Straight from the Heart

by Linda Warren

  “That he talk to Blake first and hear his story, and that you let him have complete control.”

  “This is my son we’re talking about. I can’t stand back and do nothing.”

  “It’s the only way Lucas will take the case.”

  “I don’t know, Blair.”

  “This is for Blake,” she reminded him. “I don’t think we have much choice—unless you feel Derek can do the job.”

  There was another long pause. “Tell Lucas to meet me in my office at seven in the morning and we’ll discuss it.”

  “Okay. And Daddy?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Try to get some rest. I feel we have a chance now.”

  “Me, too, sweetie. Me, too.”

  Lucas watched her face as she talked and he could see how much she loved her family. He knew she tended to suppress her emotions. She didn’t like to talk about what she was feeling; she’d told him that. It probably had to do with the attack she’d suffered all those years ago.

  As she hung up, he said, “You’re putting a lot of faith in me.”

  They stared at each other and neither spoke. Then she cleared her throat, “Just help my brother. That’s all I’m asking and—”

  “And what?”

  “That you let me help.”

  “Blair.” He sighed.

  “Please, Lucas, I need to be involved. I won’t interfere with any of your decisions. I can do research or gofer work. Anything.”

  He got to his feet, finding it hard to say no. “We’ll see, and that’s all I’m saying. Now, I’ve got to get some rest.”

  “Oh, Dad said to meet him at his office at seven.”

  “Great,” he groaned and headed for the door. “Just what I need—about three hours’ sleep.”

  “Lucas?” She followed him to the door and held out her hand. “Thank you.”

  His hand covered hers in a warm clasp and all of a sudden she felt breathless….

  With her soft hand in his, Lucas acknowledged that he wanted a lot more from Blair than a handshake, and he wondered if she even realized it. Probably not. Blair’s attention was totally on her family.

  As he released her hand, he said, “Promise me something.”

  “What?” she asked, unable to keep her voice from shaking.

  “That you’ll tell your parents about the message on your windshield.”

  “Lucas.” She tucked her hair behind one ear. “I can’t. They have enough to worry about.”

  He gazed at her for a moment, then said, “You know, Blair, I have a feeling you can be very stubborn.”

  She grinned slightly. “I can,” she admitted.

  He grinned back. “Just be careful, and I’ll talk to Raye.”

  “Thanks.”

  “See you tomorrow. Hell, it’s already tomorrow. I’d better get going. Good night, Blair.”

  “’Night, Lucas.”

  Blair locked the door and turned on the security system. She grabbed her blanket and pillow, switched off the lights and crawled into bed. She placed her hand, the hand that Lucas had held, against her face. Yes, everything was going to be okay. With Lucas at the helm, Blake had a chance. If anyone had told her a couple of days ago that she’d be joining Lucas Culver in taking on the D.A.’s office, she would have laughed. She would have laughed her head off. But now—it gave her a very warm feeling. No matter what happened, she would never criticize Lucas again. As a matter of fact, she was thinking of doing a lot of other things with Lucas. She groaned and rolled over, hardly able to believe the direction her thoughts were taking. Lucas wasn’t interested in her that way, and she didn’t want him to be. Or did she?

  LUCAS DROVE toward his house, then changed his mind and headed for the jail. He wasn’t going to sleep anyway, so he might as well talk to Blake. He had to hear his story and he’d rather not wait until morning. He realized he might run into problems at this time of night, but he knew some of the guards and was hoping to find one of them on duty tonight.

  Was he crazy for doing this? Was he crazy for getting involved with the Logans? But every time he asked himself that question, Blair’s tearful blue eyes tortured him, and he knew he couldn’t do anything else. He was disappointed that he’d have to cancel his vacation and he hoped Jacob would understand. Hell, Jacob always understood. It was the kids he worried about. He didn’t like disappointing them, but he was sure Jacob and Miranda could explain the situation. He’d see if Jacob and Miranda could bring the kids for an afternoon. Jacob would be accommodating. Oh yes, he knew his big brother—and how he wished he could talk to him now. He’d call first thing in the morning.

