CHAPTER NINE
Jake waked at dawn. He had been knocked for a loop. What the hell had he been thinking to kiss her? Hell, he didn’t even know her real name. She didn’t even know her real name.
Probably.
Maybe.
For all he knew, she could be in league with whoever was trying to get his ranch. He had no business fawning over her like a sappy schoolboy. Besides, if she really believed she was Penelope Terry, she was delusional and needed help.
He staggered to his room like a drugged man. Yeah, and apparently he couldn’t get enough of the Penny drug. Never had he wanted anything as much as to crawl under the covers with her and make love until they both forgot their problems.
Wrong.
That would have been wrong on a major scale. She was already in turmoil. Sure as heck didn’t need any help in that department from Jacob Knight.
Jake stumbled into his shower. Used to a king-size bed, hers had left kinks in his back. The hot spray massaged life into his tired body.
He’d bet Penny showered. He couldn’t visualize her indulging in a long bath. She was too filled with energy and movement to be still while awake.
Hell, there he went off on the Penny drug again. Shape up, Knight. He toweled off and remembered that damned meeting. All right whoever you are, I’m ready for you!
He hoped he was right.
Downstairs, Sally had breakfast on the table. She always seemed to know the second he would appear. Always had. Thank the Lord Sally had been around when his own mother hadn’t.
“Morning, Gorgeous.” He took his seat and waited for his brother.
Bart slid onto his chair. “Ready for bear?”
“Damn right.”
“I thought we were going to Terry Springs.” Penny—or whoever she was—sat down. She wore a dark green sweater and matching slacks. Sunlight from the window painted sunrise on her hair and his body responded.
Damn her and damn his horny thoughts. Why did his mind focus on sex every time she appeared? Or when he thought of her? He’d sure as hell been doing too much of that lately.
He looked her over. She moved as if she owned the world. Probably thought she did. After the blessing, he asked her, “Why are you so dressed up?”
She sent him a look that let him know she wouldn’t back down. “You’re dressed up and so is Bart.” She took a biscuit and passed them to Sally.
Bart sat grinning like the Cheshire Cat—his eyes filled with mischief. Like he knew Jake had trouble keeping his mind on business when she looked at him with those sparkling green eyes.
Jake glared at his brother before concentrating on Penny. “We have a meeting. What’s up with you?”
She paused while serving eggs to her plate. “You said I could go. We’re going to see about my money, remember?” She set the bowl on the table and stared at him.
Shaking his head, he tried to remember exactly what he had promised. “I said I would investigate the funds, emphasis on I. If you insist on going into town, you can shop or whatever women do there.” He took a slice of ham and passed her the plate.
After taking a deep breath, she exhaled and looked at Sally. “Is there still a library in Terry Springs?”
“Yes, there’s a fine one.” Sally blinked and smiled broadly. “Why, that would be the perfect place for you to catch up on what’s happened the past hundred or so years.”
“Then Bart and Jake can drop me off there and pick me up after their meeting.” Penny began eating as if the matter were settled.
“What if Bart and I have other plans?” What was wrong with him? They had no other plans.
Penny ignored him and pointed her fork at his brother. “You wearing those duds to chase criminals today, Bart?”
Smirking, his brother held open his jacket coat. “Nope. No place to put my gun.”
With a smile, she turned to face him. “What about you, Jake? You gonna ride one of your fine horses to check the fence line while you’re dressed in a fancy suit?”
“You know damn well I’m not.” Armani didn’t work well for horses anymore than it worked for a sheriff. Damn, he’d like to kiss that superior grin right off her lips.
Whoa, no more kissing her mouth or anywhere else.
He caved. “Okay, we’ll leave in ten minutes.”
Fifteen minutes later they turned from the long graveled private road onto the highway. He glanced in the rear view mirror and met Penny’s gaze.
She smiled at him. “This meeting must be pretty important for you to dress so well and be so grumpy.”
“I’m not grumpy, damn it.”
Bart glanced at him and grinned. “Oh, yeah? Prove it.”
From the back seat, Penny giggled, but she remained quiet the rest of the drive into town.
That was fine with him. Jake parked at the library. He glared at Bart. “You help her into the library.”
“It will be my pleasure.” Bart hopped out and hurried around the car to open Penny’s door. “Ms Hardeman, may I escort you inside?” He bowed over her hand.
She gave a mock curtsy. “Never you mind, Sheriff Knight. I can find my own way.”
“Nonsense, I’ll introduce you to Miss Bennett, the head librarian. She’ll help you find whatever interests you.”
Within five minutes, Bart returned. “She’s all set.”
Jake drove to the bank and pulled the car into his assigned park. He turned off the ignition, but sat bracing himself.
Bart socked his arm lightly. “Come on, you can do this.”
“Yeah? I’m not so sure. At least maybe we’ll learn who the bastard is behind the trouble.”
Inside, they strode to the conference room. Caleb stood with the family attorneys, Mike Vincent and Will Sharp. No sooner had they exchanged greetings than three men joined them.
Penny browsed through the library after meeting the head librarian. So much had changed. She didn’t know how to use one of the computer machines on the island near the check out desk. Sally had shown her the computer Jake used at the ranch, but she hadn’t touched it.
