It Takes Two: Deep in the Heart, Book 1 (37 page)

Carter’s voice trailed off. A curious sensation hit Zach that Carter was afraid to tell him what his plans for Pop’s house were.

“I believe what our friend is trying to tell you is that he’s going to open a little house of whores, Zach,” Lindale finished. “Isn’t that right, Carter?”

Zach stared, disbelieving. He ground his teeth as his eyes met Carter’s and saw the guilty truth in his expression. “God. You don’t care how you make money, do you?”

Carter didn’t reply, obviously becoming petrified of Zach’s burgeoning rage.

“Sign it,” Zach commanded. “You’ll just have to find a way to make a profit somewhere else.” No way in hell was he going to allow any sex shops to be opened on the ground where his mother had once lived, had once raised him with her gentle love.

“What good is it to you?” Carter asked, still unwilling to give up his investment.

“I don’t know. I’ll probably give the property to a church or a charity, where it can be used in a suitable manner. That area of town could use some spiritual uplifting. Now, sign, damn it.”

Reluctantly, Carter obeyed. “Are we finished conducting business now? I have an important meeting to go to.”

“You sure do.” Lindale tucked his beefy arm securely through Carter’s. “As a matter of fact, the board has thoroughly examined Ritter’s financial records, and we’ve discovered that we are indeed missing a bit of change in the company. Coincidentally, we also found a like amount in your bank account.”

“So,” Zach began, taking hold of Carter’s other arm and leading him forward to Zach’s car, “we think the police will be interested to hear your tale of how you became instantly rich.”

Carter struggled between them, but Zach’s grip was determined and fierce. “And,” Zach finished, “when they’re through talking to you, the Desperado sheriff is sending someone to discuss a little bitty fire some firebug set down that way.”

“I didn’t have anything to do with that!” Carter screamed. “You’ll never be able to tie me to the fire on that bitch’s land. And anyway, that Indian woman had it coming to her. She thinks she’s a frigging queen. But I’m too smart to leave evidence lying around, and even if the two of you try to pin it on me, it won’t stand up in court. You’ll never tie me to it.”

Zach looked down at his prisoner. “I don’t have to. You and your filthy mouth just did.” He flipped out a recording device that had been in his pocket. Carter stared, shocked, before hanging his head. A police cruiser that had been waiting for Zach’s appearance with Carter rolled to the curb, and two officers got out.

Sam and Zach handed Carter over to them. Carter went peacefully, obviously realizing the futility of struggling now that every angle had been completely covered by Zach. Before getting in, he turned to look at Zach one last time.

“This isn’t what I thought would happen, back when we were in college,” he said.

Zach looked at the man who had once been his friend. He shrugged. “Me, neither.”

Carter nodded. Then the policewoman helped him into the car. Zach handed over the recorder to the officer’s partner. “We’ll be getting in touch with you, Mr. Rayez,” the officer said.

“You do that,” Zach replied.

Within seconds, the cruiser had disappeared, taking away the man who had tried to ruin Zach’s life. He stared after it, glad the whole thing was over. But deep inside, it sickened him that it had ever had to happen.

Sam slapped him on the back jovially. Zach turned to look at his friend. “I can’t thank you enough for coming with me today, Sam. Carter wouldn’t have cooperated nearly as well without you.”

Lindale chuckled. “You seemed to be doing fine to me. Although you worried me a little with the gun business. Couldn’t figure out what I was going to have to pull out of my pocket for that one.”

Zach laughed. “Sorry. I got a little crazy.”

They got in Zach’s car. “Well, now what?” Sam asked. “What are your plans?”

Zach didn’t hesitate as he started the car. “I’ve got a few more loose ends to tie up. But as soon as I do, I’m heading toward Desperado.”

“Time to fire up your salsa factory?”

“Yeah. Feel like attending a wedding any time soon?”

Sam laughed out loud. “Hell, yeah, I feel like it. I just got my tux ready for the wedding you were supposed to have last weekend.”

