Ladd Haven

by Dianne Venetta

  Malcolm’s voice was quiet, level. He was giving Nick a reality check. “I agree. But in the unlikely event that he is, the fact remains. It goes against stated corporate policy.”

  “To hell with corporate policy—we’ll change it!”

  Malcolm remained calm, the steady stream of river to Nick’s crash of waterfall. Cal had come to learn it was a rhythm the men had established. Nick was the scorch of flame, Malcolm the intensity of embers. Nick crashed and pushed, Malcolm eddied and flowed.

  Flashing a glance in the rearview mirror, Nick asked him, “Do we know any judges around here?”

  Cal nodded. “A few.”

  “Can we talk to them? Will they listen to reason?”

  Malcolm turned reproachful. “You’re not planning on bribing any judges, are you?”

  “I plan on doing whatever’s necessary.” Nick looked into the mirror for a long moment. “Including speaking with your brother.”

  Cal understood. You didn’t attack a man’s woman without hearing from him personally. Jack was family but Cal wasn’t going to excuse his behavior. Unlike his mother. “You might want to wait on that count.”

  “Wait?”

  Cal looked to Nick, aware of his displeasure. “My mother seems to be backing Jack on these charges. If you add your feelings to the mix, she might corral you into the same pen and press charges.”

  “On what grounds?”

  “I assume you meant a face-to-face confrontation with Jack.”

  “I did. But I know how to stay out of legal trouble when I do so.”

  Cal glanced out the window. Rural landscape was transitioning to cityscape, homes and buildings becoming more frequent. They were houses and structures he recognized, businesses entrenched in the community of his childhood. This particular stretch of road was one he’d traveled many times, mostly due to his own stupidity, egged on by his wild-haired brothers. Cal had sat where Troy was sitting now. As had Jack, both Foster boys intimately familiar with the town jail and local police force. “Maybe so, but Jack’s not above lying. With my mother involved, he might be emboldened to make something up.”

  “Cal might have a point,” Malcolm agreed.

  Nick’s expression tightened. “You leave Jack to me.”

  Malcolm paused, then shifted in his seat. “On another note, I have some news.”

  “What news?” Nick was quick to ask.

  “My pal in Vegas called to inform me that Jeremiah has paid his marker.”

  “What?” He glanced sideways. “How’d he manage that?”

  Cal shared in Nick’s surprise. He knew the story. Jeremiah Ladd had returned to Tennessee a year ago to grab his share of Ladd Springs, only to find the welcome mat hadn’t been set for him. He and Ernie got into it, not to mention he and Delaney. Shoot, from what Cal heard, Jeremiah had been causing trouble for the whole damn town, including enlisting the help of jailbird Clem Sweeney to ferret out gold from land deep in the forest. Cal wasn’t surprised. Folks turned crazy when they heard the word gold and Clem had baited Jeremiah like a topnotch fisherman.

  Only he didn’t count on his ally double-crossing him or winding up in jail on a bad gambling debt. Malcolm Ward was responsible for that stroke of genius. Once Lacy—currently married to Malcolm but ex-runaway cohort of Jeremiah’s—revealed his gambling troubles, Malcolm wasted no time calling the Vegas authorities to sweep Jeremiah off the streets and into jail where he belonged. The fact that he was out couldn’t be good. For any of them. Jeremiah was Annie’s ex-boyfriend and Casey’s father. If he came back he was sure to cause trouble somehow. From what Cal understood, Jeremiah had managed to do a fine job of it the last time he’d been in town.

  “Don’t know, but according to my guy, he’s paid up in full.”

  “I don’t like it.” Nick shook his head. “I don’t like it at all.”

  “Didn’t think you would.”

  “No, I mean I think something’s up. Someone had to help him pay that money.”

  “Who?”

  Nick fired a glance to his partner. “I’ll give you one guess.”

  Malcolm honed in on Nick. Cal could feel the wheels turning, the blades sharpening. “You don’t think Jillian had something to do with it, do you?”

  “Wouldn’t put it past her.”

  Malcolm twisted fully in his seat, glancing askance. “Seriously?”

  Nick nodded. “She’s a spiteful one, with the memory of an elephant and the claws of a tigress.”

