by Dani Wade
Zachary dropped his head into his hands.
The chief answered his phone, spoke quietly for a few moments, then ended the call. “After examining a sample of the crops, the consensus seems to be they were sprayed with defoliant.”
Silence reigned for a moment. Zachary’s head dropped into his hands. “At this early stage, that means death for all those plants.”
The deputy nodded. “Most likely.”
“Jeez.”
Jacob shared a look with Aiden. Not good. But then Aiden surprised him. “How accessible are the tanks to somebody besides yourself?”
“I guess someone could get to them,” Zachary said with a frown, “even though they’re locked up. And of course, some of the airport security personnel have the key.”
“It’s a small facility,” the policeman said, “and a lot of locals hang out there. Especially the older men. So a good bunch of people come and go without much notice. Someone dropping by wouldn’t stand out too much.”
Zachary’s eyes met Jacob’s, letting him know their thoughts matched. Their saboteur had expanded his reach.
“How long does he need to stay here?” Jacob asked.
“A few hours,” the chief said. “Then he can go. For now.”
Zachary groaned.
The chief shot him a sympathetic look. “Sorry, son, but I can’t make any guarantees until I get to the bottom of this. Which we will. I promise.”
Zachary looked more defeated than he had since Jacob had arrived. Not that he could blame him. After all, he had sprayed the plants. But did that mean he was responsible for the destruction if he’d sprayed the defoliant unknowingly?
“Look at it this way,” Jacob said in a lighter tone. “Wouldn’t you rather be here than having to explain this to your sister? Like I’m going to have to do?”
Because Jacob had no doubt his girl would be ready for a come-to-Jesus meeting when he got home. He’d better have some answers, or his head would be on a skewer.
Thirteen
Jacob opened the door quietly, anxious not to wake Carter. It was long past the time he should have been home. Worried about Zachary and how what had happened would affect the town, he’d hung around until Zachary was released. Then he, Zachary and Aiden had spent some time going over all the information they had. Jacob had texted KC when Zachary had left jail, but hadn’t talked to her since then.
One look at KC’s face and he realized it was a whole lot worse than he’d anticipated. She gently jiggled and rocked the restless baby in her arms, but her red-rimmed eyes and flushed cheeks attested to how upset she was. And to Jacob’s guilt. He still found her disheveled look cute, but he knew better than to say so.
Carter seemed to sense his mother’s unhappiness. There was no full-blown crying this time, just a restless stirring of arms and legs to keep himself awake. Without a word, Jacob lifted Carter from her arms and tucked him into his own special hold. His son looked up at him long and hard, then blinked slowly. Once. Then again. And started his slow slide into sleep as Jacob swayed him back and forth.
As those incredible eyes closed for a final time, Jacob smiled. “He seems to have grown in just the small amount of time we’ve been gone.”
KC nodded, though she kept her face averted after his one quick glimpse. “Yeah, incredible, huh?”
He winced at her scratchy voice, feeling himself falling into unknown depths. The KC he knew was strong, independent, sexy. He’d never seen her cry. That was something he truly didn’t know how to handle. To escape, he carried Carter down the hall to his room and settled him into bed. Staring into the crib, he took several deep breaths before going back down the hallway.
Jacob couldn’t leave her hurting. The woman he cared for deserved better than that. So he found her at the sink, washing bottles. He suspected it was simply an excuse to hide her face from him, but he would allow her that modicum of privacy. It was the least he could do after telling her nothing, rushing her home and then leaving her with Carter by herself all night.
“I waited until they released him, just in case. Then he, Aiden and I went over everything together. I didn’t mean to be so long.”
“Do you suspect him?”
“Zachary? Once I heard all the facts? No.”
She turned to face him, her stare demanding in its own right. “Tell me the truth, Jacob.”
“KC, Zach is not the saboteur.” He held her gaze, intent on conveying his belief. “I know because I’ve asked him to help me catch whoever is doing all this.”
Her face completely blanked for a moment. “What?”
“Your brother works maintenance at the mill. He’s all over the floor, sometimes at odd hours, and no one thinks anything of him being there. He’s been keeping his eyes and ears open for me. That may be why he was targeted this way.”
With deliberate intent, he stepped closer. “That’s why I didn’t say anything while the police were picking him up at your mother’s. I wasn’t sure who might be watching, listening in that crowd, and I certainly didn’t want your mother to think I’d put Zach in this position.”
“I—”
He’d never seen her this much at a loss for words.
“Jacob, I don’t even know what to say.”
“Zachary will be fine.”
“This isn’t about Zachary.” Her voice gained volume until Jacob worried about waking Carter. “I can’t believe you don’t see that. This has nothing to do with my brother, and everything to do with you not keeping me in the loop.”
Jacob stared for a moment. She was right—he hadn’t seen that as the real problem, more as a sideline. Jacob proceeded with caution. “I didn’t think you cared about the day-to-day stuff at the mill.”
“This isn’t a daily occurrence, is it? You said you were worried about my and Carter’s safety, but you don’t even let me know you’ve put my brother in a position that could get him hurt, or even just fired?”
