Skylar Morgan, the Denver police detective at the wheel of the unmarked car, smiled over at her. “Good morning. Sleep well?”

  Jamie yawned and stretched. “Unfortunately.” Looking out the window at the passing terrain, she asked, “What did I miss?”

  Skylar chuckled. “All of Colorado north of Denver and half of Wyoming. We’re almost to the Double S.”

  “Okay.” Jamie yawned again. “How did you manage to draw this duty? Is somebody mad at you?”

  Another light laugh. “Naw. You scare all the guys.” She eyed Jamie’s baby bump. “When are you due?”

  “Not soon enough,” Jamie quipped. “I’m more than ready to sleep on my stomach again and put this baby to bed in a crib.”

  “I get that. Boy or girl?”

  “Girl.”

  “Have you chosen a name?”

  “No.” Jamie shook her head. “This pregnancy was not planned, and I’m still having trouble wrapping my mind around reality.”

  “What does your husband say?”

  Jamie gritted her teeth and took a settling breath before answering. “Greg is my ex-husband. I’d just as soon he didn’t even know I’m expecting.”

  “Doesn’t he have a father’s right to know? I mean, won’t he be angry if he finds out another way?”

  “Greg is always angry about something,” Jamie said. Her nostrils flared. “The night I told him I was pursuing divorce he spent hours convincing me I should reconsider. Then, after I gave in to him and actually thought he was going to try to change, he laughed at me like it was a big joke. That really hurt.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “I was, too, at first,” Jamie said. “But then I realized that the best thing for me and my baby was getting Greg out of our lives for good. I trusted him and he betrayed me—in more ways than one.”

  “Was he behind the shooting in the FBI garage today? I got the impression it had to do with your witnessing a murder.”

  “I’m sure it was either that or random,” Jamie agreed. “I haven’t heard a peep out of Greg since he signed the divorce papers so I imagine he’s moved on to one of his girlfriends and forgotten about me.”

  “From your lips to God’s ears,” Skylar said, her words being drowned out by the announcement of the GPS. “Destination on your right, three hundred feet.”

  Jamie leaned forward slightly and peered into the distance. All she could see was an archway and gray scrub dotting the uneven terrain.

  “Where’s the ranch?”

  “Right here,” the detective said as she slowed and wheeled through the open metal gate. “I haven’t been out here before, but Sergeant Wilkes described the place. It’s apparently huge.”

  “I guess it must be. Where’s the house, Montana?”

  “Nearly.” Skylar had been smiling. Now, she sobered. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay way out here in the middle of nowhere? What if you go into labor?”

  “I have at least six more weeks,” Jamie explained.

  “Okay. Have it your way.”

  “If I had it my way I’d be back in my apartment in Denver, editing the last wildlife photos I took and submitting them for publication.” She bent with difficulty to reach into a bag at her feet and withdraw an expensive camera.

  “Wow. Looks like you can do just about anything with that. Will it fly?”

  “Nope. Doesn’t wash windows, either, but it does do a lot of great stuff.” As the car slowed in front of a rambling log home, she rolled down her window and pointed the top-of-the-line camera at individuals standing on the covered porch.

  Focusing, Jamie was able to see more clearly than she could with the naked eye and the sight stole her breath. The brim of a black Stetson shaded a man’s eyes and the dark shadow of a fledgling beard made his cheeks and chin stand out against the light plaid of his Western shirt. A rodeo belt buckle accented his trim waist above well-fitting but worn jeans. Western leather boots with slightly turned-up toes supported a strong, athletic figure.

  Her finger clicked the shutter automatically in a series of shots that changed with every foot the car traveled.

  “I don’t think he’ll like having his picture taken,” Skylar warned. “Most officers prefer to stay out of the media.”

  “I wasn’t going to...” Jamie stopped mid-sentence. “That’s him? That’s the cop I’ll be staying with?”

  “Uh-huh. In the flesh.”

  It was all Jamie could do to mute her spontaneous, Wow! That is one seriously good-looking guy.

