Chapter Eleven
“Good morning, sleepy head. Rise and shine!” As if through a haze Caleb heard Sierra’s voice drifting through his consciousness. Even though he was still half asleep, her honeyed voice whispering in his ear served as the sweetest alarm clock in creation.
Caleb pried one eye open and then the other, prodded by her sweet voice and the tender memories of the time they’d spent together yesterday. He’d told her he loved her, and the words had been spoken with supreme confidence. Although she hadn’t returned those sentiments, Caleb knew she felt the same way. She just wasn’t ready to utter those three little words. If he was being honest with himself, he felt quite eager to hear them tumbling from her lips.
“Well, hello there,” he said, greeting her with a huge smile. He stretched, letting out a huge yawn in the process.
She held up the house key he’d given her last night and jingled her set of keys in front of him. “Are you regretting giving me a key to your house?” she asked with a grin.
“Of course not,” he said. “I didn’t quite expect you to pop over at such an ungodly hour on my morning off. I don’t have to head over to the ranch until later this afternoon.”
She pulled a large coffee from behind her back. “I come bearing gifts,” she said.
Caleb quickly reached for the coffee and said, “Bless you. Just what I needed to start my morning off.”
“At your service,” she said with a mock salute.
“Did you have sweet dreams last night?” he asked in a low tone, his voice still groggy with sleep.
“I actually dreamed about Morning Star,” she confessed. “It wasn’t anything grisly. It was more sweet than anything. She was grazing in a pasture full of wild flowers.” Her lips curved upwards in a sweet smile.
“I’m glad it was a peaceful dream.”
“Me too,” she said with a nod. “I’m still trying to process everything.”
“About yesterday,” Caleb mumbled, his eyes downcast as he nervously twisted the sheets in his hands. All of a sudden he felt tongue-tied and nervous, unsure of what to say or how to say it.
“I just want you to know,” he continued, “That it meant a lot to me that you turned to me after finding out about Morning Star. Being with you took me all the way back to the sweet time we spent together in the past.”
Sierra smiled at Caleb's tender words. “I know, Caleb. It felt like...coming home.”
Caleb breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that for once in their relationship they seemed to be on the same wavelength. Coming home. She’d found the perfect words to describe his feelings. He really wanted to tell her he loved her again, but he resisted the urge. He didn’t want to run the risk of making her uncomfortable again. It hadn’t escaped his notice that she hadn’t repeated the words of love he’d uttered yesterday. And although it hurt to know that she couldn’t say those words, his gut instinct told him that she felt it too. That same old force that had drawn them together in the first place still existed. That magical push and pull that made it impossible for them to stay apart wasn’t one-sided. She loved him.
“Caleb, it’s almost 8:30!” she squealed as she glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to go!”
“So you’re just going to dash after coming over here and waking me up?” Caleb asked as he took a sip of his piping hot coffee. He placed the cup down on his night table and reached for Sierra’s hand, drawing her close. He leaned in for a kiss, hoping to extend her stay for a little bit.
After a few moments, she gently pushed him away. “I have an important meeting in town with Sam Jarvis. If you don’t stop kissing me, I’m going to be late,” she said between giggles. “If I had my choice I’d stay here and hang out with you all day and drink coffee and watch sappy movies on television.”
He swept her up in his arms, determined to make her stay with him.
She let out a groan and pushed him away, clearly intent on making her way over to Sam Jarvis’ office for their meeting. “Being around you is exhilarating.”
He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Right back ‘atcha,” he said in a low drawl. “I’ll be counting the hours till you come back.”
Joy. Triumph. Giddiness. He felt the same way about her. Most of all, Caleb felt an overwhelming sense of how much he loved this woman. And how right it felt that they were finally back together.
Although the events of the past twenty-four hours had convinced him that Sierra loved him, he couldn’t allow himself to revel in triumph. He wasn’t sure why, but he couldn’t seem to relax or let his guard down. For some perplexing reason, he couldn’t escape the niggling feeling that his perfect happiness wouldn’t last.
***
Sierra drove to Sam Jarvis’ office in high spirits, her thoughts revolving around Caleb and the romantic way they had found their way back to one another. She couldn’t seem to stop smiling.
