Читать книгу By Request Collection April-June 2016 - Оливия Гейтс - Страница 115

LESS THAN AN HOUR LATER, Annie explained the situation to Jesse and Shea as Tucker brewed a second pot of coffee. Before they’d arrived, he’d made sandwiches and ensured Annie ate by silently pushing food in front of her until she did something about it.

Despite the seriousness of the conversation and her own disquiet, she couldn’t help but find his actions thoughtful and sweet. Each kind or protective thing he did or said kept tipping her more toward his side. The lie rankled—of course it did—but it wasn’t easy to keep throwing stones from her own glass house.

“I’ll be just outside,” he said. “I need to make a couple of calls.”

“More secrets?” The words were out before she could think, but she was still hurting and she wasn’t sorry she said them.

“No, Annie.” He touched her shoulder, gave it a squeeze. She felt it all the way to her toes. His pull on her was stronger than she knew how to handle. It scared her as much as it comforted. “Want me to call from right here?”

She shook her head sadly. She’d agreed to trust him.

When he closed the door, she turned to her friends. Real friends. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Jesse asked.

“Involving you. If what Tucker believes is true, someone could come looking for me.”

He smiled at her with that slow McAllister grin. “They’d have to get past a whole lot of cowboys first.”

Was it foolish that her heart seemed to swell in her chest? Probably.

“You should listen to Tucker,” Shea said. “Let his attorney advise you.”

“I don’t want to be in his debt. I’ll have no way of repaying him.”

“You think he’d want you to worry about that?”

The way Shea looked at her made Annie pause. When her friend was being truly herself, she hid very little. The question she asked wasn’t nearly as telling as the surprise in her expression. “He’s not Prince Charming, Shea. We barely know each other. Whether he worries about it or not, I pay my debts.”

Shea turned to Jesse, then back to Annie. “If his lawyer didn’t have New York connections, I would have suggested mine. I still might. And I wouldn’t take a penny from you.”

Annie didn’t know what to do with herself. Friends weren’t this overwhelmingly wonderful. Not in her experience. Even before all of this, she’d had girlfriends. She missed her roommate from college, and Annie had been the maid of honor at her high school BFF’s wedding. This was in a different league. “Thank you,” she said. “But I don’t get it. None of you seem to realize that I’m in this terrible situation because I was too focused on getting ahead. Why are you being so nice?”

“Your actions,” Jesse said. “Everything you’ve done since you came to Blackfoot Falls has been admirable. We’re not just hicks with rose-colored Stetsons.” He smiled, even made her lips tilt up a little. “You made some mistakes, but you’ve sacrificed enough, Annie. Let us help you. Let Tucker help you. He’s a decent man.”

“You barely know him.”

Another one of those sly grins stole over Jesse’s face. “But I know people who know him. Who’ve done business with him. I checked him out every way but Sunday before you got to Kalispell. That wasn’t just about you, either. Safe Haven means a lot to Shea. To this community.”

With that little nugget, Annie was officially dumbfounded. She appreciated everything being offered to her, but she wasn’t about to let their generosity make up her mind for her.

Shea and Jesse assured her they didn’t mind taking care of the sanctuary until things got straightened around. They’d even promised to line up more help, swearing that everyone who knew her would lend a hand.

As for what she was going to do about lawyers and district attorneys and Tucker…She had no idea. What she wanted to do was crawl into bed and pull the covers up over her head. The problem was, she wanted Tucker to be in the bed with her.

The man himself chose that moment to come back into the cabin. “I spoke to Peter, my attorney. I’ll email him what I can, but the quicker I can courier the rest of my files to him, the better. I won’t be long. Maybe four hours total.” He looked at Shea, then Jesse. “You guys okay with that?”

“No problem,” Jesse said. “I’ll call the Sundance so nobody worries.”

“Great.” Tucker pulled his car keys out, and Annie had about enough.

