“Still unconscious,” Riley said with a sigh. “Your sister’s with her.”
“If Dan hadn’t come by, we may not have found her in time. Thank God for nosy small-town neighbors.” Thayne stroked the stubble on his jaw. “She’s lucky to be alive. The fire inspector thinks she was hiding in the stairwell until the smoke got to be too much. The panic room was airtight, but the vent was blocked off when the house collapsed. She wouldn’t have lasted another twenty-four hours. I told Dad to buy him and Kate dinner on me as a thank-you.”
Riley couldn’t imagine how terrified Chloe had been. But waking up wouldn’t be easy. Not with both her parents gone.
Riley couldn’t shake the guilt, though. If she’d only checked her messages sooner. Talked to Kim Jordan. Maybe Riley could’ve stopped this from happening.
Thayne pulled her into his arms. “Don’t do that,” he said, rubbing her back. “This wasn’t your fault.”
“Her mother called me. She needed help, and I wasn’t here. I’ve been here for weeks, and the one time someone needed me . . .”
Before Thayne could respond, his sister, Dr. Cheyenne Blackwood-Riverton, walked into the hallway and closed the door quietly behind her. She held a tablet that connected her to all her patient records and wore a stethoscope around her neck. She looked exactly like a competent doctor should. She’d impressed Riley from the moment they’d met.
“Is she awake?” Thayne asked, standing toe to toe with his sister. “I need to talk to her. I need to know if someone set the fire.”
“They did,” Riley said.
Cheyenne glanced back and forth between them but didn’t say a word. Instead she reviewed the chart in her hand and frowned. “She won’t be able to answer you for a while. She’s unconscious with some serious smoke inhalation. I had to put her on a ventilator.”
Riley lifted a hand to her throat. “But she’ll be okay?”
“I don’t know.” Cheyenne’s eyes darkened with emotion. “If she makes it through the next forty-eight hours, she has a good chance. Smoke inhalation is a tricky thing. She breathed in hydrocarbons. Her bronchial tubes are compromised. The tissue in her nose and throat is swollen.” Cheyenne studied her brother. “You could help me out, though. We don’t have any information on her. Not even her date of birth. She’s never been to my clinic. Does she have any other family around here? I need to identify someone who can make medical decisions for her.”
Thayne shook his head. “Anything they had went up in flames. And as far as I can tell, no one knows anything about them. Michael Ironcloud is contacting possible friends, but so far he’s had no luck.”
Thayne’s phone rang. “Blackwood.” He stepped down the hall.
Cheyenne sent Riley a twisted smile. “I’m glad you’re back. Thayne was a bear while you were gone, snapping at everyone. Like you weren’t coming back or something.”
Riley shifted back and forth, unwilling to meet Cheyenne’s gaze. She admired Thayne’s sister so much. She connected with people, empathized with them, but after being held against her will last month, she’d also shown more guts than most of the FBI agents Riley worked with.
Her sister-in-law-to-be clasped Riley’s arm. “You were coming back, weren’t you?”
After a quick glance over her shoulder at Thayne, Riley bit her lip. “Of course.”
“You don’t look certain.” Cheyenne tilted her head to study Riley.
What was it about the Blackwoods that gave them special powers to see right into a person’s soul? “Don’t do that voodoo on me and read my mind.”
“You’re too easy,” Cheyenne said with a wink. “Look, I get it. Singing River’s not exactly the center of the FBI universe. It’s not the center of medical research, either.”
“You wanted to go into research?” Riley studied Cheyenne’s face. “I had no idea.”
“One of my professors offered me a position on his team. I was tempted to change paths. Especially once Gram started showing early symptoms of Alzheimer’s.”
“Then why’d you come back to Singing River? From what Thayne told me, you could have gone anywhere.”
“Not exactly. I agreed to set up practice for five years in a rural area in exchange for my med school tuition. But the truth is, I never wanted to be anywhere else. These are my people, you know.”
Riley didn’t know. She’d never really belonged anywhere once her sister had been kidnapped.
