Suddenly a Family

by Harris, Leann

  “Dad, I got to stir the hot water into the Jell-O,” Lisa continued, snagging their attention.

  During the meal, the twins told Zach about their venture into cooking. He listened and asked questions.

  “And are you going to cook tomorrow night?” he asked the girls.

  The girls looked at Toni. “I’ll need help tomorrow, too,” she reassured them.

  “Goody.”

  “And, I’m going to need help after dinner cleaning up,” Toni added.

  “Daddy can help, then,” Lisa informed them.

  Toni shook her head. The child was bright, inventive and a handful. “Since we all ate, I think it’s fair if we all help clean up.”

  “Oh.”

  Zach smiled. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. Don’t you, Lisa?”

  She pursed her lips. “Yes.”

  Zach winked at Toni and her heart skipped a beat. This was too close to the real thing of a normal husband and wife, who married because they loved each other. Toni needed to remember their deal. They were using each other.

  Her head might know that, but her heart wasn’t cooperating.

  Zach listened to the girls giggle as they took their bath. Sam barked, then another burst of laughter followed.

  “Catch him, Zach,” he heard Toni yell. An instant later, a wet, soapy Sam ran through the kitchen. Zach leaned over and snagged the dog’s collar.

  Sam dripped water onto the kitchen floor. Toni momentarily appeared at the door and threw Zach a towel.

  “Dry him off before he tracks water throughout the house.” She raced back to the bathroom.

  Sam’s sad eyes looked at him while Zach dried the animal. “What happened in there, boy?”

  “He decided to join the girls in the tub,” Toni yelled from the other room.

  “It was fun, too, Daddy,” Lisa added.

  Zach frowned at the dog. “You better not have fleas.”

  The girls appeared at the doorway. “We’re ready for bed. Can Sam join us?”

  “Not until he’s dry,” Toni told the girls.

  “Oh.”

  “Later, I’ll bring him into your room,” Toni informed them.

  “C’mon, Dad, help tuck us in.”

  As Zach followed them into the bedroom, he marveled at the changes in his life this past month. From being alone and unconnected, he was now a father, husband and the proud owner of a golden retriever, which George was kind enough to let the girls have.

  It still stunned him.

  Zach sat at the kitchen table, studying some sort of a report.

  “Would you like another slice of cake or something to drink?” Toni asked. She rested her hands on the top of a chair.

  “Are you trying to fatten me up?” he asked.

  She glanced at his slim waist. No, she didn’t want to do that. She liked him far too much just the way he was. And that was the problem. She was falling under his spell as she watched him struggle to respond to the girls. “I wanted some iced tea. I thought if you wanted something, I’d get it for you.”

  A slow seductive smile curved his mouth. “I’d like some cake and tea. Can I help?”

  “Sure. You’re going to need to know your way around the kitchen. I’ll show you where things are.”

  As they worked together, she asked, “What were you looking at?”

  He eyed her, made some sort of decision and said, “I pulled the records on Caprock Service Company. They’ve done a lot of business with Anderson Oil.”

  She put the plates on the table. “So?”

  “In the past year and a half, we’ve paid them close to forty thousand dollars.”

  Toni’s head snapped up. “That’s a mighty big amount. How often and how many fields have they serviced?”

  “That’s what I was checking. Do you have any idea what the normal fee would be for servicing the field and how often?”

  Toni couldn’t prevent her laughter. Zach gave her a puzzled frown. “Zach, I paid those bills the entire time I worked for Dad. I’ll be happy to look at them.”

  As they ate their cake, Toni reviewed Caprock’s account, checking how many fields they supposedly serviced and which ones. Finally, after forty minutes, she sat back.

  “It appears to me that a scam has been run on the company. I wouldn’t know if the work was actually done on these fields—” she pointed to several items “—but these fields here are ghost fields. There are no such numbers.”

  Zach rubbed his chin. “So, who should’ve known that these fields were bogus?”

  “The field manager, for sure.”

