Deadly Sanctuary (Kendall O'Dell Series #1)

by Sylvia Nobel

  It still seemed impossible that we had been out all night. Eric asked me to drop him at the tennis ranch, and before I left, he gave me another torrid kiss.

  When he released his hold, he said with emotion, “Kendall, I don’t want to have to wait until I come to Castle Valley to see you.”

  I drew back. “What are you saying?”

  “I want you to think seriously about what I said earlier. The managing editor of the Phoenix paper owes me a favor. I say the word, you’ve got a job. You don’t belong here. I mean it. You belong in the city with me.”

  “Eric, I’m so tired right now, I can’t think.”

  He looked crushed, so I said hurriedly, “I promise I’ll consider it. But there are several reasons I can’t go just yet. I’m working on…well, a rather sensitive assignment for Tugg and I just can’t leave until I’ve solved…er…finished it.”

  “How long will it take?”

  I thought about the deadline I’d given myself. “I can probably let you know in about two weeks.”

  “Two weeks! My schedule is so tight, I probably won’t even be back here until then. Let me go with you right now,” he offered recklessly. “I’ll help you pack and you can come to Phoenix now.”

  “And live where?”

  “With me, of course.”

  “Eric, this is moving much too fast. Are you serious?”

  “I’ve never been more serious in my life,” he replied fiercely, pulling me into his arms again.

  I pushed away and met his eyes. “I…I can’t give you an answer right now. I have to have time to think this over. There’s notice on the house, my job. Lots of reasons.”

  “Now that’s something that bothers me,” he said, frowning. “I hate the thought of you living out there alone. I don’t think it’s safe.”

  “I’m fine. Hardly anyone ever comes out there. I think people are afraid they’ll run into an escaped lunatic.”

  “That’s nothing to joke about,” he said, a sharp note entering his voice. “All the more reason for you to be away from there as soon as possible.”

  “I really appreciate your concern, Eric. I’m flattered that you think I’m wasting my life here and you’re probably right. But, can’t you be patient a few weeks?”

  “I guess I’ll have to be.”

  I thanked him again for the wonderful night and drove toward home. Ahead of me the sky beyond Castle Rock glowed in radiant peach.

  As I eased into the carport, the events of last night had already taken on a magical quality. Eric’s suggestion would require serious thought, but right now all I could think of was a hot shower and crawling between cool sheets.

  Shoes in hand, I hurried my steps along the walkway, while pulling the sharp-toothed, decorative combs from my hair. I blew out a sigh of relief. Now to get these pantyhose off.

  My loose hair tumbling around my face, I stood at the door struggling to find the house key buried somewhere at the bottom of my purse, and listened to the sleepy buzz of bees in the dark tangle of honeysuckle vines that climbed the latticework along the patio.

  I sensed a presence behind me at about the same time I heard a soft footstep. I stiffened as the memory of the darkroom attack zigzaged through my mind. A strangled scream lodged in my throat as I whirled around in time to see a figure step from the shadows.

  28

  “Where the hell have you been all night?” the shadow growled, moving closer.

  The shock of surprise, added to my state of terror, left me speechless for a few seconds. “Tally! What’s the big idea sneaking up on me like that? You scared me to death.”

  “I said, where have you been?” he repeated louder, a note of angry persistence ringing in his voice.

  “Don’t shout at me. What are you doing skulking around outside my door, anyway?”

  “I wasn’t skulking and you haven’t answered me,” he shot back.

  The sudden rush of adrenaline subsided and I drew in a sharp breath of air to counter the waves of blackness.

  He jumped forward, grabbing my upper arms to steady me. Irrationally, I felt a rush of delight at the pressure of his hands. And it made my heart twist with a kind of insane joy to see the look of distress in his dark eyes. “I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said in a gentler tone. “But, I didn’t know what to think when you didn’t show up last night. I was close to calling Roy when you drove in just now.”

  What a fool I was making myself miserable for nothing. He’d listen to my explanation and everything would be fine. “How long have you been waiting for me?”

