Mountain Heiress: Mountain Midwife (9 page)

“Striker is number one on my list of suspicious persons.”

“Here’s the part I don’t understand,” she said. “If Osborne planned to steal the paintings, why did he tell us about them? Why did he record them along with all of Michelle’s other work? He could have kept those paintings a secret and sold them on his own. I’d probably never find out about it.”

“Michelle might have left a record, maybe a sketch or a note. If we discovered the discrepancy, it would have been hard for him to explain.” He had another concern. “Besides, we can’t expect rational behavior from Osborne. He’s on drugs.”

He watched for her reaction. Some people were shocked and appalled by addiction, but Gabby hadn’t led a sheltered life. She merely shrugged. “I noticed the sweating and twitching and licking of lips, but there might be another cause.”

“Such as?”

“He might be ill. Or he might be having a reaction to some kind of prescription meds.”

That was how it started. Zach knew from personal experience how those little pills made you feel better and then became more important and then took over your life. “Why are you defending him?”

“He organized all those listings. That’s the opposite of erratic behavior.”

A high-functioning addict developed skills for hiding their terrible secrets. Again, experience was Zach’s guide. “Think about it this way. A drug habit isn’t cheap. Osborne might be desperate for money, desperate enough to take risks in handling Michelle’s estate.”

When she turned toward him, he could feel her scrutiny. She was studying him, assessing him. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“Nope.”

His addiction to painkillers and to alcohol wasn’t a story he was willing to share with anyone outside his twelve-step program. Lucky for him, Rhoda had once been part of that group. If he really needed to spill his guts, she’d listen. And he’d do the same for her.

Gabby didn’t need to know. He didn’t want to see the disgust in her eyes or, even worse, the sympathy. Nine years ago, he’d hit rock bottom. Since then, he’d been sober. End of story.

“Tomorrow,” she said, “we’ll need to start searching the house. Now that we know what we’re looking for, it might be easier. And I should go through the paperwork in Michelle’s office.”

“For tonight, you and Charlotte need protection. I’ll stay at the Roost.”

It was the only way he could be sure that they were safe.

Chapter Nine

At half past nine o’clock, Gabby crawled between the sheets of her queen-size bed at the Roost. She never went to sleep this early, but she was exhausted, maybe the result of the altitude thing Zach had told her about. Being too high made your energy low.

During dinner, she’d barely been able to keep her eyes open while Zach lectured her and Charlotte about being careful and not wandering off to investigate by yourself. He was in his element, taking charge and giving orders. He’d made up a schedule for bodyguard duty. He’d patrol the house until one o’clock. Then Toby Hatch, one of his most trusted employees, would take the next shift.

When he’d introduced Toby, Gabby had managed a weak hello, but the young man barely noticed her. His attention had been riveted on Charlotte, who’d kept up her new look with a fresh coat of glitter makeup and a form-hugging purple dress from Gabby’s wardrobe. Charlotte’s look would have been far more sophisticated if she hadn’t insisted on wearing her dusty cowboy boots. Maybe tomorrow, they’d talk about footwear.

Snuggled under the quilt and blankets, Gabby tried to embrace the quiet of the rural country outside her windows, but she missed the hum of the city. So much was changing. So much had happened today.

She felt like she was standing at the brink of a major life shift and didn’t know if the people pushing her toward the edge—people like Fox and Osborne—were friends or enemies. Apart from Rhoda and Charlotte, the only person she trusted was Zach. And she was a long way away from figuring him out. He hadn’t really opened up to her. Most of the time, he treated her like an annoyance. The only constant between them seemed to be their mutual physical attraction, which just might be enough. Thinking about him, she smiled and drifted closer to sleep.

It seemed like only a few minutes later when she remembered that she hadn’t closed the shades. She groaned. The bed was too comfortable to leave, but she didn’t want to be wakened in the morning by sunrise.

