by Donna Grant
“I don’t know.” And that was the truth. Skylar didn’t want to make a rash decision out of fear.
Abby gave her a comforting smile. “I think you need to do what makes sense for you. It might be returning to Houston. It might be going to another city. Or … you could remain here, but nothing has to be decided now.”
“Good point.” Skylar got to her feet. “I think I’m going to go change out of these clothes and into something more comfortable. Thank you again, Abby. For the friendship and hospitality.”
“Any time.”
Skylar made her way up the stairs, her mind considering the option of remaining in her hometown. At one time in her life, that’d seemed like a death sentence, and yet, it no longer felt that way.
There were stores and workers in Houston who recognized her face from frequent visits, but it wasn’t the same as living in a small town. People looked out for others. The drawback was how nosey everyone was, but that went hand-in-hand with the rest.
After she’d changed into jeans and an oversized maroon sweatshirt that hung off one shoulder, she found herself searching real estate listings in the area. The first house she pulled up was one that she had loved when she was growing up. It had a lot of charm. It was on the small side, but it was one of those houses that you wanted to go in and explore.
Skylar clicked on the photos and was amazed at the updates that had been done in the home. She loved everything about it—aside from the yellow paint in the bedroom. That would have to go, but everything else was good enough for her to move in right away.
She stopped, shocked that she was actually considering purchasing the house. Her gaze dropped to the price, and she smiled. Yet her finger hesitated over the button to contact the realtor.
Was it because she wasn’t sure about moving? Or was it because she didn’t want Matt getting wind of her decision?
Or was it both?
Skylar put away her phone and went downstairs to find Abby.
Chapter 16
December 9th
Shit, he was tired. Bone-weary and just exhausted. Danny rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger before he reached for the cup of coffee. He’d stopped keeping track after his sixth cup.
He flipped through the reports on his desk, trying to get through all the paperwork. He had a meeting with the mayor that he had to attend in about an hour, so he was trying to get as much of his desk cleared as he could in the meantime.
There was a knock on his door that drew his attention. Danny waved in Wilson, who slipped inside the office and shut the door before taking a seat.
“I take it you have news,” Danny said.
Deputy Glen Wilson licked his lips. “Mr. Gaudet is still in town.”
Danny ran a hand down his face and sighed loudly, leaning back in his chair. It had been four days since the restraining order had been issued. Danny had thought that Matt would get the hint and go back to Houston but, apparently, they hadn’t been so lucky.
Or should he say that Skylar hadn’t been that fortunate?
“And his lawyer?”
Wilson crossed his ankle over his knee. “He hasn’t been back since Miss Long was in court.”
“Well, Matt stayed for some reason.”
“I think I know what that is,” Wilson hedged.
It was obvious that the deputy didn’t want to say whatever it was. “Spit it out, Wilson, before it sours your mouth more.”
“Two hours ago, Mr. Gaudet’s youngest brother arrived.”
That news wasn’t great, but it wasn’t horrible either. “Okay. We’ll just have two of them to watch now.”
Wilson’s lips compressed as his face puckered in unease. “Actually, there’s more. Just a few minutes ago, Matt’s parents were seen getting food. I checked the hotels in town, but they aren’t staying here. They’re staying about thirty minutes away.”
Of course, they were. Because their little town didn’t have a five-star hotel. But Danny kept that part to himself. He had no use for people with egos, and that’s exactly what the Gaudets had. “Thanks for the update.”
“It’s bad news for Miss Long, isn’t it?”
Danny shrugged, but he had a bad feeling in his gut. “It might be nothing. Perhaps they’re here to get their son back to Houston.”
“Let’s hope that’s the case, sheriff, because the only other reason they’re here would be because of Miss Long.”
Danny forced a smile to his lips. “Miss Long is in a safe place. We don’t need to worry about her.”
Though Danny had been doing just that. Hell, he’d even stayed away from the ranch for the past five days, waiting for Matt to leave town. He’d asked that Clayton try and explain that to Skylar.
Clayton’s texted response was simple—DUMBASS.
Danny had to agree with his friend. He should’ve gone to see Skylar, but he’d played it safe. Now, more Gaudets were in town, and that could only spell trouble for everyone. As much as Danny wanted to spend all his time protecting Skylar, he had an entire county to look after, not just one woman.
He was so engrossed in his thoughts that it took Danny a moment to realize that Wilson was still in his office. He focused on the deputy and noticed that Wilson was looking more uneasy than before.
Danny raised a brow in question while waiting for the deputy to get on with whatever he had to say.
“I’m guessing you haven’t seen the latest.”
With his stomach growing more queasy by the second and tightening with apprehension and worry, Danny shook his head.
Wilson cleared his throat and drew his cell phone from his uniform pocket. After a few seconds, he handed the device over. Danny didn’t want to take it, but curiosity got the better of him. Besides, knowledge was power, right? At least, that’s what he told himself.
At the top of the screen in bold letters was the headline: Scorned woman lashes out at prominent Houston family.
Danny didn’t want to read the rest. He knew it was all lies, but he scrolled down. A picture of Skylar leaving the courthouse with Leslie was next, and right below that was a picture of Skylar smiling up at Matt with his arm wrapped around her.
