He dressed and grabbed a six pack from the fridge—a consolation for Hugh. Penn didn’t bother getting into his truck. Hugh lived within walking distance and right now, Penn needed to clear his head a bit before he divulged his issue to his brother who’d probably tell Penn that he was a fucking idiot. No arguing, this situation had gone from bad to worse in a matter of hours. There were many times he looked to his brothers for guidance, and vice versa. It didn’t mean he always listened, but being all caught up between his brain and gut, he could use a bouncing board. Hugh was level headed and hopefully would listen.
“I hope this is good,” Hugh said as he opened the door, grabbed the beer, and left Penn standing on the porch.
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find it entertaining.” Penn kicked the door shut behind him and strolled into the living room where Hugh was already sitting on the couch with his feet propped up, sipping from a steaming mug. “What happened to the beer, bro?”
“Who the hell wants beer this early? I made coffee. Want some?”
“I think I could use some.” He poured himself a cup and forgot about adding milk and sugar. He needed a strong dose of caffeine.
Penn took the chair and stretched his feet out on the wagon wheel table, looking at his brother who was only fifteen months older. They looked alike. In fact, someone once told them that they could pass as twins. Although all the brothers had similar looks, they were different in many ways. Wes and Roman had their heads on straighter. Hugh and Urban were still involved in the rodeo and spent a lot of time away from the ranch and business. Penn wasn’t quite sure where he fell.
Taking a long drink of coffee, he winced as it burnt all the way into his stomach. After a long moment of silence, Hugh sighed. “I’m going to take into consideration that you don’t wake me in the middle of the night often, so spill the beans. Is it a woman?”
Penn blinked. His brothers knew him well. “If it was just a woman, I could handle this.”
“Oh shit! A female has you in knots, does she?” Hugh laughed, slapping his hand against his thigh.
“Hell, I don’t know what happened.” He eased into the cushions and downed half his cup.
“I hear it’s like that, man. Just look at Roman. One minute he swears he won’t touch a relationship with a ten-foot pole, and then boom, he’s married. I’m glad I haven’t lost my mind. So, who is she? Is it that Seneca woman?” He whistled through his teeth. “She’s a looker, for sure.”
Penn gave his head a quick shake. “Are you serious?”
Hugh lifted a shoulder and let it drop. “Hell, I haven’t seen anyone else around your place over the last three years.”
“Don’t put more into this. I’m not saying I’m rethinking my relationship values. I’m just saying that I needed to get out of the house before I did something stupid.” The way Harley had looked at him in his bedroom had him questioning if she’d wanted him to ask to stay.
“She’s there now?” He used the cup to point in the direction of Penn’s house. “And you’re not in bed with her?” He dropped his feet to the floor, scrubbed his five o’clock shadow, and laughed. “Now this is serious. When a man has a woman in his bed and he’s not sharing it, that’s a problem. Are you having trouble getting the soldier to invade the castle?”
“My soldier is fine, thank you.”
“I do remember you coming to me once—”
“I was sixteen and me getting my soldier up wasn’t the problem, jackass. Keeping it from saluting was the problem It never wanted to go down.” Penn tossed a throw pillow at his brother’s head.
Hugh had caught it before it landed against his head. He used it to prop up his elbow. “Then why are you here and not there?”
“I haven’t slept with her, and that’s not why she’s at my house.”
“Now I’m lost.”
“You’ll understand when I tell you who she is.”
Hugh sighed. “I’m starting to think I might not want to know.”
Penn scratched his temple. “You know how we’re always saying to keep our personal lives separate from business? Well, let’s just say I fucked that up real good.” Hugh was now shaking his head. “The Reed case. Remember it?”
“He wanted to catch his girl cheating?”
“That story’s a bit more complicated.”
Hugh frowned. “Wasn’t that case closed?” Penn nodded. “What could be so complicated about taking pictures of a woman kissing another man?”
“The woman had broken up with Reed months ago.”
