by Wilde, Lori
“Why would I be stupid enough to give the insurance papers to Matt if I were involved in such a scheme?” Did the man believe she was a complete idiot?
The sheriff shrugged. “You and Detective Forrester were almost engaged once. Perhaps you hoped to cut him in on the deal.”
Savannah jumped to her feet, clasping her arms to her chest. “I don’t believe this.”
“Simmer down. I want you to see this from my point of view.”
She tossed her head. “Even if I were trying to pull off insurance fraud, I definitely would not take on Matt Forrester as a partner. He lives and breathes his job. I know. I was his girlfriend. He’d never do anything to jeopardize his livelihood.”
Sheriff Langley scratched his head. “Well, I’m glad to hear you say so. Why don’t you sit back down?”
Reluctantly, Savannah sank onto the chair once more.
“Let’s start from the top. You tell me everything that happened the day you discovered the herd missing.”
In minute detail, Savannah relayed the events of the day that intersected her path with Matt’s once again. When she finished, the sheriff frowned, leaned back in his chair, and stuck his thumbs through his belt loops.
“Anybody else know about this insurance policy?” he asked.
Savannah lifted her shoulders. “I didn’t even know about it.”
“Think. Any relatives of your husband’s? Friends? Your ranch hand?”
“No.” Savannah shook her head. “Gary had a few friends, but they haven’t been around much since he passed on. Although he does have a half-brother in prison. I know you remember Connor Heller and all the mess that happened Christmas before last at Wren and Keegan’s dairy.”
The sheriff nodded. “Most excitement we’ve had in Rascal in years, not counting Kurt McNally getting engaged to that Hollywood actress, Elizabeth Destiny. But Heller is in maximum security in Huntsville. He’s not in on this.”
“You sure?”
“What about Clement Olson?”
“Clem?” Savannah gave a short laugh. “He’s worked at the Circle B for twenty years. I trust him completely.”
“Hmph,” the sheriff grunted.
“I suppose I’m still your number one suspect.”
“There is one thing in your favor.”
“Yes?”
“You didn’t try to make a claim on the policy.”
Good thing she hadn’t known about it. She would have paid off some debts, hired more hands, and gotten the ranch back on its feet. She admired Gary for his foresight. He had no idea the insurance policy would land her in this trouble.
The radio squawked. A garbled message came through. Sheriff Langley leaned over and fiddled with the dials.
“Midge...” A voice faded in and out.
“Dang thing.” Sheriff Langley slapped the offending equipment. “We need a new one, but the county won’t approve the expenditure.”
The static cleared. “This is Forrester.” His voice came through tinny and far away.
Savannah sat up straight, instantly at attention.
The sheriff grabbed the receiver. “I’ll intercept the signal, Midge,” he hollered at the dispatcher over the intercom. “Go ahead, Matt, what’s up?”
“Sheriff, I’m in pursuit of a 1998 black Camaro, license number GWS-675, southbound on Presidio Boulevard.”
Savannah jumped up again. “What! What did he say?”
Matt had been watching Cody, and now he was in hot pursuit of a speeding vehicle? Was Cody still with him? What had happened? Where was her son? Terror seized her.
Sheriff Langley frowned, waving Savannah into silence. “What’s the offense, Forrester?”
“The perps just robbed the Stop & Shop on Broadway. I was an eyewitness.”
Her heart pounded in hideous slow motion. She had instant visions of a fiery car crash—twisted fenders, mangled metal, the lifeless body of her toddler son thrown from the wreckage.
“Oh God,” Savannah shrieked, no longer able to contain herself. “Tell him to stop right now. He’s got our baby in the car with him!”
10
What was he doing? Matt squeezed the radio’s receiver in his hand and looked over at Cody.
Something inexplicable happened.
For once, something took precedence over making a bust. All his adult life, he’d put service to his job as the number one priority in his life. Nothing else had ever come before duty. Not his folks. Not his friends. Not even Savannah. But this sleepy-eyed baby with the fuzzy halo of hair caught him up short.
