The kid handed over a clipboard. Chase scribbled his signature on the log sheet, the delivery boy thanked him and left him holding a thick packet.
Krieger.
Chase scowled. The man was like a rabid bloodhound. He was still spreading the police rumors around town—Chase knew because he’d received the small-town glares and questions to prove it. He’d been trying to reach Duncan to explain the situation and see about getting Krieger to ease up. No such luck, apparently.
Chase sighed and took advantage of the lull to stretch his legs and take the envelope to Krieger’s office. The man had clearly left in a rush since his window was open to the July breeze and papers had fluttered across his desk. Chase set the envelope down, closed the window, and saw several sheets of paper that had landed on the floor next to Krieger’s chair. He retrieved them with barely a thought.
The name “Sandhurst Aggregate” dominating the top of the first page stopped him. Beneath the letterhead was a short note. “Jim, here are the traffic assessments—one for your office and one for the meeting. When Connery signs both we’re good to go.”
Chase drew his brows into puzzled folds. The note was paper-clipped to two copies of a report. A memory niggled. At that impromptu town meeting weeks before, someone had said there were rumors of false traffic assessments for the gravel pit. Whatever that meant.
He glanced around the office and looked back to the reports. He hadn’t taken the suggestions to spy remotely seriously, but numbers hovered directly before his eyes:
KENNISON FALLS PIT
Acres: 62
Cubic tons per year: 250
Estimated traffic load: 5–10 trucks per day
Life expectancy: 3–5 years
Chase scratched his head. This had to be something Krieger was planning to present to the town council. But it looked straightforward.
He turned to the second copy of the report. It seemed identical to the other. Then the first discrepancy caught his eye. He studied it for a moment and didn’t believe what he saw. Every word on this report was the same—headings, dates, categories. But the numbers were different. Very different.
KENNISON FALLS PIT
Acres: 120
Cubic tons per year: 500,000
Estimated traffic load: 15–30 trucks per day
Life expectancy: 10 years–Indefinite
What the … ?
He stared at the papers for another nerve-wracking minute, and when he finally dropped them into the pile on Krieger’s desk, his hands shook. He had no real idea what the separate papers represented, but something was definitely wrong. He read the cover letter again. “… one for your office and one for the meeting …”
One for the office, one different one for the meeting. Fury raced through his veins. Something rotten in Kennison Falls didn’t begin to describe this. He knew exactly which report Krieger intended to show the good citizens of the tiny town.
The question was, did Duncan Connery know about this? He couldn’t possibly. The man Poppa had sworn by wouldn’t be party to such fraud. Chase ignored the ringing lobby phone and marched down the hall to Jane’s desk. He wasn’t playing spy now. It was time to find out exactly where the head of the company had gone.
REBECCA IN ALL her awfulness had returned.
Friday, with her mother sitting in a canvas chair and her sister’s wheelchair pulled fully up to the half fence of the chicken yard, Becky let them all have her obnoxious attitude with both barrels, comfortable enough with Gypsy now to afford that much inattention. Jamie actually offered heartfelt encouragement, to which Becky only made snippy, rude replies. Anita put on blinders to the bad behavior and called out, “You’re doing great, baby” every few minutes. Jill didn’t know which, mother or daughter, she wanted to throttle more.
She ended the riding lesson ten minutes early and left Rebecca in Robert’s hands with the one last activity they’d cooked up just for fun. He was going to teach her how to harness Gypsy as if they would be driving her. She felt guilty abandoning the old farmer, but he was the one who waved her out of the makeshift arena and back to Anita and Jamie.
“Hello, ladies.”
At the very welcome greeting, her heart began a happy zigzagging dance. Chase kissed her unashamedly on the mouth. Jamie crowed with delight.
“Chase!”
“Hey, darlin’!” He pulled Jamie’s chair away from the fence, knelt in front of her, and brushed her nose with his forefinger. “How the heck are you?”
“Good.” Jamie flushed prettily.
