by C. C. Coburn
“Dammit, Matt!” Adam sprang to his feet and grabbed his brother by the collar, his right arm raised to punch him.
Matt refused to stand, refused to react to his brother’s challenge. He sat there immovable, staring at Carly.
Adam eventually released him and paced the room. “What if I can raise the bail?” Adam said.
“Can you?”
“I don’t know. How much would it be?”
“A lot more than you have. Probably more than you can borrow from a bondsman.”
Adam sat down again and caught Carly’s hand. “Whatever the outcome, I won’t let them take away your kids and put them in a stranger’s home.”
Carly wanted to kiss him. But Matt’s next words left her cold.
“I’m afraid you can’t prevent any of this, Adam.”
“I can, if I take her kids.”
Three pairs of eyes turned in his direction. Mike shook his head, Matt snorted with derision and Carly gasped with relief.
“No can do. You’re not registered with the department. And the security checks and hoops you’d have to jump through to get approval would take longer than her trial,” Matt said.
ADAM TURNED TO MIKE for confirmation that what his brother stated was true. His shoulders fell when the attorney nodded.
Carly was sobbing and it was breaking Adam’s heart. Okay, so he had no experience with kids, but neither did most men before they became fathers.
Carly’s kids didn’t deserve this. They’d been devastated when they lost their dad. Their lives had been turned upside down with too many moves these past few months. And they’d been completely traumatized by being caught in the middle of two fires. The one constant they’d been able to rely on was their mom. And now she was going to be taken away from them. He couldn’t let her kids be thrown into foster care. Who knew what might happen to them? He guessed they probably wouldn’t be placed in the same home. He also knew it could be months, maybe a year, before Carly’s case came to court.
He couldn’t imagine the trauma it would cause the children to be separated from one another and from their mother for that length of time. There was only one way to stop it.
“They won’t be going to live with any stranger,” he said to Matt, “because they’ll be coming home with me.”
“And I told you that can’t happen.”
“It can if I’m their father.”
“What?” Carly, Matt and Mike demanded at once.
Adam turned to Carly, realizing he hadn’t asked her what she thought of all this, but the tears in her eyes gave him the determination to go through with it.
Still holding Carly’s hand, he stood abruptly, then bent a knee to touch the floor. “Carly, will you marry me?” he asked.
Chapter Fourteen
Silence filled the room.
Carly even managed to stop sobbing, but before she could answer him, Matt roared, “Are you completely crazy?”
Matt stood abruptly, launching into a tirade as he paced the room. “Carly’s been involved in four fires in the past eighteen months, Adam. She is going to jail. Even if she somehow gets off, do you want a suspected arsonist living with you? Risking your life? Your home? Your family’s lives?”
“That’s enough!” Adam roared back at his brother, and stood, too. He kept Carly’s hand firmly clasped in his.
“Carly is innocent. I’m convinced of it and I don’t want to hear any more about this from you, of all people!”
Adam paused for a heartbeat, needing to get his temper under control. Unfortunately, that gave Matt the chance to further state his protests to Adam’s marrying Carly.
“Adam, you’re thinking with the wrong part of your anatomy. You’re in lust, in thrall, in love, whatever! But you are not thinking straight. You can’t marry Carly to save her. You can’t marry her to stop her kids from being taken away. You can’t marry her—”
“Excuse me?” Carly said, getting their attention. They stopped staring at each other and were now staring at her.
“Since this involves me more than it does you, Matt. I’d like to say something.”
Matt nodded brusquely. Adam was so riled up, he couldn’t wait to get Matt back at the ranch and give him the bloodiest nose he’d ever had.
“CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU might both think, I do have a brain and it functions independently of yours. So please don’t talk about me as if I’m not here.”
Carly waited while both men took that in.
She released Adam’s hand and looked directly into his eyes. “Adam, thank you for the proposal. I appreciate it very much and I understand why you’re doing it. I’m indebted to you for caring so much about my children that you’d make such an offer.”
She turned to Matt. “I’m going to accept your brother’s proposal and there’s not a thing on God’s green earth or in the state of Colorado that can stop me. I will do anything to ensure my children’s safety and if that means marrying a man who doesn’t love me, then I will.”
“Who said I don’t love you?” Adam asked.
“You’ve never said you do,” Carly told him.
“I…I,” Adam started to say, but Carly shook her head.
“It’s okay, Adam. We hardly know each other. Once all this is over, we can get a divorce, move on with our lives.”
“Thank you,” Adam said with a smile that made her love him even more. “But what if I don’t want a divorce?”
Carly’s heart overflowed with something for this man, but was it love? Or gratitude? “You? One of Spruce Lake’s most eligible bachelors, with a wife and four children? I don’t think so.”
“You got that right,” Matt muttered.
Adam took a step toward his brother but Carly placed a hand on his chest. “Let’s not add ‘assaulting an officer of the law’ to the mix. It could affect your custody of my children.”
“You’d grant him custody of your kids?” her attorney asked.
