“All right, sweetheart,” Martin said to Cassie. “The hearing will hopefully shed enough light to lock Luther up until his trial, but we still need to be prepared. Now, I’ve spoken to our boys and the best answers you’ll give will be simple ones. Say yes or no whenever possible. We can’t have a margin of error by you volunteering information. Luther’s attorney, Shelly Bancroft, is ruthless.”
“Yes she is,” Cassie acknowledged. “Ruthless to a fault and then some. I know the woman and she’s quite the devotee of Luther’s, although I doubt he or anyone else is aware of it. She’s hid it pretty well. But between the evil eye she’d always give me and the countless comments on how dangerous it could be for a girl such as myself to work at a racetrack, I sure knew how she felt about Luther. And me. I think if she hadn’t also been afraid of him, she’d have put a pitchfork through me once or twice.”
“Don’t be afraid, I’ll be right beside you.” Rick offered strength.
“And so will I,” Kevin added.
Kevin’s comment drew a raised brow from Rick and an amused look from Cassie. She knew Kevin’s dedication to Rick was constant, but she also knew the young man held her in a special place in his heart as well.
From the moment she and Rick returned from their camping trip Kevin kept close. Luckily, Rick let it pass unnoticed. He liked and trusted Kevin and his love for Cassie wanted her happy. It was also his thinking that the more people around Cassie at the preliminary hearing, the better.
The morning of the hearing dawned bright from the sun, but not from the mood of those in attendance. Flanked by Rick and Kevin, Cassie entered the courtroom in time to see Luther shaking Shelly Bancroft’s hand. When he saw Cassie, his expression turned complacent and he actually bowed.
Until that very moment, all Cassie knew of the justice system was what she’d seen on television or read in newspapers. And try as they may, the media could not replicate the atmosphere brought on by the tense, angry and fearful feelings of those present. It was a cold room with too-high ceilings and too-low feelings.
Cassie wanted to run away as fast as the horses she had once cared for. Her shudder brought Rick’s body closer to her, but he knew not to state his protection any further. It would do no good for Luther’s attorney to cry conspiracy.
The entire hearing went smoothly, and right up to the very end Martin was impressed. Cassie’s questioning took hours, but she answered loud and clear and didn’t show one sign of fear even as Luther’s gaze upon her never wavered. His admiration for the young stable worker with heart was still apparent.
As an added feature, the murdered jockey’s family said he’d never indicated he’d be leaving Luther’s employment nor could anyone account for the three horses disappearing the same night.
The highlight of the hearing was Cassie’s possession of the murder weapon. With it, all bets were off. In racing terms, Luther had been scratched while Cassie galloped across the finish line. It wasn’t until the proceedings were nearly over that Shelly Bancroft changed the results to an unofficial win.
Shelly’s approach to Luther’s defense was that while Luther’s prints were on the gun, it made sense. It was his gun. The blood found was human, but how it got there couldn’t be proven nor could they identify whose it was. And, as Miss Dahlgren could only produce a gun and no bodies, human or otherwise, there was no crime.
The immediate understanding of where Shelly was headed in her address to the court brought Martin to his feet. A tug from Rick’s arm brought him down. A painful silence took hold. The judge then motioned for Ms. Bancroft to continue.
It was Shelly’s second approach at Luther’s defense that sent Rick to his feet. This time Martin pulled him down.
“Obviously,” Shelly said, subtly glaring at Cassie, “Miss Dahlgren suffers from a case of Luther Carstairs’ unrequited love. I submit she’s stolen or killed the horses and has concocted this entire murder scenario merely to get even with him.”
At the remark, Luther had leaned toward Shelly and whispered. She’d started to argue, but Luther’s sudden smile stopped her. A moment later, she stood. “Your honor, my client wishes to address the court.” At the judge’s nod, Shelly thumped back down in her chair.
With exaggerated slowness, Luther stood and again bowed. This time at the judge. “Your honor,” Luther’s voice purred. “Whatever else is said here, today, I can assure you that my Cassie’s—Miss Dahlgren’s—involvement was as innocent as,” he turned to look at Rick, “she used to be.”
