Badge and a Saddle

By Randi Alexander

When the missing person he’s been searching for strolls right into his house, Detective Rex Tarrow’s investigation takes a wild U-turn. Astronomer Mina Cooper’s unexpected reappearance plunges the two of them deep into intrigue and murder, triggering a dangerous game of hide-and-seek.

Thrust together into hiding, they discover a powerful connection and explore the surprising new emotions neither of them expected to experience. While Rex vigilantly guards their lives, Mina struggles with the secrets she has yet to disclose. Knowing that Rex will no longer trust her when he hears the truth, her foolish heart overrides her logical mind, convincing her to keep silent.

Through a violent encounter, Rex discovers no one can be trusted, not even the irresistible Dr. Mina. The information she withheld could have gotten them both killed, and Rex won’t listen to her reasons for lying. Can Mina convince him that she had no choice but to keep the truth from him, or is her deceit the death sentence to the loving relationship just starting to bloom between them?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Randi Alexander
• Release date: May 10, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310265167

Randi Alexander

Randi Alexander writes romance novels in a fun variety of genres, like western, paranormal, menage, BDSM, motorcycle club, and even sweet. When she’s not writing a story or dreaming about her next book, Randi is biking trails along remote rivers or snorkeling the Gulf of Mexico. Forever an adventurous spirit with a romantic imagination, Randi is family-oriented and married to the best guy in the world. Give in to the allure of passion as Randi’s emotional love stories sweep you off your feet and leave you breathless. You’re guaranteed a story that’ll give you a happily ever after.

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Badge and a Saddle

Heroes in the Saddle, Book 2

By

Randi Alexander

BADGE AND A SADDLE

Heroes in the Saddle Series, Book2

Original Printing 2016

Revised Version Copyright © 2021 Randi Alexander

*~*~*~*

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to place of purchase and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system-except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the web -without permission in writing from the author.

Chapter One

Rex Tarrow set his badge, gun, and keys on the night table next to his bed and sat down, still fully clothed, on the mattress behind him. Dropping his head to his hands, he fisted his fingers in his black hair, which had needed a cut for the last two weeks.

This missing persons case. It had consumed him, kept him awake nights, drew his attention away from his other duties during the day. Nothing about it made sense. Doctor Mina Cooper, an astronomer at the U of Texas, way down in Austin. Why would a woman like her—single, young, beautiful—go on a turkey hunt on a ranch outside of Fort Worth and then disappear? The woman was a friggin’ vegetarian.

The neighbor’s dog barked right outside his window. Three in the morning, and the damn thing was outside? This city living was not easy to get used to. He missed the wide-open spaces and lazy quiet of Wild Oak County. Here, his neighbor’s fence ran a foot away from the side of his house.

A beam of light flashed through the room. It had to be the guy next door. Was that raccoon after the garbage cans again?

Rex stood, even though every muscle, tendon, and bone in his body told him to lie down and get some sleep. Hell, what would one more night without rest matter? He trudged down the hall toward the back of the house as footsteps clomped up the porch steps.

It’s Jeb from next door. The man’s gruff voice nearly rattled the pane of glass out of the door, and his flashlight beam caught Rex in the face.

Shielding his eyes, he pulled open the door. What’s going on, Jeb?

The neighbor’s flashlight redirected to a woman’s face, partially shielded by blonde hair and…sunglasses? She held up her hands at her shoulders as if in surrender.

The lady here, she says you know her. Jeb shifted his shotgun away from its deadly aim at her back.

Tipping her head up, she stretched to her full height of nearly six feet, just a few inches shorter than Rex.

He snapped on the porch light as she removed her glasses.

Holy fu… Rex had to swallow. Twice.

Dr. Mina Cooper stood right in front of him, living, breathing, and lifting an eyebrow at him. Are you gonna keep a girl standing on the back porch all night?

Jeb looked around her, peering into Rex’s face. Ya know her or not?

