by Kathy Ivan
“There’s no proof of that, but, yeah, I think you’re right.” He knelt beside her chair, his intent gaze locked with hers. “He’s not getting anywhere near you or Jamie. We’re all here. I’ve got deputies working around-the-clock watching the main roads into town. Antonio’s got the FBI searching. Evan’s not stupid. He has to know you’re protected.”
“He’s not stupid, but he is vain. He’ll take it as a challenge to get the best of you, because you beat him before. I hurt his pride when I divorced him and took his daughter away. To his thinking, what does he have to lose by coming after me…us?”
“Stop it.” She hadn’t heard Brody come into the room, but the vehemence behind his comment had her straightening in the chair. “Your ex isn’t getting near you or Jamie. Not now, not ever.”
There was a finality in his words, a conviction which made her feel safe. For the first time since she’d gotten the call from the prison, Beth felt the knot of despair slowly unfurl deep inside. She trusted Brody, knew with a certainty he’d protect her and Jamie with his last breath.
Tossing the throw onto the arm of the chair, she stood and walked over to Brody. “Okay, my pity party is over. I’ve already spent too much time running from Evan, and it stops now. What can I do?”
“First thing, get something to eat.”
“Brody, I’m not—”
“We missed dinner. You need to eat, keep your strength up. If not for you, you need to be strong for your daughter.” He clasped her hands gently between his. “Momma sent me in to get you. Dinner will be ready in five minutes. Just enough time for you to go check on Jamie and wash up.”
She took a deep breath, then stood on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek. “Thank you for being there for me.”
“Always.”
Brody stretched, feeling the ache in his low back from spending the night on the sofa. He’d refused to leave, wanting, no, needing to be close to Beth and Jamie. All the bedrooms were full up, Momma having called everybody home who could make it. Dane and Liam had doubled up. Lucas had showed up; he’d been down in San Antonio, researching a story, but had dropped everything the minute he’d heard there was trouble. Same thing with Ridge. Tessa shared her room with Serena.
Rafe had headed back into Shiloh Springs late last night, needing to be at the sheriff’s office bright and early, to coordinate and assign shifts to make sure Beth and Jamie were watched round-the-clock, for as long as it took to capture Evan.
The scent of coffee hit first, followed almost immediately by the sweet, sweet scent of bacon. Rubbing a hand over his face, he grimaced at the stubble on his chin. Grabbing a shower was at the top of his list, but first he’d detour by the kitchen and grab a cup of coffee. He needed an infusion of caffeine to jumpstart his morning.
Before he’d taken more than a few steps, there was a knock on the front door. Scratching his stomach, he walked toward the door, a huge yawn causing his jaw to crack. Too many nights with too light sleep was starting to catch up with him.
“Greg?”
Greg Summers stood on the other side of the front door, a sheepish grin on his face. “Hey, Brody.”
“Dude, what are you doing here?”
“I don’t know. I stopped by your apartment, and when I couldn’t find you there, this seemed like the next most obvious place.” Greg gestured toward the door. “Mind if I come in?”
“Sorry. Just woke up. Long night.” He motioned Greg inside, and pointed toward the kitchen. “I need coffee. Want some?”
Greg grinned. “I would love some.”
Making their way to the kitchen, Brody stopped short at the sight of his mother and Tessa, doing a kind of choreographed dance around the kitchen. One worked the toaster, while the other scrambled eggs on the stove. A huge platter of crispy bacon sat on the countertop, and if he wasn’t mistaken, Brody could swear he smelled his momma’s homemade cinnamon rolls. His stomach growled, and Tessa smiled at him.
“Breakfast is almost ready.” She spotted Greg standing beside him, a faint blush staining her cheeks. “Oh, sorry, didn’t know you had company. Y’all want some coffee?”
“Morning, Tessa. This is Greg Summers, and, yes, we’d love some coffee.” He strode across the kitchen and dropped a kiss on his mother’s cheek. “Good morning, Momma.”
“You sleep okay, son?” Her sharp-eyed stare didn’t miss a thing, he knew.
“I got some sleep. Momma, you remember Greg Summers?”
