The Rightful Heir (6 page)

Tears stung his eyes. He didn't expect to react physically to seeing his father's grave. The tears coursed down his cheeks and he dropped to his knees. He didn't hear Mary Lou walk away. His mind was filled with the flashes of events that made up his memory of his father. A man who stood on the riverbank and taught him to cast a line. A man who laughed when Jared teetered and fell from a hitching post as he tried to walk the straight board while holding his father's hand. A vague voice that sang in church. A smile for his mother as his father looked over his head at her during the service. His father and Grump laughing at something. Being tossed in the air and the wind swooshing from his lungs as he landed in his father's strong grasp.

These snatches in time were the only things he had left of a loving father, but Jared hadn't really known the man at all.

Jared mourned at the graves without realizing the passing of time. The legacy these two men had left him had cost them all they'd had. His father had given his life constructing the building. His grandfather had used his life to build the paper. In that moment, at their graves, Jared vowed he would dedicate his life to carrying it on. It was all he could do to honor them.

Nothing and no one—not even a sweet, determined young woman—would stop him.

* * *

Mary Lou didn't know what was the most sad, Jared's grief for the loss of his father and grandfather or the fact that he could have known one of them but didn't. In any case, he suffered from the loss.

She walked away from him toward the parsonage. Perhaps the preacher's wife would know if anything of interest was going on in the community. She needed a good story. A trip to see Liza Croft might be a quicker route if Mary Lou was just in search of gossip, but she wanted to spend a few minutes with Peggy Dismuke. The woman's calm nature always soothed her soul.

“I'm so glad you stopped by today, Mary Lou.” Peggy invited her into the kitchen of the parsonage. “David isn't home, and I've just pulled a cake from the oven. I've always believed pound cake should be eaten while it's still warm. At least the first few slices.” A trill of laughter punctuated her confession.

“It smells delicious.” Mary Lou pulled off her gloves and reached for the plates Peggy always used for dessert. The parsonage was a place where anyone in the community could come for advice, comfort or just a visit. Most of the ladies in town knew where everything in the kitchen was stored. “I've come to ask if you know of any upcoming events or situations that I should include in the next edition of the
Record
.”

Peggy put teacups on a tray with the cake slices and led the way to the front parlor. “What about the wedding of Jasmine and my brother?”

“I'm interviewing Jasmine tomorrow at lunch.” Mary Lou tried to sound neutral but a bit of anxiety crept into her voice. “Jared Ivy will be joining us.”

“That shouldn't be too awkward for you. You've been working together for several days now.”

“We've been working in the same space, but I don't think we've managed to work together on anything yet. Certainly not a story. It won't surprise me if he's got ideas for making a lot of changes to the paper. My goal is to maintain the tone and character his grandfather established. But let's not talk about Jared. I need a good story. Unless I want him to bring in something better than I do. If that happens, he could take over the spirit of the paper before the judge comes to town and decides who will keep it.”

“So you don't want to talk about Jared, do you?” Peggy was gracious and didn't point out how much of Mary Lou's conversation centered on the newest resident of Pine Haven. “Let me see.” She poured tea, and the two of them soon were deep in conversation about the upcoming social planned for Christmas Eve.

Mary Lou took the last bite of cake and set her plate on the tray. “Has Reverend Dismuke arranged for the use of the barn at the Circle W?”

Peggy nodded. “He's spoken to Evan. With Jasmine running the ranch now, David knew Evan could arrange the details with her.”

“It still seems a bit odd for Mr. Willis to have turned over the reins of the ranch to Jasmine before the wedding.” Mary Lou knew what it was like to work in a man's job. Jasmine was in a more difficult position as a lady rancher.

“Jasmine played such an important role in the healing of our family before she and Evan became engaged. Pa loves her as much as he loves me and Evan and Milly.”

