by Barb Han
“Pleased to meet you,” Mrs. O’Connor said in that genuine tone that brought Renee back to one of the few bright spots of her childhood. “Do you have time to sit for a minute?”
“Yes, ma’am—”
“Please, call me Margaret,” she said with gray eyes that twinkled.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Margaret.” Renee took a seat as offered, grateful to get off her feet.
Margaret’s smile widened when she looked at Abby, another thing that made Renee’s heart swell.
“Your daughter sure is beautiful,” Margaret said.
“Thank you.” Renee couldn’t help but beam at the compliment as she looked at her sleeping angel. “I’m so sorry about your husband.”
Margaret looked up with the saddest eyes and nodded.
“May I hold her?” If it had been anyone else asking, the answer would have been a hard no. Margaret had the kind of gentle and elegant demeanor that put people at ease around her. Renee leaned toward her newfound friend and handed her daughter toward open arms.
Margaret’s entire face lit up as she cradled Abby against her chest. Renee was beginning to see the magic of babies. She herself was pretty spellbound by the little angel and figured she could sit and hold that little girl for hours and completely lose track of time. Renee had never been much of a couch potato. She always liked to be up doing something, whether it was organizing a pantry or closet or trying—and mostly failing—to figure out how to craft.
Cash took a seat across the ottoman from Renee. She glanced at him and her heart took another shot seeing the look on his face while he watched his mother hold a little girl. It occurred to Renee that he was about to deliver news about the attempted abduction. Abby was around the same age as his sister, Caroline, when she’d been taken from the family.
He didn’t seem in a hurry to open that old wound. His cell buzzed in his pocket as Renee leaned back in the chair, grateful her arms were getting a break. She’d never met a person she trusted so immediately or so completely. Instead of being strange, it felt like the most natural thing.
“Excuse me,” Cash said to the two of them. His gaze lingered when it met Renee’s. She caught a worried look as it passed over his features. Margaret was too wrapped up to notice much else besides the miracle in her arms.
He walked into the hallway and his voice lowered to a hum. Renee couldn’t make out what he was saying.
“I’m new to motherhood,” Renee said to Margaret as she bit back a yawn. “I’ve met two of your sons so far and am so impressed with the amazing men they are. Any and all parenting advice is appreciated.”
“The only thing a child really needs is love,” Margaret said without hesitation. Those words shouldn’t make tears threaten and yet they did. Unconditional love wasn’t something Renee had a whole lot of experience with and her relationship with Jamison had caused her to doubt her ability to love or be loved by anyone. Abby was an exception as Renee knew a child would be. Rather than become angry at her parents for their self-involvement above all else, she felt sorry for them. Because they’d missed out on the greatest joy in Renee’s life to date. Becoming a parent filled a longing from a place deep inside her. A place her parents had never reached with her. Or at least that’s how it had felt.
Even when she’d been sick as a young child, they’d told her to stay inside her room. They would turn off her light and she was lucky if they remembered to check on her before they went to bed. Renee had come to accept her parents’ lack of interest in her as normal behavior since it was all she’d ever known. She couldn’t imagine doing the same now that she’d become a mother.
The family business had kept her parents up late hours arguing about money and dealing with all the paperwork that came with owning a small business. It was one of many reasons she’d considered early on that had led to her decision to work for someone else.
At five thirty every day, she was done with her job. Any web updates that needed to be made after that had to wait until morning. Once she left the building, she was off. She rarely had to work overtime or on a weekend. Although, she’d thrown herself into work and school to get where she was. When she worked overtime, it was her call.
The O’Connors seemed to be the exception to pretty much every rule. They obviously prioritized family over business and yet they ran one of the most successful cattle ranches. They had more money than they could spend, but it didn’t seem to rule their lives.
Renee bit back another yawn as Cash stepped inside the room. With deep grooves in his forehead and a gaze that searched first for his mother and then for Renee, his expression was that of someone who was about to deliver more bad news.
Chapter Twelve
On instinct, Renee sat straighter as though a rigid spine would prepare her for any blow that came next.
Margaret was so busy being enthralled with Abby that she barely glanced up at her son. But when she did, she locked on to his gaze. “What’s wrong?”
Cash reclaimed his seat. “Ruth Hubert was found murdered in her garden a few hours ago.” That much, Renee already knew.
“Oh.” With several sons who worked in law enforcement, Renee figured there wasn’t much that shocked Margaret. “That’s terrible news.”
“Did you know her very well?” Cash asked his mother.
“Not really. I knew of her, but she mostly kept to herself. Our neighborhood committee has reached out to her several times over the years to see if she’d like to get involved in civic activities but she was never interested. She kept to herself mostly.” A delicate eyebrow arched. “Why?”
“Deputies are going through her computer and phone records. They found links to a person who is widely suspected to be an officer in a trafficking ring that has been running for years.”
“How far back does it go?” Margaret’s interest seemed very peaked now.
“Decades.” That one word seemed to let the air out of Margaret’s lungs. She seemed to catch herself, as if her mood might impact Abby, and she straightened her chin and took in a breath after a quick glance at the baby in her arms.
