AlmostHome

by India Masters

  “How’d the list read?” Oh stars, did he really expect her to go there when he was intent on making her crazy?

  “Rodeo. Keeping the truck and camper running.” Her back bowed and she shuddered, so close she could barely stand it. “Wyatt…” He stopped what he was doing and she slowly came down from the erotic ledge.

  “Go on.”

  “You’re the devil,” she said, wriggling herself against the hard cock pressing into her lower back. He laughed and cupped her breast with his free hand. “Okay. Um, his rig…saddle, rope, chaps, making sure everything was in tip-top shape. Sex fell into the top five, I reckon. Falling in love wasn’t even on the radar.”

  “Wasn’t on my radar either, until I met you.” He used his big toe to flip open the drain. “Let’s get dried off and continue this in the other room.” He helped her stand and wrapped her in a thick, fluffy towel before wrapping one around his waist. “Oops, almost forgot the champagne.” He snagged the bottle and glasses, and followed. Haley reached for his towel, ready to do some teasing of her own when the phone rang. They both looked at the caller ID and sighed. Dooley. On their engagement night, a call from her foreman could only mean one thing.

  Wyatt picked up. “Yeah, Dooley.” His voice went from a resigned to tense. “What? Did you call the sheriff? All right, we’ll be there in a few.”

  Haley was already pulling on her clothes. “What’s happened now?” She came out of the bathroom, Wyatt’s clothes in hand and gave them to him.

  “Somebody broke into your house. Dooley found the front door open when he went to the barn to his final check of the night. Sheriff’s on the way.”

  * * * * *

  “Conner? He broke into my house?” Haley stood on the bottom step, her gaze swiveling from Dooley to the deputy hovering over her brother. Connor sat slump-shouldered on the old church pew her aunt had placed on the front porch as a bench for visitors. She couldn’t say exactly why she was surprised except that Connor had never been a thief. Not in the true sense of the word. Sure, he’d taken money from her but he’d never gone through her purse for it, had never even so much as borrowed the old pickup without asking first. He’d never stolen from her. Never had to. She’d taken care of him his whole life.

  The deputy turned from Conner and approached her. “Ma’am,” he said. “If you’ll just step inside with me.”

  Haley followed him. Disappointment congealed into a thick lump in her belly when she saw the mess on her countertop. The lid of the flour canister rested on its back, a Ziploc bag lay open and empty. The dusting of flour stood in stark relief against the dark granite. Nobody but Conner knew where she kept her hidden stash of cash. Her emergency escape fund. She’d hidden it in flour tins since she was old enough to know she might someday need to take Conner and run.

  The deputy studied the notes he’d scrawled in his little notebook. “Mr. Dooley discovered the door ajar and entered to premises to find, ah, one Conner Kilpatrick attempting to wipe down the surfaces. No money was found on him but that laptop was on the counter. Looks like maybe he was fixing to take that with him. Did you have cash in that zipper baggie, Ms. Kilpatrick?”

  “Two hundred bucks, I guess. Maybe three. Emergency cash.” She heaved a sigh. “You say he doesn’t have any cash on him?”

  “No, ma’am. Not a penny. Just flour on his hands and clothes and a surly attitude.”

  Haley scrubbed her hands over her face. She’d just given him a hundred dollars or better a few hours ago. “Jesus. Well, the attitude part is right but I’ve never known Conner to steal. Mind if I talk to him?”

  “I’ll get him,” the deputy said and hurried out to the porch.

  Haley shoved her hands in her front pockets and leaned against the kitchen island. If Conner had taken the money, why didn’t he have it on him? There was only one reason she could think. Rafe Winslow.

  Haley looked up when Conner stepped across the threshold. Their eyes met and he ducked his head, unable to hold her gaze. Well, at least he had the sense to feel guilty.

  “Well?” she asked.

  He mimicked her stance, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. “Well what?”

  “You tell me, little brother. You supposedly broke in here to steal from me. Where’s the money?”

  “Don’t have it,” he mumbled.

  Haley pushed off the island and approached him. “You don’t have it.”

  He looked up, glaring at her. “That’s right, I don’t have it. Done spent it.”

