by Aimée Thurlo
If you’ve found this, Jake, then it’s because I’m no longer around. You’ve known about this hiding place for many years, so I assume it’s you who’s reading this note. I saw you sneaking past my office that night when you broke curfew and I know you saw me putting some things up here. You never returned for a closer look, which was what I expected. But I knew that someday your duty would force you back for another look. Fathers don’t live forever.
The ring is yours. As my eldest, it’s part of your legacy and something your mother would have wanted you to have. No matter where life leads you, remember that you’re a Black Raven. Wear the ring with pride.
Annie watched as he slipped the ring onto his finger. She noted the surprise on his face as he found it fit perfectly. “Some things are just meant to be, Jake,” she said softly.
Hearing the whinny of horses and voices of men working outside, she glanced back up at the shelf. “Let’s put the books back,” she said. “Out of respect, I think we should continue to protect his hiding place.” As Jake gathered the books, Annie climbed back onto the chair and started to close the door to the hidden niche.
When Jake turned around and saw her up on the chair, he muttered a curse. “You shouldn’t be climbing up there on your own. Come on. Time to get down.” He grasped her firmly by the sides, then lifted her gently off the chair and placed her in front of him.
His strength surprised her, but the gentleness of his touch was her undoing. As she saw herself mirrored in his eyes, the power of his gaze swept through her, making her blood sizzle.
She ran the tip of her tongue over her dry lips.
His mouth parted slightly.
Annie knew she should step back, away from him, but a force she couldn’t resist compelled her to stay where she was.
It was at that precise moment that the baby kicked—hard. She gasped.
“Are you all right?” he asked quickly.
She nodded and, taking his hand, placed it over her stomach. “Can you feel the baby moving? She’s kicking up a storm.”
Feeling the baby’s movements against his palm, he smiled. “She? Looks to me you’ve got a future football player.”
“I suppose it might be a boy. I wouldn’t let them tell me when they did the ultrasound. But, in my heart, I think it’s a girl.”
A sense of wonder and tenderness shone in Jake’s eyes. He began stroking her stomach, and to her surprise, his touch seemed to calm the baby, though it sure wasn’t doing much to calm her.
Excitement pulsed through her as he slid his hand beneath her clothing. Touching her bare skin, he continued caressing the swell of her belly. His touch sparked fires all through her. As her breathing quickened, he captured her gaze, probing her mind and her feelings like a skilled lover.
“I wish I could undress you now. I’d love every inch of your body until you needed me as badly as I do you.”
His words weaved a spell around her. Her breathing was ragged, and a delicious weakness spread through her.
Jake pushed her sweater away from her shoulders, then opened her blouse. “You’re so beautiful.” He unfastened her bra and pushed it out of his way.
Her breasts, round and full, spilled into his workhardened hands. As he teased her nipples with his thumb he saw her face become flushed and her eyes darken with passion. Her soft cry pierced him. He lowered his mouth to her breast, sucking it gently until she arched into him, holding his head against her.
Jake heard her cry out his name as she clung to him. She was all heat and passion. He left her breast and, as she moaned, he kissed her, catching the soft, lost sound with his mouth. His tongue played over hers with gentle mastery, his taste filling her senses and shattering the last of her self-control.
Their kiss turned hard then—fire meeting fire. He was fury and lighting. Thoughts slipped away, replaced by textures and sensations too powerful to resist. It was heaven and hellfire all at once.
Slowly they became aware of strong footsteps echoing down the hall, coming toward the study. Jake let go of her reluctantly and stepped away to block the door with his body as she quickly pulled her clothing back in place. “It’s all right, Annie, I’ll take care of this, and—”
There was no knock. The door to the study was suddenly thrown open, and Jake barely managed to step aside.
Muttering an angry oath, he turned to face their unwelcome intruder.