Never in a million years had she truly thought they could bridge the huge gap between them. She’d never felt happier in her life. She felt complete. Satisfied. Whole. She and Caleb had connected just like in the old days when they’d been two kids in love. The had talked, with no screaming or yelling, no bad feelings or animosity. He had held her in his arms as she’d cried about Morning Star. And they’d listened, really listened to each other’s hopes and fears, their dreams and their sorrows.
He loved her! she thought triumphantly. And she loved him. And she’d decided that as soon as she saw him she would tell him so. By the end of the day she would sound like a broken record. It would be an unforgettable moment, she mused, one that they’d be able to tell their grandchildren about. She knew it was presumptuous to start thinking about marriage and babies, but she couldn’t help herself. They’d waited so long for this happiness. They’d loved each other for so long. And now, finally, they’d be able to build a life together, one devoid of deceptions and lies.
Every time she hit a red light she found herself sitting in her car fantasizing about her future with Caleb, a future that was suddenly bright and filled with endless possibilities. A honking horn in the car behind her drew her out of her reverie, forcing her to focus on the matter at hand. She then sailed through the green light, turning into the parking lot next to Sam Jarvis & Associates where she parked her truck nearby the entrance.
She walked into the office from the reception area of Jarvis & Associates, led by Sam’s young and perky secretary, Mable Anne, who was Marissa’s first cousin and a member of Sierra’s high school class.
For ten minutes she and Mable Anne chatted about high school days and caught up on the local gossip. Mabel Anne had her in stitches doing imitations of the jocks on the football team as well as the principal and the class president. Finally, she excused herself and headed towards Sam’s office with Mabel Anne graciously leading the way. Sierra was eager to talk to him about the vandalism on the Diamond Lil and see if he knew anything she hadn’t been told.
“Thanks for making time for me today, Sam,” she said graciously as she entered his plush office and threw her purse onto one of the chairs that faced his ornate desk. Briefly, she looked around the office, noting Sam’s expensive taste in furniture and paintings. As a child she’d tagged along with her grandmother on a few occasions when she’d conducted business with Sam in this very office.
Sam’s mahogany colored face lit up with a twinkle as Sierra walked into his office, his warm smile taking years off of his wizened features. With surprising speed for a man of his advanced years, Sam got up from his leather chair and walked toward her, his arms outstretched in greeting. Sam enveloped her in a huge bear hug, one that reminded her of countless childhood instances when he would visit the Homestead and sit her atop his knee and tell stories about her grandmother. Like Minnie and Yancy, Sam reminded her of her grandmother, and it was difficult not to get choked up in his presence.
“Shoot, honey,” Sam drawled in a voice coated with pure sugar, “I always have time for a beauty like yourself.” He then let out a low whistle and shook his head in disbelief. “My, my, my...you and Jacey sure do get purtier all the time. It just doesn’t seem fair to all the other girls in Texas.”
Sierra laughed and shook her head in mock disbelief. “I bet you say that to all the girls, Sam. You’re just as bad as Bryce. Even when I’m wearing a ratty shirt and covered with dirt and grime he’s giving me all kinds of compliments.” Sierra smiled knowingly. “You taught him well, Sam.”
Sam winked at her and lit up one his expensive cigars. “Well, you know Bryce was always sweet on you. Now that you’re back in Texas he’s probably gearing up to court you.”
“Bryce is like a cousin to me,” she explained gently, flabbergasted at the notion that her childhood friend thought of her in those intimate terms. Perhaps Sam had misinterpreted Bryce’s feelings and was simply butting his nose in where it didn’t belong. “We were practically raised together, for goodness sakes. It’s a little strange to think of him romantically at this late stage in the game.”
A strange look flitted over Sam’s face upon hearing her words and his demeanor shifted so that he was suddenly all business. She prayed her words hadn’t sounded like an insult.
“Let’s get right to the point. You wanted to talk to me about the incidents at the Diamond Lil.”
Her mood turned somber. “Yes, Sam. I’ve been wanting to talk to you since Hollis first told me about the trouble at the ranch. It seems Hollis alerted the police to the situation months ago, but the incidents have been so sporadic that the authorities would have to do twenty-four hour surveillance in order to catch the people responsible.” She bit her lip nervously as she thought about all the trouble at the ranch and the major responsibility she was assuming by running the Diamond Lil. “What really worries me is that the incidents seem to be escalating.”
