by Rita Herron
Which was a bad idea.
And now the phone. Bad timing or good?
He checked the number. The McCullens’ ranch. He quickly punched Connect.
“Deputy Whitefeather.”
“Deputy, it’s Rose McCullen.” Her voice cracked as if she was crying.
“What’s wrong, Rose?”
“It’s Maddox,” she cried. “He caught Stan Romley, but Maddox was shot. The medics just called and they’re on the way with him to the hospital.”
“Was he in Cheyenne?”
“No, he tracked Romley back near here. They’re taking Maddox to the hospital in town.”
Roan froze, stomach churning. “How is he?”
“I don’t know,” she said brokenly. “He’s in critical condition.”
Roan clenched the phone with a white-knuckled grip. “I’ll meet you at the hospital. Unless you need me to drive you.”
“No, Mama Mary and I are going together. We’ll see you there.”
Roan closed his eyes and said a silent prayer that Maddox would survive.
Chapter Eleven
Megan straightened her clothing, disappointed her interlude with Roan was over. But something was wrong.
The worried expression on Roan’s face when he faced her confirmed her fear.
“Who was that?”
“Maddox’s wife. Maddox was shot apprehending Romley.” Roan pocketed his phone, retrieved his gun from the counter where he’d put it and yanked his keys from his pocket.
“Oh, my God, Roan, is he okay?”
“He’s in critical condition. They’re transporting him to the hospital.” He headed toward the door. “I have to go.”
“Wait, I’ll go with you.”
Roan hesitated. “You don’t have to do that, Megan. Get some sleep.”
She rubbed her arms, a chill going through her. “I don’t think I can sleep, not after what happened tonight.”
Roan’s dark brows drew together. “All right. But I might be there awhile.”
Megan grabbed a jacket and her purse. “That’s fine. Maybe I can do something to help.”
She didn’t know why, but Roan seemed upset. At least she could be there for him. He must be closer to Maddox than she’d realized.
She locked the door as they left and followed him to his car. Roan flipped on the siren as he pulled away and sped toward the hospital.
* * *
ANXIETY GNAWED AT Roan as he drove. What if Maddox didn’t make it?
He hadn’t even divulged to him that his father had been murdered. Maddox deserved to know the truth...
And the truth about you?
Did the brothers deserve to know that, or would telling them they were related to Roan rock their world even more?
In spite of the late hour, a few car lights flickered along the highway, and the clouds opened up and dumped more rain on the ground. He flipped his wipers on, the sound of the rain drumming on the car mirroring the racing of his heart.
Megan remained silent. She was probably exhausted, but obviously didn’t want to be alone after her earlier attack.
He maneuvered around a truck creeping along, then another car, water spewing from his tires as he turned into the hospital. He threw the car into Park in the ER parking lot and reached for an umbrella for Megan. She accepted it while he tugged on his jacket and pulled on a Stetson.
Together they slogged through the rain and fog to the hospital door. He spotted Rose and Mama Mary as they entered.
“They just took him back.” Rose’s voice cracked. “They’re prepping him for surgery.”
Mama Mary wiped at the tears streaming down her face. “He has to be okay, Miss Rose, he has to be.”
Rose looked stricken with fear, but she clutched Mama Mary’s hands and squeezed them. “He will be. He’s strong.”
“I’m Megan Lail, Dr. Lail,” Megan said. “Where was he shot?”
“The chest,” Rose said. “They think the bullet missed his heart, but it may have struck other vital organs.”
Megan put her arm around the woman to console her. “Let me get you and Mama Mary some coffee. Surgery will take a while.”
A nurse appeared and greeted Rose. “If you want to see him before surgery, you can come back now.”
“I’d like to speak to him, too,” Roan said.
The nurse narrowed her eyes. “Are you family?”
Roan itched to reply yes. He was Maddox’s half brother. But this was not the way he wanted it to come out. “I’m the deputy sheriff. I need to question him about the shooting.”
