by June Faver
Leah caught her breath. “Oh, we’re not thinking about getting married anytime soon. He’s got a lot on his mind.” She recalled that his brothers had proposed at least.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I just thought…” Sara Beth broke off.
Leah smiled. “It’s okay. We just haven’t figured it out yet.”
She returned to the law office and tried to make herself useful while waiting for the time to pass.
It was just after two o’clock when her cell rang. Her heart did a little somersault in her chest when she saw it was Ty. “Hello,” she answered breathlessly.
“Hey,” he said. “Did I catch you at a bad time? Are you busy?”
“No. Breck has gone to the courthouse, and I’ve run out of things to do. I was just waiting until a little before three to run and pick up Gracie.”
“Did my brothers get there okay?”
A wide grin spread across her face. “Oh yes. That was so sweet of you to send them.”
“I didn’t think both would want to go, but they both volunteered. One or the other will probably be going back to help Dad pretty soon, but maybe I’ll be back before long.”
“We saw you on television. It was so exciting.” She heaved a sigh. “Ty, I think this is the right thing for you. I just wanted you to know how proud I am of you.”
“Really?” She heard the pleasure in his voice. “Well, that makes me feel real good. I hope to make you even prouder, because I’m planning on winning this contest.”
The front door opened and two deputies came in. She thought they must be looking for Breck. “Can I help you?” she asked.
“Leah Benson?” one of the deputies asked.
A cold chill spiraled around her spine. “Y-yes, that’s me.”
“Leah? What’s going on?” Ty’s voice sounded through the phone.
“Leah Benson, you are under arrest for suspicion of murdering Ray Carter. Keep your hands where we can see them.” The deputy produced a pair of handcuffs.
“No!” she shrieked. “I didn’t murder anyone. There has to be some mistake.”
“I’m going to read you your rights, and we will be taking you to the county lockup.”
“No, you can’t,” she protested. “I have to pick up my little girl at school.”
“Leah!” Ty shouted.
“Ty! They’re arresting me,” she shouted into the phone. “They think I murdered Ray Carter. Please call the school. Gracie—”
“That’s enough, ma’am.” The deputy took the cell out of her hand and disconnected. “You’ll have to come along with us now.”
Tears streamed down her face. “Please,” she implored him. “My little girl has no one to pick her up.”
“You can make a phone call after you’re processed.” He fastened the handcuffs around her wrists and motioned for her to stand.
“I have to lock up.”
“We’ll do that for you,” he said. They marched her outside and secured her in the back seat of a county vehicle.
As though in a trance, she stared out the window, unseeing, as the cruiser rolled quietly out of town, past the school, and out onto the highway.
* * *
Celia Diaz stood outside the school. It was a quarter after four, and all the other cars were gone from the parking area. The buses had long since rolled out with their loads of kids, but she was stuck here with the one child who didn’t seem to have anyone else.
She looked at Gracie Benson. The little girl was terrified. Her big brown eyes scanned the street, looking both ways for whichever person was supposed to be coming for her.
“Why don’t we go inside and wait for your mother?” Celia suggested.
The child nodded, gnawing her lower lip. “My mommy should be here soon.”
“I’m sure she will be. Probably got hung up at work.” Celia strode purposefully back to her classroom and sat down at her desk. She searched her class roster and located the phone number for the mother. There was a work number, so she dialed it first. No answer. A recorded message came on, the metallic voice announcing it was the law office of Breckenridge T. Ryan, Esquire, and that someone would return her call. Celia left a terse message, in case someone returned. She tried to keep the irritation out of her voice so as not to alarm the child.
Celia gave Gracie a smile and tried the other number, Leah Benson’s cell. It rang and rang and finally went to message. Celia disconnected. She knew there was something going on. The cowboy had given her a note from the mother telling her to only release the child to her personally or to the cowboy and that Gracie’s safety was involved.
