Denton had been thinking the exact same thing. Now, more than ever, he needed to prove she was innocent. Either that, or he needed to get her as far away from Montana as he possibly could where nobody would know her face. Even if it meant walking through fire, he’d do all he could to find the person who killed Albert Greenwood.
ONCE DINNER WAS OVER, Clark and Denton left the house, leaving Courtney alone with Pearl. She had put the children down for the night and then returned to the living room to keep Courtney entertained. Of course, her nerves were all over the place. Denton wouldn’t let her see the newspaper, but all she had to do was look at his red face to know that whatever had been printed wasn’t good at all.
At first, Pearl tried to relax Courtney by telling stories about her children. The older woman’s tactic had worked for a little while, but then Courtney became restless again. She wanted to go outside and enjoy the beauty of the mountains. She wanted to walk as she tried to burn off her frustrations. But mainly, she wanted to be with Denton. She knew she shouldn’t have trusted him so easily, but once he admitted to believing in her innocence, she couldn’t help but forgive him for what he’d put her through since they met. But more than that, she thought about their almost kiss. How things had led up to that point, she didn’t know, but now she wanted to bring back that mood and have him look into her eyes and see the desire flaming in his green orbs.
Pearl had been trying to teach Courtney how to crochet for the last twenty minutes as they sat next to each other on the sofa, but the older woman wasn’t successful in her endeavors. Because this was the first time Courtney had ever crocheted, she found the sport quite confusing. Holding her fingers just right as the yarn weaved around one finger to the next made her hand cramp.
As a young girl, Courtney had learned how to pass her time painting. Her parents made certain Courtney had the best art teachers, which soon became her favorite thing to do when her parents weren’t having her help them entertain the neighbors or their town. Now, more than anything, she wished she had her canvas, paints, and brushes. Letting her mind create pictures to paint would surely calm her and think of more pleasant things than catching a killer.
Pearl had been quiet for a few moments as she whipped her crochet needles so fast that the blanket she was making nearly came to life right before Courtney’s eyes. That was a talent she would never possess.
“Miss Mills?” Pearl asked, glancing up for a moment to look at Courtney.
“Yes?” She lowered her tangled yarned hands to her lap.
“Denton mentioned that you are wealthy.”
“My parents are, and I will get some of my father’s money when I turn twenty-five.”
“How many more years until that happens?”
“I’m twenty-three already, so I won’t have to wait too long.”
Peal smiled, still watching her fingers spin the needles as she created the blanket. “I’ve never known anyone rich.” She glanced up at Courtney again. “And then Denton talks about his friend, Terrance Greenwood, and now I know about two people with a lot of money.”
Courtney sighed and tried to smile. “Money isn’t that wonderful. The love you and your husband have is worth more money than any of the Greenwood children have.”
Pearl stopped her crocheting. “Your parents weren’t in love?”
Courtney shrugged. “They were, but they loved money more, which is why when their friend, Albert Greenwood, mentioned marrying again, my parents couldn’t wait to sell me to the highest bidder.” Clenching her jaw, she didn’t want to say anymore. She was still upset at her parents for what they tried to do and going against their only daughter's wishes.
“Then, can I assume you are relieved that you didn’t have a wedding yesterday?”
Courtney frowned. “I am relieved, but then if Albert hadn’t been killed, I wouldn’t be running for my life right now.”
“Denton will find his man – or woman. He’s one of the best bounty hunters I know.”
Seeing Pearl’s appreciation shining in her eyes softened Courtney’s heart. “Tell me about him. He doesn’t like to talk about himself much.”
Nodding, Pearl chuckled. “That’s for certain.” She resumed her crocheting. “He comes from a close-knit family, but he is the only one out of his siblings who isn’t married.”
“Why not?”
“I suppose it’s because of his career. He never stays in one place for very long since he’s busy chasing outlaws. But I know he’d make a good father. He absolutely dotes on his nieces, Joanna and Emily.”
