Perfect Family (16 page)

But that had never suited April. She'd wanted to be his campaign manager when she wasn't anywhere near ready for the position. She resented the fact that Marc had brought Hall immediately into a prominent position with the campaign. He partially understood. She'd been stuffing envelopes for him when Hall was out playing baseball. She'd come to consider herself indispensable. And, in many ways, she was. But she was also too assertive, too abrasive with the others on the campaign staff. She'd never learned that a politician gathered more flies with honey.

He was convinced that her desire to best her brother had prompted her to lose Jessica. She wanted to show him up, to make Marc see that she could be as tough as any man.

Just how far would she go?

He didn't know, and that frightened him.

“Just don't do anything else without asking me first.”

She bit her lip, and he wasn't sure whether she understood how important it was. It wasn't just the sale of the ranch at stake. It was those bonds. And if anyone had a key to them, Jessica did. They couldn't scare her off.

“Swear?”

“I promise.”

“Good. Now let's go have breakfast. Perhaps Jessica will be there.”

“Not another apology,” April complained. “I made one last night.”

“And you'll make fifteen more if necessary,” he said.

“All right,” she said reluctantly.

“How would you like to go with me to the meeting in Phoenix next week?”

Her eyes shone. The defiance faded from her face. She'd been wanting to sit in on some of the meetings with key supporters. He had recently taken Hall to several.

“It's done, then,” he said. “And always remember there are many ways to trap your quarry. The best is not always the most obvious.”

Jessie told herself that walking was the best possible cure for sore muscles. She wasn't sure she believed it. Not when every step was agony.

The car wasn't much better. Thank God, it was her left wrist that was sprained. She rested that arm on the armrest, using her fingers sparingly. Her right hand did all the work.

Armed with a good breakfast from a diner, she drove to the old center of town, stopping at the tourist center which, happily, was open on Sunday. After loading herself down with chamber of commerce information, she headed for the bookstore in the next block.

She spent an hour there, prowling over every book with even a hint of history in it, then wandered the short streets that made up what was one of three separate entities that composed the city of Sedona. According to the map, this was the old town. Further out was the government complex, including the library. Then there was Tlaquepaque, the arts and crafts village.

But these streets were lined with souvenir shops and storefronts hawking Jeep trip explorations and hot air balloon excursions. She saw a number of people getting into colorful Jeeps, and she longed to get in with them. She longed to be anonymous. But it was already getting late.

She was due at the ranch for the final reunion supper and to say her good-byes to those family members who were leaving tomorrow.

With her maps and books on the seat beside her, she drove out to the ranch. More food. More drink. More people. More puzzles.

And Ross Macleod
.

Embarrassment burned deep inside her whenever she thought of him. How could she have been so foolish as to get lost?

Would he even be there? He seemed to make elusiveness an art.

Once again, cars were parked all over the yard, including Alex's. She decided to head over to the barn first and see how Carefree was. She would also beg the horse's pardon.

She had no more than slammed the door of the car shut when Alex emerged from the house and came directly to her. “I called this morning. You didn't answer.” His tone was a little querulous.

“I wanted to explore. You don't have to take care of me forever.”

“I wish I had,” he said, reaching out and taking her hand. “If I had even imagined that …”

“That I would make a total idiot out of myself. Not your fault, Mr. Kelley.”

“I shouldn't have left.”

She tried to change the subject. “Did you get your client's son out?”

“He was out when I got there. I think they got impatient and contacted the judge directly.”

“They can do that?”

“In a small community some people can do anything they want.”

Jessie stored that piece of information in her mind.

“In any event, I apologize. Next time I will stay by your side.”

Jessie wasn't sure she wanted that. She sidestepped the offer. “You have no idea how much I enjoyed that ride. Until the end,” she added wryly.

He grinned. “Indefatigable, huh?”

“Well, I do have a few aches.”

“I bet you do,” he said. “But you look good.”

“With all my new fine colors. Purple, mauve?” She asked the question as she looked ruefully down at the quite evident bruises and the tight bandage around her wrist.

Alex eyed it, too. “You shouldn't be driving with that wrist.”

“It's my left. And I can use it slightly.”

He shook his head. “At least we know you have the Clements stubbornness.”

She nodded. “I want to see how Carefree is.”

“I'll go with you.”

At the moment, she didn't want that. She wanted a word with Ross if he was there. She wanted to apologize once more. She might not see him again. Although she was convinced in her own mind now that her father was indeed the missing Clements brother, the blood tests could still prove differently If so, she would not be returning. Even if it did prove to be Clements blood, her home was in Atlanta. Her brief visit in Wonderland was nearly over.

“I'll see you in the house later,” she said.

He hesitated as if he wanted to say something. She didn't want him to feel guilty about last night, but he apparently did. Everyone was feeling guilty, and she hated that. It was her fault. No one else's. Still when she looked at him, she wondered where he had gone yesterday. Had it been to her room? And why? There was no one to ask, because there was no one she knew well enough to trust.

She knew that sad truth would color everything she did or thought or said today. The magic had left. An enigma remained. But she sought to reassure him. “Don't worry about me. I'm fine.”

He grinned. “I hear even Ross was impressed with the way you found your way back.”

“Partially back,” she corrected. “And he didn't
seem
impressed. He was angry and had every right to be.”

Alex frowned. “He thinks more of those horses than he does of people.”

“I find nothing wrong with that,” she replied tartly. “People should have sense enough to take care of themselves.”

He ignored her defense of Ross. “All the same, you kept your wits when many wouldn't have.”

And if she hadn't? She most certainly would have been found. This was no longer the wild west. She was never in any danger. There were roads and walking trails and markings. At worst, she would have spent a few uncomfortable hours.

“It was an adventure,” she said.

