by Susan Fox
"Cole could have any horse he wanted. What was the loss of one horse when I had such a great opportunity to ruin your chances with Cole forever?"
"But I was sixteen years old, Jessie. I wasn't any threat to you, and Cole couldn't even stand to have me around. Besides, he was in love with Jackie."
"You're right about that," Jessie admitted ruefully. "Jackie could do no wrong as far as Cole was concerned. I never could think of a way to come between them before they were married. But when Jackie died so conveniently, I promised myself that no other woman was going to be the next Mrs. Cole Chapman but me. That's why I've got so close to Curtis," she went on. "I have him wrapped so tightly around my little finger that I almost have him believing you're a two-headed monster from the nether world." Jessie's laughter was cold.
"You used the boy?" Veronica felt sick. No wonder Curtis had been so hostile and frightened of her.
"Of course," Jessie readily confessed. "Remember the day Curtis refused to ride home in the car with you from Helen's?" Jessie chuckled at Veronica's look of confusion. "I told Curtis you were the one driving six months ago when you had your accident. I said you were a very bad driver."
"But that's not true," Veronica cried.
"Curtis thinks so," Jessie reminded her. "And the fact that Curtis and I are buddies made it easy for me to persuade him to keep quiet and not tell Cole." Jessie's smile was almost sinister. "And now, thanks to Curtis's timely little accident, I'm going to be able to keep that promise to myself after all, since you'll be out of the way." A smug look crossed her face. "I still can't figure out what Cole sees in you."
With these words Jessie turned away and walked toward the elevator bank, leaving Veronica in a daze. So Chapman Red's death had been caused by Jessie. The knowledge of the woman's premeditated evil shocked her and forestalled any relief she might have felt at the revelation. And then to hear that Jessie had been manipulating Curtis! No wonder Veronica was having problems with the boy.
Yet how ironic it was that Jessie was accepted and championed by Cole's unsuspecting sister-in-law. At least Veronica assumed Helen didn't know—not when Jessie's admission showed such contempt for Jackie and such deliberate exploitation of little Curtis.
Veronica stared at the leggy blonde who was preening before her reflection in the glass of a wall-mounted floor directory near the elevators. Her thoughts were disrupted by the cautious opening of the trauma-room door as Helen stepped into the hall.
"Veronica?" The concerned look Helen was giving her sent a jolt of fear through her, obliterating any thought beyond Curtis's condition.
"How is he, Helen?" Veronica's eyes were haunted, her heart wrenched with anxiety. From the look on Helen's face, Curtis's burns must have been much worse than the doctor had initially thought. If only I'd watched him more closely, she again cried to herself.
"Curtis will be all right," Helen said, but the odd look she was giving Veronica indicated differently.
"Are you certain?" Tears of relief coursed down Veronica's pale cheeks and she clumsily reached to dash them away. Helen put out her hand and Veronica flinched, unprepared for Helen's gentle touch of consolation.
Helen started to speak, but just as she did, Veronica was drawn to a flurry of movement down the hall. Cole had burst through the double doors into the emergency entrance. He paused momentarily, his granite expression forbidding, his blue eyes like polished steel as his gaze skipped over Jessica and riveted on Veronica.
Long purposeful strides brought Cole quickly down the hall, and Veronica felt herself begin to tremble. He looked lean and tough, his dusty battered Stetson resting at a dangerous angle over his glittering eyes. Cole reached for her, his iron fingers seizing her upper arms just as her knees threatened to buckle.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Veronica drew back, throwing her hands up against Cole's chest in self-protection. Then the gentleness of his grip registered. He was leaning down, his raking gaze missing nothing as he searched her pale features.
"Are you all right, Ronnie?" he rasped with concern as he tugged her closer. Veronica nodded, unable to suppress a tiny sob.
"I wouldn't waste my precious time coddling her if it was my son lying in that trauma room suffering." Jessie had followed along the hall and now her icy voice brought his head around. "All that talk that day about Curtis's being safe in the pickup truck meant nothing more to her than a way to keep me from your son. I told you that, Cole. Curtis's safety didn't mean a whole hell of a lot when she couldn't be bothered to notice he was playing with charcoal lighter and matches."
