by Lori Wilde
“Now, Savannah. I don’t want you to feel nervous. That’s why I brought you to my office instead of the interrogation room. That place can be pretty intimidating.” Sheriff Jameson smiled at her, yet she felt anything but reassured.
“Have a seat,” he continued and waved at a hard-backed wooden chair with his hand.
She perched on the edge of the chair and took a deep breath. “I still don’t understand what’s going on,” she said.
“Want a cup of coffee?”
She shook her head. “I just want to know why you had Matt drag me down here if I’m not under arrest.”
He sat across from her, his desk between them, and drummed his thick fingers on the arm of his chair. “Fair question. I’ll come straight with you.”
Anxiety knotted her stomach. The police band radio in the corner crackled, hissed. She stared at the jovial-faced man across from her. He looked like a dark-haired Santa
Claus instead of a lawman. She worried her bottom lip with her teeth. The room was too warm. Perspiration pooled in the hollow space at the base of her neck. She felt slightly nauseous.
“Please do,” she finally managed to say.
“The theft of your cattle is not related to the other robberies Matt’s been investigating.”
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing, in and of itself.” He shifted in his chair, laced his fingers together and laid them over his expansive belly.
She waited.
“What concerns me, Mrs. Markum, is the fact that your husband had taken out a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of life insurance on that Santa Gertrudis herd just before he died. A policy drawn up by your new brother-in-law, and due to lapse by the end of this month.”
Savannah gasped and raised a hand to her throat. The news rocked her. “What? Are you sure? Todd never told me about any insurance policy.”
Sheriff Jameson pushed a copy of the policy across the desk toward her. “Are you telling me you didn’t know anything about it?”
“Absolutely nothing. Where did you get this?” She picked up the papers, and scanned them quickly. She recognized Gary’s distinctive scrawl at the bottom of the page.
The sheriff pursed his lips in a pensive expression. “Matt found it in the paperwork you gave him.”
“Let me get this straight. You suspect me of insurance fraud even when I never claimed on the policy?”
“We have to weigh all the evidence, Savannah. You’re in debt to the teeth. Gary’s life insurance went to pay off his medical bills. For all I know, you and he planned this together so you could save the ranch after his death.’ ’
“That’s ridiculous! ”
Sheriff Jameson cocked a skeptical eyebrow. “Oh? Sounds plausible to me.”
“Why would I be stupid enough to give the insurance papers to Matt if I were involved in such a scheme?” Did the man believe she was a complete idiot?
The sheriff shrugged. “You and Matt were engaged once. Perhaps you hoped to cut him in on the deal.”
Savannah jumped to her feet, clasping her arms to her chest. “I don’t believe this.”
“Simmer down. I wanted you to see this from my point of view.”
She tossed her head. “Even if I were trying to pull off insurance fraud, I definitely would not take on Matt Forrester as a partner. He lives and breathes this department. He wouldn’t take me and a hundred thousand dollars over his precious identity as a lawman. I know. I was engaged to him and I always took a back seat to his career. He’d never do anything to jeopardize that.”
Sheriff Jameson scratched his head. “Well, I’m glad to hear you say so. Why don’t you sit back down.” Reluctantly, Savannah sank onto the chair once more. “Let’s start from the top. You tell me everything that happened the day you discovered the herd missing.”
In minute detail, Savannah relayed the course of the fateful day that intersected her path with Matt Forrester’s once again. When she finished, the sheriff frowned, leaned back in his chair and stuck his thumbs through his belt loops.
“Anybody else know about this insurance policy?” he asked.
Savannah lifted her shoulders. “I didn’t even know about it.”
“Think. Any relatives of your husband’s? Friends? Your ranch hand?”
“No.” Savannah shook her head. “Gary didn’t have any family other than Cody and I. He had a few friends but they haven’t been around much since he passed on.”
“What about the ranch hand?”
“Clem?” Savannah gave a short laugh. “He’s worked at the Circle B for twenty years. I trust him completely.” “Uh.” The sheriff grunted.
“I suppose I’m still your number-one suspect.”
“There is one thing in your favor,” he admitted.
