Slowly, Fiona shook her head. “Not really. But I’ll do everything I can to help you.”
Ainsley nodded. “Jarvis had done quite a bit of searching the property already. At the very least, he can tell us where not to look.”
“We need to find proof,” Ace declared. “There’s got to be something. We’ll just have to find it.” But how were they going to do that? No one asked the question out loud, especially not Jake. He’d barely spent any time with his birth father, certainly not enough to understand what made Payne Colton tick.
Ace, on the other hand, was an open book. Despite his previous plans with Sierra, he canceled them, saying he wanted nothing to distract him from focusing on clearing Payne. Talking to him, Jake could see hints of the ruthless CEO he’d once been, though he’d clearly mellowed. He was also leaner than he’d been in the old photographs Jake had seen online.
“Don’t you think if Payne had evidence to back him up, he would have produced it by now?” Fiona asked softly.
Though Ainsley shot her a quick look, she nodded. “My thoughts exactly. Unless he isn’t aware that there even is evidence.”
And there might not be. Jake knew better than to voice this thought out loud.
“There’s got to be something we’re overlooking,” Ace announced, pacing the length of the kitchen and back. “It’s got to be right there in front of us. Got to be.”
“Sometimes when you try too hard to find something, it stays just around the corner of your vision,” Jake pointed out. “We need to take a break, look at something else for a little while. Maybe then, something will come to us.”
At first, Ace shot an impatient look his way. But then he apparently reconsidered. “You may be right. How about this? Earlier, you were asking for information about your birth mother. Payne stored all of her photography stuff and her journals in one of the unused bedrooms. When we were younger, we all spent some heavy-duty time in there, going through the pictures. I think it might help you get a feel as to what kind of woman she was.”
Jake nodded, feeling a flicker of interest. “I’d like that,” he responded quietly. “Plus it might be a good distraction right now.” He turned to Fiona. “Want to come?”
“Sure.”
Sierra chimed in that she’d take a look, too. “I’ve always been a huge photography fan.”
“You guys go,” Ainsley said, waving them away. “I’ve got some case law I want to study before I head downtown to see what I can do to get a judge to allow me to get Dad out on bond.”
Instantly, Ace declared he wanted to go, too.
“We’ll see,” Ainsley replied, not appearing convinced. “Actually, I think it would be better if I just went. We want to try and keep this small, quiet and contained. Since I work with these people, I’m the best candidate. I promise to fill everyone in as soon as I know anything.”
Ace looked like he wanted to argue, but he clearly thought better of it.
“Now shoo.” Ainsley returned her attention to her book. “I’ve got a lot of ground to cover in a short period of time.”
* * *
Fiona and Sierra followed the two men down a long hall, up a flight of stairs and into another part of the house. She couldn’t help but admire the way the decor and furniture worked together and looked both elegant and comfortable.
Her heart ached for this family. They’d been through so much already, and now this. So many people erroneously believed the simple act of being wealthy ensured an easy life. In Fiona’s opinion, great wealth seemed to bring even greater challenges.
Ace paused at a closed door, turning to face the rest of them. “No one is usually allowed in here,” he said. “Dad keeps this room as sort of Tessa’s shrine.”
Jake glanced over his shoulder at Fiona, who shrugged. “Maybe this isn’t the right time,” Jake said, looking as if he wished he were anywhere else but there.
“It’s the perfect time,” Ace responded. “Honestly, I think Dad would want me to show you this. We’ll let Ainsley do her thing, clear our heads and go back to brainstorming in a little while.”
“I thought you and Sierra had plans.” Jake tried again. Fiona wasn’t sure why he appeared to be so hesitant.
“We canceled them.” Ace raised a brow. “Do you not want to learn about Tessa? Sorry, it never occurred to me to ask first.”
Fiona moved to Jake’s side and took his arm, offering her silent support.
“Naturally, I want to learn about my birth mother.” Jake’s tone was wry. “Actually, I ache for it, with every fiber of my being. But my birth father has been arrested, might be charged with murder and has been hauled off to jail after recently awakening from a coma and being released from the hospital.” He shook his head. “Honestly, Ace. After reading up on everything on the internet, I found himself wondering if the Colton family had been cursed.”
Ace’s mouth twisted. “I hear you. If not cursed, we’ve certainly had a rather spectacular run of bad luck.” He eyed Jake. “Say the word. If you don’t want to do this right now, we won’t.”
Fiona found herself holding her breath. She caught Sierra watching Jake, too, a similar look of anticipation on her face.
Jake turned and caught Fiona watching him. “Let’s check it out. I think we could all use a small distraction right now.”
Small distraction? Either way, Fiona breathed a sigh of relief. Personally, she thought Ace was right. If they all sat around wringing their hands and bemoaning Payne’s fate, they’d have trouble thinking up any kind of solution.
Ace turned the knob and opened the door. He flipped the light switch, and they all stepped inside.
It wasn’t a bedroom, as Jake had expected. Instead, the room appeared to be some sort of studio, with photographs rather than paintings.
