Читать книгу Her Wildest Wedding Dreams - Celeste Hamilton - Страница 11

The sheriff’s office was located in the county courthouse, right on the central square of the town where Noah and Olivia had been headed. From the small, barred window of the holding room where she and Puddin’ waited, Olivia could see the bus station sign. She had been so close to freedom.

If only they hadn’t stopped for lunch.

Apparently news of her disappearance had gone out from her father’s ranch to the police in the eastern counties of Texas just after she and Noah left the diner. One sheriff’s deputy remembered Olivia with Puddin’. All the officers, who had been meeting for a regular weekly lunch, remembered the horse trailer. So they had started after Noah and Olivia. One car spotted them and called for backup.

“Then everyone descended like gung-ho storm troopers,” Olivia had told the sheriff with no small amount of outrage. “It was simply ridiculous. They treated Noah like a criminal.”

The sheriff’s sunburned brow had wrinkled in consternation. “I’m sorry, Miss Franklin, but at that time, we had reason to think he might be a criminal.”

“Oh, baloney,” she had retorted. “If I had been kidnapped, don’t you think I might have told the trooper who was in the bathroom with me at the diner?”

“People who are in fear for their lives can exhibit some mighty unusual behavior,” the sheriff explained. “Sometimes they don’t ask for help.”

Olivia would have none of that, either. “In the first place, isn’t it more than a little unusual for a kidnapper to stop at a diner with his captive? And then stick around to walk his horse with five officers chowing down nearby?”

Unable to explain away that part of the scenario, the sheriff had flushed an even darker shade of red and excused himself.

This conversation had taken place just after Olivia and Puddin’ had been placed in this room. A move that had followed a screaming and barking marathon precipitated by the sight of Noah being led into the office in handcuffs.

Olivia whispered to Puddin’, “Those handcuffs were the stupidest move yet.” The dog yapped her agreement.

In the hour since the sheriff had interviewed Olivia and left her alone with an underling at guard by the door, she had imagined Noah in another part of the office being manhandled by big, bubba officers who were determined to get at the truth of her so-called kidnapping.

If Noah had been harmed in any way, she was going to make sure he received a handsome settlement. In fact, he deserved something even if he had not been harmed. As domineering and pushy as he had been, he had also tried to help her. She had repaid him by getting him in trouble, just as he had said she would. Maybe she really was the spoiled, thoughtless little child he had accused her of being.

She flushed with shame. Maybe it was time she faced some hard truths about herself.

She still couldn’t believe her father had reported her kidnapped. It spoke to his money and influence that he had been able to convince the authorities to put out such a bulletin. There had been no sign of struggle at their home. No ransom demand. Nothing but her father’s paranoia and his ability to wield his power.

A knock on the door sent Puddin’ scurrying under a chair and snapped Olivia out of her reverie. The guard poked his head in. “Your father’s coming, Miss Franklin. He coptered in from Austin.” The young officer looked so impressed with this news that Olivia wanted to smack him.

After he closed the door, she began counting down the minutes until the storm would hit the building. She was nearing seven when she heard the shouting in the hall. Puddin’ barked and jumped into Olivia’s lap. Then the door slammed open, and her father strode in, his face a thundercloud. In the hall outside, Olivia glimpsed two of the “suits.”

“Dear Lord in Heaven,” her father said, crossing the small space to where she sat, elbows propped on a scarred wooden table. “Why have they got you locked in like this?”

“Probably because I threatened to punch one of the officers in the nose.”

Roger Franklin’s normally florid complexion paled. “Now why did you do that?”

“Because this whole thing is a stupid mess. There was no reason, absolutely no reason at all, for me or Noah Raybourne to be hauled in like common criminals.”

“I thought Raybourne had taken you.”

“That’s crap and you know it.”

Her father went stiff with shock. Olivia had never spoken to him like this in her life. Even when she had been pushing hardest for independence, she had reserved her shouting and tears for later, when she was alone in her room or with Mary to comfort her. But she was tired of the civility that had netted her a big, fat zero. Maybe it was time to change.

