Secrets and Lies (Hearts Of Braden Book 4)

by Susanne Matthews

  Half an hour later, sated by the western omelet she’d made and sipping wine, Jackson explained his financial situation, even though Emily had said it wasn’t necessary. He wanted to assure her that he had no desire or inclination to get money from any sources but his own. “I need to make a few calls,” he said. Why don’t you go into the den and find something we can watch on television? Before you get the wrong idea, I want to call Cal about Joey and talk to Peter Preston’s father again. You know, if the three boys in the hospital can identify the Chef, so can Peter. He could be in danger.”

  “You’re right. I’ll see you shortly. Oh, and ask Cal if there’s any sign of my leg.”

  “I will.”

  Emily propelled her chair down the hall to the den.

  He went into the laundry room, took her things out of the washer and hung them on the rack to dry. Entering his office, he left the door open, in case she needed him. Learning to trust one another wouldn’t happen overnight, but he was willing to work at it if she was. He would wait. As Uncle Jack said, the good ones were worth waiting for.

  Jackson dialed the Preston’s first, but Peter’s father said he wasn’t home. He’d called in mid-afternoon to say they’d decided to spend another night camping. Mark Preston said the boys often camped out near the airport in weather like this. They liked to tinker with things and Tyler Cummings had a couple of old cars in his father’s hanger. They were probably staying there. He promised to have Peter call Jackson as soon as he came home.

  Jackson hung up and shook his head. Ever since he’d sold the farm, Mark spent more and more time with the bottle. He had a job working at the new ethanol plant, but the man had been a hog farmer his entire life. Losing his wife ten years ago had changed him, and while he’d done his best for Peter, the tornado had taken away not only his livelihood but his pride. Jackson wondered if the man even realized how bad the weather was. If Peter was out in one of those old hangers, he wasn’t camping, he was hiding.

  The second call to Cal was less frustrating. “Hey, Cal. It’s Jack. I was wondering how Joey is doing.”

  “Doc Hazlet says the boy took an awful beating. A couple of bruised ribs, a broken left arm, and a whack to the head that should’ve killed him. Looks like he was hit with a tire iron. They’ve put him in an induced coma to ease the swelling on his brain. The keys to her apartment were missing from the hook. I take it the foundation will cover his hospital bills, too?”

  “It will and any extras for protection since he can probably identify his attacker. The guy is getting really sloppy. He doesn’t sound like the organized killer Emily described.”

  “I agree, but when push comes to shove, we can all panic. You can tell Emily Joey is going to be fine. How is she holding up?”

  “Better than I’d have expected. She’s worried about her leg.”

  “We found it in the dumpster behind the Hart. It’s pretty banged up. I contacted her boss in Chicago and asked him to get her another one—something temporary until she can be fitted properly again, but it won’t be in until Monday at the latest. The cuff part is okay, other than being covered in garbage, but Doc Hazlet has it, and he said he’d get it cleaned.”

  “She’ll be happy about that.”

  “Jackson, her boss wanted her back, I said no. As of this moment, you’re deputized, and she’s in police custody—your custody—as a material witness. She knows something that has this man running scared, and if the feds get her, I won’t get justice for our boys.”

  “Got you. She’ll be safe here tonight. Maybe you can come out in the morning for a visit.”

  “Will do. Oh, there were a few things that weren’t ripped to rat shit. I’ll bring those with me.”

  Jackson hung up the phone and left the office, stopping only long enough to pick up a couple of wine glasses and the chilled chardonnay he put in the freezer earlier.

  Entering the den, he saw that Emily had transferred herself from her wheelchair to the couch. Sitting down beside her, He opened the wine and poured it into glasses handing her one. “I know it’s late, but you look too keyed up to sleep now. We could probably both use something stronger, but I don’t know what you’d like. Cal said Joey is going to be okay.”

  “Good to know. I like him. This is fine,” she said reaching for the stemmed glass. “I’m not much for hard liquor. Thanks for taking me in. I was such a bitch earlier, accusing you of being in the Chef’s pocket. I can only plead temporary insanity.”