Annie, quickly adjusting her blouse, stared at the doorway in shock. Standing there was Jake’s mirror image. She looked from one to the other, amazed. Their features were identical and, although they each looked ready for a major confrontation, there was a marked difference in their expressions. Jake’s eyes blazed with pure fire while Nick’s seemed as cold as ice.
“Hello, Jake. Care to step outside for a minute?” he asked, his voice hard as he took off his sport coat and draped it over the back of a chair.
Jake smiled, but his grin was nothing more than an answering challenge. “Whatever you say.” He glanced at Annie. “This won’t take long, Annie. I’ll be right back.”
She saw them stride down the hall, matching each other step for step. She’d sensed a peculiar tension between them. It wasn’t animosity, but something less intense, though no less volatile.
Annie stepped to the window as they exited through the kitchen and walked out to the backyard. Fascinated, she studied the two men. She’d assumed that all Nick had wanted was some privacy, but there was more going on. She watched and listened carefully.
Nick’s muscles pressed against his tight pullover sweater as they stood eye-to-eye. Jake’s stance was more relaxed, but his shoulders were rigid, betraying his tension.
“Okay, little brother. We’re here. Now what?”
“I spoke to Captain Mora,” he said bruskly. “It seems you knew that Dad was in trouble, but you never told me. Why?”
“There was no reason to believe he was in any danger. Besides, it was his place to tell you, not mine.”
“Like hell.” With a lightning-fast jab, Nick slugged Jake in the jaw, knocking him to the ground.
Chapter Ten
Jake sat on the frozen ground and wiggled his jaw to make sure everything still worked. “Did you have to do that?”
“Yeah,” Nick replied. “You deserved it. The second you found out that there was trouble brewing here, you should have told me.”
Jake rose slowly, then in a lightning-fast move, kicked out, hitting Nick behind the knees, toppling him to the ground. “I’m not going to pound your face into the ground this time, brother, it’s just too cold outside for a fight. But if you ever do that again, I’ll make sure your jaw feels worse than mine.” He offered his brother a hand up.
“Tell me about the woman,” Nick said, getting to his feet. “She yours?”
“No, brother. And neither’s the baby she’s carrying. She’s a widow.” He filled Nick in on what he’d learned.
“I stopped by the police station and was told that you’re heavily involved in the investigation. To top things off, Captain Mora told me he thinks you’re withholding evidence.”
“I am, but it’s not what he thinks. I found something recently, and I wanted you to have a chance to see it before I let it out of my hands.”
They went back inside the house and, as they walked into the study, Jake saw the long, thoughtful look Annie gave them. Their different clothing made them easy to identify now that they were side by side. He was wearing jeans and a fleece shirt, while Nick wore corduroy slacks and a pullover sweater. As he looked at her, Jake wondered if Annie would have been able to tell them apart otherwise. It would have meant a lot to him if she could.
Annie looked at Jake and smiled. “Are you two okay?”
Jake grinned. “Yeah. My brother and I were just saying ‘I love you’ in our own special way.”
“My brother has a limited vocabulary,” Nick said, extending his hand and introducing himself.
“I know you two have a lot to talk about, so I’ll get back to my work,” sh
e said, walking to the door. “I’ll be back later.”
Jake felt that peculiar tug in his gut as she smiled gently at him. She could destroy him with just one sweet look.
Aware that Nick was watching, he looked away from her and walked to the desk. “Let me bring you up to speed,” he said as Annie shut the door behind her. He showed Nick the blackmail note, warning him not to take it out of the plastic bag, and filled him in about the rest.
“Mora was right,” Nick said after Jake finished. “You’re very involved. After everything I’ve learned, I don’t blame you at all, but there’s one thing I can’t figure out. I get the feeling Annie’s right beside you on this. What I don’t understand is why?”
“She was like a daughter to Dad. She’s also a threat to the killer because she was there when he was murdered. Since it’s her friendship and loyalty to him that has put her in danger, I intend to do my best to protect her.”
