by Piper Stone
“Mr. Travers? Ms. Simons will see you now.”
The receptionist’s voice was far too happy. I shifted to face her, following her lead as she took me down a long hallway and toward an open office door. Once I was inside, she immediately closed it behind me.
I stood watching the attorney as she sorted through a group of papers, shoving them into a file. When she finally looked up, her expression was grim. She rose to her feet, moving around the desk and offering me her hand. “Sergeant. I’m so sorry for your loss. Drake was truly a special man.”
While I shook her hand, the anger remained furrowing inside of me. “You didn’t tell me everything, Ms. Simons.”
“Please call me Kelsey and I don’t understand.”
“I went to my brother’s house last night and what do you think I found?”
She shrank back, pointing to one of the chairs opposite her desk. “Why don’t you have a seat, Sergeant? We have a lot to discuss.”
“I’ll remain standing.” I moved closer as she sat behind her desk, leaning over and planting my hands on the surface. “Why didn’t you tell me about the little girl?”
Her face paled and she blinked several times. “I didn’t think that telling you that Drake had a daughter was something I should do over the phone. He’d indicated that you weren’t aware.”
“The understatement of the year,” I snarked, finding it difficult to temper my tone. “Where the hell is she?”
“Ashley. Her name is Ashley and she’s staying with good people that I trust. I assure you of that.”
“What the hell does this all mean? I don’t understand a damn thing. Since you worked with Drake, you knew we weren’t close. Why did he bother bringing me into his life now?” Seeing the beautiful pink and purple room the night before had toppled my world once again. Drake had never told me he’d had a child. Then again, I hadn’t bothered to ask how his life had been going. Guilt riddled me in a way that was strangling.
“You were his family, Sergeant. His only family.” Kelsey opened the file, pulling out the top paper and handing it to me.
She said nothing while I darted my eyes over the lettering. “I don’t understand.” My whisper was hoarse, barely audible, flashes of light racing past my eyes. None of this made any sense.
“It’s fairly clear, Sergeant Travers. Drake has left the guardianship of Ashley Travers to his only living relative. That would be you.”
I shifted my gaze, searching her eyes for any sign of actual life. Did she not understand what this kind of news would do to me, to my life? I could no longer feel my legs, forced to drop into the chair. My hand shook to the point I had difficulty reading the paper again. “You’re certain?”
She smiled, her expression softening. “Absolutely. I drew up the papers myself last year. Given your brother’s dangerous second occupation, he wanted to make certain that his affairs were in order at all times. I have all the documentation on her. Doctor’s visits. Kindergarten records. Everything that you’ll need. In addition, the ranch and all Drake’s worldly possessions were left in his will to you as well. I believe that I have everything together. I’m certain you’re going to need to take some time looking everything over.”
My niece. I grabbed the file, flipping through the papers. When I saw the picture of the little girl, I was forced to suck in my breath. She was adorable, her little blonde curls and happy eyes staring out at me driving tears to my eyes. Oh, God. What had I done all these years? Why wouldn’t he tell me?
Because you were an asshole.
“What about her mother?” I managed.
“Oh. I thought you knew about Jaime. Unfortunately, Jaime was killed in a horrific fire two years ago. It was a terrible tragedy for the family. I mean...”
Hissing, I knew what she was getting at. “As I said, Drake and I weren’t close and haven’t been for some time.” Another fire. Jesus Christ.
“That happens, Sergeant. I suggest you take some time looking over the papers. I’m certain you’ll have questions.”
“I can’t do this,” I said. “There has to be someone else to look after her... after Ashley. I don’t know anything about children. I wouldn’t be a good father. I have a life.”
Kelsey exhaled. “Sergeant, sometimes things happen for a reason. Often, we don’t know what we’re capable of until we’re forced to face a crisis or a tragedy such as this one. While she might be a good candidate for adoption, she would be forced to stay with foster parents for an undisclosed period of time. I’m certain you wouldn’t want that for your niece. Your brother had no doubt that you were the only person he wanted to take care of his little girl.”
I closed my eyes, shoving aside the guilt and anger. Of course I wasn’t going to allow my niece to live in some goddamn foster home. Not a fucking chance in hell.
“What about the funeral?” I finally lifted my head, taking shallow breaths. Ashley’s face would haunt me as much as my brother’s had and would continue for some time to come.
“Upon Drake’s request, he was cremated.” Kelsey shifted her eyes back and forth, likely searching for my emotional state.
I felt nothing inside. Not a damn thing.
But guilt.
Shame.
“And a service?”
She seemed put off by my question. “Again, at Drake’s request, he didn’t want one. Your brother believed in celebrating life every day. Also, he didn’t want to put Ashley through anything.”
“It sounds like he was preparing for his death.”
Kelsey shrugged. “I think when you have no one else to look after your child, you worry to a more significant degree. At least that’s the way it seemed with Drake.”
Uh-huh. My brother was meticulous in all things but given the conversation I’d had with Bryce and now this, my gut continued to churn.
Was this nothing but a message sent from the grave?
Fuck.
That was the last thing I needed to think about.