  “Want some good advice?” Skylar asked.

  Jamie could tell by the seriousness of the tone that advice was forthcoming, wanted or not, so she said, “Sure.”

  “That cowboy might look laid-back but he’s a great cop. He can be what stands between you and survival. I suggest you don’t distract him or let yourself get distracted, either.” Skylar paused, then added, “I mean it. Don’t go getting anybody killed, especially not my friend, Ben Sawyer.”

  Jamie had no reply. No rebuttal. The way things had been going awry in her life lately she totally agreed.

  TWO

  Ben recognized Skylar Morgan from the Denver PD, but the young woman seated beside her looked very different than the picture he’d been sent along with the file on the late congresswoman. That witness had been a redhead with pale skin and large green eyes. This woman was a dark brunette and had masked her eyes with oversize sunglasses.

  As soon as the car stopped, Ben put Shadow on a stay with a simple hand signal, left the porch and approached. The car’s passenger was fitting an expensive-looking camera into a leather case. He opened her door and stepped back to give her room. “Welcome to the Double S.”

  She pushed the glasses up and into her hair like a headband, revealing the most gorgeous, glistening eyes he had ever seen. Long, pale lashes were wet, making him suspect she may have been recently weeping. That possibility touched him more deeply than he had anticipated, although it made sense for her to be upset, given the scare she’d had earlier.

  When she smiled and his heart missed a beat he chided himself. This is a job. Get a grip, Sawyer. He nodded. “Can I help you carry that?”

  Jamie swung both legs out and prepared to stand. “Thanks, but no. I’ll handle my camera.”

  As she stood and Ben realized her condition his chin dropped. Tyson had conveniently failed to mention that this witness was visibly expecting.

  Still smiling, she pushed off and stood. “You can help with the other stuff, though.”

  “Right.” It was all he could do to keep from reaching to support her when that was clearly not necessary. What was it about her being pregnant that was bringing out his protective instincts? he wondered. Was that why Tyson had chosen to send her out of state to keep her safe? Had he overreacted, too? It was a possibility, although if that was the case it would be the first incidence Ben had noted in all the time he’d known the man. And that included their mutual stint as army rangers.

  He met Skylar at the rear of the SUV and greeted her as he would have a friend. “Good trip?”

  “Fine. No problems. I kept watch to make sure we weren’t being tailed.” Her head canted toward the front of the vehicle where Jamie was waiting. “She’s a quiet one. Kept dozing off. I can understand that, I guess, considering the morning she had back home.”

  “Where’s her husband?”

  “Ex. Don’t ask. He’s so far out of the picture he doesn’t count.”

  “Okay, if you say so.”

  “It’s not me—it’s her. She says the guy doesn’t even know about the baby.”

  Ben shrugged it off. “Okay, so what has the FBI decided about the attack at the parking garage?”

  “Not much other than the caliber of rifle and type of ammo. It was a typical cartridge. Nothing unusual. You can buy a box just about anywhere for hunting deer or elk.”

  “Sounds like overkill to me,” Ben remarked. They turned together to rejoin Jamie, so he changed the subject. “I take it nobody expects me to play midwife. I may be used to delivering livestock but my medic training in the army didn’t prepare me for this particular situation.”

  Jamie laughed lightly. “Believe me, sir, I have no intention of having this baby in Wyoming.”

  “Call me Ben,” he said with a grin.

  “Just don’t call you doctor?” she quipped.

  “You’ve got that right. Come on. I’ll show you to your room and get you settled.” Skylar had hesitated, so he looked back at her. “Aren’t you coming with us?”

  “Not if Ms. London is okay. I have to get back to work. Denver needs me.”

  “Not even time for a cup of coffee?”

  “Thanks, but it’s already getting late. I’ll stop along the way.”

  “Suit yourself.” He was not about to put his thoughts into words, particularly not in front of his houseguest, but he’d much rather another female was present at all times. Normally, the ranch didn’t employ a live-in cook or housekeeper except during the fall roundup. He hoped Mrs. E would agree to stay over, at least for the duration of this assignment.

