“Ha! Ha! Ha! Left her high and dry and pregnant too. Gotta have respect for a man like that. No woman was going to trap him into marriage.”
John’s hands fisted, but he seemed to realize that Marcus was baiting him and let them relax. “You’re wrong there. Mom never told him about me.”
“What? Why would she miss out on a chance to get her hands on the Dehavilland millions? Was she stupid?”
“No, Mom was an extremely intelligent lady and not in the least greedy.”
There, put that in your pipe and smoke it, Marcus.
Marcus gave him a suspicious glare. Melissa knew John had just insulted him, but Marcus hadn’t quite figured it out.
“Well, I could shoot you and your young ’uns there and we wouldn’t have to share.” He hugged Melissa to his side and she cringed at the smell of him. Hadn’t he even taken time to bathe lately?
Tommy and Rita burrowed close to John’s side.
“Sure you would. My lawyer and my children know about our newfound relations. I expect they’d carry on with the inheritance claim.”
“Enough chit-chat. Woman, pour me another coffee.”
Sheila dutifully poured him another cup. “Anything else, my Lord?” she asked sarcastically.
“Yeah, sit down and shut up—all of you. I need to think.”
Melissa heard Sheila mumble as she walked over to the children. “And I always thought that thinking required a brain.”
“What did you say?” Marcus demanded.
“Oh, I think we need rain.”
All was quiet now except for the ticking of the grandfather clock. Time seemed to pass ever so slowly.
“When is pretty boy supposed to be back with that pizza?”
“I’m not sure. Sheila, do you remember what time Jimmy left?”
“Nope, but it takes a while to make and bake a pizza. He’ll be back when he gets here.”
“Whenever he returns, he’ll get quite a surprise. I intend to do away with the competition.”
Melissa gasped in alarm. “You don’t need to do that. I can just fire him and he has to move.”
“Nah. There’s no excitement in that. But I’m warning you, Melissa. If you try to stop me I won’t hesitate to put a bullet in you too.”
Aaron started crying and Sheila gathered him close.
“Sniveling little wimp. He must take that after the Dehavillands.”
No one said a word and silence filled the room for a while.
“Woman, go make a fresh pot of coffee. Boy, stop that racket.”
Aaron lifted his head and glared at his father, but didn’t say a word.
All was quiet except for the whoosh, whoosh of the trolley wheels on the ceramic-tiled floor as Sheila stood and pushed the tea trolley from the room.
When she returned, Marcus got up to pass her his cup and she rammed the trolley into his knees. Taken off guard, he fell back against the fireplace mantle. Just as fast, Sheila let him have it. The hot contents rained down over Marcus as the pot shattered against the side of his head. He dropped the gun as he screamed and swiped at his face, and John was quick to grab it.
Sheila stood with hands on hips and glared at Marcus. “Don’t you ever come here and threaten this family again, Mister.”
Just then the police swarmed into the room from every direction and the terror was over.
Aaron ran to her and wrapped his skinny arms around her neck, squeezing tight. “I knew something was wrong. You wouldn’t go back to him after what he done.”
Too tired to correct him and overjoyed that everyone was all right, all she could do was hug him back and hold him close as the police escorted Marcus from the room.
At the slight scraping of the door Jimmy turned, gun at the ready, only to see a uniformed officer in the opening. Jacobs stood there with Melissa and Aaron. He sprang to his feet as the boy barreled into him, and he swung him high in the air, so happy to see him unharmed. When he set Aaron down, Melissa hugged him so tight to her side, the boy protested.
“Mom, I’m okay. We’re all okay, but Dad scared the crap out of us.” He pushed away, grinning from ear to ear. “Jimmy, you should have seen Dad’s face when the cops burst into the room. It was funny. Sheila broke the coffee pot on his head and John grabbed his gun, a puny little thing, and the police arrested him.”
Jimmy stared at Jacobs. “You swarmed the room and put lives at stake, knowing he had a gun? I don’t believe this!”
