With Family In Mind (Saddle Falls Book 1) (19 page)

Money?

The thought made bile, thick and bitter, rise in Rebecca’s throat, forcing her to swallow convulsively
several times. Her eyes burned with the effort not to let tears fall. She couldn’t come apart now, not in front of Jake. It would serve no purpose and would only jeopardize everything she’d worked so hard for. She wasn’t finished yet.

“Hey, Slick, you all right?” Tenderly, he touched her cheek, and she forced a smile. It was brittle as ice.

“Fine. Just…thinking.” Rubbing her eyes, Rebecca took a slow, deep breath. “Jake, did your family try to find Jesse? I mean, did you hire investigators or anything?”

He sighed. “We did everything you could possibly imagine. For almost ten years, Tommy had investigators on his payroll, looking for Jesse, looking for any clues, any leads.” Jake shook his head. “Tommy followed up on every single one of them. The FBI checked out the guy they’d suspected of threatening Tommy, but he came out clean.”

“Someone threatened Tommy?” It was another bit of information she’d not discovered.

“Yeah. That never came out, either, and even I didn’t know about it until last night.” At her look, he explained. “Tommy and I had a conversation about you writing the family history, and that’s when Tommy told me about the ransom note and the threat before Jesse disappeared. But it turned out to be nothing. Tommy fired one of the ranch hands for being drunk on the job. Then about a week later, Tommy got a call threatening one of us if he didn’t pay up.” Jake shrugged. “My grandfather immediately thought it was the ramblings of the drunken man, and pretty much dismissed it, until Jesse disappeared.”

“Did they check the man out?” Hope thrummed through her. “Could he have had something to do with Jesse’s disappearance?”

“No. Apparently the FBI checked him out the same night Jesse disappeared. He was in a hospital detox center. There’s no way he could have had anything to do with Jesse’s disappearance.”

Hope deflated like a popped balloon. “This ranch hand, Jake—do you remember his name?”

“Yeah, it was Martin Weaver.” He studied her face. “Why do you ask?”

She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “Just being a nosy reporter, I guess.”

“For almost ten years we searched for Jesse. But there were no leads, nothing. Tommy hired untold private investigators, but nothing turned up. We had nothing to go on.”

“What about the nanny? Were you ever able to talk to her?”

Jake shook his head. “Nope. She was taken in for questioning the morning after Jesse disappeared, but was released after a few hours. The cops had nothing to hold her on so had to let her go. Apparently she skipped town right afterward.”

“So no one else ever interviewed her? Talked to her?” Rebecca held her breath.

Jake shook his head. “No, not that I know of. I don’t think anyone could find her.” Scrubbing his hands over his face, he stifled a yawn. “How much more, Rebecca?” he asked wearily. “I’m beat.”

“Just one more question, Jake.” Rebecca licked her
lips, then met his gaze. “If it was possible, would you try to find Jesse?”

“Find him?” Jake shook his head. “Rebecca, I’d do anything and everything in my power to find my brother.” He sighed.
“Anything.”

“Then let me help, Jake.” She held up her hand. “No, let me finish. I don’t plan on publishing anything I find out—that’s not my intention, or my motive. I just want to help you find Jesse if I can. Someone has to know something, Jake, but my guess is no one’s ever talked to the right person—the person who might know what really happened that night.”

Curious, but cautious, Jake refused to let the hope that bubbled up inside blossom. He didn’t think he could stand another disappointment, not about Jesse. “And how do you plan on doing that, Rebecca?”

The fact that he hadn’t vetoed the idea outright gave her the courage to go on. “It’s my job, Jake, remember? That’s what I do. Dig for the truth.”

“Yeah, I remember,” he said nervously, wondering if this was such a good idea.

Cocking her head, she met his gaze, a small smile on her face. “I don’t think it would hurt for me to do a little discreet digging, to see what I can find out.” She shrugged, trying not to let him know how much this meant to her. If she could finally learn what had really happened to Jesse Ryan, it might make up, just a little, for whatever her mother’s involvement had been. It was the least Rebecca could do. She needed to do this for herself as well, so that she would be satisfied that she’d finally learned the truth about her mother’s involvement. “What have you got to lose?”

Jake was thoughtful for a long moment. “Nothing, I guess. Absolutely nothing.”

