CHAPTER FOUR
Grady wasn’t looking forward to talking to Frank Hennessey, but he’d delayed his visit to the sheriff long enough. His fingers tightened on the steering wheel as he drove toward town, and his thoughts darkened with his fears. It bothered him that his sensible, intelligent sister had been taken in by a lowlife like Smith.
One thing Grady couldn’t tolerate was a thief. As far as he was concerned, stealing what belonged to another was about as low as a man could go. His feelings, no doubt, were influenced by what Richard had done. From the time his younger brother was an infant, he’d been spoiled and coddled by their parents. Savannah was guilty of catering to him, as well—along with everyone else. Even in high school, when Richard should have been maturing and accepting adult responsibilities, he’d made it an art form to pawn off his obligations on others. From early childhood Richard had charmed his way through life. How that boy could talk, Grady recalled cynically. He’d often watched in astonishment as Richard, so glib and smooth, managed to get out of one scrape after another. Nothing had been his fault. Someone else was always to blame. His brother had continually found ways to shift the responsibility for his failures and problems onto other people.
Richard was a charmer, a ladies’ man and a smooth talker, but Grady had never suspected his brother was a thief. Then he’d learned the truth. After the shock of the theft had worn off, Grady had been left to face the reality of their dire financial circumstances. He’d even blamed himself. He should never have taken Richard to the Brewster bank or let him know where he kept the key to the safe-deposit box. But Grady had trusted him. And learned the hard way that it had been a mistake.
He wasn’t willing to make a second mistake, especially not where his sister was concerned. Savannah was all the family he had left, and he wasn’t going to lose her.
In the beginning Grady’s opinion of this outsider had been tainted by Savannah’s attitude. For the first time in more years than he could remember, she’d challenged his judgment. So Grady’s natural inclination was to dislike the man she’d favored, against his advice. But he had tolerated Laredo Smith’s presence. He’d even taken some good-natured ribbing from Wiley and Caroline Daniels about being unreasonable. Given time, he might have put the drifter on the payroll himself. As Wiley and Savannah had reminded him often enough, they needed extra help.
He wouldn’t hire Smith now, though. Not after what he’d learned. No way in hell would he offer a job to a known thief.
Grady had discovered everything he needed to know about Laredo Smith in his short conversation with Earl Chesterton. He wanted Smith off his land as soon as possible and as far away from Savannah as could be arranged. Frank would understand, and because the sheriff was fond of Savannah, he’d be eager to help Grady send him packing.
His sister’s words—Don’t ruin this for me—echoed in Grady’s head, and although he believed he was making the right choice, he felt a sense of guilt. The last thing he wanted was to see Savannah hurt. He wanted to get rid of this drifter, but he had to manage it in such a way that Savannah would agree it was the only prudent course of action.
For that he needed Frank Hennessey’s help.
Grady considered it his duty to protect his sister. She claimed she knew everything necessary about Laredo; Grady doubted that. A thief was a thief, and if Smith had stolen once, he’d steal again. Grady strongly suspected this cowboy had tangled with the authorities on more than one occasion. That was what he intended to find out from Frank Hennessey. Faced with the raw truth, Savannah would have no qualms about sending Smith on his way.
Grady found Frank Hennessey relaxing at his oak desk, feet propped on the edge and hat lowered over his eyes as he enjoyed a midafternoon snooze. Frank had represented the law in Promise for as long as Grady could remember, and while an able lawman, he took business in his stride.
Grady closed the door a little harder than necessary and Frank used his index finger to lift his Stetson off his forehead just enough to let him take a peek at his visitor.
“Howdy.” Frank greeted him lazily with the familiarity that years of friendship allowed. “What can I do for you, Grady?”
Grady hesitated, unsure how to begin. At last he blurted, “I’ve got trouble.”
The older man’s smile faded and he slowly straightened. “What kind of trouble?”
Grady removed his hat and rubbed a hand across his brow. “I need to ask a favor of you, Frank. Now, I know you wouldn’t normally do this sort of thing, but it’s the only way I can think of to save Savannah.”
“What’s wrong with Savannah?” Frank asked abruptly, gesturing toward the hard wooden chair that sat alongside his desk.