Had he lost his ever loving mind? Chasing after armed criminals at high speeds with an infant in the car?
In his moment of hesitation, the Camaro sprinted farther away.
“Forrester!” Patrick Langley’s voice resonated over the speaker. “Are you still there?”
Up ahead a stoplight turned from yellow to red, and Matt knew he would not run it. He gently braked to a stop as the Camaro disappeared from view. He spoke gruffly into the receiver. “Yeah, boss, I’m still here.”
“You got a baby with you?”
Matt briefly closed his eyes, swallowing hard. “Yep. He’s here with me.”
“Is he all right?” Matt heard Savannah’s high-pitched voice in the background, bordering on hysteria.
“I’ve stopped the pursuit, sir.”
“Good,” the sheriff barked. “Get your rear end back here, pronto.”
“On my way,” he replied and cradled the radio.
By the time he returned to the office, Cody had fallen asleep. Rather than risk waking the baby, he took him out of the Jeep, car seat and all. The minute he walked through the door, he saw Savannah pacing the hallway, the high-heeled shoes she’d worn at Ginger’s wedding striking a sharp staccato on the concrete floor. Hands cocked on her hips, her eyes flashing pure liquid fire, she was an irate mother, more dangerous than a truckload of felons.
Midge, Joe, and Sheriff Langley arranged themselves around the front desk, poised as if waiting for the second act of an exciting new play and a bucket of hot buttered popcorn.
“Matthew Cody Forrester,” Savannah said, her tone low but deadly. “What in the world were you thinking taking a baby on a high-speed car chase?”
He hadn’t seen her this mad since…well, he’d never seen her this mad. Guilt gnawed at his craw. He couldn’t fault her rage. He had overstepped the bounds of rational behavior. She was right.
And damn, if she didn’t look fine.
Despite the wrinkles creased into her sapphire dress, she sparkled like Cinderella before the stroke of midnight. Her hair curled in honey-brown rings around her delicate earlobes. Her skin glowed, pretty as sun-ripened peaches. The black velvet ribbon secured at her long, slender throat completed the enchanting package. How had he survived two years without her in his life?
Arousal, hard and fast, ambushed him like a bolt of lightning on a cloudless afternoon. How he wanted her! To kiss her, caress her, and drive himself into her soft, willing body and allow her sweetness to envelope him in a frenzy of animal passion.
Transfixed, Matt stared, unable to speak.
Savannah stalked toward him, her hands outstretched. “Give him to me.”
Adrenaline from the car chase mixed inside him with spurts of testosterone until he felt as jittery as if he’d downed a hundred cups of Sheriff Langley’s wicked black coffee.
She snatched the car seat from him. Cody opened his eyes during the ensuing jostle, blinked at his mother, and burst into tears.
“See what you did!”
“Me? You’re the one who jerked him around.”
If looks could kill, Matt would have been charred toast. Holding the car seat against a raised knee, she struggled to snap Cody free from the restraining contraption.
“Let me help,” Matt offered.
“I don’t need your help,” she barked.
Cody howled louder.
To keep from agitating her more, Matt took a step backward.<
br />
Midge, Joe, and Sheriff Langley ducked their heads to hide grins. Matt scowled in their general direction.
Finally, Savannah released Cody and allowed the car seat to slide to the floor while she raised him to her shoulder.
“Is it too much to hope that maybe you fed him before you placed his life in jeopardy?”
“That’s what I was attempting to do before we got interrupted by a holdup in progress. Excuse me for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Bull. You love being in the middle of a fight.”
“That’s not fair,” he protested.
She was on a roll, shaking a pearly pink fingernail in his face. “You didn’t have to play the hero, but you did. Always the lawman even when you’re off duty. You don’t even care that Cody could have been killed. You can’t control yourself. You have to be a macho male. It’s a sickness.”
“If I hadn’t been controlling myself, Mrs. Markum, I would have returned with the suspects in question.” He pivoted on his boot heel and slanted the sheriff a sideways glance. “Did you send the Rascal Leos after the perps?” he asked, referring to the town’s small police force.
