by Romancing the Crown Series (13-in-1 bundle) (v1. 0) (lit)
"And you figure you should have part of it because…?"
Drucker's grin returned. "You help an important man find his way back home, you ought to get something for your effort. Considering Prince Lucas is a real important man, I'd expect something worthy of his importance."
As Tyler cynically studied him, memories of childhood visits to his grandparents crept into his mind. Because his father's air force career had kept them moving, he and his brothers hadn't seen their grandparents as often as most kids, but they'd spent weeks with them every summer. In general, the visits had been great—long, hot days, fishing and swimming, Grandma's lemonade on the porch swing. But, being the Ramsey boys, sooner or later one of them would screw up, and their grandfather would invite him out back for a come-to-Jesus meeting. The meetings had generally been short, and when they were over, that boy had seen the error of his ways, hallelujah!
He would give almost anything to invite Jimmy Drucker out back for his own come-toJesus meeting, but doing so would mean leaving Anna alone in the restaurant. Maybe she would be safe. Maybe Drucker was working alone, or was the only one who'd figured out who she and the missing Joe were.
But maybe he wasn't. And while it was most likely that he knew nothing about Prince Lucas's whereabouts, there was no doubt he knew exactly where Princess Anna was and had a pretty good idea how much the king would pay to get her back.
As Tyler was considering how best to keep Anna safe, yet still make certain that Drucker was nothing more than a con artist, the solution to his problem appeared in the doorway across the room. He signaled the waitress, leaned over to whisper in her ear, then sat back. "Okay, Drucker, so you recognized the prince. You still haven't told me anything that suggests you've had any personal contact with him. Where is this little town where you met him? When was it? Who else knows about it? With nothing more than a few bars and a fleabag motel, surely someone else saw him, too. Maybe you were the only one to recognize him, but I can't believe you were the only one to even see him."
Drucker shrugged elaborately. "Well, now, I'm pretty much a stranger in that town myself. I can't give you any names, but yeah, I'm sure the waitress at the bar remembers—" As a hand clamped on his shoulder, he broke off and looked up, a friendly smile at the ready, but it faded quickly enough when he saw the sheriff
"Mr. Ramsey. Ma'am." Sheriff Ray Mitchell, whom they'd met earlier that afternoon, nodded in Anna's direction, then turned his cold gaze toward Drucker. "What're you doing here, Jimmy?"
"Uh, n-nothing. J-j-just having a bit of friendly conversation is all." He tried to stand up and made it a few inches off the chair before the sheriff pushed him down again.
"What's the problem, Mr. Ramsey?" Mitchell asked, then added, "Cause when Jimmy's involved, there's always a problem."
"Now, that's not fair. We were just havin' a conversation," Drucker said, a whine entering his voice.
"He claims to have information about the man we're looking for," Tyler said. "But he wants money—and a lot of it—before he shares it."
The sheriff scowled. "Jimmy, if you spent near as much time working as you do coming up with these schemes of yours, you'd be a rich man. What're you telling 'em about that fellow?" He gestured toward the photo on the table.
"Nothin'," Drucker said sullenly.
Tyler took that opportunity to speak up. "He says he ran into him at a bar in a small town near here, and he claims he knows where he was headed when he left."
Sheriff Mitchell glared down at Drucker, who refused to raise his gaze from the tabletop. "Is that so?" Still holding on to him with one hand, Mitchell pulled up another chair and sat down close. "Why don't you tell your Uncle Ray all about it, Jimmy?"
Tyler winced inwardly. So Jimmy Drucker, scam artist, was nephew to Ray Mitchell, respected lawman. That must provide for some interesting family dynamics.
"You ever see that man, other than on television or in the papers?" Mitchell asked.
Looking as if he was trying to make himself too small to notice, Drucker grudgingly answered, "No."
"So you intended to… What? Weasel some money out of them, set up a meeting that was never gonna happen, then disappear until they was gone?" Mitchell cuffed Drucker on the back of the head, then pointed at Tyler. "That man works for a king, for God's sake. Do you think he'd be stupid enough to pay you for information without some proof that you knew what the hell you were talking about?"
