She dug up a smile and pasted it on, resisting the urge to pat her pocket. This had to be natural and convincing. “Hi, Tommy.” She approached the bed, letting her smile falter into what she hoped was concern. “I heard about what happened,” she said. “You look awful.”
He sat up. Pretty easily, considering how gravely injured he was supposed to be. “You should see the other guy,” he said, flashing that weak smile again. “That’s a joke, by the way. Just trying to salvage a little pride.”
“Cam…” Her voice started to tremble, so she paused and silently gathered her resolve. She sat in the chair next to the bed, hands folded in her lap. “I couldn’t stay mad at you,” she said. “When I heard what Cam did, I got so worried. I just had to make sure…”
It wasn’t hard to produce tears. They were for Cam, but Tommy didn’t have to know that.
“Oh, babe. It’s all right.” His eyes gleamed suddenly—and she knew he’d bought it. Her racing heart eased a little. “Come over here,” he said, patting the side of the bed.
She did, showing just a touch of reluctance. It’d be harder keeping the charade up now, because she was furious that she’d been right. She figured Tommy would be happy to take her back just to rub salt in Cam’s wounds. And here he was doing exactly that.
“Hey. Don’t cry, sweetheart.” Tommy put an arm around her, the one that wasn’t in a sling. “Listen, I’m sorry about Steph,” he said. “It was just cold feet, you know? It didn’t mean anything.”
The blade of anger twisted harder, but she managed to hold back. “I guess…I understand,” she said. “We can still get married, right?”
“Sure we can.” His smile faltered a little. “But Syd, I have to tell you something.”
“What?” Confess, you bastard. Maybe he’d make this easy and spill everything now.
He sighed. “That New York job? It fell through. So we’d be staying here in Covendale, at least for a while.”
“Oh.” She didn’t have to fake disappointment. So much for easy.
“Don’t worry, though,” he said. “I’ve got the perfect place for us to live.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Where?”
“Well, I know how much you like the ranch. You know, the Thatcher place,” he said. “So my father’s buying it. He’s got a developer lined up to buy the land, but we get the house. How’s that sound?”
She couldn’t help it. She started shaking like crazy. “Oh, Tommy,” she managed, hoping it sounded like excitement. “That’s just…wonderful! I do love that place. But how could your father buy it? I mean, I didn’t think Cam wanted to sell.”
Tommy grinned. “He doesn’t have a choice. The bank’s ready to take it on Monday, and since Thatcher’s locked up, he can’t stop it.”
“Wait a minute,” she said, sounding a lot more convincing now. She was definitely breathless with anticipation. “What if he gets out on bail?”
“He can’t. Judge Price isn’t going to be around.”
“How do you know that?”
“Dad made sure he wouldn’t be.”
His face changed as he realized what he’d just said. Carefully schooling the triumph from her features, Sydney leaned in and whispered, “You did this all just for me, didn’t you? You knew how much I wanted the ranch.”
Tommy relaxed. “I was going to surprise you,” he said.
“Thank you.” She smiled seductively—and kissed him like she meant it.
His moan grated on her ears. “Oh, man,” he said. “You are so damned hot, Sydney. Want to get out of here and go to my place?”
She frowned. “But you’re hurt.”
“It’s not so bad.” He glanced around the room, and then lowered his voice. “Can you keep a secret, babe?”
Her heart stopped. “Of course,” she whispered. “What is it?”
“Well…it was Dad’s idea.” He looked around again, as if he expected people to come out of the walls. “We ran into Thatcher at the S&S this morning, and he said he had the money. That would’ve ruined things, you know? I wouldn’t be able to give you the ranch.”
“Right,” she said. “So what did he do?”
“He figured we just had to get Thatcher out of the way while the deal went down,” Tommy said. “The guy had already threatened me at the bar, and he did it again this morning. So Dad hit me a couple times, and I came down to report it. This is all superficial.” He gave her a sly grin, took his arm out of the sling and waved it around. “See? I’m good to go. And I could really use a little bit of you in my bed.”
