Читать книгу Texas Grit - Barb Han - Страница 11

Chapter Three

“Getting a flower should be a good thing,” Carrie said to Dade, who pulled alongside her sedan and parked. She shoved aside the notion that he might be planning to move away. She had no real right to ask about his personal life. “But this just feels creepy.”

“I’ll check it out.” He hopped out of the cab.

She didn’t budge. There was something safe about being with Dade, despite the media scrutiny and everything going on with her pulse. Too bad the secure feeling wouldn’t last. And she needed to get home to Coco anyway.

Dade came around to her side and opened the door. “Whoever left this didn’t identify himself.”

He snapped a pic and said he was texting it to the sheriff.

“It’s probably from Brett.” He’d given her a single rose early on in their relationship.

“Either way, the sheriff needs to know,” Dade quickly said.

In Brett’s last voice mail—the one he’d left after he calmed down and started thinking rationally again—he’d said that he’d do pretty much anything to win her back. Was he trying to remind her of happier times? She frowned. There was no chance she was going out with him again. Her favorite pair of jogging shorts was at his place—or at least she thought so, because she couldn’t find them in her house even though she could’ve sworn she’d worn them last weekend. Maybe she hadn’t looked hard enough. In all the stress and confusion of the past couple of weeks, she was starting to lose her mind. Another reason she wished Brett could accept the breakup and move on. Being the cause of someone else’s pain wasn’t exactly a good feeling.

“Does this guy have a hard time understanding when a relationship is over?” An emotion—jealousy?—passed behind Dade’s serious blues.

Carrie was most likely imagining it, seeing what she wanted instead of what was really there. Compassion. And sympathy? Damn. She didn’t want his pity.

“Like I said, the breakup didn’t go over well.” With a sharp intake of air, Carrie exited the truck.

“You’ll be okay?” More of that concern was present in Dade’s voice.

“Yeah, fine. Thank you for taking me to the sheriff and especially for wandering down the alley when you did. I’m sorry the media has you banished to the shadows, but I can’t imagine what might’ve happened if you hadn’t been there.” An involuntary shiver rocked her. She thought about Dade reporting the rose to the sheriff. It wasn’t a crime to do something that many would consider a nice gesture from an ex who was most likely saying he was sorry. But after hearing about Dade’s sister, she could see why he’d be overly cautious.

“Do me a favor. Park in front of the building tomorrow.” Dade took a step back, like he needed more space in between them. Not exactly a reassuring move.

“No question there,” she responded, dodging eye contact. As it was, electricity hummed through her body being this close to Dade. If only she’d felt this way about Brett, things would’ve turned out differently. Brett wasn’t Dade. The two couldn’t be more different. Dade was serious and could be intense, but there was something comfortable and magnetic about being with him. Brett rode a motorcycle and had an edge to his personality, and that had been the initial draw. He was so completely different than her, than anyone she’d dated in the past. Maybe a little bit dangerous, too. Looking back, he was more show than substance, which was one of many reasons she’d walked away before the relationship became too serious.

Brett liked to consider himself a thrill seeker, thus the motorcycle and the biker attitude. Real danger was deploying halfway across the world to face a foreign enemy in order to protect an ideal—freedom—not riding around in a leather jacket looking for a fistfight.

“Do you want me to take care of this?” Dade nodded toward the flower dangling from his hand at his side.

“Would you mind? I don’t want to deal with it right now.” She made a huge mistake in glancing up. Sensual shivers skittered across her exposed skin. She could admit to being embarrassed that she’d been blind enough to get into a bad relationship. She could blame her lapse in judgment on a million things, not the least of which would be working long hours to get her business off the ground. But the truth was that she’d been lonely. Brett was good-looking and charming when he needed to be—especially in the beginning. He’d seemed so proud of her at first, but then it had turned into something else, something possessive. She’d lost interest, and he wasn’t taking it so well. “I must seem like a complete idiot for not seeing this coming.”