Hearing those names was a fresh reminder of how Denton had purposely lied to her. Then again, they were his nieces, so that hadn’t been a lie... just everything else. However, if roles were reversed and she’d been looking for a murder suspect, she would have lied to get some answers. She must believe that he was telling her the truth now.
Men’s voices echoed from the other room, and she recognized Denton’s deep baritone immediately. Courtney sucked in a quick breath and straightened her shoulders. Mother had always told her that slouching was for ill-mannered girls, and Courtney definitely couldn’t be considered in that category.
As soon as Denton looked her way, he smiled. Her heart flipped crazily, and she wished it wouldn’t. She had enough on her mind with Albert’s murder, and she didn’t need anything to complicate her emotions.
Clark moved to his wife and kissed her cheek. “Have ya been gettin’ to know Miss Mills better?”
Pearl smiled wide. “Indeed, I have.”
Denton glanced at the tangled yarn in between Courtney’s fingers and nodded. “What are you making?”
Courtney rolled her eyes. “A mess.” She untangled the yarn and set that and the crochet needle aside. “But I’ve had all the fun I’ll be having with this today.” She stood. “If you don’t mind, I would like to take a walk outside.”
“I think that’s a great idea.” He offered his elbow. “Do you mind if I join you?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Courtney wondered why she would talk this way, especially since flirting was not something she should be doing right now. However, it wouldn’t be polite to ignore his arm, now that he had offered it. She hooked her hand around his elbow, and he led her out of the house.
The evening was perfect. A small chill breezed around her, but the cooler temperature was refreshing. Pearl’s house was almost too warm for Courtney.
The sun had made its descent behind the mountains. The sparse clouds appeared lavender with splotches of yellow in the sky. It amazed her that she’d never really taken the time to study Montana’s sunsets before. With her uncertain future, she realized she wanted to see more sunsets, and she especially wanted to feel as peaceful as she did at this very moment.
Was it the sunset or the man she was with that made her feel such joy? Either way, the two made a great combination. Part of her wanted to keep them both in her life... forever.
SEVEN
ALTHOUGH THE SUNSET was breathtaking tonight, Denton couldn’t get his eyes off something lovelier. He watched Courtney’s eyes light up as she studied the sky, and the awe on her expression was quite noticeable. He had gathered that she had been raised in Montana, and he wondered why she found the scenery so spellbinding. Then again, that’s how he thought about her right now, which was why he didn’t want to look at anything else.
“Did you have a good visit with Pearl?”
Courtney swung her gaze to him. “Yes, I suppose it went well.” She sighed. “But I can tell she and her husband doubt my innocence.”
“No, they trust my feelings, and I’ve told them both how I don’t think you did it.”
She shrugged and dropped her hand from his arm as they strolled side-by-side in the yard. “I cannot explain it, then, but I see a bit of distrust in the way they look at me.”
“Then we’ll have to change that really soon, won’t we?”
She nodded. “The sooner, the better.”
> “While you were with Pearl, I went riding with Clark and had a lot of time to think. I’m starting to believe I don’t know Terrance’s siblings very well, and so I need to rely on you to help me.”
She stopped suddenly, and her gaze jumped up and met his eyes. “Me? Why would I know about Albert’s children? None of them liked me, and so we didn’t converse much.”
“True. However, I think Albert would have talked about his children. Or, you might have heard one of his servants gossiping. One way or another, I think you have heard something that might be helpful in this case.”
She frowned and twisted her hands against her middle. “Oh, Denton. I want to help you, truly I do, but the five times I had visited with Albert alone, I don’t think he talked much about his children.”
He needed to calm her down, reassure her that she could do this. “Courtney,” he said, gently cupping the side of her face, “take a deep breath and relax.” He waited for her to follow his instructions, and when her chest slowly rose and fell, her shoulders relaxed. “Close your eyes now, and I want you to think back to the first time you’d met Albert... the first time you really had a good conversation with him.”