She stood, her body thrumming with electricity. “Wait a minute. Just…wait. Quit making decisions for me, all of you. I’m not a damsel in distress. I need time to think. So just quit it. I need to do my evening rounds, and I’m late for that already.”

“Maybe I could do your rounds with you?” Shea asked after a very awkward silence.

Annie’s self-righteous anger withered, replaced by weary confusion. “Sorry. It’s just…It’s a lot to take in, and the last time I made a rash decision I hurt a lot of people.”

Shea nodded. “So we’ll talk. As long as you want.”

“I’ve got you covered outside,” Jesse said.

Tucker moved closer to her, but he didn’t touch. “And I’ve got to leave. Please, just hang tight. We’ll work things out, I promise.”

Annie thought of not saying anything, letting Tucker believe what he wanted, but she couldn’t. “I’ll give it twenty-four hours. You know my priorities, and if we don’t have more information by then, I’m going to the D.A.”

He opened his mouth, but Annie’s raised hand stopped him. “I know you mean well. But this is my mess.” She closed the distance between them and put her hand on his chest. “Turning myself in would solve a lot of problems. You know that.”

“If Christian is at the bottom of this—”

“Then the authorities will take care of it. But I can’t sit back and watch you twist yourself in knots to save my hide.”

“Twenty-four hours?”

She nodded.

His pursed lips told her he didn’t like it. She could tell by his jaw the moment he decided not to argue with her. When he leaned down to kiss her, the touch of his lips was as wonderful as it was puzzling. The chaos she’d created kept on growing, spreading over people she cared too much about. When Tucker pulled back it was clear he didn’t want to leave. But he let her go, then held the door for Jesse.

Annie slowly turned, meaning to get another cup of coffee. Meaning to have a heart-to-heart with Shea. What she did instead was sit down on the nearest chair and fall apart.

TUCKER HATED LEAVING, BUT AT least Annie wouldn’t be alone. He knew nothing was going to happen to her tonight, but that didn’t lessen his worry.

“I’m sorry about your brother,” Jesse said, stopping near the Land Rover.

Nodding, Tucker met Jesse’s gaze, surprised at the ease between them. It felt as if time had accelerated since he’d arrived in Montana. “You know what’s odd? Annie’s become really important to me. I hate that my brother’s involved in this, and God knows it’s going to hurt like hell to tell my mother, but I need to make sure nothing happens to Annie.” Exhaling, he shoved a hand through his hair. “I don’t mean to sound like an uncaring bastard. My mother’s been depressed since my father died, and of course I’ll continue to be there for her… .”

“But you keep circling back to Annie?”

“Yeah. As if we’d been together for years, not days. Listen.” He looked at the cabin, then back at Jesse. “This is going to sound nuts, and I swear there isn’t anything to make me believe she’s in danger here, but if anything should happen while I’m gone—”

“I’ll take care of it,” Jesse said. “Don’t worry.”

“It could mean getting her out of here. Maybe all the way out. I mean, north.”

“I understand. And I’ve got it covered. But nothing’s going to happen. Do me a favor and focus on driving, huh? She needs you back here.”

Tucker stuck out his hand and they shook. “Thank you. For everything.”

“I’ll see you later.”

Tucker got in the SUV and took off. Carefully. It would defeat the purpose if he got himself killed in a traffic accident. Didn’t mean he’d stopped thinking about Annie. Or his mother. With Annie it was about protection, with Irene it was concern. When he thought of his brother, there was only uncertainty. Why leave the seed money? Why not take everything? Unless he got into some trouble he couldn’t get out of. He might have stolen the money as a Hail Mary pass. Which would mean he didn’t go into the partnership with the intention of making Annie the fall guy.

The end result was the same, but it made it easier for Tucker to swallow. Christian was still Tucker’s brother even though they’d been barely more than strangers for so much of their lives.

The drive passed more quickly than he’d assumed it would, and then he was on the phone, cursing under his breath because Kalispell was too small a town to have a courier at the ready. Something he would’ve anticipated if he wasn’t so distracted by worry. He’d started to panic when he finally found someone who’d do it for triple pay. But it was still going to take longer than he’d like.