“Do you think your father's somewhat obstinate personality will keep him from letting go of the decisions?” Mary Lou knew Peggy's family had recently reconciled after years of tension. Jasmine Warren's friendship and ultimate betrothal to Peggy's brother, the town doctor, had been the turning point.

Peggy laughed. “I don't think Pa will cease to be ornery, but I think he does it now to tease us.”

“I'm so happy for your family. Not everyone gets that kind of happiness restored.” Mary Lou knew there was no one to restore for her. No one alive claimed her as their family. Her father and mother had passed, then her aunt. Now with Mr. Ivy's death, everyone she'd ever truly loved was gone.

Movement outside the front window caught her attention. Jared walked across the churchyard, leading his new horse by the reins. His pace was steady but not fast.

Peggy went to stand by the front window. “So you don't want to talk about Jared Ivy, but you still do. And you're watching him out the window, too.” She turned to Mary Lou. “Is there something besides a news article you'd like to talk about with me? You know I'm more than happy to lend an ear.”

Embarrassment at having been caught staring jolted Mary Lou back to the moment. She put her teacup on the tray and stood. “I need to be going. There's a lot of work to be done for the paper.” She pulled her gloves on and smiled at Peggy. “Thank you for the information about the Christmas social. I think I'll try to find a way to make the preparations into a series of articles. I'll start by speaking to your husband.”

Peggy followed her to the front door and put a hand on her arm. “You're more than welcome, Mary Lou. Please be cautious. I don't know what I think about this new man coming into town and trying to take the paper from you. I don't want you to be hurt.”

“I'm trying to be wise. One minute I'm concerned about losing everything Mr. Ivy gave to me, and the next I'm wondering if Jared really does deserve it. He is an Ivy, after all.”

“The only reason your name isn't Ivy is because you insisted you were too old to be adopted when Mr. Ivy offered.”

Only a few people knew that. “Please don't mention that to anyone. His grandson already questioned whether I tried to plant myself into Mr. Ivy's good graces in order to inherit the paper.”

“Oh, Mary Lou, no one would ever believe that.”

“No one who truly knows me.” She stepped onto the front steps. “But Jared Ivy doesn't. All he knows is that he wants the
Pine Haven Record
. And he's determined to have it.”

“I'll pray for you. God always has the right answer.”

“I thought God had answered my prayers for a home when I came to stay with Mr. Ivy. Then he passed away. I thought the paper was his way of providing for me even though he's no longer here.” She watched Jared mount the horse and head toward the middle of town. “I wonder where God will lead me if the judge takes it all away.”

“Don't you borrow trouble. It's only a couple of months. The answer will be there when you need it.”

They said their goodbyes and Mary Lou followed the same path Jared had traveled moments before.

Would God give it all to him? Would she have to start over and build a new life for herself? Again.

Her mind screamed for her to worry, but she refused. Instead she started considering possible articles she could write about the Christmas social. With just under ten weeks to go, she could write nine stories. She'd start with one about Reverend Dismuke and the true meaning of Christmas. She could do one about the children and their practices for the reenactment of the journey to Bethlehem. Maybe one about families and how they celebrated...

She was so successful in thinking about her work that she didn't see Jared until he reached out to catch her when she almost stumbled off the edge of the sidewalk.

“Whoa!” He wrapped his arm around her waist and set her to rights. “You are deep in thought.”

The strength of his arm was a surprise. She was never touched by any man unless it was inadvertent. She'd jostled into someone leaving church before, or when she handed Andrew a stack of papers. But nothing like the strength of Jared Ivy as he protected her.

She remembered to breathe at that moment and gulped in too much air. A fit of coughing ensued. That was something she didn't need to repeat because his hand as he clapped her on the back was large and firm but gentle at the same time.

Mary Lou held up a hand and caught her breath. “Thank you, Mr. Ivy. You can stop now.”

