The Minister's Maid (7 page)

"Go north and west one hundred steps, then find the king. He sees what you seek."

* * *

Ian turned the coin over, examining it as Betsy read the next clue. It was exactly the same as the first, with a few nicks in the edge of the soft metal. He pocketed it as Betsy handed over the clue, and read it for himself. Handing it back to her, he looked at Alex.

"Do you have somewhere you can go? Somewhere to lay low for awhile? There's a guy coming after us, and I doubt he'll be as nice."

Alex shrugged. "I guess, but what about the others here? I can't just leave the staff & clients. Are you sure he's headed this way?"

Betsy shook her head. "We can't be sure of anything except he was in the Sultan's Palace last. But he'll probably check the buildings on both sides."

"If I lock up early, it will look suspicious." Alex thought for a minute, then smiled. "I have an idea though. There's a similar coin in our costume props, made to look and feel like the real thing. I'll hold him off as long as I can, then hand that over at the last minute. It will buy you some time, at least."

Ian nodded slowly. "That's dangerous, but it could work. Can you put a note with it, with the opposite directions we have on it?"

Alex was already bent over his desk, scribbling on a piece of paper. "Done," he said, holding it up for them to see. "I'll call Harley too. If he could bring some muscle, maybe we can stop this guy."

"No!" Betsy held a hand up in the air, a panicked look on her face. "You can't call Harley until after Derek's been here. He can't know I'm still on the ranch.

"Some jerk is trying to catch you and you won't let me call Harley? Come on, Betsy," Alex pleaded. "I can't let someone like that just come in here without doing anything. He could hurt someone. You really want to just let that happen?"

"I--well--" Betsy stuttered, and Ian slid a hand lightly around her waist, gratified when she relaxed the tiniest bit against him.

"Call him," Ian said, pulling Betsy toward the door. "Whatever you have to do to catch this guy. We'll deal with the fallout later." Unlocking the door, he shook his head at Betsy when she looked up at him to argue. "Don't," he said, guiding her into the hall. "Let's go - we need to keep moving. He's still out there."

For a minute he thought he might have to toss her over his shoulder, but finally she moved past him, dropping her gaze. She didn't speak until they reached the front door and peered out the window.

"Which way is north west?"

He stepped up close behind her, feeling the heat radiating off her body as he pointed over her shoulder. "That way," he said, reading the signs on the facades across the street. "Looks like we're headed into the jungle, eh?"

Betsy wrinkled her nose, and he fought the urge to bend down and kiss it. "That could be awkward. Jane hates me. I sort of inadvertently slept with her boyfriend a few years ago."

Chapter 7

"I'm not sure I want to hear that story," Ian said as they began walking toward Jungle Jane's. "I'm not sure I want to meet her boyfriend either."

Betsy glanced warily toward the Sultan's Palace, tugging on Ian's sleeve. "Should we just walk down the street? What if Derek got out? He might see us." She looked around, not really sure what she was looking for, but barely suppressing the urge to run between the two closest buildings.

"I thought we should count our steps to make sure," Ian said, looking at the palace as well. "But you're right. The clue is pretty straightforward, I think. Let's go over there," he pointed across the dirt road, "and use the ally entrance to the Jungle."

Betsy didn't need any further urging. She jogged between the Saloon and the biker bar, not stopping until she reached the narrow gravel strip in back. Ian was right beside her, and they walked quickly toward Jane's.

"So do I need to worry about you and Jane going at it with claws bared when we get inside?" Ian teased. Betsy shook her head, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips.

"I doubt that," she said, trying not to smirk. "But considering I owe her, don't be surprised if she..."

"If I what?" Jane said, materializing from the space between her building and the next as Betsy and Ian passed the corner. Betsy gasped, grabbing Ian's arm and he stepped in front of her, feet apart in a protective stance. Jane laughed, the sound too loud for Betsy's comfort.

"Damn it, Jane - what are you doing out here? And keep it quiet, will you?"

Jane looked Ian up and down, her eyes lingering here and there like she was admiring a piece of art. "I came out for a quick break," she said, clearly distracted by the man in front of her. Betsy couldn't really fault her for that. "And I'll keep quiet if you introduce me to this stunning creature. I don't believe we've had the pleasure..."