“All right. If she was under Dad’s protection, she’s now under ours,” Nick said.
As Jake took back the blackmail note, Nick noticed the ring on his finger. “That’s Dad’s ring. He lost it years ago. Where did you find it?”
Jake told him. “It was meant for me,” he said, showing him the letter. As Nick finished reading it, Jake added, “But it’s yours if you want it.”
Nick shook his head. “No, in your own way, you were closer to him than I ever was. He was right to leave it to you. What I would like is our mother’s diary. If Uncle Thomas wants it, and the blackmailer stole it and used it against our father, all the more reason to get it back into safe hands.”
“I’ll make sure we get it back,” Jake vowed. “But my first priority is to make sure Dad’s killer is brought to justice.”
“No. What we have to do is concentrate on the rest of the picture while the police do their work. You and I have to take a really close look at the impact Dad’s death will have on the pueblo. We can’t just close down the ranch, sell what’s left, and walk away.”
“The problem is, we both have businesses to run. We can’t stick around here indefinitely.”
“True, but there’s a matter of responsibility—to the pueblo and to the families who have depended on the Black Ravens for years. Whether we choose to live here or not, we are still members of this tribe.”
“I won’t stay at this ranch one minute longer than necessary,” Jake said slowly. “There are too many memories here for me, Nick—mostly bad ones.”
“I know. It’s the same for me. But there’s more to it than just you and me.”
Jake started to answer when a knock sounded at the door. “Come in,” he said impatiently.
Annie stepped inside, followed by Martin. “Captain Mora is here,” Annie said. “He stopped me on my way to the bunkhouse and asked me about the will. I told him Patrick Kelly is our best hope of finding it.”
“Shall I show him in here?” Martin asked.
Jake nodded. “I guess you two said hello earlier?” he said, looking at Martin then at Nick, and noting the lack of surprise on either of their faces.
“Yes.” Martin looked at Nick. “As I said, it’s very good to have you back, Nicky.”
After Martin left, Jake turned to his brother. “I’m going to give Mora the blackmail note unless you want more time to look it over.”
“No, I’ve seen all I need.”
As Jake glanced at Annie, something hard in him seemed to melt away. Her belly was huge and she looked so vulnerable just standing there, waiting for Mora. If the captain gave her a hard time, he’d have to answer to him for it.
“Sit down, Annie,” Jake said, offering her a chair. “Let’s see what else the police have to say.”
Mora came in a moment later. Jake handed him the blackmail note and Mora studied it. “Any idea who the blackmailer might be?”
“None,” Jake said and Martin shook his head.
“All right. I’ll handle it from this point on,” he said. “I came to ask if you needed any help with the funeral arrangements. I understand the body’s been released.”
All eyes were on Jake and he didn’t have to look around to verify it. “The funeral will be small, mostly family. Thank you for your offer, but it’s not necessary.”
“The burial must take place tomorrow morning,” Martin said. “If your father’s buried after the sun has reached its zenith, there’ll be many deaths.”
Jake felt a tightening in his chest. He’d spent almost all his adult life proving himself as a man, not as an Indian male. The rituals, and the Tewa part of him that he’d tried so hard to leave behind, were now taking over his life, making demands he wasn’t sure he could meet.
“I’ll attend the wake, of course, but I don’t think I’m allowed to accompany you during the rituals,” Annie said sadly. “I’m not Tewa.”
Jake squared his shoulders. He knew she wanted to go, and he had a feeling his father would have wanted her there, too. “We’ll decide who comes to our family rituals. And because of your friendship with our father, you’ll be considered family. But the wake is an all-night function, and the visit to the shrine requires a long walk that’s mostly uphill. Do you think you could handle it?”
“Yes, I know I can.”
“All right, then. You’ll come with me.” He challenged Martin and Nick with a glance, but they simply nodded in approval.
After Martin led Captain Mora out, Nick excused himself, needing to unpack, and Annie and Jake remained alone in the study.