“What were you thinking about that nearly had you toppling into the street?” He released her and took a step back. She was close enough to see the beginnings of tiny lines in his forehead. Days in the sun on a ranch would be the cause. His eyes were flawless. No imperfections or hints of other colors to obscure the crisp blue.

“Not you.” Her hand flew up to cover her mouth when she heard the words.

His heavy brows lifted. “Really?”

She was completely flustered now. “If you must know, I'm planning a series of articles for the paper. There's going to be a Christmas social for the community on Christmas Eve. I was thinking about that.”

“To keep yourself from thinking about the fact that the judge may well have come to town and decided our fate by then?”

He thought she was fearful of losing the paper. That was true. But she was more afraid of letting herself think about Jared, the man. He was the kind of man she'd have dreamed of, if she'd allowed herself to dream.

Why was her mind playing the cruel trick of telling her this while she was standing so close to him?

“I won't deny that has occupied my mind.” She looked up and squared her shoulders. She couldn't let him think she was afraid. “But that is not what I was thinking of just now. The quality of the paper is important to me. Planning ahead is one of the ways I maintain it.”

Jared smiled. A brief smile that tilted his thin lips upward on the ends but didn't reveal his teeth. “You should be pleased to know that's what I've been working on today, too.” He held an arm out toward the hotel. “Let me buy you lunch. We can compare ideas over a meal.”

“We can compare notes, but we'll have to eat at my house. Lunch is prepared and waiting on the stove. It will spoil if it's not eaten today.”

He offered her his arm. “That's even better. I haven't had a good meal since the stew you shared with me the other night.”

Without realizing how it happened, Mary Lou found herself dipping up bowls of soup and serving lunch to the man who could very well take away her home and job.

The most disturbing thing was that she was enjoying his company.

Jared dropped his spoon into his empty bowl. “That was delicious.”

“Thank you.” She took the bowl away and replaced it with a plate of fresh oatmeal cookies. “I enjoy cooking.” She sat opposite him at her small kitchen table and picked up a cookie. “Tell me what you mean when you say we should plan ahead.”

He took a bite of a cookie and nodded his approval. After taking a sip of tea he said, “I want to include articles about ranching and the cattle markets around the country.”

“The people here are excellent ranchers. I'm not sure they need that.”

“I'm not talking about how to raise cattle as much as I'm talking about the business side of things.” He picked up another cookie. “I just left a job on a ranch that had to be sold because the owner didn't keep up with the ways things were changing. The railroad and barbed wire could eliminate long cattle drives entirely. Cattle prices are affected by any change like that. It's important for the ranchers to have this kind of knowledge before the changes occur.”

“We do a good job of covering the local news. I'm not sure the
Record
is capable of predicting the future, Mr. Ivy.”

He ate the rest of his cookie. “If we were able to do that, Miss Ellison, we'd have the best-selling publication in all of Texas.”

She laughed. He had taken her sarcasm and turned it back on her. “Let me think about it. Pine Haven isn't a large town yet. I want to consider the good of any such changes and weigh it against the space we have in the paper for what absolutely must be covered.”

“That's reasonable. I want what's best for the paper. And helping the community will help the paper in the long term.”

“On that one point, Mr. Ivy, we can agree.”

Once again she'd let her guard down. Mr. Ivy would warn her to be observant and not be drawn into the story.

Could she resist the charm and intelligence of the man who sat across from her and had even offered to say grace before they'd eaten? Her fear of no man ever staying could be replaced by a fear that the one man she might want to stay would want her to leave.

Chapter Six

J
ared finished his notes for the day and vacated the desk chair. The back door to the office opened and Mary Lou entered. She looked lovely in a dark green skirt and vest. The lacy collar of her white blouse brushed against her jawline with every move. She didn't know how beautiful she was. Never had he met a woman as pretty as her who could, but didn't, use her appearance to her advantage.

“What time should we arrive for our meeting with Miss Warren today?” He went to look out the front window. He wouldn't be distracted by the way her hair curled around her ears if he wasn't looking at her.