It gave Grady no pleasure to drag family business into the open; however, he had no choice but to involve Frank. “You’ve heard about Savannah hiring a drifter to work in her rose garden?”
Frank’s mouth angled into a half smile. “The story’s been all around town twice by now, and Dovie was full of the news.” He paused to chuckle appreciatively. “Apparently Dovie didn’t think Savannah had it in her to stand up to you.”
Grady hated the thought of folks talking about Savannah behind her back and let Frank know his feelings on the matter with a dark scowl.
Apparently Frank got the message because he cleared his throat and looked apologetic. “You know how women love to gossip,” he said with a disapproving frown—although it was well-known that the sheriff wasn’t opposed to indulging in the habit himself.
The fact that the news had spread all over town complicated things. Grady figured all he could do now was get to the point and leave the problem in Frank’s capable hands.
“I don’t trust him. First off, I’ve got to think Smith’s a phony name.”
“He might have picked something more original than Smith if that’s the case, don’t you think?” Frank asked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
“Why he chose that name isn’t the point,” Grady argued. “‘Laredo Smith’ sounds about as real as a three-dollar bill.”
“Other than not liking his name, have you got a reason not to trust him?” Frank asked next.
“Plenty.” Surely Frank didn’t think he’d come to him over something trivial! “Smith mentioned that he last worked for Earl Chesterton on the Triple C over in Williamsburg, so I called Earl and talked to him myself. Found out Earl fired Laredo Smith for stealing.” He spit out the last word. Even saying it left a bad taste in his mouth.
Frank’s eyebrows lifted. “Why didn’t Earl press charges?”
“I asked him that myself.” The other rancher would have saved Grady a great deal of trouble if he had. “Apparently it was one man’s word against another’s and no way to prove who was telling the truth and who wasn’t. Earl fired them both.”
“I see,” Frank murmured. “Seems to me that if Smith had something to hide, he wouldn’t have mentioned working on the Triple C.”
Grady sighed and wondered why no one else viewed the situation with the same concern he did. “I’m asking you to do a background check on Smith,” he said, and realized he was expecting a great deal of their friendship. Frank had every right to deny his request, but Grady hoped he wouldn’t.
The sheriff frowned and his chair creaked noisily as he leaned back and considered Grady’s request. “I understand you’re worried about Savannah and I can’t say I blame you. Your sister is one of the most kindhearted people I know, and if this saddle bum hurts her, he’ll have me and half the town to deal with.”
“You’ll do it, then?” Grady said with relief.
“I’ll check him out,” Frank said reluctantly.
The two exchanged handshakes and Grady left. On his way out of town, he decided to stop off at the post office and talk to Caroline. If he couldn’t get through to his sister, maybe her best friend could. Reversing direction, he headed down Maple, then sat in the parking lot, debating the wisdom of his decision. In the past year or so he’d begun to notice Caroline Daniels. She was younger than Savannah, and while they’d been friends for several years, he’d always thought of her as a kid. For some time now it’d become difficult to view Caroline as anything but an attractive woman.
However, Caroline was also opinionated and headstrong. More often than not, her views clashed with his own, and as a result, they argued frequently. Another problem existed, as well.
Maggie.
Grady enjoyed the five-year-old, but for reasons he didn’t understand, the little girl was terrified of him. Savannah babysat her on Monday nights while Caroline did volunteer work, and it had reached the point that Grady stayed out of sight rather than intimidate the little girl.
Things being what they were, it was a risk to ask for Caroline’s help, but one he was willing to take. More than anything, asking Caroline to join forces with him proved how desperate he’d grown to get Savannah to see reason.
Thankfully Caroline was alone when he approached the front counter.
“Hello, Grady,” she said, glancing up from the mail she was sorting.
“Have you had lunch yet?” he asked.
Her eyes widened—but she was no more surprised by his invitation than he was himself.
“It’s three-thirty.”
“Coffee, then,” he suggested gruffly, feeling gauche for not looking at the time. No wonder his stomach growled; he’d missed lunch entirely. Which also went to show how desperate he’d become.
“I don’t suppose it’d hurt if I took a few minutes off,” she said, and set the mail aside.