She pushed back her chair and stood with her dog in her arms. “I want you to get Noah and that sheriff in here.”

Her father’s face darkened. “Now you just listen here, Olivia Kay—”

“I’m not talking to you unless they’re in here!” Olivia shouted. Puddin’ growled.

Roger glared at Olivia for what felt like a full minute, obviously expecting her to back down. She stood her ground. He made an impatient gesture to the “suits,” who disappeared.

A moment or two ticked past in silence while her father took a seat at the table and studied her through narrowed eyes. “I don’t know what in the world has gotten into you.”

“Don’t you think it’s about time I grew up?”

“This isn’t grown-up,” he shot back. “Running off like this on your wedding day is the mark of immaturity and recklessness, the sort of behavior I thought you were through with a long time ago.”

“Would you listen to yourself? You talk to me as if I’m twelve years old.”

“If that’s the way you act…”

Puddin’ gave a welcoming bark, and Olivia looked up to see Noah standing in the doorway, the sheriff behind him.

She took a step toward Noah. “I am so sorry about all this.”

Her father got up and came toward Noah, as well. “Yes, Raybourne, I apologize, too. I’m sorry my daughter’s foolish escapade resulted in this mess. I don’t know why she acted so stupidly.”

Olivia flushed crimson at her father’s words, feeling like a disobedient child caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

Noah started to say something but was cut off when the sheriff pushed past him and into the room. “All right, now. Everyone just settle down.” He scowled at the two “suits” who crowded in behind Noah. “You two, you get out of here.”

“My men—” Roger began.

“Can wait outside,” the sheriff said with quiet force. After the “suits” reluctantly obeyed, he gestured for Noah to take a seat along the wall, opposite the table where Roger Franklin sat and Olivia stood.

The officer ran a hand through his thinning hair and sent a frown around the room. “From what I can determine, this is a family matter that had been blown up all out of proportion.” He nodded at Noah. “Mr. Raybourne, you are free to go, with our apologies for any inconvenience.”

Noah got to his feet. “That’s all right, Sheriff. I understand you were just trying to do your job. Something that’s not always easy when rich, spoiled brats are involved.”

The contempt in his gaze caused a peculiar stab of pain in Olivia’s chest. “I am really so sorry,” she said again. “I know those words are inadequate for what you’ve gone through today. Dealing with me. Facing down a bunch of overexcited police officers. Getting dragged in here in handcuffs. Nothing I can say can make up for all that, but I hope you realize I am truly, truly sorry.”

Noah did not reply, but Olivia thought she detected a softening in his expression. She wasn’t sure why it felt so important for him not to hate her.

Roger cleared his throat impatiently and withdrew his checkbook. “I want to show you my gratitude, Raybourne.”

“That’s not necessary,” Noah retorted, his jaw squaring.

“But I insist.” Roger took out a pen and filled out the check with a flourish. “Raybourne, I’m sure your little operation will benefit from this.”

Noah went still at the word “little.” Olivia wasn’t really surprised when he shook his head at the check her father proffered.

“I can’t take it,” Noah said. “I don’t expect to be paid for helping out someone in trouble.”

“Yes, but Olivia wasn’t really in trouble,” Roger replied, still holding out the check. “She was simply being a brat, as you said.”

Noah sent Olivia a look that she couldn’t quite decipher. “She was pretty desperate to get away.”

Roger laid the check on the table and recapped his pen. “She didn’t really want to get away. She was just overwhelmed by the wedding.”

“I didn’t want the wedding,” Olivia said.

Her father shot a long-suffering smile toward the sheriff. “You don’t mean that.”

Anger thickened Olivia’s voice. “I’m sick and tired of being told what I want, what I should do and think and feel. It’s way past time that I started thinking and acting on my own. I should be on my own.”