He raised an eyebrow. “And you're going riding again?”

“Of course. Every rider knows you have to get right back on a horse.”

“Not today. Not with that wrist.”

For some reason, she took that as a challenge. “Perhaps.”

Jessie gave him a brief nod, and headed toward the barn. There would be no nuances there. Ross was blunt and honest.

She thought. She hoped.

But during the day she'd told herself not to trust anyone. Not until she discovered who had an interest in her room.
She had to remember that
.

Ross wasn't there. But Carefree was. He nickered softly when she approached and ran a hand down the side of his head. Apparently, she was forgiven for yesterday's mishap. He was standing easily enough, though she saw that his leg was neatly wrapped. “Ah, Carefree,” she murmured. “I'm sorry. You should be out, kicking up your heels with the other horses.”

“Oh, I think he enjoys the pampering.” The deep soft drawl startled her, and she spun around.

He had approached so quietly that she couldn't believe he was only two feet behind her.

“Here,” he said, thrusting half a carrot in her hand. He was wearing a faded denim shirt and an equally worn pair of Levi's.

The gesture surprised her. She looked up into his dark eyes. She wished she could fathom them, to know what emotions lay behind them. But they were as enigmatic as before. “Thank you,” she said and held out the carrot to Carefree. The horse took it carefully from her hand and chomped on the treat.

“He'll be fine,” he said after an awkwardly silent moment. “No lasting damage.” Ross regarded her critically, as if she were one of his charges. “What did the doctor say about your arm?”

“A minor sprain, just as you diagnosed,” she said. “No more than I deserved.”

“I should never have let you go without telling you more about these horses. They're trained differently from the thoroughbreds your father handled. They can stop on a dime and when you tighten the reins, they step backward rather than stopping. Carefree is a hold back horse, not a cutting horse, but he was trained in many of the same maneuvers.”

“What's the difference?” she asked.

He looked at her carefully, almost as if he were measuring the stamina or worth of a horse. Jessie had seen owners and trainers scout horses with that same speculative look in their eyes. She had to fight to keep from squirming under his perusal.

“He's not quite as quick or quite as agile.”

“I think he's agile,” she said wryly.

The side of his mouth turned up in what could be construed as a half smile. He changed the subject. “I hear you're leaving tomorrow.”

No offer to ride again. Just an objective, neutral statement.

“That's the plan,” she said just as neutrally.

He raised a dark eyebrow, and she wondered whether he'd caught the significance of her wording. He didn't comment on it, though, and she felt a rush of disappointment. A word of regret would have been nice.

“I imagine you'll be back. You can try that sunset again,” he said.

“Will you come with me?”

“Someone sure as hell will,” he answered. “And it won't be April.”

“It wasn't her fault,” she protested. “If I'd stayed with her …” Her voice trailed off as she saw his expression. She could feel the heat of it. He'd not let it show before, but anger apparently had been simmering inside him. She wondered if some of it was directed toward her.

A muscle jerked in his cheek. “Don't be too trusting, Miss Clayton.”

“Does that mean I shouldn't trust you either?” she asked. A shiver ran down her spine again, just as it had this morning.

“Hasn't anyone warned you about me?” he said with a small enigmatic smile.

She shook her head.

“I'm the black sheep. The wild one. You should be particularly wary of me. Alex would tell you that.”

“Alex hasn't told me anything about you.” It was only a small untruth. Alex had said very little.

He shrugged. “I imagine he will once the DNA match comes in.”

“Why then?”

Ross Macleod shrugged. “I have to go,” he said. “An appointment. I just came to look at Carefree, but he seems to be doing fine.” He hesitated, then said with just a trace of irony, “Have a good trip home.”

He walked off then. She hesitated a moment, then followed him to the door and watched as he strode over to the least imposing vehicle in the horseshoe-shaped drive: a dusty, blue pickup truck. He didn't look back as he got into the driver's seat.

She ducked back into the barn, not wanting him to see her staring after him.

An appointment? On Sunday during a family function. Or was he avoiding them all again. Avoiding her.

Don't be too trusting
. She wanted to kick him. How could he say something like that, then leave so abruptly?

A warning? About who? Or what?

nine

“I wish you would stay longer,” Sarah told Jessie as she was about to leave. “In fact, I wish you would move into the house.”

Jessie felt like an ingrate, but she really didn't want to stay at the ranch. Not until she had confirmation that she had a right to do so. Not until she knew whether or not she was truly a Clements.

“I've decided to stay a few days,” she said. “But I'm really comfortable at the Quest. I will come over, though.”

A worry line seemed to smooth out in Sarah's face. “I'm so glad. Now that everyone's leaving, we will have more time to talk.”

Jessie wanted that. She wanted it very much. Perhaps Sarah would tell her more about Harding Clements. About his childhood. About the events prior to his disappearance. Jessie had to know, needed to understand.

Especially now. The unwanted visitor of yesterday kept haunting her. So did Sol's report of the burglary, but neither were something she wanted to mention. Not at the moment. After all, nothing had been missing from her room. She had no reason to go to the police here. In fact, they would probably laugh in her face.

She nodded. “I would like that.”

“I still wish you'd think again about staying here, though. Marc and his family are leaving Tuesday morning. It will be only Halden and me in the ranch house then. Rosa is our housekeeper and cook, so it wouldn't be any trouble. Ross, of course, has his own house.”

Jessie almost changed her mind at the thought of a nearly empty Sunset. The sprawling house was comfortable, and she would have access to the horses. And Ross. She doubted he shared her interest in proximity.

And safety?

Would the Sunset be any safer than her present lodging?

But she didn't want to have to account for every moment. “I'm already settled,” she said as gently as she could, “and I want to do some exploring on my own. I promise to spend a lot of time here, though.”