  As Skylar drove away, Jamie lifted a hand and waved, then spoke to Ben. “I want to thank you, too, for taking me in on such short notice and offering to guard me.”

  Ben gestured at the porch by lifting the suitcase he carried. “I won’t be the one guarding you. He will.”

  His guest stopped so abruptly he had to sidestep to keep from running into her. “Oh no. Not a dog. I don’t do dogs.”

  “What?”

  “Dogs. I don’t like them, and they feel the same about me.”

  “That’s ridiculous. Why did you agree to come here if you didn’t want to be around a dog? I’m a K-9 officer. Shadow’s my partner. We do everything together.”

  “Nobody said a word about that.”

  Eyeing the patrol car disappearing in a cloud of dust, Ben considered calling it back, then decided against it for the simple reason that he knew his ranch was the very safest place for this witness. Period. She’d just have to get over her fears.

  “Then we’re even. Nobody told me you were about to have a baby, either.”

  Pausing and facing Jamie, he noticed that she had lowered the sunglasses to mask her eyes, suspected there might be new tears behind the action and felt slightly guilty. “I’m sorry if I sounded harsh. I can keep Shadow away from you if that’s what you want. But I don’t want you treating him as if there’s something wrong with him, is that clear?”

  She stared up at him without comment.

  “I mean it. I trust that dog with my life. Literally. He is more loyal than any human and a better judge of character than most, including you. Or me. He lives here with Dad and me. He will have the run of the house but I’ll tell him to avoid the loft where I’m putting you. You’re more than welcome to come downstairs if you like or shut yourself in your room all the time if that makes you feel better and have your meals sent up. Satisfactory?”

  Ben was studying her and thought he could tell when she capitulated. She swallowed hard and licked her lips. “Okay. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to go to my room now.”

  “Fine. Ignore Shadow, and he’ll ignore you. Follow me.”

  Without waiting to see if she was behind him, Ben mounted the stairs and gave his obedient K-9 the hand signal to stay as they passed. He could see disappointment in the dog’s expression yet knew Shadow would wait there until he gave a release command.

  Increasing wind heralded a change in the weather. He glanced at the cloudy sky. As soon as he got this irrational woman settled, he was going to give Shadow an extra treat for lying out there, exposed to an increasingly cold wind, and being so patient.

  Parallels between an impending storm and his own mood didn’t escape Ben. It was his sworn duty to protect needy citizens, but that didn’t mean he had to enjoy it. It was enough to merely carry out orders. Besides, the last thing he wanted to do was find pleasure in having this problematic woman occupying his private space. He’d never wanted to meld his ranch life with that of his job. The estrangement between his half brother, Christopher, and their father, Drew, had already blurred that line and brought plenty of complications, particularly since he’d stuck his neck out to help Chris land a spot on the same K-9 team in hopes of making amends.

  Ben was just thankful his mother, Barbara, hadn’t lived long enough to learn about Drew’s life-changing mistakes when his illegitimate son’s birth had finally come to light. As Barbara and Drew’s son, it was hard enough for Ben to wrap his mind around the fact that he actually had an older brother, not to mention one whose attitude shouted their differences like an echo over a vast, bottomless canyon of misunderstanding.

  * * *

  Jamie watched silently as her host placed her suitcase and carry-on atop the bed in the small room. He backed away, seeming almost as uneasy as she was feeling.

  “Is there anything else I can get for you?” Ben asked.

  “I don’t think so. Thanks,” she said in the hopes he’d leave her alone before she lost the tenuous control she had over her roiling emotions. Pregnancy did that to women, her ob-gyn had warned, although until very recently Jamie hadn’t noticed her moods fluctuating so often.

