by Sara Orwig
“Thanks, but I just want to go home. Mom will have breakfast for me. I want a hot bath, and then I’m going to get some sleep.”
“Okay, home it is,” he said, taking her arm and smiling at her. “I need to check into the Bellamy Resort. After a night in the back of my truck, I’m ready for a five-star resort.”
She drew a deep breath, and the moment he touched her, he was aware of another sizzle that ignited desire. He released her arm and turned away. Scarlett was off-limits, and he couldn’t even touch her in the most casual way without having a physical reaction.
He held the door of his pickup, and when she climbed in, his gaze swept over her long legs clad in tight jeans. As he drove, he thought again about what an amazing job she had done with the animals and his chest swelled with appreciation.
“Everyone says you’re the best vet in this part of the state,” he praised. “And now I can see why.”
“Thanks, Luke.” She smiled and then turned to look out the window. They rode in companionable silence for several minutes before she glanced back toward him and asked, “So when are you planning on seeing your dad?”
“I think I need to wait a day or two until I won’t lose it over the way he abandoned the ranch without telling me. If he had just clued me in, things would not have gotten so bad.” He blew out an angry breath. “And I still don’t know why none of the men who worked for him didn’t let me know what was going on. He must have really ticked them off.”
“He might have told them you were coming to take over, and they figured you knew.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” He hesitated. “I’m here not only to see about the ranch, but I have other matters to take care of, too. I’m going to see Will today.”
She gave him a startled look. “Really? I have to say, I’m surprised to hear that. You’re pretty removed from Royal and all that goes on here.”
“Will and I’ve always stayed in touch and he’s been out to see me a couple of times.”
“I guess when I stop to think about it, you two were good friends.”
“It’s the damnedest thing about Will coming home to his own funeral. Quite a shock, right?”
She nodded. “You’ve got that right. This deal with Will—some of us know a few things, but not much. He is staying pretty hush-hush about the whole thing. But if you’re seeing Will, I’m sure he’ll bring you up to date on what’s happened. Will’s close friends apparently know some things. Like my brother, Toby.”
“People in certain professions hear more secrets—people like hairstylists, bartenders—how about veterinarians?”
She laughed softly, and it was a sound that made him smile and he wanted to hear that beautiful laugh again. “I don’t think so. My furry, four-legged regulars have very little to say to me, except to convince me they’re glad to see me. I don’t have to have any proof of that.”
“I’ll bet you’ve never been bitten by one of your patients.”
“No, I haven’t,” she said. “They kind of melt when they come to the hospital. The ones that come to board go to a different section, and they’re happy campers. We’re happy to see them, too.”
“You like your job, don’t you?” he asked, but he already knew her answer.
“I love my job,” she said, and he could hear the enthusiasm in her voice and knew that she felt the same about her work that he did about his.
“Lots of changes for me to come back to.”
“I’m sorry about the Double U. I know that was a shock yesterday. I still can’t believe your family place got so bad that the animals were just left to starve and die.” She sighed. “I think it probably went downhill fast after your dad had to go to the hospital and then the assisted-living facility.”
“Our family attorney helped with all that. You know Fred Sweeney?”
“Mr. Sweeney...sure. So how is your dad?”
“They’re trying to get him dried out, and he’s resisting. Nothing new there.” He grimaced. “We’ve been down that road before.”
“Sorry, Luke.”
“Just be thankful for your family, Scarlett.”
“I am,” she murmured quietly. “If you find more horses and need my help, let me know.”
“You were great last night. You passed on breakfast, but let me take you to Dallas to dinner Friday night. I owe you that much,” he said, suddenly wanting a night with her and knowing he did owe her big-time for what she did last night.
She glanced at him and looked away, drawing a deep breath that made him glance down as her shirt hugged her curves. “Thanks, Luke, but you don’t need to do that, and I have plans.”
He didn’t think she really had plans, but suspected she didn’t want to go out with him. He nodded. “Sure, Scarlett. I owe you, though. You saved horses for me.”
“That’s my job.”
He slowed and stopped in front of her house and came around to open her door, but she had already stepped out and gathered her things. She looked amused. “You don’t need to walk me to the door. This isn’t a date. I’ll see you, Luke. Call if you have sick animals.”
“Scarlett, you saved those horses. Your bill doesn’t cover half of what you did. Let me do something to repay you. Can I make a donation to your business to help with abandoned animals?”
She nodded. “I’ll take you up on that one. I’m on the web, so you can get my address and send a check. We take in dogs, cats, horses, occasionally other animals, even birds. We can always use more money to feed and care for them and advertise to get them placed in good homes.”
“You’re a softie for anything furry and four-footed.”
They looked at each other, and for an instant he wanted to draw her into his arms. This was another goodbye between, them and he didn’t like it. It shouldn’t make any difference at all, but it did. That was just one more shock since he had returned to Royal. He should be able to walk away from Scarlett without batting an eye after all this time, so why was this simple goodbye so damned difficult?
“Bye, Scarlett. Thanks again.”
She nodded. “Sure.” She turned and went up her porch steps, and he headed back to climb into his pickup to leave. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw her standing in the doorway. She glanced over her shoulder at him and then went inside and closed the door.
