The end of the scrapbook contained recent photos and a few articles, then Jackson was staring at an envelope. With his name printed on it. In his father’s handwriting. He couldn’t move for a few seconds. “Ah, shit.” He slammed the book closed and dropped it on the coffee table.
Her eyes wide, Rori set down her wine glass and wrapped herself around him, squeezing tight.
Jackson melted into her. What was in that envelope? What words could Dusty have written that Jackson would need to read? “I can’t…” He’d read that letter someday. Not now. He couldn’t take any more memories tonight. “Come upstairs with me, Rori. Please.”
She cupped his cheeks, her nose nearly touching his. “Of course, Jackson. Anything you need.”
Chapter Ten
The next morning, Rori screwed up a software install twice before shoving away from the table at the back of Cyber Wise and wandering to the front door of the shop. Last night… She sighed. Jackson had been tender and slow, their lovemaking innovative, but thoughtful, as if the emotion flowing from both of them cocooned them in… Wait, had she just thought lovemaking? Damn, that was a dangerous road to go down.
They’d had sex. Hot, perfect sex, but it’d been different than the times before. Long looks into each other’s eyes, whispered words, deep kisses. And she’d fallen for it like a girl who’d never been in love before. Which, she had to admit today, she probably hadn’t ever been. If what she’d felt before was a kilobyte of affection for a man, what she felt now was at least a terabyte, maybe more. For Jackson.
She stormed away from the door and back to her work. “It’s not happening, Rori. He’s rodeo poison, and to him, you’re a few days’ distraction. Done.” She closed off all thoughts of him and tried to concentrate on work. But every few minutes she checked the clock.
Rori knew Jackson needed to be in the office all day. His three specialists were in town and they were going to hit it hard today and tomorrow, get Jackson up to speed with everything, even if it killed the poor guy. She grinned as she thought of him sitting there surrounded by Elaine, Vic, and Walt as they peppered him with information, and he stared blankly. Not that Jackson wasn’t smart. No, the man was just a little on the lazy side, and a technology Luddite, but if he wanted to, he could run the company easily.
But he didn’t want to. She sat back in her chair. What would it take to get him to stay?
“Uhhhh.” She shouted the groan and banished the thought from her head. “Jackson is leaving. Get used to it.”
Instead of finishing the install, she went online and printed out a recipe for baked potatoes. She’d invited him for supper tonight. And she didn’t cook. The steaks were in her refrigerator upstairs, the potatoes on the counter, and the rest of the meal, including dessert, lined up next to them. She’d give it her best effort, but he might have to jump in and help.
How was he today? When he’d told the story of finding out about Dusty’s wife, she didn’t think she could hold back her sobs. Her heart just broke for him. Tall and lanky at age fifteen, those big eyes of his in a skinny kid’s face, lord, she’d wanted to take him home with her and keep him safe from the big ugly world forever.
She’d never had that kind of instinct before. Maybe she was moving into that part of her life where she’d start nesting, looking for a man to settle down and have babies with. Her mother warned her it would be coming, but she’d assured her mom that all she needed was a fast operating system and a new video game every month to keep her happy.
Boy, had she been wrong.
****
The next afternoon they had the appointment to confront the attorney, and Rori couldn’t wait. She had a lot of questions for the man.
The dinner the night before had gone as she’d expected—she’d begged his help halfway through cooking, and he’d easily taken over and finished preparing a fabulous meal for them. They’d only eaten half, though, before they’d tumbled onto her couch for a hot hour of oral delight. They’d finally gotten back to the meal, but had left the dishes on the table and spent the rest of the night working their way through a box of condoms in her bedroom.
Rori smiled and tested the pleasant ache of every muscle in her body. Jackson had stamina, that was a proven fact.
The buzzer sounded at the front door of Cyber Wise and she checked the time. Twenty minutes before Jackson’s appointment with Stanley Benner, Esquire. The cowboy was punctual, that was certain. She saved her work and headed toward the front of the store. When she walked into the room, she stopped cold. “Marliss?”