“If there’s anything I can do for you, just let me know,” Annie said. “I know how much it hurts to have to say goodbye to a family member.”
“I didn’t think it would hurt—not at this stage. I thought I’d handled that already,” Jake said, then realized what he’d just admitted. He looked at her quickly, but there was only understanding in her expression.
“You can’t run away from sorrow,” she said gently. “I know. I’ve tried many times.”
Annie was cutting through his pain, touching his heart and making a place for herself there, though she didn’t know it.
“Tell me how I can help you,” she said again.
“Be there for me until my father’s in the ground, and his spirit is released,” he answered.
“I will.”
Her softness, her very nature, reminded him constantly that he was a man and she was a woman and that they were much alone. As she walked away, he felt a familiar ache inside him. His feelings for Annie were deepening despite his efforts to fight them.
The knowledge unsettled him. His parents’ marriage had shown him that feelings weren’t enough in a relationship, and could destroy two hearts, no matter how brave or strong.
He wouldn’t let that happen to Annie or to him. It was better to walk away, though it tore out a piece of his heart, than risk hurting the woman he’d come to love.
THE SPANISH-CATHOLIC-derived velorio, or wake, was held for close friends and family. Others in the village came to pay their respects, then left. Meals were served throughout the night, but most of the time was occupied by the singing of funeral dirges and prayers.
As the sun rose over the hills and the wake came to a close, funeral dirges continued to echo in Jake’s mind. He was tired. The worst of it had been tending to his father’s body. Tradition had dictated they dress the body. He wasn’t even sure how he’d managed to get through it. During the grim task, Nick and he had supported each other in a way they hadn’t since childhood. In just the past eight hours, the bond between them had strengthened more than he ever would have thought possible.
Jake looked at Annie. She’d remained by his side just as she’d promised. Her presence warmed him, taking away the chill that had wrapped itself around his heart. After the men left to prepare the grave at the cemetery, he led all those who’d spent the entire night at the wake, including Annie, down the frozen road.
Annie stood beside him at the grave site, his own source of comfort on this emotionally draining morning.
The news should have been a relief, but it wasn’t. Now, more than ever, Jake felt torn between the need to find the killer and go, and his desire to remain with Annie.
Martin approached. “It’s time for the releasing rite. It would have been better for both of you if you’d had a chance to rest first, but it can’t be helped. We’ve lost too much time because of the police investigation.”
“Nick and I are ready,” Jake said, glancing at his brother, who nodded. He then looked at Annie. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”
“I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “It means a lot to me to be included.”
Her soft words were like a whispered song to his heart. The simple truth was that he needed her with him now. “Then let’s go.”
“A room has been cleared in the house in preparation for the beginning of the rite,” Martin said.
When they arrived at the house, Jake led the way to the now-empty dining room. Several pots of food were laid out on the floor. As the senior male, Jake knew this part of the ceremony would fall to him.
Taking a portion of the food inside each basket with his left hand, he placed it into a new cooking pot made especially for the ceremony. He smoked native tobacco, blowing smoke over the pot, then made a sweeping motion over each person in the room. It was a step toward releasing his father’s spirit, but sorrow weighed heavily on him as he worked.
Jake then took a piece of “dead” or spent charcoal from the fireplace and placed it under his tongue. The room was encased in silence as he wrapped himself in a blanket and waited for all the others to cover themselves, as well.
As he looked at Annie, he noticed there were tears in her eyes. He envied the closeness she’d shared with his father. It hadn’t been that way between his father and him for many years, even though they’d been flesh and blood. With effort, he forced himself not to think of the bad times, but rather to concentrate only on the good. It was his responsibility to make sure his father’s spirit knew he was being forgiven for all his past transgressions. That act was at the heart of the releasing rite and was what would allow his father’s spirit to go in peace. Yet letting go was the most difficult task of all.