The Veiled Cage (Lady Lawyer Series Romantic Suspense Novels Book 1) (41 page)

“
What if he runs? H
e’
d pull at my wrist
.”
She held up her cast, and wiggled her fingers.

“
I know him. He wo
n’
t run. I could stand to your left and hold the looped portion. What do you think
?
”

“
I think you should lead him.
I’
m no good at that sort of thing
.
”

“
You may be better than you think. Do whatever seems right. Feel free to walk alongside us. I
t’
s enough that yo
u’
re with us, Susan
.”
             

Susan stayed at Ariann
a’
s side, and gazed over at Trenton. Pace matched to Ariann
a’
s, he gazed forwar
d—
the equine silent treatment.

Tuned into him, Arianna said
,“
I know, Trent. Yo
u’
ll have your freedom soon
.
”

When they approached a round pen, Arianna said
,“
You may join us or stay outside. Once yo
u’
ve chosen your spot, close the gate
.”
Arianna led Trenton past the gate, and said
,“
Whoa
.
”

Trenton stopped and lowered his head.

Arianna removed the lead rope, patted his neck twice, and settled on the fence next to where Susan stoo
d—
inside.

“
What do we do now
?”
Susan asked.

“I’
m going to sit right here. You can do whatever yo
u’
d like
.
”

Susan stepped toward Trenton, and then back to the fence. She started pacing
.“
I, I feel like
I’
m supposed to do something
.
”

“
What
?
”

Susan held up her hand toward Trenton.

He stood still.

Susan started to cry
.“
I do
n’
t know. I do
n’
t know what to do
.
”

“
Where else in your life do you feel that way
?
”

“
Everywhere
.
”

“
Horses are empathetic creatures. They pick up on cues. Trenton does
n’
t know what you want from him, because you do
n’
t know yourself. H
e’
s as confused as you are. Yo
u’
ve lost touch with what you want. Your world became what Jerry wanted. I
t’
s your life, Susan. You get to choose
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re a horse whisperer
,”
Susan said, awe-struck.

“
Tha
t’
s what Ruby likes to say. We humans are not the only conscious beings to converse with one another. Horses have a native language.
I’
ve taken the time to learn it
.
”

“
You make it sound so easy
.”
She eyed Trenton warily
.“
You said
I’
d see your staff
.
”

“
Yes, and you have. Trenton and Willow are my best therapists. My ranch is a retreat center for survivors of abus
e—
like you, and like me
.
”

Susan studied her and cast her eyes down
.“
I had no idea. Yo
u’
re nothing like me. Yo
u’
re so sure of yourself
.
”

“
I think w
e’
re more alike than you realize. My abuser never cleaned up the mess he made. Neither will yours. H
e’
s trashed your front yard for years, and left you to clean it up. You do
n’
t have to do it alone
.
”

“
I do
n’
t know where to start
.
”

“
W
e’
re going to spend the day working through where yo
u’
ve been. You need to understand you were
n’
t responsible for any of it. By the time the sun rises tomorrow, it will be over. He wo
n’
t be able to hurt you anymore. And yo
u’
ll have these beautiful possibilities spreading before you for your life. I
t’
s yours. It was never his.
I’
m going to help you figure out what to do with it, if yo
u’
d like
.
”

“
Yes,
I’
d like that
.
”

“
See, yo
u’
ve made a choice already. Well done, Susan. And look
.”
She pointed.

Trenton ambled toward Susan.

“
Hold out your hand again. This time, bow your head, and hold still
.
”

Susan did so.

Trenton nuzzled Susa
n’
s hand.

She laughed, and stroked his nose with her free hand.

Trenton moved forward.

Susan stepped back.

Trenton stepped back.

“
Yo
u’
re okay, Susan. Yo
u’
re safe. If yo
u’
d like him to move closer, hold your hand out again and bow your head
.
”

Eyes on Trenton, she gave a heavy sigh. She extended her hand and lowered her head.

Trenton nosed in and nuzzled her hand.