Celia heaved a sigh. She had been planning on going home to sink into a bubble bath and then don her pajamas for a night of mindless television while grading tests. She fiddled with her pen, considering what to do if neither of the approved drivers came to pick Gracie up.
“Excuse me.” There was a tall, older man standing in the open doorway of her classroom. He had piercing blue eyes, silver hair, and a rugged physique. She looked over his clothing. Rough. He wore a faded plaid work shirt, and his boots had seen better days. She noted the rip in his faded Wranglers. A working cowboy.
“Yes?” she said.
“I’m here to pick up Gracie Benson.”
Alarm spread throughout her being. It suddenly occurred to Celia that, other than the janitor, they were the only ones in the building. Gaping at the man in the doorway, she judged him to be well over six feet tall, and he had the shoulders of a linebacker. He was probably in his early fifties, and even though she, at thirty-eight, was in excellent condition, she thought this big guy could easily overpower her. Not gonna let that happen. She pushed back from her desk, narrowing her eyes. “I think not. I have specific instructions as to who is allowed to pick Gracie up, and you’re not on the list.”
He walked closer and had the nerve to grin down at her. “Well, there’s been a—” He stopped short, glanced at Gracie. “It’s sort of an emergency,” he whispered to her.
She stood up, glaring at him, while trying to appear as tall as possible. “Doesn’t matter. I cannot release her to you. If you were the president of the United States, I wouldn’t release her to you.” She fisted her hands on her hips.
The big man regarded her. “Well, the people on that list are not coming. What do you propose to do?” He too fisted his big hands at his waist, now appearing to be twice as big.
“I’ll just—” She suddenly lost steam. Huffing out a big sigh, Celia took her handbag out of the bottom drawer of her desk. “I will be taking Gracie home with me.” She motioned to Gracie. “Come on, honey. We’re leaving now.”
Gracie stood, and when she reached the desk, Celia put her body between the man and the child. She would be damned if she would let some cowboy come in here and kidnap one of her pupils. Shooting him a fierce gaze, she slipped a protective arm around Gracie’s shoulder and shepherded her toward the door. “You can close the door when you leave.” She sailed out of the room, her young charge tucked safely under her wing.
* * *
Big Jim Garrett stared after the little spitfire who had just told him off. A slow grin lifted one corner of his mouth. Damned if she hadn’t just nicely told him to go to hell…and he liked it. It had been a long time since a woman had caused that kind of reaction in him. A long damned time.
Well, at least the teacher was taking charge of Gracie. She would be safe with that little wildcat; he’d bet his shirt on it. Of course, the shirt he was wearing wouldn’t be worth much. He’d worn his oldest clothing to do some extremely messy work. He’d been with the local veterinarian castrating bull calves when his son Tyler had called. Normally, it wouldn’t have fallen to him to assist the vet, but considering that both of his other sons had traipsed off to Fern Davis’s place, he had no other choice. With Colton and Beau helping Fern around the farm while trying to prote
ct her, Leah, and the little girl, Big Jim had to take up the slack around his own ranch. He wondered where the boys were when Ty had been frantically trying to reach them.
Big Jim raked his fingers through his thick head of hair. He knew he hadn’t been Tyler’s first choice, but when he had received the call, he dropped everything to rush to Gracie’s aid. Not that she needed it. The grin took over his face again. Damned attractive woman…and sassy too. Yes, he liked that.
He glanced around the classroom, searching for some clue as to who had the nerve to challenge Big Jim Garrett. His gaze settled on handprinted chalk letters tucked neatly in an upper corner of the blackboard. They were set off by a neat little box around them. Miss Diaz. Well, a fine-looking little lady you are, Miss Diaz.
Big Jim wrote his name and phone number on the note pad on her desk. At least she would know who he was, even if he wasn’t the president of the United States.
He made his way out of the schoolhouse, remembering to close the classroom door per Miss Diaz’s instructions. He grinned again when he recalled her expression. Yes, a little spitfire.
