Lone Star Legacy Page 19

  I plan to tell Roger and the police everything, but if you’re reading this, something bad happened first. Take this key to our old bank. With love always, Patrick.

  SOPHIE SLEPT UNTIL almost eleven, then woke up with a fever and a sore throat, too ill and exhausted to travel. Every waking moment, she clung to Beth’s side, still shaken by the trauma of the day before.

  So when Joel offered to fly up to Chicago with the key, Beth gratefully accepted and tried to pay for his ticket. He kissed her lightly on the cheek and refused.

  He returned the next evening, after meeting with investigators in the white-collar crime division of the police department in Beth’s old suburb.

  Beth met him at the front door of his house, one hand at her mouth. “D-did it go okay?”

  Joel looked down at her and smiled. “Better than that. Before I left, an investigator had already followed the paper trail far enough to find the accounts where Ewen originally stashed the money he’d filtered from the company, and then to the accounts where he’d moved it later.”

  “No wonder he was in a panic to find the key to Patrick’s safety deposit box.”

  “My guess is that Pat threatened to reveal the evidence, thinking it would make Ewen back off…but instead, it drove him to murder.”

  “But why, if he didn’t have the key yet?”

  “He probably panicked, and thought no one would ever think twice if they found some old key, anyway. Then he probably had second thoughts later, and really wanted to tie up every loose end by getting it back. We’ll know more when he’s well enough for more questioning.”

  She swallowed hard. “And what about Patrick? The accident?”

  “They think Ewen ensnared him, then frightened him into complicity. Ewen already admitted forcing your car off the road on the night Patrick died.”

  “The same thing he did to Sophie and me…and all because of sheer, stupid greed.” She sagged against the door frame as an overwhelming sense of loss rushed through her, followed by bone-deep sadness over all she’d lost because of one evil man. Her husband. Her home. The comfortable, safe life she’d always taken for granted. “At least I won’t need to look over my shoulder anymore.”

  He searched her face. “Are you still planning to leave?”

  She saw no warmth in his eyes. Nothing in his expression that made her feel as if he wanted her to stay. Maybe they’d faced a little danger together, but nothing else had really changed. Yet, what did she expect?

  And why did she suddenly feel like crying, when so much was now resolved?

  “The adjuster came today. He said I should have a check in a couple days, so then I’ll have enough to buy another car.” She managed a weak smile. “After that…yes.”

  He stepped around her and dropped his duffel bag on the floor, then headed for the kitchen to draw a tall glass of water. “You do have more than just that insurance check.”

  “Nope. That will go back into savings, with half as the start of a college account for Sophie.” She rested a hand on the refrigerator. “Are you hungry? I could grill you a hamburger, or something.”

  He shook his head. “On my way home from the airport I stopped at Walt’s place.”

  “For dinner?”

  “More of a meeting, really…but there was food. And actually, I need to go back. Want to come along?”

  “To Walt’s?”

  “Sort of.”

  Beth hesitated, remembering the sad farewells she’d already made, to people she already missed, but the thought of being alone tonight made the decision easy. “We’ll go.”

  “Great.” He lifted his glass in a vague salute toward town. “Unless Sophie’s already asleep.”

  “Nope—she’s in the den with Viper and Darwin. They’ve been following her like shadows after being locked in the Bravada for such a long time.” She started for the den, then turned back. “Speaking of shadows, I did borrow your car for a quick trip into town this morning. I ran into Hubie.”

  “He’s back?”

  “He actually talked to me this time, though he’s sure wary. He said he’d promised Crystal that he’d always look after her place when she was gone.”

  “And she meant…” Joel shook his head slowly.

  “Just when she was away, but I think he’s made it his lifelong mission, even though she’ll never come back. I was afraid he was my stalker. Instead, he was trying to be my guardian.”

  “He probably helped keep Ewen away, too.”

  “No doubt.” She sighed. “It’s sad, thinking about Hubie, all alone. People in town think he’s lurking around looking for trouble, but all he ever wanted to do was help his best friend—even after her death.”

  JOEL DROVE SLOWLY through town, dreading the moment when they reached their destination. Dreading what might happen. So much depended on the next fifteen minutes—he felt as if his life had been hanging in the balance for years, just waiting for this point in time when the stars aligned and everything fell into place.

  Or it didn’t, and he ended up with absolutely nothing.

  Except Earl. Although the hound hadn’t been much company over the last few weeks, since he was still missing Viper.

  Beth leaned forward and peered out the windshield, then frowned. “I thought we were going to Walt’s.”

  “Not exactly.”

  “Then where?” When he turned up the street to the clinic, she sat back. “The clinic, then.”

  He let her think that until he passed the turnoff for the clinic and pulled to a stop in front of Crystal’s Café. The sun had set and shadows were lengthening across the front yard, but inside the lights were blazing both upstairs and down.

  Now Beth’s eyebrows drew together and she gave him a suspicious look. “You wanted me to meet the buyers?”

  He offhandedly shrugged and got out of the truck, rounded the front bumper and first helped Sophie climb out, then opened Beth’s door and offered her his hand.

  She accepted after a moment’s hesitation. “This isn’t like, a party, is it? If it is, I sure didn’t dress up.”

  The porch lights of the café highlighted the gold-and-ruby strands in her curly hair and cast shadows that accented her lovely, delicate face. Even dressed simply in khaki slacks and a dark green blouse, she was the prettiest woman he’d ever seen.

  “I don’t think that matters,” he said. “But before we go in, I want you to know this was Walt and Loraine’s idea.”