Jessie was the picture of outraged femininity, her face flushed, her eyes accusing, her manicured hands balled into dainty fists that rested on her shapely hips. She fully looked the part of an angry concerned mother—just the image she wanted to project, Veronica realized helplessly.
"Are you Mr. Chapman?" An authoritative male voice cut between them and Cole released Veronica to thrust out his hand to shake the doctor's.
"How's my son?"
"He's a very lucky little boy," the sandy-haired emergency-room doctor declared. Veronica hung on every word as he informed Cole that Curtis's burns were mostly second degree, that the thickness of his socks and sneakers had kept the fire from burning more quickly through to his skin. Then he praised Veronica for applying the ice, because it had alleviated much of Curtis's discomfort. Also, he said, her quick action in smothering the fire had prevented Curtis from getting extensive third-degree burns.
Although relieved that Curtis's condition was not serious and that the doctor had commended her, Veronica's sense of doom increased. Cole had physically withdrawn from her, leaving her to lean exhaustedly on her cane.
He blamed her, she was certain, unable to argue with that because she blamed herself. Veronica experienced a brief spurt of encouragement when Cole turned again to face her, asking her once more if she was all right. Thanking her, he followed the doctor back into the trauma room.
"Why don't we go and sit down?" Helen offered, taking Veronica's arm to coax her to the tiny waiting area nearby. Veronica shook her head and turned away, but not before she caught sight of the smug look on Jessie's face. "Please, Veronica," Helen urged.
Why was Helen being so kind, Veronica wondered, her eyes drawn from Jessie back to Helen.
"Maybe later," she said. "But you go ahead," she hastened to add, then moved unsteadily to a spot where she was within sight of the trauma-room door, but out of the way.
Jessie lost no time in stepping next to Helen, leaning over to whisper conspiratorially when Veronica glanced their way. To her surprise, and evidently to Jessie's by the look on her face, Helen walked away from the blond woman in midsentence. Jessie stood open-mouthed for a second, then hurried after her friend.
Veronica continued to watch only because this was a clear departure from the norm in Helen and Jessie's relationship. She could have sworn the two women were close friends, but Helen's expression was closed, her whole manner discouraging further talk on Jessie's part.
Veronica looked away, forcing herself to watch the activity in the hall, wishing she had a more absorbing distraction from the guilt and apprehension she felt. Mercifully she wasn't kept in suspense much longer.
The trauma-room door swung open wide and Cole emerged, followed by the doctor. After a brief leave-taking and another handshake, Cole's gaze sped to Veronica. She tried to discern what would happen next as she watched him move toward her in his loose-jointed cowboy walk. Visibly shaken, Cole stopped and let his eyes sweep over her.
The time that passed while Veronica waited for Cole's ashen expression to switch to rage seemed frightfully long to her, but was only the blink of an eyelash to anyone else. Any moment he would explode the way he did eight years earlier. Knowing now that Red's death hadn't been her fault did nothing to dim the memory, and Veronica stood bravely, waiting for the inevitable.
Suddenly she was in Cole's arms, his lips moving over her che
ek as he placed possessive kisses on her pale skin.
"I'm so sorry, Cole," Veronica murmured. "It was all my fault. I thought I'd gotten all the matches—" Veronica's voice broke on a sob, heartsick that Curtis was hurting. The steel like arms tightened, pulling her small body even more firmly against him.
"It's not your fault, dammit," he growled into her ear, then planted a kiss on her wet cheek. He straightened slightly, pinning her weeping gaze with the anguished blue of his own. "But you expected me to jump all over you, that right?" Cole's expression revealed that her fear and uncertainty of him had hurt. "Damn." He hugged her fiercely. "I trust you completely, Ronnie, especially with my son. The way you handled this whole crisis only reinforces my faith in you."
Veronica's heart leaped into a joyous rapid cadence as Cole continued to hold her.
"Mr. Chapman?" The nurse stood a couple feet away from where they stood in each other's arms, but Cole only loosened his embrace enough to turn his head toward the white-clad woman. "You can go back in with Curtis now," she said. "It will be a few minutes before he's ready to go upstairs."
