Authors: Lorraine Nelson
A Cowgirl's Pride (15 page)
Winnie nodded in acknowledgement.
Leah finished eating and rose to get a cup of
coffee. She poured her own and brandished the pot in the direction of the
table. “Anyone want a refill?”
All four men did, so she filled their mugs
before returning to the table. “Are you from B.C.?”
“Yes, my office is in
“Did you drive all this way?”
“Not exactly. Roddy dropped me off down the
road.”
Leah tensed, choked, her coffee spewing out in
front of her to the twins’ amusement.
“It’s all right, darlin’. Michael’s men should
have him anytime now.” Her father passed her a napkin and patted her back.
“What?”
“As soon as
Michael said, an evil smirk on his face. “None of
my
guys are on his payroll. Guaranteed!”
“So it’s over?” she asked hopefully.
“Not yet, but soon.”
She breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief. “Thank
you, Michael. Thank you all for standing by me. Have I told you lately how much
I love you guys?”
“Nope, but I wouldn’t mind hearing it again,”
Michael teased.
The twins giggled outrageously, and Zakia shooed
them away from the table. “You’ve both finished eating. Now go play.”
“Can we go outside?” asked Cammy.
“Later,” said Luke.
A hushed silence filled the air as Leah watched
the boys scamper from the room.
“I think Winnie and I should keep an eye on
those rascal grandkids of ours. What do ya say, luv?”
“You go. I’ll help clean up and join you in a
few.”
“All right.”
Winnie and Zakia made short work of cleaning up
the kitchen while Leah sat waiting to know what was going on.
“Sorry to keep you hanging, Leah, but I didn’t
want to say too much with the twins little ears perked up.”
“I know, Michael. That’s why I tried not to ask
questions either. And
thank you for understanding.”
“Hey, no problem. I have a niece and nephew that
I think the world of, so I’m used to watching what I say when I’m around the
wee folk.”
especially when he smiled. “So, how did you end up working for Roddy?”
“He called my office, made an appointment, and
hired me. That was about six years ago. I’ve located a few people for him since,
but Michael’s been filling me in on what’s happening. I can’t say I like being
used by Roddy in light of the information I have now. In all my dealings with
him, I’d never heard a word against him. It came as kind of a shock really.”
“Roddy already knew I was here, so why would he
hire you?”
“That’s what I’d like to know. He dropped me off
and told me to look for your car.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe he just
wanted to verify that you actually were here.”
“Maybe.”
A car pulled up beside the house, and Michael
rose to look out the window. “Charlie’s here. I’ll let him in.”
Leah rose to her feet, anxious to hear the news.
Charlie’s grin went ear-to-ear. “We got ‘em,
boss. All three of them. Loaded them in separate vehicles to transport them to
jail, but they weren’t armed like you said.”
knife in his boots. The driver probably does, too.”
“Damn! Call it in, boss. I’m after them.”
Michael palmed his phone and hit speed dial
while Charlie ran to his vehicle. He hit the road in mere seconds, lights
flashing and siren wailing. Luke came to stand beside Leah, placing an arm
around her shoulders.
Michael snapped his phone closed. “I’m going
after them.
for your own safety, stay put.”
“So, I’m not under arrest?”
“No, but you’re as good as dead if Roddy thinks
you ratted on him,” Michael said as he pulled on his coat and boots.
“Be careful, Michael,” Winnie said, nervously
wringing the dishtowel in her hands.
He nodded and took off.
“Come on, Winnie. Let’s join Lucas and the
boys,” said Zakia as she slung an arm around the older woman and left the room.
Leah turned to
else hurt because of me.”
“Anyone
else
?
I don’t think I have the full story yet, do I?”
She smiled. “Probably not.”
“Are you going to fill me in?”
She smiled again. “Probably not.”
“Then tell me this…did Roddy really murder
someone?”
“Yes, three people that I’m aware of.”
“Can you tell me their names?”
Luke nodded. “Go ahead, Leah. I can't see what
it would hurt. I’m going to the office to check and see if Michael’s fax came
in yet.”
“Okay. Have a seat,
one?”
“Sounds good,” he said.
She sat and took a good swallow of coffee before
retelling the story of Alex’s murder. “He kept me prisoner until I managed to
escape a few days ago. Roddy also hired a hit man who killed a sheriff, then
dressed in his uniform to arrest me and either kill me or take me back to
Roddy. Either way, I’d be dead.”
“And the third?” he asked.
His voice was calmer, gentle, as if concerned
she might fall apart with the telling.
“Delores Ramey, another dancer at Roddy’s club.
She helped me get away. I’m not sure how he found out, but he did. She was
stabbed to death in her apartment.”
“Good Lord! So his wanting to find you is
nothing to do with breaching a contract?”
“No, I fulfilled the terms of my contract. He
threatened to sue if I didn’t.”
“What a bastard! Pardon my language.”
“That’s all right. I’ve heard worse.” She took
another sip of coffee, her hands wrapped around the mug in an effort to control
their shaking. The telling never got any easier. When she thought of how close
she’d come to dying at Roddy’s hands, she shook uncontrollably.
“Are you okay?”
She tried a smile, felt it wobble. “Yes, but the
remembering is difficult. I’d rather forget any of it ever happened, but that’s
impossible.”
