“Watch your mouth. Tabitha is home from school!”
“Who in the hell is Tabitha?” Matthew shouted, and right on cue, the little ball of energy barreled down the hallway into the kitchen, right into Doc Jenkins.
“Doc! I gonna be a turkey in the shanksgiving play!”
Doc leaned over and picked up the small six-year-old and hugged her. “That’s real good, Tabby, but it’s the Thanks-giving play.”
“Momma said you’d be there. Are you’d gonna be there, Doc?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Tabby,” he said, kissing her cheek before setting her back on her own two feet.
Emma watched as Tabitha turned to see a stranger in the house. “You look like Doc. Did you come to see him?” Tabitha asked, smiling at the new man.
They all watched as Matthew squatted down to look the little girl in the eye. “Yes. My name is Matthew Jenkins. I am Doc’s older brother. I came all the way from California to see your mother.”
“Wow! That’s where the specific ocean is!” Everyone laughed as Tabitha turned back to the doc and asked, “Is he tellin’ the truth?”
Emma couldn’t hide her smile and apparently the boys had trouble hiding their laughter. Emma watched as Tucker stood and grabbed their daughter around the waist. “All right, Alex Trebek, enough questions. Go find Rusty and have him take you for a ride. Adults are talkin’,” he said, shooing her out the front door.
Emma watched as her daughter skipped and jumped for joy. She knew one of her favorite times of the day was to ride her pony with Rusty. The old foreman had lived and worked on this ranch since the boys were small. Having no children himself, he doted on Tabitha, lavishing large amounts of attention on her.
“Someone wanna start explaining?” Travis said, getting to the point as soon as Tabitha started shouting for Rusty.
Emma stood and looked at the Jenkins brothers and calmly said, “Yes, please, enlighten all of us…Dads.”
* * * *
The room got eerily quiet as Travis, Tucker and Tate watched as Emma moved around the kitchen. Like a cat circling its prey, with grace and agility, stalking them, waiting to pounce.
Neither of the Jenkins brothers answered Emma.
The Quinn brothers knew if those men were her biological fathers, according to town history, they both would claim her it was just the town’s way. Looking at each other then back at her, Travis had had enough. He could tell from the tension on Emma’s face. This news was emotionally hurting her and he wasn’t going to allow these two men to hurt her any more than she already was. “Someone better speak because she’s had it with lies, deceptions, and deceit. She needs the truth. She deserves it.”
Matthew moved first. “You are our daughter, Emma, both mine and Andrew’s.”
Andrew quickly stood next to his brother, agreeing, “We loved your mother and wanted to marry her, but circumstances beyond our control and hers didn’t allow that to happen. We are so sorry for what you have had to deal with.”
“You’re sorry?” Emma seethed. “You’re sorry that you walked away from my mother. You’re sorry that you didn’t stop Glenn McKenzie from marrying my mother. You’re sorry that you allowed your biological daughter to live in a home with a drunk who scared the living shit out of her. You’re sorry that you abandoned your daughter and the woman you say you loved to live life in fear?” Emma whispered vehemently, turning and heading to the screen door. The boys stood, getting ready to say something when Emma stopped and turned to look at the men who had just claimed her. “Go fuck yourselves…Dads,” she said and walked out the back door into the clean bright sunshine.
Chapter Thirteen
“Just when I thought my life couldn’t get anymore fucked up. What the hell am I supposed to do with two freakin’ dads? And just where in the hell have they been for the last twenty-eight years? Fuck!” Emma ranted as she made her way to the barn.
The bright sunshine felt good on her skin as she allowed the warmth to wrap her in its blanket. She had survived many things in her life, but this took the cake.
It was one thing to live the life you were dealt and hope for something better instead of the hell she was given, but to actually find out that not one but two men existed and they had chosen to walk away, just infuriated her. She had watched her mother for years tending to Glenn’s every wish and demand. She had watched as he beat her repeatedly, and that was just the physical abuse. She gave that asshole credit, though. Glenn always knew where to hit her mother, for no one had ever known. But it was the mental abuse that hurt her mother the worst.
She remembered listening to Glenn call her mother a worthless whore over and over, telling her how she was incapable of loving anyone, and how bad she was at mothering her daughter. The McKenzie household was not by any means a loving home. On the outside, they portrayed the loving family, but behind closed doors, hell reigned.
When things got too bad at home, she remembered sneaking out, running to her saviors. The Quinn brothers never refused her. Many nights she would shimmy up a ladder into Tate’s or Travis’s room, seeking shelter. The windows were always open, and when she gently knocked, they would be there to open the window and allow her safe passage. She remembered how when Tucker found out, he soon moved into Travis’s room, just so he could be there to help whenever the need arose, and it did often. After a while, Mr. Quinn found out, and actually had a key made for her and set up a room just for her, that way she would always have a safe place to sleep.
She remembered the day when Glenn found out. He beat her till she had black and blue marks all down her legs. She hurt so bad she didn’t leave her room for a week. That was, until Mr. Quinn showed up asking to see her. When her mother let him in the room, he picked her up and carried her, with her mother in tow, back to his house. It didn’t take more than three days for Glenn to find them, and when he showed up, he brought the sheriff. Since her mother refused to press charges, Emma and her mother were forced to move back home with the devil.