“
If it feels right to you, reciprocate however yo
u’
d like
.
”

Susan walked to Trento
n’
s shoulder and leaned her forehead against it.

Turning his head, he enfolded Susan between the barrel of his torso and his solid trunk of a neck.

“
Horse hug. Trent loves giving them. H
e’
ll hold you as long as yo
u’
d like
.
”

After a while, Susan pulled back, and stayed near him, stroking his neck
.“
That was . .
.
”

“
The best thing ever
?
”

She broke into a grin
.“
Yeah, it felt amazing
.
”

“
Would you like to sit
?
”

“
Yeah, I would
.”
Susan joined Arianna on the fence, and watched Trenton break into a trot.

Chapter 20

Ruby and Emilio carried groceries into the kitchen and put them away, knowing if they put them in the wrong place Jerald would
n’
t notice.

Jerald perked up and moved closer to the screen.
Look at that worthless woman
, he thought.
She needs another idiot to help her unload groceries.

“
I have no idea how you talked me into an e-geek as backup
.
”

“
I demonstrated my affinity for rigorous exercise. I can hold my own
.”
He watched her toss ingredients haphazardly on the counter and dig through cookware, selecting a jumbo pot and perching it on the stove with a look of triumph.

Stupid woman, fumbling around.

Holding up a lemon, Emilio said
,“
Your cooking skills leave something to be desired
.
”

Ruby laughed
.“
True, although you wo
n’
t be able to say that for long. Gabi is determined to make a chef of me yet
.
”

“
Yes, she is. Until the transformation is complete, allow me to cook you dinner. My stomach and I insist
.
”

She raised her hands and stepped away from the stove
.“
Go for it, Chef Milo
.
”

He swooped down for a quick kiss.

“
Enough sap.
I’
m hungry
.
”

“
Your romantic bent is irresistible. We must make this realistic for our audience
.
”

“
How so
?”
Ruby peered over his shoulder as he sliced a lemon.

That bitch is
n’
t even replacing me with a real man.

Emilio pivoted and covered her mouth with his. He held her emerald gaze with his smoky eyes before turning back to their dinner
.“
Now you can attest to my agility
.
”

Whoring herself in my house.
Jerry chucked his glass at the screen, and swore when both shattered.
She deserves everything tha
t’
s coming to her for all sh
e’
s put me through.

“
This pert nose
I’
m sporting for the evening is pretty cute
,”
Ruby said.

He tapped her nose
.“
I prefer slightly crooked
.”
He turned to the cutting board to hide his smile
.“
Although I have a weakness for brunettes. Perhaps yo
u’
d consider a change
?
”

“
Careful, I have very good aim. And i
t’
d blow our cover to have me chuck this plate at your head
.
”

“I’
m relieved yo
u’
ve fallen as soundly under my spell as I have under yours,
Querida
.
”

Ruby grinned
.“
And I do not have a crooked nose. It healed quite nicely
.
”

“
From
?
”

“
From when a girl kicked me in the face during a karate tournament. We were thirteen. She was sick of second place. I left a nice bloody handprint on the back of her white karate uniform when the match was over. Good sportswomanship is important
.
”

“
Tha
t’
s only fair
.
”

“
I thought so. My mother was mortified
.
”

“
By your injury
?
”

“
Yes. She feared no boy would have me.
I’
d be dateless and scorned at homecoming. Mother refused to let Clubfoot Cassie dash her drea
m—
to have a daughter perfect in appearance and manner
.
”

“
Clubfoot Cassie
?
”

“
Mother coined the nickname. She loathed that girl, and demanded that I undergo repairs
.
”

“
Why did
n’
t you
?
”

“
I had no interest in being a pretty, pretty princess
.
”

“
What did you want to be
?
”

“
An international spy. Mother refused to let me study languages I insisted
I’
d need for my future profession
.
”

“
Such as
?
”

“
Sanskrit, Farsi
.
”

“
You never put your differences in aesthetics aside
?
”

“
The older I got, the more different we became. Sh
e’
d tell you that her hard work amounted to nothing.
I’
m in an abominable profession, the sewer of the legal professio
n—
nothing prestigious or fancy enough to tell her country-club friends about over tea
.
”

“
Your work matters
.
”

“
I know
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re here tonight catching a batterer, a stalker, a drug kingpin, a murderer. Nobody would have seen his sinister side if not for you. You uncovered the truth
.
”

“
It was a team effort
.
”

“
And yo
u’
re humble. I keep seeing new sides to you, each appealing in its own way
.”
He encircled her in his arms.