“You sound scared, sugar,” Sam said gently. “I heard about Morning Star from Bryce. I’m awfully sorry. I know she meant the world to you.”
“Yes, she did mean the world to me. And it kills me that someone snuffed her out like she was nothing,” she said fiercely. “It kills me that there are such savages on the loose who care nothing about livestock.”
“Nothing but heathens!” Sam muttered through a puff of cigar smoke. “People like that don’t respect nothing on this earth. Not livestock. Not ranchers. Not the authorities.” He shook his head grimly. “It’s a tough situation.”
“What I really need is your input. Can you tell me anything that Hollis may have overlooked? I understand that you’ve been watching over things since my grandmother took sick.”
Sam nodded in acknowledgement. “Yeah, I’ve been keeping an eye on the ranch. Now that Bryce is working out there he fills me in on things when I can’t make it out to the ranch. There've been some strange goings-on out there. It started out small, almost so small that we didn’t take it as anyone tampering with things. With Lilliana being sick and all, I guess our attention was focused elsewhere. Nobody could’ve predicted the sick turn this thing has taken.”
“Tell me about it. You can’t imagine how shocked I was when Hollis told me about everything that’s gone down ovwe the last few months.” Sierra shook her head in disbelief. “I’m glad my grandmother’s not here to see this.”
“Lord, rest her soul,” Sam said fervently. “Sierra, I heard from Yancy that you plan to stay on and run the Diamond Lil. Is it true?”
“I wasn’t sure at first, Sam,” she acknowledged, “but in the last few days I’ve come to realize that the Diamond Lil is the place for me. It’s in my blood...in my heart. It’s where I should be. I know that now.”
“Sierra, honey, I know you probably feel that the Lil is your grandmother’s legacy, but do you really think you can run it by yourself?” Although Sam posed the question delicately, a hint of condescension could be detected in his voice. Judging by the look on his face, he appeared extremely taken aback by the fact that she’d decided to stay in Briarwood.
For a moment Sierra couldn’t bring herself to speak. Of all people she hadn’t expected Sam to try and dissuade her from her course of action. Sam Jarvis had been with her grandmother since the beginning and he’d stuck by her side through all the hardships, disappointments and the triumphs. It wasn’t in his nature to second guess other people’s decisions.
Finally, she said, “I won’t be running it by myself. There’s Hollis and all of the ranch hands...and Bryce.” She shook her head in bewilderment, baffled by Sam’s negative attitude. Without pulling any punches she asked, “What’s going on, Sam? Why do you have that look of doom on your face?”
Sam sucked on his cigar as if he was drawing strength from it, strength that he felt he might need in his conversation. He exhaled a mouthful of smoke and said, “I’m going to give it to you straight. There’s been a lot of talk going around about you taking over the running of the ranch. Most people don’t like the idea for one reason or another.”
“People? What people?” asked Sierra blankly, unsure of where Sam was heading with his comments.
Sam shrugged, his face as straight as a poker as he said, “You know all those folks in the cattlemens’ association. Some of those simple-minded fools are foaming at the mouth about you running the Diamond Lil.”
“But why? I know the Diamond Lil like the back of my hand. I grew up here. I saw firsthand the way the ranch was run and I know everything about the place. There’s nobody who could do it better. You of all people should know that.”
Sam looked uncomfortable as he said, “They see you as an outsider. You’ve been away for a long time...well, you know how it is around these parts. People are small-minded and ignorant at times. They think of you as a city girl rather than a rancher.”
Sierra sputtered. “That’s ridiculous! I’m a hometown girl. They’re nothing but small-minded, ignorant fools if they believe that! City girl, nothing! I honestly don’t care about their ridiculous judgements!”
Sam held up his hands as if to ward off her anger. “Sugar, don’t attack the messenger. I don’t happen to subscribe to their philosophy, but I’d be lying if I was to say that I wasn’t concerned about the situation. You’ve just lost your grandmother, you’re thousands of miles from home, you’re being attacked from all sides and this craziness is escalating. I just want to make sure you know what you’re doing. There’s no shame in saying you can’t handle things. No shame at all.”