He left the school building and climbed into his truck. He was troubled over the situation with the girl he thought would be his future daughter-in-law. At least, Tyler had never shown this much interest in anyone in the past. And how had she bewitched his middle boy into spending his inheritance on her? He rested his hands on the steering wheel, thinking about the loving expressions he had witnessed on both their faces whenever they exchanged a glance. That warmed his heart. All he had ever wanted was for his boys to find the kind of deep and abiding love he had enjoyed with their mother. Yes, Leah was a keeper.
But she had been arrested for murder.
He shook his head and started the powerful diesel engine. The satisfying rumble centered him, helped him to regain his sense of balance. No way that little Leah girl could have murdered anyone, let alone a big, strapping asshole like Ray Carter. He reached for his cell phone and found the number for Breck Ryan. He was probably already on the job, but Big Jim just wanted to make sure. When Breck answered, it became apparent he had not been made privy to the information about Leah’s predicament.
“What?” Breck’s voice sounded like cannon fire. He uttered a curse.
Big Jim heard the squeal of tires and a growl from deep in Breck’s throat. “Those idiots! Damn!” He explained he had been in court all day and had almost reached his own ranch but was on his way back to the county seat. “Let me call my wife to let her know I won’t be home for a while.” He rang off.
Big Jim tucked the phone in his shirt pocket. Good. Maybe Breck can get to the bottom of this. Leah must be scared to death right about now.
* * *
To be accurate, Leah was in more of a daze. She had been petrified, but now she stared vacantly, unaware of her surroundings.
Most of her worry was focused on Gracie. Who would pick her up at the school? What if no one did? She tried to picture what her shy and insecure daughter would do in this situation.
Leah rubbed her wrists. The handcuffs had been removed, and she now sat in what had been termed a “holding cell.” She had no idea of the time or how much had passed since she had been arrested.
She had been transported to the county facility where she had been told she would go before the judge the next morning.
Her rights had been read to her, and she said she understood them, but now, she wasn’t sure she really did. She had asked for an attorney and named Breckenridge T. Ryan.
Now, she was decomposing in some kind of sterile-smelling purgatory, wondering how long she would be incarcerated before they would realize there was no possible way she would have been capable of murdering Ray Carter.
She had been told she couldn’t be questioned until her attorney was present and he hadn’t been located. She vividly recalled the recent statement she made regarding the assault upon her grandmother and how Breck had stood by to ensure her rights were not infringed upon and that the correct words came out of her mouth. She was exhausted and confused. It seemed she should be crying right about now, but she was too worried about her daughter to be concerned over her own state.
After many hours had passed and she was stiff from sitting in one place for so long, one of the deputies unlocked her cell and motioned for her to follow him.
A wave of fear paralyzed her. “But where are you taking me?”
Holding the door to the cell, he ignored her question, instead gesturing impatiently.
Leah was surprised she could even stand. Her legs felt like jelly as she took a tentative step forward. She swayed as though she might pass out but took a wider stance to steady herself.
Sucking in a deep breath, she released it slowly. I can do this.
She took a few steps and passed through the barred doorway. The surly deputy motioned for her to precede him down the narrow passageway. She glimpsed a couple of other prisoners, noting their seeming indifference to her passing. The hallway turned, and she had to wait for another door to be opened for her.
Her heart hammered against her rib cage as though trying to make a break from her chest. She had no idea where she was being taken, but this was different from when she had been brought into this maze. Her escort opened another door and said, “Wait here.”
She stepped into a small room with a table and several chairs. Oh no! They’re not supposed to question me until Breck gets here. Just then, a door on the other side of the small room opened, and another guard motioned for her to step through.
Every muscle in her body was coiled tight. She wasn’t even breathing. Forcing her feet to propel her forward, she stepped into the next room and almost fell over.
“Oh my!” She clasped both hands over her mouth as a tightness in her chest suddenly melted away. “Oh my!”