“Of course I would. I trust Adam implicitly. He’s proven himself to me time and time again, starting with the day he saved my son from the apartment fire. I can’t see the court denying custody to a hometown hero.”
Adam coughed, bringing her attention back to him.
“About that. We need to talk,” he said.
AT ADAM’S REQUEST, MATT had granted him the use of his office, posting a deputy outside the door.
Adam paced the room, not sure where to begin. Finally, he stood facing Carly, who’d sat on Matt’s sofa. “I’ve been carrying something around with me for a very long time. It’s affected my life, my relationships, everything.”
“Does it have anything to do with your reaction to the massage I gave you the other day?” Carly asked.
“Everything,” he said, and pulled up a chair in front of her.
“When I was fifteen, my best friend, Rory Bennett, and I went for a joyride. Rory stole a pickup truck and I drove it. Being fifteen I was full of bravado and showing off. I took a corner too fast and smashed into a tree. Neither of us was wearing a seat belt. I got thrown through the window. Rory was scrabbling around on the floor trying to find a CD he’d dropped. He was jammed in the cab, crushed to death.”
“Oh, Adam,” Carly said, and clasped his hands.
He bowed his head. “Please, let me finish.”
“Of course.”
Adam looked up; he could read the compassion in her eyes and loved her for it.
“I was in a coma for nearly a week. When I came out of it, Rory’s funeral had already taken place. Because of the position of his body in the cabin of the truck, the cops concluded he’d been driving. I was a scared, stupid, cowardly fifteen-year-old and I never said a word.”
“But why? Surely you were too young to be a
rrested?”
“I don’t know about that. But my big brother was with the sheriff’s department. He had his career all mapped out. How would it look if his brother was arrested for vehicular homicide? How would it affect my family, to know I’d killed my best friend? So I kept quiet.”
Carly lifted her hand to his cheek. “And you’ve been carrying around this guilt for all these years?”
Adam leaned into her palm, needing the closeness, needing her warmth and reassurance. He wasn’t sure what love felt like, but for the first time, he’d met a woman he didn’t want to be parted from. A woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
“I suspected you’d been holding something in that day I gave you a head massage. In fact, I suspected it when I gave you a massage in the apartment over the stables. I touched a trigger point and you flinched. I backed off. I didn’t want to bring back bad memories when you were so vulnerable.”
He turned his face into her palm and planted a kiss there. “You can genuinely tell that someone’s holding in some deep hurt simply by massaging them?”
She nodded. “I can also help you heal.”
Adam wanted to weep. He wanted so much to be healed of the guilt, to be forgiven, to be able to forgive himself.
He drew Carly into his arms.
She went willingly, surprising him as she wound her arms around his neck. He brought her closer, needing her more than he needed air.
When they both pulled back from the kiss, Carly’s face was wet with tears.
Raising one hand, he traced a tear down her cheek. “I love you,” he whispered.
His confession triggered a fresh surge of tears from Carly.
She eventually got herself under control. “You don’t have to say that just because you asked me to marry you.”
He grinned. “I know. But I want to, because I mean it. I’ve shut myself off from so many people—from my family especially—for too many years. But now it’s time for me to start living my life. It’s time for me to let others in. Beginning with you.”
Carly hugged him close. “Thank you,” she said, smiling through her tears.
Some time later, a knock at the door interrupted them. And a good thing, too, Adam mused as he reluctantly lifted Carly off his lap and put her back on the sofa. He grabbed one of the cushions, set it in his lap and said, “Come in.”
“Darling! What have you gone and done?” his mother asked.
Chapter Fifteen
Carly was surprised by how noisy the courtroom was when she entered it. Louella Farquar, the mayor’s pet pig, was alternately screeching and snorting at the judge—none other than Becky O’Malley, Will’s wife. Finally, Becky had had enough of the pig and the noise of the courtroom audience and banged her gavel.
“Mayor Farquar, you promised me that Louella had mended her ways since you married Mrs. Farquar and moved into town a year ago. However, this is the third complaint in as many weeks that the court has heard about her. Her recidivist behavior is unacceptable and antisocial. Either you restrain her from wandering about town on her own, causing havoc with traffic and tourists, or I’ll find a permanent solution,” she said.
Carly was standing so close to the judge’s podium, she was sure she caught the words bacon factory muttered under Becky’s breath.
“But, Judge, Louella doesn’t like staying inside all day,” the mayor protested.
“Louella is a pig! Why do I have to keep reminding you of that, Mayor Farquar? She doesn’t belong inside all day, but she also doesn’t belong downtown. I suspect half the reason you got yourself elected was in order to change the ordinance regarding the keeping of livestock within the town limits. Now, get her out of my court, and if I ever see her—or you—here again, I will personally run you both out of town!”
“You can’t do that,” he objected. “I’m the mayor!”
Becky peered over her glasses at him and said, “Try me.” She banged her gavel, signaling the case was dismissed.
A whistle of approval sounded from the rear of the courtroom, almost drowning out the screeches of Louella as she was led off. “Way to go, darlin’,” Will O’Malley cheered.