Sam’s words had the effect of waving a red flag in front of a raging bull. Without uttering a word, Sierra sat there seething. Who did Sam think he was kidding? Although he claimed not to subscribe to the philosophy of the cattlemen’s association members, he wasn’t exactly singing her praises either. It sounded like he was giving her permission to pack up her belongings and head back to New York, she thought grumpily.
Sierra sucked in a deep breath of air and warned herself not to lose her cool. She’d come here today for information, precious information that might help her uncover the culprit behind the incidents at the ranch. “Sam, I didn’t come here today to discuss my running of the ranch. As far as I’m concerned it’s a done deal. Grammy passed her legacy down to me because she believed in me and she trusted I could handle things. The reason I wanted to see you today is because I wanted to know anything and everything you can tell me about the incidents at the ranch. And more importantly, I want to know if you have any suspects in mind.”
Sam walked back toward his desk and perched on the corner, his long legs dangling down the front of the desk, almost touching the floor. He ground out the cigar in a chrome ashtray, his movements jerky and abrupt. “What I know isn’t fact, it’s only one old man’s opinion.”
“I respect your opinion, Sam. That’s why I’m here. Please, tell me what you know.”
He let out an agonized sigh. “Well, here goes. There’s an operation out of Briarwood called the CM Group. For months we’ve suspected they’re the culprits behind the vandalism on the ranch, although we don’t have anything concrete as of yet. They’ve been competing with the Diamond Lil for business as of late, and I must say the situation has became mighty competitive. A while back some rumors were circulating about some diseased cows that we sold to a big group in Phoenix. A pack of lies is what it was. We traced the rumors back to this CM Group. For a while I’ve been suspecting that this group is responsible for all the acts of vandalism on the ranch.”
“Have you called the sheriff in on this?” Sierr asked expectantly, her thoughts whirling with the implications of Sam’s words. She’d never heard of this CM Group, but she trusted Sam’s gut instincts on the matter. If he said this operation was a threat to the Diamond Lil, she believed him. And if Sam felt that this operation was responsible for the heinous acts on the ranch, then she would leave no stone unturned in her quest to bring them to justice.
“Not yet,” he said regretfully. “Problem is, we don’t have any proof to speak of in nailing down the culprit. They’ve gone about this in a real clever way, Sierra. A case against them would be purely circumstantial. And that won’t fly in court, I reckon.”
“What’s their motive, Sam. Money? Power?” she asked with a frown, a look of confusion marring her brow. “What’s driving them?”
Sam scratched his grizzled cheek and pondered her question, his flinty eyes narrowing as he answered, “I haven’t figured that one out yet. Maybe money, influence. Or maybe for revenge. Your grandmother made quite a few enemies in the business along the way.” He shrugged his shoulders and said matter of factly, “When a woman’s as strong and opinionated as your grandmother it’s bound to happen.”
“Who runs this CM Group?” she asked abruptly, her thoughts turning toward the individuals Sam suspected of the acts of vandalism.
Sam rifled through a stack of papers on his desk and said, “The owner’s name is Matthews. Caleb Matthews.”
***
Sierra barely made it to the bathroom of Sam’s office before she heaved up her breakfast. CM Group, a.k.a. Caleb Matthews. She should have known, she thought. As soon as Sam gave her the buildup she should have made the connection and done the math. No, she reasoned with herself, who could’ve possibly connected Caleb with the heinous acts of vandalism and destruction that someone had perpetrated against her family? Only a truly jaded person could’ve uncovered such a twisted scheme.
It didn’t make sense. Yesterday they had reconnected as a couple and this morning he was being implicated in the vandalism at the Diamond Lil. It wasn’t true, she told herself. It couldn’t be true. Caleb loved livestock. He would never stoop so low as to kill animals. Or would he? Hadn’t he always vowed that he’d have the largest cattle ranch in the state? Hadn’t he practically admitted that he dreamed of avenging himself on her family? Hadn’t she witnessed firsthand his pent-up rage and vindictiveness? But she’d also seen his loving and caring, she’d found comfort in his arms and listened to his words of love.
