The Lawman's Promise

by Rhonda Lee Carver

  He’d almost lost her, twice, and he vowed he’d never be in a place that put him at risk of losing her again.

  Even now, when he thought about that horrible day in Ethan’s office, when the three of them had faced the evil Patterson, and how the gun had exploded and he’d thought it was Blake that had been shot, his heart did a flip. It wasn’t until later that he’d realized Ethan had stepped in front of Blake and saved her from the bullet. He’d been shot in the back, the bullet piercing his heart, killing him instantly. It had been devastating for both Duff and Blake. Although Ethan had made bad choices in the name of greed, he had once been their best friend. Patterson was arrested and now was sitting in jail until his trial.

  The church bells rang, drawing Duff back to his beautiful wife.

  Together they walked down the stone steps and climbed into his truck, decorated with streamers, empty cans, and a sign that read, “Just married”. He looked at his wife. “So, how does it feel to be Mrs. Tyler?”

  She smiled, her eyes shining brightly and her cheeks flushed. How was it possible that she looked more beautiful each time he saw at her? He figured that for the first time in a long time, she had everything she wanted. Someone to share her life with, and her Grams back at the farm thanks to a donation/wedding present from Ross Tyler.

  Duff liked to believe that he made her happy too.

  “Did you see that Kelly brought a date?” Blake said.

  “I did. She and her husband are going to give it another shot.”

  “And I truly am proud of you for treating him decently.”

  He took her hand, entwining their fingers as he drove down Main Street toward the McKenzie Farm where they decided to call home. “Let’s go see your Grams. I bet she’ll think you’re quite the beauty in her old gown.”

  ****

  When they reached the farmhouse, they went upstairs where the nurse had just finished giving Grams her IV meds. “How’s she doing, Betty?”

  “She’s a little restless. She’s been mumbling something, but I can’t understand. Maybe you’ll have better luck.”

  “Okay. I’ll try. You can take a break and we’ll visit for a while.” Blake sat down on the edge of the bed and took her Grams hand. Although she hadn’t gotten any better, she wasn’t worse. Blake just wanted to spend each day with her, cherish them and hold onto the memories.

  Duff sat down in the chair in the corner.

  She smiled at her husband, so proud that they were married. She never imagined she could be so happy.

  “Well, it’s official Grams. Duff and I are married.” She flashed her wedding band. “I think you would have loved the wedding. It was absolutely beautiful.”

  Grams blinked, her mouth moved. “T-T-T…”

  Blake leaned closer. “What is it, Grams?”

  “T-T-T…ree…”

  “What are you trying to tell me?”

  “M-M-M…on. T-T-T…ree. T-T-T-…ire.”

  Blake sat up straight, her heart kicking up in speed. “Duff?”

  He stood up. “I understand.”

  He darted out of the room and Blake stood, going to the window and looking out. A second later Duff was in the front yard with a shovel, standing by the tire swing her Gramps had put up for her when she was little. Duff looked up at her and nodded. She dipped her head and watched him dig into the hard dirt.

  “Kee…”

  Blake went back to her grandmother’s side and sat down next to her hip. “Grams. Are you telling me where the money is?”

  Grey eyes turned on Blake. “K-k-k-eep mon.”

  Blake blinked. Her eyes welled with tears and they fell to her cheeks. Several seconds later, she went back to the window, looking down at her husband who was wiping sweat from his brow. His nice black tuxedo was now covered in dirt. They’d never be able to return it to the rental shop.

  Then Duff paused, the tip of the shovel hitting something. He lowered to his knees, using his hands now to move his way through the dirt until something white came into view. Blake clutched her hands together in a tight grip. She took a step back. She couldn’t watch.

  “Mon. Mon. Mon,” Grams mumbled.

  Her Grams knew about the money.

  Had she been okay with keeping it? Or was that why they never spent it?

  “Blake?”

  Duff’s voice made her swivel. He stood in the doorway, covered from head to toe in dirt. A large, tattered white bag hung from his left hand. A long ten seconds of silence passed between them. He placed the bag on the table, opened it and counted. Blake still stood motionless, frozen to her spot.

  “There’s—”

  “No. I don’t want to know, Duff.”

  He blinked. “Blake?”