  “Since around five.” He released my arms, but didn’t move away.

  “I’m sorry you were upset, Tally.” I peered around him. “Where’s your truck?”

  “Jake and the boys are over across the road repairing a fence. I couldn’t sleep wondering what happened, so I had them drop me off here. And then, when I didn’t see your car…”

  “Across the road,” I repeated blankly. “What do you mean they’re across the road? You mean Lost Canyon? That’s your property over there?”

  He gave me an odd look. “Yes. I thought you knew that. What about it?”

  “Well…I thought…I don’t know what I thought. I figured your property ended over there at the highway,” I finished lamely, pointing west.

  “No. My father bought all but fifty acres from the Delgados years ago. The Starfire land runs east to the hospital, and we border state land to the north.”

  I stared at him open-mouthed. My mind was trying to tell me something important, but the thought would not materialize. “Tally, I’m really sorry about standing you up last night.”

  He let out a long sigh. “So, what did happen, Kendall? Did you have car trouble again? Where were you?” It was hard to miss the tinge of accusation edging his words. I felt a tremor of doubt.

  “I was in Las Vegas.”

  His mood of concern evaporated. I watched with alarm, the expression of disbelief taking its place. “What were you doing in Las Vegas?”

  “I was with Eric, and before you jump…”

  “What?” He grabbed my arms again and I cringed at his expression of fury. This time his fingers bit painfully into my flesh as he backed me up against the side of the house. His face, livid with emotion, was only inches from mine. I couldn’t help but remember what Eric had said about his physical abuse of Stephanie, and it made me shudder with fear. “I spent the whole goddamned night worrying about you,” he snarled, “and now you’re telling me you spent the night with Eric Heisler?”

  “I didn’t spend the night with him,” I shouted back. “Well, I did but…I mean…I was with him, but we didn’t…Will you please let me explain?”

  “Oh, spare me the details,” he said in disgust, releasing his iron hold as if it sickened him to touch me. “This is turning out just the way I knew it would. From the very first day I saw you standing on Yarnell Hill…What an ass I was letting myself in for this. You’re just like…” His voice caught and my stomach knotted as his words sank in.

  “Go ahead and say it,” I dared him, my own anger re-ignited. “You think I’m just like Stephanie. That’s what’s been in the back of your mind all along. Everything I say, every move I make, you compare me with her.”

  “She was a whore,” he said icily. “Your actions speak for themselves. Don’t try to turn this around. I’m not the one who was out all night.” He turned his back on me and stomped away. I willed my legs into action, bolted past him, and planted myself on the walkway in front of him.

  “Oh, no you don’t. I’m not going to stand here and let myself be branded a whore by you. If you’ll just quit being so pig-headed and listen to me, you’ll see that nothing happened.”

  We stared daggers at each other for a minute and then he relaxed his stance. “This better be good.”

  His manner infuriated me so much I could have shot him. “First of all, it really isn’t any of your business what happened last night, but since you’ve elected yourself
judge and jury, you might as well hear the facts. I didn’t have a clue that Eric was flying to Las Vegas until we were in the air. When we landed, I called immediately and left a message for you.”

  He looked slightly disconcerted. “I never got a message from you.”

  “I’m not surprised. Lucinda took it.” I watched his jaw tighten and untighten. Gruffly, he said, “Why would she keep that to herself?”

  “Oh, come on, Tally. Wake up. It’s to her advantage for you to think I’m lying.”

  He looked down at his boots and twirled his hat in a circle. “All right. Let’s say I accept that you called. That doesn’t explain why you were gone all night.”

  “I did not sleep with him, Tally. We had a marvelous dinner, he took me to a fantastic show, and then we gambled till all hours. I simply lost track of the time. We came back. I dropped him at Whispering Winds and I came here. Period. End. Fini.”

  “Kendall,” he said quietly. “I don’t think I can go through this again.”

  “Through what?”

