by Linda Warren
Before she got out, he said, “Wait,” and handed her her purse. Then he added, “My place tomorrow night, and I’ll have lots of hot water.”
“I’ll be there.”
WHEN ABBY ENTERED the house, silence greeted her, and she thought that maybe her mother had ridden to school with someone else. Then Gail appeared from the kitchen, a concerned frown on her face. A pang of guilt hit Abby. Her mother obviously had been sitting here worrying ever since Abby left.
“Sweetheart, you’re back,” Gail cried, and ran across the room to envelope Abby in a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re home.”
Abby drew back. “Why aren’t you at school, Mom?”
“School?” Gail shook her head. “I couldn’t concentrate with you gone on this ridiculous trip so I took a couple of days off. I wanted to be here when you returned. I was so scared.” As she talked, she scowled at Abby’s appearance. “Why are you so dirty?”
“It’s a long story, and I’ll explain later. Right now, I want a bath and some food.”
“Okay,” Gail said. “You get cleaned up, and I’ll fix us something to eat. Then we’ll talk.”
Abby was glad of this reprieve to get her thoughts together. If she had to hear another I told you so, she wanted to be clean and fed. She stripped off her clothes and turned on the tap. As she waited for the tub to fill, she noticed several bruises on her body. Lesson learned, she thought, and slipped into the hot water. Oh, it felt like heaven. There was just one thing missing…Jonas. How she wished he was here, massaging her aching body. Then she’d massage his and… Damn, her racy thoughts were fogging up the room. That was the way she felt about him, though—hot, eager and excited.
She reached for the shampoo and washed the dirt out of her hair. Her thoughts veered in another direction. If Delores showed up—and Abby knew that was a big if—how would Mr. Brewster react to being caught in a lie? Would he admit to pulling a hoax? No, he probably wouldn’t, she decided. He’d try to turn it to his advantage. However, she wasn’t taking any more from him. If she didn’t get the answers she wanted, she’d leave…as she should have done when he’d first mentioned his fictitious daughter. Admitting defeat wasn’t easy, but tomorrow Mr. Brewster might get a taste of his own medicine.
Abby crossed her fingers and whispered, “Please, Delores, don’t let me down.”
She quickly dried herself, slipped on a white terry-cloth robe and headed for the kitchen. Her mother had the table set, and Abby couldn’t believe her eyes. Gail had prepared a full meal of meat loaf, mashed potatoes, green beans and salad.
“When did you do all this?” Abby asked as she took a seat.
“This morning,” Gail replied. “I had to keep busy. When you didn’t come back last night, I couldn’t sleep, so I planned a meal. I made peach cobbler for dessert.”
Abby picked up her napkin and placed it in her lap. “I’m sorry you were worried.”
Gail brought iced tea to the table and sat down. “That’s a mother’s job.”
“But Mom—”
“Eat, Abby, then we’ll talk.”
Abby did exactly that. She couldn’t ever remember being this hungry, and for a while, not a word was spoken. As she ate, she thought of Jonas.
“I wish I had known you had all this food cooked. I would have invited Jonas in.”
“I’m sure Jonas is more comfortable going back to…”
“To where?”
“Abby, I don’t want to argue.”
“Then, don’t say anything disparaging. Jonas doesn’t deserve it.”
Gail pushed the food around on her plate with a fork, but she didn’t say anything. Abby was grateful. She didn’t want to get into an argument about Jonas so soon. There would be plenty of time later for her and Gail to talk.
“Did you find Delores Alvarez?” Gail enquired quietly.
“Yes, after a long ordeal, we did,” Abby answered, and went on to tell her mother what had happened.
“Oh my God, Abby, you could have been killed,” Gail muttered in shock, her face a grayish white.
Abby patted her hand. “I’m fine, Mom, so don’t get hysterical.”
“I get so angry when I think of what Brewster has done to my family.”
“Me, too, but Jonas and I are hoping that tomorrow Mr. Brewster will tell us what this whole thing is about.”