The article went on to paint Skylar as nothing more than a gold-digger who’d trumped up lies when things didn’t go her way. Danny had to admit, the writer did a good job of pointing out everything that would make others believe that Skylar was lying about the abuse since she hadn’t gone to the police. No one had ever seen any marks on her, and she had moved in with Matt.
As a policeman, Danny knew that none of that mattered when it came to evidence. But most people reading the article didn’t know the ins and outs of such a situation, which was exactly what the Gaudet family wanted. The simple fact was that social media and any news articles could swing the tide of the public’s opinion. It happened more times than not.
And the Gaudets were proving what a well-known, wealthy family could do.
“When did this come out?” Danny asked Wilson.
The deputy scratched his jaw. “About ten this morning.”
Which meant there was no doubt that Skylar knew about it. And Danny wasn’t there to comfort her. That would change, though. He planned to go see her later tonight.
“Two days ago, our own newspaper came out with an article.”
Danny noted Wilson’s wide smile. Obviously, he needed to stay more up to date on the goings-on with the local paper. “And?”
The deputy pulled a folded-up paper from his back pocket and handed it to Danny. “That’s not just circulating here. Someone—I’m guessing our very own Beverly Barnes—sent it to a Houston news station. It was on the six o’clock news tonight.”
Danny opened the paper to find the front page showing a picture of Matt Gaudet in handcuffs being led into the courthouse. Not far below it, though much, much smaller, was a picture of Skylar’s smashed driver’s-side window where Matt had broken it to get to her.
The article detailed the facts, though Beverly leaned hea
vily on Matt as an abuser. And while Beverly didn’t print the pictures showcasing Skylar’s injuries, it was mentioned about them being used in the court case requesting the restraining order.
“I might like this article, but I think it’ll do more harm than good. For Skylar.” Danny folded it back up and set it aside to read a second time later.
Wilson folded his hands together. “Someone needs to stand up for Miss Long.”
“I don’t disagree, deputy, but the Gaudets’ reach is very long. And their money is endless. Skylar can’t fight them head-on like that.”
“Then maybe she doesn’t.”
Danny frowned. “Meaning?”
“Miss Long doesn’t do anything. She lets justice do its job.”
“As a sheriff and cop for nearly two decades, I’d like to agree with you, but the simple truth is that doesn’t work. Do you know what happens to people who don’t stand up and have their voices heard?”
Wilson paused for a moment, his lips flattening. “They get run over.”
“Exactly. In Skylar’s case, Matt will continue doing what he’s been doing.”
“Is there no way to stop him?”
There was one way. Danny had been hoping he’d hear from Cooper about his PI friend, Cash. So far, there had been nothing.
Danny gave a nod. “There’s a chance. It’s being looked into.”
“By us?”
“No.”
Wilson’s brows snapped together. “I don’t understand.”
“Our laws are there for a reason, but sometimes, they prevent us from doing what should be done. There are other means by which a citizen can seek aid.”
It took half a minute or so, but Wilson’s eyes suddenly widened in understanding. “A private investigator.”
Danny didn’t confirm or deny anything. He merely stared at Wilson.
The deputy smiled as he got to his feet. “I got into this job because I wanted to help people and put the bad guys away. Matt Gaudet is one of those guys.”
“Yes, he is. And if everything works out, he will get the justice he deserves.”
Wilson bowed his head before walking out. Danny glanced at the clock and folded the file he’d been reading to set it aside for later. He then picked up the paper and gathered it along with his keys and cell phone as he headed out for the meeting with the mayor.
Unfortunately, the meeting went far longer than Danny wanted. He was in his truck on the way to see Skylar when dispatch hailed him over the radio. He immediately answered.
“Sheriff, we found who she is.”
He frowned as he recognized Jeanie’s voice over the radio. She had been a dispatcher since he was a teenager. “Found who?”
“The woman who slashed your tires,” she said irritably.
Danny bit back a grin. Jeanie was a bit cantankerous. “It’s taken long enough. Who is she?”
“Madeline Gross from Katy, Texas.”
Katy was a suburb of Houston, and Danny had a feeling that Matt and Madeline knew each other well. “Is there a connection between Ms. Gross and Matt Gaudet?”
“I was hoping you’d ask that.”
When Jeanie didn’t elaborate, Danny rolled his eyes and said in his most sarcastic tone, “And?”
She laughed, the sound accenting the fact that she’d spent most of her life smoking. “It’s good to show some emotion every once in a while, sheriff.”
“I show emotion,” he stated defensively.
“If you say so,” came the stern response. Before he could say anything else, Jeanie said, “From what Deputy Wilson found on social media, it seems like Matt Gaudet and Madeline Gross have been seeing each other off and on for years. There are pictures of them together as recently as last week.”
Danny blew out a breath. “And she came to his defense.”
“It appears that way.”
Danny really didn’t want to share this with Skylar. It was bad enough that Matt had lied to her about his family and abused her, but now they could add cheating to the list, as well.
“What do you want us to do?” Jeanie asked.