  He wondered how Blair would feel about his family. Whoa, man! What was he thinking? Sleep deprivation was making him punchy. Blair had nothing to do with his family and he needed to remember that.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  AS LUCAS HAD EXPECTED, there was opposition to his seeing Blake at this hour, but he knew the guard on duty. After a little straight talk—delivered with a degree of finesse—Lucas was escorted to Blake’s cell. The jail was full, as usual. Some prisoners were sleeping; others were reading or smoking. A smell of smoke mixed with urine and something else he couldn’t define filled his nostrils. He hated coming to this place. No matter how many times he came here, he still had that same creepy feeling—as if he was witnessing a part of society that was ugly and repulsive and despairing. He knew there was very little he could do about it, which always left him with a deep sense of hopelessness.

  The guard stopped and inserted a key into a lock. Lucas saw Blake immediately. He was alone, sitting on the bottom bunk in a corner, his back to the wall, his head resting on his drawn-up knees. When he heard the jangling, he looked up and Lucas saw his desolate, empty gaze.

  The guard opened the cell. “You have fifteen minutes, Counselor.”

  Lucas nodded and stepped inside as the door banged shut behind him. Blake scooted to the edge of the cot with an expectant look on his face. He wore prison orange and his rumpled appearance barely resembled the debonair young man Lucas had met the previous night.

  “Mr. Culver, does this mean you’re going to take my case?” he asked in his English-accented voice, which sounded strained and frayed.

  “It all depends,” Lucas said, sitting beside him on the cot. “First, I have to hear your story.”

  “Oh, God,” he buried his face in his hands. “It’s horrible.”

  “I still have to hear it.”

  Blake glanced sideways at him. “Didn’t Dad tell you?”

  “I haven’t spoken with your dad. I’ve only talked to Blair.”

  His expression shattered. “How—how is she?”

  “She’s okay.”

  “I’ll bet she hates me,” he muttered.

  “No, she’s actually fighting to save your life.”

  Blake shook his head. “That’s Blair. No matter how much I hurt her, she always forgives me.” He got up and walked to the edge of the cell, gripping the bars. “When Todd almost killed her, I thought I—”

  Lucas cut in. “Let’s start at the beginning. Can I trust you to tell me the truth?”

  Blake looked soberly at him and nodded.

  “How did you know Todd Easton?”

  Blake turned back to the bars as he began to talk. “We went to the same school and we were both always in trouble…. No matter what I did, nothing was good enough for Sam Logan. I dealt with it in a pretty stupid way—I started drinking, doing drugs, trying to forget I wasn’t the son Dad wanted. Blair saved me so many times and I’d promise her I was going to quit and straighten up, but I never did. I never kept my promises. She never gave up on me, though, and look how I repaid her. I almost got her killed.”

  Blake was eaten up with guilt; Lucas could see that. He could also see that Blair had always been the steadfast twin, always believing in her brother as she was now.

  “Tell me about that night,” Lucas invited, hoping to get his mind off Blair.