  She shook her head slowly. “Gramps buried the money and didn’t touch it but twice. I know he didn’t. He buried all of it and kept it there all of these years. Put it back.”

  “You want me to rebury it?”

  “If we spend any of it, we’ll never get over the guilt. The curse that has followed my grandparents, your parents and the Bransons…we have to stop it here. It’s blood money and we don’t need it.”

  His jaw softened and he nodded. “I agree.” Without a word, he turned, and left the room with the bag.

  Blake sat down next to her grandmother, who gave a twisted smile. “You do know more of what’s going on then you let on,” Blake whispered.

  The End

  From the author:

  Thank you for reading. Please leave a review and let others know your thoughts.

  Check out my entire selection of books:

  http://www.amazon.com/Rhonda-Lee-Carver

  Hugs,

  Rhonda Lee Carver

  At an early age, Rhonda fell in love with romance novels, knowing one day she’d write her own love story. Life took a short detour, but when the story ideas were no longer contained, she decided to dive in and write. Her first plot was on a dirty napkin she found buried in her car. Eventually, she ran out of napkins. With baby on one hip and laptop on the other, she made a dream into reality—one word at a time.

  Her specialty is men who love to get their hands dirty and women who are smart, strong and flawed. She loves writing about the everyday hero.

  When Rhonda isn't crafting sizzling manuscripts, you will find her busy editing novels, blogging, juggling kids and animals (too many to name), dreaming of a beach house and keeping romance alive. Oh, and drinking lots of coffee to keep up with her hero and heroine.

  For other titles by Rhonda Lee Carver, please visit: www.rhondaleecarver.com.

  Find me on Facebook, too! www.facebook.com/rhondalee.carver

  Other books by Rhonda Lee Carver

  Diamond in a Rose

  Double Dare

  Delaney’s Sunrise

  Second Chance Cowboy (Book 1, Second Chance Series)

  Second Ride Cowboy (Book 2, Second Chance Series)

  Second Round Cowboy (Book 3, Second Chance Series)

  Second Dance Cowboy (Book 4, Second Chance Series)

  Second Song Cowboy (Book 5, Second Chance Series)

  Second Burn Cowboy (Book 6, Second Chance Series)

  Second Hope Cowboy (Book 7, Second Chance Series)

  Second Sunrise Cowboy (Book 8, Second Chance Cowboy Series)

  Castle’s Fortress

  Dreaming Ivy

  Friends With Benefits

  Sin With Cuffs

  With Honor

  Wicked Pleasures (Book 1, Wicked Wolves Series)

  Wicked Lust (Book 2, Wicked Wolves Series)

  Fighting Flames

  UNDER PRESSURE (Book 1, Rhinestone Cowgirls)

  PRESSURE RISING (Book 2, Rhinestone Cowgirls)

  PRESSURE POINT (Book 3, Rhinestone Cowgirls)

  SECRET PRESSURE (Book 4, Rhinestone Cowgirls)

  RESISTING PRESSURE (Book 5, Rhinestone Cowgirls)

  Under the Mistletoe

  Cowboy Paradise (Cowboys of Nirvana)

  Ropin’ Troubl
e (Book 2, Cowboys of Nirvana)

  Smoke. Fire. Cowboy (Book 3, Cowboys of Nirvana)

  Kissed, Spurred, & Valentined (Book 4, Cowboys of Nirvana)

  Cowboy is Mine (Book 5, Cowboys of Nirvana)

  Leather for Two, Wings of Steel MC

  An Unexpected Hero (Buttermilk Valley)

  A New Year’s Cowboy (Ring In A Cowboy Boxed Set)

  Pride & Pleasure (Book 1, The KNIGHT Brothers)

  Watch for The Discreet Cowboy (Book 6, Cowboys of Nirvana) coming June 2016!

  Have you read Pride & Pleasure (Book 1, The KNIGHT Brothers)? Here’s a bit of a teaser.

  PROLOGUE

  “Oh no, Victor.” Angelina squealed.

  “What is it?” Victor Knight’s heart skipped a beat as he looked at his sister who was sitting across from him in the lobby at the hospital.

  “It’s all over social media that Avary Pine was attacked last night as she was coming out of the theater after her solo performance.”

