“So now I’m a king, and you taste my food first,” Heath teased. “I believe the person we want is too smart to try the same way each time. So, I’m eating this sandwich and fries whether you do or not.”
“Boys together, eat together.” Fletch bit into his sandwich and at a fry. “Very good. Now I’d like a cold beer.”
* * * *
Abby went to see Jack after work. “How does it feel to be home?” She leaned over him and kissed his cheek.
His eyes twinkled. “It was worth all I went through getting hurt and going to the hospital to find out I had a niece. I feel better than I have in years.”
“I do, too. Having family is important, without it the world is a strange and empty place,” Abby said.
“How do you like the job?”
“I love it. Since I designed the prom dresses and made them, we’re getting almost more orders than I can keep up with. My boss has taken over working the shop while I design dresses, suits, gowns and such in a back corner.”
“Then you are successful.”
“Yes, I never thought it would happen this fast.”
“I’m happy for you.”
A woman came into the room with a snack tray and medicines. “I’m Claire, his evening nurse. He hates taking medicine and eating. I thought he might do better if you join him in a snack.”
“I’d be happy to. I haven’t had supper, and my stomach is growling.”
Jack frowned at the nurse and her. “You’re just doing trickery on an old man who wants to be left alone. I don’t like all those medicines, and I don’t have much appetite.”
“It’s good I’m here. You have to do as the doctor says. Please, I don’t want to lose you so soon.”
He frowned at the food but agreed. “Have you heard from Fletcher since he left?”
Abby almost dropped the cheese and cracker in her hand. “I didn’t know Fletcher had gone anywhere.”
“It must have been a sudden decision. Fletcher had all my help set up, so he decided to fly to New York to see Heath. He didn’t say why he was going, but he and Heath have always been very close.”
“Oh, I wonder if Heath needed him, or he took the trip to get away from me?”
“Perhaps it was both.”
Abby frowned. “Why would he leave because of me?”
“You two do seem to have many misunderstandings. I know your fears about control, but Fletcher’s never been controlling as I mentioned before, and if you can’t learn to trust him, you may lose him. That would be a shame.”
“It’s not just the controlling issue. I have a deep need to know I’ll always have a way to take care of myself, and I don’t want to marry and expect my husband to take care of me. What if we have children and something happened to Fletcher?”
“You and your children would never want for a thing. You’ve seen the closeness within his family. They’d make sure you and the children had whatever you needed.”
“They certainly took me in and helped immensely.”
“Then what are you afraid of?”
“I’m stupid, I guess. I have you, the wonderful Garrison family, and Fletcher wants to marry me.”
“You’ve been through trauma at your last workplace, and with the way your father was, you tend not to trust people. I blame my brother for being so controlling with you and your mom. But you are a grown woman now, and you have to start examining situations before you jump or say the wrong words. It’s not easy to change, but I’d put my money on you.”
“Wow, Uncle Jack, that’s the most words I think I’ve heard you say.”
“It is. Now eat some of these delicious tidbits Nurse Claire made for us.”
“You have a twinkle in your eye when she comes into the room. You aren’t getting sweet on her, are you?”
“That’s the problem with people in love, they want everyone to find someone.”
“Think about it,” Abby teased and ate another wrapped sausage.
Chapter Nine
Heath introduced Fletcher to the few staff who hadn’t met him before. Then he called a meeting of his supervisors. They met in the small conference room. The two men and one woman told Heath how glad they were to see him back at work.
The woman, Janice Comb, smiled at Fletcher and explained, “Your brother rarely takes a day off and then it’s always planned ahead.”
Once they were seated, Heath stood at the end of the table. “My brother came for a visit to help me with a problem.” Everyone glanced at Fletch. “Someone tried to kill me.” Heath said the words quickly while they were all three smiling at Fletch. Immediately, Heath had their attention.
“Kill you, I can’t believe it. Are you sure?” the older man sitting closest to Fletch asked.