Could it all have been nothing but lies?
No! she reminded herself fiercely. Caleb wasn’t a liar. He was more honest and straightforward than anyone she’d ever known. Sam was wrong about Caleb! The man she loved, the man she knew as warm and loving, wasn’t capable of such acts of violence and hatred. She believed in him, and it would take more than a few careless words from Sam’s mouth to shake her faith in him.
Still feeling numb from Sam’s revelation, Sierra leaned over the sink and splashed cold water on her face, then dried it with a paper towel that felt like sand paper against her skin. She flinched from the rough contact of the paper towel then took a moment to gaze into the mirror, cringing at the woman who stared back at her. A woman who looked as if her entire life had been turned upside down. Sam’s words had shaken her to her core, causing endless doubts to settle in her mind. And her face reflected her pain, disbelief and utter disillusionment. She couldn’t totally erase the doubt, not until she did a little digging on her own. Not until she was able to say categorically that Caleb and the CM Group weren’t responsible for the incidents at the ranch. Not until she was able to look Caleb in the eye without flinching or looking away. Not until Sam’s ugly words were erased.
She picked up her purse and began rummaging through the contents until she located the key that Caleb had given her earlier that morning. He had business at his ranch that would keep him busy for the rest of the afternoon and early evening, Sierra mused. She held the key in the palm of her hand, staring at it as if it were something that almost repelled her. She didn’t really want to rummage through Caleb’s belongings, but it was the only way to convince herself of his innocence without compromising their relationship. If she were to flat out ask him if he was involved in the incidents at the ranch, it would surely jeopardize where things stood between them. He would jump to the conclusion that she didn’t trust him. And he’d be right, she reminded herself.
As she left the building of Jarvis & Associates and walked towards where she’d parked her truck in the lot, Sierra couldn’t help but shiver. She felt a sense of impending doom as she started her car and headed towards Caleb’s apartment. Her feelings weren’t rational, she knew, but she couldn’t suppress them or pretend they didn’t exist. Her emotions were running too high to be denied. Regardless of the consequences, she needed to uncover the truth, if only for the fact that it would finally free her. And then, and only then, she’d be able to live the life she’d always dreamt of - a life she and Caleb richly deserved.
***
Bryce Jarvis quietly let himself into his father’s plush office, silently noting the expensive leather and mahogany furniture, the gold-embossed picture frames and the antique grandfather clock that decorated the room. He’d been coming to this office ever since he was a small child in knickers and he thought now, as he’d thought then, that this office was nothing more than smoke and mirrors. It was a showcase, or moreover, what Sam Jarvis wanted the world to see and absorb.
What they couldn’t see on the surface were the things that were eating Sam alive, bit by bit, until he no longer resembled the man that Bryce had once loved and been loved by. So much had changed in the past two years. All the greed and the manipulations. All the trickery and the lies. The situation was spiraling way out of control, and he feared it was past the point of no return. His father had done too much. There was no coming back from it.
His sins were too grievous.
“Bryce, your timing is impeccable as always,” Sam said dryly, his hawk-like features lined with disapproval as he stared down his only son. “Two minutes earlier and you would’ve run into Sierra and made a mess of things.”
Bryce nodded his head in greeting to his father, a twinge of sadness slicing through him as he remembered the days when he would’ve greeted his father with a kiss and a hug. Those days were gone forever. Instead of a loving father and son they were now partners in crime, bonded together by a diabolical plot hatched by a greedy and manipulative man. His own father! A man who’d never had enough of the good things in life to satisfy him. A man who’d always wanted more...and more.
More money, faster cars, bigger homes and fancier clothes. He craved it all, with the desperation of a drowning man reaching for a life jacket.
“How’d the meeting with Sierra go?” he asked blandly, not allowing his troubled thoughts to show on the surface. He didn’t need his father blasting him once again for being a weak sniveling coward. Frankly, he’d had enough of that talk to last him a lifetime.
Sam’s face lit up with a dazzling smile, one that had triumph written all over it. “I do believe the lady is beginning to see how foolish it would be to stay in Briarwood and run the Diamond Lil. By the time I got around to telling her about the CM Group her face looked as green as pea soup. She ran out of my office looking like she was about to lose her lunch.”
