“No?” Casey didn’t believe him. Not the first breath. “How can you say that?”
“’Cause it’s true.” He jabbed a fork into his eggs.
“Then why would that man bring up the police?” she demanded, the aroma of his eggs sending tingles of hunger pains through her stomach. “Why would he come here and say that?” she cried, quickly unraveling beneath his calm.
“He’s trying to make trouble.”
“Trouble for whom?”
“Everyone.”
Frustration wedged a lump in her throat. Troy was being evasive, dodgy. He wasn’t telling her the truth—a truth that could cost him. Without thinking, she sought her mother across the diner. Her blue eyes were glued to Casey. Concern and distress rippled through her features. Her mother knew something. Something Casey didn’t know.
“Eat your breakfast, Casey.”
“I’m not hungry,” she replied. She wanted answers, not food. From the corner of her eye, Casey caught sight of a uniformed policeman. Her heart stopped, then thudded against her ribs. Mindless chatter ran on around her, utensils clinked. Shiny buttons gleamed from his starched uniform. Was he here for Troy?
Removing his hat, the blond-haired officer surveyed the restaurant. Vaguely familiar, Casey had a bad feeling. A knot lodged in her chest. He was staring at them. Them! Casey became frantic, flashing a look to her mother and Cal both tuned in to what was happening. Everyone except Troy seemed to get the severity of what was going on.
Casey wanted to jab him, alerting him to the impending trouble. But she couldn’t move the first muscle. Pinning her gaze to a rising Cal Foster, Casey silently implored him to come, to fix this mess before it got out of control.
Troy set his fork down as the police officer arrived at their table. “Troy Parker?”
“Yes.”
Skimming over Casey, the officer asked Troy, “You have a minute?”
“What for?” he asked innocently.
“I have some questions I’d like to ask you.”
Casey released her breath in a rush as Cal showed up politely inquiring, “Is everything okay here?”
The officer addressed Cal. Man-to-man, they were nearly the equal in height, equal in coloring. Although Cal was a bit darker in looks with his medium brown hair, the officer felt darker in his black uniform. “I have some questions for the boy.”
“Sure thing.” Cal nodded, silently gesturing for Troy to get up and take this outside.
Troy glanced sideways, a shaft of regret stabbing his dark gaze. “It won’t be but a minute.” He tossed his napkin to the table and walked outside with Cal and the police officer.
As if on cue, the scene controlled by an unseen director, Casey’s mother appeared at her table. She slid into the booth beside her asking, “Sweetheart? Are you okay?”
“I don’t know what’s happening,” Casey murmured, oddly comforted by the scent of her mother’s perfume as she watched the men take her boyfriend outdoors. “What’s going on?” She turned to her mom. “Do you know?”
Annie nodded. “It’ll be okay,” she assured, wrapping an arm around Casey’s body. “Everything will be okay.”
Really? Folding arms over her stomach, Casey continued to stare at the three men standing outside. Because it felt like her world was toppling over.
Delaney led Sadie through the empty stables, walking in sync with the gentle fall of her Palomino’s hoof-step. Sunday afternoon was quiet, most guests retired to the hotel or the outdoor Serenity Scape, a gathering beneath the trees where guests were treated to the sights and sounds of nature infused with a mellow taste of local music performed alongside an open fire pit. In Tennessee that meant a medley of acoustic guitar, violin, harmonica, banjo and the occasional rap from a drum. Delaney and Nick sat in for the first evening, and she’d been floored by the powerful combination. She never imagined the combination would have such an effect, but then again, she wasn’t Malcolm Ward. The man was a creative genius.
Nearing Sadie’s stall, Delaney reflexively scanned the walls around it for signs of her bullet. Where had it landed? For two days she’d searched high and low but found nothing. She dropped her head back and searched the ceiling. Could it have ricocheted into the rafters? Lodged itself into the tin roof?
“There you are.”
The deep masculine voice startled her. Whirling, Delaney snapped, “What are you doing here?”
