REUNION
A Kat Derringer Adventure
By J.R. Francisco
Though it had been almost three months since his last visit to Joanna Kresser's house, Deputy Marlon Galindo vividly remembered the last time he had made this particular drive. It had been a cold November morning and a light drizzle fell as he pulled up to the house. He recalled taking several deep breaths and "rehearsing" what he was going to say to Jack Kresser's wife. Delivering the news that her husband had died in a car accident was going to be the easy part. The hard part was knowing what to say afterwards.
Galindo still felt a touch of sadness as he remembered telling Joanna Kresser that her husband was dead. He still recalled the color leaving her face as she heard the terrible news. She was in shock and he held her to keep her from collapsing. He recalled the woman sobbing on his shoulder, gripping him tight. Then her daughter had come running into the room, demanding to know what was going on. That had broken his heart and Galindo never took anyone he loved for granted ever again.
As he neared the house, which stood on the outskirts of Dorado City, Galindo focused his thoughts on the reason for coming here. If what Kylie had heard was correct, the four men at the café did not know Jack Kresser had been dead for three months. If they knew Kresser, how could they not know that? Something strange was definitely going on.
Joanna Kresser's house came into view up ahead. It was nestled between several graceful trees and shrubs. In keeping the promise to his wife about being careful, Galindo called dispatch and reported his whereabouts to Ruby, the day dispatcher. He pulled up along the curb and killed the engine.
****
Inside Joanna Kresser's house, Montoya entered the kitchen through the back door. He had just finished loading Jenny Kresser into the van, which was parked in the alley behind the house. Stiles waited in the van for Montoya to bring Brianna out.
As Montoya made his way along the narrow hallway leading to the bedroom where Brianna was still bound and gagged, there was a knock at the door. He froze and stared into the living room. He cursed under his breath and contemplated whether to continue with the original plan or leave the deputy in the bedroom and make his escape through the back.
The knocking continued.
Montoya stepped into the living room and peered through the partly parted drapes next to the door. He recoiled when he spotted the patrol car parked in front of the house. Stiles had been right. The cops were here looking for the missing deputy.
There was only one course action. He had to leave the deputy in the bedroom and get the hell out of here before more cops came. The only question was whether he would leave her alive or not? Actually, there wasn't time for doing away with the girl. If he shot her, the cop outside the house might hear the gunshot and come running.
Montoya retreated back into the corridor and darted past the bedroom where Brianna lay. He gave the trussed up deputy a final look of disappointment as he made his escape. He had planned on having some fun with the sexy deputy but that was now out the window. The story of his life. Still, he had the cute school girl to entertain himself with. She was a little young but that had never stopped him before.
****
After knocking and not getting an answer at the front door, Deputy Galindo stepped down from the porch and made his way along the side of the house. As he turned the corner he peered over a short picket fence that enclosed the backyard. That's when he spotted the man. He was dressed entirely in black and was walking briskly in the direction of a white van parked in the alley behind the house.
"Hey!" Galindo called out to the fleeing man. "Hold it!"
The man stopped and turned, making eye contact with Galindo. Kylie's description about the men looking "dangerous" immediately flashed in his mind. This character definitely looked the part. Galindo's eyes expanded when the man reached inside his duster.
The deputy reached for his own holstered gun. The man beat him to the punch and drew his weapon first. Galindo ducked below the picket fence as the man fired several wild shots at him, which sailed over his head. Galindo's heart hammered in his chest. His breathing was sharp and erratic. He knew the wooden fence would not offer much protection if the man adjusted his aim. He threw himself to the ground and braced himself, ready to return fire the first chance he got.
After the shooting stopped Galindo bounced to his feet and peered over the fence. He spotted the man leaping over the picket fence and making his way to the passenger side of the van. The deputy darted into the backyard but hit the ground when the man fired two more shots from the front seat of the van. He could only lay there as the van sped away.
He stood and caught a glimpse of the van as it raced down the alley. The fence obscured the license plate number, but he had gotten a good look at one of the men. Galindo put his gun away and raced back to his patrol car. He called dispatch and gave Ruby the hurried details of what had happened. He thought about giving chase but decided instead to check inside the house. Someone could be hurt and need assistance.
