Betrayal of Trust

by Tracey V. Bateman

  Raven’s ire rose at the very thought that Kellie might be making a play for Ken. And even more so that Ken was exploiting it to bait her into using her past with Matt as a means to an end.

  Never mind that she planned to do that anyway, she didn’t need someone reading her so easily. It just made her feel more rotten than she already did.

  “Stop threatening me. You know Kellie would get on your nerves in three and a half seconds. You’d be miserable. Meet me in forty-five minutes.”

  Without waiting for a reply, she hung up. A second later the phone rang. A grin split Raven’s lips. She snatched up the receiver. “You just have to have the last word, don’t you, cowboy?”

  “I’m sorry?”

  Raven nearly swallowed her tongue at the unfamiliar voice. “Who’s this?”

  “Um, Sonny.”

  “Well, Sonny, I think you dialed the wrong number.”

  “I don’t think so. Raven Mahoney?”

  “All right, buster. I don’t know how you got this number, but I don’t take calls from strange men.”

  “Wait! Don’t hang up. If you’re Raven Mahoney, then you’re going to want to talk to me.”

  Matthew jolted awake and fought to understand why he could barely breathe.

  “Are you awake, Dad?”

  A smile lifted the corners of Matthew’s lips and he opened his eyes to find Jamie sprawled across his chest, her dark hair sticking up in about twenty different directions.

  “I am now, you little twerp!” Grabbing the little girl he wrestled her across the bed and tickled her just enough to be funny. Too long and it was just mean. Matthew wouldn’t do that. But they both enjoyed a short wrestling/tickle game.

  “Hey, Dad?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I saw you on TV yesterday.”

  “You did?” Irritation nipped at Matt. “How come you were watching it?” And more importantly, why didn’t his mother keep Jamie away from the set? She knew he wouldn’t want his daughter watching.

  “The news interrupted cartoons.”

  “I see.”

  She stretched out on her side next to him, her ear cupped in the palm of her head as she rested on her elbow. Her eyes dulled with a rare solemnity as she stared at him with concern.

  “How come you changed your mind about being senator?”

  A lump gouged Matthew’s throat. “I just decided it was best.”

  “Why?”

  He caressed his daughter’s hair. “Some things are not up for discussion, Jamie. When you’re older, I’ll explain.”

  The little girl scowled, looking an awful lot like Ray. Way too much. Matthew’s pulse quickened. As if by instinct, Matthew reached forward and grabbed her into a fierce hug.

  “Dad!” The muffled voice held a squeak of mild panic. “You’re squishing me.”

  Reluctantly, Matt released her. “Jamie, I want you to listen to me. This is very important. Are you paying attention?”

  Wide brown eyes stared back at him, as Jamie nodded.

  “You have to be careful. Play close to the house and don’t go near the gate. Understand?”

  “Why?”

  “Because I said so.”

  She frowned, her freckled nose wrinkling in confusion. “But why do you say so? I always play by the gate.”

  “Can you just trust me on this one?”

  She hesitated, but gave another nod.

  “Don’t talk to anyone you don’t know really well. Even if you see me talking to the same person. Clear?”

  “Come on, Dad. What’s all the drama about?”

  Matthew smiled at his daughter. “There are some things I’m not ready to talk about.” Like the fact that your natural dad is out of prison and extorting money from me. And if I didn’t step down from the race, he could have used my position to exploit you. If Jamie were a few years older, he could have told her those things, but not at eight years old. For now, she needed to concentrate on playing soccer and watching the Cardinals and having a great summer vacation. “Now, are you clear on the new rules?”

  She shrugged. “I guess so. Can we go to breakfast now? Grams said we’re having blueberry pancakes.”

  Matthew’s favorite. He had a feeling he’d be getting a lot of his favorite dishes over the next few days. Mom’s way of consoling him. It was a wonder he didn’t weigh a ton.