“I live here?” Nick posed nonchalantly, his playful tone betrayed by an intensity lining his eyes. Her heart thudded at the sight of him.
Dropping Sadie’s lead, she hurried to him. Nick swept her into his arms and hugged her tight, then pulled away, dipping his head for a kiss. Deep, fierce, it was the kiss of a man who’d been away too long. Succumbing, she dissolved into the strength of his embrace, the stress of the past few days vanishing from her heart. Solid, warm and strong, Delaney needed his comfort, his touch. “I missed you,” she said breathlessly, consumed by his presence, the muscular arms encircling her, the firm wall of his chest. “But I didn’t expect you until tomorrow.”
“Change of plans.”
She detected an edgy undercurrent of displeasure. Peering up at him, she asked, “Did you get everything taken care of in St. Kitts?”
“I did.”
“Good.” She placed her cheek to his chest. That meant there would be no reason for him to dash off again anytime soon. Jack’s assault had unnerved her more than she expected it to. It was taking a toll on Felicity as well. The two of them could use Nick’s calm, staunch, even-handed support. Knowing he was near eased her mind, calmed her spirit.
“Is there something you want to tell me?”
“Tell you?” she squeaked, hating the weakness in her voice.
“Jack Foster?”
Delaney pulled back in alarm. “Did Cal tell you?”
He shook his head.
“He had to—he’s the only one who knew!”
Nick held her, cords of discontent running through his dark gaze. Muscles in his jaw jumped but he didn’t respond.
Delaney glanced away. “I’ll tan his hide...”
“Why? Because he was willing to keep your dirty little secret?”
Stunned by the razors cutting between them, she stumbled, “Nick—”
Nick held her firm. “Don’t worry. Cal had your back. Malcolm had mine.”
“Malcolm?”
“Yes. Jack came to the hotel to cause trouble and Malcolm told me everything.”
Shame filed in, filling her with a guilt she deserved. Malcolm had Nick’s back when she didn’t. She was his wife, his life partner, yet it was his business partner who came clean with him. Not that she wouldn’t have. But...
Nick’s hands tightened on her arms. “You have to let me take care of you. You can’t continue to take chances like this, don’t you understand that?”
“I left him alone, I swear.” Delaney dropped her head forward, shook it gently. “He came out of nowhere. It was totally unexpected.”
“So help me, Delaney, if he laid a hand on you, I’ll kill him.”
She raised up to face him, torn by the emotion clenched in his eyes. “I nearly did.”
The statement defused the ball of rage in his gaze. “So I heard.”
Sliding her arms around his waist, Delaney melted into him. She needed the strength of his body, the shield of his love. She needed the intimidating rock of a hard man with a soft center.
Nick held her for a minute, erasing the pain, the fear, re-joining the bond between man and woman. Releasing her, he brushed the hair from Delaney’s face, gingerly touched her brow, her cheek. “If anything happened to you...”
He didn’t finish. He didn’t need to. Everything he felt was etched plainly in his eyes. Nick loved her. From the bottom of his soul she felt his love pour into her.
With a glance to her horse, the animal content to linger in their presence, Nick asked, “You know he’s making trouble for Troy, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“Cal told Malcolm that Jack paid a visit to the diner this morning, followed by your police officer friend, the one who showed up on your doorstep a year ago with questions about Jeremiah.”
“Gavin?”
“Yes. Cal said it’s pretty serious. Jack’s charging aggravated assault.” Nick cupped her chin and forced her to face him. Dark eyes reached out and grabbed hold of her. “Which I don’t understand—why would the man charge assault as though Troy started the fight? Didn’t you set the record straight?”
Delaney slumped, glanced to the horse at their side. “Oh, no...”
Hard lines formed around Nick’s eyes, his gaze devoid of cheer. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”
The weight of Troy’s predicament landed squarely on her shoulders. This was her fault. It was her fault they didn’t know the truth. “I wanted to talk to you first,” she said dully. “This will end up all over town, and the hotel will be dragged into it...”
“Forget the hotel—you need to put the guy behind bars where he belongs.”
