“All right,” she said at last. “Come into the living room.” She pulled the loosened edges of her light cotton robe together and snugged the belt tighter, then walked away from him.
He sighed with relief and followed her. She pointedly walked past the sofa and sat in an over-stuffed chair, tucking her feet beneath her.
Trey glanced at the nearest seat, several feet away, and opted to perch on the end of the heavy coffee table, which brought him inches away from her bare toes.
She drew her feet closer and frowned at him.
He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his thighs and met her gaze. “I never meant to lie to you.” He ignored her sniff of disbelief and kept talking. “When I woke up in that ditch, I couldn’t remember my name or where I came from. The only clue I had was the Granger postmark on a letter I found nearby. That’s why I hitched a ride here. I had hardly any money, and all I knew was two men had hit me with a tire iron. When you called me Troy Jones and seemed to realize who I was, I went along with it. Hell, for all I knew, maybe I really was Jones.”
“If you thought you might be, then why didn’t you call the sheriff in Four Buttes and find out more information? The real Troy Jones has worked there for several years. There must have been someone in town who could have identified you.” She crossed her arms and glared at him. “If I’d had any sense, that’s what I should have done instead of accepting what you told me.”
“I couldn’t contact the sheriff.”
“Why not?” Disbelief rang in her voice.
“Because while I wanted to learn my identity, I also knew someone had tried to kill me. You and Kari didn’t recognize me and you’ve lived in Granger all your lives, which convinced me it wasn’t likely I’d ever spent any time here. It also meant that whoever threw me in that ditch wouldn’t come looking for me in Granger. It was a safe place for me to hide while I waited for my memory to return.”
“But it didn’t return.”
“No, not completely. And not bringing the details I most wanted — my name and where I’m from. Not until my sister tracked me down. I learned quite a bit from Raine and Chase tonight. They’ve been hunting for me nonstop since I disappeared. The last time my sister saw me, I was planning a trip down to Billings, driving south from my home in Wolf Creek. That’s where they concentrated their search, but Granger is more than a hundred miles north and east ofWolf Creek, which meant they were looking in the wrong direction.”
“What made them come to Granger?” Her voice held reluctant curiosity.
“The authorities found my SUV abandoned south of here. Chase identified the red clay mud on the wheels and knew it was common in this area.”
“Do they know who attacked you and why?”
“No.” He looked at her, wishing he could get past her rage. “I came to Granger because of the postmark on that envelope I found in the ditch. It held a letter that was sent to my home, asking me to meet the anonymous writer at a bar in Billings. My sister says I left Wolf Creek to keep the appointment and that was the last they heard of me, until today.” He ran his hand through his hair. “That’s why I’m going with them to Wolf Creek tomorrow. I need to know what happened, and my best chance of finding out is to go back to where it started.”
“That makes sense,” she said evenly. “And your home is there. It’s where you belong.” She rose abruptly and moved away from him. “If you’ll send me your address in Wolf Creek, I’ll forward your paycheck. You can leave your keys to the apartment and the restaurant with Butch in the morning.”
“Lori…” He stood, but when he walked toward her, she stepped behind a chair, effectively using its bulk as a barrier between them. “I didn’t want to lie to you. You have to believe me.”
“It doesn’t matter, Troy — Trey.” She crossed her arms over her midriff, her gaze holding his. “It’s good we both learned the truth now, before either of us became emotionally attached to the other. This way nobody gets hurt. No harm, no foul, right?”
Was she kidding? He stared at her but she didn’t blink or look away. At last he shrugged. “Yeah, right.” He pulled the door open, pausing once more to look back at her. “I’ll be in touch.”
She didn’t move or reply. He left, feeling as if he’d been sucker punched, her rejection burning a hole in his chest.
Lori stayed behind the chair, holding herself rigidly erect until the screen door slammed shut and the sound of his footsteps faded into silence. Then she moved, mechanically resetting the dead bolt on the door before she turned and climbed the stairs.
