by Linda Warren
“Something else that doesn’t make any sense,” she mused.
“He did say that he wouldn’t allow the ranger into Jared’s room. He didn’t want anyone disturbing Jared’s things and he felt the murderer had been caught.”
“What about my father’s murder?”
She was determined to keep them at odds. He could hear it in her voice. Considering the circumstances, they shouldn’t be talking at all. But they were in this together, and he hoped they could maintain a measure of civility. He wouldn’t let himself think about anything else, especially the softness of her skin or her quiet beauty.
He had to be honest, though. “We’ll probably never know what happened that morning when your father was shot or who pulled the trigger.”
She brushed back her hair. “This is all so frustrating.”
“I know.” He reached for the folder for Jared’s murder, in the box on the floor. “I’m still curious as to whose prints were on the shotgun that killed Jared.” He shuffled through the documents. “Nothing here. Maybe the ranger remembers. I’ll give him a call before I speak to the sheriff.”
“Did you look in Jared’s room?” she asked.
He pulled out his phone. “I tried, but I couldn’t find the key. Before I break down the door or climb through a two-story window, I’m going to search one more time.”
“Afraid of heights?” She lifted a teasing eyebrow and all his senses shifted into full attention when dangerous should have been flashing inside his head.
“I...um... No.” He tapped the ranger’s number, and Jena came around the desk and sat on the edge. His eyes were on her smooth, smooth legs. The ranger’s voice came on and he dragged his focus away. “This is Carson Corbett. Sorry to bother you again, but I was wondering if you remember whose fingerprints were on the shotgun that killed my brother?”
Jena leaned in and a delicate fragrance wafted around him. Obviously, she wanted to hear the conversation. He pressed the speakerphone button and laid his cell on the desk.
“Let me check my files.” The ranger’s voice came through loud and clear.
“Do you mind if Ms. Brooks listens?”
“No, of course not,” the ranger replied.
She scooted back on the desk and waited. He looked everywhere but at her legs, which were just inches from him. There was an almost palpable vibe in the air that was hard to explain, but maybe not. It was sexual. And he hadn’t been out of the game so long he couldn’t recognize it. She seemed oblivious to it.
“I got it.” The ranger’s voice had come back on. “Lamar Brooks’s and Roland Stubbs’s prints were on the gun.”
“Did Roland have an explanation as to why his prints were on there?” Carson asked.
“He found your brother and picked up the gun without realizing what he was doing.”
“I see.” He really didn’t see, but he would come back to that later. “Did my father personally tell you or the sheriff to close the investigation?”
“Most of our conversations went through Roland. Your father was grief stricken and unable to deal with it. I spoke to him once about Jared’s room and he became enraged. After that, everything else was handled through Roland.”
“Roland told you to close the cases?”
“He told the sheriff as Asa’s spokesperson and then we got word from the governor’s aide.”
“So my father was mostly out of the picture?”
“I guess you could say that. Did you find information to the contrary?”
“My father said he never told anyone to close the cases.”
“Well, I’ll be damned. I always had a bad feeling about this.”
“Yeah, there’s a lot of evidence that should have been investigated.”
“If I can help in any way, just let me know.”
“I will, and thanks.” Carson turned off the phone and leaned back in his chair. “Roland’s hand is all over this.”
“I’m sure he was taking orders from your father,” Jena said.
“I don’t think so. Pa was distraught, wanting vengeance against the Brooks family. That’s all he had on his mind.”
“So you’re saying he killed my father?”
He shook his head. “No. I don’t think he did. I believe he sat with Jared’s body just like the ranger said.”
“So you think your father is innocent in all this and you’d rather I just forgive and forget?”
His eyes met the challenge in her dark depths, and feuding families, murder and deception went right over his head. All he could feel was the heat building between them—sometimes in anger and sometimes in awareness. Whatever it was, the flame was there, begging to be stoked.
“No,” he replied, getting to his feet. “I’d rather do this.” He cupped her face, his fingers sliding into her silky hair, his palms resting against her smooth cheeks.
She drew back slightly, her eyes black, and then she stilled, licking her lower lip. The action drew his eyes like a flickering flame. The heat continued to build, igniting something deep in him, but he waited for her to object or pull away. She did neither. Unable to resist, he took her lips in an explosive kiss of raw, potent emotions.
CHAPTER TEN
JENA’S FIRST INSTINCT was to pull away as fast as she could, but the feel of his hands on her face stifled her natural response. His lips touched hers; gently and against her will she opened her mouth. His tongue stroked her bottom lip, tempting, inviting, until she moaned under the delicious sensations swirling through her. When he covered her mouth completely, she lost all train of thought as she unashamedly kissed him back. Only his hands and lips touched her, but she felt on fire from the onslaught of her senses—too long dormant for someone her age.
The buzz of a phone punctured the moment. Carson drew back and stared at his phone on the desk. “I—I better get that.” His voice was hoarse.
She breathed in the heady masculine scent of him and slid off the desk. What was she thinking? Her hand trembled against her lips as she struggled with her emotions. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Ever.
