by Barb Han
When Mother had told Pops, he’d cautioned her to think long and hard about her choices. Being cut off from family wasn’t something he could have ever considered. Family had meant everything to Pops and it had to Mother, too. Pops had known deep down that she would have never been happy without her parents. He’d told her to take all the time she needed to think about it. That when a man met the woman who he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with, he could wait a few weeks or months for her to be certain of her choice to be with him.
He hadn’t made it to his pickup truck before she’d asked, arms folded across her chest, if he was done with his speech. He’d said that he was. She’d told him to wait out front because she was going inside to get her bag.
Pops had always said waiting for her was the longest ten minutes of his life. When she’d returned, she’d told him that her parents might not approve but her heart did. She’d figured they’d come around once they saw how happy she was. The only regret she’d had was that she wouldn’t finish college.
There was no desire that Pops didn’t want his bride-to-be to fulfill. He’d refused to let her sacrifice her education for marriage. He’d said that he might not be able to bring her parents around, but he could ensure she got her degree.
So, she’d lived in a dorm Sunday night through Friday afternoon. Pops had driven to Austin every weekend to pick her up and bring her home to the ranch. Then he’d turned around and driven her back to campus. He’d made that trek for two and a half years without complaint.
As for the wedding? The preacher had been set to perform the ceremony at the ranch. Mother had invited her parents, but their seats had been empty with ten minutes to the wedding. Pops had overheard Gayle, Mother’s best friend then and now, telling a friend that Margaret’s mother had been heartbroken not to be able to witness her only daughter’s wedding. It was the father who’d been holding out.
Pops had had everyone pile into the back of a couple of pickup trucks and had moved the entire ceremony to her parents’ porch where his future mother-in-law could watch from the front window. Eventually, her father had come around and Pops had forgiven him. Because of Pops’s big heart, Cash knew both sets of grandparents.
Cash would never consider himself a hopeless romantic by any means, but he loved hearing his parents’ story. He looked at his mother when he said, “It’s like a piece of us is gone without him and we will never be able to fill the hole.”
“I know,” she said with her characteristic warmth.
“The whole medical news came out of the blue,” he admitted. She’d been right before. They would have to consider what to do next and especially if no one wanted to step up and help run the ranch. “I need a minute to think about my next steps.”
“This place has been in your father’s family four generations. There’s so much history in these walls. I always felt privileged to be part of the O’Connor legacy.” She looked him straight in the eyes. “Your father wanted to be here. It was his choice. He wanted the same for all of his children and that’s the reason he never pressured any of you to work for him. He wouldn’t want you to be miserable.”
That was the thing, Cash didn’t hate the idea of working more at KBR. He hadn’t considered a life outside of law enforcement mostly because he figured Pops would live forever. There’d been no other possibility in his mind and especially since the man seemed in his prime physically. Cash had locked on to his career early and never looked back. “Maybe it’s time to consider what’s best for the family.”
“What’s best for each of you is best for the family.”
While he understood what she was saying and appreciated her for it, he also realized that he didn’t want the O’Connor family legacy to die with Pops. Cash and his brothers needed to talk about what their roles would be, if any of the others wanted one. Riggs was already on board. Yet, it wasn’t fair to let all the responsibility fall on his shoulders. “I’ll do my part to keep this place running.”
There was also the question of what would happen to their mother if no one stepped up. KBR ran like a well-oiled machine, it could go on autopilot for the time being. Pops had hired an incredible team to take care of the cattle. He was one of the most respected men and employers in the state. Slim Jenkins was top when it came to his job as foreman. The man was like family. But Finn O’Connor was the captain who held the ship together. How long could it keep running smoothly without him?
Cash rubbed his forehead in an attempt to stem the headache trying to take seed. “First things first, I have to keep that kiddo and her mother safe. We need to lock away the bastard who tried to take this angel from her bed and then rip her from her mother’s arms in a parking lot.”
“The person came back a second time?” Mother sounded startled by the news.
“Yes.”
She clucked her tongue and then looked down at Abby. “Sounds like someone wants this little girl very much.”
“That’s the way I’m looking at the situation. She has an ex I don’t like. There was a creep from her office who can’t be ignored. I’m following the evidence but this feels personal.” And that most likely meant it was totally unrelated to Caroline’s case because there was no connection between the families that he knew of.
“Why risk coming back?” Margaret O’Connor had observation skills that would rival any good detective.
“The second attempt was made in the grocery store parking lot.”
“In such a public place?” She balked.
“Exactly. It’s been bothering me, too.”
“Do we know who the birth parents are?” his mother asked.
“Not a clue. Colton interviewed her adoption lawyer a little while ago. We were at his office watching before we came here.”
