” Nakai asked. “I ran into Travis not fifteen minutes ago, and he’s ready to kick some butt. He’s been asking everyone if they’ve seen you hanging around anyplace in particular recently.”

  “Where was he last time you saw him?”

  “Racing out of the Waterflow Café, heading north in your new truck. He was talking to Selma there when, according to her, he just dropped some bills on the table and ran out.”

  “What were they talking about?”

  “The year the football team won the district title.”

  Ashe swore under his breath. “Thanks. I owe you one.”

  Casey looked at Ashe, her expression guarded. “What’s going on? You think he figured out where we’re hiding Fox?”

  “I’d bet on it.” Ashe expelled his breath in a hiss. “The year the football team won district, our family went up to the lodge for Thanksgiving. It was a special time for all of us.”

  They took a shortcut across country, which also served to throw off a potential tail. The terrain was rugged and the ride extremely rough. As she watched the way Ashe gripped the wheel, she remembered the tenderness of his hands and the way he’d caressed her intimately, igniting fires all through her. Casey drew in a ragged breath.

  “You okay?” His tone was strictly business.

  Loss settled over her spirit like a suffocating shroud. She’d always been a fighter, but she was just beginning to understand that some things just couldn’t be forced. It was up to Ashe. If he chose, he could allow his heart to open to her again.

  Everything was quiet as they reached the lodge an hour later. “Maybe I overestimated him,” Ashe said. “My brother may not have put it together after all.”

  Casey listened carefully. “It’s peaceful out here.”

  Ashe parked fifty yards away from the lodge in a wooded area, then waited, attuning himself to his surroundings. “It’s too quiet. Something’s wrong. I can feel it.”

  “Let’s go inside, then.”

  Ashe hurried toward the house. They were in no danger from Travis or Hayes, if they were recognized. The only danger was to Travis himself if Hayes reacted before Katrina could ID him.

  “It’s always been like this between my brother and me,” Ashe muttered. “When we were kids, he’d go out looking for trouble, no matter how hard I tried to stop him. I’d swear I wouldn’t back him up, but he always knew that I’d be there anyway.”

  Casey chuckled softly. “He had you pegged.”

  “Yeah. But, you know, he was always there for me, too. He wouldn’t fight my fights for me, but he was always around to make sure the odds stayed even.”

  As they drew close to the lodge, Ashe grew quiet. They could hear two people speaking softly, and he recognized both voices.

  “Travis is already inside. I just heard him.”

  As they emerged from the stand of pines that gave them cover, Ashe saw Hayes at the door, watching. He waved them in.

  Ashe glared at his brother as he approached the door. “You couldn’t cool your jets for a little longer, could you?”

  “I came a long way to see Little Fox and you were late getting back. I saw no reason to waste any more time waiting for you. Oh, and by the way, that’s a nice truck, but it might have gotten a little scratched up when I took the arroyo to get here.”

  “You came up that little canyon?” Ashe asked, trying not to wince. “It’s always filled with brush.”

  “It was the only way I could approach unseen. Besides, trucks like that are made for tough roads.”

  “There is no road there, you jerk.” Ashe took a step toward his brother, then stopped and looked over at Casey. “Feel free to shoot him,” he said, and stepped into the room.

  “Let me talk to him first.” Casey motioned for Travis to follow her outside.

  It was difficult for Ashe to keep Katrina calm while Travis and Casey negotiated on the extent that Travis could be involved.

  “It’s okay, Fox,” Ashe said gently. “You know my brother. He’ll find a way to get assigned to you. But let him work for it. He needs his self-confidence turned down a few clicks.”

  Katrina laughed. “It’s just like old times. You two were always either fighting, or teaming up to fight someone else.” She looked around her then, as her gaze settled on Hayes who still was wearing the shirt punctured by bullets meant for her, and she sighed. “Well, not quite like old times.”

  “You’ll be okay. You know that we won’t let anyone hurt you.”

  “I know you’ll do your best to protect me, but I’m as worried about you and Travis as I am about myself.”

  “We can take care of ourselves.”

  Before she could reply, Travis came inside, accompanied by Hayes.

  “Agent Feist may have agreed to let you take part in this case,” Hayes grumbled, “but, as far as I’m concerned, you’re the last thing we need.”

  “Funny thing. From what I’ve heard, it seems you haven’t done real well on your own so far,” Travis retorted.

  “Cut it out!” Casey snapped, then glared at Travis. “Hayes has been working his behind off to keep Katrina safe. He’s already stopped two bullets meant for her with his own body. You just got here, Travis. Do us all a favor, show a little respect.”

  Travis looked at Ashe, who simply nodded. Slowly the cockiness faded from Travis’s expression, and he gave Hayes the once-over, his gaze taking in the bullet-ridden shirt. “I thought you were just a sloppy dresser, like Ashe. I suppose I owe you more than an apology and a handshake, don’t I, Hayes?”

  “I was just doing my job. Did you earn that Ranger patch? I could use somebody with those skills to provide security to spell me. Think you’re up to it, hotshot?” Hayes smiled for the first time that evening, and offered to shake hands.

  Travis took Hayes’s grip with a firm shake, something Ashe might have avoided. “What do you think?”

  Travis turned and gave Katrina a cocky grin. “Hey, Little Fox. I’m going to be here with you from now on. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

  Ashe saw Katrina roll her eyes. Yet, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, he knew she was crazy about Travis. He felt a twinge of jealousy, knowing Casey would never feel the same way about him.

  Hayes’s cell phone rang and, after a moment, he motioned for Casey to step out of the room with him. When Casey returned, she looked somber.