“Does this link her to Caroline?” There was so much bravery in the steadiness of her voice in that question.
Cash heaved a sigh. “It might.”
“Oh.”
Renee’s mind immediately snapped to Abby. Before she could open her mouth to speak, he nodded.
“There was an attempt to kidnap Abby,” he said to his mother. “And Colton is investigating any possible links between the two cases.”
“Kipp McGee.” Renee said her lawyer’s name practically under her breath.
Margaret looked confused. “Who?”
“He was the adoption lawyer for Renee,” Cash supplied, his voice a study in calm. He had to have a million emotions drilling through him right now, too. There might be a break in his sister’s case, on top of the fact he’d lost his father who was clearly a man Cash loved and respected.
Margaret’s gaze flew to Renee. “I’m so sorry this happened to you and Abby.” The sincerity in her words brought on more of those inconvenient emotions. Acceptance was another foreign word to Renee and yet it practically vibrated from Margaret.
“Thank you. It’s been a difficult few days in a new city,” Renee said. Even the quick burst of adrenaline that came with hearing the news couldn’t stop her exhaustion from wearing thin.
“I can imagine,” Margaret said with a look of solidarity. An invisible tether linked them and for the second time, Renee didn’t feel alone. “You haven’t slept much, have you?”
“To be honest, I’m afraid to do more than close my eyes for a few minutes. I’m scared that I’ll wake and she’ll be gone.” A rogue tear escaped and slid down Renee’s cheek.
Margaret’s gray eyes widened before she nodded understanding. “Would you like to take her back?”
“Part of me
wants to. But the other part knows that I can trust you and my arms need a break,” she admitted. “Unless you’re tired.”
“I could hold this angel all day.” Margaret’s words were soothing and there was so much sincerity in her eyes Renee didn’t doubt the woman for a second.
“I brought them here to stay in the main house in the guest suite if that’s all right with you,” Cash said to his mother.
“What a great idea. Stay as long as you like.” Margaret smiled through what must be difficult news to hear about her own case. This might be the first real break law enforcement had had. “Would you like to be shown to your room? We can set up a bassinet in the guest suite and Abby can sleep right next to your bed.”
“If it’s all right with you, I’d like to stay right here.” The oversized club chair was the perfect size to curl up in and there was something so very comforting about being near Margaret. It was like Renee could finally let out the breath that she felt as though she’d been holding her entire life. The first time she’d experienced it had been with Cash.
“Make yourself at home. I’m more than happy to sit here awhile with your angel.” Margaret’s tone combined with the smile on her face said she meant every word. She started a low hum to one of Renee’s favorite lullabies. Abby seemed perfectly content to stay put, so Renee slipped her shoes off and curled up in the chair.
Cash walked over, bringing a light blanket with him. He placed it over Renee with so much care tears pricked the backs of her eyes. She told herself that she was just running on empty and that was the reason for the emotion, but it was so much more than that. He was exactly the type of guy she could really fall for if she could take that step. She couldn’t. Her past would always creep in, telling her she couldn’t really trust anyone. She hugged the throw pillow and rested her head on the arm of the chair.
The next thing she knew, she was out.
* * *
CASH DIMMED THE lights in the library, trying to ignore how full his heart was at the scene of his mother holding Abby while Renee slept.
“Can I get anything for you?” he asked his mother quietly.
“Tea would be nice.” The news about the investigation must have hit her hard but in true Margaret O’Connor form, she kept a handle on her emotions. Seeing her sitting there holding a six-month-old girl like she was the biggest prize hit him in a place very deep.
“I’m on it.” He needed to step out of the room anyway before he lost all objectivity when it came to Renee’s case. Or, if he was being honest, Renee.
Walking down the hallway toward the kitchen, he thought about all the times he’d heard about love at first sight but didn’t believe it. Sexual chemistry? There was no doubt about that. Sexual chemistry was instant and there was plenty of that between him and Renee. He’d convinced himself that love at first sight was equivalent to a Bigfoot sighting. Lots of interesting characters claimed to have seen one over the years but always fell short when it came to producing evidence.
Whatever was going on between the two of them, he felt that lightning bolt hit square in his chest the minute he laid eyes on Renee. The feeling was different than anything he’d experienced before. He’d leave it at that.
The tea was in the exact same spot in the pantry as he remembered. He and his brothers had made it for their mother during holidays and special occasions. Her favorite black tea was there alongside a few he didn’t recognize.
Heating water on the stove was old-fashioned and took more time, but he was feeling nostalgic today and, besides, he wanted a little extra time before going back to the library. The possibility that the person responsible for his sister’s kidnapping could have been right underneath their noses his entire life sat like a hot poker in his stomach.
He leaned over the granite island and gripped his mother’s favorite teacup. Realizing how delicate it was, he loosened his hold.
Ms. Hubert moved to the area roughly six months before Caroline’s kidnapping. The MO was identical and yet no similar kidnappings had taken place in Katy Gulch in between. It felt possible the two kidnapping cases were linked. Improbable, but possible. What would the connection be? Two kidnapping cases decades apart?