Well, no. That was definitely not the right answer. “I thought I was approaching the situation logically. I needed help—”
“A spy.”
“—and your brother agreed to help me. It’s business, not personal.”
“When it involves my family, I consider everything personal.”
Huh. Jacob wasn’t even sure how to respond to that. He knew KC approached things emotionally, but he hadn’t thought this would ever come up. He had never imagined the saboteur would use Zachary to hurt the mill.
She didn’t comment on his silence. “Why is it okay to keep us in the dark and let us think he’s going to jail for something we know he would never do? My mother has been calling me, worried sick. I’ve been worried. When you don’t let me know what’s going on, what am I supposed to think?”
“I told you I’d take care of him. Zach won’t go to jail. I promise. We’ve got a plan.”
She turned that heartbreaking gaze on him full force. “But I’m not part of it, am I?”
No. It had never occurred to him that she’d want to be, even though he knew how much she loved her family. He felt like such an idiot.
“I don’t expect you to hire me so I can watch my brother at work. Or text me a minute-by-minute update. But I’m not some old-fashioned maiden who sits home by the fire while you do all the work. I thought you knew me better than that. It has to be more than just a text here and there. If we’re—if we are going to be partners, I need you to include me, accept me as part of the plan. Keep me informed ahead of time, not after the fact. That’s what partners do.”
Jacob wasn’t sure if he could promise that. He cared about her. He knew that. But he’d been doing this on his own for so long. He didn’t know if he could open himself up to the idea of partners, especially one that operated so differently from him.
He wanted KC to trust him.
Even now, he could see the fear cloud her eyes. But working on his own terms was what he knew. Could he change that?
“I need you to decide, Jacob. Are we working together, or are you strictly solo?”
His only answer was to pull her close and hold on tight. He couldn’t bring himself to lie, so he kept his fears locked inside. The only truth he knew was that the man he was now would die if she left him all alone.
* * *
Zachary let out a low whistle as Jacob led him into the breezeway at the heart of Blackstone Manor. “Wow. And I thought this place was impressive from the outside.”
Jacob let him look his fill around the central corridor and the staircase, which gave visitors an unobstructed view of the elaborate railings on the landings of the two upper floors.
“At least now it’s seeing some true happiness,” a feminine voice said.
Jacob smiled up at his sister-in-law, Christina, as she descended from the second floor. Her lilac scrubs contrasted with the dark waves of hair falling to her shoulders. “How’s Mother?” he asked.
Christina gave a sad little smile. “The same. Today’s a pretty good day for her.” She turned to the other visitor. “Hey, Zachary. How are you?”
“Good for now,” he returned with a grin. “The police confirmed that there’s no proof I added the defoliant to the tank, which was marked pesticide. But the two working security cameras were turned off that night, so I’m still the primary suspect, mostly because I’m the only suspect. But my guess is, they’re also waiting to see if any money turns up.”
Jacob watched as the two chatted. He’d known Christina and KC were friends but didn’t realize Christina knew Zach. It shouldn’t surprise him, though. Christina had a knack for connecting with people that Jacob had always envied.
“How is KC?” Christina asked. “I haven’t seen her in several days.”
“She’s been subdued when I’ve seen her at Lola’s,” Zachary said. “Hovering over me like I might disappear at any moment, though they’ve been keeping me mostly in the back to discourage any retaliation. She’s worried about the farmers.”
So was Jacob, but he hadn’t figured out what to do yet. “She’s quiet at home, too.”
Another situation Jacob didn’t know how to fix. Jacob knew he hadn’t convinced her of his loyalty, or his desire to be equal partners. Taking the steps to truly include her in every part of his life had his control-freak side, well, freaking out. So they danced around each other, keeping every conversation light, not delving too deep into things that might be tricky to navigate. Then at night, after Carter was asleep, their bodies talked intimately in a whole different language.
“Oh, Jacob’s got that ʽworried about my womanʼ look,” Christina said with a grin. “I think he’s doomed. What do you think, Zachary?”
“I’m pretty sure you’re right.” Zachary gave him a speculative once-over, but in the end nodded his approval. “She could do worse.”
Jacob did not want to get into this. He looked expectantly at Christina. “Aiden?”
Her smirk told him she knew his avoidance tactics well, but she let him slide. “He’s in the study.”
Jacob led the way around the staircase and halfway down the breezeway until he came to his grandfather’s former study. Zachary’s expression said wow as he took in the floor-to-ceiling scrollwork bookcases and masculine furnishings.
Aiden greeted them with a distracted nod. “He’s gone off campus again.”
Jacob shook his head at Zachary. “For some reason, he thinks we can read his mind. Do you mean the saboteur, Aiden?”
His brother frowned. “You know I do, Jacob.”
“The fact that he’s hitting places away from the plant worries me,” Jacob said. “It makes him—or them—dangerous.”
“And unpredictable,” Zachary added.
“Messing with things around the mill itself is annoying and a concern. But no one has been hurt on mill property. But showing that he’s willing to expand his targets outside the mill itself? This convinces me that whoever was behind this incident was behind the group who set fire to my studio,” Aiden said, his steely gaze meeting Jacob’s.
