An Impostor in Town (Colorado Series) (12 page)
Read An Impostor in Town (Colorado Series) Online
Authors: Denise Moncrief
Tags: #Suspense, #Contemporary
“I like it here a whole lot.” His anger was unexpected, but maybe it shouldn’t have been.
“Johanna’s been good to you, hasn’t she?”
“Yes, she has. And Mr. Pierce too.”
The underlying meaning of his words tore at her heart. Even if they did defeat Cory and survive this horrible experience, she would never be able to reclaim her place as his mother. How could she tell her son she understood if he didn’t want her in his life? “I grew up around horses. I loved riding and roping when I was a girl. I was good at barrel racing. I won a few trophies.”
“Art says if I get good enough, he might enter me into a rodeo.” Enthusiasm bounced in his words. “Well, if we ever get out of here.” His youthful exuberance lost steam.
“Is there any other way out of the cave?”
“There might be. But there’s no way we can find out in the dark. We could get lost or hurt. It’s better to stay close to the opening. This is where Mr. Pierce will look for us.”
After that, the soft in and out of his breathing from the other side of the cave was the only noise disturbing the quiet. Her eyelids drifted downward until Jake’s sharp voice urged her to wake. “Miss Peyton!” She had dozed, maybe slept for hours. She lost track of time, all her senses disoriented and fuzzy. The lump on her head must be a concussion.
She rose on one elbow and blinked at him. “What?”
He pointed toward the opening. Sunshine blared through the gap. “It’s that horse.” A rope dangled through the hole. “He’s nudged his lead down here to us!” She shook her head. Was she dreaming? “I’m going to try to get out of here.”
“Wait, Jake—”
“Don’t worry. Thunder knows what he’s doing.”
Jake climbed rocks and grasped for the nearest hold. He pulled himself within inches of the rope and grabbed the swaying lifeline. Balancing on a large boulder jutting from the cave wall, he wrapped the line around his waist. The horse snorted. Thuds and pings resounded on rock. The rope tightened. Jake slowly and steadily disappeared upward out of the cave.
He stared down at her through the hole. “I’ll go get help.” And he was gone.
****
It was six in the morning. Brian stood on the front porch of the lodge at Twin Rivers Ranch. Pierce had one booted foot propped on the railing. They were waiting for Johanna to come outside and tell them how Peyton was faring this morning.
He was reluctant to leave her, but there were situations back in Durango he needed to address. Last night, she assured him she understood and urged him to go. She would come home as soon as she felt able. He still had misgivings about leaving her here.
Johanna appeared in the doorway. “She wants to see you before you leave.”
He rushed upstairs to her room. Her color was better. Johanna was taking good care of her. He noticed the tray of half-eaten breakfast food and smiled. She would survive the effects of the concussion.
He lowered his tired body into the rocker next to her bed “How’s my angel of mercy this morning?”
She groaned. “Oh please, don’t start that.” He grinned at her. “I’m no angel and you know it. And don’t ask how things are going with me. You can see how I’m doing.”
He wanted to pull her out of her cranky mood. “Johanna says you’ll mend.”
“Maybe. Look, I need to tell you—”
“You can tell me everything later. Right now, I want you to rest.” She didn’t protest. She looked relieved. He took her hand in his and held it for a long moment. “When you get home, we’ll talk.” She nodded her agreement. “I’ll see you later, then.” Tears glistened around the edges of her eyes. He wanted to hold her like he had the night she confessed to him. He wasn’t sure she would let him. He resisted the urge to lean over and kiss her. Instead, he stood and walked toward the door. His hand was already on the knob.
“Brian, wait.”
He turned toward her. “What?”
Her mood had changed—a bright, excited look on her face. “I think I know who Chris is!” She shifted on the bed. “I was just thinking about…” Shame covered her face. She shook her head as if pushing aside painful memories. “Jeff said he saw his wife.”