The older woman tipped her head. “You have a fabulous store here, Ms. Hughes.” In her floral dress and sandals, she bore no resemblance to the woman who worked at Dusty’s house in serviceable cotton clothes.
“It’s Rori, please.” She wandered slowly toward her. “Are you in the market for a computer?” The woman had never set foot in Cyber Wise before, and her visit on a Friday afternoon, when she was technically supposed to be working at the house, didn’t bode well.
“Oh no, I’m happy with letting Lou do all the web-searching things.”
Another Luddite. “What can I help you with?”
The woman set her bright orange purse on a table. “May I talk to you about Jackson?”
Rori glanced out the front window. “That’s fine, but he’s going to be here any minute.”
“Oh.” Her hands fluttered a bit before she clasped them in front of her. “Then I’ll make this brief.”
“Unless you’d rather talk later?” Rori wanted to hear what Marliss had to say. Every word of it.
“No, this will take just a moment.” She pursed her lips and blinked a few times. “Mr. Walker—Dusty—spoke with Lou and me about…the boys.” She shrugged. “We were the only people, besides their mothers, who he could talk to, so I know a little bit about Dusty’s concerns with Jackson.”
This was a lot deeper than Rori had imagined Marliss would go. “I don’t know that I could—”
“Please.” Marliss stepped forward. “Just let me say this, then I’ll go, and we won’t mention this conversation again.” She pressed her fist to her mouth. “I’m afraid that if he leaves Sunday, he won’t come back.”
Rori could lie to save the woman the anguish she was evidently going through. But that wasn’t her way. “I think you’re right.”
She dropped her hand. “Dusty worried that Jackson avoided relationships because he feared he’d become just like him. Like Dusty. See, Dusty thought Jackson saw his mother as a martyr. Living on the fringe of Dusty’s life, having a family with him without the benefit of marriage.”
Rori just nodded, anxious to have Marliss get to the point before Jackson came across the street.
“I know he and you looked through the scrapbook together. I saw it when I was cleaning up this morning, so you don’t need to worry that I was spying on you.”
With a laugh, Rori shook her head. “I didn’t think that at all.”
“Well, thank you. But I needed to talk to you to know if you got to the end of the scrapbook. Did he see the envelope?”
“He did.” Rori had seen the fear on Jackson’s face as he stared at it. She’d actually worried that he’d toss the thing in the fire.
“Well, that’s half the battle.”
Rori caught a movement across the street and took a step closer to the window.
Marliss turned and looked out in the direction of D. Walker Mineral. She swung around, grabbing her purse. “He’s coming.” Her voice went up an octave.
“I have a back door.” Rori gestured for her to follow, and they stopped at the back entrance, close together, face-to-face.
“Ms. Rori, if you have any way to reach him, could you please encourage him to open that letter?” Marliss’ gaze locked with Rori’s. “I wouldn’t normally ask something like this, but I think you might be his only hope.”
The buzzer went off, announcing the front door opening.
Rori wanted to help, but she couldn’t make any
promises. “I’ll try, Marliss.” She whispered the words. “I promise to do my best.”
“Thank you, dear.” Marliss smiled and skittered out the back way and down the alley.
“Rori?” Jackson’s voice carried through the building as she locked the back door and hurried toward the storefront.
“Coming.” She nearly ran smack into him, and he caught her, pulling her into his arms.
“Whoa, where’re you going in such a rush?” He looked at her, his brows down over his blue eyes.
“Um, aren’t we going to Benner’s office?” She was a little breathless, a little shaky, but about as turned on as a girl could be when her man held her tight against him.
“We are.” His hands roamed along her back. “But I came a few minutes early so we could do this.” He tipped her sideways and gave her a kiss she’d never forget. A kiss that would have to last her a lifetime—if Jackson never showed his face in Red Creek again after Sunday.