Finally Drucker lifted his gaze to his uncle's face and said defensively, "I wasn't lookin' for a lot. I figured I'd ask for fifty thousand and maybe get five hundred of it up-front. Even a couple hundred would've been plenty for my trouble."
Mitchell cuffed him again, then gave him a shove. "Go on. Get out of here. Get your scrawny butt home and stay there. We aren't finished with this yet."
Red-faced and grumbling under his breath, Drucker left the booth and the restaurant, then Mitchell gave a sigh. "I apologize for Jimmy. His mama's raised him without a daddy, and she was way too easy on him. I've done what I can, but…"
"You have nothing to apologize for, Sheriff," Anna said politely.
"Do you think he told you the truth?" Tyler asked. "Is there any possibility at all that he really did run into the prince?"
"Nah. Not Jimmy. He's never kept his mouth shut about anything in his life. He's just always looking for an easy mark and thought he found one here." Rising, the sheriff returned the two chairs to their table, then gave them a curt nod. "Again, I apologize, and I promise, he won't bother you again."
After he left, Tyler returned the photograph to his pocket, then pushed his pie away. He didn't have much of an appetite left. Anna did the same as he took out enough money to pay the bill, then they headed for the cash register at the door.
The silence as they returned to the motel was awkward and strained. He wanted to say something to chase the melancholy look from Anna's eyes, to give her hope and make her feel better, but he didn't have any magic words. All he knew to do was hold her close, and this wasn't the time for that.
Once they reached their room, she took off her coat and immediately turned on the television. He took off his coat, moved his suitcase to the bed and began packing the few items he'd unpacked.
"What are you doing?"
"We're leaving. We'll drive into Butte tonight, and leave for Shady Rock in the morning."
She shut off the TV again and began gathering her own stuff even as she asked, "Why don't we spend the night, then go to Butte in the morning?"
"Because maybe the sheriff is right and Jimmy won't bother us again. Maybe he's as harmless as a kitten without claws. Or maybe he'll get the idea that if he can't scam some money for Lucas, he might be able to collect some for you."
Without acknowledging the threat he'd alluded to, she quickly finished packing, put on her coat and gloves, then waited patiently while he loaded the luggage in the SUV right outside. When he returned to escort her to the truck, she smiled faintly. "I didn't feel the least bit threatened by him."
"Honestly, Princess, I don't think he is a threat. But I'm not going to take any chances." He gestured for her to leave, but she gently placed her gloved hand against his cheek.
"Even if he were dangerous, I still wouldn't feel threatened, because of you. I know you'll protect me."
He pressed a kiss to her glove. "With my life."
With another small smile, she turned, walked into the night and climbed into the waiting vehicle. Before he could close the door, though, she held out one hand and her smile turned to a grin. "Just as I would protect you, tesoro mio. With my life."
Chapter 11
T uesday morning found Anna and Tyler waiting at the airport in Butte for their early flight to Denver. There, she knew, they would rent a vehicle at the airport and make the several-hours' drive to Shady Rock, where he would question Ursula Chambers, and if they discovered another clue, he would…
Truthfully, she wasn't certain what he would do, besides report it to his superiors. Would he be assigned the
task of investigating it himself, and if he was, would he be willing to take her along? Or would he think it time at last to send her back home where he thought she belonged?
He wasn't offering answers, and frankly she wasn't quite up to asking for them, for fear she might not like whatever she heard.
When their flight was announced, they joined the other passengers in line and she turned to embrace Tyler. For practically the first time since they'd left San Sebastian, his shoulder holster was absent, as he'd had no choice but to lock his weapons in their checked bags. Remembering how sexy she'd thought the holster was on their first day, she smiled. These days she found him quite sexy without it. In fact, she found him sexiest wearing nothing at all.
"Wouldn't it be lovely if we found that Lucas had returned to the Chambers ranch?"
"Lovely," he agreed dryly. "But don't get your hopes up. If he had, I feel fairly certain we would have heard from Ursula Chambers."