“He’s an evil old man,” Gail said, gathering dishes and carrying them to the sink. “I wouldn’t believe a word he says.”
“I want to know why he sent us on a wild-goose chase, and if he had anything to do with paying Rios to keep us away from Delores.”
“It’s all too horrible to think about.” As Gail picked up more dishes, Abby noticed her hands were trembling.
“Mom, I’m fine, really,” she tried to reassure her.
Gail sank into her chair. “He’s playing with your life the way he played with Abe’s.” Her eyes met Abby’s. “I wish you’d go back to Dallas and your job and forget about Brewster. Then, he couldn’t hurt you.”
“I can’t do that.” She tried to make her mom understand. “I started this and now I have to finish it.”
“Why do you have to be so headstrong?”
“Because that’s the way I am.”
“Yes, you’ve always been that way. Once you got something in your head, I could never change your mind.”
“I have a head like cement.”
Gail frowned. “What?”
“Jonas said I have a head like cement.”
Gail fiddled with her napkin. “You and Jonas seem to have gotten very close.”
“Yes, we have,” Abby said without hesitation.
“I know it’s useless to tell you to be careful, because you’ll do exactly what you want…as you did with—”
“As I did with Kyle?” she asked shortly.
“I don’t want to discuss that.”
“Then, why are you always alluding to my marriage?”
Gail didn’t say anything, and Abby went on. “My marriage is over—accept it. And I wish you’d give yourself a chance to know Jonas. He’s more of a man than Kyle will ever be. He will never degrade or hit me. He’s loyal, dedicated and responsible.”
Gail jumped to her feet. “This isn’t about Kyle or Jonas,” she shouted. “It’s about Brewster and the hold he has over us. I want him gone—completely out of our lives.”
Gail was visibly trembling again, and Abby got up and put her arms around her. “After tomorrow, we never have to see him again.”
“Are you sure?” Gail brushed away a tear.
“Yes. If Delores shows up, we can get this whole thing straightened away. Then I’ll tell him what I think of him.”
“What about your father?”
Abby took a breath. “Mr. Brewster just used him as bait. I’ve accepted that he’s not going to tell me a thing.”
“And the letter?”
“I don’t know. Earl said it was authentic, but he wasn’t allowed to read all of it, so it’s probably another lie.”
“Then, why do you have to see Brewster tomorrow? Don’t give him any more satisfaction.”
“Because I plan to meet Delores at the mansion in the morning. And because I’m curious. I’m sure Brewster has all his bases covered, but it will give me some satisfaction.”
“Why would Delores come here?” Gail asked skeptically.
“Because I offered to pay her.”
“Oh, Abby, she’ll say anything for money.”
“I’m just paying her to tell Brewster that she didn’t have his child—that’s all.”
“I wish this was over,” Gail said, and started with the dishes again.
As Abby helped her mother, she remembered something Delores had said. “Mom, do you remember any women that worked for Brewster thirty years ago?”
“No, why?” Gail wrapped the meat loaf and put it in the refrigerator.
“Delores said he had an affair with some woman who worked in his office.”
&n
bsp; “Oh?”
“Yeah. She didn’t know the woman’s name, but I thought you might.”
Gail shook her head. “No, I can’t recall anyone, and I wouldn’t put too much faith in what Delores Alvarez says.”
“I guess, but Jonas can check the employment records. That should tell us something.”
“You’re doing it again,” Gail said.
“What?”
“Getting caught up in Brewster’s lies.”
Abby opened the dishwasher and began to put the dishes inside. Maybe she was, but she couldn’t help herself. There were so many unanswered questions. Abby had told her mother that after tomorrow, she’d let it go. Now she was wondering if she’d be able to keep that promise.
CHAPTER TWELVE
JONAS WANTED A BATH and clean clothes, but he didn’t go directly home. Instead, he drove to Mick’s Tavern. Business was nil this time of day, and Mick was with a liquor salesman, which Jonas knew was a waste of time. Mick got most of his liquor from Mexico. Jonas went down the street to a café and ordered a meal. Afterward, he walked back to Mick’s.