“
I do
n’
t know how to do this. Us. I know how to take down this bastard. Le
t’
s focus on that and figure this out later. Deal
?
”

He released her with a quick kiss
.“
As you wish. Le
t’
s have a simple evening, then, of capturing a murderer. Tell me how you met our dear mutual friend
.
”

Her smile added warmth to her eyes
.“
His shop was between my law school and my job at the county attorne
y’
s office.
I’
d pop in to look at antiques. It took my mind off the law. Alfred delighted in telling me each piec
e’
s story. He took more care with his antiques than some parents do with their children
.”
Pain cooled her eyes.

“
Rubina,
I
—”

“
No, i
t’
s fine
.”
Her hardened gaze said otherwise
.“
I
t’
s fact. Anyway, I liked that about him. How did you meet him
?
”

“
When my mother and I came over from Spain, we had very little. What we had, we sold. I started making money as a teen, and went to Alfred to find a gift for my mother. H
e’
d secreted away everything. He said he knew
I’
d be back someday for the
m—
these pieces of our family history
.
”

“
That sounds like something h
e’
d do. I wonder what he did with my Sherlock Holmes set
.
”

“
How did you come upon it
?”
he asked.

“
I
t’
s all my grandmother left me. Sh
e’
d read to me from it, and tell me to never mind my mother. I was destined to do great work, important work.
I’
m sure Alfred found a good home for it
.
”

“
Was this set leather-bound with gold inscriptions
?
”

“
Yes, why do you ask
?
”

“
I admired it in Alfre
d’
s shop, and made him a generous offer
.
”

“
You have it
?
”

“
No, he refused to sell
.
”

Ruby gave a hearty laugh
.“
I love Alfred
.
”

“
Well, yo
u’
ve given your heart to a worthy gentleman
.”
He turned to drizzle olive oil on thick fillets of pink salmon before topping them with garlic and lemon slices.

“
I have, Milo
.”
She finished the place settings, and peered over at him
.“
And h
e’
s insane if he thinks
I’
m eating that. I thought you were making us real food
.
”

“
Try one bite. If yo
u’
re not hooked, then move onto dessert
.
”

“
Wha
t’
s for dessert
?
”

“
Flan. I
t’
s a decadent custard topped with soft caramel
.
”

“
Is it a Gabi recipe
?
”

“
Yes
.
”

“
I suppose one bite wo
n’
t kill me. Want a hand
?
”

“
Ther
e’
s wine in that bag
.”
He gestured with his head, and slid their ent
ré
e into the oven.

“
That I can manage
.
”

Kottk
e’
s voice came over the two-way audio bugs planted around the kitchen
.“
Target spotted, heading north toward the front entrance
.
”

“
Yeah, lovebirds
,”
Colin said
.“
W
e’
ve enjoyed the show.
I’
m sure Jerry did, too. W
e’
ll listen and record on this end as soon as Jerry crosses the threshold
.
”

“
Dinner will have to wait
.”
Emilio turned off the oven.

“
Disarm only. Think you can handle that
?
”

He shot her an impatient glance.

“
Hey, brain and brawn do
n’
t always co-exist
.
”

“
I can handle myself
.
”

She reached up and stroked his hair
.“
Good. I do
n’
t want any injuries
.”
She gave him a wicked grin
.“
I
t’
d put a damper on my sex life
.”
Turning serious, she said
,“
I get the take down
.
”

“
I could disable him with one jolt
.
”

“
No, nothing fancy this time. He wanted Susan to do everything the old-fashioned way. Her stand-in is going to kick his ass, no-tech
.
”