Sea of Dreams (The American Heroes Series Book 2) (51 page)

Both Gina and Blakesley gasped softly as Dr. Welton indicated rows upon rows of very carefully organized jewelry.  Ear bobs were kept together, a spectacular array with fine stones in them, brooches were kept together, rings and necklaces and other fine valuables.  It was a magnificent cache of jewels and Blakesley reached into the midst, carefully plucking out a diamond ring that had to be three carats in size.  It was gorgeous.

“You got all of this out of the purses?” she asked, awed.

Dr. Welton nodded. “Tons,” he cleared his throat softly and motioned her to follow him.  She did, with the diamond ring still in her hand and Gina on her heels, until Dr. Welton came to a halt near the big double doors that opened up onto the grounds.  He faced Blakesley seriously.

“Look,” he said softly, “I could lose my job for suggesting this, but I happen to know that the state didn’t pay you nearly what the property was worth.”

Blakesley kept a good poker face. “How would you know that?”

Welton wriggled his eyebrows. “People talk,” he said frankly. “If you claim all of that jewelry, plus some other valuables we’ve found, it would more than make up for what the state screwed you out of.  I know you have first right of refusal for all of these artifacts.  You could just claim them all as a whole and then go through them at your leisure, donating what you wanted back to the Benjamin and Dulcinea Earp Museum so we can put them on display when this house becomes a public tour.”

Blakesley’s eyes were big on him. “I was thinking about doing that,” she admitted. “I’ll call my lawyer and have him put my claim in writing.  There’s nothing in the sales contract that says I can’t take everything.”

Dr. Welton shrugged. “If I were you, I’d do it,” he said softly. “You can leave it here and let us work on it, but you would be the rightful owner.”

Blakesley nodded eagerly. “I’ll do it,” she agreed. “Thank you so much for the suggestion.  I’m surprised, actually.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re not only a state employee, but you’re also an archaeologist,” she said. “I would think you’d want to see this stuff in a museum.”

He gave her half-grin. “It will be, eventually, when you donate a good portion back to the Earp Museum.  But the jewels and other valuables…  call Christie’s or Sotheby’s. Auction them off and get your money out of it.”

Blakesley grinned at him. “I will. Thank you.”

He just nodded and headed back towards the table with all of the valuables on it. “Like I was saying,” he said loudly for the benefit of the conservator who was in the room, like he hadn’t been doing something covert moments earlier, “I think robbers must have used that canyon.  We even found old mailbags.”

Blakesley slid the big diamond ring on her finger; it fit perfectly and she grinned at Gina happily.

“That’s really crazy,” she said, peering at more jewelry on the table. “But I was also told that Ben Earp was an outlaw himself. Maybe he did the robbing and just hid the stuff down in the tunnels.”

Dr. Welton nodded. “That’s very possible,” he replied. “There are stories about Ben hiring outlaws to rob stage coaches for him and then hiding the loot.  I guess they aren’t stories now so much as they’re fact.”

Blakesley found a big emerald ring with beautiful gold filigree work and she took Gina’s hand, slipping it on her middle finger.  It was huge and gorgeous, and Gina admired it happily.

“What a crook,” Blakesley shook her head as she looked back to the table and focused in on a beautiful sapphire necklace. “But I guess I can’t complain too much.  His thievery is apparently my gain.”

Dr. Welton fought off a grin as she very carefully lifted the sapphire necklace, setting it down and moving in on a luscious pearl necklace.  Both Blakesley and Gina were in the process of admiring the pearl collection when someone cleared their throat softly behind them.

“Excuse me,” came a voice. “I was looking for Blakesley Thorne.”

Blakesley felt as if she’d been hit in the gut. She suddenly couldn’t breathe.  She knew the sound of that voice and even as she turned around, the room swayed and she nearly knocked some of the jewelry off the table as she grabbed for something to steady herself with.

As her gaze fell on Ed Masterson in the doorway, Blakesley truly thought she was going to become ill.  Shock, horror, everything she could possibly feel was rolling through her head.  It took her a moment before she could actually speak.

“Ed,” she swallowed. “What… what in the hell are you doing here? How did you find me?”

Ed Masterson smiled at his ex-wife.  He was a handsome man, tall, with big brown eyes and a winning smile. He wore an expensive suit with equally expensive shoes, something not out of the ordinary for him.  Ed liked money and he showed it.