  “The misery I put myself through with Stephanie.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m not going to try and change myself again to oblige the fickle whims of some woman. I am who I am—a cattle rancher. Not some…some slick attorney, like Heisler. If that’s the type of man you want, I don’t know what else I can say.”

  “Who’s asking you to change? You make me sound so…so shallow. I’m not comparing resumes or bank accounts. And I never said I preferred his lifestyle over yours.” Even as I said the words, I was thinking of Eric’s enticing offer. “Tally, I can only judge people on how they act.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “The guy is a first class weasel.”

  “As opposed to a second-class weasel?” The stony look on his face told me my feeble attempt at humor had failed.

  “Frankly, I’d sooner trust a hungry coyote with my cattle than I’d trust him.”

  I threw up my hands. “Okay, Tally. This is getting us nowhere. I have a monster headache and I don’t feel like going any further with this right now. You know, if you’d just back up and look at this objectively, I think you’d see that you’ve misjudged him.”

  He threw me an incredulous look. “After everything I’ve told you about him, I don’t know how you can get within ten feet of this guy.”

  “You want to know why I went out with him? I’ll tell you why. Because he’s fun, Tally—he’s fun.” I could hear my own voice rising. “He’s not morbid. He doesn’t keep constantly rehashing his past. He had a bad marriage too, but he’s gone on with his life, and so should you.”

  “You think I’m morbid?” The plaintive note in his voice made my anger melt, and I had a sudden, overwhelming desire to hold him, to tell him that I cared very much for him. But I didn’t. Instead, I said, “In a word, yes. Every memory I have of Eric is filled with fun and laughter. Every time I think of you and me together, it involves some sort of heated conflict, or me trying to deal with whatever dark mood you happen to be in.”

  At that, his face hardened. “Well. I’m sorry you feel that way,” he said stiffly, shoving his hat on. “I guess there’s nothing more to say.” He looked out across the desert. A plume of dust announced that his ride was approaching.

  As I watched him stride away, I felt an acute sense of loss, remembering he would be away on business for two weeks. Did I want this to end on such a sour note? “Tally,” I called. “Have a good trip.”

  At first he didn’t respond, then halfway down the walk he suddenly wheeled around and marched back to me. The firm set of his jaw and the determined gleam in his eyes made me involuntarily step back.

  “Wh…what is it?” I stammered.

  “I want you to promise me you’ll be careful while I’m gone,” he demanded.

  “Please, Tally. I’m really not in the mood for another lecture about Eric.”

  “I’m not talking about him.”

  I stared in surprise.

  “Promise me,” he said sharply.

  “Okay, okay, I promise, but what…”

  “And, the next time you think of me,” he interrupted, “think of this.” He reached out and yanked me into his arms, bending me so far backward, all I could see was blue sky behind his face.

  “Tally, what are you…” The deadly look in his eyes stopped my next words. I let out a little shriek of pain when he grabbed a handful of my hair. His lips came down on mine with such bruising force, our teeth clattered together. The sun seemed to explode inside my head. This was no gentlemanly kiss. It was raw with anger and desire.

  Crushed against his lean body, I struggled with my own emotions of fear and yearning for this rough man. The kiss seemed to go on forever, and I didn’t care.

  When he finally pulled away, we were both gasping for breath. The blaze of passion he ignited left me shaking and more bewildered than ever.

  He gave me a curt nod, turned, and strode away. As if on cue, the blue pickup rounded the bend and braked to a stop. He climbed into the truck and in seconds it roared from view. As if in a trance, I just stood there staring dumbly at the trail of dust hanging above the deserted road.

  Slowly, very slowly, rational thought began to return. Somehow, I forced my rubbery legs to transport me into the house. In a half daze I checked the answering machine. There were six hangups, all probably from Tally. And, there was a message from Ginger demanding to know why I hadn’t come to the barbecue. No way was I going to deal with her this early. I slipped out of my clothes and headed for the shower. All the while, something kept hammering inside my brain like the annoying rat-a-tat of a woodpecker. Tally had said something significant right before that scorching kiss had blotted it out.