Mick was wiping down the bar. “Jonas, my boy. It’s good to see you. Did you find Brewster’s daughter?”
Jonas straddled a bar stool. “No, and I need information.”
“I’ll get you a Coke.”
“No.” Jonas stopped him, grabbing his arm. “I want to talk.”
“Okay.” Mick placed his hands on the bar. “What do you want to know?”
“Where can I find Victor Rios?”
“Aw, Jonas,” Mick grumbled, rubbing his hands on his apron. “You don’t want anything to do with that hombre. He’s bad.”
“Where can I find him?” Jonas persisted, knowing Mick knew everything about the Mexicans in Hope.
“Why do you want him?”
“Someone paid him to keep us away from Delores Alvarez, and I want to know who that someone is.”
“That Duncan woman still got you all tied up, ain’t she?”
Jonas’s eyes narrowed. “Answer the damn question.”
Mick rubbed a spot on the bar. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Mick, I can take care of myself. Where is Rios?”
“He hangs out on Fifth Street, but you won’t catch him there until early in the morning.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it,” Jonas said, and stood.
“Jonas?”
He glanced at Mick.
“Make sure your back is covered.”
“Don’t worry. I will.” With that, Jonas headed for his truck and his apartment.
After taking a hot shower and putting on clean clothes, he called the mansion. He wanted to know if Brewster was home from the hospital. He was, so Jonas made his way to the big house to have a talk with the man himself.
Maria, the housekeeper, let him in, and he went upstairs to Brewster’s bedroom. He heard Jules and Darby in the family room, but he didn’t bother with them. He tapped on Brewster’s door and went in. Brewster was lying in bed, hooked to an oxygen tank. Edna and a nurse hovered near him.
“This isn’t the time, Jonas,” Edna said, and tried to push him out the door.
But Brewster saw him. “Jonas, come in,” he called.
“He doesn’t need to be upset,” Edna hissed.
“Everybody leave,” Brewster ordered. “I want to talk to Jonas.”
“Now, Simon, you can talk later,” Edna told him.
“Get the hell out of my room,” Brewster shouted, and both women left.
“So you’re back,” Brewster said, when they’d closed the door.
Jonas lifted an eyebrow. “Surprised?”
“No, why should I be?”
Jonas watched him and wondered—as he had so many times—what this man was about. Why was he so hell-bent on hurting people? Why did he have to be so hard?
“Where’s Abigail?” Brewster asked impatiently.
“She’s at home. She’ll be here in the morning.”
“In the morning?” Brewster roared. “Why in the hell isn’t she here now? I want to know if she found my daughter.”
“You have that down perfectly, don’t you?”
Brewster frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“My daughter. You make it sound real.”
“She is real, and I want to see Abigail. Get her—now.”
Jonas sat down and crossed his legs. “She’s worn-out from the ordeal we’ve been through, and I’m not bothering her.”
“Ordeal? What ordeal?”
“Does Victor Rios ring a bell?”
“That bastard,” Brewster spit out. “You’d better make damn sure he isn’t on my property.”
Jonas was taken aback. He knew that Brewster hated Rios, but he’d thought they’d reached some sort of truce that would benefit them both. From Brewster’s response, it seemed that wasn’t the case.
Jonas uncrossed his legs and rested his elbows on his knees. “Someone paid Rios to keep us away from Delores.” He said the words slowly, watching for Brewster’s reaction.
“No!” was all he said, but Jonas could see he was upset. Jonas decided to push further. “Rios hired two unsavory characters to block our every move, and what they had in mind for Abby would chill your blood.”
“Goddammit, you didn’t let them touch her, did you? Jonas, I want to see Abigail.”
Brewster’s breathing was coming in gulps, and Jonas walked to his bedside. Brewster actually cared for Abby. That was a shock. But then, Abby had a way of working her way into a man’s heart. Jonas knew that for a fact.
He started to get the nurse.
Brewster stopped him. “I’m fine,” he mumbled, then asked, “Is Abigail okay?”