  He settled back into the cracked vinyl seat. “Avary Pine?”

  “Don’t pretend you haven’t heard me gush over her for the last year. She’s the up and coming cellist that I went to see play several months back, and wow…just wow!”

  Victor sighed at his sister’s exuberance. She would have seen his irritation if she didn’t have her phone inches from her face, scrolling like a mad woman. “Shouldn’t you be more concerned about your well-being than anyone else’s?”

  She looked at him over her cell, then one corner of her mouth twisted. “Why should I worry about myself?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you’re getting ready to have your first treatment and you need to stay focused on getting better.”

  “I’ll have plenty of time for self-pity when I’m back in that chair.” She sniffed.

  “It’s not self-pity to be concerned about healing, Angelina. By the way, when should we tell our brothers?” He had danced around the question since she’d been diagnosed four weeks ago.

  “That Avary Pine was attacked?”

  He growled under his breath. “No, that you have breast cancer. They’d want to know and if I don’t tell them each one will kick my ass.”

  She chuckled. “Vic, when were you ever worried about getting your ass kicked from our brothers or anyone else? You’re the tough guy, remember?”

  “Yeah, I’m real tough.” What his sister didn’t realize was that he needed someone to talk to. Someone that would share in the pain that she had the same form of cancer their mother died from eighteen years before. The loss of Rose Knight had been devastating and had destroyed their father, Theobald. The damage had eventually seeped into the close bond the siblings once shared. Now they were scattered from place to place, barely seeing one another, not even on holidays that had meant so much to their mother when she was alive.

  Theobald had recently passed away. He had been sitting at his desk when his secretary found him slumped over, not breathing. He’d died where he’d spent most of his days. Victor couldn’t blame his father for his interminable dedication. After all, the drive of success was in the Knight blood.

  “It says that her hand was hurt badly and she had to have emergency surgery,” Angelina’s words crashed through his thoughts.

  “What?” He dragged his mind back on track.

  “Avary. She may never play the cello again.”

  He rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “Stop changing the subject. We need to discuss telling our family. Although distance separates us, they still care. They’ll know something’s wrong.”

  She shrugged. “We’ll tell them. Tonight. Feel better?”

  “Honestly, no.” His throat was thick.

  Concern etched lines around her green/silver eyes. She was too young, at thirty-five, to have cancer, and yet the disease had no prejudice. She was strong and her positive nature amazed him—she flipped off the illness that gave her a chance of survival of less than fifty percent. Once she learned of the diagnosis, she’d said, “If I’m going down, it’ll be on my own terms.”

  Angelina reached across the short space and patted his hand. “You promised not to be sad. I don’t want you to feel sorry for me.”

  “I think you should know that I can’t keep that promise.” He shifted. “You’re going to beat this. A lot has changed in the medical field since Mom…”

  “Come on, brother. Finish that sentence. Since Mom died of cancer. Not saying the words aloud doesn’t make the past go away. Father was a perfect example. He had his head in the sand more than anybody.”

  When Rose died, their father had drowned himself in work and they were lucky to see him. Angelina, being the oldest, had stepped up and became the motherly figure, although only five years separated her and Victor.

  Living in a luxurious home on a private estate, several lake-front and secluded vacation houses, and attending the finest private schools made everyone believe the Knight siblings had it all. No one saw how confused and sad the six children were. Once upon a time they were a family who ate breakfast together every morning while their father entertained them with stories of superheroes, miracles and success. They celebrated holidays at their lake house, watched movies and opened presents on Christmas morning. They even attended Sunday service at church.

  Their mother was diagnosed and Theobald had bought a vineyard on the Virginian eastern coast, which had been in financial ruin because of harsh weather conditions and bad soil. He’d said that he wanted his family away from the city, but Victor had a suspicion that Theobald had actually needed a project to take his attention away from the fact that he couldn’t help his wife. Rose loved the estate, located close to where she grew up. She’d take long walks on the property until she’d become too weak, and then they would take turns in chauffeuring her around like tour guides showing her the achievements Theobald had made to the vineyard.

  Eventually, she was sentenced to admire the beauty through her bedside window.

