Nolan sat up and opened his eyes. If he got rid of the substituted horse, no one would know it wasn’t the animal these papers said it was.
His heart began to pound in excitement. That was the answer! Get rid of the horse and stick with his original story. He hadn’t talked to Martin in months. He didn’t know anything about these papers. He’d never paid Pepperton a cent for any racehorse. What would he want with a horse?
It would work! He knew it would work. If he could find a way to get rid of the horse.
Too bad he couldn’t shoot it. Martin’s gun was still out in his car. A barn fire was out of the question. The way his luck was running, the animal would survive.
Nolan stood and walked to the window. What if the horse was stolen? What if he hired a couple of thugs to take the horse and turn the rotten animal loose somewhere?
Looking down at the ownership papers, Nolan rubbed tiredly at his eyes and grinned. He was liking this idea a whole lot. Simple, uncomplicated, perfect.
Now if he could just remember the name of that groom Martin had fired a short while ago. The guy would probably jump at the chance to make some easy money and get back at the Peppertons.
The plan was going to work, he could feel it. All he had to do was steal the damn horse and get rid of Leigh Thomas and Gavin Jarret. Too bad they hadn’t hit a tree when he’d run them off the road the other night, but he still had Martin’s gun.
“WE AREN’T GOING to get any privacy around here,” Gavin told Leigh as he started the car. “We’ll have to go Heartskeep.”
“I’m sure we’ll get plenty of privacy there with R.J.’s men running in and out.”
“Sarcasm doesn’t become you. It’s a big house.”
“Whatever you say.”
He looked over at her, but Leigh was staring out the window. She wasn’t going to make this easy for him.
“Are you angry?”
That sent her head swiveling in his direction.
“Why would I be angry, Gavin?”
Her calm was getting to him. He really couldn’t decide what she was thinking.
“I figure you must have quite a list going by now.”
She remained silent, but he sensed he’d amused her. That was a start.
“I shouldn’t have called your bluff last night,” he said gently.
“I wasn’t bluffing.”
He nearly drove off the road, looking at her. Her expression was as serious as her tone had been. He shouldn’t have started this conversation in the car. He needed to be able to focus on her—to see her expressions.
“What are you doing?” she asked as he swerved onto the narrow shoulder.
“Parking the car!”
“Here?”
“Yes.” He put the car in park, released his seat belt and turned to face her.
“You really want another attorney?”
“I did until you told the Walkens we were getting married.”
He struggled to make sense of her words. She sat there looking perfectly composed. If she was kidding, it didn’t show.
“What does that mean?” he demanded.
“It means I’m not going to fire you.”
He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. “I guess it would be a little awkward if you fired your husband,” he said sardonically.
“We aren’t getting married,” she scoffed. “You told the Walkens what they needed to hear. It would have been nice if you’d warned me. That breakfast was more than a little awkward, but I understand. And don’t worry, it won’t be hard to get out of this mess. We’ll have to wait a few weeks to make it look good, but then I’ll tell them that I changed my mind. Simple.”
Pressure tightened his chest. “Simple?”
“Don’t fret, I won’t make you look like the bad guy, Gavin.”
“What the devil are you talking about?” He gripped the steering wheel in frustration. “I should have made love to you,” he muttered.
Her lips parted in surprise. He saw the flash of hurt in her eyes and felt a stab of guilt. He hadn’t meant to hurt her.
“I admit that would have been nice,” she said blandly, “but it’s probably better this way. I’m not much for casual affairs.”
“Nice?” He latched on to the word while his fingers squeezed the hard plastic steering wheel. “You think making love with me would have been nice?”
Her eyebrow lifted in phony surprise. “It wouldn’t have been nice?”
He leaned toward her and was rewarded by a spark of real emotion, even if it was apprehension. “Maybe you don’t remember what it was like seven years ago,” he said softly, “but I haven’t forgotten a thing, Leigh. When I make love to you again, there won’t be anything casual about it. And I promise you, it’s going to be a whole lot better than nice.”
Those expressive blue eyes showed a kaleidoscope of emotions that ranged from shock to hope to defiance. It was the hope that pleased him, even as she lifted her chin defiantly.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to dent your masculine pride.”
“Lady, you’ve been walking all over my pride and you know it.”
“Isn’t that better than compromising your principles?”
“That’s the second time you’ve thrown that in my face.” He cupped her cheek with his hand. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Leigh. I was trying to establish some objectivity where you were concerned. It was a wasted effort.”
Her lips parted in surprise and he lowered his mouth. Soft and sweet, her lips clung tenderly while a slow heat simmered inside him. She arched her neck, inviting a response, and he gave it, sampling the delicate line of her throat, savoring her feminine shiver of reaction.
His other hand slid across her rib cage, tracing the curve of her breast, feeling the bud of her nipple straining against the fabric that confined it.
And his cell phone rang.
The tinny notes jarred them from the sensual haze that had enveloped them. He rested his head against her forehead, reluctant to let her go.
“Are you going to answer that?”
“I could toss the phone out the window instead,” he suggested, lifting his head.
She smiled. “Wyatt would arrest you for littering.”
