by Sable Hunter
Dialing Lilibet’s phone, he waited for her to answer. “Come on baby, pick up the phone.” When the call went to voice mail, he really got worried. What if she was avoiding his calls? That wasn’t the case, though, he just knew it. Lilibet’s phone wasn’t fancy. He didn’t even think she could screen her calls. Besides, she wouldn’t do him that way. Would she? She’d give him a chance to explain, that’s just the way she was.
A gray metallic streak a few hundred yards ahead got his attention. “There you are.” He switched on the siren and decided to make it easy on himself. He didn’t have time to chase her, so he’d just pull her over instead.
* * *
It was an afternoon of confusion. Kane and Lilibet missed one another in a comedic series of missteps and miscommunications. After Lilibet had called and talked to Lisa, she’d thrown herself into her work and tried to convince herself everything was all right.
She’d promised to fix sandwiches for the whole crew and prepare them a good meal for supper. As the afternoon progressed, she heard that the men would be delayed due to the problems that were plaguing Tebow. Someone, like a ghost, was coming onto McCoy property, clipping the fences and letting the cattle loose. And since the ranch was vast, there were miles and miles of fence, and the individual who seemed so determined to wreak havoc on the brothers was having a hey-day. So the ranch hands were having to spend their time repairing fence, herding cattle off the roads and riding fence lines doing surveillance. They were having a hard time keeping it together. Branding and vaccinating had taken a back-seat to the crisis at hand, so the work days were long and the men ate whenever they had a chance.
Lilibet decided if the men couldn’t come to the food, she’d take the food to the men. It took a couple of trips to get everything loaded in her car. Once, she had heard her cell phone, but she hadn’t made it back before the caller had hung up. After she’d packed everything she needed, she tried Kane once more. This time, however, she didn’t get Kane or Lisa. Kane’s secretary answered.“Sheriff’s office. May I help you?”
“Yes, this is Lilibet. Could I speak to Kane, please?”
The secretary hesitated. “He’s not here, Miss Ladner. He left…uh…ran right out the door.”
“Would you happen to know where he’s going? I really need to talk to him.” Did she sound desperate? Maybe. She was.
She knew something was up when the secretary hesitated, and then hesitated some more. “He …uh…he told me he was trying to catch his ex-wife. He forgot to get her phone number.”
“Oh. I see.” She didn’t know what else to say.
“Why don’t you call him on his cell phone? Or would you like me to page him for you? I’m sure he would want to talk to you.”
“No, no.” She was quick to respond negatively to that suggestion. “I don’t want you to page him. I’ll keep trying. But, if I don’t get through, could you give him a message for me?” She really needed for the girl to pass on the message, because she had no intention of calling Kane, not right now. “Just tell him not to bother coming after me. I have to work late and I’ll get someone to bring me home.”
“I’ll do it, you can count on me.”
Lilibet closed her cell phone and wondered how it could all have gone so wrong—so fast.
Chapter Ten
Leaving Kane had been a mistake. Lisa had known that almost from the moment she’d walked out the door. She’d hoped he would realize what he was losing and come after her, but he hadn’t. There’d been a time when she had Kane right where she wanted him. He’d loved having sex with her, and it hadn’t taken a lot of effort on her part. Sex was something Lisa could take or leave. What excited her was money and the Saucier family had plenty of wealth.
Kane and Zane’s father, Robert Lee, had begged her to help him get Kane back into the fold. He’d offered Lisa money as a reward if, and when, Kane reentered the family business. So Lisa and Preston had teamed up. Preston was Kane’s first cousin. His father was Robert Lee’s younger brother, who had passed away with cancer several years before. Originally, it had been Preston’s fool idea that Lisa’s leaving Kane would force his hand, but it hadn’t. So, they’d come up with this last plan…a baby. Lisa was staking her future on the hope that little Dwayne would win Kane’s heart and cement her place in the Saucier dynasty.