“A little birdie told me you had purchased the old homestead,” he looked around. “I’ve come here every day for three straight days hoping to catch you here and it looks like today is finally my lucky day. The last time I was here was before we were married, with your mother. It hasn’t changed much other than the fact that it’s apparently all torn up. What’s going on?”

Blakesley’s heart was pounding in her throat as she made her way to him on shaky legs.  She wanted to get him the hell out of there before anything more was said. She was terrified of what he would say or do, knowing now what the man was capable of. She could hardly believe she was looking at him.

“What are you doing here?” she ignored his question and lowered her voice as she approached him. “When were you released?”

Ed shoved his hands in his pockets. “About two weeks ago.”

“I didn’t see it on the news.”

“That’s because my legal team fed the media a bunch of bullshit. We didn’t want to turn it into a circus.”

“That’s an understatement.”

He regarded her carefully. “So your lawyer didn’t tell you anything?”

She shook her head. “I haven’t talked to Robert in a few weeks,” she said, her voice trembling as she thought of the lawyer she hadn’t been able to get a hold of. “Ed, you’ve really given me a start.  Why are you here?”

Ed was calm. He didn’t come across as threatening in the least as he gazed down at his beautiful ex-wife with really big boobs. In fact, she looked fuller and more luscious than he remembered. 

“I wanted to see you,” he said softly. “I wanted to see my girls. That’s not a crime, Blakesley.”

Blakesley was seriously verging on tears.  She began to walk, motioning Ed with her.  She was so scared she could hardly think straight.

“Ed, I moved down here to get away from you and all of the bad memories in Los Angeles,” she said as they entered the big public room. “I didn’t want you to know where I was for reason. You had no right to hire a detective and hunt me down.”

Ed’s smile faded, thinking that he wouldn’t rat Nikki out as the source of the information, at least not yet. “I know you’re upset,” he said patiently. “But I really want to talk to you. So much has changed, Blakesley.  I’ve changed. I’m so sorry for… well, for everything that happened. I just never had a chance to tell you that.”

Blakesley was starting to tear up, frightful tears. “You did tell me that,” she said softly. “On the day of your sentencing when you stood up in front of the entire world and told them how sorry you were for what you did and apologized to me.  It was the most humiliating day of my life.”

Ed sighed faintly, playing the properly repentant husband. “I can’t say I’m sorry enough,” he said sincerely. “I was hoping we could talk.”

“About what?”

“About the girls. About us.”

She shook her head. “Ed, there is no ‘us’,” she said flatly. “I’ve remarried.  I just had a baby. I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life and even if I wasn’t, I still wouldn’t go back to you. You made my life hell and I can’t forgive you for that.”

The gentle expression vanished from Ed’s face. Now it was his turn to be startled. “You remarried?” he blurted, his face turning red. “I never heard that.”

“It wasn’t any of your business.  I divorced you, remember?”

“Who did you marry?”

“You don’t know him,” Blakesley replied steadily, feeling more comfortable now that she had the upper hand. “He’s in the Navy.  He’s been wonderful to the girls and we’re very lucky to have him.  He’s a great guy.”

“Bullshit,” Ed spat. “My girls have a father. They don’t need another.  I want to see my girls, Blakesley.”

Her face hardened. “You’re going to have to get a court order for that and I don’t see them handing that out to a murderer.”

Ed’s face turned a deeper shade of red and he took a step back from her, his jaw ticking furiously.  It was apparent there was quite a bit he wanted to say but he held his tongue, his jaw working, his veins pulsing in his temples. He had never once during the course of their marriage lifted a hand to her, but Blakesley didn’t trust him anymore. She knew what he could do when cornered or infuriated, so she took a step back from him. But Ed suddenly reached out a long arm and grabbed her by the elbow.

“You and I are going to have a talk,” he grumbled. “Let’s go outside.”

Blakesley dug her heels in.  “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she yanked her arm out of his grasp. “If you touch me again, I’ll file assault charges against you.  If you want to talk, we’ll talk right here where there are witnesses in the next room. I’m not going anywhere with you alone.”

That wasn’t the answer Ed was looking for but he kept his cool.  He just nodded his head, frustrated and angry, and began hunting around for a place to sit.

