The Doctor's Choice~Badlands (Contemporary Western Romantic Suspense)

by J. D. Faver

She glanced down, biting her lower lip. “It’s probably nothing”

  “Tell me.”

  “It’s E.J…I think he’s the one who killed Aunt Silky and burned my stables.” She blurted it out all in a rush.

  The fine hairs on the back of his neck stirred. “Tell me.” He drew her over to the love seat and arranged the throw around her shoulders. “Tell me everything.”

  Cami told him about the missing jack and about E.J.’s reaction when he learned of their engagement.

  “The lost jack could be coincidence,” he said. “I think it would have to be recovered to be real evidence. And I can understand how he feels about our engagement. I could have told you that he’d fallen for you.”

  She shook her head. “I thought he was flirting with me because of Eldon’s interest in Silky’s land. I never thought he was serious.”

  “Why did you go out with him in the first place?”

  “I hoped to learn something about Silky’s death. I’m convinced the Kincaids are involved.”

  He nodded. “Nothing to tie them to it except for the missing tire tool.”

  Cami straightened. “Today, E.J. came to the clinic with a burn on his arm. I treated it and I took pictures of the wounds.”

  Breck felt a squeezing sensation in his gut. “A burn? Something he could have gotten while setting fire to your stables?”

  “He gave me some story about spilling a drink on his sleeve and getting too close to an open flame.”

  “Sounds pretty thin. I want you to stay completely away from anyone named Kincaid. Do you understand me?”

  She smiled at him. “Ah, that tone of voice sounds like I’m in trouble.”

  “Steer clear of them until this is over. Promise me.”

  “No problem. But E.J. will go back to the clinic so I can check on the arm. Reba and Loretta will be there. I wouldn’t worry if I were you.”

  “You’re not me.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  Cami unfolded her great-grandmother’s wedding gown. The imported French lace and heavy satin was prettier than anything she’d ever seen. She stroked reverent fingers over the fragile antique, aware of how few ties she had to her past.

  Silky had done a fine job of preserving the dress.

  Milita clasped her hands. “Es muy bonita.”

  An ache in her throat tasted like unshed tears. She drew a deep breath and tried to focus on the wedding and not think about her half of the church that would be empty.

  Milita fluffed the fabric in the skirt. “This French lace is lovely.”

  Cami smiled, gazing at her reflection in the antique cheval mirror. “I think I can get into it, but my great-grandmother must have been very short. Look at this.” Cami held the dress against her body, demonstrating how much leg was visible below the hemline of scalloped lace.

  Milita spread the skirt against her legs. “It’s way short, but maybe we can fix it. I can add something to the bottom part, maybe another tier.”

  “There’s a long train that attaches to the shoulders and drags on the floor. There’s a lot of the same fabric.”

  Milita helped her try on the dress and knelt on the floor to measure the length needed.

  “At least it fits me.”

  Milita grinned at her. “Your great-grandmother didn’t have your legs, and your torso is longer.” She struggled to rise with a handful of pins. “Let me think about it. I can make a drawing and you can tell me if you like it.”

  “I’d love to wear this dress, but I don’t want to ruin it. If I can’t wear it, maybe I should donate it to a museum. What do you think?”

  “No, you should keep it as a memento of your ancestors.” She smiled, tilting her head to one side. “And your children would like to see this dress.”

  A rush of emotion swirled through Cami’s gut. My children. Our children. Breck’s and mine. Her breath caught in her throat. “I never knew much about my family before. Reading my great-grandmother’s love letters gave me a sense of being connected to something greater than myself.”

  Milita smiled. “I understand. My people, we revere our ancestors and cherish the things they leave behind.”

  “Silky left me this ranch and everything on it, but I have so little of the rest of my family.”

  “What about your personal property back in Houston? Do you have a lot of things there?”

  “Not a lot.” Cami sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I have a one-bedroom apartment, a lot of books and my closet is filled with scrubs. My furniture is second-hand. I do have a couple of water colors my mother painted and a photo album from my childhood, vacations and such.”