“What if the job you’d trained for your entire life wasn’t needed here?” Riley twisted her fingers. “I love this town, and I love Thayne, but my career isn’t here.” She met Cheyenne’s sympathetic gaze. “Do I give up everything I’ve ever worked for, every skill I’ve developed over the years to help others?”
“What happened while you were gone?” Cheyenne asked.
“I did my job, and I saved a woman’s life.”
“You were part of saving Chloe’s life today,” Cheyenne reminded her.
“It’s not the same—” Riley caught a movement in the corner of her eye.
Thayne strode toward them and pocketed his phone. “Seems we have a bit of a mystery on our hands. Ironcloud ran the number Kim used to call you on your cell phone, Riley. Kim said someone gave her your name. Well, according to the logs, the previous call on her phone was to the Blackwood Ranch. She called someone at our ranch.” He turned to Cheyenne. “Is Chloe stable?”
“For the moment,” Cheyenne said. “Nurse Crawley is keeping an eye on her.”
“Good. Make sure she knows to call me the minute Chloe wakes up.” Thayne held out his hand to Riley. “You up for a ride out to the Blackwood Ranch? We’ve got more than a few questions that need answering.”
“Absolutely.” She couldn’t imagine who had given Kim Jordan her name. It didn’t make sense. Everyone knew she was on leave from the FBI. She had no official capacity these days.
She followed him out to the SUV. He opened the door for her, rounded the car, and slid in beside her. He let out a sigh. “You going to tell me what’s going on and what you and my sister were talking about?”
“Not bad detective work for a former SEAL who’s only been sheriff for a couple of weeks,” Riley teased.
“I won’t let you evade the issue forever.” Thayne set the car into gear and pulled out on the highway toward his family’s ranch. “How about we start with something easy. How was DC?”
“I found the guy and one of his victims. She’s going to make a full recovery.”
“Congratulations.” Thayne squeezed her hand. “I know how much that means to you.”
Riley’s throat closed up, and she struggled to keep her emotions tamped down. Normally she prided herself on her control, but these days, that part of her couldn’t seem to keep it together.
“Thanks.” She cleared her throat. “Tom asked me to come back to the unit full-time.”
The words rushed out fast and furious.
“I see.” Thayne’s grip tightened on her before he deliberately placed his hands on the steering wheel. “What did you tell him?”
“I didn’t give him an answer.” She chanced a glance at Thayne. His jaw had tightened, that way it did when he tried to hold his own emotions in check. “Not yet.”
“You want to do it.” His words weren’t a question; they were a statement. “I understand.”
“Do you? Really?”
Thayne met her gaze straight on. “Hell yeah. You think I don’t miss my old life? That I don’t watch the news and wonder if my team isn’t eyebrow deep in holding the line on the latest insurgency?”
When had she last heard that kind of passion in Thayne’s voice? Maybe he did understand.
“Look, I’ve known since Madison left that you’ve been restless. You miss her. You miss your job. And this town, it’s not what you need. Is it?”
She twisted in her seat. “I need you.”
He swallowed deeply, and Riley’s throat tightened in response. “I love you, Riley, and I don’t want to make this easier,
but I won’t hold you back, either. Not if working for the FBI makes you happy.”
“I’m not sure happy is the right word.”
“Needed, then? Valued?”
He did understand.
Thayne drove under the large iron arch and entered his family’s land. After crossing the cattle guard, he parked in front of the main house and turned in his seat. He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “You’re exhausted. You look like you could use about a week’s worth of sleep. How about we check out the phone call, and then I take you back to Fannie’s Bed and Breakfast? I’ll even swipe one of her famous cinnamon rolls from the kitchen.”
She smiled and kissed his lips. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
The smell of antiseptic burned his nose. He peeked through the door of the unused hospital room and watched the doc greet a deputy stationed just outside where they were keeping the girl. The doc disappeared inside.
The deputy glanced his way, and he quickly stepped back so he wouldn’t be seen.
He’d made a mistake. How had he missed Chloe’s being in the house? She wasn’t even supposed to be there. Had she seen him? Had she seen everything?