She felt numb, her movements automatic as she shed her robe, letting it drop on the carpet and climbed back into her bed to stare unseeingly at the ceiling.
He’s leaving. It’s over. I’ll never see him again.
Her hard-won composure collapsed, a flood of emotion and feelings washing over her and she curled on her side, tears streaming down her face.
Chapter Seven
Trey tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
I should have found a way to tell her the truth earlier.
He knew he’d put off explaining because he’d been afraid Lori would react just as she had. He’d wanted to delay the day when she inevitably learned he’d lied to her and she threw him out of her life.
I’m not giving up, he thought. I have to go back to Wolf Creek tomorrow but as soon as I get answers to who I am and what happened, I’m coming back. If I have to, I’ll camp on her doorstep until she lets me in and listens to me.
Just after 5:30 a.m., he heard Ralph downstairs. He abandoned any hope of sleeping and within a half hour he was downstairs with a small duffel bag full of the few belongings he’d collected during the weeks he’d been in Granger.
The cook stood in front of the coffeemaker across the kitchen, his back to the doorway, when Trey appeared.
“’Morning, Ralph.” He hesitated, not willing to enter until he was invited.
The stocky chef glanced over his shoulder, his gaze flicking over the duffel bag, before he turned back to the counter. “Come in. Coffee’s done.”
Evidently Ralph hadn’t passed judgment yet, Trey thought, as he took a seat at the end of the island.
Ralph set one of the full mugs of coffee he carried in front of Trey and sat on the stool across from him. Neither spoke as they drank and several moments passed in silence.
“I understand you had a visit from your sister yesterday,” Ralph said at last.
“Yeah.”
“And that you aren’t Troy Jones after all, is that right?”
Trey nodded.
“You want to explain how that happened?” Ralph said mildly.
Trey told him as much as he knew. When he finished, Ralph contemplated him, then quietly refilled their cups.
“You remember what I told you, the first day we met — about how we think a lot of Lori?” He paused and Trey nodded. “Maybe you’d like to tell me why I shouldn’t throw you out on the street for hurting my girl.”
If anyone else but Ralph had asked him, Trey would have refused to comment, but he knew Ralph had assumed the role of protector after Lori’s father died.
“Because I’m going to marry her — if she’ll have me,” he said bluntly.
Ralph visibly relaxed. “What makes you think she will?” he asked. “Seems to me you’ve got one hell of a lot of fast talking to do if you’re going to convince her you’re worth her time.”
“Don’t I know it,” Trey muttered, half to himself.
Ralph lifted his cup in salute. “Here’s wishing you luck, boy. It should be entertaining watching you try, if nothing else.”
Chase and Raine pulled up in front of the bar at exactly ten, and Trey was waiting on the sidewalk.
He tossed his bag ahead of him onto the floor of the SUV, slid into the back seat after it, and came face-to-face with the huge rottweiler.
“Whoa.” He froze. The dog didn’t wag his tail, but he didn’t growl, either. He stared steadily at Trey, his mouth open as he panted.
“Killer, behave yourself,” Chase said mildly.
“Does he bite?” Trey asked, cautiously closing the door and fastening his seat belt.
“Not unless I tell him to.”
“Good. Don’t.”
Chase chuckled. “I won’t.”
“Killer’s a sweetheart,” Raine put in. “He won’t bother you.”
The rottweiler uttered a low woof and lay down, resting his chin on Trey’s thigh.
“I forgot to warn you,” Raine said over her shoulder. “He likes to cuddle.”
“Cuddle?” Trey said skeptically. “Should I expect him to climb into my lap next?”
“Not unless you let him.”
Trey stroked his palm over the dog’s head, and he rumbled in appreciation.
“It’s like sharing a seat with a bear,” he commented. “A friendly bear,” he added when Killer licked his hand.
Conversation lapsed. Chase turned on the CD player and a classic rock concert began; Rod Stewart following the Rolling Stones before Bob Seger’s voice filled the SUV. Trey closed his eyes and catnapped as the miles rolled by.