“You don’t have to enjoy this so much,” Bryce grumbled, hating the way his father was relishing the situation and Sierra’s misery. The worst part of the plan was the way in which it affected Sierra, he thought miserably. Sierra! She was his idea of female perfection - beauty, brains, class and spirit. He’d always had a crush on her, going all the way back to the sixth grade when she’d shared her lunch with him and swapped horse stories with him during recess. Through the years she'd grown into an amazing woman, a more dazzling version of her younger self. It wasn’t right that she was being hurt, he thought bitterly. It simply wasn’t right.
Sam rose from his chair and pounded his fist on the mahogany desk, his features mottled with rage as he vented his anger. “And why shouldn’t I enjoy it? I’ve waited years for this moment. Do you have any idea of how long I’ve wanted the Diamond Lil? I’ve wanted it since I was a teenager, you simple fool.”
He let the insult roll off his back. “Dad, you’ve gone too far in trying to get it. Slaughtering cattle was bad enough, but you shot Morning Star.” Bryce looked at his father with distaste, as if the sight of him was repulsive. “What would have happened if someone had stumbled across you in the act? Would you have killed them too?”
“How dare you! How dare you question me you miserable, whining boy.” Sam walked out from behind his desk, his face frenzied and wild as he confronted his only child. “I’ve done whatever I’ve had to do to get what I want. And if my measures were a little drastic, then so be it! And don’t think you’re so innocent in this, boy,” he snarled. “You’ve helped me every step of the way. Why, if I remember correctly you were the one who wrote those slurs on the barn.”
“I only did as you instructed,” he said, hating himself for sounding so wimpy and whiny. His father was right, he thought. He was up to his eyeballs in the situation. A court of law certainly wouldn’t look too kindly on a defendant who said, “My daddy made me do it.”
“Tell it to the judge, Bryce,” Sam said cruelly. “You have accomplice written all over you. So if you know what’s good for you - you’ll shut that fool mouth of yours and listen up, but good.”
“You’re wicked,” Bryce said in a faltering voice as the realization suddenly struck him that his father was a man without a conscience, a man devoid of any real human emotion. He hid his fatal weakness well beneath a smiling mask, a brilliant veneer that hid the wickedness that lurked within. It was an evil that shocked Bryce to his core and made him fearful for Sierra. Surely he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted.
“Wicked but good, my boy. Wicked but good.” Sam grinned as he puffed at his Cuban cigar, the taste of triumph hovering in the air like an intoxicating aroma emanating from a kitchen. He was so close to sweet victory he could almost taste it. And when he did taste it, he thought to himself, he would devour it like a connoisseur devours a gourmet meal. Voraciously, and with thorough enjoyment.
***
Years ago Sam had almost had the Diamond Lil in the palm of his hand, ripe for the plucking. But because of Lilliana’s mercurial nature and his own botched blackmailing scheme, he’d lost his firm hold on the dream of a lifetime. It had slipped through his fingers like sand through an hourglass and he’d never managed to swallow the bitterness that welled up in his throat every time he passed by the ranch or heard someone mention it by name. It should've been his property long ago, he thought angrily, and not the possession of some puff-headed, pistol packing female who’d had something to prove to the whole male gender. Grudgingly he admitted that Lilliana had been a brilliant rancher, both shrewd and knowledgeable about the market and the cattle, but she’d been missing one ingredient that he possessed in spades. An avaricious nature.
He’d been shocked to his socks when he’d stumbled across the papers from the land surveyors. At first he hadn’t been able to believe it, hadn’t wanted to believe that anyone could be so stupid as to hold on to a piece of property that was sitting on a fortune in oil. But Lilliana hadn’t been stupid, Sam later came to realize, just stubborn and altruistic.
“For the sake of the land,” Lilliana had said when he’d confronted her with the truth. “Land is a thing of beauty, Sam, not just something that you can tear up and toss out like the bath water. When all else fails there’s always the land. People die, lovers betray you, friends are fickle, your body fails you...but the land never disappoints. Ain’t no one gonna tear up my land...not for gold, not for diamonds, and certainly not for some stinking oil.”
