The Horseman's Heritage

by Jacki Bentley

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  New Concepts Publishing

  www.newconceptspublishing.com

  Copyright ©2007 by Jacki Bentley

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  NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.

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  THE HORSEMAN'S HERITAGE

  By

  Jacki Bentley

  © copyright Nov 2007 Jacki Bentley

  Cover art by Alex DeShanks © copyright Nov 2007

  ISBN 978-1-60394-105-1

  New Concepts Publishing

  Lake Park, GA 31636

  www.newconceptspublishing.com

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author's imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

  Dedication:

  This book is for my husband, my own cattleman, who still looks as good in a white T-shirt as my hero, Reese. No wolf tattoo though. Hmmm. Maybe he should get one.

  What they're saying about Jacki Bentley books:

  Of the e-book, Blood Bond

  For $3.50, you cannot buy a better aphrodisiac—Em Sky, Mindunbound Reviews

  The sexual tension is sizzling, the love scenes simmering and the action fast paced—Romance Designs Reviews

  Visit Jacki at www.jackibentley.com

  CONTENTS

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty One

  Chapter Twenty Two

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Chapter Twenty Five

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Chapter Twenty Eight

  Chapter Twenty Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Epilogue

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  Prologue

  "You want me to interfere in my own father's life?"

  They walked along the narrow fuselage of the time ship, Phase.

  "Not so much interfere as intervene."

  "Same thing,” Gabe argued.

  Shaking his head, Sam laughed. “I suppose it is. I understand your reluctance."

  Sam was a man of commanding presence, standing six foot, four inches tall with wide shoulders. Gabe, tall enough at six-one himself, had to stretch his strides to match steps with Sam. The Guardian—not a formal title—but that's what the team called Sam. To a man and woman, they all respected and trusted him, following his lead through some strange and surreal paranormal missions.

  "I do understand,” Sam went on. “It's like asking a surgeon to operate on his father, but you can do it, son."

  "Damn. Can you assure me there's no risk to my father's mental health to have a son he thinks dead turn up? A son who's aged twenty-five years in only five of his years?"

  "You won't so much turn up ... as communicate with him."

  "Oh, right, much better. A disembodied vocal message from his dead and now grown son."

  Sam glared at him. “We all do our jobs. The time angle is damn hard to explain, I grant you. Never understood it well myself and I've seen it work.” He looked thoughtful. “Reese Caldwell may feel you were cheated of your childhood."

  "I was cheated of my childhood. I was also cheated of my family."

  "You don't mean that. You know the work you do is crucial. I think of you as my own son."

  Gabe stopped in his tracks. “I ... ah ... thanks, Sam, I appreciate that. Means a lot to me."

  Sam stopped, too, turned to face Gabe and slapped him on the back awkwardly, then hugged him more awkwardly. “Hell, you get to live forever now, man. A fair trade I think. Don't you?"

  With that he walked on. Gabe followed, jogging to catch up.

  "I don't know. Endless years of missions like the last two may take a toll on a man.” Gabe grinned. “I barely made it back from the last mission with my hide in tact. Nearly rode a volcano out of there."

  "There were some surprises there."

  "You think?"

  "You used your brain, did your job, warned the village."

  Gabe nodded, remembering the grateful expressions of the children he'd saved.

  "The Peacewatcher People on Earth are ... largely inactive,” Sam continued. “They have the same paranormal gifts we have, but no formal training these days. No focus, no leadership. They've lost the technology to sustain their lives to immortality. They have the occasional true dreams and some heed them, do something to help others...."

  "Like Aunt Josie?"

  "Yes. A good woman. She managed to let us know you were in immanent danger. Her telepathic messages are unusually strong."

  "I bet she thought she was praying for me?"

  "Yeah, she did think that. She was. The ones like Josie are not as efficient as before the American Civil War. Man, we failed there. Not in the results, the results were good, but it cost too much in loss of life.” He shook his head. “Damn shame. We can do better than that. We finally have complete communications with Earth back up and running. We can't do it all. We need to enlist their help, the help of the Peacewatcher descendents."

  Sam had told him before that Sam had been born into the Earth Peacewatchers in 1846. Many of the team on Phase were ancient souls.

  "Why not send a new colony there?” Gabe asked.

  "Travel back and forth is too risky for now. We've lost too much technology over the years. The ability to travel is more limited now than when Peacewatchers first arrived on Earth many, many years ago. We need to reignite the existing colony to—"

  "I traveled here from Earth,” Gabe interrupted.

  "Yes, at great risk to your safety. You were stolen by a renegade mad woman in a high-jacked time machine. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're here. Aylie's compassion is greater than her sanity at times. That trip was not authorized by Command and Control."

  Gabe laughed and gave Sam a sideways look. “She's your wife and you know you love her."

  "Yeah, yeah."

  "Neither of you ever told me of the danger involved in my rescue."

