Texas Heat

by Fern Michaels

  Even in the dim light from the hurricane lamp, Cole could see the thin slashes of blood. He walked over, bent down to feel the cracked leather. It cut his finger like a knife. He drew in his breath sharply and straightened up, cursing. “This was the worst idea I ever had. Get dressed,” he said, sucking the blood from his finger. “I’ll wait outside. Blow out the lamp before you leave.”

  Oh, shit, now he was going to want the two hundred dollars back. Just her damn luck. If her pa ever saw the marks on her back and ass, she was going to have some real tall explaining to do.

  “Do you want the money back?” she said when she climbed into the car.

  “No. You were willing. We made a deal.”

  “Why’d you change your mind?”

  “Is it important for you to know?” Cole asked through clenched teeth.

  “Well, sure it is. I thought you liked me. You been after me for a long time, and when I finally say yes, you tell me to put my clothes back on. You must be nuts, givin’ me two hundred bucks for nothin’. Well, not for nothin’, exactly. I did strip for you. But why’d you change your mind?”

  Cole pressed his foot to the gas pedal. There were a lot of things he could tell her, but he decided to spare her. “I couldn’t get it up,” he said coolly, hoping she could hear him over the rush of the wind.

  When Luana had absorbed what he’d said, she laughed. At Sunbridge she got out of the car, leaned over, and said quietly, “I know a lie when I hear one. You decided I wasn’t good enough for you. I saw it in your eyes.”

  Cole looked away. “You better put something on those scratches,” he said quietly. Luana backed away from the car, and he spun out, burning rubber.

  She watched till she couldn’t see the taillights any longer, then sprinted up the stairs and tore open Cole’s present. A real Gucci bag! Excitedly, she fished for her two hundred dollars and put it inside. Then, slinging the brown strap over her shoulder, she walked about the kitchen, feeling like the richest woman in Texas. She forgot about putting something on her cuts. After she’d tucked her gift safely away, cut the Gucci box into small pieces and carried them down to the trash, she settled down to read The Red Badge of Courage.

  It was after one in the morning when the high-beam headlights of the Berlinetta swooped around the circular drive, shining upward to Martha’s room. On her way to the bathroom, the housekeeper stopped to look out the window, a habit of many years. She watched Riley climb from the car and noticed that the bright red Cougar was parked alongside. He was headed toward the house when she saw him turn.

  Martha drew back a little into the darkness of her room and watched as Luana raced across the driveway. She nodded in satisfaction when she saw Riley shake his head and motion to the house. Luana took his arm and tried to pull him toward the garage. Riley resisted but allowed himself to be pulled as far as his car. Then he jerked free and leaned back against it, his hands jammed in his pockets. Martha strained to hear their conversation, but finally had to give up. Whispers didn’t carry to the second floor.

  The digital clock on her nightstand read 1:23 when she climbed into bed. If she’d had her way, she would have sent Ben Simms and his daughter packing five minutes after they’d arrived. She was almost asleep when she heard a door close. Riley. She opened one eye to look at the clock: 1:44. Two minutes later, she was asleep.

  Cole, too, had seen the Berlinetta’s lights sweep into the yard. Must have been a good party, he thought as he got up to go to the bathroom. On his way back to bed, he looked down into the courtyard, just in time to see Luana run across and grab Riley’s arm. He stood by the window a long time, watching them. He felt pleased when Riley turned and went into the house. A few minutes later his cousin passed by, and he heard the sound of a door closing.

  Cole nodded in satisfaction. They’d both obeyed the rules. Neither of them would bring shame on Sunbridge or the Coleman name.

  Ben Simms climbed the stairs to the apartment, his arms loaded with the weekly groceries. The stove light was on, casting dim shadows over the neat kitchen. He put the groceries away, folded the bags neatly, and stuck them between the refrigerator and stove.

  He walked wearily to his room. He’d had a few drinks, shot some pool, played some poker. The woman he’d been seeing, he was told, had gone to Maine to see a sick sister. There’d been no point in hanging around at two-thirty in the morning, and as a rule he didn’t like dingy bars anyway. So he’d taken his bag of meat the bartender had kept in the refrigerator, slapped it in the back of the pickup, and driven home.

