Rancher Rescue by Barb Han

she’d competed in the academic fair filled her. She’d worked hard all year and qualified with the best score her school had ever received. She’d sacrificed dates and socials to stay home and work quiz after quiz. On stage, her pulse had raced and she’d felt tiny beads of sweat trickling down her neck. She remembered thinking that if she could just see someone familiar, she’d be okay.
    The curtain had opened and she’d scanned the crowd.
    No one.
    Disappointment and fear had gripped her. Panic had made the air thin. She’d struggled to breathe.
    By the third round, she’d choked and given the wrong answer.
    When she’d arrived home that evening, her parents had told her how sorry they were. They’d come home from work, opened a bottle of wine, turned on the TV and forgotten. Again.
    Katherine had worked to suppress the memory from then on. She’d learned another important lesson that day. If she was going to get anywhere in life, she had only herself to depend on.
    Her heart squeezed when she heard quick footsteps hustling toward her. She held her breath until Caleb’s face came into view. He slipped into the driver’s seat and handed over Max, his white coat splattered with red dots. He was whimpering and shaking. “Is he hurt?”
    “No.” Caleb turned the key in the ignition and pressed the gas. “Just scared.”
    Was Max covered in his owner’s blood?
    Katherine looked to Caleb. He dropped his right hand to his side. It was covered in blood.
    “You’re shot?”
    * * *
    “J UST A FLESH wound. Bullet grazed my shoulder. I’ll be fine.” Caleb hoped what he said was true. Based on the amount of blood he was losing, he couldn’t be certain. He wouldn’t tell Katherine though. Didn’t need her to panic.
    She made a move to get up, and winced.
    “I’ll pull over in a minute and examine us both.”
    Caleb glanced through his rearview, checking traffic behind them. The usual mix of sport utilities, Ford F-150s and luxury sedans sped down the North Dallas tollway.
    His cell vibrated. He instructed Katherine to retrieve it from his pocket and put the call on speaker.
    Matt didn’t wait to speak. “My coverage has been spotty. I tried to reach you last night but couldn’t.”
    “Everyone all right?”
    “Us? We’re fine. I’m concerned as hell about you.”
    Caleb kept watch on the road. “So far, so good here.”
    “Has Katherine mentioned anything about being involved in corporate espionage?”
    “Of course not. I would’ve told you something like that. She has no idea what they’re looking for.”
    “I guess she wouldn’t tell you,” Matt said. “Especially if she’s involved from the get-go.”
    Caleb grunted but didn’t speak. He had no plans to repeat himself.
    “Well, ask her. The men who showed up yesterday claimed to be government officials. They asked questions about a brown-haired woman who had been seen in the area. Said she was involved in a little family business that stole and sold corporate secrets. They’d been tracking her for days before you helped her get away.”
    “They knew we were there?” Caleb asked. “And I don’t have to ask Katherine. You’re on speaker.”
    The line was quiet. “No. But I’m saying—”
    “I already know the answer.”
    “You can’t ignore the possibility she’s involved,” Matt quickly interjected.
    “She’s not.”
    “How do you know, dammit?”
    “I just do.”
    Matt let out a frustrated hiss and a string of cuss words Caleb heard plainly through the phone.
    “You just met her yesterday, and you’re willing to vouch for her already? What do you know about her? You haven’t met any of her people. She could’ve been hurt while running from the government for all we know.”
    “I told you once so I won’t repeat myself. What else did they say?”
    “One thing is sure. She shows up then suddenly we have official-looking men coming out of the woodwork. All we have to go on is her word. She claims there was a