“Yes?”
“You didn’t try to lay claim on the policy.”
If only she had known! She could have paid off some debts, hired more hands, got the ranch back on its feet and had enough to put back for Cody’s college. She admired Gary for his foresight. He had no idea the insurance policy would land her in this trouble.
The radio squawked. A garbled message came through. Sheriff Jameson leaned over and fiddled with the dials.
“Midge...” A voice faded in and out.
“Dang thing.” Sheriff Jameson slapped the offending equipment. “We need a new one, but the county won’t approve the expenditure.”
The static cleared. “This is Matt Forrester.” His voice came through tinny and hard to understand.
Savannah sat up straight, instantly at attention.
The sheriff grabbed the receiver. “I’ll intercept the signal, Midge,” he hollered at the dispatcher over the intercom. “Go ahead, Matt, what’s up?”
“Sheriff, I’m in pursuit of a 1978 black TransAm, license number GWS-675, southbound on Robert E. Lee Parkway.”
Savannah jumped up again. “What! What did he say?”
Matt had been watching Cody, and now he was in hot pursuit of a speeding vehicle. Was Cody still with him? What had happened? Where was her son? Terror attacked her.
Sheriff Jameson frowned, waved Savannah into silence. “What’s the offense, Forrester?”
“The peips just robbed the Stop and Shop on Broadway. I was an eyewitness.”
Her heart pounded in hideous slow motion. She had instant visions of a fiery car crash—twisted fenders, mangled metal, the lifeless body of her infant son thrown from the wreckage.
“Oh, God,” Savannah shrieked, no longer able to contain herself. “Tell him to stop! He’s got my baby in the car with him!”
WHAT IN THE SAM HILL was he doing? Matt squeezed the radio’s receiver in his hand and looked over at Cody.
Something inexplicable happened. For once, something took precedence over making a bust. All his adult life, he’d put service to the sheriff’s department as the number-one priority in his life. Nothing else had ever come before duty. Not his folks. Not his friends. Not even Savannah. But this sleepy-eyed baby with the fuzzy halo of hair caught him up short.
Had he lost his ever-loving mind? Chasing after armed, dangerous criminals at high speeds with a year-old infant in the car?
In his moment of hesitation, the TransAm sprinted farther away.
“Forrester!” Patrick Jameson’s voice resonated over the speaker. “Are you still there?”
Up ahead a stoplight turned from yellow to red, and Matt knew he would not run it. He gently braked to a stop as the TransAm disappeared from view. He spoke gruffly into the receiver. “Yeah, boss, I’m still here.”
“You got Savannah’s baby with you?”
Matt briefly closed his eyes, swallowed hard. “Yep. He’s here with me.”
“Is he all right?” Matt heard Savannah’s high-pitched voice in the background, bordering on hysteria.
“I’ve stopped the pursuit, sir.”
“Good,” the sheriff barked. “Get your rear end back here, pronto.”
“On my way,” he repl
ied and cradled the radio.
By the time he returned to the office, Cody had fallen asleep. Rather than risk waking the baby, he removed him from the Jeep, car seat and all. The minute he walked through the door, he saw Savannah pacing the hallway, the high-heeled shoes she’d worn at Ginger’s wedding striking a sharp staccato on the concrete floor. Hands cocked on her hips, her eyes flashing pure liquid fire, she was an irate mother, more dangerous than a truckload of felons.
Midge, the dispatcher, Joe and Sheriff Jameson arranged themselves around the front desk, poised as if waiting for the second act of an exciting passion play.
“Matthew Cody Forrester,” Savannah said, her tone low but deadly. “What in the world were you thinking? Taking my baby on a high-speed car chase.”
He hadn’t seen her this mad since that night she’d walked out on him. Guilt gnawed at his craw. This time, he couldn’t fault her rage. This time, he had overstepped the bounds of rational behavior. This time she was right. And damn, if she didn’t look fine.
In spite of the wrinkles creased into her sapphire dress, she sparkled like Cinderella before the stroke of midnight. Her hair curled in honey brown rings around her delicate earlobes. Her skin glowed, pretty as sun-ripened peaches. The black velvet ribbon secured at her long slender throat completed the enchanting package. How had he survived five years without her?