Angel bounded from the arena, barking and worming her way between Chase and Jamie. She put her paws on the girl’s lap and licked both their faces. Jamie twisted away ineffectually but squealed happily.
“What you wearing today, Milk Bone perfume? That dog’s like to lick your tan clean off.”
Jamie squeezed Angel like a teddy bear, and the dog melted into the snug hold. “It’s ’cause you love me, don’t you, Angel girl?”
“So, how’s the rod?” Chase patted one of her chair wheels. “Did you ever get to play basketball in her like you told me about?”
“Yeah. I wasn’t very good, though. She doesn’t spin very fast.”
Chase tapped his chin. “I been thinkin’.” He continued in the affected Dogpatch-ese that always made Jamie laugh. “We could easy ’nuff hitch old Gypsy to this little rod of yours, give you one of them lo-oong buggy whips, and set you right off up the driveway. You’d be like a souped-up monster truck, you know? With a gigunda engine on a little bitty truck body. Wouldn’t matter if you could spin on a dime, you’d impress the pants off’n everybody you pass.”
Jamie giggled infectiously. Chase joined her, and they progressed together to belly laughs.
“I find it a little insensitive to laugh about her handicap.” Anita’s voice wavered into the moment like a stone tossed into a bright pond.
“It’s okay, Mom,” Jamie said, her laughter fading. “It’s funny.”
“Mrs. Barnes, I apologize,” Chase added quickly. “There was no disrespect toward Jamie intended. You know that, Jamie, right?”
“ ’Course!” She shot him a quizzical look.
In that moment Angel chose her next task. Wagging her tail furiously, cocking her delicate ears, she sat in front of Anita Barnes and pawed gently against her thigh. She yipped, ran a few steps toward the pasture, stopped and looked back and then barked again.
She repeated the exercise once more with Jamie.
Chase peered incredulously at the dog. “You know,” he said, not quite able to conceal his wonder. “I do believe she’s talking plain as day. Telling you there’s someone you might like to meet in the pasture.”
Anita hesitated, but Jamie shoved her wheels into motion before her mother could say a word. “It’s the baby! Gypsy’s baby! Becky told me. Mom, come on.”
Anita nodded, more relaxed again, and she followed her daughter toward the barn. Jill sought Chase’s eyes and he shrugged.
“Why do I feel like we dodged a bullet?” Jill asked.
“Mothers should be protective of their kids,” he replied. “I got a little warning, that’s all.”
“For what? Being great with her daughter? Why are you so understanding of her?”
He pulled her close and rocked her in his embrace until she relaxed into his hold.
“You’re giving these girls so much, honey. Don’t give up. Mama Bear isn’t the problem.”
They left Jamie and Anita to their own devices and watched the end of the harnessing lesson. With no idea what magic Robert possessed, Jill could only stare dumbfounded at the honest-to-goodness pleasant look on Becky’s face when they were finished and led Gypsy from the pen.
“I’m testing you next time,” Robert grumped at the teen.
“Okay.”
Okay? Jill caught Robert’s eye and he winked at her.
And then the green Navigator bumped into the driveway for the second time that week. The smile vanished from Robert’s face
.
“Son of a b—”
“—bicycle,” Chase cut him off, casting an eye at Rebecca and at Jamie, who rolled around the corner of the barn with Anita.
Krieger parked, got out, and strolled to their odd knot of personalities, flicked amber, tigerish eyes over Anita Barnes, nodded to Robert, and glued his eyes on Chase. “Got the day off, Mr. Preston?”
“I do. Finished a whole project for the company, what do you think of that?”
He’d been in an upbeat mood since spending the day answering phones, of all things, at the Connery office the day before. Whatever the reason for his good humor, Jill couldn’t miss the definite change in his attitude toward Krieger.
Krieger extracted a white envelope from inside his sports coat. “Robert. I’m glad you have witnesses. This is Sandhurst’s final offer for your property. The amount is far more than this place is worth.”
“Don’t matter what it is. Take it back with you.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. I’m just an agent making a delivery.”
“I ain’t allowed to say what you really are.” Robert snatched the proffered envelope.