Ian pulled Betsy out from behind him and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to his side. "We have met, actually," he said, sounding a little perturbed to Betsy. "I'm the minister at the chapel. We've said hello at least a dozen times in passing, Jane."

The woman frowned, tossing her long blond hair behind her shoulder. She had to be freezing, Betsy thought, considering the thin animal-print sheath she wore that stopped at mid-thigh and tied over one shoulder.

"You're the preacher?" She looked up at Ian, staring hard at his face. "You normally wear a collar then, right?"

He nodded. Betsy wondered if he was regretting taking it off now, as Jane licked her lips.

"Obviously I should pay more attention," Jane said, running a finger down Ian's chest then licking the tip. "If you ever want to try a real woman on, give me a call, preacher-man. I'll take very good care of you."

Ian shifted nervously, and Betsy decided enough was enough. "Knock it off, Jane. We need to go inside for a minute. There's something we need to find." She moved to open the door, but Jane stepped in front, blocking her path.

"What are you looking for? And what are you willing to give me to get it?"

Betsy raised her eyebrows at Jane. "Seriously? You really want to go there with me? Let's remember who owns half of this ranch - and how many women want to take your place as..." she made air quotes with her fingers, "Queen of the Jungle." She put her hands on her hips and took a step forward, crowding into Jane's space, though the other woman didn't seem to mind. Her lips curved up in a patronizing smile, and Betsy half expected the cat to reach out and pat her on the head.

"You're only half-owner, dear. And let's not forget that Harley still doesn't know about your...seduction of my former fiance." Her eyes opened wide in mock surprise and she covered her mouth with one hand. "Oh dear. I suppose your minister didn't know either. Dreadfully sorry to have let the cat out of the bag. So to speak." She glanced past Betsy, and then frowned. "Where did he go, anyway?"

Betsy turned, wondering how she'd missed Ian leaving. "I don't know. He's probably inside, where we should be. I don't have time for this."

"You still owe me," Jane called as Betsy pushed past her and went through the door.

"Whatever," Betsy yelled back. She moved slowly in the dimly lit club, the quiet outside replaced by a cacophony of bird song, rushing water and the occasional wild animal call. Tribal drums beat out a primal melody in the background, and the air was cool and moist. As her eyes adjusted, Betsy scanned the perimeter of the main rooms, looking for a gold-colored statue of a king she remembered being near the waterfall the last time she'd come here. Of course she'd avoided the place since her falling out with Jane, so it had been a long time.

The king was gone, but she did spot Ian with one foot propped up on a large cement boulder a few feet away.

"Find anything?" she asked, leaning in to see what he was bent over.

He nodded, his fingers prodding at something in a large, realistic-looking lion's face. "I think so. Just one second..." Tugging hard, he stumbled back, just barely catching himself before he fell. He held out his left hand, and she smiled at the gold coin laying there.

"You found it!" Suppressing the urge to pick it up, Betsy turned back to the lion, sticking her finger into the now-empty eye socket. A folded piece of paper was jammed into the space and she carefully manipulated it enough to pull it free. "And this must be the clue. I wonder where we're going next?"

Ian stood beside the front window, looking out into the street. "You better find out fast," he said, striding quickly back across the room. "Looks like Derek found a way around the dresser. I just saw him poke his head out from between the Sultan's Palace and the Salon."

Betsy unfolded the note and read quickly, "Keep moseyin' for about one-thousand yards in the same direction. Look for Dusty. He's sporting a little bling these days."

Ian grabbed Betsy's hand and pulled her toward the back door. "There's only one thing that far away that makes sense," he said, checking out the alley before he tugged her out behind him. Jane didn't seem to be around, and he was glad - the last thing they needed was another confrontation right out in the open.

"The barn," Betsy said, pulling her fingers free. She tucked the note in her pocket. "Dusty's one of the horses, so we need to visit his stall next, right?"

Ian nodded, holding a finger to his lips as she caught up. "Not too loud. We don't know who he'll talk to next." He led her between the buildings behind Jane's, stopping at the corner to check the road before they darted across to the side of the mansion. Staying low, they ran thorough the trees to the narrow path that connected the dude ranch with the rest of the estate.

