Guardian Ranger (Shadow Agents #2)(25)

It was as if someone had grabbed her and punched her in the face.

This? This was someone looking for something? No, this was a personal attack.

She must have made some kind of faint sound because Jasper’s gaze jumped to her face. In that stare, she saw a white-hot fury. It was a fury she felt, too.

My home. My safe place.

Someone had come in here and tried to destroy her world. To rip away her safety.

No, to cut away that safety. Because it sure looked as though someone had used a knife on her mattress and clothing.

A knife... The intruder had attacked all of the things that were personal to her. If she’d been there, what would the intruder have done?

Would he have attacked her?

Killed her?

She heard a faint creak. The same creak she’d made when she stepped on the loose stair. In an instant, Jasper was rushing past her and heading for the stairs. “Stop, you son of a—” Jasper yelled, but then his yell died away.

Veronica was right on his heels. She could see why he’d stopped his order. Because the man on the stairs had a gun, too. One that was trembling, but still aimed right up at Jasper.

And that man was Deputy Jimmy Jones.





Chapter Six

“Drop your weapon!” Jimmy ordered, his voice breaking.

Jasper swore. The last thing he wanted to do was lower his gun. “Tell me why you’re in the house.”

Jimmy blinked his eyes, eyes that looked watery, nervous. The kid’s gun began to lower. “The...front door was open. With...with all the stuff that’s been goin’ on around here, I was worried.” Then his gun flew back up, as if he’d just realized that he’d lowered his hand. “I told you, drop the weapon!”

Jasper lowered his weapon, but he also made sure that he closed the distance between him and Jimmy. If it came down to it, he could still take the deputy out, weapon or no weapon. Close-contact fighting was a specialty for him.

But as soon as Jasper lowered his weapon, Jimmy holstered his own gun. Jimmy’s gaze darted to Veronica’s face. “Is everything okay?”

“No.” Her voice wasn’t weak. It was angry. She gritted, “Someone’s been in the house. Cale’s room is trashed. So is mine.”

But Jasper wasn’t so sure it was just about trashing. Sometimes a smart thief could trash the place in order to hide the fact that he’d taken something.

Something very important.

And not even something that had been in Veronica’s or Jasper’s room. Maybe trashing those particular rooms drew attention away from the fact that he’d taken something small from the rest of the house.

Jasper’s gaze swept over the edge of the staircase.

What did you want?

“I’ll call the sheriff,” Jimmy said. “He sent me out here to check on you. He was worried, after what happened last night.” Jasper’s gaze returned to the deputy just in time to see Jimmy’s Adam’s apple bob. “Guess he was right to be worried.”

Yeah, he was.

“I need to finish searching the house,” Jasper said.

Jimmy’s eyes bulged. “I should do that. I should—”

“You keep an eye on Veronica. That’s the most important thing.”

Jimmy nodded at once. “Right.” His shoulders straightened as his hand went to the holster of his gun.

Hell, what was the kid? Barely twenty? So eager to follow every order. If the kid wasn’t careful, he’d get hurt.

Especially with that shaky trigger finger of his.

Jasper turned and headed back up the stairs. His fingers brushed over Veronica’s arm. She stiffened at his touch. “I’ll be right back,” he promised.

She gave a quick nod.

He searched the rest of the rooms upstairs. Heard Jimmy’s voice, calling the sheriff. He opened more doors. Nothing looked disturbed in the other rooms, but then, that would be the point, wouldn’t it? To focus attention in one spot, while the real action happened someplace else.

What were you looking for?

And, more important, had the intruder found what he wanted?

He went back downstairs. Veronica and Jimmy were sitting on the couch. In short work, Jasper checked out the rest of the house. Clear. No more damage.

But what about the buildings close by? Could the intruder be there?

He headed for the front door.

Veronica jumped into his path. “Where are you going?”

He wouldn’t sugarcoat this. “It’s possible he’s still here. There are over a dozen places to hide just outside this door.” All of the old buildings. The small stable. “I need to make sure the area’s secure.”

“Should I...should I do that?” Jimmy asked. His shoulders weren’t quite so straight.

The kid looked as if he would faint if Jasper said yes. So, instead, Jasper growled, “No.”

Jimmy nodded quickly. “Right, I need to keep Veronica safe.”

Her lips compressed. Then she snapped, “If someone would just give me a gun, I’m pretty sure I could keep myself safe.”

Jimmy’s fingers eased toward his weapon.

Jasper focused on Veronica. “Try to think about what you and Cale have here that someone would want.”

She blinked.

“Something that a person would be willing to risk a hell of a lot to get.” Because he and Veronica could have come back at any time. The intruder would have needed to watch the house. Watch closely, to see when they left the property.