Capturing a Colton

by C. J. Miller

  But then she had thought about asking Declan to come with her and the idea became infinitely more appealing.

  Claudia had helped Jade select a blue dress with a white lace overlay. Jade had driven with Claudia and Hawk to the museum. Declan had business in Austin and had promised to meet her there.

  Jade stood in front of the wide windows, adjusting her shawl around her arms. She clasped a white clutch and tried not to look nervous. Obsessively checking her phone would be bad. Instead, she watched couples entering the museum. Leonor had done great publicity for the museum to draw so many people to see the new exhibit.

  Jade sensed him watching her before she saw him. She turned. Declan was sauntering down the street, wearing a gray suit with a pressed white shirt. He smiled in greeting and when he was close enough, he took her elbows and kissed her cheeks.

  “I didn’t know that sculptures were your thing,” Declan said.

  “They aren’t really. I’m here for Leonor.”

  Declan set his hand on Jade’s lower back and steered her toward the front door. “I don’t think we should linger on the street.”

  “Joshua is helping with security for the event. We’re safe,” Jade said.

  “I’d still feel better inside,” Declan said.

  He held open the black door and she entered. Leonor had done a good job with the exhibit. The walls were white and the floor light-colored hardwood, but the paintings and murals and sculptures were arranged tastefully. Near the front of the museum were two large, ten-foot walls set about eight feet from the windows that provided privacy. In front of them were displays of the current exhibit to draw interested parties inside. Strolling behind the walls, Leonor had set up a welcoming atmosphere. Music played softly and a black lacquered bar was set in the corner of the room with drinks for the opening night of the exhibit. Sculptures were arranged under bright lights and the volume in the room was conversational without being too loud.

  “I half expect Livia to show up, half expect she would be a fool to come here. We’re all looking for her,” Jade said. She scanned the crowd just in case.

  “Who else from your family is attending?” Declan asked.

  “Claudia and Hawk gave me a ride here. Maggie and Thorne are planning to come. Allison and Knox have a parent-teacher meeting at Cody’s school, so they couldn’t make it. Mac and Evelyn were planning to be here. Edith and River said they have an appointment with the DJ for their wedding,” Jade said. She surprised herself by knowing where her siblings were. Six months ago, Jade had been rarely in touch with them.

  Part of it was that she was consumed by ideas for her business, but the other part was that she felt like an outsider, even among her brothers and sisters. That had changed somewhat as they banded together over their mother’s escape from prison. It was an emotionally trying event for all of them.

  They’d put aside their differences and come together as a family. Though Thorne and Leonor had gone through their share of fights, most of them about their mother, he had forgiven her blindness in regards to their mother’s schemes and actions when he had learned that Leonor had bailed Mac out of a tough spot a few years ago. The more they talked, the more from the past was brought to light and old grievances and hurts cleared. At least those in relation to each other. The more they learned about their mother, the more they saw her for the monster she was.

  Leonor approached with her arms open. “I am so glad you could make it.”

  “We’re happy to be here,” Jade said. “Have you met Declan?”

  Leonor extended her hand and shook his. “I don’t know if we’ve been formally introduced. Thank you for coming tonight. We have been working on getting these pieces on loan for months. I am just so excited to share them with everyone.”

  “Thank you for inviting us,” Declan said.

  “Please grab a drink and make yourselves comfortable,” Leonor said. She gestured to someone entering and excused herself to continue in her role as hostess.

  “She seemed in a good mood,” Declan said.

  “She’s in love, engaged, loves her job and no one is trying to kill her,” Jade said. A few months ago, the son of Leonor’s paternal half brother had hired a hit man to kill her. Leonor was Livia’s favorite, and their mother had been keeping a close eye on her. Though Leonor had been hospitalized, she had heard her mother whisper that she took care of him. When Barret was found dead, the police had ruled it a suicide. The Colton children suspected Livia was responsible.

  “You don’t think Livia is sticking around Austin?” Declan asked.

  Based on Leonor’s relationship with Josh and her openness about hearing Livia in the hospital, Jade didn’t believe Leonor would cover for her mother if she showed up. Having the former FBI agent close was another reason for Livia to keep her distance from Leonor, even if Leonor was her favorite child and they had a bond that none of the other children did. “She would be foolish to do so. And Livia is a lot of things, but she isn’t a fool.”

  Jade heard shouting and worry shot through her. She hurried in the direction she had seen Leonor go.

  Standing in front of the gallery with pickets and brightly colored signs, The Victims of Livia Colton support group was protesting on the sidewalk. Jade’s heart hammered with anxiety and anger. Leonor had been excited about the evening, and this display would be off-putting.

  “They came to Austin,” Jade said. She had believed the group would stay in Shadow Creek. Seeing them outside the town, Jade questioned their reach and their commitment to their cause. Embarrassing and harassing the Colton children outside their homes and places of business was low.

  “Want me to get rid of them?” Declan asked.

  Jade set her hand on his arm. His strong, tensed arm. “This is not your battle to fight. My mother was a terrible human being. I live with that knowledge every day. This is another test. To see if I can be okay with being a Colton. You know, I’ve thought about changing my name and moving far away.”

