Diamond in the Rough (Precious Gems) (5 page)

“Do you talk as nice to people as you do to animals?” a voice interrupted her thoughts from beh
ind.  She quickly turned to see Jason standing there.

“Animals don’t talk back,” she replied.  Jason was at her side before she knew it.  He gently grabbed her arm and turned her toward him. 

“Cheyenne, I was completely out of line.  Call it shock if you want, but I apologize.  I thought I knew Charles, and was hurt that in twelve years he never told me about you.”

“I guess your lack of inheritance had nothing to do w
ith your outburst,” she added.

“Well, I’ve got
to admit that I was shocked.  Charles and I had many conversations about his will and this was not what we discussed.  It was his money to leave as he saw fit though, so I won’t complain.  You and I need to be able to get along seeing as how we both own part of the same company,” he replied.

“Yes,” Cheyenne agreed. Jason was still holding onto Cheyenne and
the feeling made her heart race.  She looked down at his fingers laced around her arm.  His other hand gently lifted her chin until she was looking in his eyes.  Chey
e
nne’s lips began to tremble.  She cursed herself for what she was about to do.  As the tears began to slip down her cheeks, Jason looked at her in horror.  It was clear that he did not know what to do.  His sensitive side seemed to win out and he put his arms around her.  Her body shook with sobs.  He held her tighter.  Her head rested right underneath his chin.  He gently kissed the top of her head and inhaled the intoxicating smell of her hair.   She had finally stopped crying and strangely she didn’t move.  Her body seemed to exhale and snuggle deeper into his embrace.  She enjoyed his masculine aroma.  His muscles rippled against her cheek and she was calmed by the steady beating of his heart.  Grief did strange things to people.  She raised her head to look at him and instinctively he kissed her lips. So soft was the kiss, that it took her breath away. 

Turning away blushing, she mumbled,” I’m sorry,” and moved toward the horse stall. 

“Sorry for what?  For grieving or needing a shoulder to cry on?” he asked.

 
              “Just sorry.  I don’t know what I’m doing right now,” she said.  She was not really attracted to this man and she knew it but she had needed comfort and had no other alternative at the moment.  Her emotions were so raw after viewing the video that her inheritance had still not registered.  Knowing that she needed to get away from Jason before she did something she would regret, she began walking out of the stable.  With that, Cheyenne walked toward the house.

When she walked through the front door, no one was in the living room.  She wanted to be by herself for a while so she decided to take a nap upstairs.  It was only noon, but she felt like she could barely keep her eyes open.  Once upstairs, she
crawled into the bed and melted into the soft mattress.  Only moments past before she was sleeping peacefully.

Chapter Five

             
Cheyenne was awakened by her cell phone sharply ringing.  “Hello,” she answered while wiping her tired eyes.  It felt like she had only been asleep for minutes but it was already three o’clock in the evening.

“Cheyenne, this is
D
etective Russell.  I’m sorry to wake you up,” he said.

  “It’s okay.  I needed to get up from my nap.  I have had a long day already,
” Cheyenne confessed.

  “I wanted to call and see if it was a good time to come speak with you.  Your father’s autopsy is complete and I wanted to go over a few details with you,
” he explained. 

“
Sure, you can come over now,” she said.  She hopped out of bed and quickly changed clothes.  She donned a pair of riding pants and white linen shirt and pulled on her riding boots.  After sweeping her long hair into a neat ponytail she went downstairs.  Cheyenne could not explain her excitement to see the handsome detective again.  She rarely allowed her temperature to rise when it came to men but this one seemed different.  There was a marked difference in her demeanor and a spring in her step.  She bound down the stairs two at a time as though it were Christmas morning.  Maria was sitting on the couch next to Mr. Crowley. 

“Is Mr. Turner still here?” Cheyenne asked nonchalantly.  “Yes, he is by the pool.  Hopefully, he will spend less time here after today,” said Maria. 

Cheyenne did not know what had caused the conflict between Maria and Jason but it seemed to run pretty deep.  It sparked her curiosity that Ed never had anything to say when Maria was going after Jason.  She mentally chalked it up to him being diplomatic and turned to go to the kitchen.

“Cheyenne, I have some papers for you to sign,” Ed Crowley
motioned her toward him.  Cheyenne followed him into the office.  Mr. Crowley had a stack of papers for her.  His drawn out explanation of each one tried her patience.  Just when he seemed to be wrapping it up he produced the final paper. 

“I have a feeling this last and final paper will change your life young lady,” he said as he slid it across the desk in front of her. 
Cheyenne was stunned.  The paper in front of her represented five million dollars.  Her father had never given her anything except a last name before today.  Now, she was a millionaire several times over.  But, no matter what he left her, nothing would ever be able to compete with his message to her in his will.  The money and possessions made her happy but the video was touching.  She had longed for years to hear the words
I love you
from her father.  Now, she finally had that.  It did not make everything better but it went a long way toward healing her hardened heart.

“Thank you Mr. Crowley for your time and the delicacy with which you handled everything.” she said as she turned to leave the room. 

“Can I ask you a question?”  She inquired.

“Yes you can young lady.”

“You said earlier this morning that Charles had sent Maria to check in on me after my mother died.  Had he ever come himself?  Did he ever see me in person?”

“He came a few times.  He was at your high school graduation until your mom saw him and ordered him to leave.  That was the last time that he tried.  After that, he sent Maria and relied on her to let him know how you were doing.”

“Why would my mom tell him to leave?  Was she afraid of me finding out who he was?”