Surprisingly, the front door of the house was not locked. As soon as he entered the house, Galindo heard what sounded like muffled grunting coming from somewhere. The place was completely trashed and ransacked. Not a good sign so far. The deputy stalked his way along the living room, poised and ready for anything.
"Police!" He called out. "Anyone in here?"
Intense grunting and mewing greeted his call. It was coming from a narrow hallway. Galindo walked along the corridor cautiously. The muffled sounds originated from a bedroom. He plastered himself against the wall, gripped his gun with both hands, and stormed into the bedroom.
Galindo's gaze immediately went to the bed inside the room. His heart skipped a beat. There he found Brianna Lockwood, tightly bound and gagged. She was hogtied and laying on her stomach on the bed. Not only that but she was topless with her pants down around her ankles. She still sported her underwear but most of it had ridden between her taut backside. She struggled furiously and grunted through her gag when she saw Galindo.
"Brianna!" Galindo said, making his way toward the trussed up female deputy. "Don't move. I'll have you free in just a minute."
Galindo removed the pocket knife from his utility belt. He stood over the frustrated deputy and contemplated where to begin. Brianna did not appreciate his hesitation and growled inpatiently through her gag. Galindo quickly went to work on cutting her free. He released her from the hogtie and carefully cut the ropes around her arms. As he worked, he couldn't help being impressed by the rope work . . . and Brianna's backside and legs. The girl had the limbs and derriere of a dancer.
Brianna continued moaning and grunting through her gag, obviously attempting to tell him something. Galindo had never found himself in this particular situation and was ignorant to the proper procedure if untying someone. Perhaps he should remove the gag first? He stopped slicing through the ropes and concentrated on the knot of the strap behind Brianna's head.
"All right, hold still."
It took some effort and numb fingers but he finally undid the knot of the gag. He pulled the strip of cloth from between Brianna's lips and tossed it aside. A brightly colored cloth thoroughly filled her mouth. He pulled out the packing as Brianna pushed at it with her tongue. He averted his eyes with embarrassment when he realized the damp material he held was a pair of panties. He tossed them aside and assisted Brianna with the second pair that had been crammed into her mouth.
"Oh, thank God," Brianna gasped, more angry than embarrassed. "What happened? I thought I heard shooting outside."
"Are you all right?" Galindo asked.
Brianna nodded as she ran her tongue along her lips and took several quick breaths. "Four men ambushed me and kidnaped Joanna Kresser and her daughter!" She wiggled her wrists. "Bastards! Cut me loose."
****
Radford could only shake his head in disbelief. "You are one sick son of a bitch."
Long chuckled as he gazed at the vision before him. "Ah, come on. Are you saying you don't like what you see?"
Deputy Lindy Derringer had never felt so vulnerable and humiliated in her entire life. The twenty-three-year-old sheriff's deputy was draped over the opened door of her patrol car. More accurately, she had been bound and forced to bend over the door. After being relieved of her weapon, the young deputy's arms had been secured behind her back with her own handcuffs.
The man in black had then produced a roll of duct tape and several lengths of rope from the jeep. He used the tape to thoroughly gag Lindy by placing the tape over her mouth and wrapping it completely around her head several times.
After gagging Lindy, the man had then placed a noose around her neck. The deputy had squealed with alarm when the man pulled on the noose and led her to the patrol car. He then used two lengths of cord to bind Lindy's knees and ankles. Finally, (with a swat to her butt) he forced the deputy to bend over the open door of the patrol car so her shapely backside was facing outward. He then attached the loose end of the noose from Lindy's neck to the rope around her ankles. This ensured that Lindy would be unable to move from the position.
Of course the final and most humiliating aspect of Lindy's predicament came afterwards. The man in black stood directly behind Lindy, reached around her waist, and undid her uniform pants. Lindy had squirmed madly, mewed through her gag, and shaken hear head frantically as he pulled her pants down around her knees where her legs were bound.