“We had two snipers sighted in on him the entire time. They radioed us that Marcus’ gun had fallen, that it wasn’t pointed at anyone. When we rushed inside, it was all over except for the arrest.” He smiled and shrugged as if to say mission accomplished.
“Then I guess you had it under control. Thank you, Jacobs.”
“All in the line of duty. This time, he’ll be in my jail and I guarantee he won’t be allowed out on bail. I don’t care who his lawyer is.”
“Good. That’s a relief,” Melissa said.
Aaron ran back into the house.
“I have an officer inside taking statements, but I came out to reassure you and to get yours. What alerted you to the trouble, Mr. McGovern?”
“The house was way too quiet,” he said. “Nobody was in the kitchen when I returned with the pizzas and I expected them to all be waiting there.”
“What did you do then?”
“I slipped off my boots and searched the house as quietly as I could. When I found out what was going on, I came back to the kitchen and had to call 9-1-1 on my cell. He’d cut the house line.”
“That’s good for now. A crime scene unit will be here shortly to collect evidence. Try to keep the kids out of the game room.”
“What about the rest of the house?” Melissa asked.
Myron shook his head. “You said he entered through the front door, so if you could wait out here or in the living room, that would be great.”
Jimmy looked at him in confusion. “Then how did he get Sheila in there?”
“Apparently, he ordered an afternoon snack tray before taking everyone hostage.”
“He’s been here all that time? They must have been terrified.”
Myron chuckled. “Not so’s you’d notice. Sheila came in and started ordering Marcus around while John kept the children calm.”
“She did what?” Jimmy asked.
“You’d have to ask her, but I heard something about his feet being on the furniture.”
That was so like Sheila. All three shared a laugh, successfully relieving them of the residue of tension.
“Thank you for getting here so quickly. You’ll have to join the family for dinner sometime.”
“I’ll take you up on that one day. In the meantime, take care of yourself and enjoy life again. Your troubles will be behind bars for years to come.”
“Add to that the fraud and animal cruelty charges and he may never be free again,” Jimmy said.
“One can only hope.” Melissa smiled.
Jacobs went back inside and Jimmy turned to Melissa. “Want to go in or stay out here a while longer?”
“I think I’ve had enough sun for one day. Can you take me into the kitchen?”
“Sure. We need to replace that ice pack anyway.” Jimmy lifted her into his arms and grinned. “This is getting to be a habit.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be a burden. This wasn’t part of your job description.”
There it was again, the reminder of her position as his boss. “You’ll heal soon enough,” was all he said as he carried her inside and replaced the ice pack. “I need to wash up.” He slipped out through the open patio doors and headed in the direction of his room. He paced until he calmed down, then lay on top of the covers. Would they ever be able to have a normal relationship—personal or working? They were so hot for each other, yet beyond that he wasn’t sure where they stood.
He loved her with his entire being, would do anything for her, except commit to a long-term relationship. With her fancy
upbringing, he couldn’t see her wanting him anyway, beyond what they now shared. So where did that leave him?
It left him hoping for something he had no intention of following up on. And besides, her habit of continually putting him in his place was aggravating. Was that her way of keeping her distance emotionally? Well, it certainly worked that way for him, at least sort of. His emotions were involved, big time.
With everyone in danger, he’d been so worried that it was all he could do to remain calm and get the help needed. Had Melissa trusted him to keep them safe?
Some hero he was! Call the police. In his heart, he knew that was their best move in a hostage situation, but in his gut he’d wanted to be her hero. And in the end, the police resolved the issue without bloodshed. Wasn’t that their main objective, to make sure no one got hurt?
A soft knock on the hall door interrupted his thoughts. He rolled to the side and stood, crossing his room to open the door.
“Thought I’d let you know dinner’s ready,” Sheila said. “I reheated the pizza.”
“Thanks, I’ll be right there.”
She started to turn, then faced him. “Are you all right?”
He hesitated, wondering why she asked. “I’m not the one who was held hostage. I should be asking you that question.”