  “What the heck did you do to that woman?” Malcolm exclaimed, clearly upset by the possibility that Jillian Devane—arch rival to Harris Hotels and vindictive ex-lover of Nick Harris—could be back in the picture. “I thought we were finished with her.”

  “So did I.” Nick looked away and Cal detected disquiet in the reflection of his dark-eyed gaze. It gave rise to one of his own.

  “Aw, hell.” Malcolm slammed a hand to the passenger-side door jamb. It was a rare display of emotion for him, one that signified he was worried.

  “How would Jillian know anything about Jeremiah?” Cal asked. “She wasn’t around when he was here, was she?”

  “Jillian is as resourceful as they come,” Nick replied. “She arrived on the heels of Jeremiah’s departure, but she spent enough time in this town to dig up dirt on everyone in it.”

  “Yeah,” Malcolm put in unhappily, “except there’s only one person’s grave she’s interested in digging. Yours.”

  Nick chuckled. “Well, she’s gonna have some trouble with her shovel because I have no intention of going in the ground anytime soon.”

  Malcolm looked at him. “If she’s teaming up with Jeremiah, you might go down unwittingly.”

  Nick circled his hand more tightly around the wheel. “You’re not worried about him, are you? That guy was child’s play.”

  “I’d call him a grown child with a chip on his shoulder and a mountain of support in his back pocket if he’s hooked up with Jillian. Jeremiah has nothing to lose, which makes him a dangerous man.”

  “Except his freedom.”

  Cal didn’t like where this was going. From what Annie said, Jeremiah had changed a whole lot since they were kids. He was harder, meaner. Visions of him marching Annie and Lacy through the woods, threatening them with a gun rose in his mind.

  Bile rose in his throat. If Jeremiah thought he was going to lay a hand on Annie he had another thought coming.

  Nick turned sharply, bumping the three men inside the truck as they pulled into the lot for the county jail. The single-story building hadn’t changed in decades, save for the peeling gray paint. It was drab, cold, as unappealing as it always had been.

  “Let’s say we focus on Troy’s freedom first, shall we?”

  Agreed, Cal thought. There was plenty enough time to deal with Jeremiah Ladd later.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Thank you, Mr. Harris.” Troy eased from the backseat of Nick’s truck and closed the door. Speaking through an open window, he said, “I owe you one.”

  “You don’t owe me a thing, Troy. I’m merely repaying my debt of gratitude to you for stepping in on Delaney’s behalf.”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” It wasn’t like he could have avoided it. Hearing Mr. Foster’s brother talking to her the way he was, seeing the look in his eyes, the gun... Troy had no choice.

  “Tell Delaney I’ll call her later,” Nick said. “Right now, we have some business to attend to.”

  Troy wondered if any of that business included a visit to the real criminal, Jack Foster. The scum. Troy hoped it did and he hoped they made it hurt. Cal Foster was a decent man but his brother deserved no mercy. Attacking a woman was unacceptable, as low as a man could get. Man, hell. Jack Foster was no man. He was a liar, the devil incarnate. “I’ll tell her,” Troy replied.

  With a tip of his hat he watched the truck pull out of the hotel’s parking lot and onto the road. They were kind enough to drop him at the hotel so he could get his things. Travis had picked up h
is truck from Fran’s Diner yesterday and driven it home. Was supposed to be driving it here to the hotel for him, now. He’d said it’d be about an hour, which would give him enough time to collect his stuff and say goodbye to the horses. Goodbye. He didn’t want to think it could be permanent because of that liar.

  Troy took the turn for the stables and headed up. Ejecting thoughts of Jack Foster from his brain, Troy focused on his job ahead. The sun overhead was blazing hot, but he couldn’t care less. Sitting in that cell had taught him to appreciate the outdoors, hot or otherwise, his freedom to go where he wanted, when he wanted. The fact that his parents left him there rubbed raw. His father’s message had been clear. Maybe this will give you time to think about your future.

  Troy picked up his pace, a layer of perspiration building beneath his T-shirt as he entered the shaded section of trees. The air was noticeably cooler. Alongside him the creek was a babble of noise, calming for a man who needed to think, but Troy wasn’t that man. He didn’t have anything to think about other than how to care for his baby, his new wife. He loved his parents but they were wrong on this one. His future was about horses and about marrying Casey, soon as he could. He’d realized it while sittin’ in jail. No baby of his was gonna be born a bastard, but where was he going to get the money to buy a ring? His parents sure as heck weren’t going to loan it to him. Would Cal? Maybe Delaney?

