Circumstantial Evidence

by Annette Broadrick

  Ashley began to laugh at the word picture Rafe painted. "You know, I'll bet that's exactly what he'll say. Can't you just hear him now? Here he has Mrs. Krueger busy taking care of us and preparing her scrumptious meals, and we sit plotting ways to escape. The whole thing's a farce."

  "That's what I've been thinking. Another is, how long do we have before we must get back. I presume you need to be at work on Monday." She nodded in agreement. "I have to be back in San Francisco for a ten o'clock appointment on Monday." She looked startled and he stopped. "What's wrong?"

  "You don't live in Oregon?"

  "No. Most of my business interests are located in California. Raul opened the plastics plant here in Oregon a few years ago, but I have no connection with it."

  She began to smile. "For a man with whom I've spent almost twenty-four hours of uninterrupted time, you're still very much a mystery to me." Her eyes lit with humor and caught Rafe's attention. He lost the thread of their conversation as he admired her animated face. With reluctance he forced his mind back to what they had been saying.

  "You're as much a mystery to me. We haven't had much time to get acquainted, but we can always remedy that, you know." She didn't trust the gleam that appeared in his eyes.

  "That's all right." She refused to meet his eyes. "We probably won't ever see each other after this weekend."

  He reached over and took her hand, waiting until she raised her eyes to meet his. "Ashley, I come up to visit Raul and Jeanine frequently. There's no reason why you and I shouldn't see each other, is there?"

  He wanted to know whether she was involved with someone else. If only it were that simple. "I'm pretty well tied up with my practice, Rafe. I don't have much time for socializing."

  "Your practice?" Her statement disconcerted him; she could tell by his startled expression.

  "I told you last night that I'm an attorney. At least, I told Tysinger."

  He sat there staring at her as though she'd whipped out a baseball bat and thumped him over the head.

  "You're a lawyer?" he repeated, convinced he'd misunderstood.

  She nodded. "Yes, I'm with the law firm of Begley, Henderson & Howe." Why did he seem so shocked?

  His next question surprised her. "How old are you, anyway?"

  "Twenty-eight. Why?"

  He leaned back in his chair, his hands resting on the table, and shook his head. "I feel like a complete fool," he admitted with a shrug. "I thought you were a college student working during the summer. I didn't think you were more than twenty-one years old."

  "Thank you very much, I think. I wondered what made you think I lived with my parents, but it never dawned on me that you didn't understand I've got a law practice."

  "Wouldn't you know," he muttered.

  She could feel tension begin to tickle her neck like hackles rising on a dog. "What do you mean?" Once again she felt defensive about her choice of career.

  Rafe gave her a rueful grin. "Nothing, really. Lawyers don't happen to be my favorite brand of people, and it never occurred to me that you were one of them." His grin broadened. "Now that I think about it, your attack on Tysinger last night was more in the way of a professional performance. I guess I should have realized that at the time."

  "What do you have against lawyers?"

  "I don't think the majority of them have enough business sense to set themselves up as soothsayers, but that hasn't stopped them as far as my business is concerned. They're an unmitigated nuisance to have around, but a necessary evil."

  "What exactly is your business, Mr. McCord?" She found his amusement offensive.

  "I buy into ailing companies and try to turn them into profitable businesses. Many times a business will fail because legal advisors are allowed to make business decisions."

  "I take it that you've made the right decisions and saved your ailing companies."

  "Most of them."

  "A real knight in shining armor, is that right?" Her sarcasm touched a nerve: his jaw clenched as he stared at her.

  "Obviously, I'm not your knight unless I can come up with a way to rescue you from your dragon— Tysinger." He pushed back his chair and stood up. "If you'll excuse me."

  Ashley sat at the table long after she heard the front door close behind Rafe. Why had she baited him like that? He'd shown her nothing but courtesy and kindness since she'd met him. Why did she feel the need to ridicule him? Her behavior since she had met Rafe continued to confuse her.

