скачать книгу бесплатно
Lucy watched Winston and Byron follow a few yards behind Gareth; the middle-aged man was still ranting about the situation to Winston, whose shoulders slumped more with each step he took. Did those twins have a chance with Byron as their father? They were popular, but stories of them bullying had circulated; unfortunately, nothing she could pursue. It wouldn’t surprise her because Byron was the biggest bully in the county.
With long strides Lucy headed again for Maggie’s Coffee Shop. She needed a double shot of caffeine because she would be spending hours tonight going over all the evidence to see if she’d missed anything.
* * *
Ben Stillwater sank into the chair on the back porch of his house at his ranch near Little Horn. He cupped his mug and brought it to his lips. The warm coffee chased away a chill in his body caused by the wind. To the east the sun had risen enough that its brightness erased the streaks of orange and pink from half an hour ago.
Ben released a long breath—his first day back to work after his riding accident that had led to a stroke caused by a head injury at the end of October. He had gone into a coma, then when he had woken up, he’d faced a long road with rehabilitation. The accident seemed an eternity ago. He’d just discovered a baby on his doorstep, and he’d been on his way to Carson Thorn’s house to figure out what to do when his world had changed. He couldn’t believe months had been taken from him. An emptiness settled in his gut. He wasn’t the same man.
So much has changed.
I have a son. Cody.
But who is Cody’s mother?
He was ashamed he didn’t know for sure. His life before the injury had been reckless, with him always looking for fun. Was the Lord giving him a second chance?
When he had come out of the coma, he didn’t remember what had prompted him to go see his neighbor that day of the accident, a trip he’d never completed because his horse had thrown him and he’d hit his head on a rock. But lately he’d begun to recall the details. Finding the baby on his front doorstep. Holding the crying child. Reading the note pinned to the blue blanket with Cody’s name on it. Your baby, your turn.
Grandma Mamie had told him in the hospital the DNA test had come back saying Cody was a Stillwater, which meant either he was the father or his twin brother, Grady, was, and Grady knew the baby wasn’t his. The news had stunned him.
That leaves me. I’m a father.
He’d known it when Grady and Grandma had brought Cody to the hospital to meet him. In his gut he’d felt a connection to the baby.
Grady had gone into town, but the second he was back they needed to talk finally. One last time he had to make sure his twin brother wasn’t Cody’s father before Ben became so emotionally attached to the baby he couldn’t let him go. And if Grady wasn’t Cody’s father, then that brought Ben back to the question: Who was Cody’s mother? He should know that.
He sipped his coffee and thought back to seventeen months ago. He’d been wild before his riding accident. He’d worked hard, and he’d played hard. Not anymore. He had a little baby to think of. Lying in that hospital, piecing his life back together, he’d come to the conclusion he couldn’t continue as he had before, especially because of Cody.
The back door creaked open, and Ben glanced toward it. Grady emerged onto the porch with a mug in his hand. Although they were identical twins, when Ben had stared at himself in the mirror before he’d shaved this morning, he’d seen a pasty-white complexion that had lost all its tan since he was in the hospital. His features were leaner, almost gaunt. A shadow of the man moving toward him with a serious expression, his dark brown eyes full of concern.
“I’m not sure I want to ask what’s wrong,” Ben said as Grady folded his long body into the chair across from him.
“Grandma said you were talking to her about Cody and his parentage. Are you having doubts you’re Cody’s father?”
“Are you?”
“No,” Grady said in a forceful tone.
“I didn’t really think it was your child.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re the serious twin. You’re the one who does the right thing. I’m the rogue of the family. Everyone knows that. I was wondering more about who is Cody’s mother. Sadly I don’t know for sure. There’s more than one woman it could be.” Ben shrugged, then set his mug on the wicker end table near him. “Grandma said you had a letter for me.”
Grady frowned. “She wasn’t supposed to say anything. I was.”
“I think y’all have waited long enough. I’ve been awake for weeks.”
“Trying to recuperate from a stroke and head trauma. I didn’t want to add to the problems you were facing with rehabilitation.”
“I’m not fragile. I won’t break, and I don’t need protecting.”
His twin started laughing. “You must be getting better. You’re getting feisty and difficult.” Grady reached into his back pocket and pulled out an envelope with Ben’s name on it. “This is for you.”
“Where did you get it?”