From her place on the witness stand, Cassie could almost feel Rick’s body tense. Unfortunately, Shelly and Luther clearly realized just who Cassie’s boyfriend was.
In the end the judge was only influenced by evidence. Luther Carstairs would be bound over for trial and Cassandra Dahlgren would not be charged with horse theft.
* * * * *
It was a tired but satisfied entourage who returned to the mansion that evening. As they entered the house all were ready for a night of celebrating. All but Rick, who had grown steadily quieter as the day progressed until he stopped talking altogether.
Though everyone thought they knew the reason his mood had turned sour, they chose to ignore it. Everyone but Cassie. She was just about to drag Rick to a quiet place to talk when she saw a man standing with Martin in the front parlor. She ran to him.
“Dad!”
“Oh, Cassiopeia,” Blake Dahlgren gasped and stopped her at arm’s length. “Why didn’t you tell me what you were up to? I could have helped you. And from what Mr. Harris has told me about your escapades, I don’t know if I should hug you or take you over my knee.”
“Why don’t you do both,” Martin said, smiling at his own advice. “Used to work for my Lori.” Grinning, he looked at his own daughter. His grin faded as he caught sight of Rick standing decidedly away from Cassie. He was about to speak when Lori piped up.
“Hey,” Lori said, walking toward Blake. “Has anyone ever told you that you look exactly like—”
“Oh please, not again,” Steve and Martin moaned at the same time.
“Born and raised in Los Angeles, and she still thinks everyone she meets is a movie star,” Steve said, walking up to Blake. “Hi, I’m Steve Travis and this is my starstruck wife, Lori.”
“But doesn’t he look just like—” Lori tried again.
“Lori,” Cassie said laughing now. “I promise, this is my dad and not Clint Eastwood.” Seeing Rick literally standing in the shadows, Cassie ran to him and, pulling him back with her, introduced him to Blake. “Dad, this is Rick Jarrett.”
The expression on Blake’s face turned from mild amusement to shock. “You’re the…young man helping my daughter?”
With a slight nod, Rick extended his hand. “Hello,” he said quietly.
Blake took the hand and as he and Rick unwaveringly scrutinized each other, he sighed. “Well, at least I won’t have to worry about you calling me ‘sir’.”
Blake smiled, but Cassie knew her father well. Martin had obviously enlightened Blake as to the situation between her and Rick, and Daddy was not happy with her choice of a prospective son-in-law only a few years younger than himself.
His mood not helped by Blake’s seemingly disapproving tone, Rick abruptly turned to Cassie. “May I speak with you a moment, dear?” Not waiting for an answer, Rick walked out of the room with Cassie’s elbow clenched firmly in his hand.
Blake started to follow.
“Wait, please, Mr. Dahlgren,” Martin’s voice came from close behind. He’d been moving toward Blake the moment Rick had grabbed Cassie’s arm. “I know you don’t like what you just saw and to tell you the truth, I didn’t much care for it myself. But you have to understand that all of us have been under a strain and I think Rick—”
“I don’t give a damn what you think!” Blake growled. “I thought you told me he cared about Cassie!”
“He does!” Lori chirped. “But something’s upset him and…”
“He does care about your da
ughter,” Martin explained in a softer tone. “Look, I don’t know what’s the matter with him right now, but I assure you Rick Jarrett is a good man. And I’ll tell you something else, I couldn’t pick a better man for my own daughter.” With a glance at Steve, Martin nodded. “No offense.”
Steve grinned and bowed. “None taken, Pops.”
Blake again started to follow where Cassie had disappeared and again was stopped by Martin’s voice. “Blake, please wait. I’m not making excuses for Rick’s behavior just now, but whatever the problem may be I know it has no impact on his feelings for Cassie. He loves her and the feeling is mutual. You only have to look at her to know that and I don’t even know her very well. Surely you can see it in her eyes.”
Reluctantly, Blake nodded. “I see it. I know my Cassiopeia too well to think differently. But I will not have anyone ordering her around like that. Not anyone.”
