by Allen, Jewel
“What are you doing to preserve all this?” Talia asked.
“We have pretty strict development ordinances. My family controls a large portion of the undeveloped land in our principality, so it’s not likely to change any time soon.”
“Lucky you,” she said. She nearly added, “I want to live here.”
But she didn’t. Some things were best left alone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“Excuse me, sir,” a male voice said.
The fog lifted, and Talia pulled back and out of Jay’s kiss, which had them both breathing like they’d just ran a sprint down the breezeway.
They’d left Mondragón and had returned to Royal Estates Stables, but the magic of their date still lingered like fairy dust. Jay held her in his arms in the mansion library, where they had stopped for a kiss during his impromptu tour.
Talia pressed her hand on Jay’s shirtfront to steady herself and smiled. Through the pads of her fingers, she could feel his heart thudding madly, like hers was.
“Pardon me, Your Highness,” the butler said from the doorway, stooped to the ready.
Jay kept his beautiful eyes on Talia. “Yes, Simon?”
“The police are here, and they claim they have come for the miss.”
Jay and Talia exchanged worried glances.
Jay winced. “I guess they’re here to administer their daily grilling.”
Talia suppressed a sigh. Her lips felt swollen, and her heart still pounded like crazy. She disliked the interruption and didn’t feel up to another round of questioning.
The detectives, who had been ushered into one of the many sitting rooms, both stood up at their approach. The woman cop looked to the male one, who nodded.
“What can we do for you?” Jay asked them.
The male pointed at the female cop. “It’s all yours, Detective Fields.”
She cleared her throat and said, “Thank you, Detective Allred.” She hesitated. “We have evidence pointing to Talia being responsible for the arson fires.”
It was one of those moments when Talia wasn’t sure what exactly had hit her. One moment, she was content to just hear whatever news they had to bring up, and the next, she felt as though a noose had just tightened around her neck.
“I beg your pardon,” Jay said quietly. Deadly, like a snake slithering in the grass or a lion stalking its prey. “How could you possibly accuse her of this?”
Detective Fields opened her briefcase and took out a tablet. “The security video captured this.”
It was a short video clip. Talia walked into the camera’s line of sight, looked around, and then disappeared. Moments later, flames began to smolder from the direction where she had gone.
Stunned, Talia sat down.
Jay put a hand on her shoulder. “So?” he exploded. “Someone could have started it just as well. Talia would never do such a thing.”
Detective Fields narrowed her gaze. “Then why did you look around guiltily?” she probed Talia.
“Because I wasn’t supposed to be there,” Talia said.
The detectives looked at each other, triumphant. “And why not?”
“The Greens didn’t like me inquiring into Eula’s health. Once I started bringing up concerns, they pretty much limited my interaction with her during the day.”
“They don’t seem too concerned about her now,” Detective Allred said, his brow furrowing.
“Not since they sold her to Jay,” she said. “But I didn’t start that fire.”
The detectives didn’t reply.
“Jay,” Talia turned to him. “I didn’t.”
“I believe you,” he said, but there was a moment’s hesitation in his voice.
Talia flinched and moved away from him.
Belatedly, he reached for her. But she was too upset and hurt that he would even allow doubt in his mind.
“What would I get out of it?” Talia asked the detectives.
“One of their fillies gave Eula some tough competition, didn’t she? Starstruck.”
Talia nodded, her eyes widening with comprehension. “You don’t think…”
“She died in the fire,” Detective Fields said. “I’m sorry, but we need to book you.”
“You can’t take me to jail!” Talia said. “I have a race to run this Friday!”
“The law permits us to keep persons of interest overnight when there is just cause. Tomorrow, you will make an appearance in front of the judge, and he may or may not grant you freedom.”
She cried, “Jay―”
“Let justice run its course,” Nina said from the doorway.
“Mother, please don’t interfere here,” Jay snapped.
But it was enough of a distraction. Detective Fields took off a pair of handcuffs and clipped Talia’s wrists with them. The female cop led Talia out of the room like a common criminal while Jay’s mother gloated.
”Mother,” Jay said. “Please let me through.”
“Jay,” Nina replied. “Stop making a scene.”
Talia twirled to face the pair. “That’s enough, you two. Jay, your mother is right.”
“Talia, listen…”
Talia ignored his plea. What could he do anyway? And that meddling woman, she was literally holding on to him. Jay would have to shove her away. Talia was barely holding on to a shred of dignity.
Besides, Jay had cast his lot with these so-called cops who believed everything that they didn’t have any factual proof of. Someone must have set the fire then, knowing she usually visited Eula late at night.
But no one was listening to her, and Jay certainly had not been one of them. His protests seemed half-hearted at best. He had revealed his true colors. He believed the detectives initially; she dared him to deny that.
How long would she be jailed? What about the race? What about her dog? Despair weighed Talia down.
“Could you please at least take care of Rascal?” she told Jay over her shoulder.
He nodded. “Of course,” he was quick to answer.