For a few moments he thought about flying it out himself, but that meant leaving Annie behind and he couldn’t do that. Better to bargain with her to extend the deadline she’d imposed on him.

As he went through his files, he made a couple more calls. He’d already put a lot of the videos on a flash drive, so he completed the set, then went down to the hotel’s business center. It was closed, but the manager opened it for him, and by the time he’d copied his case file, the courier had arrived.

George was doing the same thing with his files. There would be duplicates, but Tucker didn’t care. The more information, the better. Though he worried there wasn’t going to be enough time for his attorney to read through everything, let alone make any cogent suggestions.

When Tucker got back, he’d just have to make Annie see reason. Jesse and Shea were on his side. He’d shamelessly use them to make Annie listen if he had to. Especially since there was another issue besides the time constriction. It made sense for her to go back to Dallas with him. To wait there where he could keep an eye on her while the lawyers slugged it out.

The thought of her facing this alone made him irrational, so he’d have to watch his words. That’s what happened, he supposed, when a man fell in love. Jesus. Somehow, he’d thought it would be simpler.

His laughter surprised him. None of this was funny. Especially that no matter what Annie decided, he wouldn’t be able to let her go. Not that he’d force her into doing something she didn’t want. He just knew walking away wasn’t an option.

SHEA HAD BROUGHT A ROLL of toilet paper and a glass of water to the table. It took Annie a minute to remember she hadn’t bought tissues in a while, and that made her smile, even though she was still blubbering away.

She wiped her face, though, and looked at her uncomfortable friend. “Sorry,” she said, sniffling grossly. “It’s been a tough day.”

“I can only imagine,” Shea said. “Do you need anything?”

Annie shook her head. Blew her nose. Then sniffed again. “You were right.”

“About what?”

“I’m in love with him.”

“Oh.”

“You can’t tell him,” Annie said. “I can’t let my feelings for him change anything.”

Shea blinked at her and frowned. “It’s already changed everything.”

“No. It hasn’t. He’s just being nice. Don’t you see, he’s only in this because of his brother. And his mother. I can’t make him choose me over them. That would be horrible. I’d never forgive myself.”

“Annie—”

“I’m serious, Shea.” She pulled off another bunch of paper. “It’s bad enough that I’ve disappointed my family. Hurt my friends and ruined my own reputation. You think I want to take him down with me? I should just leave. Go find somewhere else I can hole up. Only this time, I won’t make so many mistakes.”

“Like having a friend who puts your picture up on the internet?”

Annie stared. “How did you know?”

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot. He was very clever. If he’d approached us any earlier, it would have been obvious, but he waited a while. Remember?”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I know. But it’s not your fault, either.”

Annie shook her head, frustration making her clench her fists. “People keep saying that when it’s not true. I can’t sit in this cell a minute longer. Walk with me?”

“Sure.” Shea got up, headed for the door, then backtracked until she could grab the toilet paper. “I’ll bet Jesse is almost done. Do you want to avoid him?”

“No, of course not. Thank you, by the way, for keeping my secret. It must have been difficult.”

“Not so much,” Shea said, closing the door behind them. “I can’t tell him anything about my classified contract work, either. but he understands.”

“Of course he does.”

“Just like Tucker understands your situation.”

“You may be right, but that doesn’t mean I should take advantage of him.”

The walk got quiet except for the sound of their boots on gravel. the crunch sounded like home to Annie. How strange. Even when she’d worked at the stables in Central Park, there hadn’t been gravel underfoot like this. Home used to sound like the click of high heels on a sidewalk. Of taxis and diesel engines, and the buzz of Manhattan.

“For the first six months I was away, I dreamed about New York every night.”

“The city itself?”

“Mostly streets that I knew well. Restaurants. My apartment. Things happened in the dreams—mostly I was captured or chased or thrown into oncoming traffic, but the backdrop didn’t feel like part of the nightmares. I missed the rhythm of the city, as if I’d had to leave my own heartbeat behind. Now, I can’t imagine myself anywhere but here.”