The urgency in her statement alarmed him. He came back into the room and sat on the edge of her bed. A tingling sensation began in his toes and his fingertips. The spot behind his ear itched.
“Jeff married Cory’s stepsister, Carol. The three of them got into trouble together.” She inched up and propped against the headboard. “I only met her once or twice before Jeff left. It was such a long time ago and we really didn’t know each other, but I’m sure that’s why Chris looks so familiar to me. I never could quite get the idea out of my mind that I knew someone that looked like her. I think Chris is Carol.”
He considered her statements, suddenly understanding her urgency. He’d done background checks on both Jeff Osborne and Cory Powell. By now he knew Chris couldn’t be Carol. Jeff’s wife Carol was dead. But her twin sister, Crystal…
Maybe she didn’t know about Crystal. He didn’t have time to explain the twisted Osborne, Powell, Stone family tree to her. Cory was still at large. “If Cory is in town and Chris doesn’t recognize him, she’s in danger. I think I’d better get back to Durango as soon as possible.”
He glanced back at her one more time from the open door. She smiled at him—a beautiful, bright smile that radiated the prospect of things to come. It was all he needed to give him hope.
****
Peyton drew in a deep breath as Brian neared the front desk.
He smiled. “How’s my angel of mercy today?”
She grinned at him though her insides tumbled. She had to fight to keep from trembling.
He appeared to hesitate. “I’m looking for Chris Smith. Is she in a room yet?” By now, they all knew her real name, Crystal West, but for some reason, no one could quite get past calling her Chris Smith.
Peyton’s heart sank. Of course he would be here checking on Chris. An ambulance had brought the woman to the hospital during a horrid storm. Something terrible had happened to her. Only bits and pieces of the story had trickled through the rumor mill.
She consulted her paperwork. “Room…um…three fifteen. Her husband’s with her.”
Sometime during the last few hours or days, Chris had regained her memory and acknowledged Steve West as her husband. Peyton wanted to kick herself as she allowed the hint of undisguised satisfaction to creep into her voice. She was deeply grateful the woman had found her identity. Finding her past would relieve Brian of his responsibility where Chris was concerned.
He seemed to puzzle over her obvious emphasis on Steve West’s presence. He gave her his undivided attention for a long minute. At the ranch he had promised they would talk when she got back to Durango. Would he follow through with the suggestion? She bit her lip in order to keep from reminding him.
He rubbed the back of his head. “I need to tell you something.”
Her heart stopped.
“What?”
“Um…” He looked around to see if anyone was listening. “Cory is dead.”
“Dead?”
“It’s a long story.”
Another nurse came around the corner and dropped into the chair next to her.
He switched subjects quickly. “How’re things going with you, Peyton? Are you feeling better?” She nodded. She couldn’t get the words past the lump in her throat. “You shouldn’t have come back to work so soon.”
His mild rebuke seemed endearing. “Probably, but I couldn’t hang around the house.”
“Are you tired?”
“I’m okay. I’ll be better when my shift ends in a few minutes.” Would he catch her obvious hint?
He smiled. “I’ll be glad to be off too. When I’m done upstairs, I’m going home.”
He tapped the counter and turned as if to walk away. Really? Was he leaving? Was he ignoring her hint? Her heart sank. Then he turned abruptly causing her to jump in surprise.
“I was thinking…” He paused and her stomach knotted. She smiled to encourage him. “Maybe when your shift is over, we can grab a bite to eat.”
“I’d like that.” Joy flooded her whole being. She was practically bouncing on her toes.
A grin lit his face. His eyes traveled to his soiled uniform. “Uh…maybe I’d be a better date if I cleaned up a little.”
She glanced down at her scrubs. “Yeah. Me too.” She laughed brightly and hoped it didn’t sound faked.
“I could pick you up at your place in an hour and a half.”
She nodded. He favored her with one more charming grin and then left her with her heart pounding in her chest. He whistled an inconsistent tune as he walked away.