“Well, your mom was convinced that he would bring nothing but danger to your life.  The way that I always saw it was that she enjoyed getting a monthly check from your dad but did not want to have to answer to him for her lifestyle.  She wanted the best of both worlds.  Charles always thought that one day she would come back to him but she never did.  He was too patient for too long with her.  Toward the end, he realized that he should never have left you with her.  A few time s that he saw you, he didn’t fell like the money he was sending was being used for you.  His greatest disappointment came when he realized that you had never had braces.  I know that it sounds funny but he sent six thousand dollars for braces that she told him you needed.  When he found out that you had never gotten them he realized that she had been milking him for money.  It ate him up to wonder if you had gone without because of her.  He spent many sleepless nights worrying about you but by the time that he realized all of this, you were already almost seventeen.  That is when he decided that when you turned eighteen that he would come for you.  He always tried to keep an eye on you and make sure that you had what you needed but your mom made it very difficult.” 

If anyone had asked her a week before, she would have said that she would go to her grave without forgiving her father.  Now, she was not so sure that she had the resolve to continue
to hate him the way she had always done.  Her resolve was being chipped away.  Saying that she loved him was a stretch at this point, but she would at least admit that she did not hate him any longer. 

“I think that I understand what happened Mr. Crowley.  I know that my mom was greedy but I had no idea that she was turning me against
my dad to hide it.  It feels like my entire life has been a lie in one way or another.  I know what my mother was; there is no disillusion in my mind where she’s concerned.  I did love her though and I wish that things could have been different.”  

Cheyenne
went to the kitchen, found a bottle of wine and poured herself a glass.  “Is there another where that came from,” asked Jason. 

“You are going to have to stop sneak
ing up on me,” Cheyenne laughed nervously. 

“Why, it turned out well the last time I did it,” he teased.  Cheyenne felt the heat rise to her cheeks.  She had hoped he would never mention their earlier encounter.  She poured Jason a glass of wine and slid it across the counter.  Jason eyed her
intently as he turned up the glass and drained the contents in one swallow.  She could sense his intentions but had no interest in any type of relationship, not even a one night stand.  Her father was not even buried yet and he was hitting on her.  His attempt reminded her of an awkward school boy, fumbling for a roll in the hay.

“I think it’s
time for you to go Mr. Turner.  You may be joking but it’s disgusting that you are hitting on me.” She said as she downed the last of her wine.

“I guess I’ll be leaving now.”  Jason stated with a knowing smirk on his handsome face.

  Cheyenne decided to go for a ride while she waited for the detective
to arrive.

She saddled the stud from earlier, mounted
and set off on a gentle trot.  Feeling the pent up energy the horse possessed, she nudged him forward as though giving him permission to get it out of his system.  The horse sprang forward as if his tail were on fire.  The power this animal astonished Cheyenne.  He was surely of good blood.  His muscles rippled underneath her body as he stretched out, gaining more ground with each extension of his long legs.  The black mane flowed down his neck and gently teased Cheyenne’s hands as she held loosely onto the reins.  His burst of power came to an end as she pulled him back into an easy canter.  She had not warmed him up and knew it was not smart to let him tear around the pasture.  As she eased back in the saddle, she noticed how beautiful the property was.

 
Charles must have put a lot of time and energy into this place,
she thought out loud.  The stables were so nice and organized.  Any piece of tack a person could need was hung up neatly in the back room.  She guessed that she must have gotten her love of horses from him. 

Without notice, the hor
se spooked.  He broke to the right and side stepped as though he were an experience barrel horse.  His body went rigid underneath her and his gentle gate was replace with break neck speed that shocked her.  Even when she had let him run earlier, he had not been this fast.  She was not sure what was happening but was alarmed to say the least.  Knowing that she shouldn’t panic, she tried her hardest to remain composed and in control.  Cheyenne held on and shifted in the saddle to accommodate for the sudden change in direction.  Then, she heard it.  At first, it seemed like she was imagining the dreaded sound, but after the second loud pop she knew that someone was shooting at her.  Ducking low, she hunkered in the saddle and cursed the stiff leather horn that was poking her in the chest.  Grabbing the horse’s mane, she hugged her body to his as he darted for the stable.  It was at least a half mile ride and the shooter had fired three more times. 

Worrying that she would not make it to the stable, she nudged him sharply, urging him forward.  Another bullet
whizzed by but this time it passed too close for comfort.  She looked down and noticed blood dripping down her leg into her riding boot. 

Have I been shot and just don’t feel it yet?
She wondered as the horse brought her to safety inside the confines of the stable walls.  She hopped down and ran her hand up her leg.  Cheyenne found no wound.  A sick feeling swept her body.  Looking up, she saw the source of the blood.  The brave horse that saved her had taken a bullet to the neck.  She had no time to find out how deep it had entered as she led him up the walk to the house and hopefully to safety.  He didn’t seem to be in any discomfort but she knew that he needed vet care.  Barging into the houses entryway she yelled for Maria but Detective Russell appeared first. 

“What in the world….” He said as he took in the sight in front of him.  “Are you hurt?”

“I was in the back pasture and someone was taking shots at me from the tree line.  They missed but one of the bullets hit the stud I was riding.  I don’t know how bad he is hurt but I need to get a vet out here.” 

Before Cheyenne knew what was happening, Brian darted past her through the door and pulled his weapon. 
As he ran to his truck, Cheyenne heard him calling for backup.  He started the vehicle and drove quickly down the driveway. 

Just then, Mari
a walked into the room.  “I could not help but hear.  I called Doc West.  He will be here in a few minutes.  Which horse was it?”  She inquired. 

“He’s
right here.” Cheyenne said as she held the door open and the horse nudged his head over her shoulder.  Maria gasped. 

“Cheyenne, you were riding this horse?”