by D'Ann Lindun
“Someone killed Lyle?” Lillian looked between them. “Why?”
“He was found dead in Henry’s barn, and the cops are trying to pin his murder on me. If I didn’t kill him, and if Lassiter didn’t have him offed, then who did?”
“The cops think Cooper did it,” Elizabeth said.
“Cooper?” Lillian interrupted. “My goodness.”
“Yes,” Elizabeth said. “But he didn’t do any such thing.”
Lillian touched her daughter’s face again. “Baby, you’ve been through so much — ”
Rufus grunted, interrupting. “Touching scene.”
“Because of you, Elizabeth thought her mother was dead.” Cooper wanted to slug him again. He took a deep breath. “Back to the subject, we better figure out who killed Lyle Pritchett, or I’m headed for the big house.”
Elizabeth scooted to the edge of the seat. “I think Lyle saw something he shouldn’t have, and was murdered because of it. But by who?”
“I think we need to talk to Lassiter,” Cooper suggested. “Same with Tom Harper. We need to pin him down on a few things. I bet he’ll be happy to turn tail rather than go to jail.”
“Can we go home now?”
“I don’t think Rufus is going to argue about it.” Cooper bound Rufus’ hands behind his back, then took Elizabeth’s arm and stood up. “Ready, ladies?”
Together, they walked out of the cabin, Rufus in front of them.
“Get in the SUV and start it,” Cooper instructed Elizabeth. “I’m going to get our tack. The horses will come home, if they aren’t there already.”
After stowing their saddles in the rear of the SUV, Cooper walked around to the other two trucks and took the keys. Finally, Cooper got in the driver’s seat and started the engine. He headed for the ranch.
The three ladies didn’t speak. He supposed they were all too shell-shocked by their ordeal to chat. He wasn’t feeling so great himself. Esperanza had sold him out. They hadn’t made their marriage work, but he didn’t think she hated him either. He stole a glance at the woman next to him. Elizabeth wouldn’t do that to him.
No matter.
Now that her mother was safe and sound, she’d be heading back to L. A.
His chest tightened at the thought, and he gripped the steering wheel with both hands so hard his knuckles turned white.
Chapter 17
“Are you warm enough?” Elizabeth tucked another blanket around her mother’s shoulders. Cooper had dropped them off a couple hours ago, calling briefly when he’d gotten home to tell them the horses had arrived safely. Elizabeth had barely been out of her mother’s sight for a minute.
“Yes. That long bath helped. Dinner smells good. I’m starving.” Lillian looked like her old self. Her dark red hair was styled in its normal fashion, she’d applied a bit of makeup and she wore her signature scent. Fancy curled up in her lap, purring contentedly. Elizabeth’s pup, which she had yet to name, slept on Lillian’s feet.
Elizabeth sat by her mom. “It’ll be ready in a few minutes. I didn’t make anything fancy, just salad, wild rice, and broiled lemon chicken breast.”
“You have no idea how good that sounds. If I had to eat one more can of beans and peaches, I was going to commit a crime myself.” Lillian took Elizabeth’s hands in her own. “Honey. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
“Oh, Mom. Don’t talk like that.” Elizabeth leaned over and hugged her as tight as she could squeeze. The cat jumped out of the way.
“You saved me, baby.” Lillian’s voice wavered. “If you hadn’t come out here and found me, who knows what would’ve happened. I think they would’ve killed me.”
“Why didn’t you just sign the papers?”
“Because they wouldn’t have turned me loose afterwards. Stalling is what kept me alive as long as it did.”
“I’m so sorry you were so frightened,” Elizabeth said, her eyes misting.
“Me, too.” Lillian smiled. “But it’s over now.”
“Yes. We can get back to our normal life,” Elizabeth said. A pain in the vicinity of her heart accompanied her words. Cooper wasn’t part of her normal life. In a few days she’d be back in L. A., and he’d be a memory.
As if she could read Elizabeth’s thoughts, Lillian said, “Tell me about this Cooper.”
Elizabeth avoided her mother’s gaze. “What about him?”
“Is it serious?”
“Serious?”
“You know, the man you’re head over heels in love with? And does he feel the same way?”
