Into Dust

Jack let out the breath he’d been holding. “Come on, I’ll see that you get someplace safe where you can call the police,” he said and held out his hand.

She hesitated before she took it. They moved through the dark shadows of the alley to the next street. The sky above them had turned a deep silver in the evening light. It was still hot, little air in the tight narrow street.

He realized that wherever Cassidy Hamilton had been headed, she hadn’t planned to return until much later—thus the sweater. He wanted to question her, but now wasn’t the time.

At the edge of the buildings, Jack peered down the street. He didn’t see the van or Ed’s green car. But he also didn’t think they had gone far. Wouldn’t they expect her to call the police? The area would soon be crawling with cop cars. So what would Ed do?

A few blocks from the deserted area where they’d met, they reached a more commercial section. The street was growing busier as people got off work. Restaurants began opening for the evening meal as boutiques and shops closed. Jack spotted a small bar with just enough patrons that he thought they could blend in.

“Let’s go in here,” he said. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a drink. You should be able to make a call from here. Once I know you’re safe...”

They took a table at the back away from the television over the bar. He removed his Stetson and put it on the seat next to him. When Cassidy wasn’t looking, he removed the .45 from the waistband of his jeans and slid it under the hat.

“What do you want to drink?” he asked as the waitress approached.

“White wine,” she said and plucked nervously at the torn corner of her blouse. Other than the torn blouse, she looked fine physically. But emotionally, he wasn’t sure how much of a toll this would take on her over the long haul. That was if Ed didn’t find her.

“I’ll have whiskey,” he said, waving the waitress off. He had no idea what he was going to do now. He told himself he just needed a jolt of alcohol. He’d been playing this by ear since seeing his father and Ed at the cemetery.

Now he debated what he was going to do with this woman given the little he knew. The last thing he wanted, though, was to get involved with the police. He was sure Ed and his men had seen him, probably recognized him. Once his father found out that it had been his son who’d saved the blonde...

The waitress put two drinks in front of them and left. He watched the blonde take a sip. She’d said her name was Cassidy Hamilton. She’d also said she didn’t know why anyone would want to abduct her off the street, but he suspected that wasn’t true.

“So is your old man rich or something?” he asked and took a gulp of the whiskey.

She took a sip of her wine as if stalling, her gaze lowered. He got his first really good look at her. She was a knockout. When she lifted her eyes finally, he thought he might drown in all that blue.

“I only ask because I’m trying to understand why those men were after you.” She could be a famous model or even an actress. He didn’t follow pop culture, hardly ever watched television and hadn’t been to the movies in ages. All he knew was, at the very least, she’d grown up with money. “If you’re famous or something, I apologize for not knowing.”

* * *

CASSIDY’S HAND SHOOK as she put down her drink. She could feel the buzz of the alcohol mixing with the adrenaline still flowing through her bloodstream.

Someone had tried to abduct her! She’d grown up knowing something like this occasionally happened to the children of wealthy people in the public eye. But she’d never really been concerned because she’d grown up in Montana on a large ranch. After she’d left home, she hadn’t made a habit of telling her friends who her father was—and not because she feared being abducted.

For years, she’d tried to distance herself from the notoriety that had always surrounded her family. She’d wanted her own life, which wasn’t easy when you were an identical twin. She’d never felt like anything was truly uniquely hers. Add to that her infamous family and Cassidy just wanted to be free of what she considered a stigma.

But someone had found her. Not just found her, but had tried to kidnap her. She shuddered at the thought of what those men had planned to do with her.

“Look, I understand if you don’t want to tell me,” the Texas cowboy said. “It’s none of my business. I’ll just finish my drink and get on my way.”

Cassidy looked at the man across the table from her and felt a rush entirely different from the alcohol or the adrenaline. This man had saved her. Gratitude alone would have made her feel close to him. But there was something about him... She’d grown up around good-looking cowboys. But this one was exceptional. His dark hair was long and thick. His blue eyes laced with thick dark lashes. Maybe it was the alcohol amplifying her vision, but Jack Durand was drop-dead gorgeous and she hadn’t even noticed until this moment. Wouldn’t her friends get a laugh out of that, she thought, forgetting for the moment what had brought them together. She finished her drink, her hand a little steadier.

“Whatever you decide to do, I would suggest you call the police,” he was saying. “You aren’t safe.”

His words brought back the horrible minutes when the large man grabbed her and tried to put that stinking wet cloth in her face. Glancing toward the window to the street, she shivered. “You think they’re still looking for me?”

“I’m afraid so.”

Her gaze swung back to him. The bar was cool and dark and she felt safe sitting here with this cowboy. While a stranger, he’d risked his life to save her. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come along. I haven’t even thanked you.”

“No need to thank me. After what you’ve been through... Whatever the reason, though, I don’t think they’re going to give up.”

“Thank you and please don’t leave yet.” She was just so relieved he was here with her. What if he hadn’t come along when he had? She looked around for the waitress. She was still trembling inside, but the alcohol was helping. She really could use another drink.

He signaled for the waitress and she was grateful when he ordered another round.

“It is strange, though, that someone would be that brazen as to try to grab you in broad daylight,” he said.

Cassidy looked away for a moment. “I can’t imagine why anyone would try to...” As she turned back and met his gaze, she saw his expression turn skeptical and knew that if she wasn’t honest with him, he was going to let her deal with this on her own. Not that she could blame him.

“It probably has more to do with my father,” she added quickly.

“Your father? Who’s your father?”

“Republican presidential candidate Buckmaster Hamilton.”

He blinked. Clearly, he hadn’t connected the last name. Hamilton was pretty common so she wasn’t surprised he hadn’t made the leap. He pursed his lips, letting out a low whistle before he picked up his drink and drained it.

“That definitely puts things in perspective,” he said after a moment.

This was why she didn’t tell people about her father.

“I would think you’d have secret service watching you,” he said.

She shook her head. “They only provide agents for the underage children of candidates after the primaries.”

He looked surprised. “Well, I’m sure once you call the police—” The waitress returned with their drinks and took away the empty glasses.

She fiddled with her torn blouse. “I can’t go to the police.”

Jack seemed both surprised and maybe relieved to hear that. She didn’t blame him for not wanting to get involved. After all, he’d hit that man who was trying to abduct her. He was a hero. But that came with police reports to fill out, followed by an investigation. Once the media got involved... She quaked at the thought.

“Why don’t you want to go to the police?”

She took a sip of her wine before she said, “Do you have any idea what it’s like being the daughter of first a senator and now a presidential candidate who, according to the polls, is headed for the White House?”

“Not a clue.”

“I’ve been in the spotlight for one reason or another from as far back as I can remember.” She could feel the alcohol coursing through her blood and felt stronger. She took another sip of her wine and continued. “The rule at our house was always ‘don’t cause trouble because a scandal will hurt your father’s career.’ Since I left home to go away to school, I’ve tried hard to live my own life. But even when I thought people didn’t know who I was, I was still in my father’s shadow. Buckmaster Hamilton casts a very large shadow.”

“This friend you were staying with...”

“More like an acquaintance. But she didn’t know who my father was. Or at least I didn’t think she did.” Cassidy frowned. “Her boyfriend, though... I think he may have known. That’s the other thing about being...famous by extension. People are nice to you for the wrong reasons. It’s hard to have true friends.”

“Where were you headed earlier?” he asked, suddenly intent.

“To meet her and her...boyfriend.” Cassidy felt her eyes widen as her heart dropped. “I was set up, wasn’t I?”