He’d seen enough of that problem since women had started completing the arduous Ranger training. They were surrounded by a sea of men, all too many of whom believed the Rangers were a man-only territory. Considering what those women could have done to any guy who got out of line, that had always struck Duke as a stupid attitude to have.
Those women were Rangers first. Cat was a law officer first.
That settled, he paced the motel room. He was a man used to being physically active, to training every day for the next assignment. He’d spent too much time bottled inside a plane and then a car. He needed to work out some kinks.
He did some push-ups, some crunches, some squats. They weren’t enough. What he needed was a ten-mile run. Some of it uphill.
He’d brought workout clothes with him, but they’d been used primarily on station. Not the kind of thing to wear around here if he wanted a low profile.
Damn. He’d seen what looked like a department store on the other side of town on the main drag. He decided to walk there to stretch his legs and get some new clothes. It would give him some time to get the lay of the land.
He always wanted to know where he was, if there were any obstructions to escape, what the shortest routes were between points. Recon. Basic, simple recon. It would be a good use of his time, if not all his energy.
He’d feel more comfortable, too. This might not be a very dangerous place, but that wouldn’t change the habits of most of his adult life.
WHEN CAT RETURNED to the office, hoping Gage might put her on the burglary case, the sheriff called her back to his office.
“Door?” she asked, resigned to an inquisition.
“Please.”
For the second time that day, she closed it, then sat across the desk from him. “And the winner is...”
Gage flashed one of his crooked smiles. “How’d it go?”
“I suppose you mean with Major Duke.”
He shook his head a bit. “So, are you being difficult?”
“I suppose I am. I don’t know if you saw it, but the man who came through that door earlier had death in his eye. Cold. Furious. And more than capable of carrying out any threat.”
Gage sighed, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his desk. His chair squeaked, and she guessed from his faint grimace that some part of him was objecting to the simple movement.
“He’s a Ranger,” Gage said. “And from what I know of them, which admittedly isn’t a whole lot, he’s been to war more than once, he’s gone undercover in enemy territory and he might even have gone on a few solo missions. You don’t get to be a major at his age unless you’re being fast-tracked, and you need that kind of experience to rise in the officers’ ranks if you’re in special ops.”
“All of which is to say you saw the look, too.”
“It didn’t surprise me. Add to that the fact he’d probably love to get his hands around the throat of the guy who killed his brother, and you’ve got a man who’s exercising some serious restraint. Yeah, he’s a pressure cooker right now.”
“How comforting,” she said dryly.
“Anyway, I don’t expect you to be able to stop him if he gets set on something. I just want to know what he’s doing. It may sound like babysitting, but it’s not. You know the stakes.”
Cat did indeed. She’d tried to make them clear to Duke herself, and she’d heard enough of what Gage had said to know he had as well.
“I guess he set my back up,” she admitted.
“Can’t imagine why.” A bit of sarcasm crept into his voice. “Just keep in mind that he’s a military officer. He’s used to commanding and to taking charge. Neither of which we can have him safely doing, but as long as he knows you’re watching, he’ll control himself.”
“He said he’s used to staying within the lines.”
“Another thing he’s had to do to achieve his rank. Do I think he will? Most likely, unless fury overtakes him. No guarantees about that. Cat, I can’t emphasize enough that he’s been to war. Basically left civilization behind. Some of that always stays with you.”
“I know.” Springing to memory were a number of vets she’d had to deal with when they lost themselves in depression, alcohol and drugs, or when memory or ungovernable rage had taken over. War inflicted indelible scars. “Okay, I’ll keep all that in mind. But I guess it tells me why the military have their own special bases.”
Gage cracked a laugh. “Caged up, you mean?”
Cat finally relaxed enough to laugh, too. “That was unkind. Okay, I’ll do the best I can, but I make no promises. I was thinking earlier that this is going to be like riding a bull.”
“You ever done that?” Gage asked as she stood up.
“Hell, no. Do I look crazy?”
His laugh followed her as she walked down the hall.
Guy Redwing had assumed her position at the front desk. He looked bored. “Need a little excitement?” she asked him.
“Depends on what kind.” He grinned. “I’m starting to think about a beer at Mahoney’s after work. Come with?”
She’d have liked to go with him, but before the words slipped out, she remembered she had a task with no punch-out time. And just then she saw Major Duke striding purposefully down the street. Hadn’t he gone to the motel?
Wondering what he was up to, she said, “Sorry, Guy. Much as I’d like to, I just saw my current assignment walking down the street. Later.”
She darted out the door and saw Major Duke looking across the street at Freitag’s Mercantile. She quickened her pace, wanting to catch up. He must have heard her footfalls, because he turned swiftly.