  “You should go and get your stuff. Breck will drive you.”

  She shrugged. “I’m sure he would. Since the fire, things are up in the air. Breck is edgy and the men are tense. It’s like they’re looking over their shoulders, expecting more trouble.”

  “Breck is a strong man and he’s very smart. Let him take care of the trouble. He’s the man.”

  Cami met her gaze with a smile. “Oh, yeah. He’s all that.”

  #

  Three days later Cami drove the Lincoln in to the clinic parking lot. She took a moment to gather her things. Turning back, she reached for the door handle just as her door was wrenched open by E.J. Kincaid.

  “Oh, my God!...E.J., you scared me to death.” Her heart pounded against her ribcage.

  He held his hand out to pull her from the depths of the Lincoln. Anger glinted from his eyes.

  She wrenched her hand from his grasp. “What’s the matter with you?”

  He let out a guttural snarl. “What’s the matter?” He waved his still bandaged hand in a series of futile gestures. “Do you know what you put me through?”

  Fear roiled through her gut. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She glanced around the deserted parking area. She spied Reba’s truck parked at the other end and presumed that Loretta was inside the clinic, but would they hear her screams?

  His teeth gritted together. “Don’t play that game with me.”

  She winced as he reached for her again.

  He drew his hand back abruptly, a shocked look on his face. “I don’t believe it! You’re really afraid of me.” His smooth brow furrowed into a frown. “Do you really think I would hurt a woman?”

  She pressed her lips together, not allowing herself to voice the accusations screaming in her head.

  “Cami, you can’t honestly think I had anything to do with your aunt’s death. I hardly knew the woman.”

  She drew a breath. “Please calm down.”

  “Don’t pretend you don’t know that I was arrested and hauled off to Amarillo to be questioned by homicide detectives for the past forty-eight hours.”

  They stared into each other’s eyes.

  “No,” she said. “I didn’t know.”

  “Cami, they grilled me about the missing jack and the burn on my arm.” He raked his fingers through his crop of wavy blonde hair. “No one else knew that the handle to my jack was missing. No one but you.”

  She glanced away. “I, um…may have mentioned it.”

  “And some arson investigator was all over me about a fire at your place. Cami, you didn’t tell me your barn burned down.” He walked away shaking his head and then paced back to her. “I would never do that.”

  “Why are you here, yelling at me?”

  He slapped his uninjured hand against his muscular thigh, making a smacking sound against his jeans. “I can accept that you fell in love with someone else. But I can’t understand why you’d want to ruin my life.”

  “That’s enough,” she said, calmly. “I didn’t call the police about my suspicions, but I admit that I was thinking the worst. How did you…?”

  “Get out? At the time you were having your little engagement party and before your barn burned, I drove my dad’s truck into Amarillo to take my friends to the airport. I have credit card receipts for dinner and a bar tab before I saw them off.
Thank God, the airport security cameras recorded my smiling face at their departure gate. The police got in touch with my friends who had to make statements. My dad was prepared to post a half million dollar bond, but they finally realized I was innocent and released me.”

  Cami bit her lip. “I’m sorry you went through all that.”

  He let out a long breath. “Just tell me that you believe me…that you don’t think I’m a murderer.”

  She held his gaze for a long moment, swayed by his seeming sincerity. “I certainly hope not, E.J.”

  He threw his arms around her in an awkward embrace just as Celeste Pigeon drove by the parking lot and slowed down to take in the spectacle.

  Of all people to be driving by, why did it have to be Celeste? She pushed away from E.J. “Why don’t you come inside and let me look at your arm?”

  “You’re still my doctor?”

  She nodded. “Yes, I’m still your doctor.”

  #

  It didn’t take long.

  E.J. had just left when Breck stormed the clinic.

  Reba knocked on the doorframe to the office.

  Cami glanced up from making notes in E.J.’s chart.