  “What about someone in accounting?” he asked.

  “That depends. If the person issuing the check was new, he or she might not know. But I think the supervisor should’ve overseen the billing and questioned the charges.”

  Reaching out, his hand covered hers. He lightly squeezed her hand. It seemed all her senses sprang to life. The feel of his large, rough hand on hers was heavenly. She wanted to reach out and run her fingers up the length of his arm, taste his lips again, feel the strength of his arms around her.

  When her eyes met his, she saw he was as affected by their contact as she was.

  Slowly, he drew his hand back, his fingers skimming over her knuckles and fingers. She sucked in a breath.

  Without breaking eye contact, he whispered, “Thanks for your inside information. It helps, gives me a place to look.”

  “Anytime, Zach.”

  And she didn’t mean reports.

  Zach didn’t wake with a start, but he became instantly aware of Toni moaning in her sleep. When his eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room, he saw Toni’s head moving back and forth.

  “No,” she whispered.

  She struggled against some unknown demon and opened her mouth. Afraid her cry would wake and frighten the girls, he reached over and placed his hand on her shoulder.

  “Toni, Tom, wake up.” He lightly shook her.

  Her eyes flew open and panic colored them. Before he could stop himself, he rested his palm on the side of her face and forced her gaze to his.

  “Toni, you’re all right.”

  Her eyes focused on him, and instantly the fear left them. His hand slid down her neck. The feel of her skin was like that of petals of a rose. When he started to pull his hand away, she rested her hand on his.

  He felt her swallow. “Give me a minute, please.”

  Her body trembled. He moved to her side, pulled her in his arms, letting her rest against his body.

  “I’m sorry, Zach,” she mumbled against his neck. “I was dreaming of the accident.”

  “Yours or your dad’s?”

  “Mine. It’s been years since I had that dream.” She paused. “It’s just as terrible now as it was eleven years ago.”

  “Do you want to tell me about it?” he asked.

  “No. Yes. I don’t know.” Her hand flexed where it rested on his chest. Suddenly, Zach’s thoughts had nothing to do with helping her through this crisis.

  “The dream is about Bobby Ray and me as we’re driving to the dance.”

  “Bobby Ray?” he asked, unable to help himself. Since he’d gotten to know Toni, his self-control had taken a major hit.

  She smiled, and he felt every damn inch of it. “Yeah. Bobby Ray. His brother was Jimmy Ray, and his sister was Sammy Ray.”

  Then her lips and her eyes grew dark. “Bobby Ray and I had just started to go with each other. He was the star receiver on the football team. And it was our junior prom. He’d borrow his dad’s car, so we wouldn’t have to ride in his old pickup. We’d stopped for a red light.” She paused, and her struggle was clearly reflected on her face. “When the light turned, we started up. The tanker ran the light and broadsided us. Bobby was instantly killed. It took them—it seemed forever—but I don’t know, maybe a half hour to cut me from the wreck. The pain was so searing, that I finally passed out. But I remember seeing what was left of Bobby Ray. I felt guilty for living.”

&n
bsp; He rested his cheek in her hair. “There was nothing you could’ve done to prevent what happened.”

  “I know. But it took me years to realize that.”

  He felt the warmth of her tears, and it touched him in a way he’d never experienced before. With his thumb, he gently raised her face to his and reverently kissed the tracks of her tears. His body wanted more, but he tucked her head under his chin.

  “Go back to sleep, Toni. You’re safe.”

  She snuggled against him, and oddly enough he wanted to make things right for her. If he could keep the demons away, he’d hold her the entire night.

  When Toni woke up the next morning, she was alone in the bed. The place where Zach slept was cold.

  “Hurry up, Momma,” Lisa called as she ran into the bedroom. “Dad’s poured the Froot Loops. They get soggy if you wait too long.”

  Toni’s heart skipped a beat. To be called Momma was a dream she always had. She glanced at the little girl. Lisa was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. Her socks matched and her shoes were tied.