Her father rolled his eyes. “Nonsense. You wouldn’t know the first thing to do on your own.” His gaze swept over her. “You couldn’t take care of that dog of yours. Much less yourself.”

His dismissive cruelty, displayed so callously in front of strangers, momentarily robbed Olivia of speech. All these years she had told herself he was overprotective because he loved her so much. When had the desire to keep her safe changed to a complete disregard for her abilities? For some reason he thought she didn’t have the brains or the wits to take care of herself.

“What’s wrong with you?” she demanded when she found her voice would work again. “Did what happened to Mother warp you to the point that you can’t see me as a real, live human being? When did I become just one more possession to you?”

“You’re being hysterical.” Roger rose and held out his hand. “Come along now. We’ll go home, and you can talk to Marshall—”

“I do owe Marshall an apology,” Olivia said, glancing at Noah. “It was cowardly of me to run away instead of going to him and explaining why I couldn’t marry him.”

“Yes, it was cowardly,” Roger agreed, extending his hand again. “Marshall’s waiting at the ranch. I feel sure he’ll forgive you. The wedding can be rescheduled.”

“No, it can’t.”

“Olivia—”

“Can’t you hear me at all?” Olivia demanded of her father.

“I simply don’t listen when you’re acting like a fool.”

Reeling as if she had been punched, Olivia faced the sheriff. “Am I free to go?”

“Certainly. Anytime your father—”

“I don’t care about my father,” Olivia cut in. “I’m not going anywhere with him.”

Roger sputtered a protest, which Olivia ignored. She gathered up her tote bag and started for the door, pausing only in front of Noah. “Thank you for everything. You were absolutely right. I really didn’t need this drama to walk out, did I? I should have just done it long ago.”

Noah wasn’t certain why he was so impressed with Olivia. Was she playing a new game, pretending she was leaving, so that her father would give chase again? There was something about the calm in her voice and the determination in her expression that told him she was serious. After witnessing this little scene with her father, he hoped she was getting away. No one deserved to be belittled and talked to as her father had talked to her.

“Olivia, come back here,” Roger Franklin demanded as she opened the door.

Franklin’s men stepped in front of her, closing her escape route. She turned to the sheriff again. “Is there any reason why I have to do what my father wants?”

The officer shot Franklin a nervous glance. Noah couldn’t say he blamed the man for worrying about getting on the bad side of one of the richest men in Texas. But the truth was the truth. The sheriff cleared his throat. “Miss Franklin, there’s no legal reason why you have to stay here or go with your father.”

“You cannot do this,” her father insisted, panic clearly breaking through his calm facade. “You’re too inexperienced and naive to make it a day by yourself. What are you going to do for money?”

“I’ll get a job.”

“Doing what?”

“That’s none of your concern,” Olivia retorted proudly. With that, she pushed past the burly guards, who gave way with obvious reluctance. Noah felt a definite spark of admiration and something like pride.

“Olivia,” her father called angrily, going to the door. “You keep walking, and you’re on your own. I won’t rescue you. Do you hear me? I’m done with you if you walk out the door.”

Olivia didn’t reappear, much to Noah’s relief.

Her father ordered his men to follow her.

Noah could no longer contain his thoughts. “Good God, Franklin, why can’t you just let her go?”

“You don’t understand what could happen to her.”

“I understand you’re some kind of warped control freak.” Noah shook his head in disgust. “Olivia tried to explain to me why she couldn’t just walk out, free and clear, like any normal adult. Now I see exactly what she was talking about.”

“You don’t see anything,” Franklin replied. “Olivia belongs at home, where she’s safe.”

“She belongs wherever the hell she wants to be.” Noah turned to the sheriff. “Can your men make sure Franklin’s two goons don’t bother her?”

With smug satisfaction, the sheriff said, “It will be my pleasure.” He left the room without a backward glance.

Franklin blew out a frustrated breath. “Raybourne, I can see you managed to put some real ideas in Olivia’s mind during your few, short hours together.”