  Reba gave Cami a look that told her all she needed to know about Breck’s mood, before pulling the door closed behind her.

  She smiled at him. “Hello, Trouble.”

  He tossed his Stetson on the desk before sitting across from her. “Have fun with E.J.?”

  “Celeste didn’t waste any time, did she?”

  “It wasn’t pleasant for me to hear you were making out with E.J. Kincaid in broad daylight. Is there something you’d like to tell me about, Cami?”

  She carefully replaced the cap on her pen and set it atop the chart. “Yes, there is. I want to know why you told the police about my suspicions.”

  A muscle twitched in his jaw. “I am an officer of the court and I have a duty to uphold the legal system. When you told me about E.J.’s burned arm and the missing jack, I decided that the authorities should be running the investigation and not you.”

  She gazed at him across the desk, trying to maintain her composure. “And you didn’t tell me of your intentions because…?”

  He let out a long sigh. “Because I knew you’d try to stop me. You always give people more credit than they deserve. You want to believe the best in everyone.”

  “And that’s a bad thing?”

  His voice raised half an octave. “It is when murder and arson are involved. It wasn’t lightening or spontaneous combustion. Someone deliberately trespassed, doused your barn with gasoline and set fire to the out buildings. I’m only trying to protect you.”

  She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I understand, but as it turns out, E.J. has an alibi for Sunday evening. He was in Amarillo with his friends and his presence was recorded on the airport security cameras.”

  Breck’s gaze narrowed as he glared at her. “And that little bit of news made you start loving on him in the parking lot?”

  A smile tweaked the corners of her lips as she bit back a sarcastic retort. “Let us just say that your friend Celeste can tell a tale. E.J. hugged me when I told him I’d give him the benefit of the doubt.”

  His expression didn’t change. “Just a friendly hug?”

  “If it was anyone else, you wouldn’t have a problem with it.”

  “You’re right!” He let out a loud snort. “Knowing how I feel about him, why do you keep torturing me? Can’t you steer clear of E.J. Kincaid?”

  “This is a small town. I’m the only doctor right now. Among other things, he’s my patient.” She held up the chart with E.J.’s name on the label.

  His brows drew together in a deep furrow. “If you don’t tell him to keep his hands off you, I will.”

  “Breck, it’s inappropriate for you to beat up every man who looks at me.”

  “Inappropriate, huh?” He glowered at her across the desk. “It sure feels right at the time.”

  She smiled at him. “I promise that, in the future when I’m loving on E.J. Kincaid, I’ll take him someplace private so Celeste Pigeon won’t get an eyeful.”

  His frown was replaced with a shake of his head as he ran his hands through his thick hair. He pointed his finger at her. “You better stop toying with my affections, young lady.”

  “Then you have to understand my feelings. I’m trying to keep an open mind about the missing jack. But E.J. and I are trying to be friends. He’s not such a bad guy.”

  “That’s not what I had in mind.” Breck came around the desk to draw her to her feet. “I will never be E.J.’s friend and I can’t see how my future wife will maintain a friendship with someone I can’t stand.”

  Cami wrapped her arms around his waist. “And I don’t think my future husband should make decisions that he doesn’t discuss with me. I had a right to know you were going to the authorities with my suspicions.”

  He brushed her cheek with his fingertips. “Yes, you did and I apologize. And I had a right to know that my fiancé would be making out with someone I hate in her parking lot.”

  She nodded. “I’ll call you next time.”

  “You do that.” He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her languorously. “I’ll be sure to rush right over for that.”

  “I bet you would.”

  “I may be late getting back this evening. I was on my way to Henderson to arrange bail for the Marshall boys. They got thrown in jail for drunk and disorderly.”

  “I’ll be at the house.”

  “It’s supposed to freeze again overnight. A front is headed our way from Kansas, a late season cold snap, so tell your hands to make sure your horses are secured at my place.”

  She nodded. “See you later.”