“Fine,” he barked, planting himself on a step that led up into another room. “We can stay right here and have everyone hear our business.”

Blakesley snorted ironically. “Like they didn’t already hear it when you were on trial,” she said. “Don’t turn this around and make me out to be the bad guy. I did what I had to do to protect me and the girls.”

“You took my girls away.”

“You cheated on me and killed your lover!”

“You let those lawyers poison you. How could you not have faith in me?”

Blakesley backed away from him. “Gina?” she yelled in the direction of the next room. “Call Beck. Tell him to get over here now.”

“Beck?” Ed repeated. “Who in the hell is… oh, I get it. The new husband.”

Gina suddenly appeared in the doorway leading from the pit room.  Her pretty face was dark as she looked between Blakesley and Ed.

“I already did,” she said, her gaze lingering on Ed. “
Usted asno estúpido
You’re in big trouble, dickhead.”

Ed threw up his hands like he had no idea why people didn’t like him. “What in the hell is that all about?” he wanted to know. “Who is that bitch?”

Blakesley waved Gina away. “A good friend,” she told him flatly. “Now tell me what you came here to tell me. I don’t have all day.”

He cocked his head. “Where are the girls?”

“School.”

“I want to see them.”

“No.”

Ed lifted his eyebrows as if expecting more of an answer. “No?” he repeated. “If you don’t let me see them, I’ll track them down just like I tracked you down. You can’t keep me from my children.”

Blakesley stood firm. “Before this hour is out, I’m going to get a restraining order against you,” she rumbled. “You’re never going near the girls again. They don’t want to see you. They’re happy now and I’m not going to let you screw them up.”

Ed laughed but it was without humor. “What in the hell are you going to base the restraining order on? I haven’t done anything.”

Blakesley crossed her arms and backed away from him even further.  She moved just about as far away from him as she could get without actually leaving the room, crossing her arms stubbornly as she leaned against the wall near the fireplace.

“I really have nothing more to say to you,” she said. “I’m sorry your trip here was wasted.  You should have just gone through the lawyers.”

He lifted an eyebrow at her. “Don’t worry, I will,” he said. “I’m going to get my girls back.”

Blakesley fought down her anger and fear. “Ed, they’re happy and well-adjusted now in spite of your attempt to ruin them,” she said quietly. “If you really loved them, you’d just leave them alone for now. They’re just little kids, for Heaven’s sake. Why do you have to screw with them?”

“Who says I’m screwing with them?” he threw up his hands. “All I want to do is see my children.”

“You never wanted to see them before,” Blakesley fired back. “In fact, you went out of your way during our marriage to make sure you came home after they were in bed for the night and left in the morning before they got up. It was rare if you had breakfast with the girls or even played with them. You weren’t really father material.”

His jaw ticked faintly. “I was trying to make money for my family,” he said quietly. “That meant time away from the girls. It wasn’t by choice.”

Blakesley gave him a disbelieving look and turned away, her arms crossed protectively over her chest. She was coming to think about Emma out in the car with Nikki, not wanting to draw Ed’s attention to her newborn as a target for his venom.  She was also increasingly concerned about Beck and where he was in all of this. 

Gina said she had called him and undoubtedly, Beck was already in the car making his way to the homestead at double the speed limit. She just had to hold Ed off until Beck arrived.  The best way to do that was to keep him calm and talking.  She was no longer terrified at his appearance, but she was still very uneasy.  She kept her distance.

“Fine,” she said. “Have it your way. So it wasn’t your choice.  Even if I let you see the girls, what then? Why do you want to see them? Charlotte doesn’t even remember you.”

A look of pain crossed his face, but Blakesley was sure it was fake. “I know,” he admitted. “She was so young when all of this went down. I’d really like the chance to establish a relationship with her.”

There was no way Blakesley was going to allow that but for the sake of keeping the conversation going and keeping Ed calm, she entertained it in theory.  She had to keep the man talking until the cavalry arrived.

It seemed like forever.  Blakesley had been discussing Ed’s intentions towards their children, not promising the man anything but listening to him present his case.  He talked about the past, the present, the future.  He talked about working hard to win back his family.  He even talked about his hellish stint in prison and glad he was to have been given a second chance.  More than once, he apologized for his bad judgment when it came to his affair.  Blakesley just stood there and listened. She couldn’t manage to feel anything for him, good or bad.