  “Go tell Grams I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Matthew took a quick shower then headed down the hall toward the stairs. He paused at Casey’s door, tapped lightly, then opened it just far enough to see in. His little sister slept peacefully, her long lashes fanning baby-doll cheeks. She was still so innocent. His heart ached for what might have been. What sort of life might she have had if Ray had never come to work at the mansion as a gardener? A user and an abuser, he’d sweet-talked his way into Casey’s life. Her family hadn’t discovered the relationship until it was too late—Casey left home, moved in with Ray and lost her trust fund down the black hole of drug abuse. Ray’s addiction.

  Guilt squeezed Matt’s heart. And he thought the same self-condemning words that had repeated themselves over and over during the past eight and a half years.

  If only he had never hired the man who had wooed his sister then stolen her innocence.

  Chapter Three

  Raven mulled over her strange telephone conversation as she wove in and out of five lanes of traffic. She was already twenty minutes late to meet Ken. And Ken didn’t like being kept waiting.

  Well, he’d just have to get over it. She wasn’t going to tell him the caller had been her long-lost half brother. A fresh jolt knocked into her gut at the thought. She actually had a brother?

  Sonny Thatcher. Son of Josiah Thatcher…her father. A twinge of guilt pinched at her as immediately her mind conjured the image of Mac. She didn’t want to hurt the man who had loved her as his own and raised her with the same loving care as he had her two younger sisters. But how odd to discover her biological father had lived in Kansas City. All these years, they’d shared the same city of residence.

  Her conversation with Sonny had been brief. She’d listened to just enough to convince her he might be telling the truth about their familial connection, set up a meeting time and place, then sat on her overstuffed couch and allowed her heartbeat to slow to a steady rhythm for the next ten minutes. She wasn’t positive that she even wanted to know these men. But she couldn’t shake off her curiosity and had set up the meeting despite her conflicting emotions.

  A horn blared behind her as she whipped her SUV into the last lane of traffic just in time to avoid missing her exit. That’s all she needed, further delays.

  And why wasn’t Ken answering his cell phone anyway? Essentially, it was his own fault he didn’t know she’d be late. She’d tried to call him four times.

  She pulled into the parking lot ten minutes later and breezed into the coffee shop. Ken sat at their table.

  “I don’t want to hear it,” she said putting up her palm. “I have a good reason for being late.”

  He shrugged. “I just got here, myself.”

  “Ken! What if I’d been here waiting for thirty minutes?”

  He shrugged again. “So, what’s your good reason for being late?”

  “Forget it. Let’s just order coffee and get started.”

  “I’ve been thinking about it.” He drew on his cigarette, then released the smoke into the aisle where a leggy blonde in a red business suit walked by and glared. Ken gave her a once-over and pointed to the Smoking Section sign.

  “I wish you’d stop offending people with those things. Especially when I’m with you. What if they recognize me?”

  “You’re flattering yourself again.”

  Raven’s cheeks warmed. “What have you been thinking we can do?”

  “Most logical? Call him up and remind him why he ever had a ‘thing’ with you in the first place.”

  “Hey, don’t imply it was less than it was.
We had a real relationship. No kissing on the first date, down on one knee, heirloom engagement ring, the whole works. And yes, waiting until marriage for anything more than kissing.”

  Surprise registered on his face. “So he’s the honorable type. That’ll help.”

  Raven scowled. “I don’t know if I want to use my past relationship with Matt just to get a story. It cheapens it in a way.” The only real relationship she’d ever had. It was a bittersweet memory, but one she cherished all the same.

  “If you don’t get the story someone else will. Are you willing to let it be Kellie?” He leaned forward. “I’ll let you in on a secret a little birdie told me.”

  “What?”

  “Kellie’s mother is a club friend of Matthew Strong’s mother. Seems they meet once a week for lunch. So you see, Kellie has an inside track to this guy too.”