  Surprise registered on his face. “That’s a big step to take.”

  “I could take my father’s name, Artero, and distance myself from my mother. But that would mean distancing myself from my siblings. I don’t want to do that. Things haven’t always been great between us, but they’ve been my lifelines recently. This mess with my mother escaping from prison and showing up in Shadow Creek has brought us closer.”

  Leonor strode to Jade, frustration plain on her face. “The protesters are making people nervous.”

  “I’m sorry, Leonor. They are out of control. They’ve been to my house too,” Jade said.

  Leonor ran her hand through her red hair. “Josh is trying to make them leave, but the sidewalk is public property.” Leonor extended a purple sheet of paper folded in thirds to Jade. “They are giving this to people walking by.”

  Jade took the pamphlet from Leonor. “The Victims of Livia Colton Support Group.” The paperwork listed a website and phone number to call. Below the website was a list of Livia Colton’s crimes, including murder, theft, money laundering, sale of controlled substances, human trafficking and then there were moral infractions, like lying, adultery and promiscuity. Having her mother’s life summed up in that list hurt. Nothing written was a lie, but Jade wished she had some good memory of her mother, something that would give her a warm feeling about her childhood.

  All her good memories were about her father.

  “Most of the pamphlets will turn into street litter,” Declan said.

  Leonor’s name was called by a museum staffer over the intercom system. She excused herself and hurried away.

  “Do you want to leave? I can find a discreet alternate exit,” Declan said.

  Jade wouldn’t run like a coward. “I’ll ignore them. They want me to confront them and make a scene. I’ll get my picture posted all over social media and I’ll loo
k as crazy and psychotic as my mother. Let’s just try to enjoy tonight.”

  Declan slipped his arm around Jade’s waist and led her to a sculpture of a wave curling into the air.

  * * *

  Declan was relieved no protesters were waiting at the foot of Jade’s driveway. They’d left the gallery around 9:00 p.m., but Declan worried they had just relocated to one of the Coltons’ other properties.

  Jade had asked him to stay out of it, but he was losing his patience with the group. They were showing up everywhere, their signs and their pamphlets being pushed on people. It had been years since Livia Colton had helped run a criminal empire and yet, her victims were still struggling with what she had done. Their scars were deep and Declan understood. He was one of her victims. Her actions had ruined his family. Those hurts still pained him.

  Declan turned down the long driveway and to the front of Jade’s house.

  She had left on her porch light and lights on the barn and stable. In the moonlight, her farm was picture-perfect, a small slice of Texas heaven. Quiet and peaceful.

  After the protesters had left, she had pretended to be fine with it. But it was obvious she was shaken and upset.

  “Want to come in for a cup of coffee?” Jade asked.

  If he went inside with her, he would have a hard time tearing himself away and going home. “I have a meeting in Odessa tomorrow. I have to leave early in the morning to make it in time.”

  “On a Saturday?” Jade asked.

  “Unfortunately,” Declan said.

  The disappointment in her face was unmistakable. “Another time, then.”

  Jade stepped out of the car and Declan followed her up the steps to her front door. A gentleman walked his lady to the door, a simple and kind gesture to ensure she was safe.

  At the door, Jade faced him.

  Declan captured her chin in his hand and kissed her. When their lips met, the world around them seemed to drop away. It was the two of them kissing, the still of the night and the tranquility around them providing a sense of privacy.

  “I’ll ask again. Want to come in?” Jade asked.

  She turned and unlocked her door. Declan followed her inside, pushing the door closed and locking it. He had declined her offer, but he wanted to be with her. He should keep a travel bag with him. It wasn’t like the bed-and-breakfast was home. He was living on the road.

  The air-conditioning cooled his skin, the humidity of the air disappearing inside the house. In a tangle of arms and legs, they stumbled to the couch. The couch was good. Better than the bedroom. Being in the bedroom would lead to one thing. As it was, this was inviting. Declan pivoted, pulling Jade on top of him.

  He was several inches taller than her, but their bodies lined up, her softness fitting against him. The right friction and pressure made Declan want to peel her clothes away and finish this the right way. But he would wait.

  From working on the farm, her body was toned and strong, but curvy in the right places. She leaned over him, bracing a leg on the floor. Her hair swung to one side and he ran his fingers through it. Her blue-and-white dress was spread over his lap and lifting the fabric of the skirt ran through his mind.

  Jade sat up. “Did you hear something?”

  Declan shook his head. “Nothing.” His heart was racing and his breath was fast.

  “Like a creak on the porch. Like the wood shifting beneath someone’s feet.”

  Worry speared him. Declan moved Jade off his lap and rolled to his feet. “I’ll walk the perimeter and have a look.”

  Jade’s fisted his shirt in her hand, stopping him. “Maybe that’s not a good idea. She kidnapped Edith. She killed the man who kidnapped Cody. She killed Leonor’s nephew. She has no compunction about killing or hurting people. I could be next. We could be next.”

  “Call Knox, Thorne and Mac. We’ll check the premises together.” Though Declan believed he could protect himself from Livia, she had connections to assassins and criminals and if she was armed, all bets were off.