Elizabeth took her hands back and stared at her un-manicured nails. “I don’t know how he feels about me. I’m crazy in love with him, but he has some secret past he can’t seem to leave behind. Whatever the issue, it keeps him from me.”
“He’s the one?”
“Yes.” Realizing she hadn’t hesitated, Elizabeth knew it was true. Cooper was the only man for her. If only she could make him see that. But how? She’d thrown herself at him twice and it hadn’t made any difference.
“Then tell him, darling.”
“I can’t. I have to go home with you. Back to work.”
Lillian stroked Elizabeth’s cheek with the back of her hand. “One thing this ordeal has taught me is not to wait to live your life. All I want is for you to be happy. If that means you staying here with a cowboy, then that’s what I want, too.”
“Oh, Mom.” Elizabeth threw herself in Lillian’s arms and buried her head in her shoulder. “I love you so much.”
“I know you do. Now tell Cooper you love him, too.”
• • •
Three days after they got home, a group of people, including Cooper, Elizabeth, Lillian, Sabrina, two of her brothers, and Russ Stone, all sat in Elizabeth’s living room facing a federal agent, Mitch Fairfield.
“I’d better start from the beginning,” Fairfield said. “First, I know who’s responsible for Lyle Pritchett’s death.”
Elizabeth leaned forward. “Who did it?”
Fairfield consulted a notepad. “One of the cattle rustlers by the name of Kirby Daniels. We picked him up this morning in Las Vegas. Apparently Pritchett was hanging around when they brought Mr. Cooper’s cattle through your pens. The idea was to haul the cattle from here, not realizing the place was occupied. They left before you got here, but Lyle witnessed the whole thing. The rustlers didn’t take time to deal with Pritchett then. But Daniels came back on his own and hit Pritchett to shut him up. The blow caught him just right and it killed him instantly.”
“Poor old man. I’m so relieved Splash didn’t do it,” Elizabeth said. “Thank goodness.”
“Who?” Fairfield flipped through his notes.
“My horse.”
“Right. The horse. One of them, Rufus Taglioni, rode him, by the way. I guess he couldn’t resist trying out such a fancy animal.”
“I knew it,” Elizabeth cried. “That jerk.”
Sabrina spoke. “Kirby’s the one who hit Mrs. Adams and me, too, when we tried to run.” Her eye and lip still looked terrible.
Next to her, James, her older brother, clenched his fists. “You better find that S.O.B. Before I do.”
Making a note on his pad, Fairfield ignored that and said, “Mr. Cooper, your stolen cows are penned at Lassiter’s ranch, waiting to be transported home at his expense. We just need an affirmation from Mr. Stone that the brands and paperwork match.”
“I’ll do it first thing in the morning,” Stone assured Cooper.
“What about the local police?” Elizabeth asked. “Have they been arrested?”
“We interviewed them yesterday. Marlowe took a deal for his cooperation. He found Lassiter’s oil pump one day while on patrol and he knew Lassiter couldn’t have permission to be out there. Everyone knew Henry Harper was a bit of an environmentalist. He wouldn’t have agreed to drilling on his property. Lassiter paid the sheriff off to keep quiet about his operation. If anyone got too close, he ran them off.”
“Like Rose,
the florist?” Elizabeth bit her lip. “I know she saw my mom but wouldn’t admit it.”
“Yes. Marlowe threatened her. He scared her so badly she’s packed up and left town. Rose was one of the few people who spotted Mrs. Adams. Another was Preston down at the gas station. After Miss Frazier questioned Preston, Marlowe went in the next day and told him to keep his mouth shut. Preston didn’t run, although he wouldn’t help tow Mr. Cooper’s truck when it was wrecked. He’s confirmed that Marlowe threatened him if he did.”
“What about Tom Harper?” Cooper glanced at Elizabeth. “Was he the one who terrorized Elizabeth?”
Again Fairfield consulted his notes. “Deputy Harper is basically innocent in this. He had no knowledge of Lassiter’s and Marlowe’s dirty dealings. He admitted to leaving a slip of paper in Miss Adams’ back door lock and coming back later and opening all the windows to scare her away.”
“Why?” Elizabeth asked in a strangled voice. “I don’t understand.”