  “The D.A. has been in contact with my supervisor and his boss, the U.S. Marshal for New Mexico. They’ve all been called on the carpet for this operation. I’ve been given three days to neutralize the threat to Fox or they’re pulling me off the case.”

  “Does that mean they’ll send someone else to take over?” Ashe asked.

  “That’s what Prescott wanted, but he’ll get more than he bargained for, I’m sure. Someone else will take over the investigation, but they’ll also give Fox another handler and relocate her again.”

  “I met Prescott a few weeks ago when I went to a political rally with Mom and Dad,” Fox said. “I didn’t like him then and I certainly don’t now.” She shot each of them an icy look. “I’ve got news for him and all of you. I’m not going anywhere. I’m through running,” she stated flatly. “I’m not a child anymore. Whatever happens, I’ll face it here.”

  “You can’t,” Travis said softly. “If you do, they’ll pull their protection and you’ll be an easy target for the killers.” He looked at Casey. “Isn’t that how it works?”

  Casey nodded. “Either you play it our way, or you lose our protection.”

  “Then we’d better come up with something fast.” Fox looked directly at Travis. “My life is here. I won’t go.”

  “We have three days. Let’s use every second of it,” Ashe said.

  As Casey moved away to speak to Hayes, Ashe watched her. She worked well with the retired marshal. There was an understanding between them that was rooted in mutual respect. Ashe had wanted that and so much more for himself and Casey, but it hadn’t been in the cards, and now they had all but run out of time.

  As Casey turned to look in his direction, their eyes met. Desire twisted through him, hard and fast.

  “Hey, little brother,” Travis said, approaching quietly. “Seems to me you have unfinished personal business.”

  “That’s all said and done. It’s time to move on. But how about you?” He glanced over to where Katrina sat, then looked back at Travis. “Don’t you think it’s time you stopped calling her ‘Little Fox’? She’s a woman now, not a kid.” Ashe gave his brother a knowing smile. “And that scares you, doesn’t it? The rules between you are changing.”

  Casey came over to where the brothers were standing before Travis could respond. “So far, the killers have had us on the run. Now that we’re under deadline, we’re going to have to start putting some serious pressure on our suspects.”

  “Well, now that there are two of us here guarding Fox,” Travis said, “you’ll both be free to concentrate exclusively on the investigation. I can guarantee you that no one will get to her with us here on the job.”

  “I’ll second that,” Hayes said, handing Travis his backup weapon and an extra clip of ammo.

  “What we need to do is start rattling our suspects—everyone from Captain Todacheene on down,” Casey said. “But, first, I’ve got to figure out a good strategy. Cops don’t rattle easily.”

  “You know that high-handed attitude federal agents are known for?” Ashe said with a trace of a grin. “Use it for all it’s worth. If we make enough waves, there’s no telling what will come to the surface.”

  ASHE MET CASEY AT HER motel the following morning, then took her to the station in his carryall.

  “I’m going to start by requesting access to all the local law-enforcement and prosecutor’s-office personnel records,” Casey said. “That’s bound to make people hostile. The downside is that we’ll have to search through those records ourselves, and in a hurry. There’s no one else we can trust to handle it. I want to check out all our key players for possible motives, intent and opportunity.”

  As Ashe captured her gaze, Casey’s heart constricted. He obviously still cared for her. A sweet, fierce fire spread through her, working its way to her heart. “You’re the only ally I have here,” she told him. “You wanted my complete trust? Well, you have it now.”

  “Necessity is not the same as trust,” Ashe replied. Sadness touched the edges of his smile. “I never realized how different you and I are. You stand alone, no matter what you’re doing, because you insist on maintaining as much control as you can. You think that I should understand that your feelings for me were real, and that holding back was part of your job. But there’s more to it than that. Your feelings were genuine, that’s true to a point. But the only thing you gave me without qualification was your body. You trusted me with that, but you never completely surrendered your heart.”

  His words hurt, but the truth in them was what stung the most. Casey said nothing for a long time, then answered at length. “My first reaction was to argue and say you were wrong about me—that although it’s true I am independent, I did give you my heart. But you are right. I have held back, though not as much as you may believe. I was protecting myself. I knew that when you learned the whole story, things would fall apart between us. I needed to keep a part of myself safe from that hurt. What I held back was my lifeline—something that I could hang on to after you were gone.”

  “It’s that center you’ve never let me reach that will always keep you safe, but also alone,” he told her. “You wanted my love, but you weren’t willing to risk everything to love me in return.”

  “But I saw my mother almost destroyed after my father left her,” Casey said. “She gave him everything and had nothing to hold on to when it was over. I swore I’d never let that happen to me. It’s called survival. Love weakened my mother and then abandoned her when she needed it most. I swore that if I ever fell in love, it would be with someone who would understand the need for separateness between us. I care for you deeply, Ashe, but I don’t want to lose myself in the process.”

  “You think you can be stronger by pushing people away?” Ashe shook his head. “You’ve never even used the word love—not when you speak of your feelings for me.”

  He was right and she knew it. She also understood now that the price for reaching his heart again would be to open hers in a way she never had before. There would be no lifeline to hang on to. It would be a leap of faith into unknown waters. The prospect frightened her as much as the conviction that it was the only chance they had left.

  Her heart had broken once when she’d faced the consequences of her actions and the loss of a love she’d only just welcomed into her life. Yet she’d had her work, and that part of herself she’d never shared, to hang on to and help her through. If she tried again and something went wrong, there would only be pain.