Relief flooded her. “Then I have your permission?”

“Provided you bring me any and all information and promise not to publish it.”

“I promise, Jake.” She nestled closer, needing to feel his strength, his warmth, his comfort right now. “I’m not doing this for publicity.” Lifting her head, she met his gaze. Their eyes held for a long moment as silent messages passed between them. She laid a hand on his cheek. “I’m doing this for you.”

B
y noon, Rebecca had already done almost a day’s work, poring through police files, old phone and hospital records as well as newspapers, and all the material Tommy had given to her. She was trying to find anything, any little tidbit, that might give her a clue as to what had happened twenty years ago. She’d been able to piece together parts of the puzzle, but a big chunk was still missing.

After several phone calls, she finally had something to go on, and couldn’t wait to get back to the house to tell Jake.

Her work probably would have been a lot easier if she could go for five minutes without thinking about him and what had happened between them last night.

All morning as she worked she’d had to chase him
from her mind. He was there, hovering like a wonderful, comforting memory.

In spite of what had happened between them, Rebecca vowed to herself that she would not allow it to compromise her professional integrity. She couldn’t.

Her personal life—now that she finally had one— and her professional life had to remain on two separate tracks, especially while she was involved in this story.

She had no idea what would happen when it came time for her to go back to Reno, to her home and her job there, the life she’d built for herself. Granted, until last night she’d had no idea how lonely that life had been.

Now the mere thought of going back to what had once satisfied her on every level only made her sad, because Jake, wonderful Jake, wouldn’t be there.

This morning she’d been far too preoccupied to think about the future, about what would happen when she was finished with her story, but she decided that for now she would enjoy whatever it was she and Jake had. Enjoy it for the pure pleasure it gave her, not just the sensual satisfaction, but the pleasure of feeling alive for the first time in her life.

Her black-and-white world was now joyously filled with vivid, vibrant colors. Because of Jake and what she felt for him, she’d experienced things she’d never hoped or imagined she would.

If for nothing else, she would be grateful to him for that—for giving her something she had always believed she’d live without. She would forever appreciate what he’d given her, and not look for or expect more.

There could be nothing more. Under the circumstances, considering who she was and who he was, to expect more would be both foolish and ludicrous.

She was far too pragmatic to think that they could have a real relationship. They’d been thrown together because of circumstances, nothing more. Once those specific circumstances were removed, the two of them would no doubt go their separate ways.

It was not a thought she relished or wanted to dwell on, considering the depth of her feelings for him. Especially not today, when she had so many other things on her mind, things that simply couldn’t wait.

When she’d left him this morning, fast asleep in her bed, she’d also left a draft of her story on the table for him to read. She hoped he’d be pleased with it. She was.

After gathering her notes, finishing her calls, she grabbed a fast-food lunch for both of them, then headed back to the carriage house to tell Jake what she’d discovered. Excitement pulsed through her, and she had trouble concentrating on her driving, but she steadfastly refused to allow herself to moon over him.

Instead, she went over the facts she’d learned this morning during the past week, surprised by the vast amount of information she’d been able to put together.

Perhaps because the Ryans had never publicly discussed so many of the details of Jesse’s disappearance, no one else had been able to patch together a complete “what-if” scenario involving all the players, since no one really knew who all the players were.

She hoped with the new information she’d learned
in the past few days, she just might be able to do that, and find some resolution.

She’d always relied on her hunches, and after going over all her notes again this morning, she’d decided to play one of them. She had nothing to lose.

Now, as she pulled into the driveway, she couldn’t help but smile, thinking about Jake, wondering if he’d awakened yet. Quietly, she let herself into the house, surprised to find it silent except for the shower running.

Smiling again, she set out their lunch, then gathered ketchup, mustard, plates and napkins and set them on the table.

Barefoot, with a towel wrapped around his gorgeous hips and his dark hair damp and curly, Jake walked into the room, looking like a large, sleepyeyed cat. Rebecca’s heart started pounding.

“Well, good morning,” she said nervously, not certain how to respond to him. The morning after… She’d never actually been in this position before, and didn’t know what to expect.

He grinned. Still rubbing his damp hair with a second towel, he crossed to her, lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her silly. “Good morning to you,” he whispered, letting his lips caress and nuzzle hers until she felt weak in the knees.

