Never with a Rich Man

by Tina Susedik

  Falk snickered. Cassie rounded on him and slapped her palms on the table. “Since you know I’m innocent of smuggling, why haul me down here? Would you please, please tell me what is going on?”

  Falk leaned back in his chair. “I’m sorry, Miss Jordan. This is an ongoing investigation.”

  Kent nodded. “You’re free to go.”

  Cassie yanked her sweater from the back of her chair, gave Hogan a wide berth, and stood in front to the grey door. “Get me out of here.”

  Hogan grasped her elbow.

  “That someone will not be you.” Using two fingers, she pried his fingers loose like he was some kind of parasite.

  Falk opened the door and led her from the room.

  “Cassie. Wait,” Hogan called.

  The anger in her eyes when she snarled at him over her shoulder would have made weaker men melt. But Hogan was made of sterner stuff. Besides, his future was about to leave the building. He waved Falk away.

  “What do you want, Hogan?”

  “Could we please meet somewhere so I can explain?”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Her nostrils flared as her face turned red. “Without any explanation, I’m arrested, taken into an interrogation room where I’m left to sit for hours, and now you want to explain?” She released a deep breath and turned back to Falk. “See you, Hogan. No, wait . . .”

  Hope built in his heart, then disappeared like a snuffed out candle at her next words.

  “. . . I won’t be seeing you. Ever. Like in never. Good-bye.”

  Hogan bit back the stream of swear words racing through his head. He clenched his fists to keep from slamming them into a wall, or the nearest person, who happened to be his boss.

  “Sorry, Wynnters. You got too close to this one.”

  As the man left the room, Hogan reconsidered his decision to not punch Kent out.

  Through a large window facing the front desk, Hogan watched Cassie take her belongings from Jill, who must have followed them to headquarters. Without so much as a glimpse at him, Cassie disappeared through the front doors and his life.

  Not if he had anything to say about it. He wasn’t about to let the best thing that ever happened to him vanish. There had to be some way to get to Cassie. Explain how he tried to stop the events leading up to her arrest. Let her know he loved her.

  Watching Cassie leave with Jill, an idea popped into his head.

  Chapter 20

  Cassie slouched back on her couch, staring at a sappy Christmas card commercial, ignoring Jill standing in the living room doorway. She was a mess. Not sleeping. Not eating. Hell, when was the last time she’d taken a shower?

  In the weeks since being hauled in for questioning, she’d done nothing but sit at home and mope. Hogan had come by several times, pounding on the door, threatening to break it in. She’d finally unplugged her answering machine so she wouldn’t hear his pleading messages.

  She needed to get her act together and find a job, move on with her life, but it was like someone had attached a hose to her veins and sucked the life from her. That ‘someone’ being one Hogan Wynnters.

  Jill’s attempts at getting Cassie to meet with Hogan, or at least talk to him, came up short. Just his name sent her into a frenzy.

  Jill came into the living room and handed her a glass of wine. She muted the commercial.

  “You know, Cassie. I enjoy watching movies with you, but Brad would like to spend a Friday night with me. I love you. And as much as he acted like a skunk, I like Hogan, too. But this is getting ridiculous. You’re miserable. He’s miserable.

  “You’ve both lost weight. You’re not leaving your house. And I hate to say this, but you’re beginning to be a real pain to be around.”

  Cassie ducked her chin into her chest. “I’m sorry, Jill. Just go home to Brad. I don’t want to be a pain or burden to anyone.”

  “Well, you are. Right now the last thing I want to do is spend more time with either of you.” Jill sat on the couch and patted Cassie’s knee. “In the past month, Hogan has spent more time at our place than at his. He rants and raves about fickle women. I told him about how you feel about rich men.”

  “What did he say?” Cassie asked, sniffling into a tissue.

  “Had a good laugh. He can’t understand why his having money would keep you from being with him. According to him, women want him for his money.”

  “You know it’s more than the money.”

  “Yes, and so does Hogan, but you need to let him explain. Hell, he’s threatened to go live on a deserted island where money doesn’t matter.”

  The corners of Cassie’s lips curved up.

  “Sound familiar, friend? Why, it’s almost as if you two were meant to be together.”

  Cassie sighed and tucked her knees under her chin. “I know I’ve been depressed, but I can’t let go of what happened with Hogan. As much as I complain about what he did, I miss him. God, how I miss him.”

  “Cassie, either get over him once and for all, or swallow your pride and call the man. Decide if you want him or someone else in that gorgeous bed you bought still leaning against your dining room wall.”

  “I know. I know.” Cassie closed her eyes and rested her cheek against her knees and recalled the sadness that had swept through her when the bed had finally arrived. “What I don’t know is how to get over him. I don’t know how to forgive him.”

  “Just call him.”

  Tears dampened her sweatpants.

  Jill pointed her glass of wine at Cassie. “I understand how upset you are, and I agree. The whole investigation makes me angry, too. But you need to listen to him. Hear his side of the story. If what he has to say doesn’t change your mind, you can string him up by his thumbs, strip off his clothes, and whip him to within an inch of his life.”