There were trays of negatives, labeled by date, and a neat row of photo albums stood on one long shelf. Her favorite prints had been blown up and hung on the wall, the subjects ranging from landscapes to people and animals. They were all good, some spectacularly so. One or two made Jake catch his breath.
“She really was talented,” Fiona breathed, catching at Jake’s arm. “I’m surprised she didn’t have a career as a professional photographer.”
“Remember, some of these were taken over thirty-five years ago,” Ace interjected. “Think about how different things were when we were kids. Since there are two entire photo albums filled with baby pictures of me, Ainsley and Grayson, I’d venture a guess that most of these pictures are at least thirty-six years old, many older.”
Jake stood frozen, taking it all in. Still holding his arm, Fiona moved them forward. “Look,” she said, pointing. A couple of vintage cameras sat in a glass-fronted cabinet. She spied a Pentax, a Nikon and even an ancient Polaroid.
“Back when everyone used actual film,” Ace said. “Since photographers often have to take tons of shots to get one good one, I imagine she burned through a lot of film.” He pulled open a drawer. “See. Here’s a bunch she hadn’t developed yet.”
“Interesting.” Jake came closer. “Did she have her own darkroom?”
“Yep. In the closet.” Ace walked across the room and opened the door. “We were all too young to remember, but I’m betting this entire area was off-limits to us kids.”
Fiona hung back, letting Jake set the pace. She could only imagine how he must feel, seeing his real mother’s art—an expression of herself—for the first time.
As Jake picked up one of the albums and began leafing through it, Ace’s phone chimed. “It’s Ainsley,” he said. “She’d like us all back downstairs right now.”
With what could have been a sigh of relief, Jake placed the photo album back on the shelf. They all filed out, Ace carefully closing the door behind them.
Ainsley waited, tapping her foot impatiently, making a drumming sound with the heel of her shoe. “One of my collea
gues is at the jail, waiting to see Dad. He’s trying to expedite a bail hearing so we can get Dad home before he gets sick.”
“Can we go see him?” Ace wanted to know.
“Right now, they aren’t allowing any visitors other than his lawyer,” Ainsley replied. “If we can get bail set, we’ll be able to post bond and bring him home.”
Impressed with the younger woman’s efficiency and optimism, Fiona kept her mouth shut. In her experience, the legal system moved at a snail’s pace and wouldn’t be hurried along by anyone. She could only hope that in this case, Ainsley was right.
Sierra offered to give Fiona a ride back to the AAG center, most likely because she felt as out of place as Fiona did. Fiona accepted, kissing Jake on the cheek and asking him to keep her posted.
The two women kept the chatter light and inconsequential on the drive. Fiona had met a bounty hunter or two in the past, and Sierra did not fit her preconceived notions of individuals in that profession at all.
Once they reached the AAG center, Sierra dropped her off and waved a cheerful goodbye. As she got out of the car, Fiona impulsively turned. “You and I should get together sometime when things aren’t this crazy,” she said. “Talk over a drink and get to know one another.”
Sierra grinned. “I’d like that. Let’s plan on it.”
As they’d all feared and as their cousin Bella had warned them, the story hit the newspaper the next day. “Body Found on Rattlesnake Ridge Ranch!” the headline screamed. “Prominent citizen Payne Colton arrested and charged with murder.”
Fiona’s stomach clenched when she read the story. Selina had gone ahead and leaked the information to the paper. It didn’t escape Fiona’s attention that since the woman had clearly known about this for years and helped cover it up, she could also be named as an accessory. Though Fiona wouldn’t put it past her to have worked up some sort of plea agreement in advance. Fiona itched to check in with the Mustang Valley Police Department and see what she could learn, but felt doing so officially would be unethical since the FBI wasn’t involved in the case at all.
She just needed to put her head down and work. The sooner they’d gone through every square foot of the AAG center, the better case they’d have built against Micheline.
Still, the day crawled slowly past. Fiona helped catalog and bag evidence, trying to keep her mind on the task despite being unable to stop thinking about Jake.
She must have pulled out her phone a dozen times with the intention of calling Jake. Each time, she reconsidered. No doubt he, and the entire Colton family, were already aware of this. She needed to wait until he called her. He’d found himself in a unique and awkward position, just getting to know his new family while under the shadow of a major investigation.
When he finally called, he wanted to know if she’d like to come over and look at Tessa’s photographs with him again. “I’m going to spend a couple hours in there tonight, and I could use your professional help?”
This surprised her. “Professional? What do you mean?”
“Going through things,” he replied, making her wonder if he deliberately chose to sound vague. “I’m more of an outdoor guy, not a paper pusher. Just the thought of trying to see my mother by flipping through tons of photographs is overwhelming to me.” His voice softened. “Plus, I’d like to see you. I’d enjoy your company.”
She laughed. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Do you want me to bring anything?”
“Just yourself. We’ll grab dinner here. Ace had the cook make a bunch of sandwiches since everything is so crazy right now. They’re stored in the fridge.”
“Is Payne out yet?”
“Not yet. Ainsley is up there now posting bond. She said she’s not leaving until she has him with her.”
“I really like her,” Fiona told him.