  Rose Marie Jenson Knight had fought an admirable fight, but eventually her body grew tired and a year after they’d moved to the estate, she passed.

  Victor wasn’t sure if it’d been more difficult watching his mother slowly succumb to death or his father crawling into a miserable shell where nothing was welcome but grief. Theobald had dedicated himself into making the vineyard what it was today… a successful winery.

  Knowing the only way to get his father’s attention was to share in his interests, Victor learned the process of growing grapes, preparing healthy soil and controlling disease in the crop. Working alongside his father in the business, what had started out as a hobby for Victor turned into a career. He’d come back home from college and his father started spending most of his time at the ranch in Montana and didn’t seem to have a stake in the wine business any longer. So when Victor inherited the Knight Estate Vineyard and Winery, the transition had been smooth considering he’d been at the helm for a while.

  “The stories say she was brought here after the attack.” Angelina sat up, dropping her phone into her jacket pocket. “You have to buy her flowers.”

  He blinked. “Excuse me?”

  “You have to go to the gift shop and buy Avary flowers—something colorful.”

  “If I was attacked and didn’t have use of my hand to ever play again, the last thing I’d want is flowers,” he said.

  “You’re cynical.”

  “Stop trying to help everyone.”

  Her gaze narrowed. “You’re never going to find anyone to love or to love you until you stop being so disparaging.”

  “What makes you think I want to find someone?” He picked the top magazine up from the stack on the table next to him and thumbed through the pages, pretending interest in a salon ad.

  “Go buy the flowers. Do this for me,” she said.

  “I’m busy reading.” He kept his gaze lowered.

  “Since when do you read Cosmopolitan? If you see any Kama Sutra articles, let me know.
I’d like to read them too.”

  He blew out a long breath and tossed the magazine back on the table. “Fine. I’ll do this for you, once you’re back to the room.”

  “Go now,” she demanded.

  “Don’t trust me that I’ll do it?” He lifted one brow.

  “It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve promised something just to appease me.”

  He knew there was no use in arguing. Going to get the flowers would be much easier than trying to convince her how this idea was insane. He didn’t know one person who wanted flowers while they were in the hospital. A bottle of whiskey maybe. Or even chocolate. But who wanted to watch something so beautiful slowly die? He stood, grabbed his jacket from the arm of the chair and pulled it on. “Okay. You won. Something colorful.”

  “And make sure you give them to her personally.” Angelina pulled her phone back from her pocket.

  “You know you’re pushing it, right?”

  “You know that I love you, right?” She smiled, but it didn’t take away the dark smears under her eyes or the pale color of her cheeks.

  He jerked a shoulder up and let it fall. “Sometimes I wonder. Meet you here when you’re done.”

  Victor left the lobby and headed toward the elevator, stabbing the down button. He couldn’t believe he was actually going to buy flowers for a stranger. He’d never bought flowers for any woman that wasn’t his relative. Then again, he would do anything to make his sister happy.

  His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out. It was a reminder that he had an evening meeting with the accountant for the vineyard. Sometimes Victor wondered how his father had juggled so many different businesses, financial opportunities and households. Then again, once Theobald’s sons graduated college, their father had expected them to take a leadership role in the family businesses, which gave him more freedom. After all, the Knight children were raised to be leaders.

  Victor and his siblings had sat in the lawyer’s office as the will of Theobald Knight was read. None of them had understood until that moment just how carefully their father had planned the future of his children. It seemed as if he’d molded them to take over where he’d left off. Of course, Victor inherited the vineyard and the estate. Declan, the sports equipment manufacturing company in Atlanta, that was worth millions. Christian, the lakeside home in a small secluded town just outside of Savannah, Georgia where he was a popular veterinarian—which had something to do with his dimpled smile that had all of the women bringing in their pets, sick or not. The family had spent many vacations there on the water and the memories overflowed. Quentin was left the ranch in Montana because he’d always been a cowboy at heart. Seth had inherited property with a number of cabins on wide open land surrounded by mountains in Tennessee. It satisfied his need for solitude. After serving in the military and suffering a few heartbreaks, he wasn’t the same man who used to always wear a smile and have a joke to tell. Angelina had inherited their mother’s house in Virginia and a small rental house on the property next to Christian’s.