“When is it being delivered?” the sheriff asked, half afraid of the answer.
“This coming Tuesday,” Bill said, pale and sweating even though it was cold in the basement.
That had to be it, the sheriff thought. Somehow Mandeville had found out about the upcoming shipment of cash. Maybe that had been Donovan’s job, to come here and find out everything he could about Dry Gulch, Goldie and her café that was for sale and the bank next door.
“We need to let the state police know,” Bill said.
“I’ll handle it, but right now it is just a suspicion. Don’t worry, I’ll do everything I can.” He could see that Bill would worry anyway. “Also, don’t mention this to anyone, please.”
The bank manager looked insulted as he gave him a look that said he knew how to keep bank business to himself.
Suspectingwas one thing, but Max had no proof. He couldn’t make an arrest until Arnie broke through the wall between the café and the bank and tried to rob the bank. He had to catch him and Mandeville’s men in the act.
Max still didn’t know what part Donovan Cole played. But his gut instinct told him that the man was involved in this up to his neck. But he couldn’t prove it. Worse, in the middle of it all was Goldie. She would be in danger, yet he feared trying to warn her would drive her even farther away.
GOLDIE HAD JUSTcome out of the drugstore when the woman who’d pulled in front of the hotel caught her eye. Tall, pretty, with long dark hair and dressed to kill. There was an attitude about her that spoke of money and privilege. As the woman entered the hotel lobby, Goldie had the strangest feeling that she was looking for Donovan.
“Goldie?”
From behind her, the sound of Max’s voice sent an arrow to her heart. She turned slowly, bracing herself to face him. She couldn’t help being a little embarrassed about their last encounter. She remembered Max’s shocked expression. Clearly, he’d never seen her that angry—especially at him. Had she really thrown a cast-iron skillet at him?
“Max,” she said, her voice breaking as she met his gaze. There was pain in his blue eyes that made her want to stop this charade and pour her heart out to him right here on the street. He’dlost weight since their breakup. Was it possible he’d been as miserable as she had been, but hadn’t been able to admit it?
“I…” He seemed at a loss for words. “I wondered if we could talk. Maybe go…” Clearly, he didn’t know where to go. They’d always had the café. He glanced toward the hotel, but she read his expression. Donovan was staying there, and Max didn’t want to run across him. “It’s probably too early for a drink at the bar.”
“We could walk down to the park,” she suggested, not wanting the intimacy of the dark bar, fearing it would be her undoing. “There’s a bench near Big Blue.” And no handy objects that could be used as weapons, she told herself.
Max nodded, looking relieved, as if he hadn’t wanted to go to the bar either. Even in early afternoon, there would be some regulars hanging out there. The two of them probably had enough locals talking about them.
They walked next to each other, both careful not to touch hands, down to the edge of town where the giant horse statue welcomed people. The bench sat back off the road in a stand of aspens. The cool shade felt good as they sat, keeping a little distance between them.
Goldie thought of how close they’d once been and felt a stab of regret at how easy it had been for Max to walk away. Maybe she was wrong about him still loving her. Maybe he never had. At least never had loved her enough. “What did you want to talk about?”
“I’m sorry about what happened at the café,” he said. “I know you’re upset about parting with the place, but I’m afraid there’s something going on in town that you need to know about.”
Her chuckle sounded as bitter as she felt. She held up one hand to silence him. “You think that’s why I’ve been so angry with you? I never planned to sell the café until you and I were married, and we began having kids,” she said without looking at him.
“Then why—”
She glared at him, fighting the hot burn of tears. “Because I’m a fool. I really thought you’d never let me do it, knowing how much I loved my café.” She found herself falling over the words she’d wanted to say to him for so long. “Everything I’ve done has been to prove that you still loved me. The sale of the café should have been enough. It proved the one thing I wish it hadn’t. You don’t love me. Maybe you never did since it’s clear now that you never planned to ask me to marry you. So, in that way, the sale of the café was worth it. I know exactly how you feel about me.”
“Goldie, please. I’m so sorry. I never wanted any of this to happen. But I’m afraid you’re in trouble.”
She hadn’t realized that she’d gotten to her feet until she was walking away, shocked that all her pent-up emotions had poured out of her. She’d finally been honest with him. Now, she’d opened up her heart so wide she’d left no doubt as to how badly he’d injured her.
He thought she was in trouble? She wanted to laugh at the desperate things she’d done all to prove his love. He had no idea how much trouble she’d gotten into.
Strangely, as shaken as she was, her body felt lighter. She was tired of pretending he hadn’t wounded her deeply, tired of pretending that she could keep going as she had after the breakup. She was just plain tired and no longer able to hide the fact that Max hadn’t shattered her heart, he’d destroyed her dream of the life they could have had.
As she walked, wanting to put Max behind her in so many ways, she hadn’t realized where she was going until she reached the hotel. It was time to move on.
Chapter Fourteen
Max paced his brother’s office at the hotel as he told Cordell how Goldie had unloaded on him at the park. “I’m terrified at what I’ve driven Goldie to do.”
“You have made a mess of things, that’s for sure,” his brother agreed. “Did you take my advice and finally tell her how you feel?”
“I planned to, but every time I try, she gets so upset—” His cell rang. “I have to take this. Rance? What did you find out?” He listened for a few moments before he thanked his deputy and disconnected. Rance had run the plates on the large black SUV from Wyoming parked in front of the hotel. “Lolly Mandeville is in town.”