  “Did you dress yourself?” Toni asked.

  “Kinda. Dad got it out for me, but I put it on. He did help tie my shoes.”

  “Let me get up, and I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

  As Toni showered, she thought about what Zach had done for her last night. He’d helped drive away the demons that had plagued her. It had been years since she’d had that particular dream. But the years hadn’t dimmed its gore. What had driven away the fear was Zach’s strong, warm body next to hers.

  Minutes later when she entered the kitchen, she smiled as Zach and the girls ate their Froot Loops. He glanced up and asked, “Do you want some?”

  “No, I’ll just have an English muffin.”

  After the girls went to their room to get their sweaters, Toni grasped Zach’s arm as he walked by.

  “Thank you for your help last night. It made a difference, believe it or not.”

  His hand rested on her neck. “Anytime, Toni. Anytime.”

  As he walked out of the room, Toni knew she’d already lost her heart.

  Zach drove out to the field supervisor’s office. He needed to talk to Ollie Townshed. When he asked where the man was, one of the workers offered to call him on his mobile phone.

  “Do you know where he is?”

  “Sure, he’s out at field number three.”

  “I’ll drive out there.” Zach pinned the man with a glare. “I’d appreciate if you didn’t tell him I’m coming. We’re running a security check, and I need to surprise him.”

  “Sure,” the other man agreed.

  When Zach drove up to the field, Ollie was walking toward his car.

  Zach immediately got out of his car. “Ollie Town-shed?”

  “Yes. And you’re Zachary Knight.” He shook Zach’s hand. “What are you doing here?”

  “I need to ask you some questions.”

  “Sure. What do you want to know?”

  “Remember the incident several weeks ago where we found the gauger’s body?”

  “Sure.”

  “When I got back the report on that field, they said that the pump jack hadn’t been serviced for quite some time. Now, according to billing records, it had just been looked at.”

  “What’s that got to do with me? You need to talk to Carl Ormand.” The hostile quality of his voice told Zach the man had something to hide.

  “When I asked Carl about Caprock, he told me that you had highly recommended them. Now, after looking at Caprock’s account and how often they’ve billed us, I wondered if you noticed any problems with their work. Maybe they’ve billed us for work that they haven’t done.”

  “I haven’t noticed any problems with them.”

  “You are the person who originally recommended them to Anderson, aren’t you?”

  He eyed Zach. “No, Carl Ormand did.”

  “That’s what I wanted to know.” Zach turned to go. As he drove off, Zach wondered how long it would take for Ollie to call his accomplices. And he wondered if one of those accomplices was Carl.

  Later that day, as Zach drove home, his mind was filled with the information he’d uncovered so far. As far as the Chamber of Commerce and the city of Midland were concerned, there was no organization named Caprock Service Company. There was no record of the company in the sister city of Odessa, either. No Caprock anywhere. And when he’d questioned Carl, the man had been emphatic that Ollie had recommended the company.

  Zach wondered about the suite address that the phantom company used. He wondered what the new engineer would turn up on the other fields that Caprock had serviced. If Ollie was in on the scam, then he’d be useless in helping to expose the fraud. The more he looked into this situation, the worse it became.

  The streetlight a hundred yards in front of him changed from yellow to red. Zach’s foot pushed down the brake pedal. Nothing happened. The last thing he remembered was his car hitting the stopped car in front of him, then nothing.

  “How is he, Doctor?” Toni asked as she stood. The girls, seated on either side of her, reached out and touched her. Toni grasped their little, seeking hands. George, who had met Toni at the hospital after she called, grasped Lori’s other hand.

  “Your husband is a very fortunate man. He had on his seat belt and the airbag in the car absorbed most of the impact. He’s bruised, and has a slight concussion. We’d like to keep him for observation, but he’s very insistent that he go home.”

  Relief flooded Tom. This incident made her realize how much she’d come to care for Zach.