The Saucier family was more than a group of people related by blood. They were almost a Southern institution. Everything they touched prospered. In New Orleans, they were member of the elite, and they hosted the biggest ball at Mardi Gras. They owned a shrimping fleet, oil was found on their swamp land and they had countless acres in rice and catfish farms. If there was a pie in Louisiana, they had their finger in it, even the murky gumbo of pelican state politics. Influence peddling was their specialty, and they prided themselves on making others bend to their will. Even the flow of the mighty Mississippi had not escaped their attention. During the recent river flooding, it had been Robert Lee who had pushed for the Morganza spillway to be opened in order to protect Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Countless small communities were sacrificed to the flood waters so that the more populous regions could be saved.
For a little while, she’d been wife of the eldest, the heir. And through her own stupidity, she’d let it/him slip through her fingers. Kane and Zane had chosen a different path, but most of the family felt that when push came to shove, the boys would eventually return to their roots. Robert Lee doubted it enough that he’d been willing to fork over a hefty reward for whoever insured the return of the prodigals. Right now, he was mighty pleased Lisa had birthed a Saucier. Little did he know that Dwayne wasn’t his grandson but his great-nephew. Lisa had gritted her teeth and slept with Preston and now she owed him a great reward, and there was no doubt that Preston would insist on claiming every red cent of it.
She couldn’t help smiling, however. Right after she’d left the Sheriff’s office where she’d given Kane the joyous news of their little boy, he had chased after her, even turning on the siren. Dozens of people had witnessed him pulling her over, approaching the vehicle and then asking for her phone number instead of giving her a ticket. Word would travel fast that the handsome brown-eyed sheriff was interested in reconciling with his ex-wife instead of continuing that sordid relationship with the town cripple. What a travesty that was! Lisa was proud she’d planted seeds of doubt in Lilibet’s mind. And now she was about to drive the final nail in her coffin. Lilibet worked out at Tebow Ranch, home of the McCoy brothers. She’d always wanted to see Tebow and today, she and Dwayne were going to pay them a little visit. It was time Lilibet knew exactly what type of battle she was in for. Because it was a battle, an all-out war, and the spoils of victory would be Kane himself. And losing wasn’t something Lisa would accept very easily.
* * *
Lilibet went about her day trying not to think about what was going on in town. Not only had Lisa answered Kane’s phone, but then she’d found out Kane had chased her down to get a phone number. She didn’t really know what to think. Lisa was more beautiful than she was. There was really no doubt about that. But Kane loved her, he’d told her so and Kane did not lie. Lilibet held her hand up and looked at the engagement ring on her finger. She refused to believe Kane didn’t want her, until she heard it from his own lips.
“Miss Lilibet, are you ready?” Lance stood there ready to escort her and all of her food to where the men were working.
“Yes, I am.” She smiled at the tall man who stood with hat in hand at the edge of the kitchen. He didn’t want to track mud into Libby and Jesse’s domain. Everyone at Tebow tried to please the lady-folk. She gathered the last of her supplies and walked toward him. “After supper tonight, would you possibly have tune to give a ride into town? I left word with Kane, so he wouldn’t come at the regular time and, uh, he’s busy. So, I don’t think he’ll be able to come later.” Frankly, she didn’t know what else to say.
“Why sure, Miss Ladner, I don’t mind seeing that you get home, at all. It will be a privilege.” As they walked to the car, Lilibet wondered what the rest of the day would bring.
And back in the kitchen Lilibet’s cell phone rang and rang.
* * *
“Where in hell is she?” Kane couldn’t believe he hadn’t been able to reach Lilibet. Today had been one crisis after another. He’d called Tebow’s main house and had been told by Jessie Montgomery that Lilibet had gone out to the line shacks to take lunch to the men. She worked too hard. Damn, she didn’t have to work at all. Just as soon as they were married, he would convince her to let him take care of her.
“Sheriff, I’ve reached the clinic for you.” Sarah buzzed through on the intercom.