Definitely curious, Caroline invited him behind the counter. She located a clean mug for him in the back room and filled his cup and her own. “What’s on your mind?” she asked.
“Savannah.” Grady couldn’t see any need to beat around the bush. “I’m worried about her and that drifter.”
“He has a name,” Caroline said, stirring a spoonful of sugar into her coffee.
“Sure. Smith.”
“Laredo Smith.”
“All right, Laredo Smith,” he said impatiently. Grady didn’t know what it was about Caroline that attracted and irritated him at the same time. Lately he found it difficult to carry on a decent conversation with the woman, although he did actually like her.
“What’s the problem?” Caroline asked, her eyes meeting his above the rim of her mug.
“I’m afraid he’s going to abuse her generosity.” In Grady’s opinion, the wrangler was already guilty of that and more.
“Don’t you trust your sister’s judgment?”
“Of course,” he flared. “It’s just that she’s naive and vulnerable. Savannah doesn’t have a lot of experience with men, especially smooth talkers like Laredo Smith.”
“Laredo’s a smooth talker?” Caroline echoed. “I hadn’t noticed.” The mug was at her lips again, and it seemed to him she purposely held it there to hide a smile. Apparently his concern for Savannah amused her.
“Is something funny?” he challenged, disliking the way she made him the target of her humor.
“Of course not.” The amusement left her eyes, replaced by a mock seriousness that infuriated him even more.
“I can see coming here was a mistake,” he said, putting the mug down with a clatter. “I should have known you’d find this all a joke.” He turned away, but she stopped him.
“Grady.”
He hesitated.
“Listen, I doubt there’s as much to worry about as you think. Savannah’s the most levelheaded person I know.”
Grady used to believe the same thing. “She’s not herself. He’s changed her.”
“Yes, he has,” Caroline admitted.
At last they could agree on something. “Then you know what I’m saying?”
“Grady,” she said, her look gentle, “Laredo has changed Savannah, but he’s changed her for the better. Don’t you see how happy she is? You can’t be around her and not feel it. I might not be the best judge of character, but I don’t think Laredo is evil incarnate the way you seem to. Maggie was full of stories about him Monday night after I picked her up. She thought he was great. It isn’t every man who’d sit and read to a five-year-old until she fell asleep. Savannah said the three of them spent an hour in the calving barn, showing Maggie the newborn calves.”
“In other words she likes Smith,” Grady muttered. Maggie liked Smith but not him. Caroline apparently didn’t realize the insult she’d delivered.
“It’s much more than that.”
“Really?” He didn’t even try to hide his sarcasm.
“What is it you’re really afraid of?” she asked.
For the first time Caroline sounded concerned. He held her gaze a long time, then finally said, “I don’t want anyone to take advantage of her.”
“She’s old enough to know her own mind.”
“She’s too damn trusting.”
“Is that bad?”
“Yes,” he stormed. “I’m afraid he’s going to take advantage of her. I’m afraid Savannah’s going to end up alone and pregnant.”
The eyes that had just a moment ago revealed the first shred of understanding and compassion flickered with a jolt of unanticipated pain. It took Grady only an instant to realize what he’d said.
“In other words you’re afraid your sister will end up like me?”
Grady struggled for the words to apologize. They didn’t come easy to a man like him. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded,” he said.
“Of course you did.”
He probably should have left well enough alone, but he was desperate and he knew Savannah would listen to Caroline before she would him. “Will you talk to her?” he asked hopefully. At her absent look he continued, “About getting rid of Smith before he can hurt her.”
“No,” she said flat out.
“No?”
“You heard me. If I was going to talk to anyone about this, it’d be you.” Caroline’s voice gained strength. “And what I’d say, Grady, is leave Savannah to live her own life.”
“And make a fool of herself?”
“Yes, if that’s what it takes. She’s not a child to be chastised and ridiculed; she’s a woman with a woman’s heart. Grady, I swear if you do anything to spoil her chance of finding happiness, I’ll never forgive you.”
“Happiness with a saddle bum like Smith?” He might have laughed if there’d been any humor in the suggestion.
“Yes,” Caroline responded without hesitation.
