by Evie Nichole
Laredo gestured to a table. “Let’s all sit there. We’ll have Maggie and Darren bring him over, and then, since the table is in the back and there will be nobody around to listen, it won’t matter what he says.”
“Great plan,” Cisco muttered. He moved to a chair that gave him a clear view of the front of the room. That was when he spotted Paul Weatherby with his mousy little wife. “And there is rival number one and our potential problem.”
Maggie and Darren did their job and brought Joe Hernandez to a table full of Hernandez relations who would hopefully buffer any kind of comments that Joe made. Still, there was a lot of tension around the table. Cisco’s life did not necessarily depend on the stock contract being won by the Hernandez Land & Cattle Company. It was almost surreal to see the rest of them sitting there sweating bullets as they tried to pretend that everything was fine.
“Weatherby is approaching!” Darren hissed. “Laredo, go get your ass out there and divert!”
It was like running football plays. No doubt that’s why Darren was so good at it. The former professional football player had even done a season with the Broncos before settling down to fall in love and teach gym to elementary school kids.
Laredo leapt into action. Cisco could actually feel the animosity rolling off of Aria as she watched her boyfriend/whatever engaging Weatherby in a conversation that took him away from the Hernandez table.
“So, you hate Weatherby as much as the rest of us, hmm?” Cisco whispered to Aria. Then he turned to their father. “Did you tell Laredo and the others about my theory on why Weatherby wants the Farrell ranch?”
“Huh?” Joe Hernandez swung around to face Cisco, and he suddenly had the very odd feeling that he was looking into the face of a man he did not know.
Jesse reached across the table and grabbed Cisco’s forearm. “What did you say?”
“I’ve been having some issues with Weatherby myself,” Cisco murmured. Then he reconsidered. “Actually, he’s been harassing a friend—the woman I was trying to bring with me tonight—he’s been trying to buy the ranch her grandparents left to her.”
“The Farrells?” Aria squeaked. Her dark eyes were wide with shock. “Are you kidding me?”
“They were in a nursing facility for five years before they passed on.” Cisco was now speaking slowly and in a very low tone of voice. He was shocked that his father had not relayed any of this information along. What was going on with Joe? “We believe Weatherby has been using the land without paying for the lease. It’s hard to say if the dirty one is Paul or the other estate attorney. They’re both cheating bastards.”
“But that makes total sense!” Aria said to Jesse. The two women were staring at each other as though the whole sky had opened up with the answers to their problems. Aria was actually bouncing in her seat. “That’s where he’s been hiding the stock!”
“Did Dad honestly never tell you any of this?” Cisco felt shell-shocked and very off-balance. He turned to his father. “Dad. Look at me. Why didn’t you tell Laredo? You were supposed to tell Laredo and Cal.”
“Tell ‘em what?” Joe growled. He sucked down another drink and glowered at Paul Weatherby.
“Dad.” Cisco touched his father’s arm. “What in the hell is the matter with you? I thought Hernandez business was the most important thing on the planet. Why are you ignoring it?”
“That fucker killed her,” Joe Hernandez said beneath his breath. “You don’t know it, but he did. Just as though he’d shot her in the head. He killed her. He killed my Amelia.”
Cisco could feel Jesse’s shock from across the table. She wrenched her head around to stare at Joe. “What are you talking about? My mother? Joe, why are you saying that Paul Weatherby killed my mother?”
“Huh?” Joe seemed to shake himself out of some kind of trance. “What are you talking about, girl? I never said a damn thing about your mother. I barely knew her. Rawling was my best friend. I wouldn’t have touched Amelia.”
Jesse fell back in her chair. She was pushing herself so hard at the padded backrest that Cisco heard it creak with the pressure. There was no doubt in Cisco’s mind that he had heard his father claim that Paul Weatherby had something to do with Amelia Collins’s death. Then Joe had recanted and made it worse by somehow sounding defensive about Jesse’s mother.
“I need some air.” Jesse jumped up from her seat and left the room.