The nurse glanced at Rose for consent, and she gave a quick nod. Then he and Rose followed the nurse through the ER doors to Maddox.
* * *
MEGAN RUSHED TO get coffee for everyone. Roan seemed upset—more than she would have thought.
Although, he worked with Maddox and probably considered him a close friend.
When she made it back to the waiting room, Mama Mary was on the phone talking in a hushed voice. “No, Ray, honey, don’t cut your honeymoon short. Rose is with Maddox now, and they’re taking him to surgery. I’ll call you as soon as he gets out.”
The older woman sniffed, then dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “Yes, I already talked to Brett. I assured him I’d call if I thought you two needed to come home.”
Megan stood to the side to offer the woman some privacy. The McCullens had the kind of bond that Megan had always wanted in a family.
Mama Mary disconnected and sank into one of the chairs with a pained sigh. Sympathy welled inside Megan. She carried the tray of coffee to her and offered her one.
“Thank you so much, dear,” Mama Mary said.
Megan patted the woman’s shoulder. “He’ll make it through, Maddox seems strong.”
Mama Mary gave a little nod, although fear tightened the lines around her big brown eyes. “I thought that about Mr. Joe, thought nothing would ever get him down, but then he took sick.” She wiped at her eyes again. “That was hell, watching that big strong man go downhill. Mr. Joe was a proud man. Lordy, how he loved his boys and his land.”
“I understand the brothers lost their mother when they were young, and that you raised them.”
Affection for the family was obvious in the sad smile that curved her mouth. “That was a rough time when Ms. Grace died. Mr. Joe was all torn up, and those boys...there was a big hole in their lives.”
“She died in a car accident?” Megan asked.
Mama Mary nodded. “Ms. Grace, she was a lovely one, but she had her troubles.”
“What kind of troubles?”
“That was between her and Mr. Joe.”
Megan sensed there was a lot more to the story. “You mean Barbara and Bobby?”
Mama Mary clasped the coffee and took a long slow sip. “I reckon everyone knows about them now. I surely didn’t condone what Joe did, having an affair with that woman, but Ms. Grace was so depressed. They were both struggling.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what caused her depression?”
Mama Mary’s gaze met hers. “I’m not gossiping about that family. I love them and they’ve been good to me.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” Megan said. “And I certainly would never gossip.”
Mama Mary searched her face for a moment then seemed to realize she was sincere. “I just told the boys about this a few days ago. Ms. Grace was pregnant with twins but she lost those babies. She and Mr. Joe were both devastated. And Ms. Grace, her hormones were all out of whack.”
“I’m sorry, that must have been terrible. Was she being treated for her depression?” Megan asked.
“Of course. Dr. Cumberland did everything he could for her. But some things are just too hard to come back from.”
Megan frowned. “I understand how devastating losing a child can be.” Her mother had never gotten over losing Shelly.
Mama Mary squeezed her hand, her gaze sympathetic. “You lost someone, too?”
“My sister. My m
other committed suicide later. She couldn’t stand to go on without her.”
“That’s tragic,” Mama Mary said. “I’m sure you felt alone and abandoned yourself.”
Tears clogged Megan’s throat. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make this about me. We should be saying a prayer for Maddox.”
Mama Mary nodded and closed her eyes to pray.
Megan was so moved by the woman’s compassion that she did the same. But her mind kept trying to piece together what had happened to the McCullens.
Both Mr. and Mrs. McCullen had ended up dead. The wife from a car accident.
And Joe...
What would Mama Mary say if she knew that Joe hadn’t died of natural causes, that he’d been murdered?
* * *
ROAN STOOD BACK and gave Rose a few moments alone with Maddox. He was conscious, although he was weak and in pain.
Rose stroked Maddox’s face. “You’re going to be okay, Maddox. You have to be. I love you and I need you.” She pressed his hand to her stomach. “We need you.”
“Don’t worry, darling,” Maddox murmured. “I have too much to live for to give up.”