Courtney’s eyes closed, and her breathing evened out. He moved closer and caressed both her shoulders, trying to help her keep calm. “Tell me about the meeting.”
“My parents took me to his estate. I was devastated by their decision to sell me to a man so much older. I was angry at them, and my attitude wasn’t very pleasant.” She kept her eyes closed. “Albert was understanding, and while we all sat in his parlor, he and my parents discussed the wedding arrangements and the money situation.”
She went quiet for a few moments and then cleared her throat. “I was bored to tears, and at one point during that afternoon, I excused myself to stretch my legs. I was actually surprised they allowed me to walk out on the wrap-around porch.” She gave a lengthy pause, and then she gasped, and her eyes flew open. Her gaze locked with his. “Denton, I did overhear two of Albert’s servants. I think they worked in the stables.”
Excitement rushed through Denton, and he moved his hands down to hers, clasping them lightly. “Tell me what you heard.”
“The stable boys were discussing Clive Greenwood’s financial status. At the time, I thought it was ridiculous for the servants to gossip about a man who didn’t live there, but the servants were saying that Clive was a gambler and that Albert had threatened to cut him off.”
Relief swept through Denton, and he squeezed her hands, reassuringly. “This is wonderful, Courtney. Is that all you heard?”
“After I heard them talking, I walked further toward the edge of the porch to see who was gossiping, and they saw me and quickly left.”
“You’re doing great.” He winked. “Now, think back to the other conversations you had with Albert. Did he say anything about his children?”
She licked her lips. “The day I met them all, I learned that Wallace owned stocks in several hotels, and he was very successful. Patricia, Albert’s oldest daughter, had married a wealthy man, so she was taken care of. Clive didn’t talk about what he did for a living, though.” She frowned during her pause. “But Terrance has a share in the railroad, and Louise...” She paused again, and her forehead crinkled. “I don’t recall what she does. She stays at Albert’s estate quite a bit, but she also lives in a townhouse.”
Denton nodded. “If I recall, Terrance mentioned how spoiled his sister was, and how he wished that she would find a husband. I’m assuming she lives off her father’s money.”
Courtney arched an eyebrow. “That’s motive for wanting to kill Albert, right?”
“Yes, and no. I’d think Louise would want her father alive in order to keep giving her money. If she were upset about her father wanting to give all of his money to his soon-to-be wife, I’d think that Louise would want you dead, instead.”
Courtney’s face paled slightly. “Then, I can be thankful that Louise didn’t think of doing that.”
Denton rubbed the pads of his thumbs across her knuckles in a soft caress. “I’m relieved, as well. However, I’m not going to cross her off my suspects’ list. She still has motivation, although it’s not as strong as Clive’s.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “But that just means I need to head back to Helena and do some digging.”
Disappointment registered on her expression, and his heart melted. She did care about him. The quick beat of his heart reminded him – again – that he should not be having these feelings for her.
“Do you want me to come with you?”
He gave her a tender smile and reached up and cupped the side of her face again. “I’d love to bring you with me, but with the sheriff looking for you in Helena, I don’t know where to keep you that would be safe.”
Her frown deepened. “I can’t go anywhere now.” Her voice choked. “Since the newspaper decided to show a sketch of my face, people will recognize me.”
Denton’s mind clouded with thoughts. He really didn’t want to leave her with Clark and Pearl. Yet, taking her to Helena was out of the question. Unless... He cocked his head and narrowed his gaze on her. “I wonder what you would look like as a brunette?”
Her eyes widened, and a smile touched her tempting lips. “Yes! I could disguise myself.”
Her skin was so soft, and he wanted to continue caressing her face, but the feelings it invoked inside his chest made him pull back. “I’ll have to get us rooms at the hotel, but as long as you stay there while I’m doing some research, I think you’ll be fine.”
She nodded. “Yes. I’m sure I’ll be able to help you with the case in some way, too.”
“That’s my plan.” The enthusiasm inside him was bursting with anticipation.