  Hours later, Ashley sat once again on the deck, waiting for Rafe to reappear. Patience had never been one of her virtues. She'd had plenty of time to review the events leading up to his disappearance and had even framed several apologies during the three hours he'd been gone.

  She'd finally faced the fact that her reaction to Raphael McCord was more violent than any she'd experienced in the past. His sudden appearance anywhere around her set her nerves on edge, but why couldn't she at least be polite to him, even if friendliness seemed to be beyond her? Her puzzling seesaw of emotions was causing her a great deal of distress. She hated to admit to herself that her usual friendly and outgoing disposition had gone into hibernation during the past two days. If she didn't watch it she'd turn into a crochety caricature of spinsterhood.

  She blamed part of her confusion on the romantic surroundings of the Mount Hood National Forest in the summertime. It was easy to forget the real world and bask in the lazy warmth of the sunshine. Ashley had spent the earlier part of the afternoon getting acquainted with Josh. She'd found him quite amazing and wondered whether all babies were so smart. He'd spotted her good-luck pendant, which hung from a gold chain at her throat, and managed to grab it as it swung past his waving arms. His tenacious grip caused quite a tussle before she managed to free herself without hurting him.

  Ashley admitted to herself that she was enjoying her acquaintance with Josh, which surprised her. She wasn't a domesticated woman. Perhaps an unconscious desire to escape the role of her mother had caused the younger Ashley to refuse to learn the housewifely arts. As a result she could neither cook nor sew.

  She was satisfied with her life and would never have given the matter a thought if she hadn't met Raphael McCord. She jumped up and walked over to the railing. There was no reason to let him upset her life any more than he'd already done.

  The lake looked inviting, but even if she'd had a swimsuit she wouldn't have gone in; she knew the water was close to freezing. Melting snow kept the lake at a high level. As she stood there admiring the scenery she heard whistling down below.

  Leaning over the railing, Ashley peered in the direction of the sound and saw Rafe move out of the trees. The sight of him caused her heart to lurch in her chest and she forgot to breathe.

  He didn't see her watching him as he strode across the clearing, his movements like those of a big cat silently stalking. The memory of his kisses leaped into her mind. Ashley gave herself a shake, resenting her purely physical response to him. I wonder if there's a pill to take to counteract my reactions?

  "Did you find a way out of here?" she called to get his attention. Rafe saw her and turned toward her. He stood below, hands resting on his hips, his chest moving visibly in his effort to breathe more easily in the thin air. His smile erased the earlier hostility between them.

  "I think so. We can get away, but I'm not sure when."

  Ashley gave no thought to why she felt relief that he was no longer angry. She returned his smile. "So what do we do?"

  "Hang on. I've got to get cleaned up a bit. I must have hiked five miles since I last saw you." He looked over his shoulder at the lake and back at her. Then he waved and disappeared around the corner of the house.

  Ashley started to dash back into the house but decided to show a little more dignity by strolling into the kitchen. Mrs. Krueger looked up from cutting salad vegetables and smiled. "How is your son?"

  "Oh, I put him down after his bottle and he conked out in no time. He's probably awake by now—maybe I should check on him."


  As she turned toward the hallway, Mrs. Krueger asked, "Is there anything in particular you would like to have for dinner?"

  "Anything sounds fine to me so long as I don't have to make it. Cooking is not one of my skills."

  Mrs. Krueger's face lit up with astonishment. "You mean you don't cook for Mr. McCord?"

  I've done it again, she scolded herself. "Of course I cook for him, but I don't go to a lot of trouble." That didn't sound any better. "What I mean is, I, uh, I think I hear Josh." Ashley escaped down the hallway. In her need to make a hasty retreat she burst into the bedroom, where she came to an abrupt halt.

  Rafe was walking out of the bathroom toweling his hair and wearing the smallest pair of briefs Ashley had ever seen. Her mouth dropped open.

  "Don't you ever knock?" he asked in a fair imitation of her tone of voice earlier in the day.