"Thank you, nurse." Cole faced Veronica again, releasing her slowly. "Did you hurt yourself?" he asked, looking at her legs.
"A little," Veronica admitted. "But it's nothing that some liniment and a couple of heating pads won't cure. Don't worry about me." Veronica wanted him to hurry in to his son and not waste time with her. Curtis needed his father.
"Come on." Cole stepped back only enough to signal that she was to precede him. "Curtis was asking to see you." Veronica hesitated, surprised. "Come on," Cole repeated and Veronica brushed away any lingering dampness from her cheeks, glancing up at Cole in silent question. Grinning, Cole reached into his hip pocket and brought out a garish red handkerchief, which he used to tenderly wipe the wet wedges of mascara from beneath her lashes. They were nearly to the trauma-room door when Jessie stepped into their path.
"Excuse us, Jessie." Cole's hard arm brusquely swept the blond woman aside without giving her a chance to speak. "Ronnie's going in to see Curtis." The door swished closed behind Veronica, muffling the sound of Jessie's instant objection.
Veronica stared at the small sheet-covered form on the gurney, smiling when Curtis's solemn gray eyes found hers. She started across the tiled floor hesitantly.
"You hurt your legs." The child's words were more a statement than a question.
Veronica shrugged. "I just overworked a couple of muscles. No damage done. How are you feeling?" Veronica stopped at Curtis's side, glancing at the nurse who hovered nearby taking the boy's blood pressure.
Curtis didn't look too comfortable and Veronica reached for the small hand that rested on the side rail, curling her fingers consolingly around it.
"I hurt a little," he admitted, and Veronica hoped they had given him something for the pain he must have surely felt. "I just wish I didn't do what I done."
"I guess you learned an awfully hard lesson," she whispered, nearly overcome with compassion. Not only had he been hurt, he'd probably been scared to death. "I'm sorry I didn't catch you before you lit the match."
Curtis's eyes fled from contact with hers. "You weren't supposed to catch me. I snuck the lighter fluid out when you went into the bathroom." Curtis's eyes brimmed with tears. "But I'll never do it again. Fire hurts." Veronica gripped the side rail and snapped it down, leaning over to give Curtis a hug.
"Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry you're hurting." To her surprise and heart-bursting pleasure, Curtis's arms hooked around her neck and pulled her closer. She held on to him until he loosened his arms and withdrew.
"Dad said I should tell you I'm sorry." Curtis's words revealed that what had just happened between them had been unintentional on his part and he wasn't quite comfortable about it.
"I'll accept your apology, Curtis, on the promise you'll do everything the doctors and nurses tell you so you can hurry home. It's going to be hard on your father for the two of you to be apart too long." The boy seemed to brighten a bit at that. "We're all going to miss you," she added sincerely.
"Okay," Curtis readily agreed.
Veronica glanced at the nurse who nodded in response to her unspoken question. "I guess I've got to go now, Curtis. Is there anything we can bring from home for you?"
"Dad and Aunt Helen know already."
"All right. I'll see you after you get up to your room." She smiled down at him, then started to turn away.
"Veronica?"
Veronica turned back to the boy, who looked so small and vulnerable.
"If you wouldn't mind, I'd like some of those cookies you baked." Curtis blushed, then glanced at the nurse to see if she was listening, but she seemed totally absorbed in making notations on his chart. "I only pretended not to like them," he confessed. "Would you?"
"Of course I will." Veronica's smile broadened. "You concentrate on getting well, okay?"
Curtis's little mouth curved. "Okay."
Elated, Veronica went back out into the hall.
"I'm not going to argue with you about it, Jess," Cole was saying. "Maybe it's time you made an attempt to make up to Veronica. This feud between the two of you has lasted long enough."
"You can't be serious, Cole," Jessie scoffed. "How can you even suggest that when you know what she's like? If the incident with Chapman Red wasn't bad enough, then surely what happened to Curtis today should have convinced you. You can't mean to keep her around."