Aria didn’t bother to wait. She followed. This left Cisco sitting alone with his father at a table meant for eight. It felt like the story of his life. All of the answers just out of reach when he needed them the most.
“Dad,” Cisco said, forcing himself to be calm. “Dad, please tell me what you meant about Amelia Collins. What does Paul Weatherby have to do with her death?”
“Why are you getting mixed up with the Farrells and their ranch?” Joe turned and pegged Cisco with a glare from his red watery eyes. “You don’t need to be mixed up in that crap. The Hernandez family doesn’t mess with the Farrells. You got that? Those Farrells were always on good terms with Weatherby.”
Cisco tried to stay calm. There was too much going on here. There was too much to wonder about all at once. He had to stay focused. “Dad, do you think the Farrells knew that Weatherby was using their land for free while they were in the nursing home.”
“The Flying W don’t take handouts,” Joe said distractedly. “Weatherby is a murdering SOB, but he pays his own way.”
“What?” Cisco could barely stifle the urge to shake his father. “So, the man is a murderer. In fact, you think he had something to do with Rawling and Amelia Collins’s deaths, but you’re saying that he wouldn’t have used the Farrells’s ranch for free? Like somehow that is crossing the line. Are you hearing yourself?”
Cisco was just about at his wit’s end with this man. Joe Hernandez was a bully. He had come to Cisco’s office multiple times to make trouble, and now he was sitting here in public like some crazy drunk. It was almost like an act. Or something else.
Like some weird version of PTSD.
Cisco thought about the very minimal psychology classes he’d taken in school because it was something they recommended any good family lawyer pay attention to when he truly intended to work with a plethora of people going through abuse cycles, grief, and the tricky business of dealing with clients who most certainly possessed personality disorders. There had been a lot of information in that class specifically related to what happens when someone has PTSD and must deal with things called triggers that call up a specific memory or incident.
“Dad, what aren’t you telling us?” Cisco asked quietly. Laredo, Darren, and Maggie were returning to the table. It was now or never.
For just a moment, Cisco did not think that Joe Hernandez was going to answer. Then he cocked his head and looked straight at Cisco. “Paul Weatherby was there that night. The night that my Amelia died. He could have helped us, but he didn’t. I will always blame that bastard for what happened. Always.”
Cisco could not speak. He could do nothing but sit and absorb what his father had just said. Jesse and Aria hadn’t returned. Laredo sat back down with Darren and Maggie. And before Cisco could even begin to decide what to do with this information, the president of the Colorado Stockmen’s Association dropped a bomb that would stop time for the Hernandez Land & Cattle Company.
“Excuse me, excuse me!” The man tapped the microphone, and it let out the usual ear-splitting shriek. “I know you all expected to hear the announcement for assignation of the regional stock contract at tonight’s meeting. But given the current doubt surrounding the two top contenders for this prestigious contract, we have decided to withhold the decision until further investigations into theft and fraud can be completed. Thank you. Thank you all for coming. That will be all.”
“That was it?” Maggie whispered. “The only reason they had this meeting was for that announcement?”
Laredo nodded. His expression was grim, and his jaw was so tight it looked as though he we
re chewing nails. “That was indeed it.”
Cisco kept his mouth closed. Perhaps there was no reason to act on this now. Or ever. Or perhaps it was just one more pit stop on the Hernandez road to ruin.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Melody really needed to stop putting herself into these positions where she had no way to get home. By the time she had managed to find a bus stop near Cisco’s neighborhood, she had walked roughly six blocks. There was no way she was going to call a taxi. She just didn’t have the cash. She might be fine talking about how she wanted to go to school and better herself and find a way to do something other than be a barista for the rest of her life, but at the moment, there was no plan in place to actually do that. She was flat broke. And as she trudged up the steps to her apartment building, she had to admit that she was also unemployed and exhausted beyond endurance.
It was going to feel so good just to walk inside her apartment and sit down. She wanted to take off her shoes and put her feet up. Maybe in a little while she would even attempt to take a shower in one of the two bathrooms on her floor. Of course, all of those thoughts flew out of her head as soon as she felt someone press something cold and hard up against her throat just as she put her key into the lock on her front door.