****
The flat pasture glowed bright white with freshly fallen snow. Its pristine surface only marred by the well-beaten path between the water hole and the feed trough. The cattle huddled together on the sheltered side of the shed. A light wind caressed Peyton’s red hair as she sat atop the fence rail and watched Brian spread hay for the horses. Poncho nibbled a carrot contentedly from her fingertips.
Brian glanced up and smiled at her. “I’m glad you came out with me tonight.” His warmth caused her stomach to tumble all topsy-turvy.
She smiled back. “Me too. It seems that every time you ask me out we end up feeding your stock!”
His grin broadened. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t apologize. You know I like being here.” Her comment seemed to please him.
“Oh. I almost forgot.” He reached into his pocket and dangled something in front of her. The sterling silver cross caught the last rays of the sun and glinted in the fading light.
She snatched the necklace from his outstretched hand. “Where did you find it?”
“Pierce’s foreman found it in the bunkhouse.”
“I wondered where I lost it.” She drew in a deep, cleansing breath and sighed.
He tossed the last bit of sweet feed into the trough. Poncho left her and began munching and crunching the feed. Brian returned the hayfork to its place in the nearby shed and then stood next to her. He took out a worn kerchief and wiped his brow. Slowly and methodically, he folded the square and put it back into his pocket. As the last bit of light filtered through the pines, he pulled out his wallet, removed a piece of paper, and offered it to her.
“What’s this?” She unfolded it and examined the crude drawing.
“A rough sketch of the house I’m building out here next summer.”
Her heart beat a little faster. What was he implying? Last time they talked about him building a house… At first she allowed the happy thought to germinate and then she squelched it. Happiness couldn’t possibly be hers. “You told me you weren’t going to build a house until you married.”
“That’s right.” Restrained excitement glowed in his eyes.
“So I guess that means you’re planning on getting married soon.”
He grinned and nodded. She subdued her impatience. The man was obviously drawing this out as long as he could. He had a mischievous streak.
“Who?” She knew what she wanted him to say. The longing in his eyes answered her. She wanted to leap into his arms, but her stubborn heart refused to budge. Instead, she turned away. “You don’t know me.”
“I know you much better than you are willing to admit.”
The gentleness in his voice snatched her breath from her lungs. She wanted to look at him, but didn’t dare. “You don’t even know what name to call me.”
“Sure, I do, Angel.” He nudged her chin up so she faced him and wiped her tears away with the pads of his thumbs.
“I don’t deserve that name.”
He removed the wide band watch and raised her scarred wrist to his lips, never allowing his eyes to drift from hers.
She hung her head. “Don’t.”
“I thought I might kiss it and make it better. Maybe I need to try another strategy.”
He lifted her from the fence rail, took her in his arms, and bent his head to hers. His kiss filled her with joy.
She returned his passion, relished the fire and the gentleness all rolled up in sweet deliciousness.
His fingers wound through her hair. His other arm firm behind her back. His lips lingered on hers, trailed down her neck, returned to her mouth, until she thought she might explode with relief.
He stepped back and gazed into her eyes. “I’m not going to take no for an answer.” His eyes testified to his declaration of intent. “You know that I love you, don’t you?”
She clung to him, not wanting to ever let him go. “I love you too.”
He swung her around and then released her abruptly.
She almost collapsed on the cold ground but caught herself just in time.
The drawing of their house fluttered away across the open pasture.
He ran in great leaping strides through the snow to retrieve it and then trudged back to her. His eyes glittered as he held the paper in front of them. “So tell me what you think. Will this work? This is your place too.”
Other Titles by Denise Moncrief
Deceptions of the Heart
Purgatory
A word about the author...
Denise lives in Louisiana with one husband, two children, and one very chubby canine. Her family not only endures her writing moods but also encourages her to indulge her passion.
Besides writing romantic suspense, she enjoys traveling, reading, and scrapbooking. She's been writing off and on since she was seventeen, and with several stories already published, she has no desire to slow down.
…
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