“And? How do you think it went?” She made a tsk-tsk noise. His mother could always be counted on to let people know how she really felt. She’d never been one to disguise her emotions, even when she put on a brave face.
“Poorly. He basically stopped the interview when Colton asked him to prove his whereabouts for the past forty-eight hours.” Cash had taken note of McGee’s body language and it didn’t inspire confidence the man was innocent. Of course, the lawyer was already known to be shady, so that could very well be the reason. His nervousness might not have anything to do with Renee and Abby. He could, however, be connected to the Hubert murder. The lawyer might have believed the Hubert case was the reason he was being questioned. “He came across as squirrely to me.”
“The guy sounds like a shady character.” His mother had developed keen investigative skills over the past three and a half decades. He remembered the stacks of books in her library that she’d read and reread. Eventually, those gave way to mystery books.
“He’s definitely someone to keep watch of, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he was involved in the kidnapping attempts. He doesn’t fit the description and trying to climb a ladder with his physical fitness level would be a challenge. The person who climbed in and out of Abby’s window made the round trip quickly.”
“Wouldn’t Renee recognize her lawyer or anyone else she knew?” his mother asked.
“She couldn’t see very well without her glasses on, so all she had was a general shape to go on. She didn’t think it was him personally, which doesn’t mean he’s not involved and especially now that we found a link between him and Ms. Hubert.”
“A man who hides behind his office wouldn’t commit the crime himself.” Her gaze narrowed. “No, he’d have henchmen do his bidding.”
Cash sat for a long moment, contemplating his next question because it wasn’t directly related to the case.
“Does it ever go away?” he finally summoned the courage to ask. No one ever spoke about Caroline directly unless it was her birthday and then his mother would recount the precious few memories she had.
“Missing Caroline?” she
asked.
“Yes. That ache. Does it ever get easier?” Even saying those words caused painful stabs in his chest.
“I’m afraid not, son.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you and Pops,” he said, wishing there was some way he could go back and fix the past to make it less painful for his parents.
“It happened to all of us.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Abby.” Renee sat bolt upright and searched the dark room for her daughter.
“She’s right here.” Margaret’s soothing voice calmed Renee’s nerves.
“Sorry.” She blinked through blurry eyes, still half-asleep. It felt like the whole world was moving in slow motion, but that was probably just her. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she moved to the sofa next to Margaret.
Renee shook her head, trying to clear the fog.
“You tell me when you’re ready for her.” Margaret’s kindness was water in a drought when it came to mothers.
“Is she okay?” Renee asked.
“She’s an angel. We’ve been bonding.”
“Does she need anything?” Renee could use a bathroom and a splash of cold water on her face to wake her up.
“She ate an hour ago and I changed her diaper after. I stayed right here in the library in case you woke. Cash did everything else and held her when my arms needed a break.” Margaret smiled down at Abby. “She’s a sweet baby.”
“Thank you.” Renee glanced around the dimly lit room. “Where is Cash?”
“In the office making a few calls. He didn’t want to disturb you by making them in here. Should I call for him?”
“Maybe in a minute.” There was something oddly comforting about being in this room with Cash’s mother and Abby. It was obvious this woman would lay down her life before she’d allow anything bad to happen to either one of them, which struck Renee as remarkable considering they’d just met only a few hours ago. “How long was I asleep?”
“Probably not nearly long enough.” Margaret chuckled. “About three hours.”
“Your arms must be ready to fall off. I can—”
Margaret clucked her tongue. “I’ve had plenty of breaks with Cash around. Don’t take her back until you’re ready. Besides, it’s been a really long time since I’ve held a little girl as lovely as Abby.”
“She is a good baby, isn’t she?”
“She really is.” Considering Margaret’s vast experience with little ones, Renee would take the compliment.
“Is there any chance I could trouble you for a cup of something warm?” Renee asked.
“Kitchen is down the hall. Help yourself to anything you want.” Margaret nodded. “Or I could call Cash.”
“No. That’s okay. I don’t want to be any trouble. I’ll do my best not to get lost.” She smiled but she also meant that very much. The main house was massive and beautiful from what she’d seen of it so far.
“I’ve lived here so long the place doesn’t seem as big to me now as when I first moved in. This was my in-laws’ place. I renovated once they handed over the reins in order to make it my own but I’d forgotten how overwhelming the place can be at first blush.” She beamed back at Renee. “I hope you and Abby will make yourselves at home here. Cash is my oldest and he’s not one to open up to people right away. That’s always been my biggest worry with him. That he holds everything in.” She sighed. “I’d like to tell you there’s a point when you stop worrying about your children, but there isn’t. Not until you see them happy.” She paused a beat. “He’s different when he’s around you two. He could use a...friend.” The way she said the last word made Renee think it was a substitute for the real one she wanted to say. There was so much warmth and love when Margaret spoke about her son. It was the same sunshine-on-a-warm-spring-day feeling she’d had when she first walked into their home. And, if she was being honest, when she’d first met Cash.