  He tiptoed to the bathroom, relieved himself, washed and dried his face and hands. He opened the laundry hamper and was about to throw his clothes in when he noticed Luana’s faded yellow shirt and threadbare jeans. He pulled them out and held them up to the bathroom light. They seemed to be crisscrossed with lines of blood. He stared at them for a long time, then, his teeth clamped together, he strode down the hall to his daughter’s room. He threw open the door and turned on the light switch. Luana was lying naked on the bed but hastily pulled the covers over herself when the overhead light came on.

  “What’s the meaning of this, girl?” he demanded harshly, shoving the blood-streaked clothes close to her face. Half-asleep, Luana could only stare guiltily at the soiled clothing. “You better give me some quick answers.”

  “Pa, I didn’t do nothin’. I swear I didn’t.”

  “Git up, right now!” Ben thundered.

  “Paaaa, I ain’t got no clothes on.”

  “That’s right; I’m yer pa. Now, get up and let me look at you.”

  Having Cole see her naked was fun. She’d wanted to see him stare bug-eyed at her bare breasts, wanted to see him swallow hard when he saw her without a stitch of clothes. Having her pa see her was sinful; she felt ashamed as she slipped out of bed. There was a look on his face, in his eyes, that made her feel sick. He reached for her, turning her around. “How’d you get those marks?”

  “I don’t know, Pa. I swear I don’t!” Luana cried.

  “Ye’re lyin’ to me, girl. I kin see it in yer face.” He pulled her to him till he could feel her breasts against his own bare chest. “Ye’re jest like yer ma,” he said softly. “Jest like her.”

  Luana struggled. She didn’t want to have him touch her, but suddenly his hands were all over her. The more she struggled, the more intense her father became. She found herself being dragged to the bed. She wanted to scream, to make someone hear what was going on, but she couldn’t. Shame ripped through her at what she knew was about to happen.

  Exactly eight hours after Riley entered the kitchen the night before, his life changed. It was 9:14 when four sheriff’s cars roared into the Coleman driveway. Martha blessed herself and used the intercom to tell Maggie she was wanted downstairs right away.

  “Rape!” Rand shouted, staring at Ben Simms in stunned disbelief. He was still in his robe and pajamas, his hair tousled from sleep. Maggie stood beside him, clutching his arm.

  “Who was raped?” she asked hoarsely.

  “My little gal, that’s who,” Simms said sharply. “If you want, you can go to the hospital and see for yourself.”

  “Who raped her? Who’d do such a thing?” Maggie tried to organize her thoughts. “Why is she in the hospital?”

  “She was found wandering the main highway, Mrs. Tanner,” said one of the sheriff’s men. “Pretty badly beaten. The first aid squad was called and they took her straight to the hospital. She said she was raped, but there’s no conclusive evidence yet, ma’am. They’re doing tests on her now.” He looked pointedly at Ben Simms.

  Maggie felt Cole standing beside her. “Will she be all right?” she asked.

  “Yes, ma’am. She’s been roughed up, but she’ll recover.”

  Cole’s heart was thundering in his chest. He saw Riley, his face almost white, standing beside Rand.

  “You got some gall askin’ if my little gal will be all right!” Ben Simms cried. “She’ll never be all right again! But she was
able to talk to me when I got to the hospital. Wouldn’t talk to nobody else, neither, not my gal. She knows her pa’s the only one to help her. And she told me who did it to her. Told me clear and loud. It was that Jap kid, that’s who it was!” Simms lunged for Riley. Two of the officers pulled him back.

  “You’re lying!” Maggie cried, and turned to Rand. “For God’s sake, do something!”

  “Deputy Pierson, ma’am,” a tall young officer said politely. “Stand back, Mr. Simms. I’ll handle this.”

  “Tell us what happened, Deputy,” Rand said quietly. “But first I’d appreciate it if you’d remove Mr. Simms from this kitchen.”

  When Ben had been escorted away, Deputy Pierson turned back to Rand and Maggie. “Mrs. Tanner,” he said soberly, “Luana Mae Simms has accused your nephew of beating and raping her.”