“We should arrive at the hotel at a quarter till noon. I never like to keep anyone waiting.”

Having lunch with Mary Lou for the second day in a row might not be the smartest thing he'd ever done. Listening to her yesterday as she'd shared her ideas about a series of articles for Christmas, he'd kept wondering what she'd have thought of him if he'd come to town before Grump passed. Would she have welcomed him as he knew Grump would have?

Not unless he'd been able to convince her that he hadn't stayed away on purpose.

“I'll meet you at the hotel then.” He opened the door.

“Where are you going?” Mary Lou stood at the corner of the desk like a captain at the wheel of a ship. She was poised to direct the paper at her will. And he needed to learn more about the town of Pine Haven so he could focus on having a plan in place before the judge arrived.

“I'm going to check on some ideas I have for a story for the paper.”

“Which ideas?”

“About the thefts. I'll let you know if the clues develop.” He wanted to find out if Jasmine had located the missing cameo. To mention that would stir up Mary Lou's ire.

“You may just be wasting your time. Let me see what you've written when you finish it.”

“Mary Lou, I haven't decided if there's enough to write yet.”

“And that's something else, Mr. Ivy. You've insisted on the informality of using my Christian name.”

“We work together every day. All day. You should call me Jared. Don't you think it would be best if we approach some semblance of friendship?” He hadn't meant to start calling her Mary Lou. It had been spontaneous. Her name floated in his mind like it belonged there. He didn't think of her in a formal way.

“Will that offer of friendship remain in the event the judge decides in my favor?” Her question wasn't unkind or abrupt. But the truth of it rang in the air. They weren't friends. The easy lunch and going about town to meet people was a front to keep the name of the paper in good standing with the community. He would be wise to remember that.

“I would hope to be your friend after the judge validates Grump's will.”

“If this is your attempt to wear me down and hope there will be no battle in court, you are mistaken. I worked hard for your grandfather. Nothing he faced in those last years was faced alone.”

Andrew came through the front door. “Good morning, Miss Ellison.” He took his hat off as he spoke. “I'm sorry to be late. I took Midnight out for some exercise and lost track of the time. Is there anything you need me to do for you this morning?” He stood with his coat on, his hair rumpled from the hat, and breathing as if he'd run from the livery.

“Not this morning, thank you, Andrew.” Mary Lou sat behind the desk. “I'll be writing up an article. If you'd like to come by later to start pulling the tiles and compositing it, you may.”

Andrew agreed. As he turned to leave he said, “Mr. Ivy, you bought yourself a fine horse yesterday.”

“I quite agree, Andrew.” He watched for any sign of reaction from the young man as he made his next statement. “I was interested in Midnight, but Mr. Robbins informed me that you are the proud owner of that fine animal.”

Andrew's face lit up. He spun his hat in his hands. “I am. Took me a lot of hard work to get him, but he's the best horse in town. I aim to be a rancher. He's the kind of animal I'll need.”

“How did you afford a horse like that?”

Mary Lou shot him a sideways glare. “Andrew worked hard for that horse. Every odd job he could find.”

Andrew showed no annoyance at the question. “When a man sees a horse like Midnight, he'll do whatever it takes to get him.” He shoved his hat on and headed for the door. “Which means I better get on to my next job. I'll be back after lunch, Miss Ellison.”

Jared nodded at Mary Lou as Andrew left. “He didn't exactly answer my question.”

“He doesn't know your question was an attack on his character.”

“It wasn't an attack. Do you believe everyone you interview thinks you're attacking them?”

“Of course not. But I know you think Andrew is a thief. You don't even know if the cameo was stolen, yet you seem determined to find a motive for Andrew to be a thief. I warn you, it won't sit well with me for you to keep following this train of thought.”

“I'm on my way now to see if the cameo has been found.” Jared pulled on his jacket.