Sydney heard footsteps pounding in the hall outside, and an incredible sense of relief washed through her. They’d heard it. She stood so fast, Tommy lost his balance and fell back against the bed, his arm still out of the sling. “You’re not getting any of me in your bed, ever again,” she snapped at him. She pulled her cell phone out and showed him the active call on the display. “Sheriff Tanner just heard every word you said. It’s not illegal to listen to a conversation, if you have permission from at least one person.”
His mouth dropped open as two deputies rushed into the room and started reading his rights. “You ungrateful bitch,” he said. “I did this for you!”
“No you didn’t, Tommy.” She watched coldly as he was handcuffed and led to the door. “You never did anything for me. Especially not in bed.”
Okay, that was kind of a low blow—and the furious set of his face said it’d hit him where it hurt. But as far as she was concerned, it didn’t come close to making up for what he’d put Cam through. She rushed after them, determined to make it to the police station and be there when they let him out.
She couldn’t wait to take him home.
Chapter 17
From the corner of his eye, Cam watched Deputy Nick hang up the desk phone. He’d listened to him splutter his way through a conversation that included a lot of “but we can’t” and “the witnesses said,” and ended with “All right, Sheriff. Whatever you say.” Now Nick was headed for his cell door.
And pulling out his keys.
Cam stood slowly and stared at him. “What’s going on?”
“Sheriff says you’re free to go.” Nick fumbled what was apparently the wrong key into the door, because it wouldn’t turn. Flustered, he pulled it out and hunted carefully through the ring. “Says they got a confession out of Tommy Lowell, and you didn’t do it.”
Shock poured through him, raw and sizzling. Tommy confessed? That made even less sense than whatever he’d done to take it this far. Unless…
“Sydney,” he said softly. “I’ll be damned.”
Nick finally found the right key and inserted it decisively. “I don’t know what Sydney could’ve done,” he said. “This is the craziest mess I’ve ever seen around here. But the sheriff says to let you out, so that’s what I’m doing.”
When the cell door opened, Cam didn’t move for a minute. He’d been so furious when she came in here and demanded to show the sheriff her “evidence.” He knew she must’ve gotten that bag from Eddie Verona. If she’d mixed herself up with him, she was just begging for trouble—and he couldn’t stand the idea of her getting hurt through his desperate stupidity.
But somehow, she’d gotten Tommy to confess. Now both Lowells were going down. And he was free.
“Are you going to come out?” Nick said.
Cam shook himself and walked through the cell door. Somehow, the air smelled different out here. He breathed in slowly, and a smile tugged at his lips. “Still think I’m a dangerous criminal, Nick?”
“Er.” The deputy stepped back and half reached for his gun. Then he lowered his arm. “I think I’m hoping you aren’t too pissed at me for locking you up,” he said. “Don’t blame you if you are, but I was just doing my job. And I kinda like my face the way it is, you know?”
“Well, I guess I’ll leave your face alone,” he said. “Since you asked.”
“Thanks.” Nick flashed a grin full of relief. “We just need you to sign a rele
ase form,” he said. “It’s right over here.”
“All right.”
He followed Nick toward the desk. As he signed the paper waiting there, murmured voices drifted into the holding room and the other deputy who’d been at his place, Dean, walked in. Right behind him was a third deputy—chatting amiably with Tommy Lowell.
Cam locked eyes with him. For an instant Tommy’s flashed with rage, but he got hold of himself fast. He offered a sheepish, almost apologetic shrug, and then stuffed his hands in his pockets like he wanted to emphasize he wasn’t a threat.
Nick stiffened and glared at them. “Sheriff said he’s under arrest,” he said. “Why isn’t he handcuffed, Byron?”
Deputy Byron made a dismissive sound. “Come on, Nick,” he said. “You know this is bullshit. Tommy’s being cooperative, so there’s no need for cuffs.”
“It’s procedure.” Nick went for his own handcuffs. “Until he’s in a cell, you have to keep him restrained.”
“You and your goddamned procedure,” Byron said with a laugh. “That righteous shine of justice is gonna wear off pretty soon, Nick. Do you still sleep with the rulebook under your pillow?”
