Son of a Gun (22 page)

“If it’s that serious, we should have that margarita first.”

“Bring it on.”

A drink in a neighborhood bar where music blared from a jukebox and chatter and laughter filled the room. It seemed so natural, as if this were real and the hellish life on Enmascarado Island had been only a nightmare.

To trust that fallacy would be a deadly mistake. But right now all she could think of was the man who was sitting next to her and melting her resolve.

She had to snap out of this, and the best way to do that was to jump right back into the complicated web of lies and danger.

Once she’d tasted a few sips of the margarita, she took a deep breath and plunged into the next dilemma.

“I fully expect Sheriff Garcia to haul me away in cuffs within the next couple of days.”

Damien shook his head. “Not a chance. He’s already ruled Julio’s murder self-defense. Mother said she’d told you that.”

“Yes, but now he wants my Social Security number. When he finds out I lied about my name, he’s almost certain to arrest me.”

“Just give him your real number and your real name. Tell him you lied because you panicked. He won’t press charges.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“He knows Carolina likes you. He’s not going to mess with the friend of someone who makes sizable contributions to his campaign.”

“So he ruled Julio’s death self-defense strictly based on the fact that I’m staying at the Bent Pine? That sounds a lot like corruption.”

“It was self-defense, Emma. Let’s just go with the theory that the sheriff was smart enough to recognize that.”

“So you think it’s a nonissue?”

“I’m sure of it.”

She finished her margarita in record time. It was the first one she’d had since the kidnapping, and in spite of everything, being here with Damien made it taste even better than she remembered.

They lingered with their drinks, not talking, but oddly comfortable with just being together. Emma struggled to stay in the present for a few minutes and to block Caudillo from her thoughts. She needed this moment to hold on to when Damien was just an old memory.

If she lived that long.

A country ballad started to play and the dance floor suddenly became crowded. Emma tapped her toe to the beat.

Damien laid his hand on top of hers. “Would you like to dance?”

“Yes. I’d like that.” They got up and he took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

He held her close, their bodies touching as they swayed to the music. When the music stopped, he didn’t move away. She looked up and met his gaze. The desire she saw in his eyes was hypnotic.

His lips lowered and touched hers. She melted into the kiss, her pulse exploding like fireworks.

But then a shudder started deep inside her and she felt as if Caudillo’s shadow had fallen over her, making everything dark. She stiffened and pulled away.

“I’m sorry if I came on too fast.”

“It wasn’t you.” She fought back tears.

“It’s okay, Emma. You need time. I understand.”

“I guess maybe horror ebbs and flows like grief,” she said. “Recovery is definitely not instantaneous.”

“He’s not behind you yet, Emma. When he is, your real recovery can start. And he and his threats will be out of the picture one day soon. I promise you that.”

But Damien couldn’t know what he was up against.

Damien led her from the dance floor as a new crowd of dancers gathered around them. “How about dinner now?”

But she wasn’t sure her emotions could handle an intimate dinner with Damien. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather just grab a burger and head back to the ranch.”

“Then a burger it is.”

“If you don’t stop being so accommodating, you may never get rid of me.”

“Who said I want to?”

* * *

DAMIEN DID NOT SHOW UP FOR breakfast the next morning. Nor had he shown up by midmorning when Emma and Belle joined Carolina on the back porch.

Belle was having an exceptionally good day. Emma had spread a blanket on the sofa next to her and then placed Belle on it so that she could kick and swing her short arms at will while Emma kept careful watch.

“You’re just being a real sweetheart this morning, aren’t you, Belle? I think you like it here. Did you have fun without me last night?”

“I’m not sure how much she liked it,” Carolina said, “but she kept us entertained. Grandma talked to her more than she’s talked to Sybil in the last month.”

“You certainly get along well with your in-laws,” Emma said. “Have they always lived here with you and your family?”

“Pearl has,” Carolina said. “Only, she didn’t live with us as much as we moved in with her. Remember I told you that Hugh had a penthouse condo in Dallas up until his father died from the brain tumor? He moved here then and when we married, Pearl turned over the master suite to us.”

“What a thoughtful thing to do.”

“Yes, except that I felt as if I’d displaced her. She ignored my protests, said she couldn’t bring herself to sleep in the bedroom that she’d shared with her husband all those years. I didn’t understand that then, but I’m beginning to.”

“Maybe you’ll feel differently in time.”

“Perhaps, but this house is meant for raising families. It will belong to Damien when I die, so I’d be just as happy to turn the main wing over to him when he’s ready to marry and begin a family of his own.”

“What about Tague and Durk?”

“They’ll each own one-third of everything when I’m gone except the house. Hugh insisted that as firstborn Damien be the one to keep the house that has been in the family for generations. But I fully expect Tague and Durk to build their own houses on the ranch when they marry, even though Durk will likely always have a place in town. Their roots to the ranch run deep.”

“I’m sure they must.”

