Heart of a Marine (The Wounded Warrior Series Book 1) (13 page)

“Dempsey’s not her father. My husband and I are suing for custody.” She grabbed the summons and shook it under his nose.

“Your husband?” Cluny rolled his eyes. “He must be a real prize.”

“Don’t give me any lip, you raggedy-ass Irishman. I married Luke Henry, the girl’s biological father. He’s in the car waiting for me.”

Cluny snorted. “You married that skinny snot jailbird? It figures.”

“Luke served his time. And for your information, he was framed. I’ve been waiting for him to get out of Montana State Prison so we could come and claim our kid.”

Marla’s head buzzed. How could this appalling woman be Amber’s mother? She’d come, with no thought for the child, armed with legal documents, threatening to take Amber away from the only loving parent she’d ever known. Cluny’s quick-thinking lie, that they were on a cruise, should buy them time. If only he could get her to leave.

To Marla’s horror, Cluny gave Francine a little shove. “
Your
kid? What kind of mother are you? You don’t even know her name.” Cluny huffed his disgust and pointed to the door. “You need to get out. This is private property, and the person you’re looking for is not here.”

“You’re a goddamn liar, Cluny!” Francine jammed the summons into her purse. “When I come back I’ll have the U.S. Marshall with me.”

Marla’s alarm increased at Cluny’s clenched fists and the growing redness in his face. Afraid he would lose it, she stood and cleared her throat. “Um, he’s telling the truth. Mr. Dempsey isn’t here. He’s out of the state.”

“Look, Miss Secretary, or whoever the hell you are, sit down and shut up. This doesn’t concern you.”

Shocked at the woman’s crudeness, Marla shouted, “No, lady, you look here!” She startled herself with her angry reaction. “I’m no secretary. I own this property, and you are trespassing. I suggest you leave now before I call the county sheriff and press charges against you.”

Francine shoved Cluny in the chest to clear a path to the door. He staggered back and raised his arm.

“Cluny!” Marla grabbed the back of his shirt. “Don’t give this disgusting person any reason to come back here.” To her grateful surprise, he lowered his arm and gulped a big breath. Francine slammed out the door, leaving both of them temporarily mute.

Marla sat in Dwayne’s chair before her knees gave out. She hated ugly confrontations. Head spinning, she waved her hand. “Cluny, sit down. What should we do? We have to do something.”

He reached in his pocket and removed his phone.

“Who are you calling?”

“I’d call Gunny, but cell phones don’t work worth a crap in Wyoming. I’ll call Kathleen Burwell, his mom. He should be there later today.” He waited. “Kate? This is Cluny McPherson. I’m fine, ma’am, and you?” He nodded and ran a hand across the back of his neck. “Look, ma’am, I need to give Dwayne a heads-up about a situation here. No, no accidents. Everybody’s good. It’s a legal matter. OK, have him call me on my cell no matter what time he gets there. Thanks.” He clicked off, set the phone and his elbows on the table, and lowered his head in his hands.

“You OK?” She thought she should pat his shoulder or something, but she didn’t know the man that well, didn’t know how he’d take it.

“Yeah, thanks to you.” He raised his head and held up a fist, his thumb and forefinger a fraction apart. “I was this close to picking her up by her scrawny neck and tossing her boney ass out the door.” He blew a breath between tight lips. “Close, too close.”

She didn’t disagree. “How did he ever get mixed up with that hard-looking psycho shrew?” It wasn’t really any of her business, but she knew Dwayne better now. He was a steady man and good father. She couldn’t imagine him ever being attracted to a hellcat like Francine Henry.

“Time hasn’t done her any favors. She’s changed a lot, used to be a cute and sassy party-hearty cowgirl. Dwayne met her when we were home in Wyoming, on leave from our first tour of duty in Iraq. He fell like a lead weight, and she got her hooks into a big tough Marine. They ran off to City Hall in Sheridan and got married. I tried to talk him out of it, told him he could get her in the sack without a wedding ring, but he wouldn’t listen to me, to his mom, to anyone.”

Marla reached for the water thermos, poured a cup, and handed it to Cluny.

“Thanks.” He took it with trembling fingers.

She poured a cup for herself then sat in the swivel chair to face the door again. “This entire episode is upsetting. Why do you suppose she showed up after all these years?”