“In another minute or so, the charge would have been lewd behavior.”
He reached for the phone. “Jarret.”
Leigh watched as he straightened in his seat.
“No, I’m in my car.”
They were still blowing hot and cold with each other, but the heat was definitely winning.
“Okay, Susan. Give the auditors access to whatever they want. I’ll be in when I can, but cancel anything I have scheduled for the rest of the week. No. No new appointments until next week. You can give out my cell-phone number if anything urgent comes up, otherwise leave a message at the Walkens’. Right. Thanks. You, too.”
“I gather that was your office?”
“My paralegal. Marcus did give Eden access to the household account, but he’s the one who made all the large withdrawals. They can see the pattern. He transferred money to his private account after each bogus bill was paid in, then he withdrew the money in cash.”
“What does that mean?”
“For starters, it means that if he were alive, your father would have to account for all that missing money.”
“Jacob said he was broke.”
“Maybe he was. Maybe he had a secret vice.”
“Six hundred fifty thousand dollars is a lot of vice.”
Gavin’s lips twitched. “He could have put the money in some account that hasn’t come to light yet.”
“I’ll bet that’s why Eden was so quick to clear out his belongings. She’s looking for the money, too.”
“You won’t find a taker for that bet here.” He put on his seat belt and started the car. “But if that money still exists, we need to find it first.”
“Hayley and Bram are on their way back. We can ask them to help us look.”
“
Good.”
She hesitated, reluctant to ask the next question. “What should I tell Hayley? You know, about being engaged.”
His body tensed. He didn’t look at her. “What do you want to tell her?”
“What does that mean?”
“It means there’s a lot of chemistry between us.”
Her heart started racing once more as he picked his words carefully.
“This doesn’t have to be a phony engagement.”
She barely noticed the ruts as he turned into the driveway leading to Heartskeep. Her insides were jouncing around for other reasons.
“Are you asking me to…marry you?”
“You don’t have to sound so shocked by the idea. I realize this isn’t the best time or place to be having this conversation, but since you brought it up—” he shot her a quick glance “—why don’t you consider the idea? I think we’d suit each other pretty well. I’d sign a prenuptial agreement, of course. I’m not interested in your money, Leigh.”
Dazed, she gaped at him. “You’re serious!”
“Yes.” His eyes suddenly narrowed as he stared through the windshield. “Now what?”
Leigh followed his gaze blindly. As he braked to a halt, her brain slowly came to terms with what her eyes were seeing. Men were running toward the back of the house. Before she could assimilate that, Gavin was out of the car, striding toward the one man who wasn’t running, but was standing there scowling after the others.
“What’s going on? Where’s R.J.?”
The man turned his head and spit. “Trying to catch Lucky before that crazy woman tries to kill him again.”
“Eden’s here?” Leigh asked, running up behind them in time to hear the man’s words.
“Out back. I’m surprised you didn’t hear her screaming in Stony Ridge.”
Gavin set off at a dead run.
“I’d go through the house if I were you,” the man said to Leigh. “It’s quicker.”
She nodded and sprinted up the steps. The front door was unlocked. No doubt Eden had walked right in. She didn’t have a key anymore, and R.J. wouldn’t have knowingly given her access.
Leigh raced through the house. She reached the kitchen expecting to see a repeat of the earlier scene between Eden and Lucky, but this time, there was no one in sight. The kitchen door, however, gaped open. Books spilled across the kitchen table as if dropped there by someone in a hurry.
Leigh glanced at them as she started past, and jerked to a stop. The last time she’d seen those books they’d been on the shelf in Marcus’s bedroom. Eden had returned to finish what she’d started. So why on earth was she out there chasing Lucky again? Didn’t she realize a dog that size could tear her arm off if she made him mad enough?
Leigh hurried outside as Eden burst from the far opening to the gardens. Her face was chalky pale except for two bright red spots of color. Terrified was the only word for her expression.
Leigh ran toward her. Had Lucky bitten her?
Where was the dog? She didn’t hear him barking. In fact, she couldn’t hear or see anyone else at all. Everyone must have run into the maze.
“Eden? Are you all right?”
Eden stumbled. She stared at Leigh without comprehension. Then she ran to her car. Leigh sprinted to intercept her.
“Eden?”
The woman jerked to a halt. Her eyes were wild.
“Stay away from me! Stay away!”
“Eden? It’s okay. It’s Leigh. Take it easy. Are you all right?”
Eden lunged at her. Completely off guard, Leigh stumbled backward. Eden jumped in her car and twisted the key in the ignition before Leigh could regain her balance.
“Eden! Wait!”
The car rocketed down the driveway. Plumes of dust shot into the hot, humid air. Footsteps pounded up behind Leigh. She heard Gavin swear as the car careened out of sight.
“Why didn’t you stop her?”
“With what? Do you see any bazookas lying around? Because that’s what it would have taken. What’s going on? She looked like she’d seen a ghost!”
Leigh heard someone inhale sharply. R.J., Lucky and several of R.J.’s men spilled out into the parking area. There was a chilling soberness in their expressions.