Hugh’s gaze narrowed. “Well then, she should be glad she moved on.”
Penn blew out a long breath. Yeah, well the pictures I took during surveillance had landed in her lap, including a few alterations added for a dramatic effect.”
“What alterations?” All humor had left his brother’s face.
“Someone had decided to draw a knife coming out of Harley’s chest. Same with Patterson.”
“Okay, let me get this straight. You took the shots, sent them to Marshall Reed, and he sent them to Harley Tate with the doodles.”
Penn shrugged. “Can’t prove that Reed sent them, even if they were his. That’s where this makes no sense.” He went on to explain things in more detail, why he invited Harley to his house, and the sexual attraction that couldn’t be ignored.
“So, you’re here because you want my advice?”
“Pretty much.”
“Go back home, pack up Harley and her things, and take them to the nearest hotel.”
“I can’t.” Seeing his brother’s pensive glare, Penn shrugged. “She could be in danger.”
“Then let her hire you to find out who’s behind this shit and you keep your dick in your pants. Plain and simple.”
He always liked Hugh’s no-nonsense conclusions, but this one didn’t settle well with Penn. Had he really expected it to? “What if I don’t let her hire me?”
Hugh blew out a long breath. “Listen, bro. I’m going to tell you just as I know Wes would, this isn’t about you or your cock. This is about the family business. There’s a reason why we don’t get involved with the people we investigate, or who hire us for service. Once we inject any emotion into a relationship, our brains malfunction. Looks like you’re a perfect example. Now go do what I suggested.”
Penn didn’t respond.
“What did you say the man’s name was? This Patterson fellow?”
“Raymond Patterson. He works at Reed Oil Industries.”
Wrinkles of concern etched his brother’s eyes. He placed his cup on the table, reached for the newspaper from the basket in the center of the table, opened it to an inside page, and spread it out in front of Penn. “You should read this. It’s the local paper.”
Penn read the bold headline, “Employee of Reed Industries missing.” In the article, he learned that Patterson had worked in Reed’s company for ten years. He was reported missing by a neighbor who had heard suspicious noises in Patterson’s apartment. Police hadn’t found evidence of a struggle in his apartment, and aren’t finding any leads that foul play was involved in his disappearance. “This happened yesterday morning?”
Hugh nodded. “Damn, I didn’t put two and two together until you mentioned his name. Your new friend, Harley, should go to the police.”
Penn lowered his gaze. “She won’t.”
“What are you not telling me?”
Throwing the paper onto the table, Penn tried to clear his thoughts. “I’m afraid that’s not a choice that’s available to her.”
“And why the hell not? And the bigger question is how the hell do you know?”
“Because I believe her when she says that Reed isn’t safe. Now more than ever.”
CHAPTER SIX
HARLEY WOKE UP feeling unusually warm and rested. There was something about sleeping in Penn’s bed that made her feel like she’d been held by a cloud of his delicious scent all night. She’d had the most amazing dreams that brought a smile to her face.
She didn’t even have the urgency to allow Marshall and his shenanigans to weigh in on her thoughts. She was just too comfortable, enveloped in the moment. Stretching her arms high and brushing her fingertips on the headboard, she moaned in delight. Theodore meowed from at her feet, then scurried. He was probably hungry. And she had work to think about. A new shipment of books would be coming this morning and she had several nearby authors to schedule for book signings.
The digital clock on the night stand read eight A.M.. The store opened at ten so she had plenty of time unless something unexpected, like tall, dark and handsome, delayed her routine. Her toes curled. She could think of a dozen ways in which she could enjoy a morning here in Penn’s bed.
Pushing her naughty feelings aside, she climbed from between the sheets and planted her bare feet on the cool floor, bringing her fully awake. Hearing a bird chirp just outside the window, she pulled the curtains open and peered out onto the enormous backyard. Nothing but land as far as the eye could see. A lingering fog touched the tops of the wildflowers giving it a mystical appearance. A white fence separated parts of the property and in the distance, she could see horses grazing in the grass. They were beautiful. The entire scenery was amazing. She could have easily stood there and watched time pass, but life called her.