  He kissed her one more time before picking up the Stetson and jamming it on his head. He shot a last dark look at her. “Be good.”

  As he departed, Reba lounged in the doorway shaking her head. “You’re gonna drive that man to drinkin’ straight whiskey.”

  #

  On the drive back to the ranch, Cami noted the change of color at the side of the road. Wildflowers blanketed the grasslands with a palette of spring hues. Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush provided a sea of delft blue and coral as far as the eye could see. Purple Coneflower and Scarlet Sage would be joined by Blue Sage later in the season.

  Silky had taught her the names. A sweet ache of remembrance clutched her insides as she turned off the highway onto the ranch road.

  When she pulled into the circle drive, she spied Red, saddled and tethered to the corral.

  She hailed T-Bone who was heading out in the truck, its bed filled with bales of hay.

  He rolled down the window. “Miss Cami.”

  “Thanks for saddling Red for me.”

  “Frank said you wanted to ride him, so I thought I’d have him ready fer ya’. Give him some exercise and then we’ll take our horses back to Ryan’s for the night. It’s gonna be a cold one so you better git goin’.”

  She ran into the house and pulled on her warmest wool sweater and laced up her boots. She wrapped a scarf around her neck and donned the lamb-lined leather jacket and gloves, hoping she was prepared for the short ride.

  Red nickered and danced a little when she approached. It seemed he was eager for a ride as well.

  She untied his reins and pulled herself into the saddle. “Let’s take it easy boy. Just a little exercise for both of us. There’s no reason to race. It’s just you and me.” She leaned down to stroke his neck and then straightened, intending to head out across the grassland in the direction of the Ryan ranch.

  She turned when she heard the sound of hoof beats coming across the open field. When the rider neared she recognized Eldon Kincaid with his face set in a grim mask.

  “Cami, there’s been an accident. E.J.’s injured and I couldn’t move him.”

  “How did it happen?” She dismounted and started toward the Lincoln.

  “No, no! We can only get there on
horseback. Please hurry. He’s bleeding and he hit his head.”

  “Let me get my bag.” She reached in the backseat to grab the small black medical bag Reba had set up for making the inevitable house calls.

  “Hurry! Please hurry.” Eldon’s solid black horse pawed the ground.

  Cami looped the bag across the saddle horn and hauled herself onto Red’s back. “I’m ready.”

  Eldon led her across the fields toward the mesa. Red, unable to contain his exuberance soon overtook him.

  They’d ridden for some time when he drew his reins close to the caves on her property and dismounted.

  Cami remained on Red’s back as he danced around in a circle. A knot of suspicion formed in her stomach. “What were you and E.J. doing up here on my land?”

  “I didn’t think you’d mind. E.J. wanted to see the caves before sundown, so I didn’t think it would hurt to show the boy.” He glanced back at her. “He slipped on the rocks and bashed his head. Come on, now.” He held out his hand to her.

  She dismounted and unhooked the medical bag from Red’s saddle. “We should have called for the medical helicopter to evacuate him to the hospital.”

  “We can do that later. I have my cell phone. He needs help now.” He pulled her roughly by the arm but Cami resisted, a dawning realization that she was in an isolated place with someone she mistrusted.

  A whisper of fear caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up. “Where is E.J.’s horse?”

  Eldon looked around. “Must have run off. Let’s go.”

  She reached out and grabbed Red’s reins. “No. I’m not going into the caves with you.”

  His expression changed in a heartbeat. He dropped the concerned fatherly façade and glared at her with pure hatred glinting in his eyes. “You’re just like Silky Carmichael. Couldn’t get that damned fool woman to do anything either.” He reached in his pocket and withdrew a handgun.

  Cami gasped, terror closing her throat. Eldon Kincaid murdered Silky. She gripped the reins, her insides churned with fear.

  He gestured with the gun. “Get away from the horse.”

  Cami’s pulses throbbed in her ears.

  Red danced on his front hooves, rolling his eyes as he caught her panic.