  Jade made the calls, and she and Declan waited for help to arrive.

  * * *

  River stood on Jade’s front porch with Edith. Edith looked nervously over her shoulder and then back to River. Declan pulled open the door. “Thanks for coming on short notice.”

  Edith walked into the house. “Knox called. He said you heard someone creeping around the house?”

  Jade was pacing. “I heard a noise. Maybe I’m blowing it out of proportion, but after everything that’s happened, I think there’s such a thing as underreacting.”

  “When everyone gets here, we’ll look together,” River said.

  “Coltons stick together,” Edith said, touching her engagement ring.

  Declan didn’t point out that he wasn’t a Colton. Edith seemed happy to be marrying into that family and he wouldn’t throw a damper on her enthusiasm.

  “I haven’t heard anything and we’ve checked out the windows,” Declan said.

  “You were right to call. Livia and her associates shouldn’t be handled alone,” River said.

  He and his half brother were awkward with each other. Even friendly words and attempts at banter were stiff and unnatural. They needed to get past this, but Declan didn’t know how.

  “While we wait, why don’t you tell us what’s going on here?” Edith said, pointing between Declan and Jade.

  “We were at Leonor’s gallery opening,” Jade said. “The protesters showed up there, which threw a damper on the evening.”

  “I’m sorry, Jade. That group is going full throttle,” River said.

  Edith sat on the couch. “Someone needs to talk to them and tell them that lashing out at the Colton children isn’t going to make them feel better. They need to direct their energy into therapy and being on the lookout for Livia.”

  After Thorne, Mac and Knox arrived, they broke into two groups to look for signs of Livia. Declan, Jade and Knox were one search party, River, Edith, Thorne and Mac in the other.

  “Are you doing okay? I know you’re nervous right now about Livia, but could you have thought you heard something because of everything that’s been going on?” Knox asked.

  Jade shone the flashlight beam in front of them. “Maybe. Hard to say. It’s unsettling to know Mother or the protesters could show up anywhere. I’m on high alert. I could have overreacted to the wind.”

  “It’s okay. Livia can’t be underestimated,” Knox said. “Doing nothing could give her the opening she needs to do something truly terrible.”

  After walking around the farm, they didn’t see anything. No footprints, no extra tire tracks.

  “I’m sorry, everyone. I feel silly,” Jade said.

  Edith put her arm around Jade. “It’s okay. I’m glad you called. We have to be there for each other or we’ll never survive.”

  Chapter 7

  After an especially quiet week—no protesters and no Livia sightings—and on the morning of Edith and River’s wedding, Jade woke to the sound of her phone ringing. Had she missed the alarm? She had set it an hour early to make sure she could finish her necessary chores before heading to Mac’s farm for the afternoon ceremony and reception.

  It was Maggie. “Hey, Maggie, everything okay?”

  Maggie sounded out of breath. “My bridesmaid’s dress doesn’t fit. I ordered it two sizes bigger, but I guess I’ve gained more than I expected. It won’t zip. Thorne says I should just leave it unzipped, but he’s crazy. I can’t walk around half-naked at River’s wedding. I tried to call Claudia, but she didn’t answer.”

  Jade tried to think of a solution. Fashion wasn’t her expertise. The pale blue dresses had been suggested by Claudia because they had a high waist, allowing the fabric to flow around Maggie’s growing belly. “What about wearing a sweater?”

 
“A sweater? It’s August in Texas and I’m already carrying an extra forty pounds.”

  “A shawl?” Jade asked.

  “Won’t cover what needs to be covered,” Maggie said.

  Jade looked at her dress hanging in the closet. “Maybe we can adjust it somehow. We’ll call Evelyn. She’s great with a needle and thread.”

  “Yes, I should have thought of that. I was up early because the baby was kicking me and I’ve had these terrible leg cramps. Sorry to bother you! I’ll head over to Mac’s and see if Evelyn can work some magic.” Maggie said her goodbyes.

  Jade was too awake to go back to sleep. Her alarm would be going off in twenty minutes anyway.

  After taking care of her animals and checking the irrigation systems on her crops, she went inside to eat and shower. Glancing at her phone, she had nine missed calls.

  Alarm spiked through her. She called Knox, the first on the list.

  “What happened?” Jade asked. She rarely received telephone calls and never this many unless something was wrong.

  “How’d you know something happened?”

  “Nine missed calls in two hours,” Jade said.

  “There was a problem, and some of the guests flying in for the wedding from Louisiana won’t make it in time. One of those was the wedding photographer. Edith is upset. Leonor is calling some artist friends to see if one of them will do the photos. Declan is trying to find a private plane to fly in the stranded guests, but it’s going to be tough. Some type of security issue at the airport.”

  “Declan is involved?” Jade asked. Though he’d spent the night at her place almost every day of the last week, he’d stayed in Odessa after being there all day in meetings.

  “Edith called him.”

  Of course. They were family. “They could postpone the wedding a few hours.”

  “Nope. Weather report is calling for thunderstorms. The minister is booked for another wedding later in the evening. Mac is okay with letting everyone use the barn and he and Thorne are trying to clean it. But it smells like horses and hay,” Knox said.