“Oh, Denton.” Sighing, she closed the space between them and pressed her cheek against his chest. “You’ll never know how grateful I am that you are on my side.”
Struggling for some composure over the intimate moment, he breathed slowly and deeply. Although he didn’t want to, his arms wrapped around her loosely as if they had a mind of their own. He closed his eyes and breathed in her flowery scent.
“Courtney,” he said in a voice that was too deep. “I think we need to keep our... um, relationship more casual.”
She tilted back her head and looked up at him. Sad eyes met his gaze, and his heart wrenched.
“I thought...” She licked her lips. “I mean when you almost kissed me earlier...”
“Yes, I know,” he quickly explained. “I had let my guard down, and I shouldn’t have.” He shrugged. “I had become lost in your mesmerizing eyes, and well, the temptation was great.”
Her expression relaxed, and her eyes darkened. Either that, or it was the sun dipping further behind the mountain. Yet, once again, the mood was set. Curse those moods! He was a weak – and very lonely – man.
“Forgive me,” she whispered. “I don’t mean to be a temptation.”
Just talking about enticement made it worse. He was sinking, and he couldn’t swim... or maybe, he just didn’t want to swim. The fast rhythm of his heartbeat was taking control over his mind, and all he wanted to do was kiss her passionately.
“You just cannot help it,” he told her. “And... neither can I.”
He couldn’t fight it anymore, and as he brushed his lips over hers, she melted against him, confirming that she’d been anticipating this almost as much as he had. He tightened his arms around her, proceeding with the kiss. Her hands wandered up to his chest, and she hooked her arms around his neck, which fit her body even closer against his.
He kept the kiss gentle and unrushed. He figured she wasn’t used to kissing a man, especially since Albert Greenwood had disgusted her. But she seemed to participate without hesitation.
Denton tilted his head and deepened the kiss. A throaty sigh escaped her – the most wonderful sound he’d ever heard. And heaven help him, it nearly drove him over the brink of madness. His heart soared higher than it had ever done befor
e, and he thanked God that his chest kept it from flying out of his body.
It felt wonderful to kiss a woman passionately, but his mind tried to argue that kissing this particular woman might cause heartache in time. If his heart got involved, he’d be in big trouble. Yet, he still wanted to take her to Helena with him so that he could make sure nobody caught her and took her to the sheriff. The newspaper article about her had mentioned a reward. Apparently, Albert’s children were going to pin this on Courtney, no matter if she was innocent or not. He couldn’t allow that to happen. Arresting the wrong person for Albert Greenwood’s murder was not justice.
Denton broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. Nothing was said as they held each other, and their deep breaths were in sync.
“Maybe,” he said finally, “we shouldn’t have done that.”
She grinned and straightened. “Or perhaps it was meant to be?”
He didn’t want to think of that. For now, he was going to take one day at a time and see what happened.
“I’ll talk to Clark and see if he can put us up for the night. First thing in the morning, we’ll head to Helena.”
“I’ll need a wig.”
“True. Maybe I’ll make a quick stop into town and find you one before we leave tomorrow.”
She exhaled a deep breath. “I truly cannot wait until this is over, and the murderer is found and locked away.”
“I agree. But you must keep in mind that people will still look at you as if you have committed a crime. They don’t forget so easily, especially when an important figure in the community has been killed.”
A frown claimed her face. “What will I do, then?”
He caressed her cheek. “We’ll deal with that matter when it happens. So, until then, let’s find us a killer.”
EIGHT
COURTNEY SCRATCHED underneath her dark brunette wig. Again. She’d lost count on their journey to Helena how many times the blasted wig had made her head itch. She couldn’t wait to lock herself inside a hotel room and take off her disguise. Not only was she wearing a dark wig, but she had stuffed a pillow in her blouse and skirt to look pregnant. That wasn't easy since most of her clothes fit her snugly around the middle.
Denton's Bride (Runaway Mail-Order Bride Book 1) Page 5