  “But it isn’t true! Riley wouldn’t do such a thing.”

  “Mr. Simms says the boy is violent. Is it true that Riley Coleman attacked him in your dining room when he tried to break up a fight between your son and your nephew?

  “No, Riley didn’t attack him; he just didn’t want the man to touch him....”

  “That’s not what Mr. Simms says. Have there been any other acts of violence between your nephew and your son, Mrs. Tanner?”

  “What does that have to do with Luana?” Maggie asked, wringing her hands.

  Riley sagged against Rand. “I didn’t touch her. I didn’t do it. I swear I didn’t. I talked to her for a couple of minutes when I got home, but I didn’t touch her!”

  “That’s true, what the boy says,” Martha interjected. The deputy took notes as she explained about being awakened by Riley’s headlights. “I heard him come in. I heard the door close.”

  “Thank God, Martha. Thank God you heard.”

  Cole stepped forward. “I saw him come in. I heard him, too. I also saw Luana go back up the steps. I was watching from my window.”

  Cole moved back until he was standing next to Riley. Maggie saw her son’s hand touch Riley’s shoulder. Any other time she would have been pleased; now she was frightened out of her wits.

  “I want to call our lawyer,” she said, trying to speak calmly. “None of us will say one more word until she gets here.”

  “Please have your lawyer meet us at the Crystal City Sheriff’s Office. I’m sorry, Mrs. Tanner, but we have to take the boy in for questioning.”

  Rand stepped forward. “Deputy Pierson, do you have to take Riley immediately? Why not let the lawyer come here? It would be much less disruptive to the family. How would you like a cup of coffee?” He turned to Martha without waiting for an answer. “Martha, how about some of that delicious coffee of yours. And would it be too much trouble to cook up some breakfast? We’re all starving, and I’m sure the deputy and his men haven’t eaten for hours.”

  Martha hurried to the stove. “Yes sir, Mr. Nelson, a nice mess of grits and ham with eggs on the side. How’s that sound?”

  Maggie smiled weakly as she headed for the study to call Valentine Mitchell. They’d take Riley to the sheriff’s office eventually, but not before they gorged on Martha’s biscuits and ham.

  Two uniformed officers stood outside the kitchen door, their hands on their holsters. Everyone else was seated at the table in the breakfast nook waiting for Valentine Mitchell when Maggie excused herself again and returned to the study. This time she called Amelia.

  “I need you and Cary,” she said, then tersely explained what was going on.

  As soon as she’d hung up, she called Ferris Armstrong. “Send Susan, please, Ferris. I want the family here.”

  Her last call was to Billie. Thad answered and when Maggie explained, Thad was comforting. “Has anyone thought about calling the boy’s grandfather?”

  “I thought about it, but I don’t want to alarm him. He’s elderly and not well. Will you do it, Thad?”

  “Of course, as soon as I hang up. Stand tough, Maggie. Don’t let some smooth-talking pickup jockey railroad the boy.”

  The ensuing hours were a nightmare.

  When Valentine arrived, the police led Riley away. Cole watched in silence until the police car was out of sight; then he turned and kicked out at the kitchen chair, overturning it. Swearing savagely, he raced upstairs, nursing his injured foot. He ran straight to the bathroom and was violently sick. After he’d cleaned up and brushed his teeth, he went to his room and called Sawyer, explaining the situation in jerky sentences.

  “I think you should come here,” he said harshly. “Grand is on her way. We need everyone. I’m the next one they’re going to haul in.”

  “Of course I’ll come. I’ll bring Adam with me. I don’t know when we can get a flight, though.”

  “Charter one! If ever there was a time to use all that Coleman money everyone brags about, this is it.”

  “I’ll be there, little brother,” Sawyer promised. “Just hang on.”

  Cole hung up and made a second trip to the bathroom, retching till his stomach muscles ached.

  It was after two when Luana was brought back to the house. The ambulance driver handed Deputy Pierson an envelope. He handed it to Maggie, who read what was inside and then passed it to Rand.

  From her seat in the breakfast nook, Maggie could see the ambulance drivers helping Luana up the steps. She’d been raped; it was on paper now, a fact, not something Ben Simms made up.