Talia turned forward, her heart shattered in pieces. What he didn’t want to do for Talia, he was willing to do for a dog.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Talia had never been jailed in her life. Well, unless you counted that one time when they were doing a fundraiser at the sheriff’s office at the fair and they had set up a fake prison with bars and actual locks. She had laughed then and stuck her tongue out for pictures.
She wasn’t laughing now. In fact, this was downright scary. Talia had to change out of her clothes and into an orange jumpsuit, after the humiliating body search. At least if they were going to nab the wrong person, she should be in fashionable prison clothing, right?
These attempts at humor distracted her mind from her concerns; otherwise, if she didn’t try to lighten the situation, she’d have completely freaked out as the officers escorted her through the process that ended with her being locked in with three other women in a cell about the size of her kitchen when she was in college.
Her cellmates were black, Hispanic and white.
“Whatcha in for honey?” the black woman asked.
“I’m just a suspect,” Talia said, the words making her feel sordid. “Arson.”
The questioner made a face. “What did you burn down?”
Talia didn’t want to have to keep fighting everyone on semantics, so she just let it go and said, “A horse-racing stable, supposedly.”
“Did ya kill any of them horses?” the white woman asked.
Talia shook her head. “I’m not an arsonist, ladies. I didn’t cause the fire.”
“Yup, uh-huh, sure.”
Talia retreated to a corner of the cell, away from the bunk bed where the ladies were sitting. She didn’t appreciate their insinuations, and she was so tired. Heartsick. She wanted to hate Jay with all her heart, but instead, she just felt sad that whatever they had going with Stormy’s passing and that amazing breakfast date had scuttled in the wind like a bunch of leaves. He had abandone
d her twice now when she needed someone the most.
She glanced at the other ladies and wondered why they were in the jail. On second thought, she didn’t want to know.
One had tattoos on her biceps. Another had a pierced nose. One looked like a meth user, with that skinny, bone-thin figure and receding gumline and barebones teeth. One almost looked normal with her buzz cut, until she turned. She had a large elaborate tattoo on her nape.
Talia turned toward the wall and closed her eyes. She would pretend to be a horse and sleep standing up.
***
At two a.m., Jay awaited a phone call. When his cell phone finally rang, he picked it up and said, “Hello.”
The caller hesitated. “Good evening, Your Highness.”
“Damon,” Jay greeted his long-time attorney. “I need you to bail out someone.”
“Prince Armando?”
“No. It’s a…a lady friend of mine.”
“I shall see what I can do, sire.”
Jay gave him Talia’s information and waited for another phone call. When it came with good news, Jay made his way to the jail in the Maserati.
It was pitch black at three in the morning. He parked at the curb and went inside. Talia sat on a bench with circles under her eyes.
The moment she saw him, she took off for a different exit.“Talia,” Jay said, catching up with her outside and grabbing her arm. “Are you mad at me?” he asked, bewildered.
Her eyes flashed. “If you are wondering why, you don’t deserve an explanation.”
“Please,” he begged. “Tell me what I did wrong.”
“Well, for one, you threw me to the wolves.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Admit it, you thought I was guilty. Don’t lie. I watched your reaction when the detectives played the video.”
“Yes,” he conceded. “You’re right. I did have my moment of doubt. But I know now that they didn’t have a solid case against you. I’m sorry I even doubted you.”
“It’s too late,” she murmured as she began walking.
“It’s never too late,” he protested.
He walked alongside her, but she refused to look at him.
“Talia,” Jay said. “Please. Let me drive you home to the stables at least. Do what you want from there.”
She didn’t answer for a long time. Then she turned and got into the passenger seat of the Maserati. It was a long, quiet ride back to the stables. Once there, Talia got out without speaking to Jay and headed to her truck. He walked with heavy footsteps to the mansion. When he heard her behind him, he turned with hope in his chest.
But she had only come to say, “I’ve come for my things.” She spoke the words in a dead voice that he was sure would haunt his dreams. She grabbed her bag by the door.
“I’m glad you got out,” he said softly.
“Thanks for bailing me out,” she said. But her posture was tight and resentful.
“They would have let me out in the morning, most likely. They didn’t have enough evidence after all. Or maybe they needed the jail space for worse criminals.”
“You’re still welcome to stay in the house, Talia,” Jay said.
You’ve gotta be kidding, her incredulous expression said. “Thanks, but no thanks,” she said. “I’m gonna go back to the rental. With Rascal.” She hesitated. “Thanks for keeping him overnight.”
“You’re welcome. He’s in the barns.”
“I know.”
Jay felt like he was tossing little platitudes for her. Tiny bones of kindness right after kicking her to the curb.
He watched her walk out the door and no doubt out of his life.
Sensing movement, Jay turned. Mother was standing outside her bedroom door, her eyes glowing with pleasure. She lowered her eyes and assumed a more demure expression, but she was busted. Jay felt disgust rise within him.
“Satisfied now, Mother?” he said coldly as he stalked off to his bedroom and shut the door firmly behind him.
***
At her rental, Talia couldn’t shower long enough to get the taste of the jail from her. Worse, she couldn’t scrub off the self-loathing she felt that someone she’d trusted―loved―would seriously believe arsonist allegations against her.