“R.J.? What happened? Did she hurt Lucky?” R.J. had a firm grip on the dog’s collar. In his other hand, he held a stick. Her head swung to Gavin for an explanation. His dark expression loosened a jolt of pure fear inside her.
“Lucky was digging in the garden again,” he said softly.
Unaccountable fear spread with each beat of her heart. “That’s okay. I told you he couldn’t hurt anything.”
No one moved. Everyone watched her. There was pity on several faces. R.J. released Lucky. The large dog trotted over to her, his stubby tail swishing in greeting. He was filthy. Mud and dirt clung to his fur, especially in front. His legs were coated with the evidence of his misbehavior.
“Leigh.”
Gavin took her by the shoulders.
“Lucky didn’t just dig a hole. He dug a pit. He broke the sprinkler system.”
“I don’t care! Gavin, you’re scaring me.”
“He dug up a bone.” Gavin tipped his head toward R.J. without looking away. “It’s a human bone.”
The words formed a rushing sound inside her head. She couldn’t tear her eyes from his. They were dark whirlpools of sympathy.
“What are you saying?” she whispered. But she knew. Before his lips parted, she knew.
“Someone buried a body under the sprinkler system.”
Her mind went numb. Her voice came out as hollow as her insides felt. “Show me.”
“There’s nothing to see, Leigh,” he said tenderly, gently. “It’s a big muddy hole—”
“Show me!”
She wrenched free and started toward the maze. Her gaze landed on the stick in R.J.’s hand. Not a stick. A bone. A human bone.
“Leigh, you don’t want to go back there,” R.J. said.
The other men were sidling away. She tore her gaze from the bone and moved past them, practically running.
“Let her go,” Gavin commanded.
“She shouldn’t go back there, Gavin,” R.J. said. “There’s nothing to see.”
SHE WAS IN THE MAZE when Lucky trotted past to take the lead. Leigh was aware of Gavin at her back. He didn’t speak and neither did she. Her body felt frozen despite the temperature out here in the sun. There was a horrified acceptance inside her that had no voice.
Somehow, even before Lucky trotted down the dead-end path, she knew exactly where he was going. Life and death were coming full circle. Roses had once bloomed profusely in this spot.
Marcus’s favorite place in the maze.
He’d planted his first roses here. He’d tended to them for the past seven years with a fanatical care that no one had understood.
Until now.
The roses were gone, destroyed along with Marcus. Water and mud covered the ground from the broken pipe. Someone had found the cut-off valve, but not before water had flooded the good-size hole Lucky had managed to dig.
Leigh walked toward the hole.
“Careful,” Gavin cautioned. “The ground’s slippery near the edges.”
He was right. There wasn’t much to see. Simply a hole filled with muddy water. But somewhere in that muck were the remains of a human being.
Lucky sat on his haunches and looked up at her. She stroked his head lightly. “Good boy, Lucky.” She turned toward Gavin.
He watched her through inscrutable eyes.
“This is where he died, you know,” she told him. “Marcus was shot to death in that very spot. There’s a sort of poetic justice at work here.”
Her words seemed disembodied, as if they came from someone else entirely.
“Leigh—”
“Marcus killed our mother. We always knew that. We didn’t know he buried her here. We should have. When he planted his first rose, we should have known. Mom always liked roses.
”
“Let’s go back to the house, Leigh.”
“Don’t you see the irony? He died over the very spot where he buried her.”
“Let’s go.”
She turned from the muddy hole at the urging of his hands. She looked up at him and saw the knowledge in his eyes.
“At least you aren’t trying to pretend it isn’t my mother’s grave.” Shouldn’t she be feeling something other than this utter sense of calm? “We always knew Marcus killed her. No one believed us, but we knew!”
“The police are on their way,” Gavin said. “I called them as soon as R.J. realized what Lucky had found.”
“It could be someone else, Leigh,” R.J. said.
She’d forgotten about him. Her gaze went to the object in his hand. It still looked like a stick. A dirty white stick.
“It’s okay, you know. That isn’t her.” She nodded toward the bone. “That’s just the remnants of what she was. My mother’s here.” She pressed her fist against her chest. “She’ll always be here. It’s just good to finally know.”
Her voice quavered and broke. She let Gavin slide his arm around her.
“I’m okay. We can go back to the house now. I need to call my sister.”
Chapter Twelve
Leigh didn’t need to call Hayley after all. Her sister and Bram had already arrived. Someone must have told them what Lucky had found. Hayley was running toward the maze, Bram at her side.
Gavin watched the women embrace. It was almost a relief to see the tears start to flow. Leigh’s unnatural calm had reminded him all too vividly of his own lack of emotion the day his family had died. He didn’t want to see her internalize her grief the way he had. Tears were supposed to be healing. He hoped that was true.
“Do you think it’s Amy Thomas?” Bram asked him.
“It will take time to be certain, but I’d say it’s pretty likely.”
“Hayley always believed her father murdered her mother.”
Gavin nodded. “I know. The police should be here soon. Think we can get them inside?”
“Hayley’s going to want to see.”
“Yeah. So did Leigh. There’s nothing to see.”
“That won’t matter.”
The Second Sister Page 19