“He feels that it’s unfair for your mother to inherit Henry’s property. The way he sees it, you came out of nowhere and took what he felt was rightfully his. His plan was similar to Lassiter’s — to make things uncomfortable enough that you’d go away and leave the ranch to him. Basically, we can get him on breaking and entering, but that’s about it. You’ll have to press charges.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Hopefully, he’ll come to his senses, and realize we’re family.”
Fairfield stood. “Well, if I’ve answered all your questions … ”
“Not quite.” Cooper stood as well. “Do you have Lassiter in custody?”
“We did.” Fairfield swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “But he’s already posted bail.”
“He kidnapped my mother,” Elizabeth cried. “Isn’t he going to pay for that? Not to mention he had his thugs beat up Sabrina.”
“When he goes to trial it’ll all come out,” Fairfield said. “But with the kind of high-powered attorneys he can afford, well it’s anyone’s guess whether he’ll see any real jail time.”
“And my ex-wife?” Cooper asked. “What’s her punishment?”
Shaking his head sadly, Fairfield said, “None, I’m afraid. She didn’t really do anything except suggest to Lassiter that he have your cattle stolen. Unethical, yes. Criminal, no.”
“Are you talking about Esperanza?” Lillian demanded. “Because if you are, she stayed with me most of the time I was held prisoner. I’d say that makes her an accessory to kidnapping, doesn’t it?”
“I wasn’t aware of this,” Fairfield said. “We’ll pick her up today.” He retrieved a cell phone out of his suit pocket and dialed. Quickly, he spoke into it, relaying Lillian’s information. “If there’s not anything else, I’ll be going. I’ll be in touch as the trial draws near.” He left them, all a little shaken.
“Wow,” Sabrina said. “Whoever would’ve thought there’d be so much intrigue in little old Salt Lick, Colorado? Makes L. A. look kind of tame, huh?”
“I can’t wait to go home, where I know I’m safe.” Lillian scooped Fancy off the couch and hugged him to her. “We’re city folk, aren’t we, precious?”
Elizabeth felt Cooper’s gaze on her, but she avoided his eyes. Afraid to look at him and see the rejection she feared, she went into the kitchen to get more coffee. Finding the pot empty gave her the perfect excuse to hide. Sabrina joined her in a minute.
“How’s it going?”
“Okay. I’m so happy about my mom.” Elizabeth hugged her new friend. “Thank you for helping to find her.”
“I didn’t do a darn thing.” Sabrina shook her head with regret. “As a P. I., I was less than worthless. But I sure am glad it all turned out for the best.”
“You weren’t worthless,” Elizabeth denied. “You’re the one who figured out the whole boundary line thing.”
“I got caught, and I didn’t get your mom out of there.” Sabrina looked like she wanted to cry. “I didn’t do my job.”
“Stop this right now,” Elizabeth said. “You did a great job. Everything you could do, you did. Now, not another word about it, okay? In fact, I need your bill so I can pay you. On another note, James looks like he’s about ready to kill someone. I hope Fairfield finds Kirby before he does.”
“James would kill Kirby for hitting me,” Sabrina said with all sincerity. She brightened. “Do you like him? He’s single. Hell, I have four unmarried brothers. You could take your pick. Please? Take one off my hands.”
Laughing, Elizabeth shook her head. “No, thanks. But what about you? I saw the way you were looking at Russell Stone. Is there a spark there?”
A blush raced across her face. “No. Not me. He’s nice, but — ”
“But what?” Elizabeth demanded. “Why not? You’re a lovely woman and he’s a very attractive man. You never know when Cupid might strike.”
“Does the little angel still have his arrow in your butt?” Sabrina grinned. “Or have you managed to pull it out and let the healing begin?”
In spite of her aching heart, Elizabeth laughed. “Yeah. It’s still there. I’ve been trying to forget Cooper, but he’s a hard man to get out of your mind.”
“Nothing’s changed? He hasn’t come to his senses yet?” Sabrina poured two cups of coffee, adding creamer and sugar to both.
Elizabeth stirred her coffee. “No.”