  “Including what I gave you at the rodeo?”

  Conner shrugged. “Reckon so.”

  Haley stepped up close to him, sniffed the air around him. “Funny. You don’t smell like you’re liquored up. I don’t smell no perfume on you like you’ve been good-timing some woman. What’d you spend the money on, Conner?”

  “I guess that’s my business, ain’t it?”

  Haley laughed. “I’d say it’s mine, since it’s my money you took.”

  His bottom lip stuck out in a pout. “So what, you got plenty.”

  “Well now, that’s true, I do. And I give you some of it tonight, plus I told you I’d send you a check to tide you over until you could find work.” She tipped her head to the side and lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Guess you was in a big hurry, huh? To find work, I mean. So much of a hurry you thought the chain gang was a good career move?”

  That got his attention. He looked up, eyes wide, breath coming in short gusts. “I…you gonna put me in jail, Haley?”

  “You don’t think I should? I mean, you break into my home, steal my money, and now you’re lying about what you done with it. What should I do?”

  Connor cut a glance at the deputy. “Could we talk without the L-A-W in the room?”

  Haley laughed aloud. “I think he knows how to spell law, little brother.” She pointed to the door. “Do you mind, Deputy…” She studied his name tag. “Stillwater?” The man excused himself and Haley rocked back on her heels. “Okay. Let’s have it. Winslow was with you, wasn’t he? Did he threaten you?”

  “Yeah. Said Pa owned some guys on his cell block and they wanted their money before he was paroled, else he wouldn’t live to get out. Rafe said he meant to get that money from you one way or another because he and Pa had plans and wasn’t nobody gonna stand in the way. So we drove up here, parked on that fire road up yonder and walked down. Rafe jimmied the back door. He wore gloves so you won’t find no fingerprints. Wouldn’t let me wear none. Not that I had any. He wanted to take more than the money but I convinced him there wasn’t time. If you tell, Hales, there’s no telling what he might do.”

  Haley closed her eyes. Would the nightmare of her life ever end? All she ever wanted was a peaceful, quiet life with her horses. Someone to love her, stand shoulder to shoulder with her to face life’s disappointments, large and small. A passel of kids and dogs running around the yard. Was that really so much to ask?

  She looked up when Wyatt walked in with the deputy and the peace she’d sought for so long settled over her like a mantle. She couldn’t imagine what she’d done to deserve him, had done her best to convince herself that she shouldn’t love him. Now she was so close to the life she’d always dreamed of she could taste it. And her father was determined to ruin it all. No way she was going to let that happen.

  “Deputy Stillwater, I have reason to believe Conner’s roommate, Rafe Winslow is the one who broke in my house and stole the money. I reckon Conner was with him but I don’t think it was his idea.” At the deputy’s raised eyebrow, she continued. “See, a while back, someone killed my dog. Beat him to death with an oak limb. I can’t prove it but I think this Winslow probably did it. A little message from my pa to let me know he’s coming and I’d best toe the line, so to speak.”

  The deputy looked from her to Conner, back to her, then to Wyatt, who held up his hands in a don’t-ask-me gesture. “Well, what do you want me to do, ma’am? You want to file charges against your brother?”

  Haley’s
brow puckered. Should she? Her gut told her she probably should but her heart wouldn’t let her. “No, sir. Leastways not at this time.”

  The deputy turned to Conner. “What do you say, boy? You take that money?”

  Conner straightened, looked straight into her eyes and said, “Yes, sir. I surely did. Broke in the back door. Knew where she hid her grocery money. Was gonna take the computer too. And that fancy TV. Would have, too, if her hired man hadn’t come along.”

  “Good enough for me.” The deputy pulled a set of cuffs from his duty belt and secured Connor’s hands behind his back. “Connor Kilpatrick, you’re under arrest for Breaking and Entering and Petty Theft. You have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right, anything you say may be used against you in a court of law…” He continued the Miranda warning as he led Conner out of the house.

  Haley and Wyatt followed, watching from the porch as the deputy put her brother in the backseat of the cruiser. “Jesus. He’s more scared of Rafe Winslow than he is of jail.”