Blinking away the fog that had accumulated on her brain, Rebecca tried to ignore the magnetic pull of him. “I brought food.”

He grinned again, straddling a chair, which caused his towel to dip haphazardly around his waist. “So I
see,” he said, reaching for a burger with visible delight.

“Jake.”

The tone of her voice stopped him cold and he glanced up at her, then frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“I—I…” She was so excited she could barely contain herself. He pulled out a chair for her and pointed to it, so she sat. “Jake, this morning I learned something about that threatening phone call made the week before Jesse disappeared.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Rebecca?” He set his burger down and gave her his full attention.

“I spoke to Martin Weaver this morning by phone. He’s the ranch hand Tommy fired. As soon as Jesse disappeared, the authorities went to interview Mr. Weaver, but as you told me this morning, he was in a hospital detox program and so they ruled him out as a suspect.”

“Yeah, so?” Jake shrugged.

“Well, Martin Weaver admitted that he was the one who made the threatening phone call to Tommy the week before Jesse disappeared. So that phone call and the kidnapping had absolutely nothing to do with one another. They were totally separate incidents.”

“Are you sure?” Jake asked.

“I’m positive, Jake. Martin Weaver was drunk and he was angry.” Rebecca’s gaze softened and she laid her hand on his. “He was angry at being fired, and he feared losing his wife, so he wanted to do something to get back at Tommy.”

“So he called and threatened Tommy’s family?” Jake’s voice rose in anger and he blew out a breath.

Rebecca smiled at him, understanding his feelings completely. “In Martin Weaver’s mind, I’m sure it made some sense.” She shrugged. “Maybe it made him feel like he had some power, some grasp of a situation that he really had lost control of.”

“If you say so,” Jake said skeptically, trying to hide the turmoil growing inside of him.

Rebecca sighed heavily, holding on to his hand. “Anyway, Jake, he readily admitted to making that call and now even admits how foolish it was. But he’s no longer drinking and he regrets a lot of the things he did back then.” She hesitated, knowing Jake would probably never have any sympathy for the man. “He made the call out of desperation, Jake, but I honestly don’t believe he had anything to do with Jesse’s disappearance.”

Jake studied her beautiful face, her eyes, her mouth—a mouth he’d kissed silly last night and couldn’t seem to get enough of. “Rebecca, you believe this guy, don’t you?”

“Absolutely,” she said without hesitation. “I’m convinced Martin Weaver’s call and Jesse’s disappearance are totally unrelated.”

Jake nodded thoughtfully. “Then if that’s the case, we still don’t know what happened to Jesse, do we?”

“Not yet,” she said with a smile. “But I’m working on it. Martin Weaver gave me a name, something to go on. And hopefully this afternoon I’ll be able to find this woman I’m looking for. A woman who might know something about Jesse’s disappearance.” A woman who had known and been a friend of her mother’s, Rebecca thought, but couldn’t add, knowing
she could never tell Jake this part. “So I’ve still got some things to tackle.” She reached for her own burger, suddenly starved. “I’ve got to go back out as soon as I eat.”

“What woman, Rebecca?” he asked anxiously, leaning forward. “Is it someone who might know about Jesse?”

“I’m not sure, Jake, and I don’t want to get your hopes up until I find out for certain.” She shrugged. “It’s been almost two decades. This woman could be dead, or living in another part of the world, for all we know.” Rebecca patted his hand. “I promise I’ll tell you everything and anything I find out, but you’ve got to trust me.” Her eyes searched his. “Can you do that for a little while longer?”

Aware of the promise he’d made to her—and to himself—Jake nodded. “Yes.”

She fairly beamed at him. “Good.”

He frowned again. “Do you want me to talk to Tommy and find out about that phone call from Martin Weaver? If he was ever told that the man admitted making it?”

Mouth full, she nodded, wiping her mouth with a paper napkin. “Please. It’s very important.”

Unable to resist, Jake leaned across the table and gazed into her eyes suggestively. “And when you’re done…” His sexy voice trailed off, causing her heart to pound.

“And when I’m done…” She leaned forward as well, so their lips were close enough to kiss. Lightly, teasingly, she brushed her mouth against his, tormenting them both. “When I’m done I’ll be back.”

He kissed her again, stirring his blood as well as hers. “And I’ll be waiting.”