“Of course I do, I’m not senile yet.” She nudged Brody aside, and hugged Greg. “How are your parents doing? I do miss spending time with your mother.” With the familiarity only a mother could get away with, she cupped Greg’s cheeks. “Is everything okay? You look tired.”
“Everything’s fine, Ms. Patti. My folks are doing good. Mom’s getting the treatment she needs in Florida, and Dad’s spoiling her rotten. I came up to talk to Brody about the fire. Thought I’d better drive up and see the damage for myself, maybe get some pictures to send to my dad. He’s…upset about the barn going up in flames. He was counting on selling the property.”
“If you can give me a couple of minutes to change, I’ll take you over to look at the barn.” Brody grabbed the cup of coffee Tessa held out, taking a long sip. “Thanks, Tessa.”
“No hurry, Brody. I should probably have called first, but since it’s the weekend, I figured I’d drive up, look at the damage, and answer any questions you might have.”
“Appreciate it.” He glanced toward his mother and Tessa, who’d moved back to the stove and toaster, continuing breakfast. “I do have a few questions. I’d planned on calling you the first part of the week once I had more answers, but since you’re here…”
Greg held the mug Tessa had given him, staring down into it like it held the mystery of the universe in its dark depths. He shook his head before looking at Brody. “I can’t wrap my head around the place burning down. Do you have any idea what happened?”
Brody gave a subtle shake of his head, letting Greg know he didn’t want to answer. Not yet. He’d answer his questions once they were at the Summers’ homestead, because he had some questions of his own, and he didn’t want to ask them while he had an audience. Besides, Greg might feel more comfortable around their old stomping grounds.
Brody walked over to his mother and whispered low enough Greg couldn’t hear. “I need to take him over to his family’s place. I won’t be gone long. Can you take care of Beth and Jamie? I’ll give Rafe a call, make sure he knows I’ll be gone for a little while.”
“Beth will be fine. So will Jamie. Your brothers are here. Your father is here, too. Nobody’s getting within a mile of either one of them, I promise.”
“Thanks, Momma. Love you.”
“Love you too. Now, git.” She playfully swatted at him with the dish towel in her hand. “I got a whole passel of hungry people to feed, and don’t need you underfoot.”
Grinning, he snagged a couple pieces of bacon, stuffing them in his mouth, and jogged out of the kitchen. Knowing Beth would be taken care of while he dealt with Greg made him feel easier about taking him over to the site of the fire. He had questions, and he hoped his suspicions were wrong.
He needed to wait, get the results from the lab in Austin. Concrete evidence what he suspected was, in fact, true. Within minutes, he was dressed and headed for the door. Greg joined him, and they climbed into Brody’s truck and headed for the Summers’ place.
The ride took about twenty minutes, and they caught up on the things happening in their lives. Greg had started a new job a couple of months earlier, and was dating a woman he’d met at his previous job. From the way his voice warmed when he talked about her, he obviously cared about her. He hoped Greg found some happiness, because he knew things would change as his parents aged, and his mother’s cancer worsened.
Following the dirt and gravel road turnoff toward the barn, Brody gave a curse and sped up until he was parallel with the barn. The brakes squealed as the truc
k rocketed to a halt, and Brody slammed his fist against the steering wheel.
Smoke spiraled upward from the charred remains of the barn. The walls, which had remained from the initial fire, now lay in ashes and ruin, the stench of gasoline and smoke choking the air.
“What’s going on?” Horror colored Greg’s voice.
“Looks like once wasn’t enough. The barn’s been burned again.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Evan grumbled a curse, rolling over on the cold, bare concrete floor. Every bone, every joint ached as he scooted back to lean against the dirty, nasty, grease-stained wall. He’d managed to find an abandoned garage space away from town. It had taken far longer to reach the outskirts of Shiloh Springs than he’d planned. Turns out Shiloh Springs wasn’t some little Podunk town in the middle of nowhere, it was also the name of the county, a lot of which was covered by nothing but dirt, trees, and a bunch of dead-looking bushes.
