by Joanna Wayne
“Having your grandparents leave their home in Napa Valley to move in with you in San Francisco would be asking a lot of them.”
“I don’t have to stay in California. I’m willing to move to Texas.”
Leif gulped in a breath of fresh air and tried to process this new and extremely unexpected announcement. Celeste wouldn’t take that news well.
But Effie had lived with Celeste for the first fifteen years of her life. She shouldn’t get upset if Effie lived with him for her junior and senior years of high school, not as long as Effie made frequent trips to London.
Only this new eagerness to live with him did not fit with the resentment she held on to so staunchly.
“Are you sure you’d be happy living with me? I mean, I’d love to have you, more than you can imagine. But I’d want you to be content and satisfied with the arrangement.”
Effie stared at him, her mouth open, her eyes wide. “I wouldn’t live with you, Dad. I could never live in that condo. It looks like something in a magazine. I’d be afraid to touch anything or have friends over.”
“I could buy a house in the suburbs.”
“You don’t need to. That’s why this is the perfect solution. I’d move onto the Dry Gulch Ranch. I know my grandfather is sick, but I can take care of myself and there’s plenty of room. I could even be a help to Grandpa as his condition grows worse.”
Leif fought his growing frustration. “R.J. can afford a nurse.”
“But he’ll need company and someone to talk to. And I would be here at night if he had an emergency. I could do the same chores here I do at the stables in California, plus I’d learn tons about horses from Hadley and Grandpa. There’s plenty of room, and I wouldn’t be a bother at all.”
Anger seared through Leif like a wildfire in a Texas draught. Effie had her new life in Texas all worked out. It included everything except him. But she couldn’t have come up with this preposterous notion on her own.
“This is R.J.’s idea, isn’t it?” Leif demanded. “He put you up to this. If he can’t manipulate me, then he’ll manipulate you.”
Effie’s eyes shot fire right back at him. “This is not his idea. He doesn’t even know about it. I haven’t asked him yet, but I’ll bet he’ll say yes. He likes having me here.”
“You can move to Dallas, Effie. I’d love to have you live with me. But you are not moving in with R.J. He’s not a parent, not even a true grandparent, in my mind.”
Her hands flew to her hips. “Why do you hate him so much? Why won’t you give him a chance?”
“Because he doesn’t deserve one.”
“Then maybe you should learn to forgive before you start preaching to me about it.”
Tears filled her eyes and she stamped away without looking back.
Leif started to go after her, but there was nothing left to say. She’d never understand why he felt the way he did about R.J., not without him telling her the whole ugly truth. Even then she might not see things the way he did.
But even if he’d had a great relationship with R.J., he wouldn’t have approved Effie’s plans. She was only fifteen. She needed a parent watching over her to keep her safe and make sure she was cared for.
He didn’t want to lose his daughter, but every move he made turned out to be the wrong one. Now he’d drawn his line in the sand and Effie had kicked the dirt in his face.
* * *
JONI SPOTTED LEIF sitting on a stump, his face buried in his hands, his shoulders drooped. She felt a tightening in her chest. He was a powerful man, smart, successful, charismatic. Extremely virile and ruggedly handsome.
But right now he looked like the defeated father of a teenage daughter. His vulnerability only increased the attraction she felt toward him.
He looked up as Joni joined him.
“Mind if I join you?”
“No, but I’ll be lousy company. How did you know where to find me?”
“Effie told me when she came back to the house without you. I take it things didn’t go well with her.”
“You might say that. If you’re here to give me a pep talk, it’s a waste of time.”
“I’m fresh out of pep talks. Actually I just wanted to let you know that I have to go back to my place. But don’t worry—R.J. said he’d get Corky to drive me.”
“What’s your hurry?”
“I heard from Detective Morgan. He’s on his way out to Oak Grove now and he needs to talk to me.”
“Did he say why?”
Joni sat down on the ground, nearby but not so near that there would be the chance of an incidental touch. She needed to think clearly.
“The detective has a police artist’s sketch of a suspect he wants me to look it.”
“Does he think it might be the man who was working on Jill Trotter’s ranch?”
“Apparently.”
“I don’t see why he’d have to meet you at your house. Why not just have him come here?” Leif asked.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Why not.”
“I don’t want to bring Effie into this.”
“I’m sure you could find a private place to talk. Besides, Effie knows about the murder now, so even if she realizes you’re talking to a detective, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise. You are a local resident.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I am,” he said.
“In that case, I’ll check with Hadley and see if it’s okay to use her house for the interview. If she agrees, I’ll call the detective back and see if that works for him. That way I won’t upset R.J.”
“By all means, we want to protect R.J.”
Leif’s sarcasm set her on edge and forced her to go on the defensive. “R.J. is seventy-eight years old and he has a brain tumor. And he’s my friend. So, yes, I want to protect him from unnecessary stress.”
“Won’t Morgan have to drive right by the big house to get to Hadley’s cottage?”