She pried one eyelid open. The red digital numbers on the bedside clock showed that it was eleven-thirty. She’d already been asleep for two hours.
Get up and pull the shades.
Moonlight poured through the uncurtained windows. In a few short hours, that soft glow would become a thousand-watt glare.

Forcing herself to move, she leveraged into a sitting position on the bed. Then she saw him. Zach stood by the window, watching her. What?

“Yesterday,” he said, “you kissed me.”

Her brain struggled to make sense of his appearance. Should she be freaked out that he was in here? Did they need to have a little chat about boundaries? “Technically,” she said, “you’re wrong. It’s not midnight, which means it’s still today, technically.”

“Fine.” He reached for the bedside lamp and turned it on. “This morning, you kissed me.”

She threw up her hand to ward off the light. “You kissed me back.”

“I’m glad you’re awake. I was reading through the legal documents, and I think I know what Fox is up to. We need to talk.”

“Now?” She realized that she wasn’t wearing much. Her lingerie for tonight was a pale blue satin slip that draped low on her chest. With a yank, she pulled the quilt up to her chin. “You can’t just come waltzing into my room.”

“But I did.”

For once, he wasn’t wearing his hat, and his brown hair fell across his forehead. When he grinned, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes deepened. In the glow from the bedside lamp, he seemed more approachable than usual. He looked open, friendly and, of course, gorgeous.

To be honest, she didn’t mind that he’d invaded her personal space. In fact, she wanted him to come closer. “Were you spying on me?”

“I knew you were awake.”

“That’s a little weird, Zach.”

“Should I go?”

“Stay.” She flung out her arm and caught hold of the sleeve of his soft flannel shirt. When she tugged, he sat on the edge of the bed. “You’re here now. We might as well talk.”

The front of his brown plaid shirt was unbuttoned and hung open. Underneath, a white V-neck T-shirt gleamed in the lamplight. She wondered if he was still wearing his boots. Did cowboys make love with their boots on?

“The way I figure,” he said, “there are two ways Fox can make money from Michelle’s estate. The standard procedure is for him to charge his billable hours as executor. But he also gets a commission if you decide not to stay at the Roost for three years and he handles the sale of the properties with proceeds going to the Forest Preservation Society. By the way, money from the sale of paintings is considered part of the estate and also goes to Sarah Bentley.”

Though she was trying to listen, she couldn’t make sense of what he was saying. His words jumbled in her mind. As he listed dollar amounts and percentages and other facts that he’d gleaned from the folder of legal papers, she focused on his lips and remembered their first kiss.

He stopped talking. The quiet in her bedroom wrapped around them like a soft, warm blanket.

“Gabby, did you hear me?”

“Give me a quick summary.”

“If Fox can get you to move out, he’ll make several hundred thousand bucks. Do you understand what that means?”

“I should get my own lawyer?”

“You could, but Fox isn’t a fool. I’m sure all his paperwork is in order. That’s what worries me.”

“Why?” She’d been paying attention well enough to understand what he was saying, but she still didn’t follow. “If he’s following the law, there’s nothing I can do.”

“Fox might be behind the break-ins.” The smile was gone from Zach’s handsome face. His blue eyes had a serious cast. “He might be trying to scare you off.”

Her fingers tightened reflexively, and she clutched the blankets against her breasts. “Oh, good, another threat.”

“I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“Could have fooled me,” she said. “You creep into my bedroom in the middle of the night, wake me out of a deep sleep and tell me that my lawyer is plotting against me.”

“It’s just a theory.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” There had been enough threats for one day. “Why did you mention our kiss?”

“I’m not sure.” He looked away from her. “I might have been half-asleep.”

“You were thinking about it. I guess I’ve been thinking the same thing.” She had been wondering if it would happen again, wondering how she’d react if he took her in his arms, again. And she’d been hoping.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Gabby. You and me, we’re from different worlds.”

“Different planets,” she said. “We’re light-years apart.”

“It’s crazy to think the two of us could be together, not in any long-term kind of way.”