A spark of envy ignited inside Roan. Rose was pregnant. The love between the couple was so strong that it made him ache to have a woman feel the same about him.
Megan’s face flashed behind his eyes and nearly knocked the breath from his lungs.
Rose kissed Maddox, then turned to him. “Your turn.”
Roan put thoughts of Megan on hold as he stepped up beside Maddox’s bed. “What happened?”
“I cornered him, and he opened fire,” Maddox said. “I fired back and hit him in the shoulder and leg.”
“Did he talk?” Roan asked.
Maddox shook his head. “Not yet. They were going to do surgery. A deputy is guarding him 24/7. I want you to interrogate him.”
“You got it,” Roan assured him.
“Thanks.” Maddox gritted his teeth. One of the machines beeped indicating his blood pressure was dropping, and the nurse rushed to Maddox’s side.
“The doctor’s ready to get this bullet out.” She turned to Roan and Rose. “Time for you to leave.”
Rose blinked back tears as she kissed Maddox again. Roan hesitated before he left the room. Maddox deserved to know that his father was murdered. He’d probably be furious that Roan had kept the truth from him.
But it would have to wait until he was stable.
* * *
MEGAN SPENT THE next two hours trying to comfort Rose and Mama Mary. Persuading Rose to tell her the story of how she and Maddox had met and fallen in love served as the perfect distraction.
Roan seemed agitated, but he’d also retreated into a silent, brooding state that made her feel helpless. She’d tried talking to him, but he didn’t seem to want to talk.
He made a couple of phone calls, then stood at the edge of the waiting room as if he didn’t belong with Rose and Mama Mary.
Or maybe this situation just reminded him of sitting by his mother’s bedside before she died.
“If Maddox hadn’t saved me, I don’t know where I’d be right now,” Rose said softly.
Megan squeezed her hand. “I’m sure he feels like you saved him. That love will help him pull through now.”
“I hope so,” Rose said.
“It will,” Megan said with conviction.
The doctor appeared at the doorway to the waiting room. “Family of Maddox McCullen?”
Rose and Mama Mary jumped up and hurried to talk to him. For a brief second, she thought Roan was going to join them, but then he walked to the window and looked out. Megan wanted to ask him what was on his mind, but decided not to push him. He was probably just anxious about the case and Maddox’s injury.
Relief filled Rose’s face, and she and Mama Mary hugged, both crying. Roan strode over to the doctor and the women then, and Megan followed.
“He made it through surgery and is in recovery. The next twenty-four hours should tell,” the doctor said. “So far he’s holding his own.”
“Can I see him?” Rose asked.
The doctor removed his surgical cap. “When we move him to a room. That’ll probably be a couple of hours. If you want to go home and get some rest or something to eat, we can call you.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Rose said.
Mama Mary put her arm around Rose. “Me, neither.”
Megan wondered what it would be like to have someone be so fiercely loving and protective of her. If Shelly had lived, would they be close now? Would her father react differently toward Megan?
The day her sister was murdered, a hole had opened up in her, and in him, and they’d never been the same again.
“Call me if you need me,” Roan told Rose and the older woman. “I’m going to have a talk with Romley.”
“Tonight?” Mama Mary asked. “Son, don’t you think it’s too late? I’m sure Maddox will understand if you wait till morning.”
Roan glanced at the clock, 2 a.m. If the man underwent surgery, he was probably in Recovery. “You’re right. I’ll go first thing in the morning.”
Megan said goodbye to both of the women, her chest squeezing as they hugged her and thanked her for being with them.
It had been a long time since anyone had made her feel so welcome and wanted.
* * *
THE THOUGHT OF Maddox dying had done something to Roan. Even though Maddox didn’t know it, they were blood kin. Roan had developed a healthy dose of respect and admiration for him both on the job and off.