I patted the picture and put the file back on the desk, unable to stop the adrenaline flow. There was no way to take in what she’d just told me. Why wouldn’t Drake bother telling me that he had a daughter? And why would he list me as the guardian when he never wanted to see me again? What about his wife’s family?
“About the ranch,” she continued, pulling another set of papers from the file. “Drake has done exceptionally well during the last few years, adding almost a thousand acres. He was lucky that two parcels came up for sale, both adjacent to the current location.”
“I’m sorry. What did you say?” I was pulled away from my thoughts on Ashley, shocked at what she’d said.
Kelsey smiled. “Yes. Your brother was an astute businessman. He set out to make something of the ranch and that’s exactly what he did. While he kept the quota of horses and various livestock that your parents had when they were alive, he added prize steer to the small herd of cattle. They come in at a premium price, the meat used for some of the finest selections of beef in the country. After a single year, the ranch was profitable.” She pushed a series of photographs across her deck, flipping from one to the other.
“That’s almost impossible.”
“You would know better than I,” she said, grinning. “What I know is that through a couple of investments and deals he made, Drake was able to turn the ranch around. You should be very proud of your brother, Sergeant.”
She had no idea what emotions were rushing through me. Drake had certainly proven me wrong.
The aerial shots were beautiful, highlighting some of the prettiest settings I’d ever seen. I remembered how much my father had wanted to purchase the ranch closest to us, even making two offers to the owner. Unfortunately, the two ranch owners didn’t get along very well. “How did Drake get old man Weatherby to sell? He hated my father with a passion.” That was an understatement. The ugliness between the two almost got comical after a few years. I’d never really understood why.
“Not only was your brother a s
lick talker, and I assure you that I mean that as a compliment, but he had a little help from Weatherby’s daughter.”
“Jaime.”
She nodded. “I think the rest is history. Mr. Weatherby retired, although he lived on the property for almost three years. Until Jaime died. She was an only child, her mother passing away a few years before. I don’t know about other family. In truth, Drake never mentioned them.”
“Where is he now?”
“It’s my understanding that Mr. Weatherby bought a townhouse across town. I think he wanted to be close to Ashley instead of moving away. I honestly don’t know anything about him, except that Drake didn’t consider having him as Ashley’s guardian.”
The bad blood between the families continued long after death. Jesus.
I looked toward the window, shoving the pictures away and clenching my fist. Focusing was almost an impossibility. I simply hadn’t been prepared. “What’s the ranch worth?”
“While Drake didn’t have it recently appraised, with the various buildings I would say for tax purposes around six point five million.”
Now I was stunned. “I’m not talking for tax purposes, Ms. Simons.”
Kelsey seemed flustered.
“You can’t be serious. You’re going to sell the ranch?”
I closed my eyes, flashes of my life sweeping through my mind. “I don’t know what I’m talking about at this point, but I will explore the options.” I didn’t need to glance into her eyes to know how perturbed she was.
“All right. I do understand, Sergeant. I do hope you’ll think of the child’s best interests. While there are some additional financial records that you will need to look at soon, we can do that another day.”
“Is there anyone working the ranch?”
This time, she chuckled. “I have a list of the entire employment roster for you as well. They have all been working with your brother for years, so they are continuing with their duties and payroll is handled through an outside service.”
“I’m confused. I thought my brother was a firefighter?”
Kelsey lifted her head. “Volunteer. After Jaime died and the way she did, he was crushed, unable to handle life without her. One of his buddies was a volunteer and suggested he train and maybe consider doing a couple shifts a week. From what I understand, Drake fell in love with the job. I certainly didn’t talk to him about it, but he managed to juggle everything in his life. If you ask me, I think he needed to keep his mind occupied.”
I shook my head, still trying to wrap my mind around the changes. My brother had been a carefree kid, always studious instead of rugged, even though he adored the ranch. He certainly grew up while I was gone.
“What about... Ashley? When do I need to get her? Do I sign something? Do I...”
“As I said, you’re going to need some time. The woman who’s caring for Ashley is state approved and is happy to care for her for a few more days until you are ready.”
I nodded, the shock kicking my ass. “Okay.” I was numb as I rose to my feet.
“By the way, I’m not certain that you would want this kind of publicity since the explosion was ruled an accident. I can certainly write a cease and desist letter if you’d like.” When she pushed the morning’s newspaper across her desk, the headlines were all I needed to see.
Is there a Serial Arsonist in Missoula?
Byline: Bryce Myers
“Evidently, her story from Channel 9 was picked up, the copy she wrote turned into an article. I’m not certain why this reporter is pushing the situation, but Drake’s name is plastered all over it. Granted, there was limited mention on the morning news, but I have a feeling that’s going to change. You might imagine that folks around here are going to be very angry. There’s been enough bad press and even worse karma the city had been forced to handle over the last few months.”
While I had no idea what the hell she was getting at, my hackles were immediately raised as I tried to process the article.
The bitch. She lied to me. She made a promise, sat with me all night long and it was all lies. I was sick inside, the anger rolling through me like wildfire. “That won’t be necessary, Ms. Simons. I’ll take care of the situation. I appreciate all you’ve done already.”