****
Benner escorted Rori and Jackson into his office. “This is a surprise, Ms. Hughes. Jackson didn’t mention you would be here, too.” The man looked decidedly nervous.
Jackson helped her into a chair, then sat, waiting for Benner to take his seat behind the big desk.
“I’m here as a witness.” Rori blurted out the words.
The attorney froze halfway down to his chair, then plopped into it, tipping back a ways before catching his balance. “Is that right?”
Jackson held in a laugh. Nothing like putting a guy on the defensive. “I found these on Dusty’s computer.” He spread out the printouts containing the dates, amounts, and account numbers in front of Benner. “Do these account numbers look familiar to you?”
Benner’s cheeks turned ruddy. He adjusted his glasses and picked up one of the papers, holding it up between himself and Jackson. “They just look like a bunch of numbers to me. Not necessarily account numbers.”
Rori sniffed and gave Jackson a look. “Check again, Mr. Benner. Are you sure nothing on that page triggers a memory?”
Jackson could kiss her right there. She would be a fantastic courtroom attorney.
Benner laid the paper down, giving Rori a glare, then fastening his gaze on Jackson. “Is this something you’d like me to look into further for you?”
Pulling the next wad of folded papers from his pocket, Jackson spread them out on top of the other papers. “Here’s what Abby found when I had her look through the bank accounts for these amounts. Payments were made from D. Walker Mineral’s general account to these account numbers.” Jackson pointed to one of the first papers. “What is happening here?” Jackson would give the man the opportunity to admit his involvement.
“Hmmm.” Benner studied the papers. Each one of them. For much longer than necessary. “I can have one of my staff—”
“Not necessary.” Jackson sat back in his chair and set his booted foot on the opposite knee. “We know who opened and closed these accounts.”
Benner’s lips tightened as his gaze ping-ponged from Rori’s to his, then fastened on Jackson. “This is not something that should be discussed with anyone outside your family.”
Jackson sat completely still, staring down the attorney. “Ms. Hughes is, as she mentioned, my witness. Do you want to tell us everything, or do we take this information to the county attorney’s office?”
Benner shuffled all the papers together into a neat pile and set them in front of Jackson. “This may be embarrassing for you to hear in front of your…” He glanced at Rori. “Friend.”
“Ms. Hughes is a contract employee of D. Walker Mineral.” Jackson could slug the man for making Rori seem less than important. He glanced at her. She’d pursed her lips tight together, and her eyes sparkled. This wild, wonderful woman was enjoying this, trying not to laugh. Damn. Her sense of humor…
Benner let out a long breath, seeming to deflate. “Mrs. Walker—Theresa—hired a private detective.”
Rori sat forward in her chair, glanced at Jackson, then back at Benner. “Through you?”
He waved his hands in front of him. “No, no, no. She went to KC and hired him. She knew I wouldn’t help her with anything like this.”
“Let me guess.” Jackson gripped the chair arms. “He followed Dusty and found out about his extra families.”
“That’s exactly right.” Benner stood and stepped to the large safe behind him, dialing in the code to open it. “This detective found out about three of the four of you.” The safe door opened with a squeak as the lawyer looked at Jackson. “He realized he could make more money blackmailing Dusty than he could with just the one-time payment from Theresa.” Benner shuffled through his safe.
“Harold Logan.” Rori said the detective’s name, and Benner paused for a few seconds.
“That’s right. You’re quite a bit more accomplished than I’ve given you credit for, Ms. Hughes.” He turned and smirked at her. “Perhaps there’s a place for you in my firm.” He went back to digging through the safe.
She laughed once, then cleared her throat. “I’m always open to offers, Mr. Benner.” She winked at Jackson.
He smiled and nodded, but sobered as Benner pulled a thick brown envelope from the safe and set it on his desk. From it, he pulled a one-inch stack of papers and photos.
Jackson sat forward as Benner leaned over and set the items on the desk between Jackson and Rori.