“Thanks.” He picked up the phone and tried to find the right words to say. He hoped to hell that patient/doctor confidentiality would apply in this case. “Doc, I have a favor to ask you, and I’m going to have to ask you to be discrete.”
“Discretion is the better part of valor, isn’t that the old saying?”
Doc Gibbs had probably heard it all. “I need you to do a paternity test on my ex-wife’s child. She says that I’m the father and I’ve got to know the truth.”
“All right, I’ll be glad to. Bring the boy in and I’ll take care of it. I’ll need to take some samples from both of you to get the information I need.” The old man’s voice was kind. There would be no judgment on his part. Unfortunately, Lisa and her antics were well known in the community. It bothered Kane that he’d been the brunt of gossip and pity because of Lisa.
“When?”
“I’ll set the appointment up for tomorrow, say ten. How will that be?”
“We’ll be there.” Kane felt a little better. He’d accomplished something. Now, he had to let Lisa know so he could arrange for them to meet him at the clinic. He was just about to ring her up when his secretary stuck her head in the door.
“Sheriff, your fiancé called a little bit ago.”
“Really? When?” Damn, he’d missed her again.
“She phoned just after you ran off to chase down your ex-wife to get her telephone number.”
At Sarah’s explanation, Kane got a sinking feeling. Hell! “What did she say?”
“She said to tell you she had to work late and for you not to worry. She’ll get a ride home when she’s through.”
His secretary was not vindictive, but she spoke before she thought, at times. “She knows I would come get her anytime she needed me. Where did you tell her I was?” He almost winced as he waited for Sarah’s answer.
Sarah paused as if she was trying to figure out if she’d done something wrong. “I told her exactly what you told me…just what I said a moment before. You said you were going out to catch your ex-wife, and that you’d forgotten to get her phone number.”
“You do realize it wasn’t a romantic thing with Lisa. I’m trying to get some business taken care of.” He hated to have to explain himself to anyone.
“Sheriff, you don’t owe me any explanations.”
“No, I don’t. But I sure owe Lilibet one.”
* * *
“You did good, lady.” Hanks leered at Lisa, his eyes stuck on her tight sweater which showed two big nipples clearly protruding.
“Hey, my face is up here, bozo.”
Hanks fists clenched. He wanted to slap the bitch and teach her some respect, but he didn’t dare turn her against him at this point. She knew too much and he still needed her. Later, she might prove to be expendable. “You took his mind off the cripple girl, didn’t you?”
“What I did, I did for myself and our child.” If she kept saying Dwayne was Kane’s son, one day she might convince herself it was true. “The man cutting all of that barb wire is the one who’s giving you your cover story.”
The thought made Kyle Hanks smile. “Whoever is pulling that stunt is a rank amateur. Before night falls, I’m going to see that there isn’t a complete section of fence standing on Tebow property. Those idiots are going to be strung out all over tarnation trying to keep their cattle off the road.”
Kyle and Lisa had met in one of the seedier bars in town and Lisa kept glancing around, hoping no one she knew would recognize her. “I still don’t see how that’s going to help you kidnap the Ladner woman.”
Hanks took a long swig of beer. “I have a friend planted as one of the temporary hands at Tebow, and he called me this morning with information that today was going to be a long day for the cook. He said they were informed by the foreman that Miss Ladner would be bringing their lunches out to the line shacks and would have their supper hot and waiting on them that night. She usually gets off at five, but tonight she’s going to be closer to ten leaving and we’re going to make sure she never gets home. All hell is going to break loose.” Kyle could tell he was losing Lisa’s attention. She was studying her nails instead of studying him. The details just didn’t interest her. “Are you listening to me?”
With a bored expression, Lisa took a big swallow of the Coors light. “I hear you. I just don’t need to know all the boring stuff.”