  As always, I automatically checked the tub and walls for spiders before stepping in. It wasn’t until the first blast of water hit me that his words came back to me. “Promise me you’ll be careful,” drummed in my head. “Promise me you’ll be careful.” The phrase ricocheted around a few more times, and then I stiffened in shock.

  “Damn it!” I screamed. “He told him!” I shut the water off, threw the shower curtain aside, and bounded to the bedroom phone. Dripping wet, I punched Tugg’s number so hard, my fingernail broke.

  “Hello?” It was Mary Tugg.

  I drew in a deep breath, and hoped my voice wouldn’t shake with anger. “Mary. This is Kendall. I’m sorry to call so early, but I need to talk to Tugg right away.”

  “Kendall? It’s barely seven o’clock. Can he call you later?” She sounded puzzled.

  “No. I need to talk to him now. It’s important.”

  “Well, I’m sorry, Kendall, he had a really bad night.

  He’s on a lot of medication and I’m not going to disturb him. Whatever it is will just have to wait.”

  I could tell by the firmness in her voice that I wasn’t going to get through. “Have him call me at home the minute he’s awake,” I said shortly and hung up.

  With a groan I fell onto the bed, face down. The cool air blowing through the vents onto my damp skin made me shiver. I pulled the covers over me. My life was getting way too complicated. The sinking sensation in my stomach intensified and I punched the pillow. Tugg must have told Tally about my assignment. Why else would he have said such a thing? I pulled the pillow over my head to blot out the brilliant sunlight and lay still listening to the drone of the cooler until I fell into a deep sleep.

  The shrill ring of the phone woke me. I fumbled for the receiver and noticed the clock read 11:30. I tried to speak, but no words came out.

  “Hello? Is someone there?”

  It was Tugg. I cleared my throat noisily. “Sorry about that. I was out all night. Guess I fell asleep.”

  “You sound as bad as I feel. Listen, Kendall, I’ve got something important to tell you and…”

  “Just a minute,” I interrupted. “I’ve got something to discuss with you first. Why did you do it, Tugg?”

  “Do what?”

 
“Tell Tally,” I said heatedly. “And don’t try to deny it. You told him what we’ve been working on, didn’t you?”

  “If you’ll just calm down and listen—”

  “You promised me two weeks! I’ve turned cartwheels to keep this thing under wraps. This is supposed to be my story. What if he lets something slip to Roy? You know the two of them sometimes work together.”

  “Kendall,” he shouted, “be quiet and listen to me. It doesn’t matter anymore if Tally knows, or anybody else knows, because it looks like I’ve been wrong about this whole thing from the start.”

  I tensed. “What do you mean?”

  “I got a letter in the mail this morning. It’s from John Dexter.”

  29

  If Tugg had told me California just dropped into the Pacific Ocean and Arizona now had beachfront property, I couldn’t have been more astonished. “What did you say?”

  “I said I’m holding a letter from John Dexter. Talk about being wrong headed. Pretty pathetic stuff coming from an old newspaper man, huh?” he grumbled. “And to think I’ve had you on a wild goose chase all this time.”

  “How can you be sure it’s from him?”

  The sound of paper crackled in my ear. “I’ll read it to you.” He cleared his throat and began, ‘Dear Tugg—Thought I’d drop you a line to let you know everything is cool with me. Sometimes I feel like shit leaving the way I did with no notice, but, I got an offer I could hardly refuse. I got me the hottest babe down here and her folks have got some kind of bucks! I spend most of my days hanging out at the beach or sailing. Bet you wish you were me. That was a real dead end job for me. Why bust my buns when I can live like a king here? Sorry about our disagreement, but this is best for both of us. Keep smiling!’ “It’s signed, John Dexter.”

  Stunned into uncommon silence, it took me a few seconds to find my voice. “Tugg, is this letter typed or hand written?”

  “It’s typed.”

  “How convenient. What about his signature? Is it typed?”