When they reached Wolf Creek, however, all traces of drowsiness vanished and he studied the streets intently. To his relief he felt a strong sense of homecoming.
Chase and Raine accompanied him up the back stairs of the saloon to his apartment.
Raine pressed a key into his palm. “You can use mine until you have a duplicate made.”
“Thanks.” He opened the door, pocketing the key, and went inside. Dropping his duffel on the sofa, he turned in a slow circle. The openness of the apartment gave it a feeling of spaciousness that was magnified by the high ceilings and polished wood floors. The kitchen took up one corner, separated from the big room by a counter where four leather and metal stools were pushed neatly into place beneath the tiled rim. Above the stove, copper-bottomed pans hung from a wrought-iron rack.
An archway on the far side of the room led to a hall; he knew without exploring that the bedroom and bath were located there.
“Does it seem familiar?” Raine asked.
“You know it does.” He stared at the kitchen with the gleaming pots, further evidence of his interest in cooking. “I like it,” he said. “Feels like a place I might call home.”
“Maybe your memory will return faster now that you’re here, among friends and your own things.” Raine’s voice held hope mixed with concern.
“It can’t be too soon for me. I’m damned tired of surprises.” He meant every word.
“Maybe we should let you settle in by yourself,” Chase said.
Raine agreed. “I’ll see you later this afternoon, Trey?”
“Sure.” He returned her hug, feeling more comfortable with her open affection than he’d been the day before.
“I need a few minutes to talk to Trey, Raine.”
Despite Chase’s calm manner, the tone of his voice warned Trey something was wrong. His eyes narrowed, trying to work out what it was about the man that had set off his radar as Chase walked Raine out onto the landing.
Trey crossed his arms and leaned against the countertop dividing the kitchen from the living room, waiting.
A moment later Chase reentered and joined him at the counter, his expression forbidding.
“The Sheriff’s Office ID’ed Carl and Bobby Rimes from the fingerprints in your vehicle. They’ve both disappeared and the sheriff believes they know they’re wanted for questioning. I need your help to keep Raine safe while I track them down and bring them in.”
“You’ve got it.” At last he had names. But he wanted more details. “I don’t remember the two — who are they?”
“Carl and Bobby are local brothers in their midthirties. They’ve been in and out of jail on minor crime convictions since they were teenagers. They’ve been working as hired hands at Harlan Kerrigan’s ranch for the last ten months.”
“Kerrigan?” He frowned, trying to recall. “That name’s familiar.”
“It should be. Harlan Kerrigan is a local landowner. His son, Lonnie, was driving my truck when Mike was killed, and the family has feuded with the McClouds for generations.” Chase paused, watching him. “Do you remember Mike?”
“No.” Although I should, Trey thought.
“Mike was your older brother — and my best friend all through school. When we were seventeen, he was killed in a car wreck. I was in the pickup that hit him,” Chase said bluntly. “And so was Lonnie. Your parents died a few years later.”
Pieces of the story clicked into place. The dreams about funerals and cemeteries suddenly made sense to Trey.
“I can’t tell Raine about the Rimes brothers,” Chase continued. “If I do, she’ll insist on going with me and when I refuse, she’ll try looking on her own. This isn’t like searching for you. This is dangerous. I don’t want her hurt.”
“Neither do I.” It went against his every instinct to stay behind and let Chase hunt alone — but he’d only just found his sister. He couldn’t let anything happen to her.
“Then I need your help.” Swiftly Chase filled him in on his plan.
Trey wasn’t sure Raine would ever forgive Chase for what he was about to do, but he was clearly determined, his face set in hard lines.
“This is the cell phone number for Andy Jones, the Agency bodyguard,” Chase concluded, taking a slip of paper from his pocket and handing it to Trey. “If you don’t hear from him by five o’clock, call him. He’ll watch her house, but if you need him elsewhere, just tell him where and when.”
Chase reached the doorway before Trey called his name — he paused, looking back at him.