Since Sally had given her one of the new kind of pens that didn’t need fresh ink, Penny was happy to stick with paper and her pen. She walked through the rows of books until a smiling, gray-haired woman approached her.
“Miss Bennett said you’re new in town. I’m Helen Moyers. You look puzzled. Can I help you find something?”
Head whirling and stomach clenched, Penny considered how to phrase her request. “I’m looking for things that happened here a long time ago.”
The woman smiled broadly. “Local history? We have a nice selection there in the 900 section, last row. And there’s more in the Genealogy Room there on your right.”
After thanking Mrs. Moyers, Penny started toward the shelves indicated. She selected two books to read, and stopped dead in her tracks. At the end of the shelf, a neat stack of forms on a small table announced the Penelope Jane Terry Foundation. Goose bumps danced on her arms as Penny grabbed one of the sheets of paper. She set the books on a nearby reading table and slid onto a chair.
According to the form, women in need could apply for a grant for education, living expenses, medical costs, and other worthy endeavors. Granted by the Penelope Jane Terry Foundation trustees, the funds were awarded based on need and carried numerous guidelines and restrictions.
Nothing about traveling through time, though.
Danged if Penny wouldn’t ask those Knight men about this. Her mind whirled with shock and possibilities as she folded the sheet of paper and slid it into her purse. She carried the stack of books to a nearby table and collapsed onto a chair.
Was her money somehow involved in this foundation? Or, had Earl started the foundation and simply named it after her? Puzzled by a dozen questions she planned to ask Jake, she picked up a book and read earnestly until she lost track of time.
“You ready to go?”
Penny jumped and blinked up at Bart. “Sure, I’ll just put these back where I found them.”
He laid his hand on the books. “The librarians prefer doing that.”
“What’s wrong, Bart? You look as if someone died.”
He took her elbow to guide her through the library and to the car. “Worse. We have trouble. Big, big trouble.”
“What’s happened?” She tried to look at him as they walked but had to watch where her steps took her.
“The man who’s after the ranch produced the original land grant.”
She stopped and stared at him. “What do you mean, he produced the land grant? That’s not possible. It’s in my room.”
Bart shook his head. “No, his lawyers produced it.”
“We’d better hurry then.” She walked as quickly as she could. “I’ll bet Jake’s crazy out of his head over this.”
“You’re right and I’m not far behind.” Bart opened the car door for her, then hurried around and climbed in.
Penny leaned forward. “Jake, if you’ll go straight home, I’ll show you where the real land grant is.”
“We saw it.” His tanned face had paled.
“That’s impossible. It’s in the secret hiding place in my room at home.”
He sounded as if he spoke through gritted teeth. “It’s not your room or your home, and there is no secret hiding place. Grandpa found Harmon Terry’s safe when he remodeled. There was no land grant in it.”
“You’re not listening! The land grant is in my room at my home. It’s been there since we built the house in 1890. I checked and the little hiding place has been painted over, but if anyone had discovered it and looked inside, you’d know about it.”
Jake shouted, “Look, just leave me alone, will you?”
Bart shot his brother a glare. “You have no cause to yell at Penny. She’s trying to help us if you’d listen for a damn change.”
Jake spread his hands on the steering wheel. “All right, we’ll just see if there’s a secret hiding place in my house that I don’t know about.” He turned in the long tree-lined drive to the house.
Penny caught his glare in the rear view mirror and narrowed her eyes. He’d just see how wrong he was to doubt her. She’d prove she knew a thing or two he didn’t.
They stopped in the garage and she opened her own car door and slammed it shut before she stomped in front of him and Bart.
Sally was in the laundry room. “Back so soon? Oh, no, looks like things went badly.”
“Worse than that.” Jake said as they passed. “Penny’s going to save us, though.”
“I’d like to see what’s going on.” Sally joined the parade.
Penny led the way to her room and stopped at the fireplace mantel. “I’ll need a knife.”
“Here, use mine.” Bart handed her his penknife.
Jake stood with arms crossed. He glared as if he dared her to find anything.
She opened the knife and carefully sliced into the caked layers of paint for she didn’t want to damage the wood. She worked for ten minutes with the other three observing. Finally, she freed the door and it sprung open. Going to the drawer at the top of her dresser, she retrieved a key. When she inserted it into a tiny hole, a second door opened to reveal a drawer.
“Well, I’ll be damned.” Jake stepped forward.
“I told you it was in my room. You never believe a danged thing I tell you.”
She reached in and pulled out the oiled pouch she sought. Stepping over to the bed, she opened the protective covering and gently unrolled the paper inside.
Tentatively, Jake touched it with his forefinger. “It’s like the one they had. Only this one looks older.”
Penny looked at him. “My grandfather received this grant personally from his friend Sam Houston in 1836. The other papers still in there are the Mexican land grants Grandpa bought from the people who lived here before the war.”
“Wow, I guess you mean the Texas war with Mexico. Would you look at that?” Bart spoke quietly, reverently. “Sam Houston himself signed this granting a league of land to Wallace Terry. Imagine that.”
Penny rolled it back and returned it to the protective cover. “Now do you believe I’m who I say I am?”