His heart skipped a beat. That meant KC could still become a target...or an innocent bystander who got in the way. “I’m doing what I can to keep them safe.”
Always observant, Zachary didn’t miss the subtext. “Is this why you’re still keeping your attachment to my sister on the down low?”
KC’s brother deserved the truth, and giving him the information would mean that there’d be one more person to watch over Jacob’s new family. “It’s not the only reason, but yes, I don’t want KC and Carter to become targets, so we’re being careful to keep things casual in public.”
The look Zachary threw his way made Jacob think he wanted to know the other reasons, but Jacob didn’t want to talk about the deal he’d forced Zachary’s sister into playing out.
“Zachary,” Aiden said, averting his attention from Jacob, “what are you hearing at the plant?”
“Well, there’s lots to hear,” he said with a slow shake of his head. “Rumblings all over the floor. Low level up to management. And I mean a lot. Mostly upset over whoever did this, but—”
He paused, his face taking on an uncomfortable look.
“What is it?” Jacob asked.
“There’re also people talking down on management for not putting a stop to the sabotage by now. People worried they’ll be the next target. Or simply get in the way and get hurt.” He steeled his hands against his hips. “A lot of people know those farmers, their relatives, friends. I can see the situation escalating. Soon. But I’ll never know about anything before it happens.”
“Why?” Jacob asked.
“I’m persona non grata right now. By association, you know.”
“How hard is this hitting the farmers?” Aiden asked.
“Some of them have day jobs, so that helps, but without a crop to harvest, that guaranteed income won’t be there. They’ll lose their investment. Some years, their income might fluctuate if the season is too wet or too dry, but this is a complete wipeout. Bad is an understatement.”
Jacob was ready for action. “What do they need? Money? Food? What would be best?”
“It’s probably different for different people,” Aiden said. “Let’s think on it. Zachary, you get back to us if you find out more.”
“I already know one thing you’re gonna need.”
“What’s that?” Aiden asked.
“Cotton.” Zachary paused a moment, as if letting that soak in. “We’ve got to find a cotton dealer—soon. KC might can help you with that. She’s got a good friend who’s a cotton dealer. Works with some of the farmers around here, too.”
Involve KC? Jacob’s first instinct was to keep her out of this. There were people at the plant who could handle it. But Jacob felt a personal responsibility for the farmers and the people at the mill, and wanted to fix things himself. And this just might be his chance to prove to KC that he was willing to include her in this decision. That they were in this together.
Fourteen
Jacob watched KC finish washing up behind the bar. Normally, when it was past closing time, he would have already left, taken Carter home and put him to bed so she didn’t have to do that after a long shift on her feet. But her mother had asked if Carter could spend the night. Jacob’s standing with her was still precarious; she’d given him a stern look before nodding in her daughter’s direction, as if to say fix this.
KC had been unnaturally subdued since the police had interviewed Zachary. He wasn’t used to this. Normally, her every movement, no matter how quiet, was filled with life. Now she seemed to spend her days on Pause, as if her spirit were holding its breath, waiting to see what was going to happen next.
An even bigger problem: Jacob wasn’t sure if she was worried about Zachary...or the two of them.
Tonight, he needed a chance to reconnect with her. Not just sexually. KC was open to his touch, but even there he could feel her holding herself away from him. Not losing herself quite as fully as she normally did in their passion. Which hurt. Ms. Gatlin’s offer to take Carter for the night provided the perfect opportunity to fix things.
KC’s mother left with Carter, who was already falling asleep in her arms. Still, KC kept scrubbing.
Jacob moved to a spot directly across the bar from her, but she didn’t look up. Finally he reached out and stilled her hand with his own. “KC, I need your help.”
Now he had her attention. Such a mama bear. “What’s wrong?”
“The farmers and their families are going to need support to get back on their feet. I’m trying to figure out the best way to do that.”
“Another fund-raiser?”
Jacob shook his head. “No, I was thinking something more personal. First, I need a cotton dealer, or a lot of people are gonna be out of a job come September. Zachary said you could help.”
She paused in her scrubbing, those turbulent eyes suddenly lighting up. “Easy peasy.”
Was she being glib? “Really?”
“Yep. I know exactly who to contact.” She grinned, her first genuine smile in days. “A guy I met when he first started working with the farmers out here about five years ago. He doesn’t buy in Black Hills every year, but he keeps track of sales around here.” She dropped her rag into the dishwater, giving Jacob her full attention. “What else?”
“A lot of people lost their immediate livelihood. They’re going to have some tangible needs. Remember me telling you that I wanted to invest in a charity that spoke to me?”
KC nodded, her eyes sparking green deep inside the brown.
“This is it, but I want to start off right. I have some ideas, but I’m used to how charities work in a big city.” Which was totally true. More than that, he wanted her involved. Soliciting her ideas was the best way to get her on board. “I don’t want some anonymous charity run by a big impersonal board. This would be a hands-on project. But I don’t have time to run it. Any ideas?”