“Shut up, Byron. Maybe if you tried reading the rules sometime, you wouldn’t be such a jerk.”
Dean decided to step in, too. “Maybe if you broke a few now and then, you wouldn’t be such a kiss-ass,” he said.
“You know what? You two are never getting promotions.”
While the deputies argued, Cam kept a close eye on Tommy. The bastard had just been arrested—but he still looked like he didn’t have a care in the world. And he’d charmed these guys into thinking he was just as innocent as a newborn baby. He had to have something up his sleeve.
Suddenly, something across the room caught Tommy’s attention, and his features turned ugly. Cam followed his gaze to the doorway, and the figure standing in it.
Sydney.
Tommy bared his teeth. “Bitch!”
Cam was already moving. Before the bickering deputies even realized where the shouted curse came from, he’d sprinted past them and grabbed Tommy’s arm, halting his rush for Sydney. He pulled hard, spun him around—and plowed a fist into his jaw.
Tommy slammed against the bars of the first cell. His eyes rolled back, and he slid to the floor.
A heavy silence filled the room. Cam felt the stares burning through him. But he ignored everyone except Sydney, who was rushing toward him with tears in her eyes and a hand over her mouth. He opened his arms, and she fell into them, sobbing.
“It’s okay,” he said roughly, stroking her hair with a hand that wanted to shake. “He’s never going to hurt you again. I won’t let him.”
“Uh, Cam?” Nick said from behind him. “You just…I mean…”
He turned slowly, without letting go of the woman he loved. “Yes, I hit the son of a bitch,” he said. “Go ahead and arrest me if you want to, but I didn’t see any of you trying to stop him from hurting Sydney.”
“Stand down, Donovan.”
The deep voice belonged to Sheriff Tanner, who’d somehow come into the room without anyone noticing. He ambled toward Cam and Sydney, then stopped next to Tommy’s limp form and stared down at him for a minute. “We’re not arresting you,” he said. “Looks like a clear case of self-defense to me.”
He felt Sydney relax against him with a shudder. “That’s just what it was,” he said.
“It was also a hell of a punch, son.” The sheriff winked at him, and then turned a stern glare on his deputies. “Why are you still standing around like a bunch of monkeys? This one’s under arrest,” he said, pointing at Tommy. “Get him in a cell.”
Dean and Byron scrambled into action. The sheriff started talking to Nick about the release form, and about getting another cell ready for Boyd Lowell. Grinning, Cam leaned toward Sydney and half-whispered, “They’re distracted. Let’s make a break for it.”
She beamed up at him. “Good idea.”
Her hand slipped into his, and a rush of warmth filled him as he realized that going back to the ranch was only a bonus…because she was here with him.
And he was already home.
* * * *
Sydney had half convinced herself she’d fallen asleep on the couch back at the Leaning T, and this was all a dream. But when she walked hand in hand with Cam out of the police station and found a pretty sizeable crowd clustered on the sidewalk outside, with every pair of eyes staring at them, the dream idea vanished. Now they had witnesses.
A figure darted from the crowd and made a beeline for her. Before she could react, Luka had her wrapped in a crushing bear hug. “You scared the hell out of me!” she said. “Are you crazy, woman? You could’ve gotten in so much trouble!”
“I’m fine, Luka,” she wheezed. “Except I can’t breathe.”
“Sorry.” Luka stepped back with a frown. She shot a sideways glance at Cam, and whispered, “Jonah told me what you talked to Eddie about.”
Sydney looked at the crowd. “And then you told the whole town?”
“Hey. Give me a little credit.” Luka grinned. “Mrs. Carmichael saw the police pull up at Boyd Lowell’s place. You know how she is.”
“Oh.” She smiled and shook her head. Mrs. Carmichael loved a good scandal, and she knew literally everyone in town. “So, everybody’s here to see them bring in Mr. Lowell?”
“Yeah, but I think they’re pretty interested in the hermit now, too. Sorry, Cam.”
He shrugged. “I’m used to people staring at me,” he said. “Just not usually so many at once.”