Through her maze of confusion, she heard Carson’s voice. “Yeah, sure, Abby. Thanks.”
He laid his phone on the desk, his eyes on her. “That was Abby, Ethan’s wife. She’s a teacher at the school. The kids cleaned out their lockers, had a party and now they’re officially out of school. She’s dropping off Trey and Claire.”
She heard his words, but nothing registered except what was on her mind. “Please don’t kiss me again.”
“Jena...”
“Just don’t, okay?”
“You didn’t seem to object.”
“Kissing between us is off-limits for obvious reasons. Don’t even think about it.”
His eyes narrowed. “Can you stop thinking about it?”
“Yes.” She brushed back her hair with a sweep of her hand. “You just caught me off guard.”
“So you kiss everybody with that much emotion?”
She couldn’t look him in the eye because they both knew she was lying, but she was never going to admit it. “Let’s stick to the plan. My only goal is to find my child. That’s it.”
“Jena...”
“I have to go.” She was running. Again. But she couldn’t curb that instinct. To protect herself she had to regroup and gain control. It was important that she was always in control.
Before she could make it to the door, it opened and Trey, Claire and two other kids entered, followed by a pretty blonde.
“Oh,” the blonde said, obviously startled to see a woman in the office. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had someone in here.”
“This is Jena Brooks.” Carson made the introductions. “She was born and raised in Willow Creek and is home for a visit. Jena, this is Abby, Ethan Jame
s’s wife.”
“Nice to meet you.” Abby held out her hand and Jena shook it. The woman was gorgeous, with blond hair and blue eyes. She felt rather plain beside her and she inched toward the door.
“This is our oldest daughter, Kelsey, and our youngest, Chloe.” Abby introduced her daughters and the girls smiled at her.
“Nice to meet all of you. I was just leaving.”
Claire pointed at her. “She fixed my hair.” Claire and Chloe stood together and they looked like twins: same blond hair, height and build, except Claire had green eyes and Chloe, blue.
“We have to go, too,” Abby said. “The girls are spending the weekend with my parents.”
“Yeah,” Kelsey broke in. “They’re taking us shopping for summer clothes. Yes!” She raised a fist in the air.
Trey frowned at her. “I thought we were going fishing.”
“We have all summer to fish, Trey, but when Grandma wants to go shopping, I go.”
“Sometimes you act like a girl.”
“I am a girl.”
“Not all the time.”
“Yes, all the time, and when I get back I’ll kick your butt fishing.”
“No, you won’t.”
“Enough,” Abby said. “Are you two going to argue on the last day of school?”
“No,” Kelsey mumbled, looking at Trey. “We’ll go fishing. I promise.”
Trey stared at the floor.
“Trey,” Carson prompted.
“Okay,” Trey mumbled back.
“That’s better.” Abby herded her two out the door. “See y’all later.”
Jena followed without saying another word. She had to get away and she couldn’t look at Carson or his kids. Once again she was in over her head.
* * *
JENA SPENT THE rest of the day with her mom, trying to come to grips with what had happened. It was a kiss. That was all. Why was she so upset about it? The kisser was Carson Corbett, otherwise known as the son of her sworn enemy. She was kissing the enemy and liking it.
There. She’d admitted it. She liked Carson and had responded accordingly. But now she was on guard. It wouldn’t happen again. It couldn’t.
To release restless energy she decided to clean the house and do laundry. She stripped both beds and put a load in to wash. She then dusted, vacuumed and mopped the kitchen. While the sheets were in the dryer, she fixed lunch for her and her mother. Her mom seemed her normal self and the day went very well.
Norma even helped to make the beds. As Jena put the sheets on her mother’s bed she noticed the mattress had an indentation where her mother’s body lay. The mattress was old and needed replacing.
“Mama, is this mattress comfortable?”
“I suppose. Why?”
“It’s rather lumpy.”
“Like me.” Her mother smiled and Jena hadn’t seen that in a very long time.
Jena hugged her. “Would you like a new mattress?”
“Oh, no, we can’t afford that. Your dad’s not working.”
That burst of sunshine that had peeped through in her mother’s smile suddenly faded. And Jena felt lost. She wanted to help her mother, but she didn’t know how.
“I’m getting tired,” Norma said. “I’m going to rest in my chair. You better go get Hilary. I don’t want her walking home from school alone.”
Jena let out a long sigh. Her mother did so well in the mornings but as the evening drew near her mind seemed to shut off. And she drifted into a world of her own—or a time when her life was simpler.
Once the house was spotless, Jena went to look at the plots she’d dug for flower beds and do some planning. Just then, trucks pulled into the driveway. She waved at the guys and they began to unload equipment to paint the house. She went inside so her mother wouldn’t be startled by the activity. But her mom was sound asleep.
That didn’t last long. Ladders banged against the house and Norma woke up with a blank expression on her face.
“It’s okay, Mama.”
“Is it storming again?”
“No. Hilary’s friends are painting the house.”