Furious, more with himself than with Caroline, Grady stalked out of the office. He should have known better than try to reason with Savannah’s best friend. She was as stubborn as his sister. And less tactful about it, too.
* * *
“Good afternoon, Laredo,” Savannah said shyly as she joined him in her rose garden. She carried out a tray and two tall glasses of iced tea. Rocket was at her side, so old now that he found it difficult to move. Generally he stayed in the house, but he appeared to be a little more energetic than usual just now and had followed her outside and into the warm sunshine.
Laredo’s efforts were in evidence in every corner of her small paradise. Never had her garden looked more beautiful. The beds were meticulously groomed. Even the roses themselves had responded to his care. They’d burst into flower days earlier than anticipated. Some would claim it was due to the unusually warm spring, but Savannah chose to believe it was because of the love and care she and Laredo had given them.
“Afternoon,” he said, leaning on the hoe.
It never failed. Her heart—like her beautiful roses—bloomed with excitement and joy whenever she saw him. He was tall and strong and lovely. She realized that “lovely” wasn’t a word often associated with men, but she could find none more appropriate. Beyond everything else Laredo had given her, the most precious was the way she felt around him. Savannah had never considered herself beautiful, but that was how he made her feel. Beautiful. Feminine. Desirable.
“Would you like some iced tea?” she asked.
“That’d be great.” He set the hoe aside, removed the tray from her hands and led the way to the small wrought-iron table in the farthest corner of the garden. She’d purposely placed it there amidst the old roses in order to enjoy their fragrance and special beauty. Rocket followed them there and with a groan sank down in the table’s shade.
“I’m about finished with the hoeing,” Laredo said, bending down to stroke the dog’s ears.
This was a problem. He completed each task with speed, skill and determination. She longed to urge him to slow down, to linger over each small assignment so that the work would last, but he never did. From the first he’d set out to prove his worth and he’d done so, many times over.
Another day, two at the most, and he’d have completed her list. Everything thereafter would be a make-work project. Not that she couldn’t come up with some.
“Wiley stopped by earlier,” he said, and downed half the tea in a series of deep swallows. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, then leaned forward and stroked Rocket’s ears again. Savannah’s gaze rested on the dog who’d once belonged to her father and she smiled as he snored softly, already asleep.
“He told me about Roanie’s sore leg and he asked me to look at it. You don’t mind, do you?”
If anything, Savannah was relieved. All three realized it’d be best if Grady didn’t know about Laredo doctoring one of the horses. Nevertheless it’d be a shame to let the old roan suffer. Especially when Laredo could help—save them the expense of calling the vet.
“Of course I don’t mind,” she assured him.
“I’ll probably need to rub in some ointment and wrap up the leg.”
She nodded. “I’m grateful.” If Grady wouldn’t say it, she would, but her appreciation extended far beyond any expertise Laredo offered in the area of horses. He’d blessed her life in the week since his arrival. One week. Seven fleeting days, and yet it felt as though he’d always been part of her life. People would say it was fanciful or ridiculous, but in an odd way, Savannah felt as if her life had been on hold while she waited for Laredo to find her.
She smiled to herself, amused that Grady was making such a fool of himself, all the while calling her the fool. Considering the fuss her older brother had made, anyone would think she’d become Laredo’s lover when in reality he hadn’t so much as kissed her.
But she wished he would.... She’d dreamed of it endlessly, hungering for his touch. Grady had chastised her for claiming to love Laredo on such short acquaintance, and for the first time in recent memory she’d lied to her brother. She’d told him she didn’t love Laredo but that she could.
The truth was she did love him. She loved him for the gentle care he gave her roses. For his loving way with animals. For his honesty. For his tender patience with Maggie and, most important, for the joy he’d brought into her life. Each day she awoke happy and excited, knowing he’d be in the kitchen to greet her. Each night she laid her head on her pillow, her mind full of dreams she’d never dared to believe possible, never believed were meant for a woman like her.
So, while it was true he hadn’t touched her except for that one time he’d held her in the kitchen, she knew instinctively that he shared her feelings. She felt his love in a thousand ways. Unspoken, but real. As intense as her own for him.
Yes, Grady had called her a fool, and perhaps she was. But if being considered a fool meant she was this happy, then he could call her whatever name he liked.