“You’d do okay in Texas.”

“I’m not going to end up in Texas,” Annie said, as fast as the words would tumble out of her mouth.

Shea shrugged as they neared the barn. “How do you know that?”

“Don’t. I can’t go there. I can’t pretend that everything’s going to be all right. It’ll kill me if I do. I ran from a subpoena.”

“You were never served.”

“That’s just a technicality.”

“Yeah,” Shea agreed, “but it’s an important one. Why do you think all those process servers have to be so tricky? Ducking a subpoena is a cliché because it’s true. You weren’t served. You didn’t break the law.”

“I don’t think the district attorney’s office is going to write my disappearance off so neatly.”

“Maybe not. But I doubt you’ll be going to jail.”

“I owe restitution,” Annie said quietly. It was the one thing she tried not to think about. She’d had nothing for so long, it had been easy to ignore the pull to make things right financially. She’d certainly never raise the money by working for a nonprofit.

“That’s ridiculous.” Shea had never used that clipped tone before.

It stopped her. “Why?”

“You need to let go of your guilt, Annie. It’s going to ruin you, and you don’t deserve that.”

No response would adequately convey how wrong Shea was. So Annie didn’t try. They walked again, and she breathed in the smell of the place she’d carved for herself. She had trouble thinking of herself as anything but Annie Sheridan. Leanna Warner was somewhere else, gone. Buried in shame. Annie couldn’t help thinking it would be better for everyone if she simply rested in peace.

TUCKER SAT ACROSS from Annie, staring into her troubled gaze. Shea and Jesse had gone home. The cabin was quiet…and after the longest day Tucker could remember, all he wanted was to take Annie to bed.

“Me going to Dallas doesn’t make sense. I told you, if we don’t have more to go on, I’m calling the D.A.” She lifted her chin. The woman could be stubborn. “It’s not a debate.”

“We can work together much easier if you’re with me,” he said.

“Together? What am I supposed to add to this collective? If I had some information that would help, I’d have done something with it. That’s the point,” she said. “I don’t know anything.”

“I’m not doubting you, but something you may have dismissed as unimportant might be a key piece of the puzzle. Let Peter look through the files. Let him question you. He might stir a memory, remind you of a moment or an offhand remark you thought nothing of at the time.”

“He can call me here. I don’t like the idea of leaving Safe Haven. This place is mine. I need to be here.”

Tucker wanted to throw every last piece of furniture in this cracker box outside, give them some room to work with. He kept trying to think of a way to postpone his trip home. Staying would make him feel better about her safety, but the ranch and his responsibilities at home needed his attention desperately. There were a lot of people counting on him. Especially his mother. As much as he wanted to forget about the Rocking B, he couldn’t. Not without a cost he wasn’t willing to pay.

“I have to go,” he said, taking hold of her hand. “But leaving you…”

Annie didn’t respond. Time slid by as he rubbed his thumb on the back of her hand. He ached, physically. His mother could call Christian’s phone anytime. When she discovered it wasn’t working, she’d worry, and then what? Lie to her? He could, but that wouldn’t solve anything.

He needed to give Peter time to familiarize himself with the case. To be effective. George was still sneaking in back doors to quietly get information on the bookies and that damn account number in Annie’s coffee can.

He should ask her. Just spit it out, but that would make her even more suspicious, and rightly so. And hell, he hated admitting he’d gone through her things that first day. On the other hand, he’d promised to tell her everything.

There was no winning. Nothing he could do to help the people he loved.

“This is about your mother, isn’t it?”

He blinked at Annie, not able to tell how much time they’d sat in silence. “Partly, yes.”

“Oh, God. You’re choosing me over Christian. You realize that, right?”

“No, I’m not. He made that choice for me.”

Annie’s face was flushed and miserable. “She won’t see it that way.”