Find the real arsonist. The thought rose, unbidden, in her mind. She sighed and brushed away the thought. What, as if she didn’t have enough on her hands with jockeying, she needed to play detective too?
She toweled off and changed into a shirt and sweats, slipping a hoodie on to ward off the morning chill. Inside, she felt empty and frozen, like some wasteland. She fell asleep, dreamless, on her lumpy bed.
When Talia reported for work a few hours later, she ran into Larry.
“I’d heard,” he said. “I’m surprised the prince didn’t spring bail on you right off so you didn’t have to go to jail overnight.”
Talia wasn’t in the mood to talk, but she actually relished conversing with someone who could at least validate her as a person with integrity. “Maybe part of him thought I was guilty.”
“You?” Larry gasped. “I’ve seen you with animals. You are the most gentle person I know.”
“Yeah, it’s been pretty rough to be accused,” she admitted.
“No kidding.” His hazel eyes pierced hers. “When someone told me, I was like, ‘No way, that little lady?’”
Talia winced. “That little lady apparently is capable of burning down a barn. Aren’t you scared I will burn this one too?”
He reached over and moved a strand of hair from her face. “I’m just interested in knowing if maybe I stand a chance now that your prince turned out to be a frog.”
Talia flinched, her skin crawling. He was at least twice her age. “Larry, I think I’ve made it clear before―”
“Get off your high horse lady,” he said, his expression hardening. “You aren’t exactly a saint, and yet you want to be treated like one?”
“I just told you―”
“Of course you would deny it. Deny it until your teeth fall out, but there will still be that shadow hanging over you.” He paused. “I’m getting to know the Greens, and all I can say is, why would you take away such a good life from such good, helpless people?”
Talia trembled with rage. She wanted to slap Larry for his disrespect, his unfounded insinuations. She wanted to yell and tell him how wrong he and the Jays of the world were. Instead, she turned on her heel and lugged her bag to her truck, calling for Rascal to jump into the cab.
Putting the key in the ignition, she turned it over. There was no sound other than a click of a dead battery. She tried once again, with similar results.
“No,” she groaned.
She pulled up her knees to her chest and sat in the passenger seat. No tears came. She was too tired to cry. At least it was getting dark, so she could stay in her truck and no one would be the wiser for it.
Rascal came over and nudged her arm so she would pet him. At first Talia was annoyed. Until she looked into her dog’s eyes. He knew her pain.
At least she could depend on dogs instead of humans.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
When Jay got up, he walked over to his window to see if he could catch a glimpse of Talia. In the dawning light, he could see Talia’s truck with her petite figure folded over in sleep.
Talia actually slept there last night? He felt lower than all of the lows of lows combined. He quickly changed into slacks and a shirt and then called the kitchen. Within minutes, he had in his hand a tray of bagels, a banana, and a little bottle of chocolate milk as a peace offering.
He stood for a moment just outside her truck window, staring at her. Her hair was all messed up and escaping from her ponytail and she had circles under her eyes. Despite her disheveled appearance, his heart contracted with love for her.
The object of his affection opened her eyes and startled upon seeing him. Her expression turned cold, colder than the frigid winters of Boston. He was sure no one had ever given him such
a chilling stare.
He tapped on the window.
She opened it but her expression remained forbidding. “Scared I’m gonna turn your parking lot into a homeless park?” she spat out.
“I was thinking no such thing,” he said, taken aback.
“If you must know, my truck wouldn’t start. And I…I just had no energy left to fix it.” Her voice sounded small and weary.
Rascal roused from the back seat and jumped on the window trying to get to the food..
“Why didn’t you come in?” Jay asked.
“Do you even have to ask that?” Her voice quivered.
“I wouldn’t have turned you away.”
“The last thing I want is to be beholden to you.”
He was just irritating her. He could see that now. He raised the tray of select breakfast items, but apparently, she wasn’t in the mood for the drive-thru version. She shook her head and closed her window partway.
Guilt hit him so hard, he felt shame. She was justified in her hurt. As future crown prince, he’d been trained to be chivalrous and good, yet he’d let her down. He tapped on the window, but she refused to look at him, so he set the tray on the hood of her truck, leaving her in peace.
Inside the mansion, he heard voices coming from the dining room. He veered the other way, unwilling to join his mother’s gang for breakfast. But he wasn’t quick enough. Katy’s mom called his name and linked her arm in his.
“If you will excuse me,” he said, “I was actually on my way upstairs.”
“Oh, but you must at least get a coffee or something in your belly,” Bernadette said. “We are dying to ask you some questions,” she said.
He gritted his teeth as she wheeled him around like a teapot on casters.
Katy wore an eye patch on her face. She’d have looked wicked if it weren’t for her hangdog expression. She appeared to be trying to spear some fruit on her fork but kept missing.
“It’s really hard for your depth perception when you have an eye patch on,” she bemoaned.
He would take her word for it.
Geneva leaned forward and told Jay, “Talia probably contracted lice while she was in prison,” she said.