“Of course. But I know it hurts for you to let the perps go,” Sheriff Langley said.
“You shouldn’t have followed them as far as you did.” Savannah glowered.
“Dang it, Savvy.” Matt ran a hand through his hair. “I stopped, okay? What more do you want from me? A pint of blood? Cody’s safe. No harm done.”
“And you wonder why I didn’t marry you,” she said, her tone cold enough to cause frostbite.
The resulting silence echoed in the hallway. Savannah stared at him.
Matt knew he’d screwed up and immediately felt contrite. She was just worried about her child.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
Her chin quivered. She turned to Sheriff Langley. “I want to go home now.”
Matt moved toward her and held out his hand. Sidestepping, she kept a firm hand pressed to Cody’s back.
“I’ll take you home,” he insisted.
“I rather someone else take me home.”
That hurt, but she was upset. He understood why she didn’t want to be around him right now.
Sheriff Langley interceded. He placed a big paw on Matt’s shoulder and tugged him backward. “Come on, Matt, let’s go in my office and have a talk. Joe will take Savannah home.”
* * *
The grandfather clock in the living room was striking midnight by the time Savannah finished feeding Cody and rocked him to sleep. After the twelfth echoing bong, the house fell silent in the looming emptiness.
The rocker creaked as Savannah shifted, the weight of Cody’s head resting on her arm. Sounds of chirping crickets filtered in through the open window, wafting on the pleasant breeze that ruffled the white lace curtains.
The place felt so lonely without Ginger. Already she missed her sister more than she’d ever missed her husband. Ashamed at her disloyal thoughts, Savannah placed a gentle kiss on Cody’s nose. If it hadn’t been for Gary, she didn’t know what would have happened to her and Ginger after their mother’s death.
Matt would have taken care of you if you’d given him a chance.
Memories assailed her in a backlash of emotion. Matt—defending her virtue against unwanted advances from a local ruffian. Matt—romancing her at the lake, complete with a candlelight dinner and flowers. Matt—taking her for a ride on his stallion. Matt—risking his life to break up a bar fight.
An unexpected tear trailed down her face. She didn’t wipe it away, instead allowed it to roll off her chin and plop onto the soft material of her pink cotton sleep shirt. She mourned her past, her losses, her mistakes. She wished desperately she could turn back the clock and do things differently. She wished her mother were alive to comfort her. In the end, all the wishing in the world was fruitless.
The sheriff suspected her of insurance fraud. Her ranch was operating in the red and slipping deeper into debt. She was alone on the place with just a baby and an old man for company, both of whom depended on her.
And then there was Matt.
Things were so complicated, but she had to tell him that Cody was his son, even if it meant breaking her promise to Gary. How did she go about dropping that bombshell? He was going to be angry, and so hurt.
Biting her bottom lip, Savannah closed her eyes. There was no way she could make it up to him.
Cody stirred, stuck his thumb in his mouth, and sucked.
Savannah sighed. Her whole body ached with exhaustion, but her mind whirled. She had to be up at dawn to help Clem feed the livestock, and with Ginger gone, there was no one to help with Cody.
Forcing herself to move, she got to her feet and headed for the bedroom. Instead of putting Cody in his crib, she nestled him next to her in the big, fluffy bed and tucked the covers securely around them. Taking a deep breath, she rested her head on her hands and stared at the ceiling, willing her thoughts to quiet.
Her motives in breaking up with Matt had been pure, but one question kept circling her brain. Could Matt ever forgive her for keeping him from his son?
* * *
Matt had a peace offering.
In the back of the rented trailer hitched to his Jeep were six Santa Gertrudis cows, swaying and mooing. After talking half the night, he’d finally convinced Sheriff Langley to let him return the cattle to Savannah. They’d both agreed she was not involved in the theft.
That made him feel better. He hated being suspicious of her, but his job required him to accept nothing at face value, not even the woman he had once loved so hopelessly.