Danny gripped the steering wheel. “Have Wilson contact the sheriff’s department over there and get them to issue a warrant for Madeline Gross.”
“Glen heard you, and he’s headed to his desk to do just that,” Jeanie told him.
“Thanks.”
“Sheriff?” Jeanie said.
“Yeah?”
“We’re going to have the entire state of Texas looking at us.”
He knew that. It had weighed heavily on his mind for the past few days, but he’d held out hope that Matt and his family would leave well enough alone and let all of this die down.
Danny and his deputies would be under a microscope. Everything they did had to be completely by the book. Everything.
He pulled off the road and came to a stop. Which meant that if reporters weren’t already following him, they would be soon. He didn’t want anyone to see him going out to the ranch and creating more issues—regardless if they were true—when this was about something else altogether.
“I just want you to know that we have complete faith in you,” Jeanie said. “We all have your back.”
He closed his eyes for a heartbeat. “Thanks. I appreciate that. If anyone needs me, I’m headed home.”
“Sure thing, sheriff. See you in the morning.”
Chapter 17
“This is risky, Matt.”
He ignored his younger brother as he stared at the sheriff’s SUV that was pulled off to the side of the road. Matt knew without a shadow of a doubt that Danny was going to see Skylar. Just as he knew that Skylar and Danny had been seeing each other behind his back.
And he’d prove it.
“Matt,” Spencer said, his voice pitched louder. “Mom and Dad are here, and they’re pissed.”
“I don’t give a shit.” He hadn’t for a long time. It was time his family found that out.
Spencer blew out a loud breath. “Look, I know it’s not always easy living in both Dad’s and Michael’s shadows, but you’ve got to make peace with it.”
Matt slid his gaze to Spencer. “Make peace with it? Is that what you’ve done?”
“Yeah,” Spencer said with a shrug of his shoulders. “What else can we do? Dad is good at business. Did he get lucky in falling into the job he did? Sure.”
“He also had family money,” Matt pointed out.
Spencer’s lips twisted. “We all have.”
Matt snorted, not bothering to answer.
But Spencer wasn’t finished. “Michael fell into politics. He’s just like Dad with his golden tongue. I don’t have that gift, but I’m okay with that.”
“That’s because you have your sculpting.”
It seemed everyone in the Gaudet family had something they were good at. Everyone, except for Matt. For as long as he could remember, Michael and his parents had said they were always cleaning up his messes.
Because the Gaudets had to be absolutely perfect. There could be no mistakes, no messes—and definitely no skeletons in anyone’s closet.
“You have…” Spencer began but trailed off.
Matt barked with laughter. “Exactly, little brother. I have nothing but the family money.”
Spencer ran a hand down his face. “Matt, you can’t keep following the sheriff around. It’s already been proven that he and Skylar didn’t collude against you. You’ve got to let it go. But most especially, you need to let Skylar go.”
“Why?” Matt asked as he looked back at the sheriff’s vehicle that was pulling back onto the road. “She’s mine.”
“Skylar left. That pretty much says it all. This time, you were arrested. It’s not like the other times where the family could make it all right again.”
Matt ignored him and pulled behind the sheriff, following at a safe distance. Matt had learned all about how to tail a person without being seen, and it had certainly come in handy many, many times before now.
�
�You aren’t even listening, are you?” Spencer asked with a shake of his head. He looked out the passenger window. “Why did you want me to come with you, then?”
Matt grinned without looking at Spencer. “So I wouldn’t be alone when the lecture was delivered. For the first time, you’d get it as well as the disappointed looks from Mom, Dad, and Michael.”
“Do you hate our family so much?”
Instead of replying, Matt kept his focus on Danny. Except when the sheriff should’ve moved over to make the turn to the East Ranch, he kept going. Matt thought he might be going another route, but ten minutes later, Danny turned into a driveway and parked before a dark house.
Matt pulled off and watched as Danny exited his SUV and made his way to the front door that he opened with a set of keys. A light flicked on in the kitchen, but there was no other movement that Matt could detect.
“You brought us to the sheriff’s house? You really have lost it,” Spencer stated indignantly.
“You can tell Mom and Dad all about it when they show up,” Matt said.
Spencer shifted in his seat. “Look, he’s not seeing Skylar. Let’s just go get some food. Mom and Dad are in town and looking for us.”
“I’m not finished here.”
“Matt, please. You’re not making any of this easier. You were arrested, the assault on Skylar witnessed by the sheriff, no less. Not to mention the restraining order she took out on you. The best thing for the family is for all of us to get back to Houston and work on things as we always do.”
Matt shook his head. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“What do you think to accomplish? You can’t get to Skylar while she’s at the ranch with the Easts.”
“She won’t be there forever.”
Spencer’s eyes widened. “Why are you so besotted with her? Or is it that she left you?”
The truth was, Matt never liked anyone leaving him. If anyone were going to end things, it would be him. That’s just how things were.
But Skylar was different. He didn’t intend to give up on her. He would win her back. He would prove that they were good together, remind her of the year that had bonded them. No one, and certainly not some piece of legal paper, was going to stand in the way of that.