“Is there anything more I can do for you this afternoon?” Laredo asked.
She shook her head. “I’ll be leaving soon.”
“If you’re going into town, would you mind checking on my truck at Powell’s Garage?”
“I...I can do that for you later in the week, if you want, but I wasn’t planning on going into town.” Savannah had hoped to avoid any questions about her destination. She’d hoped to slip quietly away and return to the ghost town. It had taken her a full week to gather the courage to go back, but despite her reservations, she’d decided to do it. She was sure there were more old roses to be found.
“Savannah,” Laredo said, touching her hand. “You’re headed back to Bitter End, aren’t you?”
She lowered her eyes and nodded, knowing that, like Grady, he’d disapprove. “I want to look for more roses. If the plants in the cemetery survived, there’re bound to be others.” In the days since her last visit Savannah had managed to convince herself that the darkness, the sense of oppression, had come from her own imagination. It’d been nerves and excitement, that was all. Grady had warned her about the ghost town so often that her head had been filled with nonsense. After a while she’d come to believe it. And even if what she’d experienced was real, she’d managed the first time and would again.
“Your brother—”
“Grady disapproves of a great deal in my life just now. I’m going back to Bitter End, Laredo, with or without Grady’s approval.”
The strength of her objection appeared to catch him unawares. “Surely your brother has a reason for not wanting you there?”
“You know Grady,” she answered. “He’s overprotective.”
“I don’t know your brother,” Laredo told her quietly, “but everything he says and does is because he loves you and is concerned about you. It might be best to heed his advice.”
If Savannah hadn’t fallen in love with Laredo already, she would have lost her heart right then and there. He’d defended Grady, when Grady had done nothing but cause him problems.
“He doesn’t understand,” she murmured.
“Where is this place?” Laredo asked. “I haven’t heard anyone else talk about a ghost town in this area.”
“I don’t think many people know about it.” Grady had located the town as a teenager and promised he’d take her there himself. It was the only time she could remember her brother breaking his word. “Grady was there once, but he refused to talk about it afterward. No matter how much I pleaded, he refused to give in. All he’d say was that he was never going back and he certainly wasn’t going to take his little sister there.”
“Then how’d you find the place?”
She laughed lightly. “It wasn’t easy. It took me weeks.”
“Why now? Because of the old roses?”
Savannah smiled. “I read an article in one of my gardening magazines about a man who found a huge number of old roses in a ghost-town cemetery. I’d nearly forgotten about Bitter End, but once I remembered, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I asked Grady as much as I could without arousing his suspicions, but eventually he caught on and wouldn’t give me any more information.”
Laredo frowned. “Savannah,” he pleaded, “if your brother’s that worried about it, then so am I. Don’t go.”
Her heart sank. Not Laredo, too. “Please don’t ask that of me,” she whispered.
He got up and walked around the table to stand in front of her. “Then don’t do it alone,” he said urgently.
“But there isn’t anyone—”
“There’s me.”
Savannah leaned back to see him more clearly. “You’d do that for me?”
He nodded and knelt in front of her, his expression earnest. “Promise me, Savannah.”
“I promise.” She needed to touch him. She couldn’t have explained why, but the yearning inside her was too strong to ignore. Hesitantly she pressed one hand to his cheek, her palm curving around his jaw. The skin was stubbled with his beard, and yet she’d never felt anything more sensual.
Laredo closed his eyes and gripped her wrist with a strength she hadn’t expected. “You make it damn near impossible,” he said from between clenched teeth.
“Impossible?” she whispered. She found it difficult to breathe or swallow. Her heart beat at an alarming rate, and she feared he would guess how his closeness unnerved her.
“Don’t you know?” His words were half groan, half speech, as if her touching him, even in the most innocent way, caused him pain. She felt the urgency in him and the restraint. She honored him for that restraint—but she didn’t need it anymore.
“I want you to kiss me, Laredo. I’ve dreamed about you every night.” Her raspy voice was barely audible.
“Savannah, please.”
“Please what? Ignore my heart? I can’t! I tried, Laredo, I really did.”