  Raven’s competitive nature took charge. Ken was right. Matthew couldn’t hide forever. Eventually someone was going to track him down and get a story out of him. No way was she going to let that person be Kellie. She stifled a growl. Why did everything have to come to that girl handed on a silver platter? Well, she couldn’t have Matthew!

  She snatched up her cell phone.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Calling Matt, what do you think?”

  Triumph shone in his green eyes. “You know the number by heart?”

  “If it hasn’t changed since we were dating. You know I never forget anything. As far as I know he’s still living in a wing at his parents’ mansion. Since his dad died, he’s sort of the man of the family.”

  Ken rolled his eyes. “Families are a chain around your neck. You have to cut them loose or you’ll never have any peace.”

  Raven hated when he talked like that. Her head and her heart were constantly in a struggle about family and she didn’t like hearing it so blatantly from a bohemian with no morals and no ethics. If Ken weren’t such a great cameraman…

  She dialed Matt’s number while Ken looked on. It rang four times then a child answered. “Hello? Who is this?”

  “I’m not allowed to say,” the child replied. “Who’s this?”

  “Is—is this the Strong residence?”

  A long pause on the other end.

  “Hello? Are you still there?”

  “Yes,” came the whispered reply.

  “Is this the home of Matthew Strong?”

  “I’m not allowed to say.”

  “Who are you talking to, Jamie?”

  As if caught playing phone pranks, Raven quickly disconnected.

  “What?” Ken stared at her, his eyes asking the obvious question.

  “A kid answered. I think I must have gotten the wrong number.”

  “Maybe it was Matthew’s kid.”

  Raven scowled. “And no one knew about a wife and child? Come on.”

  “Yeah, that’s true. So what now?”

  Raven took a sip of the too-sweet, chocolate-flavored coffee and pinched a bite from her muffin.

  “Matthew was always a creature of habit. He probably still works out at Randy’s Gym on Harrison.”

  “Mr. Senator at that dive? I don’t see it.”

  “Trust me.” Digging into her purse, she tossed some bills on the table, then stood.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I think it’s time to get back into shape. See you later.”

  With a grin, she exited Corner Coffee and headed to her car. First stop—the sports shop two blocks away. She’d need exercise clothes and gym shoes if she were going to pull this one off.

  Now, please God, let Matthew still work out at the gym.

  The memory of that phone call this morning irked Matthew. Jamie knew better than to answer the phone. Only the girl’s insistence that the caller had been a woman stopped Matthew from calling the phone company and changing their number.

  He couldn’t explain to Jamie. And that made things hard. The kid was growing more independent by the day. Answering the phone was taboo. She knew that. If one of her friends called, she could talk. But she could not answer on her own. Why had the little girl picked now to start testing the limits?

  Dusk was settling as he pulled into the parking lot. His muscles twitched, anticipating the welcome punishment. He knew he could trust Randy not to let anyone know he was coming in to work out. The salty characters at his gym were serious body builders who didn’t care if he was a senatorial candidate or a factory worker named Ed. As long as he didn’t hog the free weights, they were cool. Never once had he had to deal with the press before, during or after a workout. And right now he needed to sweat. To push his body to its limits and clear his head.

  He kicked the treadmill up a couple of more notches and increased his running speed. His heart responded with the appropriate rise in beats per minute.

  The newest CD from his favorite worship band blasted in his ears through headphones, upbeat music lifting his spirits and setting his mind on things above. Soon he became lost in the rhythm of the music and his own body’s rhythm as he pounded out mile after mile on the soft surface.

  You’re with me on the mountaintop

  When my world comes full stop.

  With me in the darkest times,

  With me when the sun shines bright.

  I know Your hand is guiding me

  In trusting You I find release.

  Matthew swallowed down the lump in his throat. Trust had been difficult. He couldn’t see where the rest of his life could possibly go. It would be nearly impossible to practice law again any time soon. Too many people knew him. Politics were out of the question—at least until Jamie was grown, and by then, it would most likely be too late.