“That doesn’t mean we can’t be...” She had intended to say friends, but that wasn’t how she felt about him. Friends didn’t kiss each other the way they had. “We can still be close.”

“Close, huh?”

She wondered if he was familiar with the idea of friends with benefits. In usual circumstances, she wasn’t the type of woman who had casual flings, but there was nothing usual about this trip to Colorado. From the first time she saw Zach, she was attracted to him. To be sure, a committed relationship would never work between two people who were so different. But there were other possibilities.

“I like you, Zach. And I appreciate everything you’re doing to help me. It goes far beyond the scope of being a good neighbor.”

“Like I told you, I cared for Michelle.” He turned his head, and his gaze met hers. “She’d want me to protect you.”

“What do you want?”

“You.”

Reaching across the bed, he gently caressed the line of her cheek. His touch drew her like a magnet. She leaned toward him. Sitting back against the pillows didn’t work anymore. She curled her legs under her and rose up on her knees. The quilt she’d been holding fell from her grasp, exposing her blue satin gown.

Zach dropped his hand from her face and sat back, taking his time to study her. A wolfish smile curved his mouth. “Come closer.”

“How close?”

“Like this.” His hand circled her waist, and he pulled her into his lap. He kissed her gently, tasting her lips and nuzzling against her cheek, nibbling on her earlobe. His breath was hot and moist.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against him. When her satin lingerie slid against him and rode up on her legs, he ran his hand along her bare thigh. A shiver went through her, not because she was cold.

His touch set off a chain reaction of pure heat. As his kisses became gradually more demanding, the intensity threatened to overwhelm her. If she didn’t stop him now, she wouldn’t be able to hold back.

He maneuvered her around, lifting her as though she weighed no more than a gossamer scarf. She found herself stretched out on the bed, lying on her side with Zach beside her. His leg was across hers, pinning her in place.

Breathing hard, he looked down at her. “I like what you’re wearing.”

“I made it myself.” Why did she tell him that? She didn’t care if he was impressed by her sewing skills.

“You’re talented.”

“I want you to think I’m hot.”

“Don’t worry.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I do.”

When she gazed into his eyes, she was mesmerized by the color, the facets of blue. He was such a gorgeous man, so strong, so powerful. Closing her eyes, she arched against him, molding her body into his.

And yet, a sliver of doubt cut through her. Was this the right timing? A tiny voice in her head reminded her that she’d only just met Zach and there were so many other things going on that she might not be thinking clearly. She didn’t want to make a mistake with him.

In spite of her raging desire, she hesitated.

Immediately, he sensed the change in her mood. “Something wrong?”

She pulled slightly away from him. When she laid the palm of her hand against his chest, she felt his heart beating. “Zach, I—”

“Too soon.” He rolled off her. “I was afraid it might be.”

A moment ago, she feared that making love would mess up their relationship or friendship or whatever this was between them. Now she was afraid that she’d been too quick to say no. “There’ll be another time.”

“I know.”

In one smooth move, he got off the bed and started toward the door. His hand was on the doorknob when regret slammed into her. She called after him. “Wait.”

He pivoted to face her. From across the room, she couldn’t read his expression. “What is it, Gabby?”

“You’ve been going through all those legal papers. And you think Fox might want to scare me so I’d leave the Roost.”

“Yep.”

“What if I decide to stay?”

“It’s all about fulfilling the terms of the will. There are three possible scenarios. The first option is if you, or your brother, live at the Roost for three years. Then the entire estate passes to you. Second option—you leave, Sarah Bentley inherits from the sale of the property and Fox earns a fat commission.”

“And the third?”

“This third possibility is outlined in the legal documents. It’s something Fox is aware of.” His jaw tensed. “If you and your brother die, you can’t fulfill the terms of the will. Sarah inherits. Fox wins.”

She wished she hadn’t asked.

Chapter Ten

Zach had planned to be at the Roost by ten o’clock in the morning. Toby Hatch was still at the house, and that young cowboy had all the makings of a capable bodyguard. But Zach wanted to be there, setting up security and making sure that Gabby and Charlotte were safe.