  Stepping over a fallen branch, he hated the need to ask, but the only money he’d saved up had to go to pay rent—first, last and a security deposit. He and Casey couldn’t live in her mother’s apartment. It was already crowded with Mr. Foster moved in. They couldn’t live at his parents’ house. He planned to move out of there himself this evening, seeing as how they couldn’t support their son when he needed them. He surely wasn’t gonna need them.

  Emerging into open pasture, Troy glanced up at the stables. The late afternoon sun warm on his face, longing pricked at his heart. He wasn’t kidding himself. With no job it was gonna be tough. Mr. Harris told him he had to take some time off until things settled. They couldn’t keep him on the payroll with the charges pending. Guests might get uncomfortable knowing there was a criminal among them. Alleged or otherwise. Troy ground his jaw.

  Shoving the thought from his mind, he hiked the fenced incline until he reached the stables. Catching his breath, he rounded the building and saw Delaney walking Sadie into a stall. His heart caught as he recalled the fear in her voice. Normally strong and tough, she’d been struggling against Mr. Foster as he attacked. Anger threaded through him. She didn’t deserve that. No one did.

  “Hey, Miss Delaney.”

  Delaney turned, and smiled. “Hi, Troy.” Tentative, but it was a smile all the same, a welcome home. Grateful for the friendly face, Troy headed for her. “How are you?” she asked casually, absently stroking the horse at her side.

  “Fine.” Troy glanced at the Palomino, the golden-haired animal beautiful, alert as she assessed his presence. “Sorry about all the trouble I’ve caused.”

  “Trouble you’ve caused?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I don’t mean to be causing trouble for the hotel.”

  She straightened, pushed her shoulders back and said, “Let’s get one thing settled right here and now. You did me a favor, Troy. You stepped in before God knows what could have happened, and I can’t thank you enough. I’m only glad I didn’t shoot you in the process.”

  Affection welled into a grin. “Your aim is better than that.”

  “Except that I didn’t see you until it was too late.”

  “As you can see...” Troy tugged at his T-shirt. “I’m plenty fine. Not a scratch on me.”

  A smile slipped onto her lips. “Jack didn’t have a chance against you. You’re an amazing guy, Troy Parker. One of the good ones.”

  Startled by the compliment, he stammered, “If only my parents held your opinion.”

  Sadness changed her smile. “They do, Troy. They’re simply struggling with your choices, that’s all.”

  “Are you?”

  She hesitated for the briefest of seconds. “No.” Confidence worked slowly into her gaze. “I’m not. I trust you know what’s best for your future, but to be honest, I’d have been upset if Felicity decided against college. It’s a detour every parent has trouble with. Give them time. They’ll come around.”

  Troy kicked at the ground. “I know you mean well, Miss Delaney, but not everyone comes around. Some bridges are burned crisp.”

  “That might be, but in all my life I’ve never seen a bridge that can’t be rebuilt, including the one between you and your folks.”

  Emotion pulled at him. Delaney Wilkins was one of a kind. Strong and sure, she didn’t waver in her support. If she was on your side, you could count on her staying put. “How come you couldn’t have been my mother?”

  Delaney erupted into a laugh. “And erase one of Felicity’s dearest childhood friends? I don’t think so!”

  Troy grinned. Growing up, Felicity, Travis and he sure had been cinched together tighter than a freight train on high speed. They played together, rode together, swam together—even studied together, though he didn’t take part in a whole lot of studying. Nobody dared tried to separate the trio. Except for Travis. An odd sensation uncoiled in his gut. In high school it had become clear that Travis wanted Felicity all to himself. It was also when most of their troubles began. “Yeah, that would have been weird.”

  “Definitely weird.” Delaney gave a pat to a restless Sadie and the horse returned a low rumble of a nicker. “Go on, Sadie.” Delaney gently pushed her toward her stall. “I’ll be back for you this evening.” The animal obliged, plodding in without protest. Troy waited as Delaney closed and latched the stall gate. Pausing, Delaney focused on Troy. Brown eyes turned velvet soft, matching the silken sheen of her long sleek ponytail. “I’m glad you’re back, Troy.”

