CHAPTER TEN
The bodyguard was actually a Jacobsville police officer who worked odd jobs when he was off duty. He was powerfully built and never seemed to smile.
Instead of riding in the car with them, he drove his own private vehicle and followed behind them to San Antonio. Clark had paid for his gas and would have bought him a ballet ticket, as well, until he’d mentioned that he’d prefer being burned at the stake. So Clark had made other arrangements for when they were inside.
Keely was wearing the same green velvet dress she’d worn to the dance, and her mother’s fox stole and high heels. She was nervous about mingling with the upper classes of San Antonio, but Clark held her hand and reassured her that they were just regular people like himself.
He recognized a friend of his and introduced Keely to him. The man was Jason Pendleton, who owned a truck farm in Jacobsville. He was usually with his stepsister, Gracie, but tonight he was with a redhead whom he introduced as his fiancée. The woman was brassy and not very polite. She dragged Jason away scant minutes later and led him to a local newspaper owner instead.
“I guess we aren’t quite good enough company,” Clark mused. “Old Peppernell over there does own a newspaper, but our family could buy most everything he owns out of petty cash. Jason will tell her that, at some point, and then she’ll drag him back over here and gush and pretend that Peppernell is a cousin or something whom she had a duty to talk to. His sister, Gracie, isn’t impressed by dollar signs. She has friends who don’t have a penny. But Jason’s fiancée apparently only associates with the ultrarich.”
He was amused. Keely was mortified. “Is that the sort of people you know?” she asked uneasily. “They judge you by dollar signs?”
“Jason doesn’t. His fiancée apparently does.” He frowned. “I wonder where Gracie is? It’s unusual not to see them together.”
“Is it?” she countered, curious. “Brothers and sisters don’t usually partner each other at social events, do they?”
“They’re not related,” he said carelessly. “Gracie’s mother married Jason’s father, and promptly died, leaving Jason to look after her. Gracie’s mother is dead, but Gracie still lives with Jason. Until now, he hasn’t been much for commitment. His fiancée is nice-looking, I guess, but she’s grasping, too.”
Keely had noticed that. She was watching the woman as Jason Pendleton bent his tall form to speak to her. The woman gaped at Clark and Keely and winced.
“She just got the bad news.” Clark chuckled under his breath.
Keely laughed, too, but as she turned her head, her eyes collided with Boone Sinclair’s. She shivered at the unexpected encounter. She averted her eyes at once and turned back to Clark, clinging to his hand. Her heart was racing again. Boone had accused her of chasing him shamelessly. She didn’t want to have to speak to him at all.
Boone was with Misty. He tugged her over to where Keely and Clark were standing.
“Before you start,” Clark told his brother belligerently, “I’ve got Jarrett from the Jacobsville Police Department acting as our bodyguard on the road, and Detective Rick Marquez has the seat on the other side of us at the ballet.” He gave his brother a cold look. He was still smoldering about that private detective’s report on Nellie. “I’ve covered all our bases.”
Boone’s dark eyes narrowed irritably. He looked at Keely until she was forced to meet that riveting stare, but she immediately turned her attention away from him. She couldn’t forget what he’d said about her to his girlfriend.
“I still don’t think it’s a good idea,” Boone said shortly.
“Boone, why don’t we just enjoy our evening and let your brother and his…friend…enjoy theirs?” Misty asked haughtily. “He’s over the age of consent, you know.”
Boone gave Misty a look. He turned back to Clark. “Don’t put her at risk,” he said solemnly.
“I would never do that,” Clark replied shortly. “And you know it.”
Boone gave Keely a long look that she ignored. He was scowling when he escorted Misty to their seats.
“You invited Marquez?” Keely asked, for something to say.
“Yes. He loves the ballet, and he’s our lookout inside, just in case your father and his friend decide to mount an attack in the audience,” he added with pure sarcasm.
Keely laughed. “I don’t think that’s likely to happen.”
“Neither do I. Boone’s getting strange lately. He was giving Hayes Carson hell on his cell phone last night, God knows for what. Hayes is his best friend, but they’re falling out.”
“Are they?” she asked absently, still reeling from Boone’s intense interest and not really hearing what Clark said. “Shouldn’t we go in?”
“We probably…”
“Oh,thereyou are.” Jason Pendleton’s fiancée rushed up. “I’m so sorry we rushed away, but we had to speak to that friend of Jason’s!”
Clark glanced at Keely and had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing.
Jason was giving his fiancée an odd sort of look, as if he hadn’t noticed this social climbing penchant of hers. He wasn’t conventionally handsome, but Keely could see why he drew women; and it wasn’t because of his money.