“The sheriff gave it to me for you.”
“Lucy Benson? Where did she find it?” Why didn’t she say anything to him the other day when they met in town? He intended to ask her that when he saw her.
“She found it on the front seat of a car involved in a wreck. The driver, Alana Peterson, died. There were also several bags with baby items in them on the floor.”
Cody’s mother was Alana? Ben had liked her and had had a lot of fun with her, but there had never been anything serious enough to lead to a marriage. He had a lot of mistakes to answer for. “When did this happen?”
“A week ago.”
“You’re just now getting around to it?”
“Yes.” Handing the letter to Ben, Grady pinned his dark eyes on him and didn’t look away.
Ben snatched it from his grasp but didn’t open the envelope. If this was from Cody’s mother, he would read it in private.
“Aren’t you going to open it?”
“Later,” Ben said while gritting his teeth.
“I know this is a lot to take in after all that has happened—is happening—but Chloe won’t always be able to watch Cody.”
“I figured when you two married she wouldn’t be Cody’s nanny for long. Y’all have your own life.”
“She can for now, but she’ll be having her own baby soon, and she wants to open a clinic. I want to see that dream come true for her,” Grady said in reference to his fiancée, who was pregnant with her ex-husband’s baby.
“She should have that clinic. She’s been a great physical therapist to work with. I can’t avoid doing my exercises each day here at home since she lives here. And I know you’ll be a good father to her child.”
“The ranch is going to be different with little ones running around.”
“And not always the safest place for curious toddlers.” Ben rose, stuffed the letter into his pocket and picked up his mug. “I’ve got a lot to consider. I’m meeting Zed at the barn.” He started for the back door.
“I know we’ve had our problems in the past, but you’ve done well with the ranch.”
Ben glanced at his twin and smiled. “Thanks. That means a lot coming from you.”
As he entered the kitchen, he finished the last swallow of coffee and put his cup by the pot. He’d probably have more later, but he was eager right now to see the foreman. Zed had kept the ranch running while he’d been in the hospital. He headed for the front room where Grandma, Chloe and Cody were to see them before he went to the barn.
As he crossed the foyer, the doorbell rang. He detoured and answered the door, surprised to see Sheriff Lucy Benson. “What brings you out here? Did you catch the thieves?”
“Not yet, but I will. That’s the reason I’m here.” Lucy’s furrowed forehead, intense green eyes and firm mouth shouted her seriousness.
Before his riding accident, a series of robberies had occurred, with cattle and ranch equipment and other items being stolen. When he came out of his coma, he discovered they were still occurring. The ranchers had been riled then, and now they were even more so, putting pressure on the sheriff to find the thieves with Byron leading them. “Sure, what can I do to help? Take on Byron for you?” He’d wanted to stay Wednesday afternoon, but Lucy liked to fight her own battles. She’d always been very independent and determined.
“Let’s talk outside.” Dressed in her tan uniform and cowboy hat, Lucy pushed the screen door wide to let Ben join her on the porch. As usual she was all business.
What would she be like off duty? Ben stepped to the side and waited for her to turn toward him, pushing that question from his mind. She’d always been off-limits to him. She’d made that clear when they were teenagers. “Is this concerning the thefts?” He stuffed his hands into his front pockets and encountered the letter Grady gave him.
“I don’t know if anyone has informed you that your ranch is one of the few big ones that hasn’t been robbed yet.”
He nodded, slipping his hands free. “Grady told me.” He should ask Lucy about the letter, but all he wanted to do was forget he still needed to read it.
“I think somehow the robbers are connected to Maddy Coles or Betsy McKay, maybe both.”
“I’ve been out of the loop. Why do you think that? Maddy is a great worker, and Betsy has been gone for almost a year, so how could she be involved?”
“After analyzing the ranches hit against the ones not robbed, I found a connection. Betsy McKay. People who were kind to her were spared. Then I took a look at who received gifts. Maddy did, including an iPod in her favorite color. That was a very personal gift, not the usual gift of animals or equipment the ranchers in need received from these Robin Hoods.”
There was a definite divide among the people in the area because some of the poorer ranches were receiving help where they needed it, or at least they had until Lucy had started confiscating the nonanimal gifts. “It could be a secret admirer that gave Maddy the iPod.”
“That’s an expensive gift.”