It wasn’t till later that she found out that the sheriff had threatened Glenn that if he ever saw another mark on her, he would personally haul his ass to jail. After that Glenn never touched her again, but her mother was another story. He had made life hell for Isabella McKenzie.
This was all just too much. She couldn’t think anymore. Too many things were coming to light, and her life was in utter chaos.
Trying to focus on what she could handle, she took her time as she walked toward the barn. The first thing I need to do is allow Doc—or should I start calling him Dad? Not going there…Move on, Emma. I need to allow Doc to do that hypnosis thing he wants to do. The sooner I find out the identity of this asshole who is after me, the better. As for the other, I don’t ever want to know.
The doors to the barn were standing wide open, and Emma could hear Rusty moving around. She only hoped that Tabitha was giving him a hard time. That little girl loved Rusty, but boy could she give him a run for his money.
Making her way inside, she tripped and almost fell, but caught a hold of one of the tacks. “What the hell?” she muttered. Turning to see what tripped her, she noticed the still body lying at her feet. Blood surrounded the head, and the body was not moving. Emma quickly leaned down to check for a pulse, and when she did, she realized that it was Rusty. “Rusty?”
“Ouch… Man, I think I bumped my head.” He moaned, waking slowly.
“Rusty, where is Tabitha?”
“No clue, Em,” he answered, trying to get up, but couldn’t. “I was comin’ into the barn to saddle Cinderella for her, knowing she would want to ride after school. Whoa,” he said, and then sat back down. “I think I’m gonna sit here for a minute, if you don’t mind. What the hell happened?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing. I came in here to make sure Tabby wasn’t giving you too much trouble.”
“Oh, short pint ain’t so bad, just a ball of combustible energy. Better go find her. God know
s what she is getting into.” Rusty smiled, leaning against the barn wall.
“Rusty, when you can, go get the boys and have Doc take a look at your head. He’s at the house.”
“Will do, Emma. Thanks.”
Emma stood, and all thoughts turned to her daughter. “Tabitha! Where are you?” she yelled, walking down the length of the barn, past the stalls, heading for the tack room. She stopped when she heard her.
“I want my mommy!”
“One more word, you little shit, and I backhand you.”
Emma froze. She knew that voice.
It couldn’t be.
Not him!
“Go ahead and my daddies are gonna whip your butt!” her daughter shouted back.
Oh God, she was so going to have to have a conversation with her daughter concerning that mouth of hers, but for right now, she had never been prouder of her daughter’s spirit. Tabitha was a true Quinn. Placing her hand on the door, she slowly turned the knob to find a man holding Tabitha by the straps of her little pink overhauls, hand raised, ready to hit.
“Lay one finger on my daughter, you son of a bitch, and I will kill you with my bare hands.”
* * * *
“I don’t understand. Someone please tell me what the hell is going on,” Tucker asked the Jenkins brothers.
Andrew Jenkins took a deep breath. He looked at his brother, who nodded and began, “It all started when our parents informed us of the trust. You see, to be a direct descendant of the founding fathers of Treasure Cove is not easy, as you boys are probably well aware of. When the founding families moved and created Treasure Cove, they did so with one specific idea in mind, to control and prohibit the local, state, and federal government to interfere with their particular way of life. So, when the families began purchasing the land around this area, they made sure that not only was the land specifically theirs, but water and mineral rights also. Then to complicate matters, they created the Treasure Charter, where only a first-born direct descendant could inherit the land from family to family. A lot of the families at the time didn’t like the idea of excluding the other children, so they came up with ménage families. It worked well, because after the first winter, a lot of the men died due to influenza, leaving women and children without husbands and fathers.
“The ménage lifestyle started from there, and in order to include all the children, all male children had to marry the same woman. As for the female children, they were married off to other wealthy families. But if a female child was the only child of a ménage relationship, then she was married off to another family within the Charter. Now, if no descendant was available, then and only then could an outsider purchase the land, but that never really happened, because the Charter would purchase the land before it ever hit the market.”
Matthew cleared his throat and continued, “Now this is where Emma comes into play. Within the Jenkins family, Andrew and I are the last recognized remaining descendants of the Jenkins line. When we refused to marry Katherine Olsen, we forfeited out rights to the Jenkins land and fortune. This is where its gets interesting…How she found out, we don’t know, but our mother knew about Emma. Now, try and understand, for our mother and father to claim Emma as their biological granddaughter, there had to have been a DNA test. When Isabella brought me the legal documents to the Jenkins land, I specifically asked if she allowed a DNA test to occur. She said no. I know my mother. There would be no way in hell that she would sign over the Jenkins property to Emma unless she had undeniable proof. So that begs the question, who authorized the DNA test?”
“It could have been Glenn. According to Margaret when I talked with her, she said that when Glenn found out you two were Emma’s fathers he became suspicious and started asking a lot of questions. Since he was legally married to Isabella, he could have authorized the test,” Braxton informed the group.