  She realized where she was staring and spun around toward Josh. "I thought I heard Josh."

  "Obviously not, if our voices haven't disturbed him. You must have worn him out today."

  She thought back over her afternoon with Josh and grinned. When she heard the zip of Rafe's pants, Ashley figured he was decently covered and turned back around. His bare chest tugged at her attention, and she studied the thick mat of fur spread across it as though she'd be tested on it the next day. She managed to bring her eyes up to meet his and nodded, intent on concealing her reactions.

  "Yes, Josh and I spent quite a time together. I've discovered that he loves to pull hair and is fascinated by my pendant. Do you realize he can move himself? He gets his knees under him, then lunges and scoots on his stomach." Rafe watched her as her eyes sparkled with the description.

  "What color are your eyes?" he asked, interrupting her.

  The change of subject surprised her, and she stood there for a moment in confusion. "My driver's license says blue. Why?"

  "Because when I first saw you in the elevator they appeared to be gray. Today on our hike they were more of a jade green, and now they have a misty blue look about them." He walked to where she stood as though to examine them closer.

  His proximity unnerved her. She wished he'd put on a shirt.

  "My mom used to tease me about my eyes. She said they're like a mood ring."

  Rafe pulled her to him and she looked up. The expression on his face caused her knees to turn to jelly. He lowered his head as he murmured, "What mood are you in at the moment?" His breath caressed her mouth as his lips touched hers in a tentative manner. Without thought Ashley relaxed in his arms and offered him her mouth, which he took with a sudden possession that seared through her. His mouth began to mold hers as his tongue touched her upper lip, then slipped into her mouth. She reached up to him, her arms sliding behind his head in an effort to get closer.

  His hands moved along her back, continuing the exploration they had begun that morning, and discovered the indentation at her waist as well as the flare of her rounded hips. He pressed her body closer, showing her the effect she had on him.

  Her hands had not been still. She brought them back to his chest and touched all the places her eyes had feasted upon earlier.

  The sounds of Josh stirring from his nap began to seep into Ashley's consciousness, and she fought to regain control of herself. She managed to pull away from Rafe and opened her eyes. He looked at her hungrily, making no effort to hide his desire for her.

  She turned away from him, struggling for compo-sure. "What did you find out this afternoon?" she asked in an attempt to sound casual as she moved over to Josh and picked him up. She kept her head down as she sorted through the baby's clothing for something dry to put on him.

  The amusement in Rafe's voice acknowledged the reason for her change of subject. "I found out that Tysinger isn't without communication here. He's got a short-wave unit somewhere, according to one of his neighbors." Rafe walked over and grabbed a fresh knit shirt from the bed, slipping it over his head. Ashley wondered where he kept getting all the shirts.

  "You mean they have neighbors here?"

  "Everyone has his own idea of what a neighbor is. I found a small cabin located on one of the tributaries that feeds into the Clackamas River." He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled on his sneakers. "The man who lives there is probably in his late sixties. He was pleased to pass the time with me and share some of his fishing and hunting yarns." He watched her as she laid the baby down on the bed beside him. She refused to look at him as he continued. "He lives up here year 'round and said there are several families scattered around the area who stay in touch with each other to make sure everything is all right."

  Ashley managed to change Josh's diaper and attempted a glance at Rafe as she picked up the baby. He was watching her intently and she could feel her color rise. In a lazy movement he stood up and placed his arms around her waist, Josh cuddled close between them. Ashley had trouble concentrating on his words.

  "In the course of our conversation I asked how anyone managed to communicate with the outside world, and he told me about the Kruegers. He didn't know Tysinger's name and didn't seem all that interested in who I was, so I didn't bother to explain. The Kruegers seem to be well liked in the area and are known to be willing to help out whenever needed."

  Ashley tried to withstand the heat of his stare as she asked, "Where is Mr. Krueger? I haven't seen anyone by that name, now that you mention it."