“Me, too. I really hit the jackpot when it comes to family,” Jake said. “Both Ace and I got lucky. See you soon.”
She hung up, thinking she’d also lucked out in meeting him. While she didn’t know where this relationship might be going, she couldn’t wait to find out.
Chapter 16
After ending the call, Jake walked downstairs and went out to sit on the front porch and wait for Fiona. He’d felt weird all day, as if there was something vitally important he’d managed to overlook. Though he had no idea what that might be or even what it might relate to, he’d learned from past experience that sitting outside in nature and clearing his mind often helped him figure out a solution to whatever problem he had.
The Triple R had several oversize rocking chairs on one side of the house. He took a seat in one, taking in the breathtaking view of land and livestock and mountains. A sense of calm, of peace, stole over him. With all the recent turmoil, it felt good to sit and breathe, to simply exist.
In one of the pastures below him, a horse reared up, kicking up a clump of dirt before taking off running, tail streaming high behind him. Soon another horse joined him, and then another, galloping just for the sheer joy of it.
By the time Fiona pulled up, driving a government-issued dark sedan instead of the old junker she’d used before, he felt calm and centered. And hopeful—more hopeful than he’d been in forever.
“Hey!” He stood, moving down the steps to greet her. The instant she swung her long legs out of the car, he pulled her close and held on tight. “You smell good,” he told her, trying to identify the scent and failing.
“Lavender and vanilla body lotion,” she said, smiling up at him.
He kissed her then, unable to help himself. Right there, on the front porch of the Triple R, where anyone could see. When they finally broke apart, they both were breathing heavily.
“Whoa, cowboy,” she said, smiling.
“I’ve missed you,” he replied, aching to kiss her again. “Let’s go inside.”
She slipped her slender hand in his. Together they walked through the front doors.
“It’s sure quiet in here today,” she commented. “Are you the only one home?”
He liked that she used the word home. It wasn’t yet, but he knew it could be if he wanted. The entire family had been hinting about that. “Right now, yes. But Ace knows I’ve been planning to spend some more time in Tessa’s studio, so it’s all good.” As long as Payne didn’t mind. No one had exactly been clear about that.
Once they’d reached the room, he turned on the light and stood in the doorway for a moment, marveling at how it seemed untouched by time.
“Someone cleans in here regularly,” Fiona said when he spoke that thought out loud. “Otherwise there would be dust everywhere.”
She had a point. He wondered if Payne took on that particular task himself or if he had household staff do it.
They spent the next hour going through photo albums, most of them of Tessa’s children, Payne and a beautiful border collie who must have been the family pet.
After they’d gone through the tenth album, Jake pushed to his feet and stretched. “I think I’ve had enough photo albums for now. Maybe we should check out some of the more artistic shots she took.”
“Where?” Fiona asked, sweeping a wayward strand of hair back from her face as she too stood.
“I think she filed them in those large portfolio things.” Moving toward them, he eyed the assortment of cameras. One of them, a big, bulky, rectangular thing, didn’t look like a camera at all.
“Look.” Jake pointed. “Is that...?”
“A Sony BMC-100. One of the very first personal camcorders.” Fiona moved closer. “Look how freaking huge it is!”
Jake carefully picked it up. “Heavy, too. If I remember right, these guys recorded to those old clunky video tapes.” He pushed a button, and a compartment on the side slowly opened. “There’s still one in here.”
“I wonder if there’s anything on it?” Fiona smiled. “Wouldn’t it be awesome to be ab
le to actually see your mother’s face and hear her voice?”
“It would.” Carefully, Jake closed the camcorder door. “Though if she were the one using it, I doubt she’ll be on any of the recordings. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to look. I wonder if Payne happens to have an old VCR sitting around so we could watch it. I’ll ask Ace later.”
A quick tap on the door had them turning in unison.
“Hey,” Ainsley said, smiling tiredly. “I got Payne released and he’s home. He’s exhausted, so he’s gone to his room to try and get some rest.”
“That’s understandable,” Jake said, relieved. “I’m so glad you were able to get him out of there.”
“It wasn’t easy. I had to do some serious convincing. I mean, come on. He’s elderly, no prior record, and it’s not like he’s a flight risk or danger to society. Luckily, the judge took all that into consideration and set a reasonable bail amount.”
Jake didn’t want to ask what she thought was reasonable.
“Do you happen to know if there’s a working VCR in this house?” Fiona asked, explaining why.
“Seriously, a video tape?” Ainsley appeared intrigued. “That’d be cool if something really was on it. I know Payne has a DVR, but maybe he might have hung on to one of those old VCRs. Ace would probably know for sure.”
By the time Ace returned home, both Ainsley and Grayson had gotten excited about the tape and wanted to find a VCR. The instant he strolled through the door, Ainsley immediately grabbed him, demanding to know if he had any idea where they might find one.
“A VCR?” he asked, incredulous. “Why on earth would anyone need one of those? Did you find an old stash of videotapes or something?”
As soon as they explained, his eyes lit up. “I’d love to see that. Honestly, though, I don’t remember her ever using a video camera.”
Colton's Last Stand Page 23