Mary Lou stood and followed him. “I'm coming with you. We'll put an end to this once and for all.” She took her coat from the tree by the front door. “Then we can get back to working on a real story.”

It took only a matter of minutes to reach the hotel and speak to Mr. Warren.

“No, we didn't find it. As a matter of fact—” Mr. Warren pointed to a table between two chairs near the front window “—we're missing a porcelain dish, too.”

“What?” Mary Lou's face fell and she wrung her hands. Jared watched all the starch go out of her. He hated it, but it was not a surprise to him that something else had disappeared. “Do you know if it went missing at the same time?”

“We think it did. Josephine dusted the lobby that morning, and it was there. We noticed it missing when we were looking for the cameo.”

Jared's suspicions that someone in town was a thief were validated. If it wasn't Andrew, it could easily be someone who comes and goes on a regular basis. “Josephine is the maid, right?”

Mr. Warren answered. “Yes. I believe you met her when you were our guest.”

Mary Lou walked to the table by the window. “How large was the dish?” She ran a hand across the surface of the table.

“About the size of a lady's hand,” Mr. Warren answered. “What are you thinking, Miss Ellison?”

She looked up and her gaze met Jared's. “Whoever took these items had to have done it quickly. I've almost never seen this room unoccupied.”

Mr. Warren scratched his chin. “We try not to be too far from our guests. If we ever leave the desk unattended, we prop the door to the residence open. It's easier to keep an eye out for arriving guests. Except at night, of course.”

Jared's curiosity wouldn't be stopped. “Have you had anything go missing from any of the rooms? Or from your residence?”

“No. I'd have the sheriff involved if that happened. I am hoping these things have merely been misplaced.” Mr. Warren shook his head. “You think we have a thief here in the hotel, Mr. Ivy? As much as I'd hate to believe it possible, I'd have to contact Sheriff Collins if that was true.”

“Not necessarily. Although, it would be wise to keep an eye out for anything else that might go missing. Those things could still turn up.” If it was Andrew, Jared didn't want the man to involve the sheriff. He'd like to give the boy a chance to make things right and earn Mary Lou's faith in him.

Mary Lou asked, “Has anything else like this happened since you purchased the hotel?”

“No. We haven't had the first problem. I can't imagine we'd have a thief on our staff. Why, I couldn't even imagine a thief in Pine Haven.” Mr. Warren's apparent disbelief was as sincere as Mary Lou's.

Jared pushed forward with his thoughts. “It happens more than people realize. Someone you trust finds themselves in need and, before you know it, they've done something they'd never done before. Trusting folks is well and good, until someone gets hurt.” He'd trusted his mother. Her efforts to conceal a grandfather who'd loved him had robbed him of family he would never know. “Sometimes people very close to you do things that hurt you, and they do it for reasons they justify in their own minds.”

Mr. Warren and Mary Lou stared at him. Did they suspect he was no longer talking about a missing cameo and a porcelain dish?

“Well, I've got somewhere I need to be. If you'll both excuse me.” He turned and left in an instant.

Mistrust was new for him. It had consumed him when his mother died. Without warning it swarmed over his every thought.

Mary Lou might not think people capable of robbing or hurting others, but he knew it could happen. And he wore the pain of it in his heart. No matter how he tried to bury it.

* * *

At fifteen minutes before noon, Mary Lou stood on the porch of the hotel. Jared was nowhere in sight. She searched the street in both directions. A check of the pendant watch she wore pinned on her vest told her she couldn't wait for him any longer. Mr. Ivy had given her the watch on her twenty-first birthday. He'd told her that punctuality would open doors for a journalist that would never be open to someone who was late. She smiled at the engraved words—
A broken heart is an open heart
—knowing he'd meant it to encourage her but that it would probably never be true for her. Her heart had been broken by loss in her life. Never had she felt open after it happened.

She turned on her heel and entered the lobby. Mr. Warren was still at the desk where she'd left him after Jared had walked out earlier that morning, with both of them staring after him.