Caroline and Abby were the same age at the time of the incidents. The heat brought on by Caroline’s kidnapping back in the day might’ve caused the operation to shut down here in Katy Gulch. Maybe Ms. Hubert felt it was safe again to shop in her own backyard. Or, it was possible Abby fit the needs of someone willing to pay dearly for a child who looked like her. The elderly woman might not be the one calling the shots.
A burst of hope that his sister could somehow still be alive after all these years struck. Going down that road again—the one that made him believe he could find her for his parents—reopened a deep well of pain. Going there again was like walking into a fire without any gear.
Cash decided he needed to know everything there was to know about Ruth Hubert. He’d start there and see where the trail led him. His thoughts shifted to his brother Colton, who would be on the exact same track. Then there was Garrett. There was so much Garrett didn’t know about here at home that he needed to be brought up to speed on.
Firing off a group text to his brothers, sans Garrett, Cash let them know the MIA status of their rogue sibling.
A few texts came back almost immediately. Figures, one of his brothers said. Sounds about right, came back from another. What did you expect, still another said. Colton was the only one who didn’t respond, and he’d already been updated.
Any ideas on how we can find him? Cash asked.
The responses came quickly. They were all some version of we’ll see what we can do. The teapot on the stove shrieked. Cash poured hot water over the tea bag and turned off the stove. Pocketing his phone, he brought the tea to his mother.
He set it down on the tray in front of her. Renee was asleep in the chair and his mother spoke quietly to a sleeping Abby. There was something a little too right about this whole scenario.
But he was also reminded of the circumstances that brought Renee to his family home. Then there was the loss of his father and a deep well of grief that had yet to fully surface.
“I never thought much about Ms. Hubert.” His mother looked up at him. “She was so quiet. Folks whispered about her living all alone on the outskirts of town on enough land to grow pretty much anything she wanted, legal or not. She had visitors, folks said, so she’d be all right. People worried about her living out there all alone. And so did I. All this time she might’ve been the one...” His mother stopped herself before adding, “She might have been in plain sight all this time.”
“I’d hate for you to be disappointed again,” he said after carefully choosing his words. The last thing he wanted was to give his mother false hope. It had already stirred in his chest and was written all over her face.
“Your sister was a beautiful baby.” She beamed down at Abby. “All of you were.”
“She would be thirty-six now.” His comment was met with a wistful smile.
“That’s right.” Her expression took a turn. “Do all your brothers know about your father yet?”
“Everyone but Garrett. We’re trying to track him down.” He held back his opinion about his irresponsible and hotheaded younger brother. Cash had always been the eldest sibling despite his sister’s age. With her gone, he’d stepped into the role.
“Oh. Any idea where he might be?” His mother’s eyebrow shot up but she didn’t look surprised. She seemed to accept that Garrett would drift in and out as he pleased.
“We checked his last job. He didn’t exactly leave on good terms.”
“He should never have worked for that family anyway. They’ve been branding our cattle and poaching from us for longer than I care to remember.” His mother didn’t normally talk badly about others. She’d always been the quiet type, preferring her library and her books to partie
s and gossip. The events she hosted usually benefited a charity and she played hostess in order to raise money, not out of a need to be the center of attention. She’d done a lot of good in the world. She deserved answers to her greatest personal misfortune—answers that investigators weren’t able to give her and answers that neither Colton nor Cash had been able to provide.
She wouldn’t see it this way, but it was impossible not to feel like he was letting her down in some way by not finding out what had happened to Caroline. Now that Pops was gone, she would need her family around even more.
Cash needed to think through his role on the ranch, which would be more than helping out in a pinch and with the busy season.
“Your father always wanted his sons to take over the ranch when they were ready.” Her words hit him to the core.
“I have a career.” Not only did he have a career, but he had one that he loved. Texas, this land, would always be part of his soul but his heart was in law enforcement. With the renewed possibility that they might have stumbled onto a lead in his sister’s case, his blood was pumping again.
“Yes, you do. I didn’t mean to make you feel guilty.” She didn’t give him a lecture and it occurred to him that she was planting a seed more than anything else. With their father gone, the family would need to have a meeting about how best to handle family business moving forward. Hard discussions needed to be had. There was no way Colton would desert his job as sheriff. Cash was certain about it. Other than Riggs, Garrett had the most experience working a cattle ranch, but could he be trusted to stick around? And, honestly, could he be trusted at all? Dawson was also a US marshal and he helped on the ranch as much as he could, much like the others, same as Blake who worked as a cop in Houston.
“Am I wrong to admit that I haven’t given much thought to my role here on the ranch should anything ever happen to Pops?”
“No, you’re not. No one saw this coming. Not me. Not your father. His doctor certainly thought he had more time.” As far as young marriages went, she and Pops had beaten the odds. They’d met in high school and been sweethearts ever since. He’d opted to go straight to work for his family’s ranch while she’d gone to University of Texas at Austin. Her parents hadn’t thought Pops would be a suitable candidate for marrying their daughter since he hadn’t gone to college. They’d told her that he might come from money, but she’d get bored of him because all he’d ever be able to talk about was cattle. Her father had refused to give his blessing for a marriage.