Arousal, hard and fast, ambushed him like a bolt of lightning on a cloudless afternoon. How he wanted her! To kiss her, to caress her, to drive himself into her soft, smooth body and allow her sweetness to envelope him in a frenzy of animal desire.
Transfixed, Matt stared, unable to speak.
Savannah stalked toward him, her hands outstretched. “Give me my son,” she demanded.
Adrenaline from the car chase mixed inside him with spurts of testosterone until he felt as jittery as if he’d downed a hundred cups of Sheriff Jameson’s wicked black coffee.
She snatched the car seat from his grip. Cody opened his eyes during the ensuing jostle, looked at his mother and burst into tears.
“Look what you did,” she accused Matt.
“Me? You’re the one who jerked him around.”
If looks could kill, Matt would have been charred toast. Holding the car seat against a raised knee, she struggled to snap Cody free from the restraining contraption.
“Let me help,” Matt offered.
“Stay away from us, you maniac.”
Cody howled louder.
Matt rolled his eyes and took a step backward.
Midge, Joe and Sheriff Jameson ducked their heads to hide grins. Matt scowled in their general direction.
Finally, Savannah released Cody and allowed the car seat to slide to the floor while she held him to her shoulder.
“Is it too much to hope that maybe you fed him before you placed his life in jeopardy?”
‘ That’s what I was attempting to do before we got interrupted by a holdup in progress. Excuse me for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Bull. You love being in the middle of a fight.”
“That’s not fair,” he protested.
She was on a roll, shaking a pearly pink fingernail in his face. “You didn’t have to play the hero, but you did. Always the lawman even when you’re off duty. You don’t even care that my baby could have been killed. You can’t control yourself. You have to be a macho male. It’s a sickness.” He’d been wrong, yes, but he didn’t deserve this kind of abuse. He’d acted out of instinct going after the perpetrators, but to his credit, he’d stopped when he realized the implications of his actions upon Cody’s safety.
“If I hadn’t been controlling myself, Mrs. Markum, I would have returned with the suspects in question.” He pivoted on his bootheel and slanted the sheriff a sideways glance. “Did you send the city cops after the perps?”
“Of course. But I know it hurt for you to let them go,” Patrick Jameson said.
“You’re lucky I don’t sue you,” Savannah threatened. Even with her lip curled back in anger, she oozed vibrant sexuality. Matt struggled with the urge to gather her to his chest and silence her wicked tongue with his mouth.
“What would you sue me for?” he drawled, deliberately reining in his own volatile emotions. “Doing my job?” “Reckless endangerment of a child.”
“Could she do that, Sheriff?”
The sheriff shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Dang it, Savannah.” Matt ran a hand through his hair. “I stopped, okay? What more do you want from me? A pint of blood? Cody’s safe. No harm done.”
“And you wonder why I didn’t marry you,” she said, her tone cold enough to cause frostbite.
“Well, if this is how you behave, I’m damn glad you didn’t concede to be my bride. Thanks for saving me the torture. No wonder old Gary curled up his toes and died after five years of living with you. It wasn’t the cancer that got him, it was your acid disposition.”
The resulting silence echoed in the hallway. Savannah stared at him, gulped.
“I can’t believe you said that to me,” she whispered. Matt knew he’d hurt her feelings and immediately felt contrite. Even though she’d provoked him beyond endurance, he’d stepped over the bounds of common decency. She was just worried about her child, and for all he knew she might have truly loved Gary Markum.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “That was uncalled-for.”
Her chin quivered. She turned to Sheriff Jameson. “I want to go home now.”
Matt moved toward her and held out his hand. She shied away.
“Don’t you dare touch me.” Sidestepping him, she kept a firm hand pressed to Cody’s back.
“I’ll take you home,” he insisted.
“Not on your sorry life, Matt Forrester!”
Sheriff Jameson interceded. He placed a large paw on Matt’s shoulder and tugged him backward. “Come on, Matt, let’s go in my office and have a long talk. Joe’ll take you home, Savannah.”