“Well, they can go ahead and stare at both of us.” Sydney squeezed his hand, and he gave her a grateful smile.
Luka blew out a breath. “I can’t believe it,” she said. “You and Cam Thatcher. Do you know how long she’s waited for this, you asshole?”
“Luka!”
“It’s all right,” Cam said. “I was, for a while.”
“Yeah, well you’d better take care of her.” Luka punched him lightly on the arm. “Listen, uh…my brothers are down there with the rest of them, so I’d better get back before they start trouble. Are you coming?”
Sydney smiled. “Be right there.”
As Luka waved and vanished in the crowd, the brief blip of a siren drew everyone’s attention. People started moving back as an unmarked car with flashing lights pulled to the curb in front of the station. The front doors opened, and two men got out—one in a suit, the other in jeans, boots, and a dark t-shirt. They were Covendale’s only detectives. It looked like Sheriff Tanner wasn’t going to risk letting his deputies bring this one in.
The guy in the suit opened the back door, and a furious Boyd Lowell climbed out. His hands were cuffed in front of him. Sydney frowned and whispered, “Shouldn’t they be behind his back? That doesn’t seem right.”
“It’s not a violent crime,” Cam said. “Maybe the rules are different.”
A hush fell over the crowd, and Sydney watched uneasily as the progression moved toward them, with Boyd in the middle of the two detectives. His eyes met hers and narrowed. He shifted his gaze to Cam.
Suddenly, the first detective went sprawling and Boyd Lowell jumped over him, racing toward them with his cuffed hands up and out—and the detective’s gun clutched in them.
Then everything happened fast.
Someone in the crowd screamed, “He’s got a gun!” The second detective, kneeling beside his partner, started pulling his own weapon. Sydney barely noticed anything but the black hole of the muzzle pointed straight at Cam. His hand left hers, and he ran toward Boyd.
There was a loud crack.
No!
She wanted to scream it, but her throat had locked tight. For a split second she actually saw Cam on the ground, bleeding and broken. She blinked fiercely and realized there was someone lying there.
Not Cam. Boyd.
Cam walked over and kicked the gun away from the moaning figure, rubbing his knuckles as he did. “Two Lowells in one night,�
� he said. “Guess it’s my lucky day.”
“Oh, God.” Sydney rushed to him and threw her arms around him. “He tried to kill you.”
“Probably. But he’s not very good at it.”
“Excuse me.”
They both turned to find the detective in the suit standing there. His plainclothes partner was already hauling Boyd Lowell to his feet, half-pushing and half dragging him toward the station. “Thanks for getting my gun back,” the detective said, holding a hand out. “Mr., uh…”
“Thatcher.” Cam shook firmly.
“Detective Hawthorne,” he said. “That was pretty good, Mr. Thatcher. A little embarrassing for me, but well done.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“I won’t.” The detective grinned. “But the news probably will. I think a whole bunch of people back there recorded that punch. You’re going to be on YouTube in no time.”
Cam groaned. Sydney followed his stare and saw half a dozen arms raised, holding up cell phones.
“I’d better go help my partner, before he helps himself to some of what you had. He’s pretty pissed.” With a brief wave, Detective Hawthorne jogged inside.
Sydney linked her hand with Cam’s again. She never wanted to let him go, even if the whole world was watching. And speaking of the world, or at least the town, there was something she had to say while they had everyone’s attention.
“Come on,” she said, leading him toward the sidewalk. “I want to go down there before everybody leaves.”
He followed reluctantly and gave her a suspicious look. “Why?”
“Because they need to know the truth.”
They were almost there, close enough for the entire crowd to see them holding hands, when Cam stopped her. She turned with a question in her eyes, and he smiled. “I don’t know what you were planning to tell them, but I’ve got a better way to do this,” he said.
She arched an eyebrow. “Do you?”
He nodded. “I was going to wait until after dinner. But the spaghetti is definitely cold now, so that’s going to take way too long.” He thrust a hand in his pocket and pulled something out in a closed fist. “I wanted to do this right.”
Cowboy's Pride (Welcome to Covendale Book 1) Page 12