Cluny shrugged. “She’s up to something.”

“You think she wants money?”

“She’s out of her freakin’ mind if that’s what she’s after. Gunny doesn’t have any money. Anything he has is tied up in Big D Construction.”

This was a revelation. Cluny apparently didn’t know Dwayne owned all that prime ranch land. Why would he have told her and not Cluny, his closest friend? She had a sneaking suspicion Francine somehow knew.

Marla had to talk to Dwayne.

“I don’t know anything about his finances, Cluny. I’m grasping at straws. Wondering what she’s all about. If he calls before we close shop today, would you tell him I need to talk to him?” She tapped her fingers on the invoices. Cluny didn’t need to know the real reason she wanted to speak to Dwayne.

He gave her a Dwayne’s-got-more-important-problems frown. “Yeah, sure. I gotta get back to work.”

* * *

Dwayne slowed to a crawl to keep the truck from shaking apart on the last mile to the ranch after they passed through the arches sporting the rustic sign, Big D Cattle-Horses-Dogs. He’d see to getting some of these potholes filled with fresh gravel before he left.

“Are we there yet?”

“Almost.” Dwayne grinned and ruffled Amber’s hair. “See that big line of cottonwoods up ahead?”

She sat as far forward as she could, straining against the seat belt, and pointed. “There?”

“Yep. Soon as we get past those tall trees you’ll be able to see over the rise to the ranch house.”

“Cows!” Amber bounced with excitement and pointed out the side window. “Look Miss Emmaline, cows!”

Dwayne and Emmaline laughed at the child’s excitement. The fatigue of the tedious drive from California faded the closer he got to his teenage home.

“Daddy? Do you think Grammakat will remember me?”

“Of course, squirt. It’s only been a year since you were here. She can’t wait to see you.” He glanced to the backseat. “How you doin’ back there, Miss Emmaline?”

“Don’t you worry about me, youngster. The closer we get to that ranch house the younger I feel. The air here is bracing.”

“Yes, it’s still early enough in the year so it cools off fast when the sun goes down.” He pointed ahead. “There’s still snow on the Bighorn Mountains.”

“There’s always snow up there,” Amber said.

“You’re right. Some of what looks like snow is glaciers. They never melt.” He grinned. “There’s the house.” He leaned on the horn to alert his mother. He took the circular drive to the front of the weathered ranch building.

The screen door flew open and Kathleen, followed by an ambling, old golden Lab, stepped onto the long, covered wooden porch.

“Jarhead!” Amber bounced and pointed. “Look, it’s Jarhead. He remembers me.”

Dwayne doubted Jarhead, a boyhood pet, remembered much of anything and was half blind to boot, but why spoil her childish fantasy? “Of course he remembers you. Go give Grammakat a big hug. She’s waited a whole year to see you.”

Amber opened the door, jumped down from the truck, then ran pell-mell to throw herself into the welcoming arms of his mother. He opened the back door to lift Miss Emmaline down, in spite of her grumbling protests.

“I can get out of this vehicle without your assistance, I’ll have you know.” She thrust the cat carrier into his hands. “Here, if you want to do something helpful, take Princess Elizabeth. I’ll manage on my own.”

Dwayne took the cat and stepped back to give the stubborn old woman room to maneuver herself out of the truck.

Kathleen approached them. “Emma! I’m so glad to see you. Come in everybody. Leave your things. I’ll have Arturo fetch the bags when he gets in from the barn. We’re just putting dinner on the table.”

Amber knelt on the porch and let Jarhead cover her with sloppy dog kisses, his tail whipping at warp speed. His old dog’s tongue was as big as Marla’s mutt.
Looks like the ancient Lab remembers her after all.

Dwayne gave his mother a crushing hug. “Mom, you get more beautiful every year. How do you do it?”

“Working from sunrise to sundown, I imagine. It’s good to see you, son. How are your brothers?”

“They’re great. Dylan and his family are coming up this summer. I saw Donovan this past weekend while he was on leave. He’s presently languishing in the arms of a beautiful woman, so he’s a happy man, but he did say he would get up to see you when he gets his next leave.”

“A woman? Really?” She smiled and cocked her head. “Anyone I know?”

“Do you remember Brad Danaher’s daughter, Charlene? When you left California she was probably only twelve or thirteen.”