  “Er—I’m not actually back.” Angst split his calm. “Didn’t Mr. Harris tell you?”

  “He did. But you’re back enough for me.”

  Affection swelled. She didn’t care about any fake criminal charges. She was glad to have him home and out of jail. Unlike his parents. It was a show of support that meant the world to him. “Thank you.”

  “We’ll get through this, Troy. You wait and see.”

  He nodded. It was the “wait and see” part that was going to be the hardest. Without a job, with criminal charges hanging over his head and no place to live, he wasn’t sure how he was going to make ends meet, let alone tie them together in the middle.

  When Delaney walked over and enfolded him in a hug Troy was overcome by uncertainty but duly wrapped his arms around her slender body and returned the gesture. It felt good to be appreciated. Respected. Miss Delaney was like a mother to him. She’d always looked out for him and Travis and probably always would. Delaney Wilkins cared about his wellbeing, she cared about his future. He wasn’t going to let her down. Not today, not ever. Which brought him to someone else he wasn’t going to let down. Releasing, he asked, “Do you mind if I use a phone? My cell battery is dead.”

  “Of course. Use the one in the office.” With a knowing smile she added, “Take your time, Troy. There’s no hurry.”

  Leaning forward, Felicity gently squeezed her inner thighs into the muscular midsection of her black mare, Blue, as the horse navigated the narrow trail along the mountainside. Riding since she was ten, Felicity had a sense of peace and calm. Blue felt like a best friend, a family member. The animal was like an extension of her. Travis had suggested a ride would get her mind off her troubles. Felicity had resisted all day, but once her mom called to tell her Nick had Troy in his truck and they were pulling away from the jail, Felicity tossed a bridle and reins onto her horse and decided Travis was right. A bareback ride on her mare might do her good.

  The constant hoof-step, the rhythmic bob of Blue’s head as she followed behind Travis’ beefy brown horse was soothing. A canopy of green overhead, the earthy scent of clay and bark, the cool misty
rise of the river water combined to remind her of better days before her father made life in Ladd Springs miserable. Not only had he attacked her mother but he was accusing Troy of a crime he didn’t commit. He’d had Troy thrown in jail—jail!—where his parents let him sit until Nick bailed him out. She couldn’t believe the Parkers would do such a thing, not when Troy was innocent. Travis hadn’t been surprised though. He’d actually had the nerve to agree with them.

  Felicity could only pray that Nick would get the charges against Troy dropped. She prayed he would put an end to the madness her father created. But stone-cold reality could prove very different.

  Travis glanced back over his shoulder. He wore no hat at the moment, his dark brown hair falling freely across his brow. “Wanna take them swimming?”

  Peering at her boyfriend, the one and only boy she ever thought she could love, the best looking boy in school with his tanned smooth-skinned complexion, gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, overgrown layers of hair skimming past his strong brow, Felicity shook her head. Swimming like they had in the past held no appeal. At the moment she wasn’t sure she liked Travis, let alone loved him.

  He turned forward and continued to ride in silence. Felicity dropped her gaze to his back, the gentle sway of his body as it moved in sync with his horse. Like her, he rode bareback. Like her, he loved these woods, these rides. Unlike her, he wasn’t a fan of Troy’s. Something she didn’t understand.

  How could he be so callous toward his brother? Knowing what he knew about Troy’s innocence, Travis had sided with his parents agreeing the best thing for Troy was to sit in jail for something he didn’t do. He had it coming, Travis said. Maybe it would be the wakeup call he needed. Felicity vehemently disagreed. Troy might have his problems but this wasn’t one of them. This was Travis’ problem—a fact that was becoming more apparent to her each day.

  As they rode, Felicity dropped her gaze to the massive brown flanks ahead of her, dwelling on the cause. Ever since the two of them made their feelings for one another public, Travis had grown angry with his brother. Where she would have thought it would be the other way around, it wasn’t. Felicity knew both boys had been vying for her attention over the years. She wasn’t blind. While they were young, it hadn’t been an issue, the three satisfied to hang out together. But as they entered high school, the divide became obvious. Troy was hurt to learn she’d chosen Travis. For a while he didn’t speak to her. They shared words, but not with the same ease and intimacy. Travis told her not to worry about Troy. He was jealous, angry.