And he longed to slip back into Savannah’s good graces. He had to make amends for his behavior last night when he’d exercised the poorest judgment of his career and lit out after those robbers with her child in his car. He hadn’t thought. Just reacted.
Matt slammed the trailer gate shut, thanked the cowhands who’d helped him load up the cattle, slipped on his sunglasses, and climbed into the cab.
“Geronimo,” he muttered as he put the Jeep in gear, and left Midland for Rascal and the Circle B.
* * *
A distant cloud of dust signaled the arrival of an approaching vehicle. Savannah stopped hanging out diapers on the clothesline. She used cloth diapers and a clothesline both because it was better for the environment and it saved money, but it was a lot more work. Maybe she’d reconsider plastic diapers now that Ginger was gone.
She shaded her eyes against the bright, noonday sun beating down on her scalp. Yep. Someone was headed to the ranch. She wasn’t expecting any visitors. Who could it be?
Her busy day had started at dawn when she’d helped Clem feed the livestock. Then they’d spent the next several hours cleaning up the garden area, littered with debris from the wedding.
Currently, Clem was in town buying supplies while she took care of the household chores. Cody napped in his playpen under the sheltering mimosa. Oh, how she missed Ginger.
She moved toward the driveway, smoothing her palms down the front of her cutoff blue jeans, wiping away perspiration from her hands.
Matt’s red Jeep flashed into view.
Her heart leapt with joy. As upset as she’d been with him the night before, she was so happy to see him. And then she noticed the cattle trailer. Was he bringing the Santa Gertrudis cattle home? Did that mean the sheriff no longer considered her a suspect?
Hope surged through her as she hurried to meet him.
He swung out of the Jeep and tipped his Stetson back on his head, a wide grin crossing his face. Savannah fought an almost irresistible urge to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him. She surrendered her right to do that two years ago when she’d broken up with him.
“Got you a present.” He jerked a thumb at the trailer.
She moved to the back of the long vehicle and stood on tiptoe to peer inside. Wide cow eyes stared back at her. Relief flooded her, giddy as champagne bubbles. They were her cattle
. Eight short, but six was better than nothing. She could sell them and get out of debt. Whew. Her white knight in shining Jeep had arrived.
“Oh, Matt.” She breathed. “Thank you.”
The fine lines flaring out from his eyes eased into happy crinkles. “Thought they might cheer you up.”
“Oh, yes.”
“I’ll unload them,” he said. “And then we need to talk.”
Talk.
Yes. They most certainly needed to talk. But she wasn’t sure she was ready to tell him the secret she’d been keeping for two long years.
He doffed his Stetson, held the hat over his chest, looked like a contrite cowboy. “I want to apologize for last night. You were absolutely correct. I had no right to drag your son through a chase.”
Our son. Drop the “y” and “your” son became “our” son.
Savannah’s pulse skipped. How she longed to say “our” to him the way she had last night to the sheriff.
“Sometimes,” she said. “You’re too intense for your own good, Matt.”
“Ah, but intensity is what makes me a good detective. And a good lover,” he added mischievously.
She ignored that last part, even though a heated flush flared up her neck. “One day that intensity you’re so proud of could cost you your life.”
“That’s why you broke up with me.”
She nodded, but it was a lie. His job was merely the excuse she’d given him.
“I can change, Savvy.” His eyes seemed haunted.
Was he asking for a second chance?
Desperate hope grabbed hold of her. How badly she ached for a second chance, but when Matt learned she’d kept his son from him, could he ever forgive her?
“Are you hungry?” he asked. “I took the liberty of buying sandwiches. I remembered how much you enjoyed the meatball subs from Parelli’s.”
Her stomach grumbled at the idea of Parelli’s spicy meatball sandwiches. Matt knew her weaknesses far too well.
“What say we unload the cattle and then have a picnic?”
“I’m pretty busy,” she hedged because his proposition sounded so romantic, and she couldn’t afford romance. Not when she was carrying such a big secret.