He’d had one foot out the door when Rhoda reined him in and reminded him of an unavoidable meeting with a committee from the Pitkin County Rodeo, who were already on their way to his ranch. Though he’d tried to avoid getting involved, he was the local expert when it came to rodeo, and the event actually was a good opportunity to promote his ranch. Business always picked up after he was introduced as a two-time World Champion rodeo cowboy.

By the time he finished with the three-person committee, it was almost noon. Rhoda called him into the kitchen, where she was packing a tamale casserole into a cardboard box along with a container of fresh fruit, homemade bread and cookies. “Take this with you.”

“Don’t you think Charlotte and Gabby can cook for themselves?”

“Skinny girls like them hardly know how to turn on an oven. Besides, they’ve got other things on their minds. They don’t have time to get into town and do grocery shopping.”

“They can manage. Gabby’s car is going to be at the shop until tomorrow, but Charlotte has the truck.”

“I want to help them.” Rhoda planted her fists on her round hips and confronted him. “You spent half the night over there protecting the girls. Let me feed them.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He knew better than to argue. “But if you don’t want to be feeding those baby birds for the rest of your life, you should schedule a trip to the market and some cooking lessons.”

“And what are you going to be doing this afternoon?”

“Teaching Gabby how to shoot.”

She chuckled. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

“She needs to know how to take care of herself.” He knew there were risks when it came to arming her. Gabby seemed to be scared of anything resembling wildlife, and he didn’t want her blasting away at tree squirrels and crickets. “I’ll be sure to emphasize gun safety.”

“You don’t want her going off half-cocked. Pun intended.” Rhoda grinned. “Gabby kind of reminds me of Michelle. I like her.”

“So do I.”

He didn’t make that statement lightly. Gabby wasn’t the type of woman he was usually attracted to, but he couldn’t push her out of his mind. She demanded attention. Her constant chatter should have driven him up the wall, but she amused him and provoked him in a good way, making him think. And there was that unexpected chemistry that robbed him of common sense and made him act like a lunatic.

He still couldn’t believe he’d gone into her bedroom last night. No doubt, he should have waited until morning. But when he’d realized that Fox had a motive to stage the break-ins and would benefit from getting Gabby permanently out of the way, Zach had to warn her. When he’d first slipped into her room and saw her sleeping, she looked so sweet and delicate. It ticked him off that people like Fox and Osborne were trying to hurt her.

She was practically defenseless—didn’t have the money to stage a legal battle and didn’t have the skill to handle a physical confrontation. This sure as hell wasn’t a fair fight. Zach had to step in, and he had always taken the side of the underdog. Watching her sleep, he’d wanted to protect her. And then his thoughts went in a less-noble direction, which was when she woke up and he mentioned their kiss.

It was probably for the best that they hadn’t made love last night. He scooped up the box and carried it out to the truck. Before he got behind the steering wheel, he looked around for Daphne. The border collie was nowhere in sight.

When he pulled up in front of the Roost, his dog was on the porch, keeping watch with her two-colored eyes. She bounded off the porch and greeted him, wagging her tail and giving him a doggy grin.

He scratched behind her ears. “Are you moving in over here?”

Daphne cocked her head and barked.

“I know it’s not because the food’s better,” he said as he unloaded the cardboard box. “Must be the company.”

Two woofs.

“I’m warning you, puppy. I’ll be real disappointed if you start wearing glitter and bows.”

Gabby opened the front door and stepped onto the porch. When she saw him, her face lit up with a smile. “I thought Daphne’s bark sounded happy.”

“Because I’m bringing food.”

She rushed toward him. “Can I help?”

As usual, she wasn’t dressed for the outdoors. Her shorts were too short. Her top had sparkles around the neck. And her shoes were shiny ballet slippers. She looked real pretty, but he didn’t tell her. It was better not to talk about anything personal.