“Ha! Marcus is a wimp. I enjoyed serving that coffee pot upside his head. He deserved it.”
Jimmy chuckled. “Yes, I guess he did at that. Still, I’m glad it turned out okay.”
“And I’m glad you didn’t come storming in to play hero. I heard Marcus saying how he’d fix you and the two-timing, um, ah, well, you know. He was waiting for her to sign some papers and for you to come through that door. What he got was a S.W.A.T. team with such big rifles, it put his little derringer to shame. What a hoot! I haven’t had this much excitement in years.”
Her grin was infectious. “Well, I’m glad you were entertained by it all, but I hope this marks the end of the ranch’s excitement. We’ve had enough.”
“Yes, siree! We sure have. About time for some happy moments around here.” She shot him a secretive smile. “Well, I’ll see you at dinner.”
Before he had a chance to say another word, she was gone. He closed the door and went to wash up, satisfied that he’d made the right choice. If anything had happened to Melissa, he’d never forgive himself. He arrived in the kitchen to see everyone already seated around the old oak table. “Smells good in here,” he said. “I love pizza.”
“We waited for you, so dig in,” Sheila said.
Conversation was general as they talked about their favorite foods during dinner. Tension filled the air, and Melissa wasn’t saying much, but he chalked it up to the afternoon’s events.
The phone company repaired the line in record time, and Melissa automatically checked the office line for messages. The real estate agent’s voice came as a complete surprise, and not a pleasant one either. The woman had left a message for Jimmy saying that she’d located another property he might be interested in and would add it to tomorrow’s itinerary.
How could Jimmy sit there looking so innocent when he’d gone behind her back to seek out other properties? Was he tired of living here already? Tired or bored with her? It couldn’t be easy having to carry her everywhere. Maybe she should have rented a wheelchair instead of depending on him so much, but he hadn’t seemed to mind.
Tomorrow! When had he intended to tell her? Of course, with everything that had happened, when would he have had the time? In the courtyard, said a niggling, little voice at the back of her mind. He’d had plenty of time to tell her then. Why hadn’t he? Could it have slipped his mind? No, not likely.
She’d known all along that his dream was to own his own ranch, so why did this come as such a shock? Because she loved him and hoped that, maybe, he loved her too. Thoroughbreds R Us was a big ranch and encompassed thousands of acres. If his heart was set on raising cattle, he could do that here. Would he want to? Should she make the offer?
Melissa gave her head a shake and caught him watching her, a quizzical expression on his handsome face. She’d wait and see if he said anything after the others left the kitchen. If not, well, she wasn’t certain what her next move would be. One thing was sure, if he were intent on leaving, she wouldn’t try to stop him. She wasn’t going to plead with him or beg him to stay. If he could live without her after all they’d shared, then he wasn’t the man for her. Somehow, she’d find the will to live without him in her life—baby or no baby.
“I think I’m going to retire early tonight, maybe catch up with a few friends online.” Jimmy pushed away from the table. “See you in the morning.”
Melissa hoped her disappointment didn’t show. Her longing gaze followed him as his tall, muscled form slipped out of sight. Missing him already, she wanted to run after him, but she couldn’t. She took heart from his parting words, knowing she’d see him in the morning. Would he tell her of his plans then?
Aaron interrupted her thoughts. “Can we watch a movie, Mom?”
“Sure, as long as it’s not a horror flick. We’ve had enough of that today.”
John helped her walk to the living room, while the kids raced ahead of them. They decided to watch a comedy—laughter being sorely needed tonight. But to Melissa’s consternation, it didn’t hold her interest. Her thoughts wandered as the movie played on. Bursts of laughter sometimes interfered, but didn’t stop her from thinking.
She wished she could walk on her own. Why did she have to twist her ankle today? She had enough problems. Her mind kept insisting that she confront Jimmy and demand some answers. But she wasn’t altogether sure she was ready to hear them. Why, oh why had she allowed herself to get involved with an employee? Especially one who she knew wasn’t in it for the long haul.