Back and forth, back and forth, he paced, waiting. One thing was clear. He didn’t want to kill her, but he couldn’t take the chance. It was he or she, and he believed in self-preservation . . . at all costs.
It wouldn’t be easy. The damn hospital was too small for him to go unnoticed. He’d have to keep to the shadows. Once in, if Chloe was weak, it wouldn’t take much to keep her from breathing. A pillow over her face, a few seconds, and it would be done.
“Dr. Riverton,” the deputy said, “how is she? The sheriff asked for regular updates.”
He couldn’t resist. He cracked open the door. His luck held. The deputy’s back faced him.
“She’s not showing any signs of improvement yet,” the doctor said with a frown. “I’m concerned. If I can’t get her off the ventilator in the next couple of days, her prognosis is grim.”
Well, well. Maybe he wouldn’t have to take any action after all. He’d wait and see. It’d be much better if she died on her own.
“Thayne really wants to talk to her.” The deputy lowered his voice to a whisper. “Special Agent Lambert thinks it was murder. They hope the girl might have seen something.”
What the hell? He closed the door softly.
Pacing, thinking. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. This wouldn’t do. No, this wouldn’t do at all. One mistake couldn’t ruin his punishment. He’d been so careful. Had planned it so perfectly. He wouldn’t let anyone take away a perfect win. Not even Chloe.
The moment Thayne opened the front door of the Blackwood ranch house, the scent of Thayne’s grandmother’s apple pull-apart cake filled the air. He’d know that smell anywhere.
Thayne led Riley into the kitchen. His grandmother and grandfather sat at the table, with the dessert between them. He breathed in deeply. “How’d you two know I was starving?” he asked.
He walked over to his grandmother slowly, and from the front, so as not to startle her. Gram’s peripheral vision seemed to have deteriorated the last few months.
Pops watched his wife with sad eyes, the cake on his plate untouched. Gram’s plate was crumb-free. She picked at the Bundt-shaped cake and twisted out a small piece before popping it into her mouth and chewing enthusiastically.
“Mmmm. Tastes so good. Who made this?” she asked with a grin. “I love apples and cinnamon.”
Thayne sent his grandfather a quizzical look.
“Hudson figured it out,” Pops said with a smile. “Though your brother’s first two tries ended up in the garbage.”
“A heaping cup and a smidge aren’t forms of measure,” Thayne’s older brother groused as he made his way from behind the long kitchen island.
He slowly made his way to Gram and knelt in front of her. “Do you like it, Gram?”
She nodded and shoved another piece into her mouth even though she hadn’t finished the last. He kissed her forehead, and she frowned at him. “I’m not that kind of girl.”
“Of course not. I would never presume. I know Pops is your one true love.” Hudson walked over to the coffeepot. “Want a cup, Riley?”
“I could use it.”
Riley sidestepped Thayne and practically raced over to her drug of choice.
Thayne frowned at his brother. “You didn’t ask me?”
“You’ve been mooching since Riley’s been gone,” Hudson said. “Get it yourself.”
“You boys shouldn’t fight.” Gram frowned. Her eyes narrowed when they landed on Thayne. “Lincoln, I don’t like it when you fight with Cal Riverton. I told you I don’t want to marry him. I want to marry you.”
Thayne winced. He hadn’t realized he looked so much like his grandfather. More often than not these days, she addressed him with Pops’s name.
Pops reached out tentatively and patted his wife’s hand. “Helen? Riley’s back. You said you wanted to talk to her.”
Gram used her left hand to pop another piece of cake in her mouth. She’d made an odd-shaped dent in the dessert. Her silverware went untouched more often than not these days.
The new behavior had just started. They’d all searched Gram’s cookbook for finger food to avoid eating chicken strips and fries every night.
Riley took a sip of coffee and sat at the table next to Gram. Her patience with his grandmother was one of the things Thayne loved about her.
“Helen.”
Gram blinked once, and her eyes cleared a bit. “Riley. You left and that grandson of mine didn’t smile once.” She clasped Riley’s hand. “It’s not good for him when you leave.”
Riley’s eyes widened. “I missed him, too.”