  Jackson chuckled. “Seeing just about everything you own destroyed like that would drive anyone nuts. Momentary lapse forgiven, but I have to own up to my part since, after Naomi, I keep my financial situation secret.”

  “Why do you do it?”

  “To ward off gold diggers.”

  “Not that, silly. Why do you teach? You want to raise horses, but instead you go into that school each day, giving up what you love…

  “That’s the problem. I love teaching almost as much as I love horses. As the principal, I don’t get a lot of classroom time, although I have pitched in occasionally in an emergency. When I came to Braden, the kids and teachers in that school made my life bearable. I was lonely and lost. They could’ve given me a rough time, but Braden isn’t like that, despite the way Mabel has treated you, and this is my way of giving back. The folks around here are proud and accepting charity isn’t easy, but as the principal, I’ve found I can see the needs and fill them without anyone realizing I did it and not some foundation or agency. They get the help they need when they need it, although sometimes, I’m not fast enough to save them. Medical bills for kids under twenty-one are paid through a foundation established by Uncle Jack years ago. If someone older is in need of help, they review the case and contact me.”

  “You’re a very nice man, Jackson Jacob Harris. I’m sorry I ever doubted you.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, before pulling back.

  He noted her blush, but opted not to say anything, but the spot where she’d kissed him was still warm. “What are you watching?” he asked, changing the subject and hopefully putting her at ease once more.

  “I’m not sure. It’s a John Wayne movie.”

  “Great, I love old westerns.”

  Sitting side by side in companionable silence, they watched the end of Rio Lobo and polished off the wine. When the credits rolled, it was well past midnight.

  Emily stretched. “I’m beat. Where can I sleep?”

  “Uncle Jack’s room. The sheets are clean and no one’s used that room in months. He didn’t die in the bed if that’s what worries you. I had a hospital bed brought into the room for him. I was the last one to sleep in that bed.”

  “That’s quite a room you made for him,” she said sidling on the couch, reaching for her wheelchair.”

  “Let me.” He picked her up and carried her down the room to the suite at the end of the hall like he did this afternoon. The room was bathed in the soft glow of the lamp on the bedside table against which leaned the crutches. “I brought them in while you were dozing. That’s one of Uncle Jack’s pajama tops,” he said indicating the pale blue garment on the bed. “I figured you’d need something to sleep in, and if you had to get up, you’d need those.”

  “Thank you.”

  Nodding, he pointed at the bathroom. “It’s handicap equipped if you want to take a bath or a shower and I put a new tooth brush on the counter for you. Cal said you have a few things, not many, that weren’t destroyed, and he’ll bring them by some time tomorrow. They found your leg, badly damaged, but the cuff is okay. Dr. Hazlet has it. Cal called Chicago, and there should be a temporary prosthesis here for you by Monday.” Staring down into her eyes, be bent his head and dropped a light kiss on her forehead. “Goodnight, Emily. Sleep well. You’re safe here. The house has a state of the art alarm system and your bag is over there in case you want to sleep with your gun under your pillow or something.”

  Her face reddened. “I don’t think that’s necessary. Good night, Jack, and thanks agai
n.”

  He nodded and left the room. Walking back to the main door, he locked it, checked the other doors and windows and set the alarm, reminding himself to give her the code in the morning. Heading into his bedroom, the one just a few feet down the hall from hers, he stripped down and got ready for bed.

  The suite hadn’t originally been built for Uncle Jack. He’d added it intent on using it as the master bedroom just after he’d proposed to Naomi. She’d used it the three weeks she’d been here. The room with the therapy tub should’ve been a nursery, but when he’d mentioned children, she’d carefully avoided the topic. Emily had wanted children, had lost one. He didn’t know if she could even have children now, but if things worked out between them the way he hoped they would, he would have no trouble adopting. Being an orphan, he knew you didn’t need the biological link to love a child.