  “Well, hell.” Haley stuffed her shirt into the waistband of her jeans. “You can take it back if you want. The proposal. I wouldn’t blame you if it did.”

  Wyatt went to her and wrapped his arms around her. “That’s a damn fool thing to say. Of course I don’t want to take it back. Look at me, sweet pea.” She tipped her head up, searched his face, sure she’d see regret but she didn’t. “I love you and I want to marry you. You feel the same, right?” She nodded. “Then I don’t want to hear any more about calling anything off. Besides, all this excitement keeps life interesting.”

  Haley snorted. “I don’t know about you, but I could dang sure live with a little less excitement in my life.”

  Wyatt wiggled his brows. “Well now, I reckon that depends on what kind of excitement we’re talking about.”

  Haley reached for his hat, tossed it on the couch. “I like the way you think, cowboy.”

  “I’m glad you do.” He kissed her, then, “Come on, darlin’, let’s go finish what we started. I’ll race you to the top of the stairs.”

  * * * * *

  The next morning, Haley mulled over the conversation she’d had with Conner before he took the blame for stealing from her. He was afraid of his new roommate and she’d bet her last dollar Rafe Winslow took the money she’d given her brother. She didn’t like the man, with his brawler’s knuckles and torn earlobe, especially since her pa had sent him to keep an eye on Conner. Which meant he was reporting back to Kent about both of them. Had Winslow killed her dog? Conner sure thought so and if the man was capable of that, what else might he be willing to do for her pa? Her mind flashed to her conversation with Holden Petrie, who believed her aunt’s death was no accident, and figured today was as good a day as any to check out the hayloft. Aunt Jack had been gone for a while now so there was probably nothing to find but she had to look. If for no other reason than to set her mind at ease.

  She climbed the ladder, peering over the top. Dust particles drifted in the air, lit by the sun coming through the window overlooking the large paddock. Funny that window should be so clean. Who cleaned a window in a barn hayloft? Unless there had been something there they didn’t want found. Like fingerprints or blood. She hoisted herself over the top rung of the ladder to take a better look around.

  There was a light coating of dust on the window. Had the sheriff brought in crime scene techs to go over the loft, or had he assumed that Jack had taken a tumble off the edge? Haley could see why they’d think that’s what had happened. Even the scuffmarks they’d found could be read as Jack’s attempt to keep from falling. Had her aunt been the kind of woman who would clean the glass in a hayloft window? Somehow she didn’t think so. Why would she? She moved closer to give the window a thorough inspection. What the hell? There was a dark substance between the cracked caulking and one of the panes of glass. She pulled out her pocketknife and was just about to dig the stuff out when she heard Wyatt’s truck pull up in the yard.

  She went to the edge of the hayloft. “I’m in here,” she yelled.

  The truck door slammed and Wyatt appeared a few seconds later. “What are you doing up there?” He gave her a wicked smile as he crossed to the ladder and started to climb.

  Haley shook her finger at him. “Never you mind what you’re thinking, cowboy. I come up here looking for evidence that Aunt Jack was scuffling with somebody before she fell.” That sobered him quick as a hiccup.

  “And?”

  “And I think I found something.” She pointed to the window. “Does it strike you as odd that somebody would Windex a hayloft window? ‘Cause it strikes me as odd.”

  Wyatt’s brow puckered. “Show me.”

  Haley directed him toward the window. “See that crack there? Looks like something dark dripped down there. Could be dirt but it could be blood, too. Do you know if anybody went over the hayloft?”

  “Don’t know. What say we call the sheriff and ask?”

  “Hey. Mable. This is Wyatt Brody. Is he in?” Wyatt explained to the sheriff what they’d found then disconnected. “He says get outta the loft. He’s coming out.”

  Half an hour later, the sheriff arrived and took a look around. His expression grave, he made his way to the front porch where Haley and Wyatt sat waiting. “Could be blood. I called for the crime scene techs. They’ll be here later this afternoon. In the meantime, nobody goes into the hayloft, understood?”