She gazed around the room. Breck Ryan stood closest, his eyebrows drawn into a frown. And next to him was Big Jim Garrett. He had his burly arms wrapped around his torso as though giving himself a hug.
Beau and Colton Garrett stood close together, Colton’s forearm resting on Beau’s shoulder. Beau flashed a smile.
“Well, finally!” Frowning, Gran shook her head. “There’s my girl.”
And standing in the corner, looking at her with the most loving expression, was Tyler Garrett.
The ache in her chest expanded to the point of bursting. Her knees felt as though they were about to buckle. She swayed, but Ty rushed forward to grab her before she crumpled.
Strong arms wrapped around her and supported her. “Take it easy,” he said. “Everything is going to be fine.”
She reached out, her arms trembling. Holding Ty close, she finally let go of all the pain and fear she had kept inside. Sobs wracked her body as she clung to him.
“It’s okay, honey. Don’t cry.”
She swiped ineffectively at her tears until Gran dug a tissue out of her purse and offered it to her. “I’m so glad to see all of you. But where is Gracie?”
“Her teacher, Miss Diaz, took her to her home.” Big Jim rubbed the back of his neck. “When Tyler called me this afternoon, I went by the school to pick her up, but that little teacher is fierce. She would only release her to you or Tyler.”
“It was so late, we decided not to drag her along,” Gran said. “And we didn’t want her to be worried. I called Miss Diaz and talked to Gracie. She’s fine.”
Leah felt as though a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “Thank God! I’ve been so very worried.” If she hadn’t been clinging to Ty, she might have collapsed.
Breck stepped closer. “Leah, you have to know, we had to pull in some favors to get you released. Big Jim here put up a half-million-dollar bond to guarantee your appearance tomorrow.”
She sucked in a breath. Half a million dollars? Leah couldn’t even fathom such an amount, let alone why someone would post it for her. Frown
ing, she asked, “What does that mean?”
Breck cocked his head to one side. “By filing a bail bond with the court, the defendant will usually be released from imprisonment pending a trial or plea.” He raked a hand through his hair, a sure sign he was stressed. “I had to strong-arm a judge at a dinner party to get him to agree to it. So you and Miz Fern will be staying at the Garrett Ranch overnight.”
Leah glanced at Gran, but she blinked and shrugged, indicating she was okay with it. “Um, sure. That’s great. I thank you, Mr. Garrett. I don’t know how to repay your kindness…or your generosity.”
Big Jim waved off her thanks, but she noticed a muscle in Ty’s jaw working. She hoped he wasn’t upset with his father. She didn’t want to be the cause of any more strife in the Garrett family.
“Let’s get out of here.” Big Jim gestured toward the door and they all trooped out.
Leah had to sign for her property at the desk, which only consisted of her purse, keys, and cell phone.
Once they were headed out of the city and on the road, it looked like a parade of pickups in formation moving toward Langston. Leah rode in Breck’s truck so he could talk to her about the case on the way. Ty trailed close behind with Gran buckled up in the front seat. Big Jim was next, and Colton and Beau were riding together in one of their identical, big silver vehicles.
Leah turned to Breck. “So, how much trouble am I in?”
“I did some digging, and they seem to think they have some kind of circumstantial evidence to incriminate you. That, plus the run-ins you had with the Carters.” He shook his head. “Bad history. I think the district attorney just wanted to wrap this case up fast and doesn’t care who he nails for it.”
Her throat was dry, and her voice sounded raspy when she spoke. “I can’t imagine why they would think I could kill a man, even if there was bad history. I mean, I didn’t cause any of those run-ins. The Carters were the ones who chased me, and it was Ray who knocked my grandmother down with the shopping cart.”
“We’ll find out tomorrow morning. I suggest you get a good night’s sleep. I’ll pick you up at 7:00 a.m., so we’ll be at the courthouse first thing. We want to get it over with.”
