Honor Bound

Once he had ridden back and put his horse and saddle away, Sawyer headed for his cabin behind the hotel. He was deciding how to proceed when a female voice called, “Sawyer?”

He turned and swore under his breath as he recognized the last woman he’d rescued. Katherine “Kitzie” McCormick. She walked toward him, squinting in the sun as if she couldn’t believe her eyes. He couldn’t either. What was she doing here? His mind raced for an explanation as to his presence here, realizing he was going to have to tell her the truth, even though it could get him into trouble with his real job if his boss found out.

“Sawyer, what are you doing here?” she demanded in a whisper when she reached him. “I thought you were on medical leave? Tell me they didn’t send you as my backup.” Anger brought her words out in a spurt like machine gun fire. “If you think you are going to come in here like you have always done and save the day—”

“I’m not here...officially.”

That stopped her cold. She took a step back, studying him openly. “What does that mean?”

It was clear that she thought their boss had sent him to check up on her—or save her again if the need arose. “I’m not on the clock officially or unofficially. It’s...personal.”

He caught the twinkle in her eye, the half grin, and cursed his bad luck along with his poor choice of words. Now she thought he was here because of her. He definitely was going to have to tell her the truth. “Is there somewhere we could talk?”

She smiled. “How about my cabin? Oh, hold on a minute,” she said as an old pickup rattled past. “That’s my delivery guy. I forgot he was coming today. I’ll be right back.”

Sawyer watched her take off at a run to intercept the driver of the truck. He couldn’t believe his bad luck at finding Kitzie here, he thought as she stood talking to the driver, a guy wearing his baseball cap on backward.

“You’re working here?” he asked when she joined him again.

Kitzie didn’t answer as she led the way to a cabin on the other side of the wide expanse behind the hotel. As she pulled out the key for cabin No. 3, he worried. Given their history, he knew this could get ugly if he wasn’t careful. She seemed to have it in her head that this was about the two of them. She wouldn’t be happy when she learned the truth. But he couldn’t see what choice he had. He certainly couldn’t let her go on thinking what she was right now.

But what was she doing here? She pushed open the cabin door, and he followed her inside the small, cramped space. Glancing around, he took in the dated knotty pine interior. It was only large enough for a couch, fold-down kitchen table and one folding chair, a tiny kitchen with an old fridge, a miniature bathroom with a toilet and shower, and a bedroom with a bed that had seen better days. All the essentials of home, he thought, realizing his would be exactly like this.

Kitzie moved to the refrigerator, opened it and took out two beers. Without asking him, she handed him one, opened one for herself and curled up at the end of the couch.

He took the folding kitchen chair and pulled it up, rather than joining her on the small couch. She didn’t miss the gesture. A frown crossed her face before she checked it and took a sip of her beer.

“So, what are you doing here?” she asked.

“I’m doing a friend a favor.” That didn’t seem to relieve her curiosity. “So you’re working here?”

“I’m undercover in charge of feeding everyone.”

“You cook?” That would be more surprising than hearing she was undercover.

She rolled her eyes. “I oversee the kitchen. I grocery shop mostly and get two teens from town to do the real cooking.”

“So you’re...undercover?” he repeated, wondering if she was on the same case he was. Maybe Ainsley’s father had made an official request for surveillance on his daughter.

“You first,” Kitzie said. “If you aren’t here...officially, then tell me about this...favor.”

“I thought we might be here for the same reason. One of the other employees here has a stalker.”

Her brow shot up, and he knew that wasn’t her assignment. “A stalker? What employee?”

“Ainsley Hamilton.”

“Ainsley?” She laughed and took a big gulp of her beer. The rich honey-brown eyes he’d once found beautiful had turned dark with instant jealousy at even the mention of another woman. Even one involved in a case. Anger pinched her features. She shook her head with both disappointment and fury. “And I thought you might be here because of me.”

“I’m sorry you thought that. I think it was pretty clear when we broke up that things were over between us.”

“Did you?” She wiped a hand across her mouth. “So you’re going to save prim and proper Miss Ainsley. That is what you do, isn’t it? Save them and leave them.”

He ignored that, wondering why she had referred to Ainsley as prim and proper. “She doesn’t know who I am. Or, as you said, what I really do. So I’d appreciate it if this stayed just between us. I’m still on medical leave.”

“I noticed you were limping. Another heroic rescue on your part?”

He didn’t answer that. “I’d appreciate it if Ainsley continues to think I’m nothing more than an extra.” He waited for her to agree.

Kitzie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “So someone is really stalking her?”

“Apparently. Have you noticed anyone on the commercial paying extra attention to her?”

The laugh had barbs in it. “Are you kidding? Every man here has paid her extra attention—not that it’s gotten them anywhere. She’s not...sociable.”

He hated how quickly jealousy had reared its ugly head. He was sure Kitzie had been jealous of Ainsley before this, but now it would be worse. “I’m not interested in her, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’ve never even laid eyes on her before today.”

Her smile was snide. “I’m sure you found her...refreshingly charming.”

He took a sip of his beer and glanced around the cabin. This was one of the reasons their “relationship” hadn’t lasted long. “So, how many people are up here on a daily basis since the commercial began?” he asked, changing the subject.

“It’s a small video production crew, bare bones and, no doubt, low budget. They’re still in preproduction right now and haven’t starting shooting much yet. I can give you a list of the players. Ainsley is still scouting locations. Gun is hard to please.”

“Gun?”

“Devon Gunderson, the producer-director. The rest of his crew he brought up from California with him. He’s only been in town a few weeks.”

If Ainsley’s stalker had been following her for months, then it couldn’t be any of the main crew or Gunderson, Sawyer thought. “I understand some locals have been hired?”

“You mean other than the teenagers I got to cook?” She nodded. “There’s Ted Carter, the wrangler, and Lance Roderick, security.”

“I’ve met Ted. I passed Roderick on the way in. That’s it?”

She nodded. “A few people come and go. As for security, you don’t really need more than someone to keep everyone out of the carnival equipment.”

He glanced toward the window. “I saw the Ferris wheel all the way from the bottom of the mountain,” he said as he watched the deliveryman wander over to talk to some older man working on the Tilt-A-Whirl. “I would imagine it attracts attention. Is it for the commercial?”

Kitzie nodded. “Gun wanted a carnival, so he hired some guy by the name of Ken Hale to haul it up here and get it going. From what I’ve heard, it’s the final shot of the commercial. It will be up and running in the next couple of days. But I doubt you’ll be here that long, once you save Ainsley from her...stalker.”

He could tell that she didn’t believe Ainsley was being stalked. What did she think—that the young woman had made it up to get attention? Probably. It was something Kitzie might have done herself. But she hadn’t seen how afraid Ainsley had been earlier.

Kitzie was letting her unreasonable jealousy get the better of her judgment. He felt a deep sense of regret at the way things had turned out between them as he put down his half-empty beer on the table and rose. “I’d ask about your undercover assignment—”

“It has nothing to do with Ainsley Hamilton or her stalker. Nor am I about to let you in on it. We both know how...involved you get in a case. I don’t want you in mine.”

He nodded. “I cared about you, Katherine. I still do.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “Just not enough, though.”