He wondered whether he would see her again while he was in Royal. They had no future together and no reason to cross paths again. His parents’ bad genes haunted him and because of that, he wasn’t the man for Scarlett.
He drove to the new elegant five-star resort and was relieved to be in luxurious surroundings with instant service. Even before he showered, he made an appointment for his own PI from Dallas to come check the suite for bugs or hidden cameras because of the ongoing investigation of the attempt on Will’s life, the funeral supposedly for Will, the disappearance of Rich Lowell and Jason Phillips, as well as the disappearance of money. He intended to work with Will’s PI, but he didn’t want Will’s PI seen at the Bellamy where he was staying.
When the Dallas PI finished, Luke gave him instructions and had him check into a room in his name in the nearby small town of Brinkly. The PI was to leave the key with the concierge for Luke to pick up when he arrived later to meet with Will’s PI, Cole Sullivan.
Luke ordered breakfast sent up and headed for his shower. This afternoon he would meet with Cole Sullivan. If they could find where the money went, they might begin to get some answers to the disappearance of Rich Lowell and Jason Phillips. As the hot water sluiced over him, washing away the dirt and grime of the last several hours, he released a frustrated breath... Whose ashes did they have when they had the funeral for Will? Ashes that were supposed to be Will’s until he showed up alive and well at his own funeral.
Questions came to mind that Luke wanted answered. Questions for Cole Sullivan, questions for Will. And though it
shouldn’t be, the biggest question hovering in his thoughts was, would he see Scarlett again?
Three
Luke had time before the meeting with Cole. He dressed in jeans, a brown-and-red-plaid Western-style shirt, brown boots and a Stetson. He wanted to blend with the other men in Royal, and this Western attire would do the trick unless someone was specifically looking for him.
After climbing into his pickup, he drove a few short blocks to the bank where he kept an account. The bank president, Jeff Kline, had been a friend since high school, although he was two years older than Luke. Having grown up in Royal, Luke knew most people, which made doing business with them easier. When his meeting at the bank was over, Luke headed down to City Hall to meet with Sheriff Nathan Battle.
Luke had grown up knowing Nathan. They shook hands, and Nathan motioned for Luke to have a seat. Luke pulled a check out of his pocket and extended it. “This is for the Double U, the back taxes, everything. If you need more, let me know, but this is what you wrote to me that Dad owed. I’ve been to the bank, and Double U is now in my name, and my father is no longer an official part of it. I hate to do that, but you’ve seen how he left it.”
Nathan looked at the check, wrote a receipt and got out a file. “This is the right amount, and I’ll give you that lien and auction notice, and this should ensure you keep the Double U. It was a fine ranch the years you were growing up. I’m glad to know you’ll stay connected with us in Royal, and I hope we see you at the Texas Cattleman’s Club sometime.”
“I don’t know how much I’ll be back. I’m hiring good people to run the Double U, and if you have any suggestions, please let me know. Here’s a list of the men I’m talking to. Do you know any of them?”
Nathan took the list and scanned it. “I do. I know all of them except this Chet Younger. I can look him up if you want.”
“Thanks, but I can check him out.”
Nathan laughed, crinkles forming at the corners of his dark brown eyes. “I guess you can. And you’ll probably get better info than the Royal Police Department can dredge up. Well, I hope you come back here to live.”
“I won’t do that any time soon. I have West-Tech, and I love my work.” He smiled amicably at the other man. “Nathan, thanks for your call. Scarlett McKittrick came out and tended to the animals that had survived until I got home. She’s a miracle worker because I didn’t expect her to save half of them, but I think they’ll all make it.”
“She’s good and she’s another one who loves her job. I’m sorry, Luke, about your dad.”
“Well, he drank himself into it.” Luke stood and folded the papers, putting them in his shirt pocket. “I’m damn glad to have the ranch out of debt. I just couldn’t bear to see it go to auction. What a hell of a thing.”
“It won’t now. It’s your ranch, free and clear, and it looks as if you’ll get it back in great shape.”
“I hope. It’s good to be home in a lot of ways.”
Nathan walked Luke to the door. “When you have time, maybe we can meet at the diner and have lunch.”
“Sure. Thanks again, Nathan. You saved the Double U by your call.”
Luke left, feeling better. The Double U was his again, and he felt he had taken the first step toward salvaging the ranch and eventually making it one of the best in Texas.
Moreover, his father’s bills at the assisted-living center had been paid and arrangements made for Luke to take care of his father’s bills from this point forward.
He returned to the Bellamy where he changed into a pale blue dress shirt and navy slacks. Promptly at 11:00 a.m., Will Sanders stepped into Luke’s suite, and the two shook hands. Luke gazed into his friend’s green eyes and smiled as he closed the door behind him. “I’m glad to see you alive and well.”
“Just one more big shock in my life. Thanks for coming, Luke. If you can help follow the money trail, I think we might unravel a lot of the mystery.”
“I’ll do my best, Will. I’ll meet with Cole Sullivan this afternoon and get started.”
Luke listened to Will talk briefly about all that had happened to him, and how one thing after another pointed to Rich Lowell passing himself off as Will.