  Haley nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  It was almost dark by the time the crime scene people arrived but before long the sheriff reported back to Haley and Wyatt that they’d not only confirmed the substance was blood, they’d also found an earring firmly lodged in a crack between the floorboards. “There was blood on it. With any luck, they’ll be able to get a DNA profile. Looks like Holden was right, Jack probably was pushed.” He frowned at Haley. “This puts a whole other slant on somebody killing your dog, Miss Kilpatrick. Best you beef up security around here.”

  A chill went through Haley. Aunt Jack was murdered and Haley’s money was on her daddy having something to do with it.

  * * * * *

  With Wyatt off to a cattle auction, Haley decided the time was ripe to go visit her brother. When she’d called the police department, they told her Conner had been bailed out by none other than Rafe Winslow himself. Maybe it was time to do a little prying into Winslow’s background. He had a split earlobe. The crime scene people had found a bloody earring. Winslow was a friend of their pa. Any way she added it up, Conner’s roommate came out as a likely candidate for shoving her aunt out of the hayloft.

  The first thing she noticed when she arrived was that Conner’s truck wasn’t there. Of course, that didn’t mean Winslow hadn’t taken it. He struck her as the kind of man who took what he wanted. She hopped out of her own vehicle and stomped across the porch to make sure whoever was inside heard her coming.

  The door swung open and Winslow greeted her with a deviant smile, his gaze roaming over body like he owned her. “Conner here?”

  “Nope. Had to make a run into town. Should be back soon if you’re of a mind to wait.”

  Haley shrugged, praying she didn’t look as unnerved as she felt. “Sure. Why not?” When she stepped across the threshold and the door closed behind her, Haley couldn’t control the shudder that ran up her spine. If she wasn’t in the presence of pure evil then God was a possum. She sat at the end of the couch, knees together, and waited for Winslow to take a seat. “So,” she said, when he plopped down at the other end of the tattered sofa. “Conner had any luck finding work?”

  Rafe shrugged. “Not so’s you’d notice. I reckon he’s counting on you to give him a job.”

  Haley leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “My foreman handles the hiring. It’ll be his decision.”

  Rafe raised an eyebrow. “Well, that don’t sound too charitable, if you don’t mind me saying so. What with Conner being your brother and all.”

  Haley stiffened, narrowing her eyes at him.
“I do mind you saying. I’ve supported Conner and my pa with my rodeo winnings since I was old enough to earn a purse. I reckon I done my share and then some. Conner’s a grown man. Time he earned his keep.”

  Rafe laughed. “Your pa ain’t gonna like that.”

  “Too bad for him. How is it you know so much about my pa’s likes and dislikes?”

  Winslow stretched out his legs, propping his feet on the battered coffee table. “Known Kent for a few years. Served time with him.”

  “Uh-huh, got close with him, did ya?”

  He hooted with laughter. “Not the way you’re thinking, sugarplum. But we got along just fine. Got plenty in common.”

  Haley rolled her eyes. “I don’t doubt that. Drinking, fighting, and whoring most likely.” She glanced pointedly at his left ear. “That how you got that split earlobe? Earring ripped out in a fight?”

  Oh, he didn’t like that question one little bit. He puffed up his chest and scowled at her.

  “Ain’t no business of yours how it happened. Best tend to your own knitting, girl.”

  He was so smug. So sure he had all the answers. There was no doubt in her mind that Winslow was in cahoots with her father. An alliance made in hell if ever there was one. He’d killed her precious Snoop, she knew it deep down in her bones and the anger and pain washed over her like a cold, acid rain. Hatred killed the soul, she knew that. Confronting a man like Winslow was foolhardy at best, dangerous at worst, but she couldn’t stop herself.

  Haley stood, settled her bag over her shoulder. “Touchy, touchy, Mr. Winslow. I only mention it because those are the things my pa does best. He ain’t good for much else. Figure that’s true about his good friends too. So if the two of you are figuring on trying to take what’s mine, you best think twice. I ain’t nearly as sweet tempered as that dog you killed.”

  Before she could blink, Winslow was on her, propelling her back until she slammed into the wall. The hand around her throat tightened. He nuzzled her ear and whispered, “Best you watch what you say, girl. Your pa’d be real upset if something happened to you.” He licked her ear, laughing softly when she shuddered in revulsion.