“I’m not sure what Abby and I would’ve done without your son.” She felt her cheeks warm when she talked about him and was grateful for the dim lighting. Hopefully, his mother wouldn’t see her physical reaction to talking about Cash.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the man he’s become.” Margaret beamed. “Kitchen is down the hallway and to the left. I think you’ll find everything you need there.”
Renee thanked Margaret and headed out of the library. She pit-stopped at the bathroom and did a double take when she got a good look at herself in the mirror. Margaret had said to make herself at home, so Renee opened the medicine cabinet and located a few supplies for freshening up. It was the closest she could get to taking an actual shower. The toothbrush and toothpaste were like manna from heaven.
After washing her face and wrangling her curly waves into a ponytail, she headed toward the kitchen. The sound of fingers on a keyboard hit before she turned left. Someone was in the kitchen working. Cash had five brothers and there was plenty of hired help at the main house. This late, though, she figured she would most likely run into someone else in his family.
She didn’t want to surprise whoever was in the room and especially one of these men who were used to carrying weapons, so she cleared her throat as loudly as she could as she rounded the corner.
The minute she entered the room, Cash turned to face her and he stood up. Man, did her stomach perform a gymnastics routine the second their eyes met. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own when it came to the handsome lawman. Her brain was definitely out of its league when it came to controlling her physical response to him. The heart could want what it wanted all day long as far as she was concerned. Renee knew better than to let go of control like that despite how strong the urge was to do just that.
“Hey there,” Cash said as his masculine voice conspired with her heart. “Did you get a good rest?”
“Surprisingly, yes.” She tucked her hands inside her pockets for lack of something better to do with them. Knowing where to put her hands had never been a problem before now. She took in a deep breath and tried to remember why she came into the kitchen in the first place. “Tea.” She didn’t realize she’d said the word out loud until Cash nodded toward the counter.
“I’d be happy to get you a cup while I refill mine with something stronger.”
“Oh, no. Don’t go to any trouble—”
“I mean, it’s no trouble. I was just about to get up.” There was so much chemistry pinging between them that she thought she picked up on it in his voice, too. It was reassuring the attraction didn’t seem to be one-sided.
“Okay. Well, if you’re already getting yours.” Her hands came out of her pockets and she shrugged in the most awkward of body movements. She knew exactly what she wanted—Cash. Her mind argued against the timing of an attraction as strong as this one. Logic tried to say that she felt this way only because he’d saved her and her baby...he was their rescuer or something like that.
Cash moved toward the counter and she was relieved when his back was turned to her so she could let out the breath she’d been holding. It was so much easier to think when those steel-gray eyes weren’t locked on to hers.
Refocusing her attention on where he’d been sitting, she noticed he had a laptop and notepad on the massive oak table. “Find anything interesting?”
“Not really.” As Cash brought over a steaming cup of tea that smelled like absolute heaven, his cell buzzed on the table next to the laptop.
Colton’s name lit up the screen. Renee and Cash locked eyes for one second before he made a move to pick it up. The exchange between them, as electric as a hot-wired fence, sent more of that warmth sizzling through her. He set her cup down and answered.
“I’m putting you on speaker. Renee is here with me.” The fact Cash seemed to need to immediately let his brother know who was in on the conversation with them made her wonder how much confidential information the brothers usually shared. Between the two of
them, they had to be responsible for keeping many of the community’s secrets, and she wondered how much of a burden that might be.
“Good.” That one word from Colton sent a chill racing down her back because it meant he had news about her case.
She palmed her mug and rolled it around in her hands before taking a sip. The tea would provide much-needed calm.
Colton cleared his throat. “One of my deputies got an anonymous tip to pick up a young guy who works for the Pierson ranch. He was acting suspicious, so my deputy started digging around, asking questions. He told the guy our office would figure out if he’d done something wrong, lock him up and throw away the key. The kid got real nervous because he needs his job and room and board in the bunkhouse.”
“Did this guy fit the general height and build of our window creeper?” Cash asked.
“He’s a little smaller than the description she gave...”
Renee didn’t want to point out that she didn’t have her glasses on and so the guy’s frame was more a blur. She’d been dead asleep and startled awake. She could’ve gotten this description wrong. It all happened so fast.
“But he confessed to being in the parking lot with two of his buddies. He said a man paid the trio a thousand dollars in cash to scare the mother.”
Cash blew out a breath. “And you believed this kid?”
“By the time my deputy brought him in here the kid was almost inconsolable, especially when he found out what had happened a few hours before. He swears that he had no idea. He and his buddies thought the whole thing was some kind of twisted prank,” Colton continued.