“Hello, Melody.”
There was no question in Melody’s mind who the skinny man with the foul breath was. She would have recognized Ryan anywhere. She just wasn’t sure what he was doing there.
“Get your hands off me, Ryan.” Melody tried to insert enough authority into her voice to make him see reason.
Unfortunately, it made him laugh. “You don’t get to tell me what to do this time, bitch! I’m the one holding a knife to your throat. So, you’re going to do what I tell you to do. Now.”
Melody tried to turn her head. She wanted to know if Ryan was alone or if he’d brought one of his lowlife friends with him. But what Melody saw was Allie. It felt as though her heart were breaking. Why would Allie stand there and let this happen?
“I’m sorry, Melody!” Allie wrung her hands together as though the shame of what was happening was tough to handle. “I don’t want to go to my mom’s. You’ve got money. I know you do.”
Ryan responded by shoving Melody hard against the door. The wood surface smashed her cheek and made tiny pinpricks of light burst behind her eyelids. She struggled to see Allie. She wanted to know why her friend was doing this. “You know I have money, so you’re just going to take it from me? I fed you when I didn’t have enough to eat myself! I’ve paid your rent for you and bought you clothes and food when you didn’t have any!” Melody tried to jerk her head toward Ryan, but he was pinning her too hard to the door. “And most of the times I’ve had to help you it’s because this jerk took everything you had and left you to starve in the gutter. Now you’re helping him?”
Ryan scoffed. “Allie says you just inherited money. So, fork it over!”
The absurdity and total naiveté of the man currently threatening to slice her throat open was so complete that Melody could not hold back a laugh. The chuckles turned into guffaws that shook her whole body. She could tell that her reaction was not appreciated, but she couldn’t stop. Did these two morons really believe she had just been handed a check or a bundle of cash?
“Shut. Up!” Ryan snarled. “We’re going to go inside your apartment, and you’re going to give us the money. You got it?”
“Sure,” Melody snorted. “Whatever you say.”
“That’s better.” But Ryan sounded confused. He looked around Melody’s body at Allie. “Take her keys and open the door, Allie. Hurry up before someone sees us.”
“I cannot imagine anyone in this building interfering.” Melody suddenly felt dead tired. Was this really how she was going to die? She had enjoyed an incredible afternoon with Cisco Hernandez only to be murdered by a druggie trying to steal a land inheritance. What was Ryan going to do with it? Take it to the pawn shop?
Allie finally managed to fumble the key into the open position. The door clicked, and they all tumbled into Melody’s apartment. She could hear Allie scrambling to turn on the light. They probably thought she was going to try to fight them. But Melody was just too worn out to bother. There was nothing for them to take and nothing they could do that would make her situation worse. Not right now. Not with the way she was feeling after that last conversation with Cisco. He wasn’t the man she’d thought he was. Or maybe he was and she had just refused to see it.
“Okay.” Ryan was now holding the knife in front of him as though he intended to stab her in the chest with it if she tried anything. “Now, let’s have a little chat.”
Melody stood in the center of her apartment. Allie was to her right. There was an old baseball bat she kept on hand for intruders, but it was back by the sofa bed, and Melody did not believe she could close the ten feet between her and the bat before Ryan pounced and did something stupid. Right now, it was best just to wait. That was the only option open to her.
“What do you want to chat about?” Melody kept her voice completely calm. She had been dealing with Ryan for years because of Allie. She knew how to get under his skin. If he really thought she wasn’t afraid of him, it was going to piss him off but he’d be too intimidated to really do anything about it.
Ryan waved the knife. “Let’s talk about the money you inherited.”
“Okay. Let’s talk about it.” Melody shrugged. “Does it look like I have money?”
Ryan seemed taken aback. “You probably just haven’t used it yet.”