“It really wasn’t an order,” Kevin defended. “Rick’s just got a way about him sometimes, and to be honest with you, sir,” he paused dramatically, “I think he’s a little uncomfortable being closer to your age than to Cassie’s.”
“You may be right,” Blake said. He thought quietly for a moment then smiled slyly at Kevin. “What about you? What’s your age?”
“Oh no,” Kevin protested, holding his hands in the air. “That daughter of yours told me about borrowing a helicopter, there’s no way I’d get mixed up with her. I’m no dummy.”
“That, and the fact that she wouldn’t give you the time of day, right?” Blake grinned. “Okay, I’ll hold judgment on Mr. Jarrett.” Giving Martin a significant look he raised his brow. “He really loves her?”
“Really!” everyone in the room said together. Laughter filled the house.
The laughter from the others had just faded when Rick found a quiet place to talk to Cassie. He’d kept hold of her arm, but also took care not to hold too tightly. It didn’t matter, the moment they stopped moving Cassie yanked her arm free.
“What’s the matter with you?” she hissed. “I haven’t seen my father in months and the minute I do, you pull me out of the room like some possession.” Raking her fingers through her hair, she shot fire through her eyes. “Not even Luther treated me like that!”
Instantly regretting what she said, Cassie tried to amend her observation, but Rick didn’t give her the chance.
“That’s the whole point!” he growled. “You could have told me Luther was in love with you!”
“What?” Cassie gasped.
“Are you saying you didn’t know?” Rick’s question dripped sarcasm.
“I’m saying it didn’t matter!” she shouted, but without anger. Pulling herself under control, Cassie brought her hands to Rick’s shoulders and squeezed the way he often did to her. “Rick, I told you I never really trusted Luther. And anyway, how could I control what went on in his mind? I never encouraged or discouraged him because I never gave him any reason to think of me as anyone more than just an employee of his. And I did tell you all of that, remember?”
The rage he felt for Luther combined with meeting Cassie’s father wasn’t helping Rick’s mood, but he did understand one thing—the feel of Cassie’s hands on his shoulders felt good. He returned the favor. “You’re right, you did tell me all of that, but Sass, didn’t you ever see what he was after all along with you?”
This wasn’t fair. Cassie groaned inwardly. They should be happy now, not arguing over Luther. But then, Luther was the one who had brought them together, so maybe this was to be expected from time to time. With her hands still tightly gripping Rick’s broad shoulders, she sighed.
“Disgusting as it is to think about, I think maybe Luther wanted to marry me one day, but I also think it was partly for self-preservation.”
“How do you mean?” Rick asked.
“Isn’t it hard to make a wife testify against her husband?” she asked. “Of course, that wouldn’t make any difference with me, I’d turn in my own brother if I had one.”
Her grin caught Rick off guard and he laughed. “I see the Travises have been talking again if you know I turned my brother in. As for Luther, don’t sell yourself short, Cassandra. Could be you truly did to him what you’ve done to me.”
“You know something, Rick Jarrett? You’re a lot like a racehorse—intelligent, powerful and impossible to understand.”
“Look who’s talking,” Rick observed, using his smirk to its full advantage. But when he saw Cassie’s expression change he became serious.
“I can make you understand everything with three words,” she whispered.
Rick’s finger on her lips silenced her. “Those words are mine,” he said with a look of longing and sadness.
An internal struggle took hold as he tried to find the best way to say the words he’d never said. His desire to sound honest almost overshadowed the only true feeling he knew. He loved this woman in front of him. Realizing it didn’t matter how he said the words, he lowered his head and after a brief kiss, Rick was finally able to set those words free.
“I love you, my Sassy Cassie.” Another kiss followed, but when Cassie tried to speak she was again silenced by Rick’s finger on her lips. “Judging from your reaction, I assume we are in complete agreement?”
“Complete agreement,” she purred, pressing closer to him.
“Mmm, none of that now, pretty one,” he scolded lightly, but made no effort to push her away.
Instead he pressed his own body against hers, a move that made it impossible for them to return to the others until his interest in the situation was no longer physically apparent.