“In my work as an investigator, finding and
reuniting people, the jobs usually end happily. I find it hard to understand
how I could’ve been so far off base working for Roddy. I guess I must have
allowed his power and reputation as an honest businessman to influence my
decisions. I certainly never clued in to him being a serial killer, of all
things.”
“Roddy tried very hard to maintain his image as
a
successful
businessman, but
honest
? No.” She shook her head
decisively. “Ruthless would be a more accurate description. He was very
possessive of the things he considered his…including me. He loved to watch men as
they watched me dance. Got a real kick out of it, but Alex died because he
touched me. All he did was reach out and tuck a tip in my costume, but Roddy
didn’t like it and poor Alex died because of it.”
“You sound guilty.”
“Aren’t I? Wouldn’t you feel that way if someone
died because of you?”
“No, Leah. Alex died because of Roddy’s need to
possess. It wasn’t because of you or your job. The responsibility lies solely
with Roderick Kendall. No wonder you came home. At least here, your family has
you well protected. I’ll stay on too, if you wish.”
“You might have to stay for your own good, but
thanks for the offer. Michael and Luke, my brothers, are in charge of security.
You’ll need to speak with them.”
“I’ll do that. Both of them are your brothers?”
“Michael’s mother married my father, so yes,
we’re all family.”
“Ahhh, I kind of got the impression that Michael
hoped for more.”
“Geez, I hope not! I have enough problems.” She
laughed, the sound in total disharmony with the murders they’d been discussing.
“Michael’s a great guy and all that, but I don’t think of him that way.”
“Then there’s hope for me yet,” he said, smiling
so brightly his green eyes twinkled.
“Sorry, But after escaping Roddy’s clutches, I
certainly have no plans of entering a relationship anytime soon.”
“Understood, but if you change your mind…?”
“If I change my mind, it’ll probably be because
of an old beau here on Thunder Creek.”
“Ah, darn!” His hands came up as if to grasp
hold of his heart. “I finally meet my one true love, and she’s taken.”
“Don’t be silly.” This time she did laugh. “We
barely know each other.”
“Sometimes, it doesn’t take long. I think I fell
in love with you on sight.”
“Now you really are being foolish, but thanks
for lightening the tension. I needed a good laugh.”
“You need someone to love you as you deserve to
be loved.”
“Deserve…what a funny word when applied to me.”
“Leah?”
She heard the question in his voice but chose to
ignore it. “I had it all once, and I walked away. I’m not sure I deserve a second
chance.”
“Well, if he’s too much of a fool to realize
what he’d have in you, I’ll be waiting.”
She smiled. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind, but
you’d be better off to keep looking. The right woman is out there, somewhere,
but I’m afraid it won’t be me.”
“Thank you for your honesty. Now, do you have a
deck of cards? I play a mean hand of gin rummy.”
“No problem.” She reached behind her and grabbed
the cards out of the hutch drawer. Glad to have something to do, she dealt the
first round.
* * * *
The wind had picked up while he snoozed, so
clear the snowdrifts. There were a few things needing fixed in the barn and the
bunkhouse. He’d talk to Luke about it when he finished plowing and take a run
into town for supplies. Maybe Leah could come along for the drive. She would be
safe enough with him.
If Michael
allowed her to go.
serious. He didn’t have to stick to Leah like glue. If he had to guess, his
mind said Michael was hoping for a chance to win her favor…or at the very
least, bed her. He’d seen the looks Michael cast her way, and he didn’t like it
one little bit. Last evening was heaven. To enjoy her company without her
watchdog breathing down his neck had been nothing short of remarkable.
Speak of the devil. He cleared the end of the
driveway only to watch Michael give him a jaunty wave as he pulled in. Where had
he been? He didn’t notice Michael’s car gone from the yard. Had he jailed that
trespasser?
Damn! He should’ve gone to the house to see Leah
before starting to plow. No help for it, he turned and retraced his path,
widening the driveway on his way back. He parked the tractor in the barn and
grabbed a shovel to clear the walkways. Maybe he’d catch her in the office
again. He smiled as he worked, but she wasn’t there. Instead, he saw her
through the rear facing window, talking, laughing, and playing cards with the
stranger. What the hell? Did she know him? Had he been one of her conquests in
He finished shoveling and went back to the
bunkhouse. Repairs could wait. He wasn’t in the mood to work his ass off today.
Tomorrow would be soon enough.
The wranglers were playing cards, too, adding to
his discontent. He grabbed a book he’d read at least twenty times, poured a cup
of coffee, and settled in front of the fire. The book didn’t hold his interest,
but the dancing flames did. He saw Leah’s face, eyes lit up with merriment as
she entertained the stranger. Erickson, he remembered—Trent Erickson. He hated
that name. Hated that he was the one who had taken him to the house to begin
with.
He was getting angrier by the minute. The
bunkhouse phone rang, and Cookie called out, “
“Hello.
“Cal, it’s Luke. Could you ride out to Uncle
Cam’s place and check on things there? With this cold snap we’re having, I
thought we’d better make sure the furnace is working.”
“Okay. I’ll head over that way right after
lunch.” Would Leah want to go with him?
“Thank you. And
“Yeah?”
“Take your gun, just in case.”