  He realized he’d forgotten to mention to Emily that she was in police protection. He would have to do so tomorrow. It shouldn’t make much difference, but it did mean she wouldn’t be leaving for Chicago anytime soon and he really liked that.

  Getting into bed, wearing nothing but his briefs, he hoped Emily slept well. He probably wouldn’t. With her down the hall, those erotic dreams he’d been having would no doubt be back tonight.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jackson knocked softly on the bedroom door and opened it when he got no response. The lamp on the bedside table was still on, indicating she hadn’t turned it off when she’d fallen asleep. Had it been an oversight or was she afraid of the dark? She could sleep with every light on in the place if it made her feel better.

  Emily lay on her side, curled up in the fetal position, not making a sound, but her slow, even, breathing indicated she was soundly asleep. He hated to wake her, but he had to go, and leaving the house without saying goodbye wasn’t an option.

  He’d been out in the barn when the phone had rung earlier, and he’d picked up the extension before the sound woke Emily inside the house.

  Micah had been frantic, babbling about missing supplies from her science room. The school had been broken into in the past, and probably would be again, despite the security system. She said the alarm hadn’t been on when she’d gone in. No doubt, Isaac had forgotten to put it on. Braden was basically a safe place to live—or rather it had been. The janitor was getting up there in years.

  Jackson might have to find him something else to do. The old man might be the perfect choice to look after things here. After telling her to call Kevin and saying, he would get there as soon as he could, he’d finished up in the barn and carried in the six brown eggs his ladies had produced this morning. He left them on the counter, and put the two quarts of fresh milk in the fridge.

  He frowned. Micah hadn’t struck him as the type to panic over nothing, so if this had upset her that badly, it deserved to be looked into right away.

  “Em,” he said softly, shaking her shoulder as he had last night.

  She opened her eyes and smiled, and then blinked as if she was seeing him for the first time.

  Did the face she’d seen when she opened her eyes belong to Alex?

  “Jackson,” she said frowning, her shadowed eyes narrowing. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m not sure. Micah called, and she’s upset about some supplies. I have to go into the school. I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Here’s the alarm code since I’m going to reset it when I leave. The rain stopped, and if you want to sit on the porch, you’ll have to deactivate it. I’ll stop by the Triple B Bakery and pick up some of Merryn’s goodies for lunch. We may not be able to ride today, but we can go out on the ATV. Afterwards, we can go into Waterloo and get you some clothes, and maybe have that burger I promised you. If you feel up to it, we could take in a movie.”

  “What time is it?”

  “Just after nine. Stay in bed. I’ll see you when I get back.” He kissed her forehead the way he did last night.”

  “Be careful.”

  “I will. I brought in your chair. It’s at the foot of the bed.”

  Jackson left the room and hurried through the house, resetting the alarm as he locked the door. Emily would be safe until he returned. Kevin and Cal were the only ones who knew where she was, and he trusted either of them with his life.

  He hurried to his truck, trying to remember what Micah had said. She’d mentioned missing supplies and something about not being the ones she’d ordered, but she’d been so upset it had been hard to follow what she was saying. Maybe once Kevin got there, Deputy Dunderhead would soothe her nerves. He had to stop thinking of the deputy that way, but he’d made an ass of himself again last night. It wouldn’t be easy to forgive his faux pas this time.

  Because he didn’t like leaving Emily alone any longer than he had to, Jackson drove faster than he normally did and pulled up around back to the service entrance. He noticed the sheriff’s car parked near the rear door. Kevin’s cruiser had been out front.

  The door was unlocked—in fact, it looked as if it had been forced open. No doubt that was how the thief had gained access, and if the alarm was off… He’d only gone a few steps and was nearing the gym doors when Cal stepped out, gun drawn, and the look on his face told him something was wrong.

  “Where’s Emily?” the sheriff asked bluntly.

  “Locked into the homestead, asleep. What did you find?”

  “Isaac is dead. Looks like someone hit him from behind. He’s in the gym. Not a pretty sight.”