  “Is Daddy going to be okay?” Lisa asked, her face filled with worry. Lori, too, watched Toni with anxious eyes.

  “Yes, sweetie, he is.” Toni turned to the doctor. “The girls’ mother was just killed in a car accident, doctor, and I’m sure Zach’s thinking about the girls.”

  “Mr. Knight explained that to me in his own, uh—terms, so I want you to keep careful watch on him during the night. I’ll tell you what to watch for. If something happens, call for an ambulance.”

  “Anything you want.”

  The doctor nodded and explained the signs that she had to watch for during the night. After he gave her the instructions, Toni was allowed to see Zach. His eyes were closed when she entered the room. His right eye was swollen and beginning to turn black. His right arm was in a sling.

  Walking to his side, Toni gently brushed the hair off his forehead. He opened his eyes.

  “I hope I don’t look as bad as your expression says I do.”

  Her smile trembled and she swallowed back her tears. “No, you don’t look that bad, but I’m afraid you might frighten the girls.”

  “I could stay away for a few days,” he offered.

  She lightly touched his cheek. “No. They need to see you and be sure that you’re okay. Since they’ve so recently lost their mother, they’re nervous.”

  He didn’t look convinced.

  “What happened, Zach?” she asked.

  He frowned. “The brakes in my car failed and I rearended another car.”

  “Had you had any problems with them before the accident?”

  “It was a new car, Toni. I have a feeling that the brakes didn’t fail by themselves.”

  Her eyes widened as the ugly truth of his statement hit her. “You don’t mean that they were deliberately tampered with?”

  “It would make sense.”

  “Why?” Her brow wrinkled. “I mean, who’d want to hurt you?”

  “The individual or individuals who are stealing from your dad’s firm. Ollie wasn’t too cooperative when I talked to him this afternoon.”

  “Ollie Townshed?”

  “Yes. He’s the one who recommended Caprock to Carl.”

  She couldn’t imagine Ollie stealing from the company. “I’ve known Ollie for years. After his wife divorced him, he become distant, but I remember him as a man who laughed at the world.”

  Zach gaped at her. “Well, the Ollie Townshed I met today didn’
t have a laugh in him and hadn’t for years. He looked like he’d put in some hard years.”

  “Can we come in?” George asked from the doorway. “I have two little girls who want to see their dad.”

  Toni nodded, and the door opened to reveal the girls. Lisa rushed in, but Lori followed at a slower pace.

  “Hi, guys,” Zach murmured. “I’m sorry I was late for dinner, but I had a little accident.”

  Both of the girls’ faces were solemn. After they studied Zach for several minutes, Lisa asked, “Are you going to die, like Momma?”

  Zach rested his hand on her head. “No, Lisa, I’m not going anywhere.”

  Her eyes lit with joy. “Promise?”

  “I promise.” He turned to Lori. “What about you, Lori? Do you have any questions?”

  She looked at his arm in the sling. “Did you break your arm?”

  “No, but I hurt it and will have to wear this sling until it gets better.”

  “Kinda like me,” Lori added.

  “Just like you.”

  Lori puffed out her chest and smiled.

  Chapter 10

  Toni turned on the light on her nightstand. Standing, she walked around the bed and shook Zach.

  “Zach, Zach, wake up.”

  His eyes fluttered opened and he focused on her. The speed at which he did so amazed Toni. “I need to check your eyes.” She took the penlight from the nightstand on his side of the bed and flashed it in his eyes. His pupils contracted.

  “Good. You’re doing fine.”

  He closed his eyes and turned onto his side. “Then turn off the light and come back to bed.”

  For an instant, another vision danced through Toni’s mind. She hurried around the bed, turned off the light and slipped back into bed.

  “Toni,” he whispered, his voice dark and seductive.

  “What?” Her heart sped up with worry.

  “Next time you check my pupils, you might want to put on a robe.”

  Her jaw fell open and she stared at him in the darkness. Why, he’d been looking. She didn’t know whether to be flattered or upset.