“All right, Krieger. You’ve made your delivery.” Chase stepped between Krieger and Robert.
Krieger’s cold, gold eyes iced as he backed away. “You stopped the Memphis police from phoning, but if you get in my way, you’ll be steamrollered. You wouldn’t want the lovely young ladies in your life to see something like that.” He indicated the girls with a little sweep of one finger.
“Of all the nerve …” Jill stormed in front of Chase, but he grasped her by the elbow, gently holding her as Krieger shot them a gloating grin, got in his car, and backed away.
“Forget him, Jill, he’s an ass,” he whispered.
“Are you going to sell your farm?”
Chase did a double take. Becky Barnes stood before them, big round eyes trained on Robert.
“Did you hear me say anything about selling to that snake in the grass, young missy? No. They can build around me until I’m a cold, festering lump of clay in the ground.”
Becky snorted and turned her color-swashed—purple today—head away, but not before she shot Robert with something that looked like admiration.
“GREAT JOB. HE’S coming right along.” Colin patted Jill’s leg as she removed it from her stirrup and let it dangle along Dragon’s side. Colin’s praise rejuvenated her exhausted body. After the lessons at Robert’s earlier in the week, and today riding four horses, teaching five lessons, and dealing with Colin’s intensity, she’d unequivocally proven there was no such thing as perpetual energy. At least the lesson, although tough as always, had been worth it.
But she’d had enough drama. It was Saturday and she was ready to go home. She had just enough energy left to find Chase, drag him somewhere she could hold him, and pretend life was settled and white-picket-fence perfect. Maybe enough energy to try shaking something loose in his head filled with outdated chivalry and make crazy passionate love to him. The thought of playing house under crisp, cool sheets with him flushed her with desire as hot as the July days.
After hopping off Dragon and bidding Colin good night, she led her horse into the barn. In the middle of untacking, she nearly ran into David.
“Hey!” she said. “Coming to ride?”
He rubbed his chin, clearly uncomfortable. “I wish I were. Have you got a moment?”
“Sure? Something wrong?”
“Did anything happen with the Barnes girl at McCormick’s place yesterday?”
“No.” She bit her bottom lip, thinking. “The smallest little thing with Chase and Anita. I let Robert show Becky how to harness his mare. Jim Krieger showed up. Nothing.”
“I just got off the phone with Mrs. Barnes. She’s going to stop bringing Rebecca to riding lessons.”
David might as well have yanked out her tongue. Jill literally could not speak.
He put a hand on her arm. “She thinks, and mind I only quote because I don’t believe her for a moment, that you have to have reached the limit of what you can teach Rebecca because you’re resorting to such unorthodox methods—like using dangerous draft animals. She feels Jamie needs to be away from a horsey environment. And there was some story about her girls having a terrible row over the horses once they were home. She won’t have them fighting every time Rebecca rides.”
“But she’s wrong.” Jill barely got the small words past the clog in her throat. “I’m only starting to see glimpses of the progress Becky could make. And Jamie … Jamie would need so little and she’d be ecstatic. She’s the one who loves it here.”
“I’m truly sorry, love. I think you really care for that student.”
“Yeah.” She had no idea what else to say.
“I’ll have another chat with Mrs. Barnes in a day or two. Don’t take it too hard until we get it sorted. I simply wanted to make sure you hadn’t noticed an inciting incident.”
Jill was beyond lucky to have David in her corner. But there was little comfort to be had even from a kind boss when it felt like the world had just ended. Then again, since when did she care? Hadn’t she been wishing Becky Barnes out of her life since week one?
Chapter Twenty
SHE FOUND HIM polishing the Bonneville. Jill stood for a long time in the doorway of the shed, so quiet even Angel didn’t seem to notice her. Chase bent over his task, his broad back muscles flexing beneath a tight white T-shirt as he caressed the red gas tank with his rag. Khaki cargo shorts bared his strong, sexy calves and ankles, and as he reached forward and back his seat muscles tautened and relaxed with his movement. Tension shot right into her belly, and a stab of hard desire dove for the low, low spot between her thighs.