Yes, of course. Did she expect Nick to say anything different?
But this would also affect Felicity. She’d been appalled by her father’s behavior, not only from the other night but from a decade ago. It cut deep, raw. Exposing his attack would invite gossip and add to her pain.
Delaney had hoped the incident would have ended with Jack’s departure the other night. He’d been drunk. He probably didn’t remember half the evening. Apparently she thought wrong. “It’s his word against mine.”
“Wasn’t Troy a witness?”
She shrugged. Pushing from Nick’s arms, she gathered Sadie’s lead, removed the bit from her mouth and replied, “I can’t say. I don’t know how long he was there, how much he heard or saw.”
“Have you asked him?”
Unhooking the latch for Sadie’s stall gate, Delaney opened the door and gave a pat to her horse’s rear. “Go on, girl.” She secured the door, turned back to Nick. It embarrassed her to think Troy might have seen the worst of it, but he could have. She simply didn’t know. “Not really. Cal said he was going to handle it.”
“Doesn’t seem to have done a very good job.”
Delaney leapt to his defense, “Cal’s a good man. This isn’t his fault. I intended to talk with Troy but haven’t gotten around to it.” Nick thrust a cynical glance down his nose at her. “I mean it. Between the shock over what happened, sharing the news with Felicity...”
The whole thing had gotten away from her. And, besides, she wanted to discuss it with Nick first. She needed him by her side before she took the steps to reveal the gory details.
“You talk to the police. I’ll talk with your ex.”
“Nick”—she reached out to him—“do you think that’s a good idea?”
“Any man touches my wife is going to hear about it from me.”
“But Nick,” she protested, knowing his temper the way she did, “don’t you think that will make things worse?”
“Don’t care. Jack struck the first blow. I intend to finish the fight.”
While she liked the idea of Nick defending her honor, she didn’t want to consider the ramifications should his actions slide out of control. With the hotel, Felicity, there was too much riding on it. Nick could jeopardize everything in one simple act of revenge. “Shouldn’t you consult with Malcolm first?”
A wry smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. “He already knows.”
Delaney groaned inwardly, rolling her eyes upward before settling on Nick. As he stared down at her, his gaze no longer hard and angry, Delaney detected a fatigue. Nick had to have traveled all day to get here. He must have had to make excuses to his staff in St. Kitts. Must have dropped everything and come home. Gratitude and remorse swirled together as she thought about what that meant to her. “I’m sorry about not telling you. It wasn’t a call I thought you needed to receive while a thousand of miles away.”
Nick pulled her into his arms. “How about you let me be the judge from now on?” He nipped her nose. “Okay?”
Delaney nodded dutifully. “Okay.” Nick was right. She needed to stop making decisions for everyone around her—choosing—“what” they needed to know and “when” they needed to know it. She only seemed to foul things up.
“Next on the agenda is Felicity. Is she home? Have you talked with her yet?”
Relief loosened the tangle of emotion inside her. “Yes. She’s forgiven me. She understands, but she’s having a rough time dealing with it.”
“Can’t say as I blame her. No young woman should ever have to deal with such business, especially from her father. But we’ll fix it, and in time she’ll be able to move on. How about Troy? Do you know where he is?”
“I don’t know. Didn’t you say the police came by to question him? I would assume he’s at home by now.”
“Where’s he staying?”
“I guess with his parents.”
“Good. I’ll need to talk to him.”
Delaney sighed. “Should I join you?”
“No. You’ll be engaged in more important discussions with members of the police department.”
Chapter Twenty
Frustration boiled, spurting from her pores as Delaney stood before her friend and police officer Gavin Shore. Gritting her teeth, she tried to remain calm but her patience was quickly draining. Gavin had arrested Troy on aggravated assault. It was a serious charge and he wasn’t budging, wasn’t listening to reason. She didn’t know what to do other than shake some sense into him. A move that would likely land her in jail. “How many times do I have to tell you? It’s what happened. Jack tried to rape me.”