“Oh. I know she tells me these things but I can’t remember.” A look of panic replaced the blank expression.
“It’s okay, Mama.” Jena sat by her mother’s chair and gently rubbed her arm like she’d seen Hilary do to calm her. “I’m here and I’ll help you. So don’t worry.” Jena reached for the remote control. “Do you want to watch some TV?”
“I guess.”
The sound of the television blocked out the noise outside and that seemed to calm her mother. “Hilary will be home soon and then we’ll have supper. Are you hungry?”
Her mother didn’t answer. She just stared at the TV. Jena knew she was somewhere where Jena couldn’t reach her. Again, she felt helpless.
Hilary breezed through the door in her boots and short skirt, her flashy jewelry jangling. “Hey, sis, come take a look. The house is getting a makeover.”
Norma sat up in her chair. “Hilary Brooks, where have you been? You were supposed to be home an hour ago. You know I don’t like you walking home late.”
Hilary glanced at Jena and she nodded, indicating her mom was having a bad afternoon.
“Sorry, Mama,” Hilary said. “I wasn’t looking at the time.”
Norma sank back in her chair. “I better fix your dad’s supper or he’ll get angry.” But she made no move to do so.
Jena got up and joined her sister. “She was so good this morning, but now she doesn’t know where she is or what year it is.”
“The evenings are always bad,” Hilary said. “But she’ll get better.”
“Hil, we have to talk about this.”
“Not now, sis. I’m too excited. Come outside. You have to see.” Hilary ran from the room and Jena slowly followed. Hilary stood in the middle of the front yard staring at the house. Joining her, Jena did a double take. The yellow house with the white shutters looked like a small cottage she’d seen in magazines. It was beautiful.
“How did they do that so fast?” Jena asked.
“Billy Jack has a sprayer and he’s really fast.”
At the sound of his name Billy Jack walked over in his white painting clothes. “What do you think, Boots?”
Hilary threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. “I love you guys. It’s just the way I pictured it.”
“Great. Now you probably have paint on you.”
“Who cares?” Hil brushed at her clothes.
“Not me.” Billy Jack grinned.
“I wish I could sit out here and stare at it, but I have to go back to work.”
“But you just got home,” Jena pointed out.
“I know. The café’s real busy right now and Mabel needs me. I brought supper, though.” Hilary ran to her truck to get the food and hurried into the house.
Billy Jack stared at Jena. “This is none of my business, and I’m not saying anything that I haven’t already said to Hilary. She’s killing herself working at that café. She hasn’t had a raise since she started working there, and she does just about everything from the cooking to waitressing. I hate that they use her. Hil tells me to mind my own business. I thought she might listen to you. Between the café and taking care of her mom she has no time for herself.”
Jena shook her head. “Hilary has worked there since she was sixteen, and I’m sure she’s had a raise since then.”
“The only time Hilary gets a raise is when minimum wage goes up, and you know how often that happens.”
It took a moment for Jena to digest this. “I can’t believe she hasn’t asked for a raise in all these years.”
“She hasn’t. When the guys and I push her, she gets mad at us. But no one should have to work that many h
ours for so little money.”
Jena frowned. “You said she does the cooking?”
“She does everything. Mabel and her daughter sit at the cash register and take the money. Visit one day and you’ll see how everything works.”
“I will and I’ll talk to Hilary.”
Billy Jack went back to finish the house and Jena went inside. Hilary was putting food on plates.
“Mabel made meat loaf today and Mama loves Mabel’s meat loaf.” Hilary placed the plates on the table. “I’ll get Mama.”
“This is Mabel’s meat loaf?” Jena asked.
Hilary turned back. “Yes.”
Jena lifted an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
Her sister’s bubbly disposition disappeared in an instant, and her dark eyes flashed an old familiar warning that said “leave me alone.” But Jena wasn’t in a mood to leave her alone. And the thought that someone was taking advantage of her sister made her fighting mad.
Jena looked down at the meat loaf, mashed potatoes and green beans. “This looks very similar to the meat loaf Mama used to make with green peppers and onions.”
“So?”
“So—” she stared directly at her sister “—I believe you made this meat loaf with Mama’s recipe.”
Hilary didn’t respond and the warning in her eyes was flashing like a neon sign.
“Why are you doing the cooking?” Jena asked.
“Because Mabel can’t see anymore and she has arthritic knees,” Hil replied in a low voice.
“So she pays you more for cooking?”
Hilary’s eyes narrowed. “Who have you...? Oh, the guys have been yapping. This is none of their business and it’s none of yours, either, so please stay out of it.”
“Mabel is taking advantage of you.... Can’t you see that?”
“That’s my business.”
“I’m getting tired of that response, Hil. We’ve been taken advantage of our whole lives, and I refuse to stand by and let anyone do that to you. You deserve more. You deserve everything that’s at the end of that rainbow in your bedroom.”
Hil looked down at her hands. “It’s not that simple. I’ve made a life here, and please don’t do anything to embarrass me.”