  "No reason to tell you that before now. Let's move. We need to get you to the communications room. Now. They tell me things are happening fast. Your father is nearing a major crossroads in his life. Another tragedy ... or a good life. Yet to be determined. You can help secure the best outcome—for him and the future of Earth's Peacewatchers."

  "I don't know about this Sam. What if I screw up? Send someone else."

  "You don't mean that. Your work is exemplary."

  "Yeah, well, because you always suck me in with some sad story. Assure me I alone can fix it and save the universe as we know it."

  "You have a sister."

  "Aw, hell. That would do it."

  "Suck you in, did I?” Sam flashed him a devilish grin.

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter One

  "I
can't reach my work, sweetie,” Ashley Wilson whispered. She sat with her three-year-old daughter, Mandy, sleeping on one arm and a manila folder over stuffed with work in the other.

  Putting down the folder, she lovingly smoothed her daughter's fine baby-blond hair. Her little girl mumbled a little, wiggled around for a more comfortable spot and continued to snooze.

  Ashley glanced around her family room and sighed. A housecleaning disaster lurked. A great minefield of multi-colored toys lay in wait for any unsuspecting human who walked in. Bright and cheery reds, yellows, and blues mocked her tired mood.

  She'd been spoiled for three years by having a young woman live in as a nanny and housekeeper while she got to do mostly the adoring mom part. That had ended when an acquaintance had hired away her nanny three weeks ago.

  "Yoo hoo.” The cheerful voice of her next-door neighbor rang out. “Anyone home?"

  From her position on the sofa, Ashley saw Emma Carson waving at the French doors at the back of the house. Emma was a bubbly, retired human ecology professor who was as drawn to small children as jelly to peanut butter. Ashley smiled, happy to have the distraction a visit from her neighbor represented.

  "Come in. We're in the family room,” she called.

  Mandy wiggled again but continued to sleep. A sleeping child was such a joy.

  Thank goodness, her neighbor loved to help her with Mandy. The last three weeks, Emma had been a godsend. Emma had no children of her own. Although, she'd told Ashley she and her husband, Harvey, had tried for many years before giving up, painfully discouraged. Emma was a feminine but sturdy, take charge kind of lady who loved beauty products. She even sold them herself to make extra retirement money. Did well, too, she drove one of the pretty, silver cars given to her by her company as an incentive.

  Emma had a way of marching along and taking charge like a soldier.

  "I came to cook you dinner, dears.” She dropped her huge tote purse on a chair. Dressed in her favorite attire of khaki slacks and colorful floral top, Emma stopped still and observed Ashley closely.

  "Poor, poor, Ashley. Dark circles under your eyes. I have an eye mask gel that's absolutely wonderful for that. Never too early to take care of your skin, even lovely young skin like yours. You're exhausted since that disloyal nanny left."

  "The Bergens have a vacation home in Corpus Christi, Texas. Close to the beach."

  Emma waved an elegant hand. “Bah. That is tempting, I admit. But she could've stayed a couple weeks until you found a replacement."

  Ashley grinned at her friend's indignant expression. “You don't have to make dinner for us."

  "Sure I do. I'll even join you, if you don't mind. I absolutely hate to eat alone anyway. My Harvey's in D.C. again."

  Emma spoke of her hubby Harvey often, but Ashley had only seen him a time or two. The man traveled a lot.

  "Of course. You're welcome anytime. But I don't want to take advantage of your kindness. You've helped so much the last three weeks. I can never repay you as it is."

  "Nonsense."

  Her neighbor was a wonderful companion for Mandy. She wasn't inhibited by age-related expectations of child rearing. She took Mandy hiking, bird watching, taught her to garden. And to play easy religious pieces on the piano with a wonderful, toe-tapping flair. The two of them even had a go at painting Emma's exterior siding with non-toxic paint once. A pretty robin's egg blue.

  "I'm glad to cook for you two.” Emma continued on, “I know your sister helps you out now and then, but she has a busy young family of her own to see to. And your mom is back to teaching school for the fall you told me. Don't you worry, I'm glad to do this for you two sweet girls. Slip out from under the child and let her sleep a while. Isn't she a beautiful little thing?"

  Ashley looked down at her sleeping daughter. It puzzled her that so little of her ex fiancé, Texas horseman Reese Caldwell, showed in Mandy's sweet face. Once in a while, a flash of his determined expression surfaced. Or the stubborn set of his jaw. “Yes. Beautiful.” She grinned at her friend. “But I'm her mom. I'm totally biased."

  Emma nodded. “As you should be, dear. But Mandy is a pretty child by any standard."

  "Thank you, Emma."

  "Well, I should get going on dinner. Meat loaf sound good? Or pasta?"

  "You do either to perfection. It's a luxury to have someone else make dinner. Thank you. I desperately need to catch up on some work.” She sighed.

  Emma's eyes sharpened. “What's troubling you, dear?"

  For a moment, Ashley debated how much she could reveal. “Oh, it's probably nothing. Just some worries at work. Nagging suspicions."

  "What?” Emma's eyes flashed, extra alert now.