Lindy's cheeks burned with humiliation and her head spun with outrage. She was bound, gagged, and bent over the patrol car door with her bunched up pants down around her knees. Even worse--if such a thing was possible--was the fact that she sported a hot pink G-string with cute little flowers engraved on the thin waistband just above her seemingly naked backside. And what a backside it was! Tight, round, and smooth.
"All right," the older man told his companion. "We're wasting time. Let's get going."
The man in black did not take his eyes off Lindy. "First, I have to punish this cop for being a naughty girl."
The older man frowned. "What are you talking about? Let's get the hell out of here."
The man in black ignored his friend and stepped toward Lindy. The deputy grunted and turned her head sideways in effort to see what was going on behind her. Her eyes widened and she squealed with shock when she felt the stinging pain on her left buttock.
The older man rolled his eyes as he watched his companion swat Lindy's backside. "Can you be any sicker?"
The man in black ignored his older friend and swatted Lindy's backside a second time. The young deputy cursed and shook her head, livid at being spanked. She wiggled and thrashed about but the rope around her neck, which was anchored to her ankle bonds, limited her movement. She could do little but wiggle her backside and utter muffled curses.
Back inside the jeep, Joanna Kresser rubbed her bound hands frantically behind her back. Much to her surprise, the cords securing her wrists were not all that tight and she managed to work some slack into them. She glanced out the window of the jeep. The two men were currently standing on the other side of the dirt road next to the patrol car of the female deputy who had the misfortune of pulling them over. Joanna heard what sounded like slapping followed by grunting. Whatever they were doing to the girl it was something unpleasant.
Joanna wiggled her arms like her life depended on it. Maybe it did. Even more important was the fact that these men still had her daughter. She finally felt one of her wrists slip free of the cords! She had done it! With her heart in her throat she glanced at the men across the road. They were still occupied with the female deputy. This was her chance.
Joanna reached for the nearest door and opened it slowly. Adrenaline pumped through her, urging her on. She glanced at the men. They still had not turned to check on her. It was now or never. She opened the door and stepped out of the jeep. She stayed low and then, without really thinking where she was going, bolted toward the bushes away from the jeep and the dirt road. She ran hard and fast, hands and legs pumping as she swerved around trees and smashed through low-laying branches. Though she made quite a racket as she ran her immediate goal was to escape and get help.
At the dirt road, Radford finally had enough and turned away from the sight of Long "punishing" the attractive female deputy. With the sound of Lindy's moaning still ringing in his ears, he knew something was wrong. The woman, Joanna Kresser, was gone! Either that or hiding inside the jeep.
"Hey!" he called out to Long, who was in the middle of delivering yet another swat to Lindy's abused backside.
The urgency in Radford's voice stopped Long from delivering the blow to the shapely and wiggling ass before him. He turned back to Radford and saw him racing toward the jeep. Long forgot about Lindy and followed Radford.
Radford opened the door and peered inside the jeep. "She's gone!" he called out, looking about the area.
Long peered inside the jeep and saw that Joanna Kresser had indeed escaped.
"Damn it!" Long cursed, scanning the area frantically. "How did she get loose?"
"Who cares," Radford shot back, "but it's all your fault."
Long glared at Radford. "How is this all my fault? If you had stayed in the jeep and watched her this wouldn't have happened."
"Shut up and let's go find her," Radford said. He gestured toward the bushes leading away from the jeep. "She went that way. I'll take the jeep and meet you at the main road."
"How do you know she went that way?"
Radford frowned and rolled his eyes. "If she had gone in our direction, we would have seen her! Use your head for once!"
"Hey, back off!" Long warned. "Take it easy when you talk to me."
Radford growled and made his way to the jeep.
"What about the cop?" Long asked.
"Screw the cop," Radford replied. "Let's just find the woman."
Long glared at Radford as he disappeared into the bushes. "Don't push me, Radford," he muttered under his breath. "Don't ever push me."