“Good. I pined over Lincoln so much when he went off to war. And then when . . .” Her voice trailed off. “We thought he was dead.”
She rose to her feet, her entire body fidgeting. Pops stood and let her walk into his arms. She clung to him. “Don’t leave me, Lincoln. Something’s wrong.”
“We’re going for a drive, Helen. Maybe down to the pond?” Pops gave them all a tired look.
“Our place.” She grinned. “Can we play our song?”
He kissed her forehead. “Don’t we always?”
“I need my jacket.” She rubbed her hands up and down her arms.
“I’ll get it, Gram.” Hudson left the room and quickly returned with her favorite sweater. She wrapped it around her shoulders and started pacing around the room. Every time she passed the table, she nibbled once again at the cake.
“Sundowning,” Pops mouthed and turned to Helen. “Let’s go, my darling.”
She linked her hand with his, and they headed out of the room. She paused and turned to Riley. “Someone needs your help. I gave her your number. Can’t go to the sheriff, though. That wouldn’t be good. Keep her secret, dear. It’s important.”
Riley placed her hand on Gram’s arm. “Was it Kim Jordan, Helen? Is that who called you?”
“I don’t know anyone by that name, dear.” She glanced over at Thayne. “Take your girl dancing,” she said. “Dancing makes all the troubles go away.”
She began to hum “Could I Have This Dance” under her breath and put her head on Pops’s shoulder. “Right, Lincoln?”
“Always, my love.”
Pops led her out the door with one last pointed look at Thayne.
“He’ll try to find out what she remembers,” Thayne said, “but at least we know who Kim spoke with.”
“Why would your grandmother give her my number?” Riley asked. “It doesn’t make sense. How did she even get my number?”
“Gram doesn’t live in our world these days,” Hudson said with a sigh. “But your number’s on the fridge.” He pointed to the emergency list stuck to the refrigerator.
“Hudson’s right.” Thayne’s gaze rested on the door his grandparents had just exited. “There’s no way to know what she’s thinking. Since none o
f us were in the room, we may never know exactly what happened.”
“I understand she can’t tell us,” Riley said. “But what about the family? Do any of you recall Helen mentioning the Jordans? Did she know them?”
“Pops would’ve mentioned it, and if he doesn’t know, I doubt it. They’re joined at the hip. Always have been.” Hudson grabbed a small bite of cake. “Not as good as Gram’s. Maybe more apple.” He covered the cake and stowed it on the bar. “I’m heading to the barn to check on Timber. He favored his left front leg after our ride this morning.” He sent Riley a genuine smile. “Glad you’re back. Do something with him, won’t you?”
The door closed behind Hudson. Thayne studied Riley’s rueful expression. “I think they like you more than me.”
“That’s not true and you know it.”
Thayne poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table, scooping up the crumbs his grandmother had left behind.
“Want something to eat?” he asked. “We have chicken strips, or maybe a sandwich?”
Riley shook her head. “Let’s suppose for a moment Kim called Helen.”
Thayne could see her mind working through the problem.
She leaned forward in her chair. “Why would Kim call your grandmother? If she was in trouble, why wouldn’t she call the sheriff? You?”
They both knew the answer, but Thayne liked the idea of working the problem aloud. And together. “Living off the grid doesn’t jibe with trust of law enforcement. In fact, they may very well be mutually exclusive.”
“Exactly. And yet she calls the sheriff’s grandmother for help.” Riley gnawed her lower lip. “The logic doesn’t follow.”
“Desperation causes people to act irrationally. They take risks they wouldn’t normally take.”
“Kim Jordan was worried enough to try to get help from someone she doesn’t even know.” Riley rubbed her eyes. “If only she could tell us.”
“I’m not sure Gram even knows. Sometimes she’ll say something out of the blue like she knows it, and if you ask her a question thirty seconds later, it’s gone. Like it’s buried down in her memory and she can’t find it. We can’t count on her recollection. Half the time I don’t know where her mind is or what era she’s reliving.” He shoved his hands through his hair. “We’re supposed to try to be in her reality, not ours, because she can’t be here. That can be frustrating sometimes.”
Forgotten Legacy Page 4