Becky’s face looked like thunder. She obviously hadn’t expected to see her husband in court. Nor the rest of his family, Carly noted as the courtroom filled with O’Malleys. How they’d gotten there so quickly, Carly couldn’t imagine.
Becky picked up the file her clerk had placed in front of her and scanned it, then took off her glasses and gazed down at Carly.
She addressed the court. “Given the nature of the next case and the fact that I know the accused, I’m going to recuse myself.”
A collective sigh of disappointment rose from the audience. This wasn’t good. When Carly had learned that Becky was the judge she’d be appearing before, she was hoping she’d get off with a low bail, maybe none. But if Becky recused herself, Carly’s situation became even more dire.
“As it’s almost lunchtime, I’m calling a recess,” Becky said.
“What’s this mean?” Carly hissed at Mike.
“It means the court’s adjourned until after lunch.”
“I know that!” Carly rolled her eyes. “I mean if Becky recuses herself, when’s my hearing?”
“It’ll have to be postponed until tomorrow when Judge Stevens is in session.”
“But I can’t stay in jail overnight!”
Cochrane stepped forward and said, “Your Honor, my client has four young children to care for. It would be cruel to expect her to wait in jail until her arraignment, simply because you’ve chosen to recuse yourself.”
“Simply?” Becky repeated. “There is nothing simple about this case, Mr. Cochrane. Your client has been charged with four counts of arson. I know her, therefore I cannot preside over this bail hearing.”
“I understand that, Judge. But there are extenuating circumstances. Her children—”
His explanation was halted by the appearance of Judge Stevens, who entered the court and asked if she could approach the bench. Her request was granted, and as she walked to the front of the courtroom, Carly saw Matt slip in and nod at Adam.
The two judges conferred for several minutes and then Becky said, “Judge Stevens has offered to hear this bail application in my place. We can proceed immediately if that’s all right with both the prosecution and the defense?”
The D.A. and Mike agreed, and Becky vacated her chair after saying, “In that case, I’ll adjourn the court for ten minutes while my learned colleague familiarizes herself with the charges.”
Carly wasn’t sure whether to cheer or cry. At least she’d be able to go home to her children tonight—provided the bail wasn’t too steep. Although looking at Judge Stevens, Carly suddenly wasn’t feeling so confident.
CARLY’S WORST FEARS were realized when the D.A. presented a very convincing case and the judge set bail on four counts of arson at four hundred thousand dollars.
Carly collapsed and had to be helped from the courtroom by the bailiff and her attorney.
Adam ignored all propriety, jumping over the low barrier separating the courtroom from the audience. Carly was aware of the judge banging her gavel, but didn’t know what Adam had done until he hoisted her into his arms and carried her into the area behind the courtrooms.
“It’s okay. I can walk,” she said. “Please put me down.”
Reluctantly, Adam did, allowing her feet to touch the floor. He held on to her until he was sure she could stand by herself.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” she apologized to the three men present. “But that was worse than I expected.”
The bailiff and Mike nodded. Mike said he’d see her later, then both of them departed.
Carly wrung her hands. “Where on earth will
I get that kind of money?”
“I have savings,” Adam said. “Nothing like that, of course, but a bit.”
Carly shook her head. “Thank you, but I can’t accept it. To be perfectly honest, Adam, I can’t guarantee that if I get released on bail I won’t grab my children and hightail it to Canada or South America. Or Tasmania.”
“I didn’t hear that,” another voice said.
They spun around to discover Matt standing behind them.
Adam’s eyes narrowed. “I was going to thank you for finding Judge Stevens and getting her to court to hear the bail application, but you’ll understand why I won’t.”
“Adam, Carly got off lightly. The usual amount of bail for first-degree arson is considerably more.”
“And that makes me feel so much better,” Adam muttered.
“Listen, I’d help with the bail, but all Beth’s and my savings have gone into building the house. Likewise with Will and Becky.”
“And believe me, we’d help if we could,” Becky said. They turned to see her in a doorway behind them. Carly glanced at the office nameplate. Judge Rebecca O’Malley, it read.
Carly turned to Matt. “Do I get taken to jail now?”
“I’m afraid so,” he said. “But since I’m here and it can be construed that you’re in custody, we don’t have to go back right away.”
Matt looked up and down the corridor, then said to Becky, “Is it okay if we use your office for a while? I’d like us to meet with Mom and Pop and see what we can figure out.”
Becky’s face lit up. “Sure. I’ll go find them. I’m not sure who’s more trouble in court, Louella Farquar or a whole passel of O’Malleys.”
She took off down the hallway in search of her in-laws. Matt pushed the door open and gestured that Carly should precede him into the room. Adam brought up the rear.
Adam was about to say something but Matt stopped him. He arranged three of the visitors’ chairs into a small circle and indicated they should sit. Once they were all facing one another, he said, “I want to apologize to you, Carly, for having to arrest you, but I had no choice. I’m also sorry about how steep the bail is, but that’s out of my control.