****
The front yard of Joanna Kresser's house was now full of activity. After dispatch informed Kat and Rachel what Deputy Galindo had found, they immediately made their way there also. Kat, Rachel, Brianna, and Galindo stood outside the house, attempting to piece together exactly what had happened. While each of the four had something to contribute regarding the mother-daughter kidnaping, the overall picture still eluded them. What did the four men want with a widow and her daughter?
Kat knew the answer had to do with Jack Kresser, who was no longer alive. "Maybe Kresser owed them money?" she ventured.
"And he died before they could collect?" Detective Rachel Graham added.
"At this point anything's possible," Galindo said.
"Let's do a background check on Kresser and see if we can find anything on any of other two men," Kat said, noting that Brianna seemed withdrawn from the conversation. She also noted the deputy's chaffed wrists where the ropes had been. That brought back unpleasant memories for Kat. "Whatever these men want has to do with Kresser. Mrs. Kresser and her daughter just happen to be caught in the middle."
"Like us," Brianna finally spoke up. She stared at Kat. "Like you and me?"
Kat knew what Brianna meant and shifted uncomfortably. "Are you sure you're all right, Brianna? Maybe you should take the rest of the day off. You've been through a lot."
The attractive deputy shook her head. She stiffened and stood up straight. "I'm all right, sheriff. I'm not about to let those bastards get the best of me."
"There's a connection we're obviously missing," Rachel said. "We probably won't know what this is about until we find Joanna Kresser." The detective turned to Brianna. "Are you sure you didn't hear or see anything else?"
Brianna shook her head. "They kept Jenny and me in a separate room." She glanced at Galindo and shared a knowing look with the male deputy. "Bound and gagged," she added.
On Brianna's request, Galindo had not revealed the more graphic details of Brianna's ordeal to either Kat or Detective Graham. There was really no point to that, other than to further humiliate Brianna. The female deputy blushed slightly and then looked away.
"All right," Kat said, taking control of the discussion. "Since kidnaping is a capital crime, I'll call the regional FBI office. In the meantime, Detective Graham will do the background check on Kresser. Deputy Galindo and Lockwood will watch for that van. I'm guessing that whatever business these men have probably requires them to remain in Dorado City."
At that moment, Kat's cell-phone rang. It was Ruby from dispatch and she had more bad news. "I can't contact Deputy Derringer, sheriff," the young woman said. "Last time she checked in was over an hour ago. She was responding to a trespassing complaint over by Apache Road at the Silver Horseshoe Ranch."
An immediate feeling of dread came over Kat. "I'm on my way there," she said. "Thanks, Ruby. Let me know if you hear from her."
"What's going on?" Rachel asked.
Kat tried to remain calm but her eyes said otherwise. "Lindy's missing."
****
After racing through the bushes and trees for what seemed like hours, Joanna Kresser finally came upon the interstate freeway lane leading to Dorado City. She stopped to listen for any signs that the men were gaining on her. She relaxed when she heard nothing but the steady wind . . . and her harsh breathing. It had been a while since she had physically exerted herself this much and she was near exhaustion.
Now she needed to flag down a passing car and go for help. There was no sign of anyone on the road. Dorado City was not exactly a favored destination for travelers. She looked about desperately, contemplating what to do next. Should she wait here or keep moving? She knew the men would be coming after her.
Against her better judgment she decided to duck back into the bushes and wait for a passing car. Someone had to come along soon. As she crouched by a large bush, Joanna cursed herself for living in a small town. What she wouldn't give for some big city traffic right now.
After a few minutes of tense waiting, Joanna spotted a black dot in the far distance. Her hopes soared when she realized that it was an incoming car. She waited another minute before the features of the car came into view.
She emerged from behind the bushes and darted onto the middle of the road, waving her arms frantically as she yelled for the car to stop. As the car came closer, it gradually slowed down until it was within twenty meters from the frantic woman. Joanna raced toward the car, screaming for help. She pulled desperately at the locked door of the car. The driver, a wide-eyed young man, stared in shock and awe at the seemingly crazy woman outside his car.
Joanna pulled the door open and literally dove into the car. "Please help me!"she yelled.
"What's going on?" the young man asked, gawking at Joanna.