“Well, you still have work to do here and we’ve got to make sure we coordinate our efforts.” He leaned forward, eyeing her cleavage as he spoke. “Tonight, when everyone is busy with the mess I’m gonna make, little Miss Crip is gonna need a ride home. If everything goes like I planned, my inside man Rick Morton will be the one bringing her. And if that doesn’t work out, all of those cattle on the road will cause her escort to have to stop and when they do, we’ll nab her and make sure we put whatever cowpoke is with her out of commission.”
“What’s going to stop Kane from coming out to Tebow? Unfortunately, for some unknown reason, he’s crazy about that woman.” Lisa hated to say the words. They stuck in her throat, but they were the truth.
“You and Brien are.” His plan would work if he could just get all the pieces to fit, and she was a big piece.
“I’ve already been to see Kane. I don’t have another reason to visit him today, and I have other plans. I’m taking my son out to meet Miss Ladner as soon as I pick him up from daycare. If she sees Dwayne, she’ll know Kane belongs to me.” The cracks of pool balls echoed through the bar, rivaling even the whang of George Strait pouring from the speakers. Lisa still remembered looking in at Kane’s bedroom window and seeing him fuck that little low-life. God, she hated Lilibet Ladner!
Hank smiled. “I like that. She’ll be so upset, she won’t have any fight left in her at all.” He motioned for the waitress to bring them another round. “Besides, the crips’ brother is going to slash all the sheriff’s tires. We’re gonna slow him down one way or the other. But, I want you to put the icing on the cake.”
Lisa narrowed her eyes and looked at the greasy little man who was going to help her rid Kane’s life of his supposed fiancé. “What are you talking about?”
“After you visit Crip and introduce her to your son, I want you to take him to meet his Daddy. That will have him so tied up in knots he won’t be any threat to us, one way or the other.”
Hank’s grin was crooked and evil and Lisa wondered exactly what kind of devil she had teamed up with. “What are you planning on doing with Lilibet when you take her?” Not that she cared, but she was curious.
“I have a plan and a back-up plan.”
“Enlighten me.” Lisa wasn’t exactly sure she wanted to hear this. She had no desire to be an accessory to a felony.
“Her brother owes me money, and the family doesn’t have two nickels to rub together. So, my original plan was to sell her to a man I know in Houston who collects women for a white sex slave ring. She’s no raving beauty, but I can get a good price for her. It would’ve been better if she’d been a virgin, but your husband has been plowing that field, regularly.” He almost laug
hed as a look of distaste washed over his reluctant partner’s expression. “Now that she’s come to mean so much to the sheriff, his family might pay handsomely, especially if Kane finds out she’s destined to be shipped to the Middle East as a prostitute. What do you think?” He didn’t mention how much he hated Kane, personally. That was his own business. But it sure did sweeten the pot. If he could hurt Kane, so much the better.
“Hell, I’ll sweeten the deal for you, if you’ll just drop the ransom idea and sell her to the slave trader.” Lisa was thinking fast. “I want her out of the picture and as soon as I get my hooks back into Kane, I’m going to be coming into quite a bit of money. I could make it worth your while. How does that sound?” God, she hoped she could make this work. If not, she was making a deal with the devil and the devil always made you pay.
* * *
Lilibet worked automatically, preparing, stirring, chopping vegetables and adding spices. It was a good thing the stew was a familiar recipe. Every few moments, she twisted the ring on her finger and stared at the facets of the diamond which sparkled with impossible dreams. “Everything will be okay.” She kept telling herself. It had to be.
In her rush, she’d forgotten the lid to the cast iron skillet, so grease popped out on her clothes. An apron protected her jeans and T-shirt, but she’d removed her precious canvas shoes Kane had bought for her. She couldn’t stand the thought of grease spots marring their smoothness. So now she was tired and limping, her gait becoming more and more uneven as the day progressed. Several times, she’d thought about calling Kane, but she hadn’t been able to find her cell phone. It wasn’t in any of the boxes, or in her purse or her pocket. Apparently, she’d left it back in the kitchen.