“To avoid compromising the investigation, not many people know all the details of what I’ve told you. I’m cooperating every way I can with the police, and I’ve informed them I have my own PI to help move things along.”
Luke nodded. “You can count on me to keep your confidence, Will. I know how much is at stake for you.”
“Thanks for getting involved in my problems, which touch a lot of lives here. In addition to trying to track Rich down, I’m also concerned about Jason Phillips’s disappearance. It isn’t like him to just vanish, and it really isn’t like him to lose contact with his daughter, Savannah. His brother, Aaron, is filling in to help take care of little Savannah, who’s only six. Jason’s sister, Megan, is helping, too. She and Aaron take turns.” He blew out a breath. “They’re worried, and rightfully so, about Jason. The more we find out about Rich, the worse it looks.”
“I’m still trying to wrap my brain around this, so I can only imagine how his loved ones must be feeling.”
Will nodded grimly. “And you might as well know—Megan received the urn with the ashes, presumably my ashes, because she was supposedly my wife. There was a note about how I died. They’ve sent the note for handwriting analysis, so we should get an answer any time now on that. They are also testing the ashes’ DNA.” His mouth hardened into a tight line. “We’ll get answers sooner or later. I just don’t want anyone else hurt.” He ran his hand over his short black hair. “Everyone is reeling from Rich’s deceit. As you know, he and I grew up together.”
“That’s part of why he could get away with impersonating you. He knows everything about you,”
“I feel such a sense of betrayal. Rich wasn’t poor. He was well-off. What would cause him to go to such extremes?”
“Greed. He wasn’t as wealthy, and he wasn’t the golden boy that you’ve always been,” Luke said. “Most friends are happy for your wealth and success. Rich must have envied it beyond anything any of us could imagine.”
“I suppose,” Will said, shaking his head. “It’s still shocking.”
“Yeah. Life is filled with shocks.”
Will nodded. “Sorry. I’ve just been thinking about my problems. I hear you have plenty of your own.”
“I’m working on them. I paid off the ranch today, and I own it free and clear now. I can’t believe how my dad left it. Rich Lowell was after money. My dad was after booze. It’s pitiful, Will. I’m scared someday I’ll be like him.”
“You’ll never be like your dad, Luke. Not ever,” Will said, shaking his head and smiling. “You can relax on that one. You’re a straight arrow filled with brilliant ideas and a great ability. Stop worrying about following in your dad’s footsteps.”
“I hope to hell you’re right. Well, I’ll talk to your PI and I’ll see what I can come up with. If we can get proof of Rich taking some of that stolen money, then you can nail the bastard.”
“Thanks again, Luke. I’ll let you know if I learn anything, and you do the same for me. I’m telling you, watch your back. Rich tried to murder me.”
“Even though I’ve know that, it still shocks me. I’ll be careful.”
“If we can pick up the money trail, that will be amazing.” Will reached out and clapped his friend on the shoulder. “By the way, congratulations on making the Forbes’s list. Their newest billionaire—that’s great.”
“Thanks, buddy. But to be honest, I came home to a passel of trouble, and Silicon Valley and that list seem far removed from Royal, Texas. If I can help here, though, I’ll be very happy. Money is paper, and it does leave a trail. And if Lowell took TCC money, we ought to be able to get some information about it.”
“Rich has to have bank accounts, has
to have places he keeps money and gets money.”
Luke nodded in agreement. “My days will be pretty much filled with ranch business, but I can work on this at night if you or Cole can provide me with whatever information you have about the thefts.”
“Thanks again, buddy. I know you already have a lot on your plate. I can’t tell you how much I just want to look Rich in the eye and ask how he could do such a thing. Hurting so many people the way he did.” He blew out an angry breath. “I shouldn’t even have survived when he pushed me overboard off the yacht, but fortunately, I was rescued. I still have blocks of time I don’t remember.”
“We’ll catch him, Will. We just have to.”
After they said their goodbyes, Luke closed the door behind Will and made some calls. About thirty minutes later, he went downstairs and climbed into his pickup, driving south out of Royal to the scheduled rendezvous in Brinkly with the PI.
Promptly at one, Luke opened the door to the hotel suite, and Cole Sullivan stepped inside, introducing himself. Luke shook hands with the blue-eyed investigator who had once been a Texas Ranger.
“Thanks for driving to Brinkly,” Luke said. “I felt we would have a lot better chance of having a private meeting here instead of Royal.”
“I agree. I know you met with Will before lunch, and that’s good.”
“I’m all set up. Come pull up a chair and let me show you this new antifraud software we have.”
“My business changes by the day, and I have the feeling I’m going to learn something new now.”
“I hope I can help you catch Rich. We’ve all grown up together, and we know each other well. We know habits, sayings, mannerisms.”
Cole nodded. “If we can pick up the money trail, you should be able to find Rich.”
“It can’t be a minute too soon.”
As they talked, Luke had already set up his things, getting ready to look at what figures and information Cole had unearthed. The two men worked together for an hour, making arrangements for Cole to get information to Luke and set up how and when they would keep in touch.