****
Deputy Lindy Derringer grunted in frustration and squirmed against her bindings. She pulled and wiggled her handcuffed wrists in an effort to slip her hands free. To her utter frustration she quickly realized the cuffs were tight around her wrists and no amount of pulling or tugging would change that. Unlike rope, there was no way she could work some slack into the handcuffs.
That, and her still stinging bottom, infuriated the hapless deputy. She thrashed about violently, shimmering her shapely rear end rather sensually as she did so. The noose around her neck attached to her bound ankles kept her bent and anchored to the patrol car door.
The two men had left her alone after the woman in the jeep had escaped. Though she was relieved the men had departed, the attractive deputy was still very much in trouble. Adding to her frustration was the fact that her radio had come on several times. Ruby from dispatch had tried to contact her, wanting to know where Lindy was. At first the deputy had mumbled and grunted at the radio, as if she could somehow be heard. She soon came to her senses and settled down.
Now, almost thirty minutes later, here she was, waiting for someone to rescue her. Now Lindy could identify with her sister's own harrowing ordeal first hand. Being helpless and exposed was no fun at all. Not exactly what she had in mind when she decided to follow in her sister's footsteps and gone into law-enforcement.
She felt the cool breeze on her G-string clad backside and resumed struggling. The noose around her neck tightened and the handcuffs chaffed her wrists but she continued squirming and tugging. If nothing else it gave her something to do instead of just standing still. She moaned and groaned through the duct tape over her mouth, cursing not only her wretched luck but the two men who had done this to her.
****
Zack Millsap was unloading the feeding supplies from the back of the pick-up truck when he saw the black TrailBlazer approaching. The seventeen-year-old high school football star paused and watched the vehicle pull up into the gravel paved driveway.
An attractive brunet dressed in matching navy blue jacket and skirt stepped out of the Trailblazer and began walking toward him. Her heels crunched the gravel beneath her shapely legs. Zack stood at attention, awestruck by her perfect body. Under her tailored jack a shiny badge could be seen clipped to the waistband of her knee-length skirt.
He immediately recognized the woman. He still remembered her gorgeous face on television three months ago, asking people to elect her county sheriff. Katherine Derringer was her name, and she looked anything like a typical county sheriff. Not only was she young and a woman but also very hot . Had Zack been old enough, she definitely would have gotten his vote.
"Hi," she greeted him with a feminine though confident voice. "I'm Sheriff Katherine Derringer."
Though Zack had little--if any--trouble with girls, this encounter was different. He suddenly found himself in the presence of an elegant woman who probably did not use the word "like" in every other sentence. She reminded him of a catalog model in the "business wear" section, which he quickly skimmed over before getting to the underwear pages. As he stared at her, he wondered what type of underwear she sported under her clothes?
"Hi," the boy croaked, abashed by his thoughts. "What can I do for you today . . . sheriff?"
"What's your name?"
He smiled sheepishly. "Zack Millsap. My dad owns this ranch but he went out for his morning ride."
"Pleased to meet you, Zack," Kat said smoothly. "Did you happen to see a sheriff's deputy come by here about an hour ago? I believe someone called about a trespasser."
The boy's face lit up. "Yeah, I heard about that. I was in the shower when it happened but when I came out my dad told me about it. He said a pretty deputy . . ." He caught himself and stared at Kat before continuing. "She . . . the deputy . . . went to check it out. I guess she took care of it because she never came back."
"Do you know where she went?"
"Yeah, my dad told me where he spotted the trespasser." The boy pointed in the direction then shrugged. "Heck, I can take you there if you want. It's not that far."
"Are you sure?" Kat asked.
"It's no big deal. You wanna follow me?"
Kat shook her head. "We'll go in my Blazer."
Zack Millsap could hardly believe his fortune. He was going to ride along with this gorgeous and sophisticated woman who just happened to be the sheriff. This was almost better than scoring a touchdown for Dorado City High.
****
Though silent, Radford seethed as he looked out the window. They had been driving around these wretched dirt roads for more than twenty minutes, looking for Joanna Kresser. Thus far they had not found her, and it appeared that she had eluded their grasp.