He cradled her face, and their eyes met. In his she read determination and a kind of desperation. “Grady’s made it difficult enough for you,” he said. “I can’t, I won’t make it—”
“I don’t care what my brother thinks,” she choked out, stopping him by placing her fingertips to his lips. “I know my heart, Laredo, and my heart wants you very much.”
His hands slid from the sides of her face and into her hair. Then slowly, inch by thrilling inch, he brought her mouth to his.
The instant their lips touched, Savannah felt her heart leap with a burst of joy. It overtook her, drove everything else from her mind.
His mouth was warm and moist, and he tasted of iced tea and fresh mint. He moved his lips hungrily against hers, molding her mouth to his with a heat that seared her senses. Although her experience with lovemaking had been limited, she’d had her share of kisses. But never like this. Never with this kind of heat, this degree of passion. Had it happened with anyone else, it would have frightened her.
Soon their arms were wrapped completely around each other in a struggle to get closer. She realized the fierceness with which they clung must be hurting his ribs. She tried to say something, to shift her hands, but he wouldn’t allow it, his movements urging her to hold him closer, hold him tighter.
The kiss grew hotter and hotter as they each sought to give more, take more, be more. Laredo’s breath came hard and fast. Her own echoed his.
With a moan, Laredo finally broke away, his shoulders heaving. “That shouldn’t have happened,” he said in a tortured voice. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You could never hurt me,” she assured him, her face against his chest. In all her days she’d never been more brazen with a man, asking him outright to kiss her, to hold her. But hard as she tried, Savannah couldn’t make herself regret what she’d done. If anything she wondered why it had taken her so long. She’d had no idea kissing could be this...incredible. Her friends should have told her!
“Say something,” she pleaded. “I need to know you’re feeling it, too.”
“I think I knew the minute you stopped to offer me a ride.” He got to his feet and walked away from her.
“Laredo?”
“I promised Wiley I’d check on Roanie. Remember?”
In other words their discussion was over; he had nothing more to say. Nor did he wish to hear what she might say. “All right,” she said, hanging her head in defeat.
He got as far as the garden gate, then turned back. “You won’t go to the ghost town without me?”
“No,” she promised.
He nodded. He seemed about to speak again but hesitated. If he dared apologize for kissing her, she didn’t know what she’d do. Probably scream in frustration. That would be an unprecedented event—Savannah Weston screaming! She gave an involuntary giggle.
Savannah watched him leave, then carried the tray of empty glasses back into the house. Despite his withdrawal, his abrupt departure, she felt like dancing around her kitchen. He’d kissed her! And it had been wonderful.
Not only had Laredo kissed her, he’d said he’d been thinking about it for days. The same as she had. That was enough to make her heart wild with joy. But there was more. He’d as much as said he loved her.
“Oh, please,” she prayed, closing her eyes and clasping her hands, “let it be true. Don’t let this be a cruel joke.” But she knew otherwise; she’d felt it in the wonder of his kiss.
With the afternoon free, Savannah baked chocolate-chip cookies, one of her many specialties. She tucked a dozen inside the freezer to save for Maggie’s visits and filled the cookie jar with the rest.
Because the kitchen door was open, she heard Grady’s truck pull into the yard, followed by his near-frantic shout.
“Savannah!”
It wasn’t her name that shook her, but the way he yelled it. Rushing to the door, she found him stalking toward the house.
“Grady, for heaven’s sake, what’s wrong?”
“You’re not to talk to him!”
“Grady,” she said, her patience gone. “We’ve already had this discussion. Laredo—”
“Not Laredo,” he barked as if she were slow-witted or being purposely obtuse.
“Who?”
“Richard.”
“Richard?” She saw him then, her younger brother. Her “big boy,” the baby she’d loved and cared for and spoiled. He walked slowly down the long driveway, hefting his suitcase, eyes focused on the house as if the sight of it was the only thing that kept him on his feet.
“Richard,” she cried, and pressed her hands to her mouth. “Grady, how could you drive past him like that?”
“He’s not welcome here, Savannah.”
“Grady, he’s our brother.” Not caring what he thought, she flew out the door and raced down the stairs. Richard. He was here at last. Now they’d learn the truth, the real truth, and everything would be right with their world again.
Richard had come home.