He carried the box inside, through the house and into the kitchen. As soon as he set it down on the counter, Gabby pounced. She dug through the bags until she found the fruit. “Did Rhoda put this together?”

“She seems to think it’s her job to feed you and Charlotte or else you’ll starve to death.”

“Not true.” She grabbed an apple. “I’m eating more now than I usually do because Charlotte insists on breakfast. And she makes fabulous scrambled eggs and bacon. Two days in a row. I’m beginning to think that’s all she makes.”

“And you? What do you cook?”

“You’d think I’d have great culinary skills, wouldn’t you? After all, I’m French. I ought to know my way around a quiche or a crepe or a cassoulet. But my great-aunt Rene concentrated on teaching me how to sew.” She took a bite of apple. “Yum.”

Last night, she’d bragged about how she’d made her sexy blue nightie herself. He didn’t want to dwell on those dangerous thoughts and changed the subject. “What have you been doing this morning?”

“I told Charlotte about the missing Tarot paintings, and we’ve started our own treasure hunt. I left her and Toby to search in the studio. He’s kind of adorable with that shy smile and the buzz cut. I think Charlotte likes him. Anyway, I thought they deserved some time alone. I’ve been digging through Michelle’s office.”

“Have you found anything?”

“Tons of paperwork and correspondence,” she said as she nibbled at the apple. “There’s a folder for Sarah Bentley. I thought there might be something significant inside, but it was just a couple of thank-you notes for contributions Michelle made to Sarah’s Forest Preservation Society and a few candid family photos from the headquarters of the Society. It sounded like Michelle had visited a few times.”

She’d never mentioned to Zach that she and Sarah were friends. There was a lot about Michelle that he didn’t know. “What else did you find?”

“It’s mostly from ten years ago. I’m guessing that after Michelle got a computer, she did more of her work online. And we’ll never know what was on her computers. The desktop and the laptop were both stolen in the robbery that happened during the memorial service.”

He hadn’t given much thought to the missing computers. Any kind of electronics seemed like an obvious target of burglars, but there might have been a more sinister reason for the theft. “What about backup copies? Maybe a thumb drive.”

“Finding something that small in the chaos of her office is going to take some heavy-duty searching.” She finished off her apple. “Is there something else we need to do today?”

He nodded. “Do you have jeans?”

“Of course, I do. Designer jeans.”

“Put them on. We’re going for a hike.”

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Why?”

“You’re too big of a coward to go anywhere on horseback, and we need to get to a place where you can’t do much damage.”

“I’m not a coward, but you’re right about the horseback riding. Why would I damage anything?”

“I’m going to teach you how to shoot.”

She didn’t look happy about his plan, but she didn’t refuse. “Do you really think it’s necessary?”

“You need to be able to defend yourself in case of a break-in...or something worse.”

He hadn’t forgotten their worst-case scenario discussion last night. In order to get his paws on the commission, Fox needed her to be gone or to be dead.

* * *

T
HE
WATCHER
STAYED
in his vehicle, confident that it was well hidden, not visible from the Roost or from Zach’s horse ranch. He couldn’t see them, either. But that was okay. He had a better method of surveillance.

Yesterday, in the dark before dawn, he’d picked the lock on the back door of the Roost and gone inside. His objective had not been to search but to infiltrate. He’d planted a listening device in the kitchen. Given more time, he could have bugged the whole house, but it was better to be cautious. He’d slipped out the door before anyone was the wiser.

And now, he sat in a quiet aspen grove, about a half mile from the house, and listened through a headset while they made their plans. When Gabby and Zach talked about the missing computers, he’d talked back to their voices through the microphone. “How dumb are you people?”

No self-respecting burglar would bother stealing an old desktop computer. Outdated electronics weren’t worth the gas it took to drive to a pawn shop. Their stupidity was a plus for him. If they ever figured out what was really going on, he’d be in serious trouble, the kind of trouble that sent people to prison. The stakes were high. That was for damn sure.

He wasn’t going to let some little bitch from Brooklyn get in his way. She didn’t deserve the inheritance and wasn’t smart enough to hang on to it.