"Most likely so." She watched as he gave the gate attendants their tickets, then they strolled down the jetway to the waiting aircraft. "What do you know about her?"
"Not much. She's in her mid-thirties, a little taller than you." He grinned. "According to Lorenzo, she's blond-haired, blue-eyed and busty."
Anna debated whether to scowl or smile confidently. She chose the bright smile. "It's a good thing then that you're partial to dark brown curls, brown eyes and breasts perfectly sized for your hands, because you wouldn't appreciate living in the dungeon. Take my word for it."
"Where is that dungeon again?"
"Oh, there are several, depending upon which crime you commit. Coveting busty blondes would put you in the deepest, darkest, dankest of them all."
He located their seats and stepped ahead so she could take the window seat. She fastened her seat belt, tucked her bag between her hip and the outside wall of the plane, then wiggled about a bit. "You know, Papa's planes are much roomier than this."
Tyler burst into laughter as he settled beside her. There was barely enough room between rows for his legs, and his shoulders filled the width of the space he was allotted. "Yes, Your Highness, your father's fleet of high-dollar private jets are roomier than a commuter airliner. Welcome to the real world."
"It wasn't a complaint. Simply a comment." She elevated the armrest between them and leaned close to him, and his arm just naturally wrapped around her shoulders. "I'm not spoiled … except for you."
He pressed a kiss to her forehead and murmured a response she was quite certain he didn't intend her to hear. "Good."
Despite the cramped surroundings, Anna found the experience interesting. She'd never been on a commercial jetliner, and she listened avidly to the flight attendant's address on safety features, though she appeared to be the only one doing so, as well as the pilot's brief welcoming speech. They were really very polite and accommodating. Perhaps she would recommend to Mareta that she seek a job in commercial aviation. She certainly wasn't going to fly with Anna anymore.
Of course, once airborne, there were more similarities to her previous experiences flying. The engines droned. The ever-cheery attendants served drinks and snacks. Her restlessness began building. After a time, she rested her head on Tyler's shoulder, closed her eyes and entertained herself with a few favorite fantasies—finding Lucas, safe and sound, and taking him home. Seeing the pure joy on Papa's and Mama's faces when they embraced their son for the first time in months. Introducing them to Tyler, not as one of the Noble Men or Edward Ramsey's son, but as the man she loved and would soon marry. They would hold the wedding on Montebello, with not quite the pomp and circumstance that had surrounded Julia's wedding but more than the quiet ceremony Christina had chosen. Papa would send the Gulfstream—two or three of them if necessary—to bring Tyler's family to the island, and there would be parties and celebrations and stolen moments and long walks on the private beach and quiet nights in her apartment and—
Gradually she became aware that the plane was descending into Denver. Before long they were on the ground, where they collected their luggage and their rental vehicle, another black SUV, and set out for Shady Rock.
"Colorado doesn't appear very different from Montana," she remarked after a time. "What is your favorite state?"
Tyler spared her a glance. "Oh, gee, why don't you ask a tough question? There's only fifty of 'em to choose from."
"Which one? And why?"
"Montana. Because that's where I got to know you."
"Seriously," she commanded.
"The Arizona desert is special," he said at last. "And for mountains, you can't beat the Colorado Rockies … unless your preference runs to the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. Louisiana's got New Orleans, which is hard to top … but so is the ocean in Oregon or Maine. The rolling green hills of eastern Oklahoma are nice, and Texas—hell, it's got it all. Then of course—"
She slapped his arm. "I get your point You can stop now."
"You want me to stop?" he asked innocently. "You get a sudden desire to check out the cargo space back there?"
"There's nothing sudden about my desire for you," she pointed out, then grew serious. "This has been the best adventure of my life. Thank you, Tyler. I'll never forget even one minute of it."
Her words seemed to make him uncomfortable. His jaw tightened, and the amusement that had lightened his emerald gaze seeped away. Inexplicably her own rood darkened as well. She shifted in her seat and directed her gaze out the side window instead.