Grabbing clothes from her bag and dressing, she made her way downstairs. Penn was in the kitchen leaning against the granite counter. He’d shaven and looked different without the beard covering his chin. Her day couldn’t start any better. Warm bed. Bright sunlight. And Penn Jericho. Such a heady combination. She walked closer and their gazes met.
“Good morning,” he said in a raspy tone that made her heart pick up in speed.
“I really want to say thank you for offering me a place to stay last night. For only managing a few hours, I feel incredibly rested. It must be the fresh air. You have an amazing view from your bedroom window.”
“Maybe I can take you for a tour?”
“So, you haven’t prepared a speedy plan to get me out of your hair?”
Something flickered in his expression. “Not at the moment. You’re not planning any more fires, are you?”
“About that—”
“No explanation needed. I’m only teasing. Coffee?”
“Yes, please.”
She watched him pour the coffee into a large mug, then held up the sweet cream container. She nodded. When she had her cup, she sipped the hot, delicious brew and immediately added it to the wonderful luxuries of the morning. A sexy cowboy making her coffee. Yes, this was delightful.
She scooted her gaze down his black T-shirt, the large belt buckle that glinted at his slender waist and nice fitting jeans, faded and worn down the thighs. She guessed he couldn’t be considered model handsome. He did have flaws, if one would consider them flaws. He had crinkles around his eyes from working outdoors. He had threads of silver peppering his otherwise ink-black hair. Last night she’d noticed the scars, now healed and white, on his back. His nose had been broken, she could see by the bump and the slight bend at the bridge. She’d assumed there were many ways a cowboy could break parts of his body. Maybe his were from the accident? Had he fallen from a bull’s back? Probably a few times. She searched mindlessly for more flaws, like too thin of lips or a tick, but came up with zilch as she skimmed his confident stance. She had a feeling he was confident in whatever he was doing. Whether bringing down bad guys, big bulls, or saving women from the likes of a bastard like Marshall Reed.
His eyes were warm upon her. “So, you slept good?”
“Like a baby.” She should be a little embarrassed to admit that since she’d slept in his bed and he took the ‘lumpy’ one in the guest room.
“I’m glad. I hope it’s okay, but I shared a bite of my toast with Theodore this morning. Either that or I was afraid he was going to bite my throat.”
She laughed. “He can be a pest at times.”
He smiled—a big smile that turned her blood into wine. “Can I make you something to eat?”
“I’ll grab something at the bookstore. We’ve been selling these amazing confections from a nearby bakery. I’m addicted. I need a good workout.” She noticed how his jaw tightened and the warmth in his eyes had diminished some. “What’s wrong?”
“I hate to put a damper on your morning, but there’s something you should know. I didn’t find out until after you were asleep.” He grabbed a newspaper from behind the coffee maker and placed it in front of her.
A stabbing feeling developed behind her breastbone, even before she read that Ray Patterson was missing. She sank into one of the barstools as she absorbed the information in the article, tears blurring her vision. Her mind skipped from thought to thought, swirling around what could have happened as she attempted to understand. “He’s missing? I-I had been trying to reach him and he wasn’t responding, but I just thought maybe, well, it was because of what happened.”
“Are you referring to the photos that were sent to you?”
She looked at Penn and shook her head. “No. I didn’t know that Ray had interest in me until that day, the day you took the photos. The kiss, it was all a shock to me. His revelation that he had feelings for me. I meant to gently let him down, explaining that I didn’t reflect those same emotions, and he seemed okay. I thought we left things as friends. But this…his disappearance. Can Marshall be behind this?”
Penn leaned his elbows on the counter, his gaze on her. “I don’t know, Harley. I wish I knew. I have a friend, a detective, who I plan to speak to. He might also want to speak to you.”