“In my experience, people don’t always show their true colors until you really get to know them. That takes time,” he said after a thoughtful pause, and she figured there was a bigger story behind those words. “You have good judgment, Carrie. You always were smarter than the rest of us. Everyone makes mistakes now and then. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

His reassuring words calmed her. She shouldn’t allow them to. She knew better than to let herself depend on anyone else. Carrie had learned early in life that all people let her down eventually, from addict parents she’d never met to a system that put her in the hands of an abuser to a distant aunt who’d claimed Carrie and then dumped her back in the system when it became inconvenient to keep her.

Where’d that come from?

This night and the reunion were taking a toll, and she needed to get her emotions in check.

“Stop by the shop sometime,” she said. “Dessert is on the house.”

Dade cracked a smile. “Guess there are perks to knowing the owner.”

“The first treat is for old times’ sake. You’re on your own from there,” she quipped, thinking how nice it was not to have to work at conversation for a change. It had always been like that with Dade. Easy. Light. Fun. When we were young, she corrected. High school had been another matter altogether.

Things changed. And so did people.

The serious blue eyes Dade had possessed as a child were even more intense now. As easy as conversation had been between them all those years ago, neither had spoken about their demons—demons that grew and changed people over time. Demons that could make a man sign up to travel halfway around the world to fight a monster he couldn’t see.

The two chatted easily for another fifteen minutes, catching up on more of each other’s lives in the past few years.

“It’s good seeing you again, Dade,” she said, finally looking up and realizing what a mistake that was. Because he was looking, too. And the way he was looking made her body ache in a way it hadn’t in far too long.

“You, too, Carrie.”

Neither made a move to leave right away. Another mistake. They were racking up. Because she’d learned early on that feelings could trick her. All she was experiencing was a bout of nostalgia. She’d taken psychology as an elective to help sort out her own emotions. Dade represented the past—a time before life became confusing and people who were supposed to take care of her had hurt her. A time before the group home leader had snapped and taken out his frustrations on her and a handful of other kids. A time before she’d been placed in a foster home with a real monster and had a social worker who seemed content to look the other way in order to check a box on a file—placed.

“I better get home to Coco.”

“The Sharp Eagle?” The corner of his mouth lifted in a grin that tugged at her heart.

She laughed despite all the memories churning through her mind.

“Yep.” She returned the smile. “Like I said, stop by some time.”

Neither seemed ready to leave, but it was time, so she made the first move, digging her keys out of her purse. She palmed the pepper spray.

“Keep that ready to go just in case.” Dade’s eyes went straight to the palm-sized black canister in the leather casing as he stepped aside to allow passage.

“I will.” She took the first step toward her vehicle, grateful the rose had been removed from the driver’s-side door handle. Brett’s timing couldn’t be worse. But then, timing wasn’t his only issue.

“Hold on to it even when you walk the dog. Madelyn had a restraining order against her ex, and it didn’t stop him from coming after her.” His warning sent a cold chill down her back. He was right. She’d read about the whole ordeal in the news and, even though she thought she knew Brett, Dade’s half sister must’ve felt the same about her boyfriend.

Dade fished a card out of his wallet and handed it to her. “The sheriff’s office might be too busy to handle this properly, but if this guy shows up again or your ex doesn’t take the hint and you need a hand, give me a call. My personal cell’s on there.”

“Thank you.” She dropped his card in her purse. Nash should be gone by morning. She hoped Brett would leave things alone. Experience had taught her that he didn’t give up so easily. But she could handle him. Right?

* * *

AS DADE WATCHED Carrie drive away, regret filled his chest. Since that was as productive as drinking well water next to a nuclear facility, he started the engine of his truck and navigated out of the alley.

Dade spent the half-hour ride home lost in his thoughts, one of which hadn’t dawned on him until later. Being close to Carrie might bring unwanted media attention to her and dredge up her past. People talked. He’d never been truly sure what had happened to her in the years she was away from Cattle Barge, but she’d returned a different person. The chatty and sweet girl from their youth had seemed...he didn’t know...lost?