Getting this far had been a chore, one he hadn’t anticipated. Turns out, most people in Texas were leery about picking up hitchhikers. Who’d have thought it? After all, Texans were supposed to be friendly, kind, and courteous to strangers. Ha, what a crock! Only two cars had stopped the entire time he’d been walking with his thumb out, and he’d ended up hoofing it most of the way.
When he wasn’t hiding.
Every bone ached from lying on the hard, cold concrete. Of course, it was still better than sleeping outside. One more thing he could lay at Beth’s feet. One more black mark she’d pay for when he caught up to her. Her ledger contained page after page of black tally marks, and he’d make sure she’d pay for each one.
Brushing off his wrinkled clothes as best he could in the diffused morning light spilling through the filthy windows, he stared at the pattern of sunlight sparkling on the broken glass sprinkled along the ground, projecting prisms of light against dirty, graffiti-stained walls.
“I can’t believe I’ve sunk this low. Scrounging around dumps like this for a place to sleep. No food, no water. Not even a pot to piss in.”
With a last frowning look around, he stepped outside, shielding his eyes with his hand, letting them adjust to the sudden change in lighting. Taking a deep breath, he stretched, loosening up his muscles. His mind whirled, thoughts bouncing around like bingo balls in one of those automated hoppers, while scene after scene of what he’d do when he caught up with Beth raced through his head. A crooked smile tugged at his lips with every image, each nastier than the one before.
He knew he couldn’t simply walk up to her in the middle of town. There’d be far too many people around. Besides, she’d feel safe with her friends and family around her. Not to mention those blasted Boudreaus. Especially that scum-sucking sheriff and his equally pesky brother. He really wanted to meet Rafe Boudreau in a dark alley. Give him five minutes and he’d eliminate him, painfully and finally.
And Tessa. Oh, sweet little Tessa owed him big time. Most of the blame for his current dilemma lay directly at Tessa’s door. If she’d given him the Crowley County bond, he’d be living the good life in another country, instead of having been sentenced to decades behind bars. And while he was at it, he might as well add his attorney to the list of people who needed to pay for betraying him. Camilla ended up finding somebody to take his case, because she felt horrible he was behind bars. She was sweet and naïve, totally gullible, and believed every word out of his mouth. Hook, line, and sinker.
And the idiot lawyer? More like a mouse who’d convinced him to take a plea bargain, promising he’d get a slap on the wrist. Oh, yeah, he needed to pay, too.
Scanning the horizon, there was nothing except trees tangled with brush and weeds as far as he could see. The night before, he’d walked until he was ready to drop before stumbling upon this abandoned garage space. The stench of oil and gasoline lingered in the air, stale yet pungent, even though it was apparent the place hadn’t been used in years. But it had one advantage that made it perfect. It was close to Shiloh Springs, and that’s what mattered. Too bad he didn’t know how to hotwire a car, or he’d have made it here a heck of a lot sooner.
In the end, none of that mattered, though. Today was looking up. Soon he’d have everything he wanted.
Money.
Freedom.
But, more than either of those things, the one thing driving him forward was finally in his grasp—vengeance.
Beth made her way to the kitchen after her shower. Her hair was still damp, and she’d borrowed a set of clothes from Nica, not wanting to put on the clothes from the night before. She absently ran a comb through it, working out the tangles as she walked down the steps, following the scent of fresh-brewed coffee like it was a siren’s song. Which in all honesty, it was. She’d didn’t function well without at least two full cups every morning.
“Good morning, Beth. Did you get any sleep at all?” Ms. Patti leaned against the countertop by the stove, a mug of coffee in her hand, which she passed to Beth. She inhaled deeply before taking the first sip, closing her eyes as the warmth from the liquid nirvana flooded her senses. How was it possible Ms. Patti was not only the best cook she knew, but apparently also was the queen of caffeine?
“I managed to get a couple hours. I kept jerking awake at every sound. Has there been any news? Have they caught Evan?”
“Not yet, hon. Rafe’s at the sheriff’s station, got there early. I talked to him a couple hours ago. Everyone is looking for Evan. He can’t hide for long.”
“I’m sorry I brought all my problems to your doorstep.”