She swallowed the twinge in her throat. “This is my fault. I should have gone to the police once I received the pictures. Bullies have to be stopped.”
Penn hesitated, rubbing his clean-shaven chin. “You thought Reed was bullying you?”
She nodded. “He bullies everyone. That’s what turned me against him really. The way he treated people, it was degrading. Charlene, his secretary, had become my friend, and she once told me that I should be careful with Marshall. I wanted to ask details, but at that point my instincts were already off the charts. This just doesn’t make sense. Charlene told me he’s dating someone new, so why?” She set the paper down and pushed it away. Not wishing to see Ray’s gaze looking back at her from the black and white picture.
Penn pushed away from the counter. “What I’ve learned over the years is that nothing is as simple as it seems. Even though it appears that Reed is guilty, there’s some missing pieces. You said that this Patterson fellow had a thing for you. Men don’t like rejection, yet we’re adults and move on if we’re stable. How well do you know him?”
“We’d only become friends after I broke things off with Marshall.” She noticed his concerned expression. “What are you thinking?”
He shrugged and emptied his cup. “I’d rather not take blind shots in the dark. Let me talk to my detective friend and do some leg work. You should be okay at the bookstore. Do you plan to stay there all day?”
“Yes. You don’t think anyone would be brave enough to do something in a public place, do you?”
“Hell, nothing makes sense about this case.”
She rolled her finger around the rim of her cup. “I should consider a hotel room.” She didn’t want to overstay her welcome.
“Let’s do this.” He crossed his arms over his chest. The tattoo on his arm stuck out from under the sleeve. “Not make any impulsive decisions right now. I need to see what I find out first and we’ll go from there.”
“Aren’t I cramping your style? What will the single ladies think?” She laughed, but the tell-tale tingling in her heart told her it hurt a bit to think of him being with other women.
“You flatter me, but I assure you, there’s no one who will think twice. What’s important is keeping you safe.”
“I can never thank you enough.” Her chest tightened and she found it difficult to push back the emotion welling in her.
Penn rounded the counter and had her in his arms
before the first tear fell to her cheek. “It’s okay. You’re safe here. I promise.”
His soothing words encouraged her to melt against him. “This is my fault. I’ve made a mess of things for me. For everyone.”
“I’ve seen cases like this before, Harley. You’re not in control of another person’s actions or emotions. You don’t have any more control over Reed than I have over the next person.”
“I don’t want to believe that Marshal has anything to do with Ray’s disappearance. Why? Did I cause his disappearance? What if he’s…dead?”
Penn threaded his fingers in her hair and she pulled back, looking up at him. “Let’s slow down. Nothing says he’s been murdered. He’s only missing. Big difference. People go AWOL all of the time on their own freewill.”
“I just feel so guilty.”
“That’s because you have a heart full of compassion.”
His fingers felt so good against her scalp. His strong, tough body engulfed hers, but she only felt secure and warm. She wanted to stay here with him, allow things to take a natural progression, but her mind was reeling. She slid from the stool and he dragged his hand from her hair, dropping it to his side. “I have to go to work.” She needed to gain her equipoise.
“Okay.” He ran a hand through his hair, causing waves to pop out in the thick mass.
“I need the stability of the things I know. Like work. Books.”
He shrugged. “Okay.”
“My head is spinning. So much is running around inside of my mind.” She realized she was rambling.
“I’m sure that’s true. I’ll give you a lift to work.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“Let me be the judge of that, alright?”
Logic warned her that she should refuse, but her tongue wouldn’t form the words. It wasn’t safe to depend upon him, and yet having him close was the only safety at the moment. Her mind wandered to everything they’d shared in a little more than twenty hours and her cheeks flushed. The heat warmed her body. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. I’m doing what anyone would do under the circumstances.”
Penn's Fortune (Saddles & Second Chances Book 2) Page 8