  By three o’clock the Cougar and the Berlinetta were impounded. Riley and Valentine were still at the sheriff’s office. Maggie chewed off three of her fingernails.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Thad and Billie arrived at four-thirty that afternoon, Sawyer and Adam shortly after. The sheriff’s deputies arrived at six with a warrant for Cole’s arrest. Cole’s face was grim and frightened when he kissed his mother and then Sawyer. “I didn’t do anything and neither did Riley. You’ve got to believe us!”

  “We do!” Maggie and Sawyer cried in unison, then watched helplessly as he was led away.

  Just after midnight Shadaharu Hasegawa arrived in a limousine. He embraced Billie and Thad and bowed low to the others. “Now, tell me.”

  The old Japanese gentleman listened as Thad explained the situation. “My grandson would not bring dishonor on his family,” he said calmly. “And I do not believe my good friends’ other grandson would do such a thing. There is a truth here beyond what we see. We must find it.”

  At around twelve-thirty Valentine Mitchell called with a status report. Riley and Cole were to be brought into court for arraignment in the morning.

  “What’s an arraignment?” Maggie asked Rand, who had taken Valentine’s call.

  “She says it’s to go before the court to see if there’s enough evidence to set bail and put the wheels in motion for a trial. Valentine says not to worry; the boys will be released to our custody. They’re to appear in court at nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”

  Appearing before the judge was a sobering experience for Riley and Cole. Up until then, everything that happened the day before had seemed like a bad dream. Now it was a reality. They had been accused; the grounds of suspicion had been weighed and found substantial. Both boys had been implicated, but only Riley had been charged with rape. Cole, they believed due to evidence found in his car, had aided and abetted the crime.

  Riley was still dazed from his appearance before the judge when he entered the anteroom outside the court. The first person he saw was his grandfather. Tears sprang to his eyes. “Old One, I did nothing to disgrace our family.”

  Cole, who had entered the anteroom behind his cousin, felt a lump in his throat. His mother was crying; they were all crying except Thad and Rand. The old Japanese gentleman reached out his arms, and Riley, two heads taller, walked into them. Words were unnecessary.

  “Where do we go from here, Valentine?” Rand asked in a muted voice.

  “We wait,” she answered, stuffing papers into her briefcase. “I want you to take the boys into Austin General Hospital for semen sampling. It wou
ld be easier on them if you didn’t bring Maggie. We’re waiting for the results of the slides made from cervical smears taken from Luana Simms. If we’re lucky, the two tests won’t compare and Riley and Cole will be off the hook. I’m not taking any chances, though; the test work will be done by two independent laboratories as well as the hospital. Tell Maggie that was Dudley’s quick thinking, and thanks to the Coleman sway, we managed to get the D.A.’s office to agree.”

  “We’ll leave in a while,” Rand assured Valentine. He turned in time to see Cole walk out the front door, Riley following behind.

  “Where’re you going, Cole?” Riley asked.

  Something in his tone caught Cole’s curiosity. “What’s it to ya?”

  “Because I want to talk to you.”

  “So talk.”

  “Not here. Out back.”

  Cole shrugged and walked around to the back, Riley dogging his steps. From the way Riley was acting, Cole sensed there was going to be trouble. He wasn’t surprised when Riley’s arm shot out and turned him roughly around.

  “You bastard,” Riley hissed. “It was you who attacked Luana, because I-know it wasn’t me. You were the one, and you’re going to let me take the rap! I heard the evidence this morning, and if no one else is asking you questions, I am. How did Luana’s fingerprints get all over your car? How did her blood get there? She wouldn’t let you into her pants, so you roughed her up and then raped her!”

  “Hold it, Riley. That’s not the whole story; you don’t know what happened!”

  “Don’t I? I sure as hell do, and I’m not going down with you. Damned if I am!” The anger Riley had been struggling to control since early that morning erupted. Cole never saw the blow coming and took it full on the chin. Another kick from Riley’s foot hit him square in the gut, bending him over double.

  “Fight! Stand up and fight!” Riley shouted, already bracing himself against attack.