“I do remember her and her twin sister, Marla. I always thought Marla would be a stunning woman when she matured.”

Dwayne winked and grinned. “You were right, they’re both beautiful, but Marla is hot, hot, hot!”

“Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“I wish.” He hugged her close.

She patted his shoulders and pushed back. “Let’s get Emma and Amber some dinner first, then you and I need to speak privately before we turn in tonight.” She took his arm. “Come on, Cookie will skin me if she has to wait much longer to see you. She’s been cooking all day, everything you like. Go to the kitchen and spend some time with her, but first, use my house phone to call Cluny. He called a couple of hours ago, said it was important.”

Dwayne and his mom sat bundled in heavy jackets on the porch after eleven that night. The ranch house sprawled dark and quiet around them like a soft blanket. They sipped hot cocoa and stared at the billions of stars above the Bighorn Mountains.

Dwayne tapped the arm of his chair. “Francine showing up in Spring Grove totally blindsided me. Fortunately there were about eight kids at Brad Danaher’s birthday party. She didn’t know which one of the girls was Amber. I hustled her out of there before she made a scene. After getting rid of her, I felt the only option was to get Amber as far away from her as possible.”

“Did Amber know Francine was there?”

“She saw me escort a woman out, but Dad stepped in and distracted her with birthday cake. Later she asked me who it was, and I sidestepped with a vague answer. She seems to have forgotten in the excitement of coming to the ranch.”

“What do you plan to do?”

He sighed and took a moment to answer. “I’m not sure. I’m struggling with whether or not I should allow Francine to see her. Would Amber hate me if she found out years from now that I’d prevented her from meeting the mother she’s got some childhood fantasy about being a mysterious fairy princess?” His stomach knotted with indecision.

Kathleen breathed out through tight lips. “There’s no way to know until the time comes.”

“Francine said something when my brothers and I escorted her off the property and told her to get lost. I can’t get my head around it.”

“What did she say?”

“‘You’re not her father.’”

“Dear God, that disgusting tramp! What a thing to say.” She placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “That’s baloney. You are her father.”

“I’m her dad, and she’s my daughter, but God’s honest truth is, I don’t know whether or not I’m her father. Everybody but me knew Francine was screwing around before I got back here.”

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I know I should have told you, but you were just home from the war, and you’d spent so many agonizing months in the hospital and rehab, I didn’t have the heart to say anything. I feel certain Francine wasn’t with any other man once you finally got home.”

“Maybe, but it seems too much of a coincidence that she got pregnant so fast after we managed sex the first time. As I recall, she was throwing up the next morning.”

“It happens, Dwayne. For goodness sake, I got pregnant with Dylan the first night I slept with John. There was no mystery about why we got married in such a hurry.”

He cocked his head and grinned. “You never told me that.”

“There was never a need to. It wasn’t your business, and don’t you dare say anything to your brother.”

“Dyl can figure it out if he cares to, Mom.”

Kathleen sighed. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. He weighed almost ten pounds at birth, so it would have been a stretch to claim him premature.” She chuckled. “Oh, the things one does when young and in lust.”

She poked his shoulder. “Speaking of lust, is there something you’d like to tell me about Marla Danaher?”

“Hell yes. I’d
like
to tell you she’s head over heels crazy for me and we’re ripping up the sheets every night of the week.”

“But?”

He closed his eyes and rested his head on the high back of the old wooden rocker. “But she thinks I’m a jackass, and we do nothing but bicker. She’s constantly breathing down my neck on the jobsite, with her nose in every minute detail. I’m tempted to pick her up and toss her out every day.” He smiled ruefully and shook his head at how much he wanted Marla, in spite of the constant state of warfare between them.

“Ah. Sounds like love to me.” She took his cup and stood. “I don’t know about you, but it’s getting too cold to sit out here.”

The triumphant howl and bark of a lone coyote in the hills broke the vast silence to announce a successful hunt.

Dwayne grinned into the inky darkness. “I forgot how much I loved that sound.”

Still, a pervasive uneasiness sent a cold chill arrowing through him.

CHAPTER TWELVE

“When will you be back?” Marla demanded over the phone. He’d only been at his ranch a day, and already she was counting the hours until his return. She wasn’t sure what she missed the most—the way Dwayne looked at her, or their constant sparring. The construction office was much too quiet.