The movie finally ended and she sent Aaron off to bed. John walked her to her room. She leaned heavily on him, kind of a hopping walk so she didn’t put weight on her sore foot. It was so much easier to have Jimmy’s aid, nicer too. All those muscles! He seemed to carry her without any effort at all, never once breathing hard or breaking a sweat from his burden. That led to thoughts of the previous night when their sweat-slicked bodies found completion and they came up gasping for air. Oh, yeah!
“Do you need anything else, Melissa?” John asked as they reached her room.
“No, I can manage from here. Thanks, John.”
“You’re welcome. I must take my rascals home and put them to bed. See you tomorrow.”
“Yes, good night.” She hobbled inside and locked the door behind her before hopping to the bathroom.
On her way to bed, she stopped and looked toward Jimmy’s room. The light was still on, but he’d closed the blinds, effectively shutting her out. So be it! She crawled into bed and pulled the covers over her nude body. Bone tired, emotionally and physically, she should have fallen fast asleep. Instead, she tossed and turned, hit her cast on the headboard, and groaned aloud at the pain radiating up her arm. It was too much effort to get back up for pain meds, so she suffered through it. Dawn was lightening the sky when she fell into a fitful sleep.
“Melissa! Missy! Are you all right?”
Sheila’s voice through the door roused her from slumber enough to open one eye and glance at her bedside clock. It was 9:30. “Yes, I’m fine. Just overslept.”
“Thank goodness. You had me worried. Should I wait for you?”
“Just a sec.” Melissa swung her legs out over the bed and stood up, testing the strength of her sore foot. “I can manage okay this morning. Thanks, Sheila.”
“All right. I’ll see you in the kitchen.”
Melissa dressed hurriedly, foregoing a shower in the hopes of catching Jimmy before he left. She headed to the kitchen, her ankle throbbing before she was even halfway there. Sheila, bless her heart, was ready with an icepack for her and, seeing her falter, helped her traverse the last few steps to the table.
“Thank you, Sheila. Where is everybody?”
“F
ed and off to do their own thing, I expect. Anyone in particular you’re referring to?”
“Well, Aaron, of course.” Melissa picked at her cast, trying her best to still the tears that threatened.
“Of course.” Sheila smirked. “John took all three kids riding.”
“Oh.”
“And Jimmy left in his truck.”
“Oh, okay.”
“He never said where he was going, just that he’d be back for lunch. That man sure does love my cooking.”
“We all do.”
“I’ll have your breakfast ready in a jiffy.” Sheila said, turning toward the stove.
“Just toast and coffee this morning. I’m not feeling all that well.”
“A body needs more than that to keep going. Always start with a good breakfast, I say.”
“All right. I’ll try.” But she’d only eaten a few bites when she had to make an awkward dash to the bathroom. Sheila followed, kindly holding her head as she puked her guts out.
“Do you think it’s the babe already?” Sheila asked.
“No, blame it on a rough night and a lack of sleep. I’ll be fine. I’m going back to my room to lie down.”
“Okay, I’ll help you get there without falling on your face. You’ve turned awful pale.”
“I hate being sick.”
Sheila tucked her in and brought her a cool cloth, laying it across her forehead. She also placed her cell phone within reach and a bucket next to the bed…just in case.
Melissa closed her eyes and slept.
Jimmy returned to the ranch thoroughly disappointed in the properties he’d seen that morning. The first one didn’t have nearly enough acreage. Though the second might be a possibility, it was severely run down, the pastures overgrown with shrubbery and weeds, and the third didn’t have a drop of water running through it. Might be fine for a farm, but not a cattle ranch. His agent said she’d keep looking, and that would have to do for now.
He parked the truck by the barn and went in search of a cup of coffee, surprised to find the kitchen empty again. At least the coffee pot was on. A new one he saw. He grinned and grabbed a mug, poured it full, and headed outside to sit in the courtyard. When he saw Sheila coming out of Melissa’s room, a bolt of worry assailed him.
Suited to be a Cowboy Page 23