Veronica stared at Jessie, frozen, chilled by Jessie's unrelenting determination to drive a wedge between her and Cole. Veronica suddenly knew she couldn't listen to any more of Jessie's vindictiveness. She was about to edge away when Helen stepped close, her slim brunette form positioned between her brother-in-law and her best friend.
"There are a few things you ought to know, Cole," Helen began, and Veronica glanced away from the look Helen tossed in her direction, certain she was about to lend her influence to the unpleasant discussion.
"First of all, it was Jessie who was responsible for Chapman Red's injury, not Veronica." Jessie's mouth dropped open, her eyes widening on the woman she thought was her closest ally. Cole's gaze had narrowed on both women while Veronica just stared, incredulous. "From what I overheard just a little while ago, I'm afraid it was premeditated, Cole. Jessie apparently planned for Veronica to be blamed."
Helen paused, then looked directly at Jessie. "I also understand that Jessie has been manipulating Curtis, persuading him into disliking, even being frightened of Veronica." The look Helen was giving Jessie was one of contempt. "There are a few other details—" her gaze flicked back to Cole "—but I think you've heard enough for now."
"How dare you?" Jessie challenged, her fingers curving like claws, as if she was seriously contemplating scratching out Helen's eyes.
"Is what Helen's saying true?" Cole's jaw was like iron, his eyes diamond hard. Veronica shuddered, knowing all too well how frightening it was to have that near-wild look focused on her.
"I love you, Cole," Jessie stated simply, as if that explained and excused everything. "I'd do anything for you, you know that. But there have been times when you've been. . . distracted. I had to do something to get you back on the right path again. If I can keep you from making another mistake like Jackie, I will." The delicately pointed chin came up in defiance.
"Mistake?" Cole's voice was deceptively quiet.
"Jackie was all wrong for you, Cole." Jessie laid a proprietorial hand on his thickly muscled forearm. "She had too many ambitions that had nothing to do with you or the ranch. I on the other hand am perfectly willing to devote myself to you. I think I've more than proved that."
Veronica felt a surge of pity for Jessie. She didn't seem to see that what she'd done eight years ago and what she'd tried to pull with Curtis was more than marginally wrong. To her, the end justified the means. Indeed, in Jessie's mind the lengths she had gone to merely proved her love for Cole.
Veronica's eyes shifted from Jessie to Helen then to Cole. N
either Helen nor Cole seemed to be feeling a particle of the pity she felt for the misguided Jessica.
"What kind of woman are you?" Cole breathed. Fear flashed across Jessie's worried expression.
"Jessie was only eighteen at the time, Cole," Veronica put in, instinctively wanting him to treat Jessie gently. Obviously the woman was deranged.
"The thought that an eighteen-year-old is capable of what you did, Jessie, sickens me." Cole's lip curled faintly. "Aside from your callous disregard for the pain and suffering of an animal, you made Veronica suffer damage to her reputation and untold emotional distress." Cole angrily shook off the manicured hand that had started to clutch at his arm.
"And you would have let all of us go on thinking that Veronica was responsible, wouldn't you? If Ronnie hadn't come back. . ." Cole took a deep breath. "And then using my son I trusted you with him." Cole's brow furrowed deeply as Jessie's face drew into an un-
attractive scowl. "And you aren't sorry, are you?" he
stated with dawning perception.
Jessie started to agree, but clamped her mouth shut. The only indication that Cole was right was the unconscious dip of her chin.
Cole's expression suddenly turned to flint, his jaw set. "Curtis and I won't be wanting any more to do with you, Jessie, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't test me on that."
"But Cole—"
"I mean it, Jessie. I can't speak for Helen, but if I ever catch you on my ranch or within shouting distance of Curtis or Veronica again. . ." Cole's jaw flexed, hardened to the frantic look on Jessie's face as she burst into incredulous tears.
"But, Cole. . ."
He turned to Veronica, his gentle touch on her elbow signaling her to leave with him.
"Cole?" The blonde seized his arm but Cole brushed her hand away as he would have a pesky fly. "Veronica isn't right for you, Cole," Jessie called after them, desperation giving her voice a high keening quality.