  "I wondered the same thing. It seems that one of their sons is a logger and asked his dad to help with one of his rigs for a few weeks. He's been gone for a couple of weeks now. I was amazed at how much the man knew about what was going on with everyone." He paused, then added with a thoughtful expression, "He may already have known who I was, for that matter."

  "You mean he may have thought you were Raul."

  The mischievous grin Ashley found so attractive stole across Rafe's face. "Yes, I guess you're right. I never realized just how much I might enjoy playing house."

  Her back stiffened. "I don't know what you have in mind, Rafe, but I don't intend to play house. Not with you—not with anyone."

  She stepped away from his loose grasp and smiled. "You should wipe the lipstick off. Something tells me Mrs. Krueger might wonder why you're wearing that particular shade."

  He grinned. "Do you really think so? For some reason I feel certain she'd understand exactly why I'm wearing it." He reached into a back pocket for his handkerchief.

  Ashley was thankful that Josh was there at the moment. She needed some breathing space. One kiss and her knees gave way. For the first time in her life, Ashley began to appreciate how easy it would be to get carried away by a sensual response. She found it most irritating to discover a passionate nature behind her no-nonsense outlook on life. She consoled herself with the thought that the particular circumstances were far from normal, so she intended to ignore her reactions.

  When she entered the living room, Ashley discovered that Mrs. Krueger had been busy. A small table containing two place settings and a flower centerpiece sat before the glass wall. A pair of candles shone in the early evening light.

  "Mrs. Krueger, you're a magician. Everything is beautiful." Mrs. Krueger beamed her pleasure at Ashley's approval. "Aren't you going to join us?"

  "Oh, no! This is your weekend to be alone and enjoy each other. If you don't mind, I'll take your young man and keep him entertained while the two of you enjoy some privacy."

  That's all I need, Ashley thought in mounting frustration. Everybody's determined to put us in a romantic setting.

  Rafe followed her into the room, and she waited for his comments. Instead, the room echoed with the unspoken thoughts and undercurrents Ashley had tried to leave in the bedroom. She shrugged and decided she might as well enjoy the evening.

  She did. The dinner of broiled steaks, baked potatoes, and tossed salad was delicious. A light rose wine glinted in the candlelight as they sipped from tulip glasses. They relaxed and chatted easily.

  Rafe shared a little of his childhood. "Raul and I ar
e less than two years apart in age and looked enough alike to be twins. Somehow we managed to keep our neighborhood in an uproar during our early years."

  "There were just the two of you in the family?"

  "Yes, much to Mom's shame. She'd come from a large family and felt she hadn't done her part to repopulate the Ramirez family."

  "Ramirez?"

  "My mother's family. She was a fourth-generation Californian. The family owns a fair amount of land in the north central part of the state."

  "McCord doesn't have much of a Spanish sound to it."

  "So I've been told. My father is of Scottish descent —and a quiet, introverted sort. He and Mom made quite a pair." He shook his head at some of his memories. "Mom had a very fiery temperament, while Dad always tried to look at things from a reasonable, rational, logical viewpoint. When he and Mom had an argument he would give her all the numerous reasons why he was right and then fall apart when she broke down and cried. He loved her very much. We all did."

  Ashley watched his face gentle with memories from his past. She had trouble seeing him as a little boy—he must have been a handful.

  Rafe glanced up and caught her smiling at him. He picked up his glass of wine, tipped it against hers, and said, "When do I get a chance to meet the Allison tribe? Will they give me a hard time because I want to run off with their only sister and daughter?"

  The sudden change in subject, together with his careless remark, caused Ashley to choke on her wine. Trying to look and sound composed, she responded: "I'm afraid all of this is news to me. Has your role-playing gotten out of hand?"

  "Not exactly. I suppose now that I've found you I don't intend to lose track of you." The smile that accompanied his statement did not lessen the seriousness of the expression in his eyes.

  Ignoring the sudden increase in her pulse rate, Ashley spoke carefully. "I thought I made myself clear earlier. I don't have any serious relationships because I don't choose to have them."