Battle Prize Read Free

forthcoming. None of this was making any real sense, and not knowing what was happening behind the scenes was unexpectedly irritating. "Do you really live here in Albuquerque?" she finally demanded.
    "I'm in the phone book," he told her politely. "Take a look." His glance warmed with a gleam of humor. "I'm even in the Yellow Pages. Under 'Security Systems Consultants.'"
    "Security!" Rani straightened away from the counter and hurried behind it, searching for the phone book. "What in the world is Aaron doing sending someone like you after me?" She had the book open and was flipping madly through the Yellow Pages. There it was. A small, discreet ad listing Gage Fletcher as a consultant in the field of security, specializing in business security analysis and planning. "My God!" Rani breathed, suddenly a little stricken. "Aaron's not accusing me of theft or anything, is he? If so, I swear I'll get a lawyer and I'll sue!"
    "He's not accusing you of anything as flagrant as outright theft. Not yet, at any rate," Gage soothed coolly.
    "What the hell does that mean? Not yet?" she yelped, infuriated. Slamming the phone book closed, Rani planted her hands on her hips and glared at the stranger. "I haven't stolen anything from Prescott Services, and Aaron damn well knows that! What exactly has he accused me of, Gage? I insist on knowing what's going on here!"
    "I'll tell you everything," he repeated calmly, his eyes never wavering from her furious gaze. "Over lunch."
    "You have no right to sit there and bait me like this! If you don't tell me what's behind all this at once, I'll. . ." Rani broke off as the bell over the shop door chimed and a very pretty woman of about thirty-five walked into the tense room. Donna Cameron had the same tawny-brown eyes as her sister, and her hair was a similar shade, but few people would have guessed that the two were related. Donna had the elusive touch of glamour that Rani lacked Donna looked the part of sophisticated city woman from her chic, short haircut down to her expensive Italian leather sandals. The cool, collarless white pique jacket and striped culottes were perfect for New Mexican spring weather. No one would ever have made the mistake of assuming Donna had grown up on an outlying ranch, however. A more likely guess was that she was a transplant from Los Angeles. But that assumption would have been just as wrong as the one that placed Rani as a rancher's daughter. The two had grown up together in Albuquerque.
    "Hi, Rani, what's up?" Donna demanded cheerfully, glancing speculatively at the massive male seated near the battle table.
    Rani took a firm hold on her flaring anger. "This is Gage Fletcher, Donna. He's here on behalf of Aaron Prescott, if you can believe that!"
    "How do you do, Mr. Fletcher?" Donna smiled graciously as he rose to politely shake her hand. "You're a friend of my sister's?"
    "Not yet, but I have hopes," Gage told her with a slow grin.
    "Well, good, it's about rime she stopped going out with that cowboy!"
    "Donna!" Rani exclaimed, shocked at her sister's words. "Gage is here on business. Or so he says. And I'll thank you not to make rude remarks about King."
    "King?" The query was from Gage, who regarded Rani with a tilted brow. "That sounds like a dog's name. A rather famous dog, as I recall. Anyone I know?"
    "Oh, for God's sake, shut up! Both of you," Rani amended menacingly as her sister began to laugh. She loved her sister dearly, but there were times . . . !
    "I'm sorry, Rani," Donna managed with a note of genuine apology, although her eyes still sparkled with laughter. "I can't help it Wouldn't Kingston Tanner have a fit if he thought someone had mistaken his name for that of a dog?"
    "Donna, this is not funny! This man is here to accuse me of theft or something!"
    "What?" Donna swung back to face Gage, who shook his head wryly.
    "Not quite. Your sister has jumped to conclusions."
    "Then you will kindly straighten out my misconceptions!" Rani hissed.
    "Gladly. Over