As he parked in front of Megan’s house, he scanned the perimeter again, then kept up his guard as they entered. Their earlier near-lovemaking taunted him. After the tension of the past few hours, he wanted a release. Wanted to take Megan to bed and finish what they’d started earlier.
Dammit, he wanted hot and fast, to pound his body into hers until she cried out his name in pleasure.
He wanted to go slow and easy and slide her clothes off and savor every minute.
He wanted to make love to her.
He silently cursed.
He couldn’t do any of those things because as hard as he’d tried not to care about her, he was starting to have feelings for her.
Nearly losing Maddox tonight had served as a reminder to keep his distance from Maddox and Megan.
She looked up at him with that sweet seductive gaze as they walked into her den, and he gruffly ordered her to go to bed and get some sleep.
Hurt flickered in her eyes, but he assured himself it was for the best. She didn’t argue. She hurried to her bedroom, making him feel like a heel.
Exhaustion tugged at his limbs, and even though he didn’t think he could sleep, he stretched out on Megan’s sofa. He laid his gun by his side just in case of trouble, then closed his eyes.
An image of Megan lying in bed wearing a flimsy gown—or nothing at all—teased him. He had imprinted that one night in his memory so deeply that he could almost smell the heavenly scent of her body and feel the luxurious strands of her hair as he ran his fingers through the thick mane.
He could practically hear her whisper his name as if she wanted him to come to her.
Furious with himself, he rolled to his side to face the door, a reminder of the reason he couldn’t leave. Megan was in danger, and he wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
If anyone tried, they’d have to kill him first.
Chapter Twelve
Megan wrestled with the covers, images of Roan tormenting her. She’d thought they’d connected months ago when his mother died, but obviously she’d been wrong. And tonight, she’d thought she’d seen hunger and desire in his eyes.
Was she simply so desperate for a man to find her attractive that she was imagining it?
She hadn’t imagined the heat that had ignited between them earlier or the fact that when they’d made love before that it had been explosive. Sensational.
And that it had stirred emotions inside her that she’d never felt bef
ore.
Because you’re so inexperienced and naive that you misread sex for affection.
She punched her pillow and rolled over and faced the door. Knowing Roan was on the other side was torture.
Irritated with herself, she turned to the opposite side and faced the wall. It didn’t seem to make a difference.
She wanted Roan anyway.
* * *
ROAN HADN’T THOUGHT he’d go to sleep, but he must have because the phone jarred him awake. At first he was disoriented, and it took him a minute to realize where he was.
And that, in spite of temptation and his ridiculous obsession to be with Megan, he had managed to stay on her couch.
The phone buzzed again, and he retrieved it from the coffee table where he’d also left his gun.
The number for Horseshoe Creek appeared on the screen. His heart leaped to his throat. What if Maddox...no...he couldn’t think the worst. Maddox was strong, stubborn...
“Deputy Whitefeather.”
“It’s Mama Mary.”
He held his breath, his pulse thumping. “Maddox?”
“He’s okay, I mean he came through the night and the doc said he’s going to make it.”
Roan exhaled in relief. “That’s good news, then.” Except she sounded upset.
“Yes, Miss Rose is still there, but I came home to shower and grab a nap. I told her I’d bring by food later, then she could come home and get some rest. Right now, she won’t leave his side.”
Once again envy stirred inside Roan. Maddox was a lucky man, in more ways than one.
“But something’s wrong?”
“Yes,” Mama Mary said, her voice quivering. “Someone broke into the house last night.”
“What?”
“It’s Mr. Joe’s office—I mean Mr. Maddox’s. Well, anyway, things are all a mess and torn up like whoever did it was looking for something.”
“Are you alone?” Roan asked, concerned about the woman. Where was the security Brett had hired?
“No. The foreman is here. When I noticed that the window had been jimmied, I called him and he came right over. But...I’m worried. Why would someone break in?”
“I don’t know but I’ll be right there.” He grabbed his gun and holstered it on. “Don’t touch anything in the office. I’ll have a crime team dust for prints.”