At the sincerity in his voice, Jonas knew Brewster had had nothing to do with paying Rios. Then who? Who would do such a thing?
“Abby’s fine,” he finally answered. “She’ll talk to you later.”
“You find out who hired Rios.”
“I intend to, and I’ll start with Jules and Darby.”
Brewster shook his head. “No, it’s not them.”
Jonas’s eyes narrowed. “You seem very certain about that.”
“I am,” he said. “The sheriff came by the hospital. He found some prints on the file room door and on Abigail’s car.”
“And who did the prints belong to?”
Brewster brushed it off. “It doesn’t matter. It’s been taken care of.”
“By whom?” Jonas asked in a guarded tone.
“By me, dammit, Jonas. Leave it alone.”
“Like hell I will,” Jonas exploded. “It was Jules and Darby, wasn’t it.” That made sense to Jonas. They were the only ones whom Brewster would protect.
Brewster didn’t deny it. “They just got a little nervous about their inheritance. I put the fear of God into them, and they won’t try anything else. I threatened to disinherit them if they didn’t tell me the whole story. They just wanted to scare Abigail to keep her from going to Mexico. They didn’t mention Rios, and they know better than to lie to me. So it’s not them. It has to be someone else.”
“And that’s it?” Jonas asked in a barely controlled voice. “The sheriff’s not going to arrest them or anything?”
“What good would that do? You can’t arrest someone for being stupid.”
Instead of telling Jonas or Abby about the prints, Sheriff Fisher had told Brewster. Jonas knew why. The sheriff took orders from Brewster, and Brewster had ordered him to back off.
Jonas glared at the man in the bed. “Do you know what Abby was like when I found her in that locked room? She was trembling and couldn’t breathe and bathed in her own sweat. If I hadn’t found her when I did, she might have died. That may not mean anything to you, but it does to me.”
“They will pay.” Brewster said threateningly. “Believe me, they will pay.”
Jonas’s anger cooled at the ominous tone. The future did not bode well for Jules and Darby.
“Did Abi
gail find Delores?” Brewster asked into the silence.
Jonas thought for a minute, then decided it was Abby’s place to answer. He wouldn’t steal the moment from her. “You’ll have to ask Abby.”
“Dammit, boy, you’re trying my patience.”
“It’s not the first time.”
A sly smile crossed Brewster’s face. “Yeah, now get back to work. Two days off is more than you deserve.”
Jonas nodded and walked out of the room. The words more than you deserve ran through his head. Brewster had made him believe that for years, but now Jonas felt differently…because of Abby. She made him realize that he deserved a hell of a lot more than Brewster’s abuse. He could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and soon he’d have his freedom.
He saw Edna in the hall flipping through a magazine and decided to talk to her. If Jules and Darby had locked Abby in that room, then Edna had known about it. She had a good reason to make sure they didn’t find Brewster’s daughter. After her sister’s death, she’d hoped Brewster would take an interest in Jules. There was no romantic involvement between Brewster and Edna, but she wanted Jules to take Brewster’s son’s place. That had never happened, but they were Brewster’s relatives, and he put up with them. The same went for Darby, who was a distant cousin also on Brewster’s wife’s side. Brewster had no living blood relatives, so if a daughter showed up, those three stood to lose a lot. But did Edna know Rios? Actually, she didn’t have to know him. All she had to do was put out the word that she wanted a job done, and he’d show up on her doorstep.
When Edna saw Jonas, she put down the magazine and got to her feet. “I hope you didn’t upset Simon with this daughter nonsense.”
“What are you going to do if there really is a daughter?”
“There isn’t,” she snapped. “He’s just delusional in his old age. But don’t worry—I’ll be here to take care of Simon.”
“And his money.”
She bristled. “How dare you talk to me like that.”
“Who do you think you’re fooling, Edna?” Jonas said curtly. “If Brewster didn’t have money, you wouldn’t even be here. You’ve been trying to get him to turn things over to you and Jules for a long time.”