“Oh, hon. Wish I had good advice,” Sabrina said, “but the only thing I know to do is shoot straight, and hope for the best. You can see how well that’s worked out for me. I’m thirty-five, raising a child on my own. The last time I had a relationship … well, even had a date was longer than I’ll admit to.”
“I’ve never had the best luck with men either.” Elizabeth studied her coffee. “I guess it’s not meant to be.”
“Have you tried telling Cooper how you feel?” Sabrina sipped her drink. “Not that I think that’s the best plan. Every time I’ve tried it, all I get is a big ‘It’s been real. I’ll see ya’. Yeah, they see me in their rearview mirror.”
“My mother thinks I should tell him,” Elizabeth said, “but I just don’t know.” She thought she’d made it pretty clear in the cabin how she felt. Did she have to hit the man over the head with a brick to get him to see she was in love with him? What if she did bare her soul, and he didn’t feel the same way? Could she stand it? She sighed, undecided. “Come on. Everyone probably needs more coffee.”
Elizabeth invited everyone to stay for lunch, and they accepted. They seemed to let some of their cares slip away at lunch. Lillian was laughing at something James said. Sabrina and Russ were deeply engrossed in a conversation. Even Cooper smiled a little when Tommy, Sabrina’s younger brother, told him a story about a new mother cow chasing him across a pasture.
Sitting back a little, Elizabeth realized how much she enjoyed these people. Sabrina had become a good friend in a short amount of time; her brothers were wonderful, too. Russ Stone seemed to be a great guy, and Elizabeth hoped he and Sabrina would hit it off. That he’d be the kind of man she deserved.
And Cooper.
She studied his profile. How had she fallen so quickly for a man that defined the hero she’d ever seen in any western movie? Strong, silent, and sexy. He had it all. If he only felt the same way toward her.
Sighing, she lifted her fork. She had little appetite. There was a lot of work to do before she and her mother left at the end of the week. They still hadn’t decided what to do with the ranch. The natural gas production had ceased and they hadn’t decided whether or not to let another company continue with the process.
Lillian’s bags were packed. She was more than ready to get back to her life, but Elizabeth wasn’t as sure. She couldn’t get excited about leaving. This old ranch felt strangely like home to her now. Could she stay here? So close to Cooper? But not close enough? There was a great deal to do to keep busy. Henry’s house needed a ton of repairs. It would be a great deal of fun to decorate it with antiques. Her father had left her enough m
oney to live on for the rest of her life. Or, if she wanted to continue her florist career, there was an empty shop on Main Street waiting for a new tenant.
Shortly after the lunch dishes were done, Sabrina and her brothers left. Hugging Elizabeth at the door, Sabrina whispered in her ear, “You’ll never know if you don’t try. I just got a date.”
“Way to go.” Elizabeth slipped a check into Sabrina’s pocket. “I’ll see you before I leave.”
“Make sure you do,” Sabrina said.
A few minutes later, Russ Stone took his leave.
In the quiet dining room, the fire crackling in the background, Elizabeth, Lillian and Cooper sat at the table over the remains of a raspberry torte. Yawning widely, Lillian said, “I’m exhausted. It’s nap time. Good day, Mr. Cooper.” Scooping up Fancy and the pup, she went upstairs.
“That was subtle.” Elizabeth plucked at her sleeve. “Not Mom’s best thing.”
“You’re lucky to have a mother who loves you,” Cooper said. “Are you headed home then?”
“Soon. After we decide what to do about the ranch, and about the drilling. What are your plans?” Elizabeth tried to focus on this unimportant stuff, but all she could think about was how close he was physically, yet so far emotionally.
“We need to figure that out together.” He reached across the table and took her hand. “There’s a lot we need to figure out.”
“Such as?” Her heart leaped. She curled her fingers around his, tightening them.
Cooper took a deep breath. For three days he’d done nothing but think about this moment. If he didn’t speak up, Elizabeth was going to leave him. But she might once she knew the truth, too. He had to risk it. To know once and for all how she felt. “What’s between you and me, for one thing.”
“Is there something between us?” Her nails dug into his palm.
Meeting her eyes, he began. “I sometimes have flashbacks … of … things.” He paused, expecting condemnation. When none came, he continued. “Like in the cavern. I had a PTSD episode. It hasn’t happened in years.”