"Let's stay to the side," he said, leading the way through the thick forest brush to the left of the path. They jogged when they could, but it was still several minutes before the outlines of the bunkhouse and stables became visible. Ian crouched down behind a large bush near the edge of the clearing, looking through the branches to get his bearings.

"How do we get in without anyone seeing us?" he asked, glancing back at Betsy. Her eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Why does it matter? As long as Derek isn't here, it shouldn't matter who sees us, right? One of the cowboys might know where to look. Like Alex did."

"I just don't want to bring anyone else into this," he said. "We don't know what Derek will do if he gets desperate. I don't want anyone else getting hurt if we can help it."

"Oh, I think we can take care of ourselves, preacher." The deep drawl made Ian jump, and Betsy gasped. They turned to see worn boots, dusty jeans and the tip of a rifle barrel, luckily pointed at the ground rather than them.

"God, Chase - what the hell are you doing sneaking up on us like that?" Betsy rose to her feet and socked the cowboy in the shoulder. He just grinned at Ian, who managed to smile back. He fought to keep his expression from turning cold when Betsy threw her arms around Chase's shoulders, squeezing him in a big hug. Had she slept with this guy too? Ian hated himself for wondering.

Chase released Betsy, then offered a hand to Ian, pulling him up. "I was just coming back - was checking on some visitors who've had a couple horses out past the check-in time."

"Are they okay?" Betsy said, looking past him into the woods with a worried look on her face. Chance winked at Ian.

"Well, the horses looked kind of bored, but the guests seemed to be enjoying the warm spring, if you know what I mean."

Betsy smacked him in the arm again, though it looked more like a tap this time. "Chase McGowan. You were not spying on a couple having...uh...making out."

He shrugged. "Gotta make sure my horses are okay," he said, balancing the rifle over his shoulder. "So what brings you two city slickers all the way out here?"

Ian started to speak, but Betsy beat him to it. "We're kind of on a little treasure hunt," she said, hooking her thumbs in her pockets. "We need to look in Dusty's stall, if that's okay with you."

He nodded. "Don't see why not. Mind if I tag along?"

Ian caught Betsy's hand, squeezing tight when she tried to pull away. "Actually," he said, noting Chase's gaze taking in their linked hands, "It's sort of a competition, so if you don't mind, we'll just go in alone. You understand." He stared into the other man's eyes, saw that he'd made his point.

Chase backed off, holding his free hand up. "Hey man, no problem. I see how it is. Just...don't leave a mess, okay?"

Betsy laughed, bumping his side as Chase wandered off. "Oh come on," she said once she looked at his face. "It was a joke, Ian. Funny. Now come on. Let's go see where a horse hides his gold."

Betsy tugged Ian toward the barn, her fingers still entwined with his. "If you didn't want Chase to think we were going to fool around, you shouldn't have been all macho-possessive," she teased, the hard set of his jaw somehow making her feel lighter. Her smile faded though when he didn't say anything, just followed her into the barn and pulled the doors shut behind them.

Then he grabbed her wrists and pushed her up against the wood wall, not hard enough to hurt but firmly just the same. Releasing her wrists, he braced his arms on either side of her, blocking her in.

Her blood raced with excitement as his intense stare captured her gaze and held it tight. This was a side of Ian she hadn't seen before, possessive and dominating. Leader of the pack, so to speak.

She wanted more.

"I didn't like it when you touched him," he said, that low, gruff tone vibrating through her entire body. "I liked it even less when he touched you."

She shrugged, peering up at him coyly through her eyelashes as she placed her hands on either side of his chest. "Well, it's not like we're an item now, is it Ian? I mean sure, we fooled around a bit, and kissed, but we haven't really talked about--"

He growled low in his throat just before he captured her lips with a punishing kiss.

Betsy's hands locked around his neck as his arms slid around her, crushing her against him. It felt like the world was swirling around her as his tongue took possession of her mouth, demanding the full surrender she was only too happy to give. His hands roamed her body, eliciting a gasp when cool fingers slid under her shirt to push her bra out of the way and cup her breast. He rolled her nipple between two fingers and she arched into him, begging shamelessly for more. She reached down and caressed him through his pants, her body aching to feel his thick length inside of her.