“And you asked about Sybil. She came to live with me ten years ago when her husband died. He was a general in the army, but even though he was from the D.C. area and had traveled all his life, he loved it here on the ranch. They’d planned to retire here, but he had a heart attack one year before he could make that move. Naturally, I invited Sybil to move in with us. There’s plenty of room here for everyone to have their own space.”

“I find it remarkable that you all get along so well together.”

“All it takes is patience and love—and lots of prayer.”

“Do you know where Damien is today?” Emma asked.

“He only said he had some business to take care of,” Carolina said. “I promised to entertain you today, and I have some ideas for how to do that.”

“That’s not necessary. I can find plenty to do around here.”

“Then do me a favor,” Carolina said.

“If I can.”

“Get me out of the house. Join me for lunch and then I’ll take you and Belle on a drive around the area. I’ll show you the school where all my sons went, and then if we have time, I’ll show you where we attend church.”

“I’d love that, but I don’t have an infant seat for Belle.”

“You do now. I had a friend pick one up for me when she was in town yesterday.”

“Then I accept your offer.”

“Great. Why don’t we plan to leave here about eleven-thirty.”

“I’ll be ready.”

But not eager. Emma was growing weary of playing the role she’d assigned to herself and sick of having to lie to Carolina. She couldn’t go on like this much longer, especially when her leaving was inevitable. Today might offer the perfect opportunity to ask Carolina if she’d take on the task of finding Belle’s father.

Then Emma would just disappear the way she’d always planned. Damien wouldn’t understand or like it, but it would be the best thing Emma could do for him.

She’d give that serious thought and work out the details while she dressed.

Emma looked down at Belle and wrapped her hand around a kicking foot. Leaving Belle and Damien might be the toughest thing she’d ever had to do.

She owed that to Caudillo, too.

* * *

IF THERE HAD BEEN DOUBT about Carolina’s sphere of influence reaching all the way to the social heights of the Dallas community, it was dispelled within minutes of reaching the Beth’s Café where they went for lunch.

They’d barely sat down when a smartly coiffed middle-age woman wearing an expensive-looking gray-and-black suit joined them. She dropped a newspaper on the table and tapped the photo at the top of the society page.

“Did you see this, Carolina?”

“I noticed the picture at breakfast.”

Emma leaned over for a closer look. The woman in the sleek red ball gown was obviously Carolina. She checked out the caption: Governor Miller and Carolina Lambert Cut the Ribbon for the Groundbreaking of the New Lambert Wing at Children’s Hospital in Dallas.

“So is it true?” the woman insisted.

Carolina replied, “It’s true the governor and I cut the ribbon, Mary Anne. You knew the wing was being planned.”

“I’m not talking about the hospital wing. That’s old hat. I’m talking about you and the governor being an item.”

“An item? You’ve lost me.”

Mary Anne started tapping again. “Elisha mentions right here in her article that you and the governor made a dashing couple dancing at the ball that followed.”

“We danced once. And it wasn’t exactly a ball. It was a money-raising event for the hospital. Now sit down and let me introduce you to my houseguest.”

Mary Anne looked at Emma as if she’d just realized she was there.

“Emma, this is one of my best friends—who has a terrible habit of believing all the gossip she hears and then spreading it around as fast as she can.”

“Governor Miller is very nice looking. Even you have to admit that, Carolina,” Mary Anne said in her defense.

“And there are plenty of women who would love to be linked with him. I’m not one of them. Mary Anne, this is Emma Smith. And the adorable cherub in her arms is Belle.”

“I’m pleased to meet you,” she said, offering a hand and then doing her version of coochie-coo to Belle. “I didn’t know you were having guests this week.”

“It was a surprise visit.”

Mary Anne pursed her lips. “I’d love to stay longer, but I want to do some shopping before the symphony board meeting tonight. I’ll see you there.”

“Not tonight,” Carolina said. “I canceled, but everyone already knows I favor continuing the free concerts for school children throughout the year.”

“Then I guess I’ll catch you later in the week. Nice to meet you, Emma. Your daughter is adorable.”

Mary Anne’s heels clicked on the slate floor as she left.

“Do you get the feeling a whirlwind just went through?” Carolina said.

“Definitely, but she seems nice.”

“She’s a great friend, one who was there for me after Hugh’s death. She just tends to get caught up in the gossip of the moment.”

“You do lead a very busy life,” Emma said. “I’m afraid having Belle and me around has really inconvenienced you.”

“Not for a minute. I’ve made myself stay busy since Hugh’s death, but for the most part that’s all it is. Just activities to keep me from drowning in grief. Having you and Belle around has been a blessing.”

“I’m glad you feel that way because—”

Her words were interrupted by the young waitress, who seemed to pop up from thin air. “I’m sorry I took so long, Mrs. Lambert. That party of twelve on the far side of the room walked in just before you did and they had questions about every item on the menu.”