Again, Radford wondered--for what seemed like the hundredth time--why he had chosen to work with two near morons, one of whom was driving Joanna Kresser's jeep at the moment. His perfect plan was now in shambles and he could feel the five million dollars slipping away with each passing minute.
Since they no longer had Joanna Kresser they could not proceed to Palm City to check out her claim about her husband having a safe there. In a careless oversight they had not asked her the address of the apartment--if such a place even existed.
His policy about no "rough stuff" could go to hell. To use a sports cliche, it was crunch time and the game plan was in turmoil. But the game was far from over. They still had Joanna Kresser's daughter and could still use the girl as leverage against the mother.
Damn it anyway! It wasn't supposed to turn out this way. After spending five years in jail for embezzlement it wasn't easy for a once up and coming mid-level executive like himself to find employment. Go figure. At forty-five he was too old to start over at the bottom so the only other option was the underworld. He had established more than a few contacts while serving his sentence and it was only a matter of finding the right opportunity. Some of those white collar criminals had plenty of connections that went beyond the corporate world.
He could hardly believe his luck when he was contacted by some guy named Jack Kresser. He claimed to have been referred by friend, who turned out to be Stiles, and said he had a "sweet offer" for him--if he was interested. Radford looked about his shabby single room apartment and jumped at the chance. He had a meeting with Kresser in which he explained his bold plan of knocking off the jewelry store where he worked. Apparently Kresser was pissed over not getting a promotion.
Radford then used his "jail connections" to find some muscle. Unfortunately, he selected Long and Montoya. He doubted either of those morons had even finished high school, but they were available and willing. Big mistake on his part. Radford glanced at Long as he drove in silence. He still planned on doing away with him and that other cretin, Montoya. But now he was going to shoot them himself.
****
Grey Millsap stopped his horse and took in the peaceful, rugged terrain before him. He took a deep breath and exhaled. Nothing equaled the fresh scent of grass and trees. He often wondered how people could stand living in congested cities with all that noise and foul smell. At times he thought he had been born a hundred years too late. He could envision himself living on the open rage, being one with nature. Taming the new frontier.
Instead he was an aging wannabe cowboy, getting by on growing livestock, which offered no real challenge whatsoever. He lived a humdrum life and would do so until he died. He could not recall the last time he had any excitement in his life. Recently, his only form of entertainment was watching his son play high school football on Friday nights.
Another touch of sadness came over him when he realized his son would not follow in his footsteps. Zack had bigger plans than feeding cattle and hogs. College scouts had sent a steady stream of mail, courting his son's athletic prowess on the football field. He had not pushed the boy into coming back to the ranch. Grey was a realist and knew everyone had a destiny in life.
He placed those thoughts aside and urged his horse on, determined to enjoy the rest of his ride. As he neared the dirt road that would take him back to the ranch he spotted a sheriff's patrol car between the low-laying tree branches. It was parked on the side of the road and appeared to be deserted. This was odd, he thought. What . . .
It was then that he heard what sounded like muffled moaning. As he emerged on the dirt road he came upon the most unbelievable sight in his life. From atop his horse he was able to see over the car and spotted a rather attractive young woman bent over the opened door of the patrol car! Even more alarming was the fact that she was bound, gagged with duct tape, and butt naked. Actually, she sported a pink pair of that racy underwear Grey had seen when he had visited a strip club two years ago during a friend's bachelor party.
The girl had not spotted him yet and was struggling madly. With his excitement growing, Grey crossed the street and approached the car. The girl must have heard the horse's steps because she suddenly lifted her head in Grey's direction. Her eyes were wild, desperate, and angry as she unleashed a fierce chorus of mewing and grunting.
Grey's heart skipped a beat when he recognized the girl as the female deputy who came to his house after he reported the trespassing violation to the sheriff's department. And now here she was, tied up and practically naked. Had the trespasser done this to her?