  “I went to a party
to buy drugs and so did Todd. Todd had a date, Bonnie Davis. She did drugs, too. We bought marijuana and crack, and then we went to that park to get high. I didn’t want to go because I felt like a third wheel, but I didn’t have much choice. Todd had the car. Dad refused to buy me one until I cleaned up my act.” He leaned his forehead against the bars. “Todd and Bonnie were going at it pretty heavy in the back seat, so I got out and sat on one of the benches. I was smoking marijuana, drinking whiskey and doing crack all at the same time, trying to block out the mess I’d made of my life. I guess it was too much, because I got sick and ran into the bushes and threw up. I couldn’t seem to stop. That was when I heard Bonnie scream. At first I thought they were playing, then the scream turned into an agonizing sound—as if she was in pain. When I got to her, she was lying on the ground with nothing but her blouse on and it was opened in the front. I pulled it together to cover her up and I reached over to check her pulse. As I did she caught my arm and then she went limp. I asked Todd what had happened and he said the bitch got what she deserved. I told him I thought she was dead and he laughed. I panicked. I didn’t know what to do, but I knew if Bonnie wasn’t dead she needed help. I remembered a pay phone down the street. I ran and called 911 and told them where Bonnie was.” He paused for breath. “When I got back, Todd was sitting on a bench doing crack. I was so angry that I hit him, knocking him to the ground. We started to fight, then we heard the sirens and jumped in the car and fled. Todd dropped me off at my house and said that if I told anyone what happened, he’d say I helped him kill her. I went into the house and threw up again. I threw up for the next two days. When Todd was arrested, he called and said I’d better make sure my dad took his case. I didn’t have to worry because Dad knew Lloyd Easton, Todd’s father, and he talked Dad into doing it.” He took another breath. “When Todd was found guilty, I was stunned and I kept waiting for him to finger me. But he found a better way to get even. God, when I saw Blair in the hospital I was so filled with rage. She’d never hurt anyone and she lay there fighting for her life. Her face was so swollen she couldn’t open her eyes. I hardly recognized her and I knew I couldn’t keep the truth inside anymore. I told Mom and she told Dad. I thought Dad was going to be angry, but he wasn’t. He was in a state of shock. He immediately got me out of the country and said he’d handle things.” Blake turned to look at Lucas. “Dad didn’t know about my involvement until after Blair was beaten up. That’s the truth, Mr. Culver, I wouldn’t lie to you.”

  “I hope not. I sincerely hope not,” Lucas replied, trying to digest the information Blake had just given him. Through it all, he couldn’t shake the image of Blair. He hadn’t realized she’d been beaten so badly. And now Raye’s gang was stalking her. She had to be terrified, yet she seemed to be coping. But he was going to make damn sure Hector stopped the harassment.

  Lucas quickly returned his thoughts to Blake’s story. “How was Bonnie Davis murdered?”

  “Todd strangled her.”

  “I’ll get all the information from the D.A.’s office, but the DNA evidence I’ve heard about concerns me. Do you have any idea how that was obtained?”

  “I…I…” Blake’s skin turned a grayish white and Lucas could see he was worried about the DNA, too. Or was there something Blake wasn’t telling him? Lucas decided not to press him right now, but he would later.

  “I’ll get all the evidence, then we’ll go over it thoroughly. With any luck, I might be able to prove the DNA was illegally obtained.”

  Blake remained quiet and that bothered Lucas. Blake should be grasping for a way out of this. Again, he decided not to press him. Not yet, anyway.

  Lucas rested his elbows on his knees and folded his hands. “I’m going to ask you some personal questions and I need you to tell me the truth. Anything you tell me is confidential.”

  “Okay.”

  “Did you have sex with Bonnie Davis?”

  “No,” was the answer. “She was Todd’s girlfriend.”

  “Did you kill Bonnie Davis?”

  “No.”

  “Did you see Todd Easton kill her?”

  “Well, actually, no. I was in the bushes throwing up when it happened.”

  “You called 911?”

  “Yes.”

  “If you had nothing to do with her death, why didn’t you tell the police the truth?”

  Blake ran both hands through his hair in a weary gesture. “Because I was stupid and scared,” he admitted. “I didn’t know what to do. My mind was so messed up. I didn’t want my dad to find out about the drugs. During the trial, I wanted to call the police, but I never did. I was a coward—a yellow coward. I’ve hurt so many people with my behavior, people I love. I just want it to stop, and I’m ready to face the consequences of my selfishness.”

  Lucas rose to his feet. It was clear that guilt was driving Blake Logan. It was also clear that Blake wasn’t a bad person. He’d made a lot of bad choices, selfish choices, and now he needed to rectify those wasted years. Lucas was good at reading people, which was the reason he was standing in this cell tonight. He had to know if Blake was innocent or a spoiled rich kid waiting for his father to save him. Lucas was convinced that Blake wasn’t guilty of any crime—except the crime of teenage stupidity.

  “The arraignment is in the morning, so try and get some rest,” he told him.

  “You believe me, don’t you, Mr. Culver?” Blake asked in a desperate tone.

  “Yes, I believe you,” Lucas responded without hesitation.

  Blake let out a deep sigh. “Thank you. Thank you.”