“Why are you focusing on Maddy? Others received gifts. Expensive ones.”
“Maddy and Betsy were best friends. The ranchers who didn’t help Betsy’s father when he needed it were hit the hardest. Byron McKay, Mac’s cousin, has been robbed more than anyone, and I think it might be because he refused to help his own family when Mac asked. Meanwhile, nothing has happened at this large ranch, one of the few left untouched.”
“I can’t see Maddy being involved in the robberies. Is that what you’re thinking?”
Lucy took off her hat and ran her fingers through her short blond hair. “I didn’t say she was. I said that there’s a connection. The thieves have taken an interest in her. Why?”
“Do you think that Maddy working here is why we haven’t been robbed?”
“It’s a possibility. I have to look at this from every angle.”
He wanted to help her. He imagined she wasn’t happy with herself that these robberies had been going on for so long, especially with Byron spouting off to anyone who’d listen that Lucy wasn’t doing her job. “What do you want to do?”
“What is Maddy’s work schedule?”
“During the school year, she’s out here after classes are over, for three hours. Then she comes for a full day on Saturday. The other interns, Lynne and Christie, have the same hours. They come and leave together. Before I was in the hospital, I often supervised them. I want this program to be a success.”
For the first time, Lucy cracked a grin. “Yeah, I understand the intern program is your pet project.”
Her smile transformed her pretty features and gave Ben a glimpse of her softer side. He’d been attracted to her in the past, but she’d made it clear she had no room for him in her life. Not that he could blame her. He’d never been serious about a relationship, and Lucy was definitely a woman who would want only a long-term one. He’d kept his distance.
“I’d like to hang around when they’re here,” she said now. “Maybe get to know Maddy better. I need to discover the connection between Maddy and the thieves. I might overhear something that will help.”
“Won’t the interns think it’s strange all of a sudden to see you here?” Not that he wouldn’t mind seeing more of the sheriff. He wasn’t the same man he was before his injury. He had a son to think about.
“That’s why I wanted to talk with you. I need a reason.”
“We could pretend we’re dating.”
A blush tinted Lucy’s cheeks. “Out of the blue? No one would believe that. Your reputation precedes you.”
“I’m not that guy anymore.”
One of her eyebrows hiked up. “Since when?”
“I could have died. That makes a man pause and take a good hard look at his life.” He smiled. “It’s not that far-fetched. I’m single. You’re single.”
“How about friends?”
“Getting to know each other?”
“I know you. That’s the problem. When are you serious about anything?”
“I’m serious about my son, my family, the ranch and the intern program.” He took a step toward her.
She moved back. “We don’t have to say we’re dating. You can be helping me learn about taking care of a horse. I might get one later.”
“You’ve never had a horse?”
“My family didn’t have a lot of money for that kind of stuff. You know that.”
“Yeah. It seems I remember you occasionally would go for a ride with Grady and me when we were teenagers. Have you ridden besides then?”
Already tall, almost six feet, Lucy straightened even more. “I’ve ridden. I had other friends who had horses besides you.”
“Good to know you consider me a friend. Come tomorrow. It’s Saturday. We’ll go riding, and I’ll show you what you need to do afterward with that horse, just in case you don’t remember. That ought to give you a reason to hang around. Then we’ll go from there. Okay?”
Her eyes gleamed as she gave him a nod. “I appreciate the help. If I don’t catch these thieves soon, I’m going to have a lot of ranchers mad at me.”
“Not me.” He winked.
Her blush deepened. “That’s because you haven’t been robbed.”
“True, but we could be.”
“We haven’t had any thefts in a month.”
“See, you must be doing something right.”
“I’m taking the nonanimal gifts away and keeping them as evidence for when I catch the thieves. I guess the Robin Hoods aren’t too thrilled with that.” Lucy finger combed her hair, then set her cowboy hat on her head.
“If they can’t give to the poor, they aren’t stealing from the rich?”
She started toward her sheriff’s SUV. “It’s that or something else, but I’m still going to find out who’s behind this and bring them in. Just because it has stopped doesn’t mean I’ll stop pursuing them.”
“Nor Byron McKay.” Ben descended the porch steps. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. I personally think you do a good job as the sheriff.” Ben followed and hurried to open her driver’s door.
Lucy chuckled. “You haven’t lost any of that charm you’re known for.”