Before he could ponder further, the girl's agitated moaning urged him into action. He dismounted from his horse and approached the squirming girl, who had not stopped mewing since she had seen him. He noticed that her pants, service belt and all, were bunched around her bound knees. Her arms were secured behind her back with handcuffs and a tight noose was connected from her neck to her toes, keeping her anchored over the door of the patrol car.
"Settle down, deputy," Grey told the wiggling girl. "I'll have you free in just a minute."
He felt a surge of excitement as he gazed upon the perfect backside thrust in the air before him. In all his life, his late wife included, he had never seen such a perfect behind on a woman. It was round, tight, smooth, and a bit . . . reddish. As if it had been . . . spanked? Grey actually felt lightheaded at that thought. Surely that had not been the case? Or could it?
He stood directly behind the girl and removed the jackknife he carried clipped to his belt. Adhering to his instructions, the deputy stopped struggling. Her breathing was ragged and she muttered something behind her gag. With a shaky hand he sliced through the rope that connected the noose around her neck to her ankles.
The girl immediately stood upright, teetering on her bound legs. She turned toward Grey and grunted emphatically into her gag as she shook her head. Her eyes said it all: she wanted her gag removed. A quick examination of the duct tape wrapped around her head and over her mouth confirmed that removing the gag was going to be a tough task. Fortunately she sported a ponytail, which probably spared her some hair loss.
"Stay still," Grey told the agitated female deputy.
He held the top of her head and began peeling away the layers of duct tape as the girl cringed with discomfort. Grey could not believe this was actually happening. He was on the side of the road, untying a gorgeous sheriff's deputy who had her pants down around her knees. He smiled inwardly and took back his observation about nothing exciting happening in his life. He would definitely have a hot story to tell his poker-playing buddies.
****
Kat stopped the TrailBlazer near the area where Zack Millsap had told her Lindy had responded to the trespassing incident. Her heart dropped when she saw that there was no sign of her sister. She looked around the heavily-wooded terrain, wondering what to do next?
"She's not in any trouble, is she?" Zack asked, noting the concerned on Kat's face.
The boy also noted that Kat's knee-length skirt had gradually ridden up ever so slightly. Zack swallowed as he gazed at the sheriff's shapely legs.
Kat glanced at the boy sitting in the passenger seat next to her. He quickly shifted his gaze from her legs to her face. Kat realized what he was doing but remained indifferent to his admiration.
"It's probably just some radio trouble," she said. "It happens sometimes."
At that instant, Kat's radio came alive. Relief spread through her when she immediately recognized Lindy's voice. Though they were sisters, Lindy always used Kat's official title when contacting her over the radio. Kat picked up her radio.
"This is Sheriff Derringer," she said excitedly. "Lindy, where have you been?"
The tension in Lindy's voice was more than obvious. "I ran into the men who ambushed you in that convenience store," she replied. "They were driving a jeep and had a woman with them, but she escaped. At least I think she did. They . . . they jumped me and left me tied up on the side of the road."
Kat glanced at Zack. The boy perked when he heard that.
"What did this woman look like?" Kat asked.
"Blond. Late thirties maybe."
Joanna Kresser, Kat thought. "How long ago was this?"
"About an hour ago," Lindy replied. "You think they're still out here somewhere?"
"Maybe," Kat said. "Are you all right? They didn't hurt you, did they?"
A short pause followed before Lindy replied. "Not really."
Kat swallowed. She knew enough not to press for further details. At least not at the moment. "I'll call for backup. If you're feeling up to it, why don't you do a search around the area but be careful. Let me know if you find anything and wait for backup."
"I'll do that," Lindy said. "Over and out."
Kat turned to Zack. "This could get a little dangerous so I'll have to take you back to the ranch house."
"You don't have to do that," Zack replied. "I can walk back."
Kat shook her head. "I don't think that's safe. There could be two dangerous men around the area."
****
"I can't believe this shit!" Radford said as he stood outside the jeep.
The vehicle was now parked on the side of some godforsaken back road that was nothing more than two tire tracks. The right back tire of the jeep lay a few meters away. Long was rolling the spare tire from behind the jeep. Radford shook his head in frustration. What a hell of a time for a flat tire. Their string of bad luck seemed to be far from over.