  “Ah. So they invited me. Not you?” She shot a teasing glance at him. “Good to know.”

  He’d worked undercover, dealing with the worst of the drug element. He’d investigated serial killers and had tracked down cold-blooded murderers. But never had his nerves been as unsettled as this—when he reached for the front door and ushered Beth and Sophie inside.

  A cheer arose from people who filled every table, the lunch counter, and who were standing two-deep across the back.

  Gina and Anna rushed forward and hugged Beth and Sophie. And then Walt and Loraine did, too, as everyone laughed and applauded.

  Beth looked stunned. “I—don’t understand.”

  Loraine steered her over to a chair and made her sit down. “We’re all just grateful that you’re okay—and we wanted you to know how much we care.”

  “And, we wanted you to know that you might be making a big mistake,” added Anna, who had picked up Sophie. “Just in case you didn’t know.”

  Gina nodded. “Walt talked to me weeks ago, and pointed out what needed to change. Only trouble was, we had trouble making it happen in time—and then all of a sudden, you were rarin’ to head north.”

  “Thought we’d have to go up there and fetch you back, except…” Walt’s eyes flashed fire. “Except for that bastard who ran you off the road and slowed you down.”

  Walt’s housekeeper nodded vigorously. “Everyone was worried about you, you know. Trying to watch out—trying to see who could be causing you trouble. We did find out part of it—” She flicked a glance at
Walt, who shook his head. “But not everything.”

  “Walt figured the town needed this place—and you—so he’d just better buy it before someone else did.” Loraine looped her arm in Walt’s. “The only thing is, we need you to stay. This place needs a good manager, you know. Someone with a real flair.”

  “I—” Beth looked from Walt to Loraine, her eyes filled with anguish. “I just can’t.”

  “But what if you had good benefits, as an employee? I’ve got a good plan through the clinic,” Walt said. “Or if you’d prefer a lease, that’s fine, too.”

  “And we all know that you’ve been worried about Sophie, so when I advertised for some new teachers for this fall, I specified experience in working with hearing-impaired kids.” Gina smiled triumphantly. “We’ve now got a dandy lined up, so we’ll be ready if Sophie still needs any extra help.”

  Joel held his breath, hoping she’d say yes. When she lifted her gaze to his, shook her head slightly and swiftly looked away, he knew what he had to do before it was too late.

  “Let’s give her a few minutes, okay?” Joel nodded toward the lunch counter. “Have a cup of coffee or a beer—on the house.”

  He waited until conversation started humming, then turned to Beth and offered his hand once more. “Come,” he said softly, hoping she wouldn’t refuse. “Let’s go out on the porch for a minute.”

  Once they were outside, he shut the door behind them. “Walt wanted it to be a surprise.”

  “It sure was, but I just don’t know what to say.” She avoided his eyes. “Everything is set. A good job. An offer on a house. There’s a new life waiting for me up in Billings, and a chance to start over, away from…”

  “Your problems? Maria didn’t want say it in front of the crowd, but the sheriff found out that it was those wild teenage boys who trashed your yard a while back.”

  “Why on earth did they do it?”

  “A stupid dare—nothing more than that. It’s hard to believe they went to that much work.”

  “There were some bad rumors about poor sanitation at my café, at first—was that them as well?”

  “No idea. Something like that is awfully hard to trace.” Joel cleared his throat. “Talbot says you can press charges against the boys, and you could also bring a lawsuit against them, if you want. Either way, the families are all well-aware of the consequences they’re facing, and you won’t have any more trouble.”

  She waved off the suggestion. “I’m just glad it’s all over.”

  The finality in her voice sounded like a death knell to his dreams. “I…want you to stay, Beth.”

  “Your uncle can find someone to run this place. He’ll do fine.”

  “No.” He rested his hands on her shoulders, and gently turned her around so she had to look at him. “If you leave, this town won’t be the same. I won’t be. Hell, Earl will probably go into a deep depression and never surface.”

  Her wary expression lightened. “Now, how could you ever tell if that dog looked depressed?”

  “ESP. But back to me,” he continued, brushing a featherlight kiss against her temple. “I need you, Beth. All the way to Chicago and back, the only thing I could think about was what it would be like if you walked out of my life.”

  She searched his face as if trying to find the truth. “You once said that you never want to be involved again. That you never wanted kids.”

  “I didn’t think I could ever again stand the pain of losing someone I loved. And a child…” He swallowed hard. “But when I saw you facing Ewen, with Sophie at your side, I discovered what would be worse.”

  She reached up and touched his face. “Which was?”

  “That if I didn’t get to spend the rest of my life with you, it would break my heart. And that nothing could make me happier than learning to be the best dad I could be, for Sophie.”

  Beth’s eyes glistened. “You really mean that.”

  “With all my heart. Marry me, Beth.”

  She laughed. “You’d go that far to keep this café running?”

  This time, he didn’t go for feather kisses and gentleness—he went straight to desire, kissing her long and hard and deep, until she was kissing him back exactly the same way.

  When he drew back, she looked up at him, and he had no doubt that she’d say yes—and knew that he’d just made the best decision of his entire life.

  And just to seal it for good, he kissed her again.

  “Forever?” she murmured when they finally came up for air.

  “And always.” Dazed, he lifted his gaze and discovered that the faces of at least half the population of Lone Wolf were plastered against the front windows of the café—including Sophie’s.

  And every one of them was smiling.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-0597-4

  LONE STAR LEGACY

  Copyright © 2007 by Roxanne Rustand.

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