“After having my stomach pumped out the other evening, I’m certain. The doctor reported it all to the police.”
Fletcher kept his eyes on their faces. They looked stunned. If anyone was guilty, they were good actors. Fletcher nodded to Heath, a signal they’d devised if Fletch thought they were innocent.
Heath sat down. “I have a plan, and I need your help. Someone here is assisting whoever wants me dead. I need to find the mole.”
“We’re all ready to help. However we can,” the woman supervisor said.
The two men supervisors, sitting beside her, nodded in agreement.
“Keep your eyes and ears open. See if someone asks a lot of questions about me or especially about my activities. If you hear or see anything suspicious, talk with Fletcher. I think it will arouse less curiosity than if you were running up to my office frequently.” He handed them a note with Fletcher’s name and his cell phone number. “Meet for lunch or coffee, whatever.”
Once they left, Fletch walked with Heath into his office. Fletcher looked for mics hidden in the room. Heath talked about home as though they were sitting and making casual conversations. Heath took his phone apart. He motioned to Fletcher. Fletch took the small mic from his hand. He nodded, and they continued to turn the whole office upside down, finding three more similar mics.
Fletch took them to the basement, and before he stomped the last one into pieces, he picked it up and said, “We know who you are, and we’re coming after you.” They didn’t know, but it would give the person something to worry about, and hopefully, he or she would get careless.
Ten minutes after Fletcher returned to Heath’s office, the phone rang. Heath answered and held the phone a short distance from his ear. Fletcher leaned close to hear the conversation.
“Hi, Heath. How are you doing?” a woman’s voice asked.
“Fine as always, Savannah. Why do you ask?”
“I hadn’t heard from you in a few days. I hoped you weren’t through with me. That’s usually the way I’ve heard you act when tiring of a woman.”
Heath laughed. “No such thing. We’re tight. My brother came for an unexpected visit. In fact, I planned to call. I’d like you to meet him.”
“All right. I’d enjoy seeing your brother.”
“Why don’t we pick you up at six-thirty? I’ll make the reservations for your favorite steak restaurant. Fletcher will enjoy having a good steak.” When Heath hung up, Fletcher moved away to sit in the chair in front of Heath’s desk.
“What do you think?” Heath asked and leaned back in his chair. “She’s the nicest woman I’ve met. It’s difficult to see her helping someone who’s planning on killing me.”
“I have an idea.”
“What?”
“Tell her you’re going home with me for a few days. Ask if she’d like to come along. If she is involved, you’ll have all your brothers to protect you and help find the person working with her. Or she may be innocent, but the killer will most likely follow us to Wyoming.”
“Sounds like a good plan. But what do we tell Mom?”
“The truth or when she finds out she may kill us both.” Heath and Fletch laughed.
“She wouldn’t kill us, she’d just make us wish we were dead.�
�� Heath smiled. “We’re lucky men when it comes to family.”
“Very true. Now have your secretary make flight arrangements for us both to go home.”
* * * *
“Fletcher, this nice lady is Savannah Broga, my brother, Fletcher,” Heath made the introductions.
“Heath has mentioned you and your family many times. I admit being surprised since many wealthy businessmen aren’t close to their families.”
“You’ll have to come along with us. We’re leaving tomorrow to go home. I’ll be gone several days. Do say you’ll go,” Heath said.
“I do have a job. But I’d love to meet your interesting family. I’ll call my boss later this evening and ask if I can have a few days off.”
“Wonderful. Here’s our server and we haven’t looked at the menu yet.” Heath ordered a drink for Savannah and him, but Fletch stuck to beer.
Fletch sat back and watched and listened to the interchange between Heath and Savannah. She had a southern accent, and Heath liked to tease her. Fletch had expected Heath’s usual type of woman, tall, slender, wearing clinging clothes and lots of jewelry.