"Instead of bitching why don't you give me a hand," Long said.
Radford frowned at Long's request. "Are you crazy? You know how much this jacket and shirt cost?"
Long glared at Radford. "Who gives a crap! I'm sick and tired of being your bellboy! Who do you think you are anyway?"
"Can the melodrama, Long," Radford said calmly. He sighed and looked about the rugged area. "I gotta go take a leak. Hurry up and change that tire. We gotta get back to town."
Long stared at Radford as he disappeared into the bushes. "You're pushing it, pal. You really are," he muttered.
****
After dropping off Zack Millsap at the ranch house, Kat kept in constant communication with Lindy as they searched the area for any sign of the jeep, the two men, or Joanna Kresser. Thus far their search had turned up nothing and Kat began to worry that they had recaptured Joanna and escaped.
As she pondered those thoughts, Kat spotted something shiny up ahead. She slowed down the TrailBlazer and saw the jeep Lindy had described. It was parked in the middle of the road and seemed to be deserted. Kat pulled over on the side of the dirt road and killed the engine. Her heart began pounding as she contemplated what to do. She picked up her radio and notified Lindy that she had located the jeep.
"Be careful," Lindy admonished. "Those men are armed and dangerous. I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Notify dispatch and tell them where we are," Kat told Lindy. "I'm gonna have a look."
Kat placed the radio down, reached under her tailored jacket, and pulled out her 9 millimeter. She stepped out onto the dirt road. At that instant Kat felt a pop behind her left thigh. She sighed when she realized that one of her back garters had come undone. She rolled her eyes and placed the gun on the seat of the TrailBlazer. Not now! she thought.
Kat looked about the area, noting that the shrubs and trees offered not only plenty of privacy but also plenty of hiding places for an ambush. Still, she couldn't walk around with a sagging stocking. She stood against the Blazer and lifted the back of her skirt. She groped around the back of her thigh for the garter strap. She quickly re-attached it to her stocking top and sighed with relief. Despite the mishap, Kat had no intention of ever wearing a pair of pantyhose. There was nothing more uncomfortable than a pair of pantyhose--sheer torture.
With that done, she contemplated waiting for Lindy to arrive before taking any action. She then recalled the conversation she had with that jerk reporter about how female law enforcement personnel were more vulnerable out in the field. That was enough to send Kat into action.
She walked along the dirt road toward the jeep, keeping her ears and eyes open for any sound or movement. She stumbled slightly when one of her heels sank into the soft ground. Wearing civilian clothes, while a symbol of status, was at times not very practical in her line of work.
Kat froze in her tracks and raised her gun when she heard faint rustling. A man emerged from the bushes and stepped onto the dirt road. "Freeze!"she shouted, taking aim at the stranger.
He spun toward Kat, obviously surprised at finding her there. He looked nothing like a typical criminal. He was balding and sported round frame glasses.
"Put your hands up!" Kat ordered, keeping an eye out for anyone else.
The man raised his hands and looked genuinely surprised. "What's going on? Who are you?" he asked.
"You first," Kat said.
The man gazed toward the jeep. "I got a flat and was changing the tire."
"In the bushes?"
The man shrugged. "Hey, nature called."
If course Kat knew he was lying. Lindy had given her the description of the two men. So where was the other . . .
Kat did not get a chance to finish that thought. She heard a loud crash. From the corner of her eye she spotted a dark blur racing toward her. A man dressed in black slammed into her mid-section, knocking her off her feet. Kat uttered a grunt as she hit the ground. The impact was so sudden and severe that it not only stunned her but sent her gun flying from her hand. Her assailant recovered quickly and pounced on her. He rolled Kat over onto her stomach, straddled her lower back, and gathered her arms behind her back.
He laughed with gusto at his triumph. "Well, if it isn't the big bad sheriff lady."
Kat's heart dropped when she recognized the laughter. It was the same man who had "touched" her at the convenience store. Not knowing what else to do, she let out a panic-filled scream.