“Probably not. At least, not at first. It’s going to be difficult. I’m not even sure what I should do. I thought about making something up, but then if there’s proof, and I believe there will be, that Christian was involved, it’s going to get out. I don’t want her caught unaware.”

“She needs you.”

He shrugged.

“Do me a favor?”

Sitting up straighter, he curbed his instinctive nod. “What’s that?”

“Come to bed with me?”

That he hadn’t expected. “Yes. Of course, yes.”

“You go first,” she said, looking at the bathroom door. “I’ve got to make tomorrow’s coffee.”

This time he did nod, afraid if he opened his mouth he’d say something foolish and make her renege. For the first time since she’d overheard him on the phone, the world felt normal. Well, almost normal. He brushed his teeth; she counted out spoons of coffee. They passed each other on the stairs, brushing fingers and sleeves. He could see how exhausted she was, and hoped they could both find sleep.

When they were finally in bed, her in a sleep shirt she’d put on downstairs, him in a T-shirt and his boxers, they didn’t touch at all.

She lay on her side facing him, and he faced her. The room was shadowed with bands of moonlight. He assumed she could see him more clearly than he could see her. But that was okay. He knew enough about what she must be going through.

There was still a matter of trust between them. Trust and a pile of guilt on both their shoulders. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, as much to himself as to Annie.

“What for?”

He didn’t think she was being coy, not by the tone of her voice at least. “I’m not sure,” he said. “I guess I wish we’d met at another time, another place. I want to make all the bad things disappear, and I can’t.”

Annie sat up so quickly, it startled him. She turned the bedside lamp on, then slipped out of the bed, down to her knees. Tucker almost sat up, but then he realized what she was doing. A moment later, she sat, cross-legged, on top of the comforter, holding a coffee can.

She didn’t open it immediately, and moved slowly when she did. She took out the driver’s license. The roll of money, and the slip of paper with the account number written on it. Her gaze didn’t leave the objects, even when she set aside the can.

“This was my exit strategy,” she said. “Part of it, at least.” She held up the license. “This was someone my parents used to know. She was my age, but she died four years ago. I never met her. My mother was her godmother. It was a sad story, why the license was in the attic, but I didn’t think my mother would mind if I borrowed it.” She put it down again, as if it were something precious, a baby blanket or a beloved garment.

Then she picked up the scrap of paper. Shook her head, and grabbed the money roll in the same hand. “These go together. One is what’s left of my life savings. I had more. Twice this much, basically. A little more than twice. Enough to make it into Canada, find a place to live. Enough to give me breathing room, because I’d learned how to keep my expenses down. But then my first winter, some horses got sick. I didn’t have enough to feed them and get them medicine. I dipped into the other roll.”

She put the money down and stared at the paper. “This is a bank account number. A safety net. From the bank in Blackfoot Falls. My payback account. It’s pitiful, and I don’t think I’ll ever make enough to fully repay the stolen money, but I needed to do something real. Something more. So I saved some cash from being a waitress for three months before I came here. And I made some money doing day labor. Nothing much, barely enough to eat and have a place to sleep, but I put something aside, every time. It used to be in the can, along with the rolls. But I knew if the horses needed something, or the goats or the cows, that I’d use it. So I put it away in the bank. Where it would be safe and harder to put my hands on.”

She pulled the red coffee can in front of her, and put her possessions back inside. “That’s it. That’s everything except for this place. Do you see? I have to do what’s right, now. Because I didn’t before.”

He wanted to argue with her. Tell her she was taking things too far. But that wasn’t true. This―the coffee can, the savings account, her crusade to save all the animals― it’s who she was. Maybe she hadn’t been that before, but she was now. This was the woman he’d fallen in love with.

He put his hand on the can, and she nodded, giving him permission to put it down by the side of the bed. Then he helped her crawl underneath the blankets, where he pulled her into his arms. When they were entwined, he breathed again. Felt right again.

And he knew he would do whatever it took to protect her. To keep her just as she was.