  Hogan’s sexy, naked body flashed through her mind. Electricity shot through her veins. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

  “Instead of watching those stupid movies you’ve become so fond of, I thought if you could rouse yourself from your wailing couch, we would have supper at my place tomorrow night. Brad’s going to be gone for the weekend, and I for one don’t plan on spending it crying over some love ‘em and lose ‘em movie. We could play cards, paint our nails. You know, girl junk.”

  Cassie couldn’t ignore Jill’s shining eyes. Something was up. “You’re not trying to do anything stupid, are you?”

  “Stupid?” Jill asked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just thought we could order pizza, have some wine, and play euchre like we used to do. Brad is spending the weekend with his brothers. Since he moved in, I don’t like being alone. You could even stay overnight if you want. That way if we imbibe too much wine, you won’t have to worry about driving home. What do you say? Is it a date?”

  “You’re right.” Her shoulders slumped. “It’s time to get on with my life. I’ll bring the wine.”

  The next morning, Cassie was in her kitchen unpacking groceries, including snacks and wine to take to Jill’s, when the doorbell rang. She ran through the house wondering if Hogan was at her door again. Should she let him in?

  “Annie, what are you doing here?” she asked, peering around the door. Removing her gloves and coat, her mother stepped into the room.

  “Well that’s a fine howdy-do,” Annie gave Cassie a hug. She stood back and stared at her daughter. “You look like hell, and you’ve lost weight. What’s going on?”

  Cassie sat on the couch and stared at her mother. “That’s what I’d like to know. You never just drop by without calling. Is something wrong?”

  A grin with enough voltage to light up the entire city of Milwaukee crossed Annie’s face. “I came by to tell you I won’t be able to make Christmas this year.”

  Christmas alone? Tears welled in Cass
ie’s eyes. Even though she wasn’t in the mood for the holiday, this would be the second one without her mother. “But you missed Thanksgiving. Why won’t you be here for Christmas?”

  “I have something to tell you, Cassie. I hope you’ll be happy for me.” Cassie’s mother took her hands. “I’m getting married.”

  “You’re what?”

  “Tom and I are going to Vegas over Christmas and getting married,” she explained. “I have a bunch of comp time banked at work, and I’m going to take it for my honeymoon.”

  Cassie couldn’t have been more shocked had her mother told her she was having Elvis’ baby. “But, I’ve only met Tom once.”

  “I know, sweetie, but you’ve been so busy with work and Hogan.” She rubbed the back of Cassie’s hands. “Anyway, I didn’t think it would have been a good idea to tell you how happy I am when you’ve been so miserable. Of course, we want you and Bess there.”

  “You’ve always prided yourself on your independence.” Cassie sighed. “I mean, after Dad died, you raised us on your own, got a job, did everything by yourself. I thought you liked living alone.”

  Annie shook her head. “Oh, Cassie, I did it for you girls. I decided your lives were more important than mine and I didn’t want to bring in another man to upset you and your sister. Besides, I was so busy trying to support you two I didn’t have time to think about another man.”

  “Why did you make such a point of us marrying for money?”

  “I was so tired of pinching pennies and so incredibly lonely.” Annie worried her bottom lip then went on. “I guess I thought once you girls were married, I could start a life of my own, and I didn’t want you to have to worry about finances. I believed you both had found men to love and take care of you financially. Luckily things have worked out for Bess. You can’t believe how awful I felt in pushing you to marry Tony.”

  Cassie was confused. “You never seemed lonely.”

  Her mother laughed. “Parents hide plenty of things from their children. If I had let on how miserable I was without your father, you and Bess would have been miserable, too. It isn’t a child’s job to make their parents happy.”

  Cassie stared at Annie finding it hard to imagine her as a woman, not just her mother. Good heavens, her she was only fifty years old and had been only thirty-three when her father died. As much as Cassie didn’t want to think about the subject, it must have been difficult for her mother to have gone so long without love. “So, is Tom good to you?”

  Annie’s face glowed, something Cassie hadn’t seen in a long time. Her cheeks were rosy and her smile, well, Cassie thought if she were a man and a woman smiled like that, nothing would be impossible.

  “He’s wonderful, Cassie,” her mother answered, giggling like a schoolgirl in the throes of her first crush. “He’s intelligent and funny, warm and kind. He makes me feel like a woman. A much-cherished woman.”

  Cassie’s heart swelled, then constricted. She was happy for Annie, but seeing someone else this blissful made her situation with Hogan even more painful.

  “That’s terrific, really it is.” The tears were getting thicker. She swallowed around the lump in her throat before hugging her mother. “I’m glad you’ve found someone.”

  “Ah, Cassie, honey, don’t cry. I should have let you know more about Tom, but some things are hard to explain to your daughters. Besides, you’ve been preoccupied.” She put her hands on Cassie’s shoulders. “You know this doesn’t change things with us, don’t you?”

  Cassie laughed and swiped the back of her hand across her teary eyes. “Geez, Annie, I’m not a little kid anymore. I do understand about wanting to keep your romance to yourself. That’s the way I feel, or rather felt about . . .” Cassie couldn’t control the tears anymore. She sobbed into her mother’s arms.