  "A file drawer left open a gap. I like them shut tight. Papers seem to disappear and reappear. Or turn up out of order on my desk. Things most people wouldn't notice."

  Emma's expression was worried. “Your project is valuable, I'm sure. As a scientist at a think tank like Braxton.... Well, they guard innovations like a miser's gold, don't they? I'm sure you're correct to be watchful and suspicious, dear. I know you can't tell me everything, but that tiny camera thing you've had here.... What did you call it again?"

  "IRT camera. Short for infrared thermography."

  Emma nodded. “Right. What a name. No wonder I can't remember. Looked quite futuristic and important though."

  Ashley shrugged. “The basic technology isn't all that new. I'm making it smaller and more affordable, and refining the image quality. I'm puzzled why anyone would want to steal it from me."

  "Maybe you're missing some application that would make it an even hotter property than you know?"

  Ashley frowned. “It's possible, I suppose. Perhaps I'm too close to the forest to see the trees."

  "You have an uncanny memory, Ashley. Very detail oriented. I trust your instincts on this."

  "Braxton's high-tech security is the best money can buy,” Ashley said thoughtfully. “No outsider should be able to get in to the office buildings.” Emma was right. Braxton was one of the most prestigious research facilities in the world. Many of their innovative machines chugged away in the offices of the business world.

  "I don't pretend to understand the things you work on, but I know they're impressive. If you think something is wrong, that someone might spy on you and steal from you, have it investigated. Trust your internal warning system, Ashley. I've noticed in the past two years that you have an almost supernatural ability to see things."

  Ashley shifted on the sofa. Emma was almost too observant at times. Ashley's mother said the same thing about Ashley's supernatural ability to intuit. “Perhaps the problems are nothing more than my imaginings ... from not enough sleep."

  "But your gut,” Emma patted her stomach, “screams otherwise?"

  "Yes."

  "Speak to the powers-that-be at Braxton then, dear. Let them know."

  "I'll talk to Security."

  "Good.” With a quick nod, Emma hustled back to the kitchen.

  Ashley was heartened that her kind neighbor believed her on this. She lifted the work folder and began to go over it.

  "Who does she look like? You? Or her father?"

  Startled, Ashley looked up to see Emma had rejoined her from the kitchen and looked on with a kindly, maternal expression. She checked her watch and saw forty minutes had passed. She'd gotten a lot done after she'd shared her worries with Emma. Her friend sank down in the overstuffed floral arm chair across from the matching sofa.

  "Not so much either of us."

  "I notice she doesn't have your pretty mahogany brown hair. Or lovely green eyes."

  Ashley thought her hair was ordinary and her eyes far too otherworldly green—a weird light green like outer space aliens in the movies. “No, she doesn't. Her father has gorgeous black hair. Inky blue-black, you know? Not dark brown like mine. And he has the most amazing silver-gray eyes I've ever seen. Like a wolf."

  "Oh. Well then, I see what you mean. That's interesting, unusual. You'd
expect the black hair color to dominate. Mandy's is such a lovely shade of golden-blond. And her coffee-brown eyes coordinate perfectly with the blond hair."

  Ashley grinned and shook her head. Emma had an eye for color.

  "I haven't a clue where the blond hair and brown eyes combination came from.” She laughed. “Not my family. There hasn't been a blond in all the generations we know of. In my spare time, I've searched boxes of photos seeking an answer to the mystery."

  Emma slapped her knees. “Sometimes that happens. A child can look more like a distant relative. Or a long ago ancestor no one remembers or has a photo of."

  "I suppose so.” Ashley knew genetics could be more unpredictable and complex than once thought.

  "Her hair will stay blond. I can tell."

  "Think so?"

  "Indeed."

  Ashley looped a finger through a curl of her daughter's shoulder-length hair. Mandy's sparkling eyes lit her days, but she was human enough to feel a bit disappointed that Mandy didn't have her father's black hair and silver eyes. Maybe a little boy would've had the black hair, if they'd been the dream family she'd been so certain they would become. So much for her ability to anticipate the future.

  She sighed sadly. There would be no second child. She was lucky to have this one.

  Where's my daddy, Mommy? My friends all have a daddy somewhere. Even the ‘vorced ones.” Her small daughter's recent innocent questions stirred her conscience. Mandy seemed to think asking often enough would yield a more satisfactory answer than the one she'd received so far.

  Ashley realized she couldn't watch Mandy's pain at not having a father, not without trying to do something about it at last.

  "Don't you be looking so sad now. I shouldn't ask these nosy questions, dear ... but where is our Mandy's father?

  Ashley stiffened. It wasn't like Emma to ask.

  "It's a common story, my biological clock ticked like crazy, but he didn't want babies with me.” Ashley smiled sadly. Do you want our first child to be a girl or boy? she'd asked. I won't have children with you, Ashley, he'd replied, his voice harsh and abrupt. At the time, their baby had already rested safely in her womb. “I thought he loved me,” she whispered to Emma now.