“Yes, but with luck R.J. will be resting and not notice.”
“Wherever you meet the detective, I’d like to sit in on the conversation.”
“I didn’t want to ask, but I’d hoped you would.” She’d known Leif a mere twenty-four hours and yet she’d never felt this close to any man. Not just sensually, but in every way. He was easy to talk to, easy to be around, far too easy on the eyes.
“Want to talk about what happened with Effie?” she asked, needing to change the subject before she gave in to the need to kiss Leif that stirred deep inside her and threatened her control.
Joni listened while Leif told her what Effie had said about his not being a real father and never wanting her in his life.
“I know you’re upset by her rejection, Leif. But she’s talking about her feelings with you now. That’s a big step forward.”
“It didn’t feel that way.”
“At the risk of sounding like a street-corner philosopher, you have to work through the pain before you can get past it.”
“Yeah, well, here’s the kicker. Effie wants to move to Texas.”
“That’s wonderful, isn’t it?”
“It would be if she wanted to move in with me, but she wants to move to the Dry Gulch Ranch.”
That was a shocker. “Even if you were in favor, would her mother agree to that?”
“Who knows what she’d agree to now that she’s leaving the country.”
“I’m definitely not following you now.”
Leif explained about Effie’s mother getting married and moving to London. Once he did, Effie’s choice made perfect sense to Joni.
It would give her mother a chance to adjust to married life and Effie a chance to finish high school in a system she was familiar with while spending her off time around R.J.’s magn
ificent horses.
But Joni was almost certain the desire to move to Texas went deeper than just living on the ranch. Even if Effie wasn’t admitting it to herself, she was reaching out to her father in a way that still kept her heart protected. If she didn’t care about him at all, there would be less tension and more just ignoring him.
Making Leif understand that wouldn’t be easy.
“I think her moving to the Dry Gulch is an excellent idea, Leif. Hadley told me how much she likes Effie. I’m sure she and Adam would love having her around. So would R.J.”
“So would I.”
“Dallas is only an hour’s drive from here in slow traffic times. You could see Effie every weekend and perhaps a night or two doing the week if you wanted. You’d be with her for the big moments in her life yet to come. And you wouldn’t have to worry about her spending so much time alone when you were involved in a big trial.”
For a second, she thought she might be getting through to Leif. Then the muscles in his face tightened, and the strain drew his mouth into a scornful frown.
“Effie is not going to live with R.J. as long as I have anything to say about it. And I have everything to say about it.”
He was impossible. “Do you honestly hate your father so much that you’d let it ruin your chance of having a relationship with Effie?”
“You don’t know anything about my relationship with R.J., so don’t go all judgmental on me.”
“Then why don’t you tell me what’s really behind your anger, Leif, because right now you sound like a spoiled, petulant child.”
She was so frustrated that she didn’t sound much better herself.
Leif hooked his thumbs in the front pockets of his jeans. “Another time, when you’re not already dealing with a nightmare. I’ve dragged you into enough misery for one day.”
“If you’re talking about the note, you had nothing to do with that.”
“I’m the one he warned you to stay away from. Now the lead investigator in the murder case is coming here to talk to you.”
“He’s coming to talk about the handyman who stopped by my house,” she reminded him. “Not the note.”
“Unless the two are related.”
“How could they be? For all we know the trespasser may have just been there to rob my house and left the note to throw off the sheriff. He may have only heard about you because your name is in the news.
“Whoever left the note knew we’d been together,” Leif said. “And he’s hanging around your house. At the very least he’s stalking you.”
Joni couldn’t deny that. “I’ll give Hadley and then the detective a call,” she said, more anxious than ever to get it over with.
Leif slipped an arm around her waist. “I know you think I’m a major jerk where R.J. is concerned. I won’t argue that point with you. But I want you to know how much I value your input regarding Effie.”
“My input right now is that I think you’re a father who’s about to make a big mistake that will push your daughter even further away.”
“Don’t mince words to save my feelings.”
“Would you prefer I lie and tell you what you want to hear?”
“No.” He pulled her closer as his fingers tangled in the loose locks of hair at the back of her neck. “I like you just the way you are, to the point, gutsy as hell.”
The wrath in his voice had dissolved into a raspy, seductive growl. Joni felt her control begin to unravel. She lit into Leif again about his nonrelationship with R.J., this time out of sheer frustration at the desire that rocked through her.
The next second Leif’s lips were on hers and he was pressing his hard, muscular body against hers.
She had no argument for that.
Chapter Thirteen
Passion exploded inside Joni as Leif ravaged her lips with his kisses. Her heart raced and she felt as if she were floating with nothing to tether her to the earth.
She kissed him back, parting her lips, thrilled anew with every thrust of his tongue. When she pulled away for breath, his lips began a slow, burning journey down her neck to the swell of her cleavage.