“Try I don’t have it.” Melody prepared herself for the worst. Ryan was not a patient or logical person. He was an irrational idiot. “I inherited land. The land actually has back taxes levied against it. There’s an injunction right now making sure that absolutely nothing can happen with the land right now because of the taxes.”
“How much are the taxes?” Ryan scoffed.
“Between the actual property taxes and the death taxes and fees, probably close to a million bucks.” Okay. It was actually enjoyable to watch Ryan’s face go slack as the shock set in.
His response came out high-pitched and squeaky. “You owe the government a million bucks?”
“Yeah. Sucks to be me. Huh?”
Maybe he would just leave. That would be awesome. He and Allie could leave and go wreak havoc on her family, which would probably involve one of her brothers beating the tar out of Ryan for threatening Allie’s mother. Then Melody could just go to bed and finally find some peace and quiet.
“She’s got a rich boyfriend,” Allie said suddenly. There was a note of desperation in her voice that lifted the hair on the back of Melody’s neck.
Melody turned to stare at her friend. “Allie. Don’t. Don’t bring him into this. He isn’t my boyfriend. He’s a customer at the coffee shop who was nice enough to help me with my legal problems because he knew I was broke.”
“You paid him with sex, huh?” The leering look on Ryan’s face turned Melody’s stomach. “Maybe I can sell him another trip on the ride, huh?”
Refusing to look at Ryan, Melody continued to stare at Allie. “This is what you’re willing to ruin your life for? This loser is the best you think you can do in life? Allie, you’re better than this. You’re better than him. You know that. I know you do.”
“Shut up!” Ryan backhanded Melody so suddenly and so hard that her eye felt as though it were going to pop out of its socket. For just a moment, she could not catch her breath. Then it all came rushing back as her lips throbbed and her eyes watered.
“Don’t hit her, Ryan!” Allie said in a shrill voice. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt her. I’ll tell you how to find the guy. Then you can get money from him. Okay?”
“Fine.” Ryan glared at Allie. “Tell me how to find him.”
“His name is Cisco Hernandez,” Allie informed Ryan.
She practically ran over to the table where Melody kept her small collection of paperwork and such. Unfortunately for Melody, the manila fol
der containing the papers that Cisco had put together for her was on top. Melody knew that Cisco’s business card was right inside the folder. She held her breath as she tried to imagine what was about to happen. Why was her life always falling apart in such a spectacular display of crazy?
Melody looked at Allie as she handed the folder to Ryan.
Don’t.
Melody mouthed the one word to Allie over and over again, but her friend ignored the plea. Whatever Allie had gotten into with Ryan this time was apparently bad enough to trump pretty much all other ties whether emotional or otherwise.
Ryan pulled out the business card and dumped the folder onto the floor. Melody ground her teeth together as all of the motions and hearing requests and everything else fell into a pile where they scattered across the floor. Ryan stepped right on them as he fingered the business card and started pacing back and forth across the apartment.
“I don’t have a phone,” Ryan reminded them. He pointed at Allie. “Where’s yours?”
“You used up all the minutes,” she whined. “I left it in my apartment this morning. It’s probably packed up with all the other stuff the landlord threw out onto the curb.”
Ryan pointed at Melody. “Where’s her phone?”
Melody did not make a single move. In her mind, there was no reason to help this idiocy along. She was stuck here. That didn’t mean she had to like it.
Allie dug in Melody’s pocket. “Right here!” she crowed triumphantly.
Melody watched in growing irritation as Ryan and Allie quickly dialed Cisco’s number on her phone. Of course Allie knew the unlock code. Melody had told it to her before while they were working and Allie had used Melody’s phone supposedly to call her mother. At this point, Melody was truly beginning to think that Allie had never broken things off with Ryan at all.
“Hello?” Ryan said into the phone. “Hello? Is this Cisco?”
Melody held her breath. This could be awful. This could be really bad. She did not want Cisco being dragged down because of her. What were they going to demand that he do? Would Ryan try to hurt him? Would Ryan attempt to stick that knife in Cisco’s gut and kill him just for money? How far would the desperate addict go?