Gavin sat on the corner of his desk, one leg hitched up over the end of it. He was dressed in his full uniform, the black clothing adding an authoritative air to him. His office was plain, the bureaucratic basics consisting of a metal desk and file cabinets, rolling chair, computer and a miscellany of manila files. One probably had Troy’s name on it. Easing his weight backward, Gavin said, “Mr. Foster told me you’d probably come in here and stick up for the boy.”
“Gavin, I’m not sticking up for Troy, I’m telling you the truth!”
“He said you pulled a gun on him and he was trying to defend himself.”
“He pulled a gun on me!”
“He said you drew first. Said you took a shot at him.”
“Jack attacked me, Gavin. I pulled a gun because he attacked me. Attacked me and then drew his gun.”
Gavin roamed her figure with a cautious gaze, searching her body from head to toe. “I don’t see any marks. Unlike Mr. Foster.” Pulling a paper from his desk, Gavin read from it. “I was standing in the stables, having a private conversation with my ex-wife when Troy Parker jumped me, proceeded to attack me with his fists before using Delaney Wilkins’ gun to threaten my life.” Gavin looked to Delaney. “Which goes to intent. No self-defense.” Setting the paper down, he asked, “Do you know that’s considered a Class C felony, carrying three to fifteen years in prison?”
Prison. The single word gutted her. Troy could go to prison because of her. He’d have a permanent mark against his record. Would Nick keep him on at the hotel? Could he keep a convicted felon on the payroll? Friendship aside, business was business. Nick had a company to think about. Then there was Casey. Delaney didn’t even want to think about what this could do to Casey and the baby!
Staring at Gavin, a man she’d known since grade school, Delaney was stunned. She couldn’t believe he was being so difficult. Sure, his mother was friends with Victoria Foster, the two families closer than blood, but to defend Jack’s heinous actions was disgraceful. Gavin was an officer of the law, not a kingpin in the good old boy network!
Steeling her resolve, Delaney tamped down her temper. “Gavin, what can I do to convince you? What can I say to make you understand it’s the truth?”
Gavin looked at her, an odd mix of curiosity and distance coalescing in his hazel gaze. A smile tipped the corner of his
mouth. “How about we start from the beginning?”
“I told you everything.”
“Did you, now?”
She didn’t appreciate the sarcastic roll of his tongue. He was mocking her. He was treating her as though she were the criminal here. She was beginning to grasp the reluctance women experienced in coming forward. If a friendly face could do this to her, make her feel awkward and embarrassed, what was a stranger capable of? It was enough to drive her home and lock the doors, never to breathe another word of the incident again. But she couldn’t. Troy’s future depended on it. “I did, Gavin. I told you everything that happened.”
“Are you having an affair with Troy?”
The question knocked the wind from her lungs. “What?”
“You heard me.”
“Of course not—that’s sick!”
Gavin smiled. “C’mon now, Delaney. You’re an attractive woman, your husband spends a lot of time traveling...”
Delaney recoiled at the picture he was painting. “You are way off base.”
“Am I?”
“Yes,” she replied, and it took all she had not to smack the smirk into his skull bone. Gavin was being rude and disgusting, and it felt like she was being violated all over again.
“What was the boy doing in the stables at that hour?”
“Working late.”
“Hm. What kind of work does a stable hand have at night on a Friday?”
“I don’t know,” she said, regretting the words the instant they slipped from her tongue. “He’s trying to do right by his girlfriend. They have a baby on the way and—”
“So I hear. Makes it all the more ugly that he’s stepping out on her again, doesn’t it?”
What was Gavin doing?
“As I recall, he did the same with Jeremiah’s girlfriend.”
“Gavin—”
“And the developer lady? I heard they were pretty cozy when she was in town, too.”
Amazed by the spread of false information, Delaney assumed Gavin was referring to the events of Whiskey Joe’s where Jillian Devane tried to publicly seduce Troy. According to Lacy, Jillian was running her hands all over him. Unfortunately, Casey walked in and witnessed the entire thing. But to hear Gavin smear it into something ugly and intentional was over the top, like he was gunning for a fight.
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