She tossed her head and gave the sheriff a brilliant smile. “Thank you, Sheriff Jameson.”
“Savy, I..Matt began, a tower of remorse rising inside him. “I didn’t intend to pick a fight with you.”
“It doesn’t matter what you intended. Your actions are what count, and you jeopardized my baby.” She hugged Cody closer. “Sheriff Jameson?”
“Yes, Savannah?” The sheriff turned his attention to her, tipping back his hat.
“I want Matt Forrester taken off the case. I don’t want to see his sorry hide around my ranch again.”
Chapter Six
The big grandfather clock in her living room had struck midnight by the time Savannah finished feeding Cody and was rocking him to sleep. After the twelfth echoing bong, the house fell silent in the looming emptiness. The rocker creaked as Savannah shifted, the weight of Cody’s head resting on her arm. Sounds of chirping crickets filtered in through the open window, wafting on the pleasant breeze that ruffled the white lace curtains.
How lonely the place felt without Ginger. Already she missed her sister more than she’d ever missed her husband. Ashamed at her disloyal thoughts, Savannah placed a gentle kiss on Cody’s nose. If it hadn’t been for Gary, she wouldn’t have her wonderful son.
But Cody could have been Matt Forrester’s son.
No. Savannah tossed her head so sharply, stinging pins of pain flashed up her neck. She winced. Even in his absence the man caused her nothing but grief. She’d been right to end her relationship with him five years ago. Tonight’s events hammered home that fact.
Still...for some perverse reason she couldn’t fathom, the man evoked hidden cravings deep within her. Cravings of desire, passion and stark hungry need. Cravings she’d denied for so long.
On a physical level, the man’s rough-and-tumble nature attracted her like iron filings to a magnet. Yet on a mental plane his cavalier behavior repelled her equally as strongly. Yes, Matt Forrester was an exciting guy. Far too exciting.
Memories assailed her in a backlash of e
motion. Matt- defending her virtue against unwanted advances from a local ruffian. Matt—romancing her at the lake, complete with a candlelight dinner and flowers. Matt—taking her for a stormy ride on his impetuous stallion. Matt—risking his life to break up a bar fight over Jackie Spencer.
An unexpected tear trailed down her face. She didn’t wipe it away, instead allowed it to roll off her chin and plop onto the soft material of her pink cotton sleep shirt. She mourned her past, her losses, her mistakes. She wished desperately she could turn back the clock and do things differently. She wished her mother was alive to comfort her. In the end, all the wishing in the world was fruitless.
The sheriff suspected her of insurance fraud. Her ranch was operating in the red and slipping deeper into debt on a daily basis. She was alone on the place with just a baby and an old man for company, both of whom depended on her for their livelihood. The one way out appeared to be liquidating the ranch, but that meant breaking her word to her dead husband and forfeiting her son’s inheritance.
“Good going, Savannah,” she mumbled to herself. “How are you going to get yourself out of this pickle?”
Cody stirred, stuck his thumb in his mouth and sucked, his eyes tightly closed.
Savannah sighed. Her whole body ached with exhaustion but her mind whirled. She had to be up at dawn to help Clem feed the livestock, and with Ginger gone, there was no one to help her with Cody.
Persuading her protesting muscles to move, she got to her feet and headed for the bedroom. Instead of putting Cody in his crib, she nestled him next to her in the big fluffy bed and tucked the covers securely around them. Taking a deep breath, she rested her head on her hands and stared at the ceiling, willing her thoughts to quiet.
What was she going to do? She needed money, but obviously, the insurance company wouldn’t pay on the policy until the investigation was completed. She had to have help with the ranch, but she couldn’t afford to hire anyone. And most of all, she had to keep herself and her son away from the reckless Matt Forrester at any costs.
Matt had a peace offering. In the back of the rented trailer hitched to his Jeep were six Santa Gertrudis cows, swaying and mooing. After talking half the night, he’d finally convinced Sheriff Jameson to let him return the cattle to Savannah. They’d both concluded she probably didn’t know anything about Gary’s insurance policy.