  “Did Micah see him?”

  “No, she came in the front door. When Kevin answered her call, he searched the building, found the busted door, and then found Isaac. He called me. What was Isaac doing here alone on a Friday night?”

  “Waxing the gym floor. It takes all weekend to dry. He’d have been finishing up around ten, and then he’d walk home.” Jackson’s heart went out to the man who’d looked after the school for more years than he could remember. “Have you contacted the family?”

  “Yes, his son’s on his way, but coming from Virginia, it’ll take him a while.”

  “Where is Micah?”

  “In the science lab with Kevin trying to make a list of what’s missing. The bastard took her inventory sheets, too.”

  Jackson nodded and hurried up the stairs to the science lab. “Micah,” he said entering the room, and nodding to Kevin. “What did they take?”

  “Beakers, flasks, tripods, all the usual lab equipment, including a dozen Bunsen burners, and the boxes of chemicals that I didn’t order. I had the boys put them over there on Wednesday. I was going to ask you about them—”

  “What kind of chemicals?” He was glad to see she was calmer. From the tear streaks on her face, he assumed Kevin had told her about Isaac.

  “There was acetone and lithium, arsenic, I think… I can’t remember what else, but they were toxic, that I do know. I’d never order toxic chemicals to use in a school like this, and arsenic’s such a dangerous poison—I’m so sorry to hear about Isaac. He seemed like such a kind, gentle soul.”

  “He was a good man. He’ll be missed.”

  Acetone and lithium were used in the manufacture of meth, and Emily had mentioned met laced with arsenic was the Chef’s signature blend.

  “Leave everything and go home. Let the forensic people have a look and see what they can find. Cal is calling in the FBI. Who knew about those chemicals?”

  “Peter, Tyler, and the Olsen twins. They helped me unload what I had in my car and the delivery came while we were here, but I swear it isn’t the stuff I ordered.”

  “It’s okay. I know you didn’t, but I have a feeling I know who did.” But how the Chef had managed to hack the school’s system…Because it was down! Son of a bitch, the guy got into the school’s internet.

  His cellphone rang, and he answered, thinking it might be Emily. “Hello?”

  “Jackson, it’s Reuben Hazlet. I’ve got a car stuck out on County Road 8, looks like a tourist thought he could cross and got stuck. The car is drifting clos
er and closer to the embankment. We know someone’s inside but they aren’t responding. Could’ve had a heart attack or a stroke. We’re stretched pretty thin, and we don’t have a diver nearby who can help. AK says you’ve done this before.”

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can. I’m at the school, so it won’t take me long.”

  “Seems like we’ll be trading places. Cal called me about Isaac. As soon as we get this guy to safety, I’ll be on my way there.”

  Jackson checked the time on his watch. It was barely ten. No sense calling Emily and waking her. He could still be back by the time he’d said he would, give or take half an hour. He would pick up more flowers for her, too. He saw her face at her apartment when she’d gazed at the scattered remnants of the vase and its contents.

  He couldn’t wait to tell her about the theft. It looked as if the Chef was still trying to set up his lab, so maybe he wasn’t the one who’d broken into her place and trashed it, but if it hadn’t been him, that meant they had another killer on the loose.

  Hurrying to his truck, he drove quickly to road eight and saw AK’s rig and the volunteer rescue truck as he drove up.

  “I grabbed your gear, when I got mine,” AK said, handing Jackson the diving equipment they wore in cases like this.

  Jackson had joined the volunteer fire rescue squad for Braden when he came back five years ago. As an experienced diver, he was usually the first one in the water in situations like these. The washed out roads were often the result of flash flooding and an undertow current wasn’t unheard of. The doctor thought the driver was still in the vehicle, and Jackson hoped he was. A lot of people stuck in the same situation managed to get out through the window, and if he’d gone in at night, he could easily have gotten disoriented and drowned.

  Jackson changed into his gear quickly and attached the towrope to his middle.