Savannah was a normal weight for her short height. He’d bet she was the same height as Mom. The silky black dress went well with her fiery red hair. She wore it shoulder length, and it hung straight with a slight curl at the bottom. Savannah looked pretty, but not overly sexy. Mom would approve. Fletch raised his eyebrows at Heath, and he grinned and shrugged his shoulders.
“What was that, some type of brotherly sign language?” Savannah asked.
“Pretty much,” Heath agreed. “Fletch was letting me know he approved.”
“Good. I want your family to like me.”
“They’ll love you.”
“Stop staring at me,” Savannah said to Fletch. “You make me blush.”
“That’s a first. None of his previous ladies knew how to blush,” Fletch added, making her cheeks get redder.
When the drinks came, Fletch grabbed Heath’s and gave him the beer. “I’m going to try this fancy drink of yours.”
Heath frowned. “No way. I’ll order you one.”
Savannah got up and accidentally bumped Fletcher as he put the drink to his mouth.
“I’m so sorry. I had to go to the ladies’ room. Usually, I’m not so clumsy, but I’ve been nervous all day about meeting you.” She brushed at his shirt with his napkin.
“It’ll dry. Don’t worry. Go on to the ladies’ room.” Fletch motioned her on. His eyes met Heath’s. Fletch was surprised to see a sad look in his eyes. “You care for her, seriously.”
“Not too serious yet, but it’s been heading that way.”
“Mom’s been worried wondering why you haven’t visited lately.”
“She’s the reason.”
“This doesn’t mean she’s involved. I’m going to take the rest of this drink over to that waiter and ask him to save the rest for me. I’ll come back for it later. Then we’ll know if there is a reason why she spilled the drink.”
“I hope there is an innocent reason.”
“So do I. You haven’t truly cared about a woman in a long time.”
After Savannah rejoined them, the rest of the dinner went well. Fletch and Heath deliberately ordered the same dish and exchanged it with each other when it was brought to the table.
Savannah looked at them, puzzled, and shrugged her shoulders. “Another brother thing, I guess.”
“Do you have a brother?” Fletch asked.
“Yes, but we’re not close.” Tears came into her eyes. “We were years ago, but life changes people.”
Fletch reached out and touched her hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“I ought to be over it, but I’m not.”
“Let’s have dessert,” Heath said. “I shouldn’t, but I’d love that chocolate monstrosity on the dessert menu. It must have a thousand calories in it.”
“I love chocolate,” Savannah said.
“I like women with a good appetite. I’ll help you eat it.” Heath squeezed her hand. “And I like women who aren’t all skin and bones.”
After they’d dropped Savannah off at the small apartment in a middle class neighborhood, Heath and Fletcher sat in his living room drinking a glass of very good scotch.
“I think you’re more serious than you want to admit,” Fletcher confronted Heath.
“She’s definitely different, and I’ve been thinking about going back to Wyoming and settling in my house. With my computer, I can do most of the work right in my office at home. If I need to go to New York, I’ll fly there for a few days and stay in this penthouse. Might as well keep it for anyone in the family who wants to take a vacation to the big city.”
“That’s a great idea. You already have a place on the cliffs above the sea in California.”
“One of the other brothers might want to buy it.”
Fletch made himself comfortable on the sofa. “You’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”
“You know why I didn’t want to discuss it with all the brothers. Mom would get wind of it, and she’d call me every day about moving. This had to be my decision. When I get home, if I still feel the same way, I’ll close the office here and move back for good.”
“Mom would be so happy to have all her boys safe in Wyoming. She doesn’t trust this New York place, as she calls it.”
“I know, but first we have to find out who is after me. I hate to bring the danger home.”
“It’s the best place to catch the person, and you know it.”
Heath reached for the ringing phone. “Hello. You can, that’s great. I’ll call and add another person to our group flying to Wyoming. We’ll pick you up at ten. The flight leaves at twelve-thirty.”
Heath glanced at Fletcher and frowned. “She’s coming with us.”
“I gathered as much. This doesn’t look too good for Savannah not being involved.”
“Yeah, I’m going to bed. See you in the morning.”