Good grief. She’d clearly been obsessing more than she’d realized. His spectacular body almost took away the hurt from her talk with David.
“Boo,” she said at last.
He jumped as if he’d been hit from a pea shooter.
“What the … ? Holy crap, Jill. You snuck up like a ghost.”
For the first time she could remember he didn’t wear the warm smile he always had for her, and the guardedness in his face took her aback.
“I’m sorry.” She took in his features more carefully and frowned in concern. “I was admiring you working.”
As if he suddenly realized where he was, his face cleared and he sighed. In seconds he held her.
“No, no, I’m sorry. I was so lost in thought it took me a second to figure out reality.”
“Is everything all right?”
He kissed her forehead. “I thought everything was terrific, but I had a chat with Duncan Connery today, and now I’m not sure. C’mere.”
He led her to the Triumph, where she perched sideways on the seat. He sat on an upturned bucket beside her.
“Now you have me worried,” she said.
“No, no, it’s nothing like that. It’s Krieger. I found some doctored documents in his office this week. Two very different sets of tonnage estimates for the gravel pit. I think he’s pulling exactly the bait and switch everyone fears, and I don’t think Connery knows about it.”
“But you talked to him. Didn’t you tell him?”
“I did. But it turns out he and his wife went unexpectedly out of town to be with their daughter, who is gravely ill. He’s basically handed the reins to Krieger for the next month, but he said he’d look into what I found. Today he got back to me and said there was just a mistake in the paperwork and Krieger would take care of it. Says Krieger is tough but trustworthy.”
“I don’t know. Sounds to me like we know why Krieger is suddenly spurring on the timetable.”
Chase nodded. “Yeah. I was thinking the same thing. Great minds, huh?”
“Great minds. So, what’s next?”
“I have no idea. I—” He stopped and peered at her. “Hey, are you okay?”
“Sure.” She looked away, angry to have given her emotions away.
“Aw, honey, I can see th
at big ol’ lie right in your eyes. What are we doing standing here talking about this?”
“I’d rather talk about this.”
“Nope. This is not important right now.” He drew her to a stand and bent until their breath mingled. “Start talkin’.”
In that instant Anita Barnes and the canceled lessons ceased to be important as well. Jill thrust her hands into the thick hair above Chase’s ears and pulled his head all the way to hers.
“In a minute,” she whispered.
He groaned his assent and slanted his lips across hers, sending a blast of heated desire through her body. She delved into his mouth with her tongue for the comfort of his. Hot and firm, it swirled back to explore the soft inner surfaces of her mouth without apology. Her eyes slid shut. A soft moan of pleasure gave him permission to go further.
He broke the kiss, but only to stoop and swing her into his arms. Facing the bike, he had her put one leg over the seat and set her there, her back to the handlebars. He threw his leg over, too, and faced her, looking every inch the bad boy with his smoky eyes and nostrils flared with desire. He pulled her forward, lifting first one of her legs then the other over his thighs.
“I’ve imagined this every day since the first time you sat behind me.”
“You have?” she whispered, dazed.
“Tell me. Are you scared of my Triumph now?”
She wagged her head in slow motion. “You’re the one who should be scared.”
He chuckled and leaned forward. “Of a bitty thing like you?”
His lips touched hers, but his fingers settled on the buttons of her sleeveless blouse. Why buttons? Why today? She groaned in frustration, wishing for a simple T-shirt he could yank off. She tugged on his, sending her fingers beneath it to explore his wide, flat pecs. Hard. Warm …
Her blouse fell open.
“I don’t think sexy most mornings,” she said, self-conscious of her utilitarian sports bra.
“You’re wrong. Sexiest kind of bra in the world.” He deftly undid the front clasp, and the cups cascaded away. For a second he took her in. “Aw, honey, you’re beautiful.”
He kissed her again at the exact moment he cupped her breasts and found the puckered tips with his thumbs. Jill nearly melted off the seat.
Rescued by a Stranger Page 23