“But, Lilliana,” he’d implored her, “think about all the money that-.”
“Sam Jarvis!” she’d screeched, “don’t tell me that you want me to destroy my father’s legacy so I can add more money to my coffers.” She’d then drawn herself up to her full height and flared her nostrils at him angrily. “When is it enough, Sam? I have more money than I know what to do with. I’ve made provisions in my will so that my family will be well taken care of for as long as they live. What else is there?”
Well, Lilliana, you forgot about me in your equation, Sam brooded. Loyal friend, loyal attorney. More like loyal slave, Sam thought, always willing to do your bidding at a moment’s notice. Lilliana hadn’t thought of his reward or his justly deserved riches after a lifetime of service to the Jackson family. She’d used him, plain and simple, stringing him along throughout the years by dangling the Diamond Lil before his eyes as a tantalizing reward. Not that she’d promised him anything, he reasoned. But she’d known he wanted the ranch. She’d seen the desire for the largest spread in the county glinting in his eyes. And behind his back she’d probably chuckled over it, making herself silly with laughter over his desire for something he could never possess. Ruthless witch! he fumed.
And his sniveling, weak-minded son wasn’t going to ruin everything that he’d worked so hard to obtain. After today’s bombshell that he’d dropped on Sierra it was only a matter of time before she ran back to New York with her pride in tatters. Stupid heifer! he thought angrily. If she’d only gone back to New York after the funeral and put the ranch up for sale like he’d imagined. Once she placed the ranch on the market he’d imagined that he would approach Sierra as a close friend of the family and make her an irresistible offer. Even that simpleton Simone wouldn’t have been able to ruin his plan. Simone was as weak as a newborn baby, and if necessary, he would’ve dealt with her the same way he dealt with an annoying fly. He’d have squashed her quicker than spit.
He’d thought that once Sierra got wind of the trouble at the ranch she would’ve turned tail and run, just like before. Lilliana had told him all about her wicked lies and her deception involving Caleb Matthews. And he’d used that little tidbit of information today when he’d lied his butt off to Sierra by telling her that the CM Group was responsible for the vandalism. And she’d eaten up every detail, he chuckled to himself, like a kid eats birthday cake.
As long as he continued to apply the pressure, she would cave in like a house of cards. It might take awhile, he thought, but the payoff would be worth considerably more than the price of admission. Once he owned the ranch he’d unearth the oil and make a killing selling it. And then, and only then, would he feel comfortable in his own skin. Only then would he be able to rid himself of the feelings of failure that had consumed him his entire life. He’d finally be a winner.
“T-This ain’t right, daddy. This has to stop!” Bryce interrupted his thoughts with a raised voice, his chin trembling with both fear and emotion. It was one of the first times in his life that he’d ever challenged his father and he felt a burst of pride mingled with fear.
“Don’t you dare threaten me, boy,” snarled Sam as he rose from his chair and stood chin to chin with his son, his eyes radiating his unbridled rage at his son and heir. “Who the hell do you think you are, you sniveling coward? You better shut your mouth before I shut it for you. Remember boy, you won’t come out of this thing smelling like a rose neither. You’re up to your neck in this and don’t you forget it!”
Bryce stood nose to nose with his father, his body trembling with a fury that he’d never felt before in his life. All the other times his father had threatened and screamed at him for his countless failings, he’d felt a gnawing fear in his belly that consumed him. But this time the fear wasn’t as powerful as the other emotions that seized him. Shame. And an everlasting hatred for the man who’d given him life. Because of his own unscrupulous actions at the bank his father had been able to draw him into his web of deception and lies using blackmail and threats; he felt as ensnared as a spider caught in a web of it’s own making. And as far as he could tell there was no way out.
***
“Take a deep breath and relax!” Sierra said out loud, her voice a low whisper despite the fact that she was alone in Caleb’s apartment. Her fingers were shaking, beads of sweat covered her forehead and her heart was thumping erratically, perhaps serving as a warning, she thought irrationally, that she was betraying the man who owned her heart. Her heart painfully lurched inside her at the thought of betraying the man who meant the world to her. Why was she here, anyway? she asked herself defiantly. Why was she sneaking around his apartment? Why had a few words from Sam’s lips made her doubt the man she adored?