Adding to his sharp mood was the simple fact that his own life was a mess. First, there’d been an unexpected breakup with his girlfriend, followed by the Mav’s murder and everything that had happened to the family since. Going back to the ranch didn’t hold a hell of a lot of appeal lately, but he had nowhere else to be and was needed at home. He was restless, though. Working the land was the only activity that had ever given him a sense of peace. The Mav had been right about one thing—hard work made for clear focus right up until Dade came in from the range. Honestly, focus had been hard to come by lately, but he figured he could get it back if he kept moving forward. Was it the fact that someone had murdered his father right under their noses in such a violent fashion and on the land they all loved so much that kept him on edge?

Going to bed would be useless. Sleep was as close as Helsinki to Houston. He made a beeline for the kitchen after parking in his usual spot. The light was on, and six weeks ago that might’ve seemed odd. Nothing surprised him now.

“Did you just pull in?” Ella seemed happy for the first time, but then Dade’s older sister had gotten the closure she needed from the past. She’d also met a man she truly seemed in love with, and while Dade was happy for his sister, seeing her in that state of bliss reminded him just how far away he was from it. He wouldn’t begrudge her, though. She deserved every bit of it.

“Got sidetracked on my way to pick up the bronze.” Dade realized that he’d never made it over to the mayor’s office.

“I figured as much after Mayor Bentley called. Dalton volunteered to go instead.” She sat at the long wooden table behind a bowl of ice cream. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” He’d thank his twin brother when he saw him in the morning. Days on the ranch began at 4:00 a.m., so that wouldn’t be long. Dade went for the coffeepot, figuring a caffeine boost would help him think clearly. After seeing Carrie again, his mind was going to a place he knew better than to let it: an inappropriate attraction that had him remembering the lines of her heart-shaped face framed by inky-black hair, her creamy skin, smooth aside from that little scar to the left side of her full lips. When she smiled, she had one dimple on her left cheek, and part of him wanted to see that again.

“We’re out of beans in the kitchen.” Ella nodded toward the pantry.

“Since when is this house out of anything?” There’d been someone around to stock the pantry and make sure meals were cooked and the kids put to bed for as long as Dade could remember. None of the good people providing those tasks had been his parents.

“I’m sure there’s more somewhere. May’s been overworked, and I thought she should take it easy. I asked her to take a couple of days for herself.”

Dade almost laughed out loud. May, take a break? She wasn’t the lounging type. “How’d that go over?”

Ella looked at him. “It’ll be worse if she realizes we wanted something and had to do without.”

“Why would we do that? I’ll check dry storage to see if we have a can of coffee hiding in there. She’ll never know. Besides, we’re all grown. We can do for ourselves.” She would take it to heart. Feel like she’d let them down in some way. It was just coffee, but May wouldn’t see it that way. May had always done everything for them when they were kids. May was a saint.

“Where were you tonight?” Ella had taken to prying in everyone’s business since their father’s murder and the subsequent crimes against the family.

“There was a disturbance in town and I got distracted.” He searched for pain relievers to stem the dull headache focused in the center of his forehead.

“What happened? Are you okay?” There was so much worry in her voice now. The reason was understandable, but Dade could take care of himself.

“Nothing that involved me directly. I helped a friend,” he conceded, taking a seat across from Ella.

“You’re sure about that?” Fear widened her eyes.

“Certain. Carrie Palmer had a run-in with a festival worker. I took her to file a complaint.” The world would know tomorrow anyway. There was no sense in hiding it.

Ella glanced at her bowl of ice cream and started to speak.

“Have you heard from Cadence?” He changed the subject, not yet ready to discuss Carrie with his sister. Hell, he wasn’t sure what he was feeling toward her other than a strong urge to protect her.

“She’s still down with the flu and, honestly, with everything going on around here, it’s probably best she’s out of town until the hysteria dies down.” Ella pushed around the ball of ice cream in her bowl.

“What she did to Madelyn was inexcusable—”

Ella was already nodding in agreement. Leaving a threatening message to try to force Madelyn out of town was a low blow. “Our baby sister messed up. I’m just grateful Madelyn has found it in her heart to forgive Cadence. Their relationship still has a long way to go but they’re making progress, talking almost every day.”