  The handsome cowboy assumed a casual stance, his thumbs hooked in the pockets of his jeans. “Okay. The bath is that way.” He gestured with a tilt of his head. “This room and the one through there have been my office, so they’re pretty well provisioned. There’s a small fridge with juice and bottled water. Check the cabinets for snacks like jerky.” A lopsided smile quirked for an instant, then vanished, disappointing her.

  “Sorry. I suppose jerky is out,” Ben said. “I’ll see that our cook, Mrs. E, gets you some fruit and yogurt and stuff like that.”

  “Thank you. That would be nice,” she managed. All the while he’d been speaking she had been trying to not sniffle. “How about WiFi? Do you have it?”

  “Yes.” This time he did smile. “We may be isolated out here, but we have all the comforts of the big city.”

  “And none of the drawbacks?”

  “Right. Our WiFi isn’t password protected, so your devices should have no trouble locating the signal and accessing it. If you get stuck, just holler.”

  “Will you be staying in the house all the time?”

  “No. We have hired hands, but I like to keep busy. My dad, Drew, will probably be inside. He’s not well.”

  Jamie’s hands instinctively strayed to her stomach in a protective gesture. “He’s not contagious, is he?”

  “Of course not.” Ben was scowling now.

  “I’m sorry. I’m just feeling really...” Her voice broke.

  “What?”

  Did she detect a tinge of sympathy in his tone? She hoped not because that was the last thing she wanted. Still, he did deserve an honest answer. She cleared her throat. “I guess the word is lost. These last couple of months have been really tough and after what happened in Denver this morning, I keep imagining a bull’s-eye painted on my back.”

  Ben was nodding and sidling toward the door. “I get it. I do. I’ll leave you to get settled. Supper is late here because we work until dark or longer. There’s a clock on the wall above my desk. One of us will check on you around seven and see if you want a meal brought up to you. I already arranged enough for a hungry guest.”

  “Thanks. Again. I’ll try to not cause anyone extra work.”

  “You will need to tell me when and if you’re planning to come downstairs.” He’d reached the door and was holding the edge in one hand, preparing to close it behind him. “I’ll want warning so Shadow is under full control.”

  She swallowed hard. Blinked away moisture. Sniffled. “Isn’t he always?”

  Smiling again, Ben huffed. “Like I said, he lives here. It would be cruel to insist he listen to my commands all the time. Even a dog needs R & R. You should understand that since you’re here for basically the same thing.”

  Jamie shook her head slowly, pensively, and said, “No. I’m here in the hopes you can keep me alive to testify against a murderer and put him away for the rest of his miserable life.”

  “Protecting you and your baby, you mean.”

  “Especially my baby.” She sniffled, whisked away a stray tear and added, “She’s all I’ve got in the whole world.”

  The eyes of the formerly stoic man seemed to soften ever so slightly as he gazed at her. He stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind him as he said, “Wrong. You’ve got me and Shadow, too.”

  * * *

  Eating a heavy meal right before bed had never been Jamie’s habit and although she had been hungry when the cowboy-cop had delivered a bowl of chicken and dumplings accompanied by a glass of iced tea and homemade cookies, she hadn’t finished her portion. Instead, she’d tucked the half-eaten bowl of chicken and thick gravy into the small office fridge and checked her email via the iPad she’d brought. A brief glance at national news had depressed her, so she’d given up and gone to bed. The sun had dropped behind a mountain range by six, she’d eaten after seven and was dozing by eight.

  Part of the problem with going to bed so soon after eating was the indigestion the baby caused. There just wasn’t as much room in Jamie’s abdomen. Consequently, her meal kept talking back to her. By propping herself up on several bed pillows she did finally manage to go to sleep but was haunted by nightmares. One particularly vivid dream about her abusive ex made her fidget and roll to one side. That was enough to stir up her late supper and awaken her to the booming and cracking of a passing thunderstorm.

  Laying a hand on her rounded baby bump she sat up in bed. Yuck. The inside of her mouth tasted terrible and she’d learned from experience that unless she settled her stomach with a cup of soothing herbal tea she might spend an entire night of indigestion misery.