“That makes sense, but you must understand, the DNA test did state that Emma is our biological daughter, and since she has married you boys, Emma is now one of the wealthiest women in Treasure Cove. Your daughter, our granddaughter, stands to inherit over ten billion dollars,” Doc Jenkins advised.
“Holy shit!” Tucker stated as Tate whistled.
“But according to the Charter, only the land is transferred,” Travis said.
“That’s not entirely true. When Andrew and I forfeited our rights, Emma got everything, the land, the houses, the mineral rights, the whole caboodle! Emma alone is worth over 6.8 billion. At least that was the last estimate from the Charter quarterly. That’s not including your shares that will pass to your oldest child, Tabitha.”
“So this is all about the money?” Travis asked.
“Not really. This is about the town Charter. You see, that’s why our families have been very particular about whom we marry. According to what I found out, you boys were never supposed to marry Emma. You were supposed to marry a woman by the name of Bethany Walters, but she up and married some guy in her junior year of college. You see, the founding fathers of this town were some sick individuals. They wanted this town to prosper, and technically it has, that is until Andrew and I found out that our lives were already prearranged. When we refused to marry Ms. Olsen, our parents were left with no choice but to cut us off. But thanks to Emma, our parents found a loophole.
The Charter of Treasure Cove specifically states that if a descendant refuses, they get nothing. Then, if no direct descendant can be found, everything is turned over to the Charter, which is controlled by a central unit.”
“Who controls the Charter?” Travis asked.
“That I haven’t been able to find out, but I am still looking.”
“So what happens now?” Tate asked.
“Now, nothing. Emma has been identified as our biological daughter. You married Emma, so therefore everything is hers,” Matthew said stoically.
“Wait a minute…What do you mean everything is Emma’s?” Travis said as his gut start to turn. Something inside him said he was not going to like what he was about to hear.
“Exactly what I said…Everything, all the land, the money, the mineral rights, is Emma’s. Upon marriage, everything is turned over to the first wife. If the first wife dies before her children reach maturity, everything goes into a trust till that time arises. The men control nothing.”
“You’re shittin’ me!” Travis shouted.
“Fuck that!” Tucker screamed.
“Wow,” Tate muttered, running his hands through his hair.
“You mean to tell me that since your father’s death, you haven’t noticed anything strange with the accounts regarding this ranch?” Matthew asked, shocked.
“No…Like everyone else in this ranching community, we have an accountant who handles everything. We turn in the bills, they pay them, and as long as there was cash in the bank, we never questioned anything,” Travis stated angrily. “Fuck! I am so going to fire that piece of shit when I see his ass. I have not worked my hands to the fucking bone for nothing. This land is ours!”
“Calm down, Trav, yelling at everyone isn’t going to help solve this shit. We need to work together on this,” Tate said.
“You’re right. I am currently trying to get a copy of the original Charter. From that document, I can see if there are any legal circumstances that can be done to reverse it. You see, with the Charter in play, technically no one in Treasure Cove owns anything. Only the person controlling the trust does. That is the big mystery that Glenn happened upon. That’s why this mystery man wants Emma. If he gets his hands on Emma or Tabitha, he controls a big chunk of Treasure Cove.”
Just then, the slamming of the screen door interrupted the conversation, as they all turned to see Rusty walk in, holding his head as blood dripped down his face.
“What the hell happened to you?” Travis shouted.
Chapter Fourteen
Emma stood frozen. She couldn’t believe her eyes. She had to be seeing things. She remembered every detail, every mom
ent, from his laughter to his warm embraces, every smile, every caress, everything. He had been such a good man, a loving man, yet the man before her was harsher, more dangerous than she remembered.
“It’s nice to see you again, darling. I missed you.”
Oh, this wasn’t happening. No, no, no! It can’t be him…not him!
“Kyle?”
“Glad you remembered me, darling. I was worried there for a while when I heard you married those cowboys. I was hoping for a nicer reunion, but since it seems you can’t follow simple instructions, I had to deviate. I must say, you look extremely well. Still beautiful as ever.”
“Why? Why are you doing this?” she asked.
“For the land, my darling, it’s always been about the land. Well, that and to take back what once belonged to my family. You see, Emma, you have something that belongs to me, and I want it back.”
“I never spent a dime of your insurance money. I can give it all back to you, every penny.”
“Oh no, darling, I’m not talking about my pension, I am talking about the trust that you inherited. You see, Emma, when those two idiots didn’t marry your mother, the trust that was once theirs passed to you. Then, to top everything off, you went and married those cowboys…who in turn made you a slut, but a very wealthy slut. What you inherited from your biological fathers was not legally theirs, it was mine. That trust belonged to my family, and I want it back.”
“I don’t have any money. Nothing.”
“Oh, but you do, darling. You have a lot more than you believe. I have been watching you from the very beginning, my darling Emma. From the moment Mother told me of my family history, I have been watching you. It took some doing, but I finally found you.”
This was unreal. She couldn’t believe this was happening. The man before her was not whom she remembered. He was vile, evil, and the look in his eyes told her that if she made one wrong move, she and Tabitha were going to be in a lot of trouble. “I don’t understand. Your parents were from Albany. You weren’t raised in Montana.”
Emma's Treasures Page 12