“This Logan character followed your father and took these pictures.” One after another, they looked at photos of Dusty with women who looked familiar from the scrapbooks—his brothers’ mothers. Benner revealed pictures of Dusty with Sapphire, then photos of Dad with Dylan, Killian, and even a few with Jackson, which sent a chill up his spine.
“Wow.” Rori eased her leg closer and touched it against Jackson’s.
He appreciated the gesture, and squeezed her knee. “So Logan went to Dusty with this? Or to you?”
“To Dusty.” Benner sat, resting his hand on his stomach. “Who came to me. From there, the three of us reached an agreement. Monthly payments for life…and in this case, Dusty’s life…increasing annually, and sent through anonymous accounts.” Benner tapped the stack of papers Jackson had brought in. “But you know all that.”
“And Logan told Theresa…?” Rori put her hand on top of Jackson’s.
“He got some pictures of Dusty eating alone in restaurants, heading to his hotel room early, and alone, working long hours, etc.” Benner shook his head. “I encouraged Dusty to be forthcoming with his wife, but he became angry and told me it was none of my business.” He gathered the photos and slid them back into the envelope. “Which it wasn’t.” He held the envelope out to Jackson. “Would you like to dispose of these?”
He tipped his head down. “No, why don’t you keep them. Just in case.” He looked at Rori. “I’ll have our contract employee copy off then remove the files from Dusty’s computers, and I’ll hang on to this secret for a while.”
Rori smiled and nodded. “Good plan, boss.”
“I agree, Jackson.” Benner placed the envelope back into the safe, closed the door, and spun the lock.
“Why the different bank accounts?” Jackson looked at Rori.
She frowned. “And why open and close them? Why not leave them open?”
Benner snorted. “That’s how this Logan character wanted it done. I think he believed he could escape legal and tax ramifications by withdrawing the funds from banks in different counties.”
“What about legal action?” Jackson wanted revenge. “Can we do anything to put this Logan guy out of business?”
The attorney shook his head. “The agreement was that Logan would not reveal any of this to Theresa or publicly, provided there was never any legal action brought against him.” Benner looked between Rori and him. “If we were to contact the authorities, or in any way try to discredit Logan, he could go public with it, release the photos, write a book, make a movie based on—”
“Okay, I get it.” Jackson glanced at Ro
ri. His family’s privacy, or what was left of it, was the main concern.
Benner’s professional smile had returned. “Now, is there anything else I can help you with?”
Jackson stood and shook the man’s hand. “No. I think this is just about all I can manage for today.”
Benner nodded for a few seconds. “Understandable. But don’t hesitate to call or come in if there’s anything in the future.”
Jackson narrowed his eyes. “Hopefully, there’s nothing else in that safe of yours that I need to be concerned with?”
Benner laughed, loud and long, then held up his hand, his three middle fingers pointing upward. “Scout’s honor, there’s nothing else in there that could bite either of us in the ass.” He nodded to Rori. “Excuse the language, ma’am.”
She stood and grinned. “I’ve heard worse.” She shook Benner’s hand. “Thanks again.”
Jackson took her arm and guided her toward the door.
“I’ll be in touch, Ms. Hughes.” Benner called from behind them. “I can think of three or four cases you can help us with just off the cuff.”
“Looking forward to it, sir.” She preceded Jackson out the door and into the heat of a late Kansas afternoon. Turning to face Jackson, she lifted her brows. “Did you have any idea?”
“Nope.” He looked into her eyes, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t have guessed. But I can see Dusty pulling that one off. Can’t you?”
“I can. He had a lot to lose.”
Jackson walked next to Rori along the sidewalk toward her building. He couldn’t imagine a man so intent on keeping secrets that he’d go through all that work and expense to hide them. Was that a good sign? Maybe Jackson wasn’t destined to be just like Dusty. But he wasn’t ready to risk finding out. “You got customers this afternoon?”
Jackson: The Sons of Dusty Walker Page 10