  “You never told me what happened,” her mom said, rubbing Cassie’s back in calming motions. “I didn’t get to meet him, but Bess told me how happy you seemed with Hogan, happier than she’d ever seen you. What went on? Did he hit you?”

  “Oh God, no. Hogan would never do that.” Cassie sniffed and hiccoughed. “He’s actually quite wonderful. Except. . .”

  “Except what?”

  “First he lied to me. Then he had me arrested.”

  Annie slapped a hand over her heart. “Arrested? Whatever for?”

  Through tears and hiccoughs, Cassie told the story. When she was done, her mother’s silence wore on her nerves. “Well?”

  “Sounds like Hogan was simply doing his job. Seems to me the one you should be angry with is Tony. He’s the one that made this mess, not Hogan.”

  Cassie released the muscles in her clenched jaw. “You don’t get it, he lied to me.”

  “He didn’t lie. From what I understand, Hogan couldn’t tell you about his job.”

  “But, he did. He told me he was a salesman for a plastics company.” Cassie took a deep breath. “He’s not a salesman, he owns the whole damn company. The guy is rich.”

  “He what?”

  “He’s rich, Annie. He let me believe he was just an average salesman.” Cassie jerked her head toward her mother. Did she just snicker? “Are you laughing?”

  Annie slapped her hand to her mouth to cover a snort, but couldn’t keep the laughter from bursting forth. “You mean to tell me that you stopped seeing Hogan, a man you’ve professed to being absolutely wonderful, because he’s rich?” She swiped at the tears running down her face. “Oh, that’s rich. Get it? Rich?”

  As much as she wanted to, it probably wouldn’t be wise to punch her mother in the arm to stop her laughing. “It’s not funny.”

  “Just how did he lie to you? You asked him if he was rich and he denied it? Did you ask him he was an FBI agent?”

  “Of course not. He didn’t really talk about his job, except he traveled a lot.” Cassie turned toward her mother. “When I asked what he did for a living he was evasive and said sales—plastics or something. He was never specific. He always drove an older Bronco and except for the night he took me to a fancy restaurant, he never acted like he was rich. Not like Tony and his family.”

  Annie let out a snort. “Not everyone is like Tony, Cassie.”

  “I know. I know. That’s what Bess and Jill keep saying.”

  “Maybe he was trying to protect himself, and he probably couldn’t tell you about his being an FBI agent. Have you thought of that?”

  “Yes. Jill suggested it, too.” Cassie sat back down on the couch. “But what was he trying to protect himself from?”

  “A lot of people don’t think like you, Cassie. They can’t see beyond what a person is worth monetarily. I guess I’m to blame for pushing you and Bess to marry rich men. Maybe some woman hurt him badly.” Her mother looked pointedly at Cassie. “Besides you, I mean.”

  “Gee, thanks, Mom.” Cassie couldn’t keep the sarcasm from her voice. “Whose side are you on, anyway?”

  “I think maybe Hogan’s. Think about it. You say he’s a great guy. Treats you wonderfully.”

  Cassie blushed and nodded.

  Annie smiled. “I feel the same way about Tom. But this isn’t about me right now. So the only thing wrong with Hogan is he’s rich and lied about his job. Do I have that right?”

  “Oh, it’s more than that.” Cassie balled her hands into fists and she pounded her hands against her legs. “I am so sick and tired of people lying to me. And I still don’t know what was going on with Tony and Richard.”

  “Besides Tony, who lied to you?”

  “Hogan. Bess, when she showed up with the kids. Mr. Peters, when he made it sound like I was going to get the promotion. Tony. Richard. Daddy.”

  Her mother sat back as she frowned. “Your father? When on Earth did he lie to you?”

  A lump formed in her throat again. “He said he would be
around forever. And then he wasn’t. Sometimes I miss him so much,” she cried as her mother enveloped her in her arms.

  “My, dear, sweet child,” Annie whispered against Cassie’s hair. “You mean to tell me that all these years you’ve believed your father lied to you?” She moved Cassie away from her and placed both hands on either side of her face. “I wish I had known that’s what you thought. Don’t you know how much your father loved you and Bess? Don’t you know that he would have given anything to be here today?”

  After wiping tears from Cassie’s face, she took her daughter’s hands into her own. “When your father was shot during the hold-up at the gas station, he didn’t die right away. Do you know what some of his last words were?”

  When Cassie didn’t answer, Annie continued. “He told me how much he loved me, and you, and Bess. How he wanted to be there for your first date, prom, and graduation. He wanted so much to be able to meet your future husband, give him as hard a time as he got from my father.” She squeezed Cassie hands tighter. “He was crying, not because he was in pain, which I know he was, but because he wouldn’t be able to see you grow up and be your daddy forever.” She dabbed her tears.

  Cassie recalled how her father had been dubbed a hero for saving a woman and her child from being shot, while she only wanted her daddy back. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

  Annie twisted her hands together. “I guess I was overwhelmed with losing him, trying to make ends meet, and raising you girls. I certainly would have said something had I known what was going on in your head. I’m sorry.”