“Just so we’re clear,” Trey said. “What exactly are your intentions toward my sister?”
“I plan to ask her to marry me just as soon as this is finished.”
Trey grinned. “That’s what I thought. Good luck.”
Chase nodded and disappeared.
And he was going to need all the luck he could get, Trey thought. Chase was a bounty hunter, and Trey was confident that if anyone could catch Carl and Bobby Rimes, he could. But afterward, he’d have to come home and face Raine.
Chase was going to tell Raine they were finished and wouldn’t see each other again. The news would make her furious, but would it keep her from asking the sheriff for an update on the case? What were the odds Raine could be kept in the dark until Chase brought in the Rimes brothers?
And would Raine take Chase back once she knew he’d lied to her? Trey wondered. He didn’t remember all the details about his life, but he instinctively knew his sister was a smart, stubborn woman and she hated being deceived.
Just like Lori, he thought. Too bad I didn’t realize all this earlier. Maybe I would have handled the situation better.
He picked up his bag and went into the bedroom. Like the living area, the room had a lofty ceiling and gleaming floor dotted with plush area rugs. A grouping of framed photos hung on the wall just inside the door. He dropped the duffel on a nearby chair and moved closer, studying the pictures. Two of them were snapshots of a family. He studied the faces, knowing with deep-seated certainty that here were his mother, father, Raine, himself and his older brother, Mike.
And except for himself and Raine, they were all gone. Mike in the car accident Chase had mentioned, and his parents a few years later. Though he felt sadness, he realized the grief was old and familiar, not fresh as if he’d just learned the truth. It was memory, not revelation.
It seemed being back home was indeed helping him remember more and more.
The bathroom had a walk-in shower big enough for four people. He stripped and washed up, recognizing the scent of his shampoo and soap.
“I need a haircut,” he told the image in the foggy mirror when he rubbed a circle on the glass. He ran a brush through his hair before walking naked into the bedroom where he took faded jeans and a blue checked cotton shirt from the closet, then underwear from the dresser drawers.
He felt as if he wer
e shedding the person he’d been since he woke up in the ditch and donning instead his own skin, as he tucked the shirt into his jeans and threaded a black leather belt through the loops.
The kitchen was well stocked, the sealed container of coffee beans right where he thought it would be in the cupboard. He automatically measured and ground them, filled the coffeemaker with water and switched it on.
A computer sat on a desk tucked beneath a window. While he waited for it to boot up, he thumbed through a neat stack of bills piled in a leather box nearby. The postmarks all had recent dates.
Raine must have been paying my bills.
Knowing that she cared for him and would have done what was necessary to keep his world ticking over in his absence filled him with appreciation. Despite the still missing pieces of his memory, he had his life back, and it was clearly good.
He crossed the room to answer the quick rap on the door.
“Hi, come on in.”
Raine studied him as she stepped inside. “I see you’ve decided to keep the beard.”
He ran his palm over the day-old stubble. “Yeah, I’ve gotten used to it.”
She headed for the kitchen and he dropped onto the sofa to pull on his boots.
“Maybe the girls will think it’s sexy,” she teased. “Did you make coffee?”
“It’s in the carafe.”
She took down a mug. “Ah,” she sighed after sipping. “Now I know you’re my Trey. Nobody brews coffee quite like you do.”
He took a seat on the counter stool across from her. Her eyes were shadowed, her mouth had a vulnerable droop and he was pretty sure she’d been crying. Aw, hell. She obviously hadn’t taken Chase’s announcement well.
“I’m remembering more.” He picked up his own mug and gestured at the copper pans and professional stove. “For instance, I’m a damn good cook, right?”
She laughed. “You’re a fabulous cook.”
Relieved when amusement lightened her face, changing the downward curve of her lips to an upward tilt, he drained his cup and carried it into the kitchen to slot it into the dishwasher.
“I’ll take mine with me,” she said, brandishing her mug. “I hate to admit it, but the restaurant coffee hasn’t been the same without you there to supervise.”
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