Zach smiled. “Keep it out. If I have my way about it, I’ll be eating wedding cake very soon.”

In Desperado, Annie and Mary sat by the fish pond, quietly feeding the fish. The smaller ones were beginning to be cautious about humans, but they still weren’t as shy as the bigger fish. The corn kernels were just too enticing to be passed up.

Mary laughed happily as a fish splashed in the water. “They’re playing,” she said.

Annie smiled, gazing at the daughter she loved so much. “Yes, I think they are,” she replied. After a moment, she said, “Mary, you didn’t have a chance to know your grandmother. But she was a beautiful woman who loved your grandfather very much.”

“I know. But she got sick,” Mary said. Sadness stole into the little girl’s eyes.

Annie wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her into her lap. “Yes. But I have some good news to tell you. Ms. Gert and Grandpa Travis are getting married.”

Mary turned around to peer at her mother. “Are they really?”

“Yes.” Annie nodded at the delight in Mary’s eyes.

“Can I go to the wedding?” she pleaded. “I’ll be really good and not sleepy or anything.”

Annie laughed. “Better than that. Gert wants you to be her flower girl.”

“Oh, my,” Mary breathed. “Will I look just like Cinderella? With flowers and everything?”

Tears jumped into Annie’s eyes. “With flowers and everything. It’s going to be small and simple in the chapel at our church, but Gert has even picked out a flower halo for you to wear in your hair. You’ll be every bit as beautiful as Cinderella, sugar.”

Mary clapped her hands. “I’m so excited! I can’t wait!” But just as quickly her face fell. “I’m happy for Grandpa, I really am. But I wish it was you, Mama,” she said softly.

Annie lowered her head, brushing a kiss against Mary’s little forehead. Zach had never mentioned marriage to her. It wasn’t likely that he would choose her to be the woman to fit into his world. But she said to Mary, “Maybe one day, sugar. But if I ever do get married, I promise you’ll be my flower girl.” Then she hugged her daughter close and wondered if she’d ever hear from Zach again.

Thirty minutes later, Mary ran up to house to get a soda. Annie stayed where she was, lazily enjoying a moment of contentment by the side of the pond.

She might have even started to doze off, but a masculine voice spoke out in the stillness. “You look just the way I always think of you.”

“Zach!” Annie sat up quickly, repressing the urge to throw her arms around his neck. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon.”

“Did you doubt me, Annie Aguillar?” Zach asked. “Did you think I wouldn’t come back?

Annie didn’t really know what to say. He looked so tall and wonderfully handsome standing there, his mouth quirked into a cocky grin, that she hesitated. She wanted to tell Zach how glad she was that he’d come, but the words stayed inside her. “Um…it wasn’t so much that I doubted you, but I knew that there were a lot of things working against us.”

“Precisely why I had to come back.” Zach sat down next to her, pulling a piece of paper from his pocket. “I have a lot to tell you. First, I think you’ll be happy to know that the plans for the state highway were redrawn some time ago, I discovered. From the looks of it, the highway will run in a northwest line, only marginally close to that line of your property.”

“I can breathe a sigh of relief about that,” Annie said. She was grateful to have the news.

“Second, I have a gift to give you that I hope you’ll accept.” He extended his hand, holding out the piece of paper to her.

“You shouldn’t give me anything else, Zach. You’ve already given me so much,” Annie protested.

He didn’t say a word, but his hand stayed where it was. Gingerly, Annie took the paper, quickly scanning it. “This is the deed to the property south of mine?” she asked. “Why is it in my name?”

“Because I’m giving it to you, if you want it,” he said. “I, ah, talked Carter out of it.” Annie raised her brows and Zach shrugged. “He wasn’t cut out for country living, anyway.”

“Hmm.” From the pleased expression on Zach’s face, it seemed that there were parts of the story she wasn’t going to hear.