She couldn't put her finger on why, but there was pain in Jared Ivy. Pain that she'd witnessed at the cemetery. Was that what made him so suspicious?

She stopped in the middle of the lobby. Jared accused her of being too trusting, of not looking at the possibility that things weren't what they seemed. She didn't have any problem doing that when it came to him. She'd questioned everything about him since he'd arrived. Every action and motive was dissected in her mind.

“Miss Ellison?” Mr. Warren stepped from behind the desk. “Are you feeling ill?”

“No. I'm quite all right.” Was she?

“You just look a mite pale.” Mr. Warren nodded toward the restaurant. “Evan will be joining Jasmine and Mr. Ivy in a few minutes. You're welcome to wait for him with them.”

“Mr. Ivy is in the restaurant?”

“Yes. He's been in there about a quarter of an hour with Jasmine. Said he wanted to ask her a few questions. Didn't you agree to the meeting the other day?”

“I did. It was scheduled for noon.” She rose up to her full height and took a deep breath. “If you'll excuse me, I need to get to work.”

In the restaurant, Jared sat facing the entrance. He was speaking to Jasmine, and though Mary Lou couldn't hear the words, she knew the instant he saw her. His eyes widened a bit and he leaned in closer to the table as he made a note.

Mary Lou approached them. “Hello, Jasmine.” She smiled a greeting to her friend. “Mr. Ivy.” The look she shot at him was for his eyes only. He smiled away what she'd intended as a scorching rebuke.

“Mary Lou. So glad you could join us.”

“I was waiting for you on the porch.” She had been clear that they should arrive together.

“You were so right to warn me to be early.” He took his seat again. “I arrived just as Miss Warren was returning from the Circle W. It seemed a good opportunity to ask her some questions about the ranch.” Their interview was supposed to be about the wedding. Jared meeting Jasmine early and asking questions about ranching made Mary Lou appear unprofessional. And she didn't like it.

Jasmine signaled to Naomi, the cook.

The older lady came to the table with a happy greeting. “Good day to you, folks. What can I get for you?”

Jared answered for all of them. “We've been invited here today on the promise of tasting the absolute best chicken and dumplings.”

Mary Lou's respect for Naomi Grant increased when she gave him a suspicious look. “Sir, if you mean to flatter me into an extra helping, you'll have to know Miss Warren here won't cotton to special favors to the menfolk.” Then she winked at Evan Willis as he joined them, and Mary Lou realized the look had been for Doc Willis's benefit. “Unless it's her intended.”

Doc Willis put a hand on Naomi's shoulder. “Please tell me you've saved a large portion of dumplings for me.”

“You know I did.” The cozy cook confirmed their orders and headed through the swinging door that led to the kitchen.

“Hello, love.” Doc Willis dropped a kiss on Jasmine's proffered cheek.

“Hi, Evan.” She gestured toward Jared. “Have you met Jared Ivy?”

Doc Willis took the chair beside Jasmine. “Not formally, but I've heard a bit about the uproar you started by coming to town and trying to take the newspaper from our dear Miss Ellison.” A light tone kept the words from being mean-spirited, but they stung of truth to Mary Lou.

“Have I started a commotion? Really?” Jared turned to her.

“You'll soon learn that the town doctor is known for his direct manner.” To the doctor, Mary Lou said, “He came to see his grandfather, but sadly he arrived too late.” After seeing him grieve at the grave, she couldn't doubt his true sorrow over not coming sooner.

“My condolences to you.” Doc Willis put an arm across the back of Jasmine's chair. Mary Lou watched how Jasmine, in full rancher attire, leaned into the gesture. Two more opposite people she couldn't imagine. The town doctor and a lady rancher. She hoped for a good story about their upcoming wedding.

“Thank you. I hope to learn about Grump from the people who shared his life.” Jared spoke to Doc Willis but his eyes were on Mary Lou.