Renegade: A Taggart Brothers Novel Read Free Page A

finger between her brows and closed her eyes, as if doing so would help her retrieve the memory. “Is it still on the main road beyond the middle school?”
    Jace shook his head. “No, a new one was built about ten years ago, but Annie was taken by Life Flight to the medicalcenter in Logan.” He pointed to the lane that led back to the highway. “Go back where you came and turn left onto the old highway. You’ll head north about three miles, turn right, and then follow the road over the mountain. Once you’re in Logan, you’ll see signs showing the way.”
    “O-okay.”
    Inexplicably, Jace couldn’t tear himself away. There was something about her that begged for his help, but Jace pushed the sensation aside. All his life, his family had accused him of collecting strays—cats and dogs when he was young, then troubled friends, and finally lonely women. Lord help him, after his last relationship, he couldn’t handle another needy female. With spring planting to be done, wet weather making many fields inaccessible, Bodey raising hell, and Barry retreating socially . . .
    Jace had too damned much to worry about. There were days when he felt like the weight of the world was crushing down on him to the point where he couldn’t breathe. The last thing he needed was one more “project” sucking up what scant emotional and physical energy he had left.
    Nevertheless, he couldn’t ignore the twinge of guilt he felt at abandoning Annie’s granddaughter—especially when he sensed that this woman was closer to her breaking point than he was. But even as his gaze flicked to the dark bruise marring her cheek, she stepped away.
    “Thank you.”
    There was no escaping the “I don’t know who the hell you are, so keep your distance” tone or the wariness that stiffened her spine. Her gaze flicked to the minivan, then back to him again as she analyzed how quickly she could get to her children if Jace posed a threat.
    Much as he would with a startled colt, Jace eased back, lifting his hands in a silent calming gesture. He kept his voice low and soothing as he said, “Glad I could help.”
    Then, since her posture continued to radiate her unease, he replaced his hat, touched a finger to the brim, and forced himself to turn away, rolling up the window again. But it took more effort than he would have imagined putting the truck in gear.
    He drove with unaccustomed slowness, watching Bronte Cupacek grow smaller in his rearview mirror. She was tall and slim—too slim if the sharp jut of her collarbones and wrists were any indication. The way she’d wrapped her arms around her waist seemed self-protective. In the sheeting rain she looked vulnerable and fragile. Defeated.
    No, not quite defeated. Despite the haunted look in her eyes, there was still a defiant tilt to her chin.
    One that might only be for show.
    The minute she disappeared behind a hedge of lilac bushes, Jace swore, bringing the truck to a halt. For several long minutes he sat there with the rain pummeling the roof, thinking of all the things he
should
be doing. He had four hired men to orchestrate despite the rain and wet fields. Bodey had just bought a new mare at a recent auction, and Elam needed his signatures on a land lease. Barry, Jace’s youngest brother, would be arriving home from an outing with his Scout group in the next ten minutes.
    That thought caused a frown. Although Barry had suffered brain damage from an automobile accident years ago, he was generally very social. Jace usually had to threaten to hogtie him to a chair to keep him from running down the lane to wait for his Scoutmaster. But lately, Jace couldn’t get him to go with the other boys his own age—and Jace was damned if he knew why.
    Shit.
    But even as he moved to put the truck back into gear, something tugged at his conscience, urging him to check on Annie’s family. One more time.
    Growling at his unaccustomed indecisiveness, Jace slipped his cell phone from his pocket and