  He supposed he could move to a quiet little town in a different state and start a bookstore or a café or something.

  I know Your hand is guiding me.

  In trusting You, I find release.

  I want to trust You, Lord. But I can’t see what You possibly have planned for me.

  He might have continued the prayer, but movement caught his attention through the mirror in front of the treadmill. A woman entered the workout room. Every eye in the place followed her as she glided to a cross-training machine. Matthew’s throat went dry. She looked so much like…

  Just then she looked around and spotted him. Her eyes went wide with surprise. Matthew nearly stumbled. To avoid falling flat on his face, he peeled his eyes away from Raven and turned his attention back to the treadmill for just a second to slow to a walk and then a stop. He grabbed a towel and swiped at the sweat streaming from his face, neck and arms as he walked toward her. Not exactly the impression he wanted to make on Raven Mahoney after fifteen years.

  Her lips curved into a gorgeous smile that did more aerobically for his heart than the last four miles on the treadmill.

  “Matthew,” she said breathlessly. “You still work out here?”

  Ignoring the twinge of suspicion niggling through his mind, Matthew took her proffered hand, wishing he didn’t reek of sweat so that he could pull her to him and bury his face in the silky strands of her hair.

  “You know me. This is the only place I can get a decent workout. Luckily the press hasn’t gotten wind of it yet.”

  Her expression clouded.

  “I didn’t mean you.” He smiled.

  Relief crossed her features and she smiled back, flashing teeth that were just a little more perfect than he remembered.

  “So what have you been up to?” he asked.

  “Oh, I just got back from my sister’s wedding in Rolla.”

  “Which one?”

  Raven smiled. “Denni. Keri married her childhood sweetheart a year ago.”

  “So you’re the only unmarried Mahoney girl left?”

  She shrugged and her nostrils flared a little the way they did when she was trying to pretend she wasn’t irritated. “I guess so.”

  “You didn’t have to be.” Matthew could have kicked himself. Now why had he gone there? Her
expression hardened.

  “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Matt. You want to show me how this thing works?” She indicated the cross trainer machine. Clearly the subject was closed.

  “How about if I take you to dinner instead?”

  “What about my workout?”

  He leaned in. “Between you and me, I think you can afford to skip it.”

  Pink crawled to her cheeks, charming Matt. So the self-assured reporter still had trouble taking compliments.

  “What do you say?” he pressed.

  She narrowed her gaze and studied him as if trying to gauge his motives. “You know I’m a reporter. What if all this was a ruse just to get a story from you? Maybe I want you to ask me to dinner?”

  The challenge was more than Matt could resist. He winked. “Then let’s just say I played right into your hands.” He knew he’d have to be on guard. Still, after all they’d shared he couldn’t believe she’d callously milk a story from him with no thought to his privacy.

  Still, she hedged. “It’s just dinner, Raven. No strings attached.” Unless you want them to be.

  Her expression softened and she nodded. “All right. I’ve heard these machines are real torture anyway. Dinner with you has got to be preferable.”

  The teasing glint in her eyes shot through his heart, igniting feelings that had eluded him since he’d watched her walk away. She still had him. Hook, line and sinker, his heart belonged to this woman. All she had to do was say the word and he’d bring out that velvet box containing her engagement ring and pick up right where they’d left off.

  Maybe he had a future after all. And maybe that future was wrapped up in Raven Mahoney.

  Chapter Four

  Raven couldn’t believe her luck. She stared across the table as Matt gave the waiter his order and handed back the menu. How was it possible that he’d grown even more handsome during the past fifteen years? A few lines etched the skin next to his eyes and around his mouth, but these served only to give him a mature, distinguished appearance. A few silver strands of hair near his temple added to the effect and Raven found herself wanting to giggle like a nerdy high school girl who had landed a date with the captain of the football team.