Truthfully, there was nothing inexplicable about her mood change. Though she hadn't intended it, her words had sounded very much like a prelude to goodbye, and he hadn't made any comment. She didn't require much. A simple "It's not over yet" would have sufficed.
But perhaps, for all practical purposes, it was over. Her charade couldn't continue forever, and he hadn't given even the faintest hint that he would like to see her when it was ended.
After a stop for lunch, they reached Shady Rock, then followed Lorenzo's directions to the Chambers ranch. It seemed the nearer they got to the ranch, the worse the roads had deteriorated. When they made the final turn, onto a narrow lane that led directly to the ranch, she gave a small sigh of relief.
The ranch house, along with its buildings, was set in a clearing with forest and pasture all around. There was snow on the ground, a fact she'd begun to take for granted, and smoke curled from the chimney into the clear blue sky. An old dilapidated pickup truck was parked near the rear entrance, and beside it stood a fairly new SUV with the same rental agency sticker on its bumper as the SUV they drove. It appeared it was Ursula Chambers's day for company.
"Can you see your brother living and working here for nearly a year?"
Those were the first words Tyler had spoken in far too long. She glanced at him and shrugged. "Certainly Lucas has a fine appreciation for the creature comforts," she said. "But if he has amnesia and doesn't remember that … I suppose he could be happy anywhere."
"And could you be happy anywhere?"
"What matters isn't where you are, Tyler, but the people with whom you find yourself. I would imagine even heaven to be a dreary place if you were missing those you love."
For one long moment he simply gazed at her, as if weighing the truth or the sincerity of her answer. Because the look made her uncomfortable, she opened the vehicle door and slid to the ground.
Silently they trekked through the snow to the front porch, where they cleaned their boots, then Tyler knocked. A moment later the door swung open, but it was no busty, blue-eyed blonde who greeted them. Anna stared at her cousin, Desmond, who stared back guiltily, as if he'd been caught with his hand where it didn't belong. Swiftly he attempted to cover his momentary shock, offering them a warm friendly smile that, despite best efforts, was neither warm nor friendly.
"Anna. Ramsey. What a surprise meeting you here."
"I should think so," she replied, since she was supposed to be with Christina in Billings and Tyler, last Desmond would have known, was in Mon
tana. Certainly Tyler's side trip to Colorado had been approved by his superiors, and almost certainly her father and Lorenzo had been so informed, but Desmond wasn't privy to all of the king's business—a fact he'd found annoying in the past. "What are you doing here?"
Before he could answer, a throaty feminine voice came from around the corner, and an instant later the busty blue-eyed blonde appeared. "Who is it, Des?"
Ursula Chambers, Anna presumed. While the blue eyes might be natural, the blond hair had received help from a colorist's chemicals and the bust … definitely chemicals of another sort. A great deal of them, If Anna carried such weight on her chest, she would surely suffer from back aches, but Ursula seemed to have no problem whatsoever navigating.
"I'm Tyler Ramsey, and this is Anna. Can we come in?"
"Of course," Ursula said. "Please, come in and warm up by the fire."
Clearly she didn't recognize Anna's name or face. Though she'd found it a pleasant change to go unrecognized these past few weeks, Anna found herself wanting to give the woman the full royal treatment. More than that, though, she wanted to know what Desmond was doing there and why he seemed so cozy with the Chambers woman, and she especially wanted to know why all the tiny hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end.
With a nudge from Tyler, she stepped across the threshold, then followed Ursula into the living room. Desmond was left to close the door, then bring up the rear.
"What can I help you folks with?" Ursula asked, perching on the arm of an overstuffed chair.
The fire on the grate was little more than coals. A faded quilt provided a splash of color on the braided rug in front of the fireplace, and it nearly hid the lacy crimson bra half under it. Anna glanced from Ursula to Desmond, standing across the room from the woman. Did he appear a bit hastily-put-together? Was his hair in need of combing, and was that faint color across his jaw lipstick? Had he and the woman—
Heat warmed Anna's cheeks. She now knew more about him and his activities than she wanted to know. It made her voice taut as she repeated her earlier question. "Why are you here, Desmond?"