Joni moaned in pleasure as emotions swirled inside her, obliterating any attempt at reason. Leif kissed her again and again, on her earlobes, her forehead and then back to her mouth. This time when he pulled away for air, she was so dizzy with desire that she had to lean against him to keep from losing her balance.
Leif trailed his fingers down her arms and took hold of both her hands. “If getting mad at me does that to you, we’re going to have to argue a lot.”
“Why, that was nothing, counselor. You should see me when I’m not mad.” Her words were teasing, but she was certain her breathlessness gave her away.
“I take that as a challenge,” Leif said.
“To be continued later,” she pleaded. “Right now I should call the detective.” As soon as the heated thrumming though her veins allowed her to think.
* * *
IF THERE HAD been any lingering doubt in Leif’s mind that his attraction for Joni was growing out of hand, the kiss had finished it off. He was falling for her. It was frightening at best and dangerous at worst.
The timing couldn’t have been worse. His relationship problems with Effie had just hit a new benchmark. The danger to Joni was accelerating with no clear indication whether or not her stalker was Jill’s killer.
His cell phone vibrated. He pulled it from his pocket and checked the caller ID. When he saw that the call was from Travis, he walked away so that he wouldn’t disturb Joni’s conversation with the detective.
“What’s up, bro?”
“I was just calling to congratulate you on your recent fame. Can’t turn on the radio without hearing your name or catch the news on TV without seeing your ugly mug. Though I have to admit, you did look a bit more dashing at thirty-three than you do now.”
“Thanks. You always know how to cheer up a guy.”
“I do what I can. Actually, I was worried how the unwarranted notoriety and the murder were affecting Effie.”
“She’s more concerned with her own problems right now.”
“What problems?”
Leif explained the situation with Celeste’s upcoming marriage and Effie’s bizarre plan for avoiding the move to London.
“That could work in your favor,” Travis said. “Just tweak her plan a bit. Have her move in with you so that you could provide the proper supervision. Spend a couple of weekends a month at the ranch.”
“Which would mean I’d have to deal with R.J. on a regular basis. You’re the last person I’d expect to suggest that.”
“He’s dying, Leif. It’s not like you’re talking about years of servitude or dancing to the terms of that manipulative will he engineered.”
“No, he’s manipulating my daughter. That’s worse in my book.”
“You got a point there, too. Hard to believe R.J. has developed a sense of family loyalty at this late date, but I guess staring your own mortality in the face can change a man’s outlook.”
“He can do what he wants—as long as it doesn’t include me or Effie.”
“I hear you. I would like to see Effie while she’s in Dallas,” Travis said.
“Good. Change your mind and come out to the Dry Gulch for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.”
“Only if the turkey you’re stuffing is R.J.”
“What happened to the pep talk you were just giving me about his being a changed man?”
“That was for you, not me. Besides, I’ll be working tomorrow. I’m at the airport now, flying back to Dallas a day early.”
“Does this have anything to do with the Jill Trotter case?”
“You got it.”
“Interesting. Do you know anything new that I don’t?
”
“Not yet, but the investigation is apparently heating up. The vet you were telling me about got a threatening note.”
“I know, a note warning her to stay away from me.”
“Is she?”
“No. She’s here at the ranch now, a few steps away, on the phone with Detective Morgan.”
“Sounds cozy. Do I detect a budding romance here?”
“With all the trouble I’m causing Joni, I’ll be surprised if she even talks to me after this.”
“Nice dodge of the question, attorney. Anyway, I’ve been called in to do background checks on local admirers who may have delivered the note.”
“I’d love to know if you learn anything useful.”
“As long as the info doesn’t become classified, I’ll clue you in. In the meantime, Joni Griffin needs to stay safe.”
Leif lowered his voice even more. “You sound like you think there’s a connection between the note and Jill’s murder.”
“All I know is that Dr. Joni Griffin has become a significant part of the murder investigation. You figure it out from there.”
But Leif couldn’t figure it out. There were apparent gaps in his information, especially if Jill was killed for revenge by someone who believed she’d killed her husband. Nonetheless, Joni had become a key player in a murder investigation. That was reason enough to insist on spending the night at her place again tonight.
Unfortunately, the other reasons influencing his decision were not nearly as noble.
* * *
AS IT TURNED out, Adam was busy moving bales of hay to the northwest pasture, but Hadley seemed more than happy to give up her living room for the meeting with Detective Morgan. She’d taken the girls outside to climb, crawl, swing and slide on the wooden playground set Adam had built for them.
Joni and Leif took the two upholstered chairs that cuddled around a lamp table. Morgan took the sofa, an arrangement that permitted them all to make eye contact at will.
The detective had seemed congenial enough when he’d arrived, but his tone became deadly serious as he pulled a pencil drawing from a leather briefcase. He leaned forward and passed the sketch to Joni.
“Look closely at the facial features,” the detective urged. “Don’t try to force a similarity between the picture and anyone you’ve ever seen before. Let the picture speak for itself.”