The real problem was Zach Sheffield. Not only was he capable of defending Gabby but he was savvy and tough as boot leather. He needed to be dealt with. The rodeo was coming up. Maybe an unfortunate accident could be arranged.

* * *

G
ABBY
DASHED
INTO
her bedroom to change clothes. Playing with guns wasn’t her idea of a good time, but she couldn’t help being happy about spending time with Zach. After what happened last night, she’d worried that things might be awkward between them. Happily, that wasn’t the case.

Left to herself, she might overanalyze their attraction, might consider it to be fate or a sign from the Universe that they were meant to be together. But Zach had a knack. No matter what kind of emotional turmoil might be roiling behind his steely blue eyes, he could ignore it. He kept everything buried.

Changing from shorts to her vintage, boot-cut, black Ralph Lauren jeans took only a minute. Since Zach said they’d be walking, she slipped into her running shoes, reminding herself that she really needed to pick up some hiking boots. Charlotte had several pairs of shoes that were appropriate for everyday wear, but her feet were a size smaller than Gabby’s.

When she checked her reflection in the mirror, she noticed the painting opposite her bed—
Girl with Book and Mirror.
Michelle had specifically selected this picture for her. Why? What was special about this piece?

She opened the door to her bedroom, went to the stairwell and called out, “Zach, would you come up here?”

He appeared at the foot of the staircase. “What is it?”

“Just come.”

In her bedroom, she stood a few feet away from the painting and stared, searching for a hidden message. The girl who was reading the book had brownish hair and her features were completely obscured. She could be anyone. Her casual clothes—shorts and a button-up pink shirt—made her look like she’d been playing outdoors and had just come inside.

Zach poked his head into the room. With one hand clinging to the doorjamb, he seemed hesitant to enter. “Well?”

“You knew Michelle better than I did. Why would she give me this painting? Is there something here that might be a clue?”

“Like what?”

“A piece of furniture,” she suggested. “Do you recognize the standing mirror? Or the window frame?”

“The window looks like the ones in the old part of the Roost.” He came a bit closer to study the picture but kept his distance from her as though he didn’t want to touch her. “The braided rug on the floor reminds me of one that used to be in the old house.”

“Is there anything else that looks like the old house?”

He squinted at the bookshelves in the painting. Though none of the titles on the spines were readable, they appeared to be leather-bound. “There are books over there—old, yellowed books about to crumble.”

“Has this painting always been in this room?”

“I don’t know. Why do you ask?”

“Do you see the way the girl in the painting is holding her hand? It’s almost like she’s pointing across the room at the closet.”

And a closet would be a terrific place to hide the Tarot paintings. Gabby opened the closet door and peered inside. Her blouses and dresses hung from the rack, and her shoes were neatly lined up on the floor, but it had been completely empty when she moved into this bedroom. The walls and ceiling appeared to be solid with no evidence of a secret cubbyhole. The floor was finished with the tongue-and-groove hardwood that covered most of the upstairs.

She got down on her hands and knees. “There could be a loose baseboard and a hiding place behind it.”

While she felt along the boards, completely ruining the last of her manicure, Zach stood watching with his arms folded across his chest. “I think you’re just trying to avoid your shooting lessons.”

“It’s important to find those missing paintings.”

“And what if you do?” he asked. “You turn them over to Osborne, he sells them and life goes on.”

“A life without break-ins,” she said. “When the paintings are gone, there’s nothing of value hidden in the house. And the burglars give up.”

“Unless finding the paintings wasn’t the ultimate goal.”

She knew he favored the theory that Fox was trying to intimidate her, but she wasn’t so sure. Until she was, she and Charlotte would keep searching.

After she’d gone all the way around the closet, she lovingly put her shoes back in order and crawled out. Zach stood by the window looking out. His position was similar to when she first saw him last night, and a shiver went down her spine. It might be time for them to get out of the bedroom and put some distance between themselves and the bed.