“I’m guessing their reconciliation has a lot to do with you,” Dade pointed out.

“With everything this family has been through we need each other now more than ever.” Ella’s heart was always big and her judgment sound.

“There’s no rush for me but Ed can’t read Dad’s will until we’re all present. He also said the date’s been set,” Dade informed. Ed Staples was the family’s lawyer and longtime friend of their father. Some people might say that Ed was Maverick Mike’s only true confidant.

“Ed told me, too.” Ella rolled the spoon through her ice cream.

He eyed the label. It came from Carrie’s Cold Treats.

“Ed said there was some kind of stipulation.” Dade didn’t care a hill of beans about what he stood to inherit. The only reason he cared about the will was because there might be a revelation in it that could blow open the investigation and bring their father’s killer to justice. It sat hard on his chest that his father had been murdered on the ranch, that someone had had access and had wanted to prove they could do whatever they wanted at Maverick Mike’s home. What did that say about security? About Dade and his brother? Early on, folks had speculated that Andrea Caldwell, the Mav’s girlfriend, had shot him in his sleep. Dade hadn’t taken the rumor seriously. Andrea was a sweet person. She might not be able to take care of herself but she wouldn’t hurt a fly. It wasn’t her nature.

“Wish I knew what he was talking about,” Ella admitted. “Do you?”

“Guess we’ll learn together.” Dade filled a water glass and drained it. “When does Holden get here?”

“A couple of days,” she said, her eyes getting a little spark in them when she referred to her fiancé. “He’s closing out his accounts in Virginia so he can move here. I wanted to go with him, but he thought I’d feel better if I stayed on the ranch while everything’s been so crazy.”

“He’s probably right,” Dade agreed.

Ella stood, moved to the sink and rinsed out her bowl before placing it in the dishwasher. “Guess my eyes were bigger than my stomach.”

“I’ll see you in the morning,” Dade said. By the time he returned to the kitchen with a can of ground coffee, Ella had gone to bed. It was late. A shower and the idea of sleep won out over making coffee.

After climbing in bed, Dade drew the covers up. His mind drifted to the last gift from his father, a fishing rod. Not just any fishing rod, but the one he’d wanted as a kid. There’d been a note, too. One that Dade had balled up and tossed into a drawer without reading. He’d been filled with anger and figured one small gesture couldn’t wipe away the abuse Dade had suffered at his father’s hands. Now he’d never have another chance to make things right with the old man. To add insult to injury, the note had gone missing.

The sheriff was no closer to making an arrest now than he’d been a week ago. There were too many leads and too many distractions between the media and others who’d descended on Cattle Barge. Claims of paternity or debts owed from Maverick Mike were through the roof. Only one paternity claim had panned out so far, and Madelyn Kensington had arrived at the ranch seeming even less thrilled with the news than the Butlers had been.

Rather than chew on those unproductive nuggets, Dade flipped onto his back. He’d been in bed long enough for his eyes to adjust to the dark, so he stared up at the ceiling, at the texture he’d heard his sisters describe as orange peel. The pattern stretched from wall to wall.

Out of nowhere, Dade felt hemmed in. He used to love having his own wing in the main house, but now it felt like a cage.

Tonight must be the night for fruitless thoughts, because his mind turned to Carrie and how good it had been to see her again. He told himself it was her safety that had him wanting to check on her in the morning when he had work to do.

What time did her sweet shop open? He picked up his phone on the nightstand and glanced at the time. One o’clock in the morning. Work started in three hours. He thumbed the internet icon and then entered the name of her shop.

She opened at eleven o’clock, which meant she probably arrived by seven or eight to prep for the day.

The festival worker should be long gone by then. Shouldn’t he? It was probably the brush with death two of his sisters had had recently that had Dade’s mind twisting over his thoughts, concerned about Carrie.

Because what if Nash had left that rose? What did that say about the man’s intentions?