Page 13 of Murder at Rescue Ridge

“Do you honestly think those pictures are a real representation of your friends?”

“That’s not the purpose,” she said. “They tell me when someone is in town or in the same city as I am. Social media has its uses.”

“I’ll have to trust you on that,” he said. “It’s not my cup of tea, and I doubt it ever will be.”

“To each his own, I guess,” she said, shrugging.

“Does that make me an oddball?” he asked.

She didn’t immediately answer. “Not really. It just makes you different.”

His ego wanted her to add,in a good way.She didn’t.

“You must miss your phone already,” he realized.

“I feel like I lost an appendage,” she said with a laugh.

“We don’t have cell coverage everywhere on our land, so I’m used to it not working a lot of the time,” he said. “It’s helped make me less dependent on them, so I don’t mind. Besides, I like being off the grid.”

“That’s probably not a bad thing, even though I’m anxious as hell without mine.”

They had bigger problems than no phones. Every law enforcement officer in the state of Texas would have received a Be On The Lookout, BOLO, regarding him by now. Would they consider Nikki an accomplice or a hostage?

Conrad bit back a curse because he knew what he had to do if his back was against the wall, and he didn’t like it.

5

The turn of events had Nikki’s head spinning. A part of her brain still denied Harrison Guidry was gone, and all her fantasies of healing their fractured relationship were now out of reach. Shaking off those heavy thoughts, she asked, “Where to next?”

Her stomach growled.

“How hungry are you?” Conrad asked.

“I always keep a power bar in my purse.” She reached in and pulled out the Kind bar. After opening it, she broke it in half and handed a piece over.

“Go ahead,” he said, shaking his head and refusing to take the offering. “I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” She didn’t like eating the whole bar when he had to be starving, too. Half might not be much for someone his size, but it was better than nothing.

“I’m good,” he said. “Had a big lunch.”

Nikki was almost certain that was a lie, but she didn’t call him out. Instead, she reached for his hand and placed half the bar on the flat of his palm. “Even so. I’ll feel a lot better if you have something in your stomach.”

He nodded before closing his hand. Heat wasn’t a problem as long as they made physical contact. The electrical current zapped her fingers the second they touched his calloused hand. Calloused from working outside, no doubt with the very ax he was accused of using to kill her father. It didn’t ring true. No one this kind would ruthlessly murder another human being. The only fight he’d been in on record was due to defending someone who hadn’t been able to stand up for herself. Were those the actions of a murderer or a hero? Nikki’s money would go on the latter.

After gulping down the snack, Nikki refocused on the next steps. They each had a little cash on hand. “How much money do you have?”

Conrad pulled out his wallet and started counting twenties while she reached for hers.

“I have two hundred and forty-seven dollars,” he said.

“You’re doing better than me.” She held out her small stash. “Fourteen dollars.”

“Every bit helps,” he said, “and it keeps us from needing to use a credit card, which we can’t risk.”

“On foot, we won’t get very far,” she reasoned. There had to be a better plan. “We can’t exactly circle back and take my car or any vehicle from the ranch.”

He shook his head. Her eyes had thankfully adjusted to the darkness, which made it easier to read his expression.

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