Yeah, I know her. Rex reached out and wrapped his hand around her arm, feeling more bone than muscle through the long sleeve of her black sweatshirt. Come on in, sweetheart. You’re here to apologize, huh? The words just flowed out of him while his brain kept speculating over her presence at his house.

Jeb chuckled and walked away.

Rex guided her into the house, shut the door, and closed the curtains on the window. What the hell are you doing here?

She deflated like a popped balloon.

Rex put an arm around her and helped her onto the bench. I didn’t know what else to do. Tipping up her face, Mina blinked away the tears that made her sky-blue eyes glow in the low light. You have to help me.

He scratched the side of his head. Why me? Why not go to a police station?

Wrapping her arms around herself, she shook her head. I can’t trust that the Austin PD and your police department aren’t in this together.

"In what together?" Was he missing something in his exhaustion, or was she talking in circles?

She doubled over with a groan. Can I use your bathroom?

Uh, yeah. Are you alright? He took her thin arm in his hand and helped her up, walking her toward the bathroom door.

I get nauseous when I run too far. She grasped the doorframe and made her way to the toilet, pulling off the blonde wig to reveal short, choppy red hair.

Rex closed the door, giving her privacy. Yell if you need anything. No wonder they hadn’t spotted her, despite the APB out on her. Her photo showed long, deep-red hair.

He stepped back a few feet but still heard retching noises. She’d been running? How far was too far? She’d been missing from Austin for five days, from the turkey hunt for three. She couldn’t have been on foot since she’d come to Tarrant County. Could she?

The sound of water running in the sink snapped him into action. He grabbed his small notebook and pen and started writing his questions for her.

Mina opened the door and stepped out. Thanks. Sorry. She carried her wig and glasses in one hand.

Rex looked down at her jeans and running shoes. From her knees down, she was covered with dirt.

Hey, no problem. Drop by any time. He gestured toward the living room.

She gave a half-smile and tottered that way, flopping down onto the couch and dropping her head back. Can I just have ten minutes to sleep? Then I’ll answer all…your…que…. Her breathing went deep, and the wig and glasses fell to the floor.

Rex just stared. This was something completely new, unexpected. Of course, almost everything dealing with missing persons was new to him. He’d only been a detective for a few months. Working his way up from patrol cop to vice cop in three years, he’d aced his detective exam and had fast-tracked to Missing Persons. Homicide was his ultimate goal, but he’d take his time and earn that.

He shook his head and sat in his recliner. She didn’t care about his history, but somehow she knew he was a clean cop and was one of the team searching for her.

How the hell did you know that, Doctor? He whispered the words, then wrote a few more questions in his notebook, including, How did you find out where I live?

Should he contact his partner? Sontag had been in the unit for eight years and knew what he was doing, but she’d mentioned corrupt cops in Austin and DFW. How much did he trust his partner? The guy was lazy and unprofessional, but dirty? Not likely.

She cried out softly, and he got up, pulling the blanket off the back of his chair and covering her with it. Mina stood six feet tall, but her weight looked to be a barely healthy one-hundred-forty pounds. Pretty, though, with her pale skin, a few freckles on her cheeks and nose, and a decent set of round, maybe C-cup…

Shit. He turned away and walked into the kitchen. Creepy cop, staring at her like she was flirting with him in a bar instead of passed out on his couch. He opened the refrigerator. A box of pizza from three days ago, some lunch meat, but she was a vegetarian. In the cheese drawer, he pulled out a block of cheddar. It looked a little green on the edges.

He cut off the bad parts and sliced the rest of the cheese, set it on a plate with some crackers and an apple that had been lurking in the back corner of the refrigerator. Grabbing a bottle of water, he stepped quietly into the living room.

She hadn’t moved.

He put her snack on the table next to her and looked back toward the bathroom. Why hadn’t he thought of it earlier? He must have been in shock, and it felt like he still was. He grabbed a new toothbrush and travel-size toothpaste and put that next to her plate.

Rex went back to his notebook, filling up five pages before she coughed and made a smacking noise with her mouth, then jerked and looked around.

How long was I out?

"About ten minutes. You’re