“Nonsense.” Ms. Patti slapped two pieces of toast only a plate loaded with scrambled eggs and bacon. “You haven’t done anything wrong. Evan gets all the blame here, so you stop that line of thinking right now.” She motioned Beth to the table, and plopped the plate in front of her when she sat.
“My head tells me that, Ms. Patti. Except, none of you would be dealing with him if he wasn’t obsessed with me. Or rather, the money he thinks I have. Why can’t he understand? I couldn’t keep the money. After everything he and Trevor did, it was dirty—blood money.”
Ms. Patti lowered into the chair across from Beth. “Honey, you did nothing wrong. Nothing. Neither did your sister. I’ve gotten to know you both in the last few months. You’d never have kept that money anyway. Tell me honestly, if you’d know the Crowley County Bond wasn’t simply a family keepsake, but was in fact worth a lot of money, what would you have done?”
Beth took another sip of her coffee, savoring the sweetness before answering. “We’d have done exactly what we did, donate it back to Crowley County.”
“Precisely.” Ms. Patti reached across and squeezed her hand.
“I checked in on Jamie before my shower. She was sleeping, and I didn’t want to wake her. I don’t know what or even how much I should be telling her. She’s so little, I’m not even sure she comprehends why we’re not living with her daddy, and why he isn’t around anymore.”
“It’s a tough situation to be in, hon. Not something most people have to deal with telling their children. My guess is to play it by ear. If she asks questions, explain it in the simplest, easiest way you can, but until then, it might be better to let her be surrounded by people who love her.”
Beth set the coffee mug on the tabletop, wrapping her hands around it to ward off the sudden chill sweeping through her. “I can’t imagine Evan ever hurting Jamie. Me, I can take care of myself, but she’s so little.” She heard the crack in her voice, and paused, working on gaining a modicum of composure. “Ms. Patti, I’m terrified he’s going to take my baby to hurt me.”
“Not going to happen. Brody, Rafe, all of us aren’t going to allow Evan within a mile of you or your daughter. I give you my word, he’s going to get caught.” Ms. Patti gave her a steely-eyed glare, and stood up, her bearing intimidating for all her tiny stature. “I’ve got the right to protect myself and my property. That applies to anybody within these walls. If he steps foot on Boudreau land, I’d consider that a threat.”
“Trust me, I can. I’ve taken out any number of varmints on my property, and shooting troublemakers intent on doing harm to me and mine, I’ve got no problem taking out another one. Besides,” she grinned, her expression deliciously wicked, “I’ve got a brand-new shotgun I’ve been itching to try out.”
Before Beth could think of anything to say, she heard the clump of running feet down the stairs, right before Jamie sprinted into the kitchen, her hair pulled up into two ponytails, a small pair of bib overalls with a bright yellow T-shirt underneath. Nica trailed close behind, wiping her eyes. Beth winced at the obvious dark circles under her friend’s eyes. She’d obviously taken her job as guard dog seriously. Catching Beth’s eyes, she winked and headed for the coffee maker.
“Good morning, Mommy!” Jamie threw herself into Beth’s embrace, smacking a kiss against her cheek. “Guess what? Nica gave me these clothes. Aren’t they something? She said they was hers when she was little, like me.”
“She’s right, Jamie.” Ms. Patti placed a glass of juice beside Beth’s coffee mug. “Nica did wear those when she was younger. She griped and complained forever because she wanted a pair like her big brother Dane wore when he worked with the horses.” Ms. Patti winked at her daughter, who simply rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee.
“Can I go see the horses?” Jamie turned a pleading glance her way, and Beth’s heart melted.
“Breakfast first, then maybe.”
“Yeah, horses!” Jamie sat in the chair beside Beth’s and reached for the juice, taking a big swallow. Beth loved seeing the excitement and joy filling her daughter. It was funny how kids rebounded from just about everything that got thrown their way. Jamie had adjusted amazingly well to her father’s defection, moving halfway across the country, and even changing schools.
School! She’d have to let Mrs. Gleason know Jamie wouldn’t be in attendance for a couple of days at least.