Fletcher went in his room and reached for the phone. No, he’d wait. He wanted to keep Abby safe. Staying away from her might be the best way. He lay back on the bed and for a few minutes he thought about the last time he’d seen Abby.
How would I feel if it looked like she might be trying to kill me? Of course she wouldn’t, but I’d be devastated and Heath will be, too, if Savannah is truly involved with this murderous plan. I’d better call Dad. Heath won’t like it, but we can’t arrive knowing we may be putting everyone at risk without talking to him first.
The phone rang three times, and thankfully his father answered. “How’s your mini vacation?”
“You know I’m ready to come home. It hasn’t changed, big and noisy. But listen, Dad, is Mom in bed?”
“Yes, she overdid it in the garden and went to bed early.”
“Good, there’s something you need to know before Heath, his girlfriend, and I arrive on the seven-thirty plane tomorrow evening. I think it’s better if you only tell Mom an abbreviated version of what I’m about to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Someone is trying to kill Heath.”
“What?”
“You heard me right. The police are involved, and they’ll be contacting our local sheriff. Make an excuse to go to town alone tomorrow or with one of the brothers, and talk with the sheriff. We need to keep Mom out of this until we have to tell her.”
“I agree. Someone will pick you all up at the airport. See you tomorrow.”
* * * *
“I’m glad you called Dad and explained before we got home. He and our brothers can be on the lookout for a stranger in town. Hopefully, we can keep Mom out of this until it’s over, but I doubt it,” Heath said, as they walked out of the building to the car Heath had arranged for their transportation to the airport. Heath gave the driver the address to pick up Savannah.
When the taxi stopped, Heath jumped out and knocked on Savannah’s door. She was ready, so he carried her small suitcase
to the taxi where she got squeezed between Heath and Fletcher.
“I’m excited. I’ve never been out west,” Savannah said and smiled at Fletcher. She’d worn black jeans and a light blue blouse with short sleeves, and she carried a dark-blue sweater.
“Mom always carries a sweater when she travels,” Fletcher said. “She hates being cold.”
“I’m surprised. Doesn’t Wyoming get very cold in the winter?”
“Yes, she stays inside as much as possible and wears layers of clothes to keep warm outside. You’ll like her. Everyone does,” Heath said and gave her a hug.
“Do your folks know I’m coming?”
“Did you tell Dad when you talked to him last night?” Heath asked.
“Totally forgot. We were talking ranch business, and Dad was tired. It was a short call,” Fletcher lied.
After grabbing a bite to eat, they’d hardly settled into their seats to wait when they heard the plane’s number called.
“Wow, right on time. We almost missed it with eating and talking.” Heath stood and carried his and Savannah’s carryon to the plane door. Once inside they were shown to their first class seats.
“Can I sit by the window,” Savannah asked.
“Sure.” Fletcher grinned at his brother. “She doesn’t like me. Now we get to fight over who gets the outside seat.”
Heath swung in by Savannah. “You win. I want to sit by my lady.”
Once they were seated, Savannah leaned around Heath. “I do like you, Fletcher. I know this sounds crazy, but I get a bit nervous flying, and I feel better being by the window. Sounds weird, doesn’t it?”
Fletch shook his head no. “We all have our own little quirks. I’m happy here in the aisle seat.” He grinned at Heath. “What a gentleman,” he teased.
During the flight, Fletcher listened to the conversation between the two beside him. If Savannah was in on the plan to kill Heath, she gave nothing away. He pushed his seat back and visualized Abby.
What the hell am I going to tell her? I want to keep her safe, but how? If she’d stay with Mom, I’d feel better. Perhaps I’d better ignore her completely so whoever we’re after won’t make a connection between her and my family. The only way to do that is to lie and tell her I think we must cool it, at least for a while. Damn, that might ruin everything, but I can’t take a chance on her life.
The Unclaimed Mail Order Bride [Brides for the Garrison Brothers 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) Page 12