“Me, however,” Zach said, “I’m looking for a new enterprise to back. Somebody gave me a tip that a smart, sexy, beautiful woman was looking for an investor in her salsa business. I happen to think salsa’s an excellent venture to back right now.”

Disappointment flooded Annie at his words. She was glad to see him, but apparently, he only had business on his mind. “Oh, Zach,” Annie said softly, “You don’t have to do that. I’ll find a way—”

He interrupted her with a long kiss that stole her breath and made her heart beat faster. “I have to have something to do with my time. Otherwise, I’ll just lay around and make love to you every day, and that won’t put money in the bank, you know.”

“It would be nice if it would,” Annie agreed, pulling away after a moment, “but I guess you’re right.” She looked down at the paper again. “But, Zach, you shouldn’t give this to me. It’s yours.”

He shrugged. “Nah. I’m not interested in becoming a landowner.”

Intently, he leaned over to take her in his arms, tracing his fingers over her hips. Annie tried to ignore the thought that Zach’s interest seemed focused on her—sexually. “If you’re sure about giving this away, can I give it to Papa? With him and Gert getting married, they might like to have a place of their own. It would be so convenient, just a truck drive across the fields.”

Zach paused to look into the distance. “I think giving the property to Gert and Travis is an excellent idea. Honeymooners should have their own place to move in to.”

“Yes. They’ll be delighted with your generosity.” Annie took a deep breath, not trying too hard to get away from the searching kisses Zach was trailing along her neckline and shoulders. “By the way, you may have been right about the oil.”

He lifted his head and looked at her, instantly alert. “What are you saying?”

Annie took a deep breath. “I’m saying that I appreciate you wanting to back my business, but you may want to go into oil production instead of pushing salsa. I read my grandmother’s journals, and,” Annie stared at him solemnly, “apparently, she and my grandfather had always known it was there.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Zach was stunned. “Are you positive? I mean, could your grandmother have been certain?”

Annie nodded. “According to what Grandmother Day wrote, her parents—who had disinherited her from the family when she married my grandfather—were sure that there was oil under their land. They drilled, but nothing ever happened. In fact, my great-grandparents were nearly broke from the expense of it. And dreadfully disappointed, because the rumors had been so persistent for so long that they’d begun to believe they were going to become oil barons.”

Simultaneously, their hands touched, then wrapped together. “They’d really counted on it, then?” Zach asked.

“Well, as rich as they were, and owning half the county, I wouldn’t think they needed to be any richer. However, from my grandmother’s writing, it seems that her parents were rather greedy and liked to lord their wealth over everyone.”

“Including the daughter who didn’t marry to their standards,” Zach stated.

“I got that impression too.”

“So, they were feeling the financial effects of their treasure hunt and needed a strike to keep up their lifestyle.”

“Yes. And my grandmother and her husband, Two, were living on the fringe edge of her parents’ land, several miles away from her family and with no contact between them—this land we’re on now—with no real income and nothing more than what they could grow in the ground.”

Annie sighed. “One day,” she continued, “a man went to Grandmother Day and told her he’d miscalculated the property line. That he’d accidentally drilled on a portion of her property.”

The hanging willows edging the foreman’s shack blew softly in the light breeze. Zach looked at her silently, waiting for her to continue. “Although any place that had been drilled on her parents’ property was dry, for some reason they hit oil on Grandmother Day’s side.”

Zach chuckled. “So, the daughter they were so ashamed of came out the big winner.”

“Yes. Grandmother Day swore the man to secrecy and told him to cement the place where they’d drilled. Apparently, he never violated her trust, because her parents never suspected that the small parcel of one hundred acres they’d given to their daughter to assuage their consciences was the most valuable piece of their land.”

“I think I would have liked your grandmother. She was smart,” Zach said.

Annie smiled up at him. “This is the best part of the story, though. When she told my grandfather about the oil, he sat down and laughed for two days. He said that her parents shouldn’t have disowned their only daughter, and that everything had happened just as it should have. According to Grandmother’s journal, that’s why she nicknamed him Two Days Laughing.”