  “Don’t talk to anyone unless an attorney is present, either me or someone from your father’s office. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I’ll see you in the morning,” Lucas said as the guard approached.

  “Mr. Culver?”

  Lucas turned back.

  “If you can’t arrange bail, don’t worry about it. I’m getting what I deserve.”

  “Blake—”

  “It’s true,” Blake cut in. “Look what happened to Blair and that girl. I can’t live with the guilt anymore. It’s time to face my punishment.”

  “You’ve already punished yourself more than the system ever could,” Lucas said, knowing Blake had sentenced himself a long time ago. Lucas didn’t have much time left, but he had to ask one more question. “Blake, what have you done with your life in the past sixteen years?”

  Blake shrugged. “I finished school in London with a degree in journalism and a minor in sociology. My visa was up, but I wanted to stay. I’d made friends and it was…a safe place to me. My parents thought the Davis thing was over and wanted me to come home, but it’s never been over for me. I couldn’t stand the thought of living in Texas—too many painful memories. Dad actually agreed with my decision. I came back to the States and Dad helped me get a job with a magazine in New York. Within a few months, I was transferred to their London office. I know Dad pulled a lot of strings, but I didn’t care. It was where I wanted to be. I had met a Reverend Gillis. He helped me through a lot of my problems. He runs a special boarding school for delinquent youths, and after work and on the weekends I help at the school. I counsel fourteen-and fifteen-year-old kids, trying to keep them off drugs.”

  Lucas was impressed, but he needed to know something else. “How long have you been off drugs?”

  “Since Bonnie Davis died. I sobered up that night and I haven’t looked back.”

  “Time’s up, Counselor,” the guard called.

  As Lucas walked out of the cell, down the hall and to his car, he knew with certainty that he’d made the right decision. Blake needed someone to fight for him because he’d decided he deserved to be punished. But Lucas was determined not to let that happen. He hadn’t seen the evidence, but in his heart he knew that Blake and Blair had paid enough. Blair…

  In less than two days, she’d begun to dominate his life…his thoughts. All he could see was Blair’s face. He could see her dancing i
n her office, smiling and happy. He saw her at her parents’, angry and hurt. Then he saw her today, wounded and tearful. He wanted to keep her dancing; that was all he could think. He wasn’t sure what it meant and he wasn’t going to analyze it. He’d had enough for one day.

  WHEN HE FINALLY got to his house, it was four o’clock. He dropped across his bed fully clothed and fell instantly asleep. He didn’t need a lot of sleep; Jacob didn’t, either. It was something they’d apparently inherited from their father…something neither of them complained about.

  Lucas was awake at six and headed for the coffeepot. After a cup to jolt him back to reality, he showered, shaved and dressed. Then he called Jacob. The phone was picked up on the first ring.

  “Hello.” Jacob’s strong voice came down the line.

  “Hey, big brother, what’re you doing?”

  “At the moment I’ve got one child asleep on my shoulder and another wrapped around my leg.”

  “Let me guess.” Lucas smiled. “Gracie and Lizzie.” Every time he said Gracie’s name, he got a lump in his throat. Grace had been their mother. Jacob and Miranda had named their new daughter Alicia Grace, after her grandmothers.

  “All that schooling’s finally paying off,” Jacob teased.

  “So where’s the rest of the gang?”

  “The boys are asleep. Gracie’s been up most of the night with an earache, so I have her in the kitchen hoping Miranda will sleep in. Now Gracie’s sleeping like the sweet baby she is.”

  “And Lizzie’s always up early,” Lucas said.

  “You know Lizzie.” Jacob sighed. “She gets that from someone, but I can’t recall who.”

  Lucas heard something in the background. “Is that Bandit?” Bandit was Jacob’s dog and he was never far from him. He had been Jacob’s only companion for a lot of years.

  “Yes, he’s growling because I won’t let him wake Miranda.”

  “Still talking to that dog, are you?” Lucas laughed.

  Jacob laughed, too. “Sometimes he’s the only one who listens.”

  “Oh, Jacob, I wish I could be there. I miss the kids and you and Miranda.”