As Rick and Cassie rejoined the others, everyone immediately stood up. No one said anything, but the tense curiosity was noticeable all the same. With his usual control of a situation, Rick refused to answer any questions before he got answers. Letting go of Cassie’s hand, he walked directly to Blake.
As before, the two men stared intently at each other until Rick’s mouth finally turned upward into a smile. “Instead of calling you ‘sir’,” he said slowly, “how about if I call you ‘Dad’?”
Instantly, all eyes turned to Cassie, but she didn’t notice. She was too busy staring at Rick.
“Did you just ask my father for my hand in marriage?” she asked, crossing her arms.
“That’s a little old-fashioned, don’t you think?” Rick answered.
“Just as it also would have been a little old-fashioned to actually ask me first,” Cassie stated, her foot tapping the floor.
“I did,” Rick said. “What’d you think complete agreement meant?”
“You didn’t ask her?” Lori shook her head. “Oh, Ricky, you really are a renegade.” Her smile betrayed her sarcasm. A moment later she made a whooping noise just before flinging herself into his arms.
Lori’s cheer broke the dam and now as the others joined in the congratulations Cassie continued to stare at Rick until he crossed the room. When he reached her, his face held more than a smile, it held serenity.
“How about it, Cassandra, called Cassie?” he asked softly for her ears only. “We set our words free, are you ready to bind our hearts?”
An unexpected emotion found Cassie, and as she stepped into Rick’s arms she allowed that emotion to hold her. It was the first time she ever felt such an inner peace and knew all that had happened in her life was for this moment. She had found more than a soul mate. She had found a new life.
Her feelings were mirrored in full detail by Rick’s own thoughts and he wasted no time sealing their commitment to each other with a kiss. A very long kiss.
“Hey, soon-to-be son-in-law,” Blake’s voice rang out behind them. “You want to wait until you actually marry my daughter before you start your honeymoon with her?”
“Dad!” Cassie laughed, looking up at Rick’s undaunted expression.
Blake cast her a mischievous look. “We’ll have this conversation again in twenty or so years when it’s his daughter who wants to get married.”
“Ah, but my daughter will be just as smart as your daughter and marry the perfect man,” Rick quipped then grinned when he caught Cassie rolling her eyes.
“Excuse me, but Lori already has the perfect man,” Steve joked.
“All right, enough of that,” Kevin broke in. “We’ve got the who and the what, but how about the when?”
“How about now?” Rick answered then lost his smile when Blake’s voice rang out again.
“Oh no you don’t, pal,” Blake argued. “You may be stealing my daughter, Mr. Jarrett, but you are not stealing a wedding.”
“I agree,” Martin interjected. “I know just how he feels. A father looks forward to the day he gives his daughter away.” His michievous grin found Lori.
“Oh, that’s very funny.” Lori’s voice dripped with mock sarcasm. “But Dad and Mr. Dahlgren are right, Rick. You and Cassie have to have a regular wedding. I’ve waited almost as long as Steve and Daddy to see you get married. I deserve a wedding.”
“You deserve a wedding?” Cassie and Kevin said together, then laughed.
“Okay, okay,” Rick held up his hands. Looking back to his intended, he shrugged his shoulders. “What do you say, Sass?”
Cassie enjoyed the looks of questions aimed at her. It was the first time since the proposal was announced that she felt in control. Keeping her gaze calm she took Rick’s hand and put it into Blake’s for them to shake. “I say I want my two favorite men at poolside in one week. One will give me away and one will take me.”
“By the pool!” Lori squealed. “That’s a great idea.”
“Yeah, great idea,” Rick added. “I’ll just have to be sure to get a waterproof tux.”
The sudden laugh shared between him and Cassie filled everyone’s ears, but no one understood their private joke. It didn’t matter, Rick and Cassie knew the meaning and once again Rick lowered his head long enough to steal a kiss. He then stole another and another until Martin stood up.
“Come on, Blake,” Martin suggested, “I’ll show you to your room. It’s a big house and you might get lost.”
My ShadowMy Love Page 7