It took almost four hours for Rebecca to locate one Dottie Roberts, formerly of Saddle Falls, now living in the small town of Westbrook, Nevada, about three hundred miles away.

By the time Rebecca arrived in Westbrook, the heat was brutal and the pavement fairly shimmered in the sunlight. Grateful she’d pulled her hair atop her head, she dabbed at her damp neck with a handkerchief as she glanced up and down the nearly deserted streets.

Dottie Roberts, if she was the same woman, was now fifty-three years old and worked as a waitress in a small coffee shop called the Westbrook Diner. She’d been married and divorced three times, with no children, and worked the morning shift six days a week. She lived in a small trailer about a mile from the diner, alone except for a cat named Leo.

By the time she pushed through the door, perspiration dotted her silk summer blouse, and she was grateful for the blast of cool air that hit her.

Glancing around, she found an empty seat at the end of the counter. The restaurant was not crowded; there were only a few customers scattered here and there.

After slipping her glasses on, Rebecca slid the menu out from behind the napkin holder and glanced at it. She wasn’t really hungry—she was too tense to be able to eat anything—but wanted to look as if she had a purpose for being there.

“Can I get you some coffee, honey?”

Rebecca glanced up. The waitress was about the right age. Short and plump, she had bright, brassy hair the color of a copper penny that curled and frizzed around her head, framing her wide face. Her eyes were a clear, crystal green with deep laugh lines around them. Unlike most people in Nevada, this woman didn’t have a tan. Her skin was as white as fresh milk. Her uniform was a bright, screaming yellow and hugged her ample frame a bit too tightly.

“Yes, coffee, please,” Rebecca said with a smile, trying not to stare at the woman. She appeared to be the only waitress. Through a small service window that led to the kitchen, Rebecca could see a man— probably the cook, judging from the way he was dressed.

The bell over the door tinkled and a customer walked in, waving to the waitress. Flashing him a smile, she absently waved back before returning her attention to Rebecca. “Regular or unleaded?”

“Decaf, please.” Rebecca’s gaze shifted to the woman’s name tag. It said Dorothy. Dottie was short for Dorothy. Rebecca’s heart slowed as she stared at that little black-and-white name tag with the smiley face in one corner.

“Now, what else can I get for you?” Dottie asked as she poured coffee into a cup and set it on the counter. “Got some fresh Danish if you’ve an interest.”

“No, I don’t think so.” Her heart was beating so rapidly, Rebecca carefully lifted her cup and sipped, wanting to have a chance to stabilize her emotions. The coffee almost scalded her tongue, but the taste
was heavenly and she nearly sighed. It was the first cup she’d had today and she needed it. “Actually,” she said carefully, setting her cup down and lifting her gaze to Dottie’s, “I was wondering if you could help me.”

“I can try, hon. What’s it you need?”

“I’m looking for someone, someone who used to be a friend of my…mother’s.” She kept her gaze on Dottie’s face. “It was a long time ago—almost twenty years, back in Saddle Falls, Nevada—but I was hoping I might be able to find this woman.”

“Why, isn’t that a coincidence? I used to live in Saddle Falls. It was some years back, though.” Dottie smiled. “What was this friend of your mother’s name? Maybe I knew her.”

Rebecca swallowed. “The woman’s name was Dottie Roberts.”

“Why, hon, that’s me!” Dottie pointed to her name tag. The bell rang again as a customer left. “Says Dorothy here, but everyone calls me Dottie.” She leaned her elbows on the counter and got comfortable. “So tell me, why are you looking for me?”

“I wanted to ask you some questions about my mother.”

“Well, hon, I don’t know who your mama is. If you tell me her name, I might be able to help.”

Rebecca almost winced. She’d never actually admitted out loud or in public who her mother was. It was just too painful, far too shameful. She wasn’t certain she could do so now, but she had no choice.

“My mother…my mother’s name was Margaret Brost.”

The reaction was almost instantaneous. “Becca?” Dottie’s mouth dropped open as she stared at Rebecca, her gaze going over every feature of her face. “You’re little Becca?” she said in a reverent whisper, reaching for Rebecca’s hands and clinging to them. “Lord, girl, look how you’ve grown. And you’re a looker, too.” She laughed heartily, giving them a squeeze. “I’ll bet your momma is real proud of you, sugar, real proud.”