I yanked the file into my hand, trying to calm my nerves. I had no idea what time of day it was or what the hell I was going to do.
However, Bryce and I would have a discussion, and one she wouldn’t like.
“There’s one more thing, Sergeant. It’s about Ashley.”
I shot her a look, still trying to rein in my rage. “What?”
“She hasn’t spoken since she was told about her father’s death. The doctors aren’t entirely certain if she’ll ever speak again.”
* * *
Rage.
I’d felt moments of rage in my life on and off since I was a boy. I’d been the one to defy the rules, seeking adventures against my parents’ wishes, then hating them for restricting me. I’d been the bad boy at school, acting as if math and English meant nothing. Thank God my parents had been strong individuals, refusing to give up on me.
However, they’d never been able to cease the burning deep inside of me. Fight the wrongs. Retaliate against the assholes who even considered threatening my way of life.
The worst in my book were people who made promises they didn’t keep.
Bryce Myers fit into that category to a T.
I refused to allow any other emotions to grasp ahold of my psyche. If I did, I would lose my shit. My brother was gone. There was no chance to apologize for the ridiculous argument we’d had or the misunderstanding that had gotten in the way of our once close friendship. We hadn’t just gone separate ways. We’d altered the course of our combined futures.
Then there was Ashley.
And I was her guardian.
Snarling, I pressed down on the gas as I headed in the direction of the Channel 9 offices, the local television station where Bryce worked. I no longer cared about protocol or offending her. I was going to give her a piece of my mind, as well as helping her once and for all to understand that she would not cross me.
As I drove into the parking lot, I was unable to curtail my anger, my heart racing as I thought about what I wanted to say to her.
There were dozens of people in the building and while I tried to plaster on a smile, I could tell the receptionist felt intimidated. “I’m here to see Ms. Bryce Myers.”
“Um, do you have an appointment, sir?”
I leaned across the counter, locking eyes with the buxom blonde. “I’m here to surprise her. I’m an old friend just back from Afghanistan. I’m certain she would hate to miss an opportunity to spend time with me.” I was actually grateful that only a few people had recognized me. That could work to my benefit as I tried to figure out what the hell was actually going on.
“Your name?”
“Hawk.”
She seemed flustered then finally smiled. “Let me see if she’s in. I don’t think she is.”
“Then I’m happy to talk to her producer so I can plan a surprise.” I winked, widening my smile. “I have something extremely special in mind, if you know what I mean.”
My comment seemed to relax her and while she turned her head, I could still hear her comments to whoever answered the phone.
“Did Bryce come in this morning?”
I hummed a little tune, pretending like I didn’t care what was being said.
“No, it’s just that a soldier is here trying to surprise her. His name is Hawk. He’d like to talk to you if that’s okay. He’s planning a surprise.” She darted a quick look in my direction then smiled. “I’ll send him right up.” After hanging up the phone, it seemed she’d changed her tune completely. “Mr. Keller is happy to talk to you. Fifth floor.”
“You are amazing. Thank you so much.” My smile dropped as soon as I walked away, heading for the elevator. As I moved inside the tin box, I was forced to swallow. After everything that had occurre
d during the last few months, I hated tight confines. I closed my eyes, waiting until the elevator stopped, half laughing as I walked off.
The poor producer had no idea who he was about to face.
I pushed my way into the office, noticing a lanky dude standing as if waiting for me, a smile on his face. “Mr. Keller?”
“Yes, you must be Hawk.” He held out his hand. “I heard you’d gotten back in town. I am so very sorry that it was under such tragic circumstances.”
“If it’s alright with you, let’s go to your office.” I certainly didn’t want to make a scene. My idea wasn’t to have my name on national television again.
He narrowed his eyes as he dropped his hand, scanning my face, a different level of recognition settling in. I had to assume that meant her footage from the day before had been delivered into his hands. Another reason to punish the... damn sexy woman.
My way.
“Ah, of course. Come with me.”
Mr. Keller led me down a short hall, moving into a small office. Obviously, he wasn’t the big fish. “I’m sorry that Bryce isn’t here yet. She’s been working a lot of hours.”
“I’m certain she has.”
“I understand you plan on surprising her? I wasn’t aware that you two knew each other since she’s only been in town a few months.” His question was now laced with apprehension.
“Where does she live?”
He seemed astounded by the question. “I’m sorry?”
“I need to know where she lives.”
“I’m not allowed to give out that information.” Mr. Keller shifted to his desk, moving behind it as if that would keep him safe. “I’m certain that you can understand.”
“What I understand is that your network is providing false information about my brother’s death. As you might imagine, I don’t take to that kindly. Ms. Myers and I were working on providing the truth. I need to speak with her. It’s imperative since I have brand spanking new information that will certainly provide a much better story.”
His eyes flickered both an understanding of what I was saying as well as a hint of fear. While he sputtered initially, he finally nodded, yanking a piece of paper from his notepad. “I’m certainly happy to see that you’re back in town, Mr. Travers. Your brother was an amazing hero in so many ways.”