You came here to find the truth, another part of her brain shouted.
Sierra laughed softly at the irony in her searching for the truth among Caleb’s personal items. Who was she to be so self-righteous about the truth? Why couldn’t she just believe in Caleb? Because you trusted someone you loved once, the other part of her brain screamed, and she betrayed you. It wasn’t so inconceivable, she thought miserably, that Caleb could betray her. After all, her grandmother had shown her that betrayals of the heart came naturally to some people.
But not Caleb, she told herself. Never him. He wasn’t capable of such a betrayal, such mind boggling deception.
I predict that by this time next year it'll be giving you all a run for your money. Caleb’s words which had resounded with so much pride yesterday, now haunted her. Had there been a hidden meaning in his words? A subtle triumph in his words that she hadn’t picked up on?
Just look around the apartment a little bit, the other part of her brain insisted. One look and it’ll all be over. All the doubts, all of Sam’s ugly accusations would be put in the back of her mind, never to be revived again. If she found nothing incriminating against Caleb she would lay the whole thing to rest. She might even mention it to Caleb as a joke later on tonight. Not that he would think it was very funny, she acknowledged. His reaction would be a deep sense of hurt and perhaps even anger that she hadn’t trusted him.
With trembling fingers she opened the top drawer of his dresser, the scent of spicy cologne assailing her senses the moment she pulled it open. Quickly she rummaged through the contents, her actions feverish and frenzied. Underwear, socks, and t-shirts. Hardly incriminating, she thought with disgust as she made her way through all of the drawers and came up with nothing remotely damaging, with the exception of a few questionable outfits that her fingers itched to throw in the trash. She let out a low chuckle as she eyeballed the black velvet shirt with the rhinestone cuffs. Shades of Elvis, no doubt, she thought with a shaky smile.
Relief washed over her as she reached into the last dresser drawer and saw nothing but jeans and shirts. Half-heartedly she poked around the clothes, her fingers casually browsing through the items. She pulled out a comb, a few old photographs, a raggedy rabbit’s foot and a pocket knife stored among the clothes. Almost by accident her hand brushed against an envelope, one that had been crammed into the corner of the drawer. She tugged at the envelope, pulled it forth from the drawer and stood gazing at it for a few moments as she battled her conscience. She knew in her gut that she was going to open it.
Before she changed her mind she opened the envelope, gently unfolding the piece of paper that had been folded in half and carefully placed in the envelope. An aged and faded piece of paper fluttered to the floor, and she bent to pick it up with trembling fingers, her eyes widening in shock as she scanned the document.
No! It couldn’t be, she told herself as she felt her body slumping to the floor. It simply wasn’t possible. Caleb wouldn’t do this to her, not after everything they’d been through together. Not after he’d told her he loved her, she reasoned.
She had no idea how long she sat on the floor. Sierra couldn’t force her body to move, although her every instinct was telling her to get as far away from Caleb as possible. Caleb! She couldn’t even think of him now without a sharp pain slicing through her mid-section - the pain of the most devastating betrayal.
Much later the slamming of a door signaled his arrival and Sierra froze as she listened to the clattering of his boots on the hardwood floor. She simply sat there on the floor, unable to move, her body frozen in place.
“Hey, Sierra. Are you here?” Caleb called out. “I saw your truck out front. Please tell me you picked up some Mexican food or something. I’m starved.”
She looked up as he pushed open the bedroom door, her mind instantly registering the fact that he looked the same as he’d looked when she’d left him this morning. He was still dangerously attractive. He hadn’t sprouted devil’s horns or radically changed his appearance in any visible way that might show her that he was no longer the person she’d believed him to be. No, Sierra thought grimly, life was never that simple.
The bad guy didn’t always go around wearing a black hat.
A feeling of intense shame passed through her as she saw the look of disbelief and disappointment etched on Caleb’s face. He’d caught her red-handed going through his things! Regardless of his deception, a part of her felt mortified. That feeling lasted for all of two seconds. When she heard him bark, “What do you think you’re doing going through my things?” her feelings of shame transformed into a white-hot, blazing anger.