“I used to feel the same way, brother. Next thing I know, I’m riding Stormy down Main Street at a dead run to beg Riley for another chance. Best decision I ever made.”
“Please don’t break out in song and dance. Everyone gags when they see you two love birds coming,” Jameson said, giving his partner shit.
“Check on her,” Garrett encouraged. “It’ll make you feel better.”
“What the hell?” Jameson explained as he saw Rebecca riding toward Julio at a dead run. “Do you think something’s wrong?”
“I imagine we’ll know in a minute,” Garrett said, watching the couple.
A minute later, Rebecca took off, and Julio whistled over the last of the herd, capturing their attention.
“We have to go,” Julio yelled to them. “Delaney went into labor early. Someone needs to cover Mac.”
Both men kicked their horses into a gallop, racing toward Julio.
“Spider’s there. Have Mac leave, and I’ll join him,” Garrett suggested. “You’ll need to meet Mac at the hospital,” he said to Julio. “He’s more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”
Julio turned to Jameson. “The cowboys can finish up the herd. I’ll take Matthew with me. Can you staff the office for a while?”
“Will do,” Jameson said, turning his horse in the opposite direction.
He sat up the night before, wondering if he hurt more than he helped Caroline. The sound of her crying nearly broke him, but she already shredded his heart in two. He struggled to keep from pulling her into his arms and holding her all night, soothing away all the pain. His chest ached as he recalled her calling tohim, begging for him to return. Something low churned in his gut, making him want to abandon his duties and go to her. The farmhouse came into sight over the hill, and he steered the horse toward the barn.
His phone beeped, indicating a message. He pressed the code and listened to Caroline’s sorrowful voice as she asked him to talk. Jameson heard the pain behind the words. Before he made it to the barn, he decided to see if she showed up at the ranch. If she did, he’d listen to her. After all, love didn’t disappear overnight.
He opened the barn door, led his horse in, and cared for the animal. As he walked out, he saw Matthew getting into Julio’s truck as they sped off toward the hospital. He said a silent prayer for Delaney and her unborn child. She wanted a home birth with Dr. Greene. Since the baby came early, he guessed her options changed.
Entering the farmhouse, he poured a glass of lemonade and grabbed the roster for the evening shift.
Rebecca rushed in, scanning the room. “Jameson, did Caroline call you?”
“Yeah,” he said, glancing at her. Rebecca rarely appeared unruffled. “What’s up?”
“Something about the paperwork Nancy gave to Caroline from her lawyer bugged me. I asked one of my contacts to review it. He contacted me concerning Nancy. As he researched the claims she made concerning the taxes, he discovered her maiden name. It matches Cain’s. He’s her son.”
Jameson bolted for the door as Rebecca yelled for him to take her truck. He sped out of the driveway as his heart raced in his chest. Grabbing his phone, he called Spider’s number. The phone rang and went to voicemail.
“Damn it,” he yelled as he pressed the gas down harder. He needed to get to Caroline. The hair on the back of his neck rosethe same as it did the day his father betrayed him. Only this time, it meant Caroline was in danger.
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
Caroline bolted to her left as Nancy leapt at her, with a needle in her hand. Fear kicked in her adrenaline as she opened the door and raced outside to the pool area.
“Help,” she screamed, knowing Mac and Spider watched over her. “Help.”
Nancy ran toward her, her eyes turned menacing as she zeroed in on Caroline.
“What are you doing?” she cried, shocked and confused. She threw a chair in her path as she raced inside the house, searching for anything to use as a weapon. Her hand went to her thigh as she remembered the knife Victoria gave her. She groaned as she went into the kitchen to grab one, realizing she forgot it in her race to dress and go to Jameson.
“It’s no use,” Nancy said, advancing on her. “For years, I waited for your stupid father to die.”
“You said you loved him,” Caroline said. “How can you do this?”
Nancy let out a low laugh. “You owe me. James paid me to keep your parents from finding you. When he disappeared, I didn’t have any money to care for my boy. Cain joined the ringand asked me to stay here. He didn’t want anyone to take his property away. Your mother cried herself to sleep every night, and she finally died, hoping to find you in heaven. Thomas refused to give up hope. Toward the end, he must’ve suspected something because he stopped giving me the details of what the latest private investigator found. When you showed up, I knew he’d leave you everything. I worked too many years to allow you to get what was mine,” Nancy snarled. “No one will suspect me of murdering him. They’ll think he suffered from a heart attack. The dose of pesticide worked nicely. “Where’s the key to the safety deposit box?” Nancy demanded. “I know he put money in there.”
“You knew how much he meant to me,” Caroline cried, waving the knife in front of her. “I would’ve found a way to repay you.”
“You?” Nancy mocked in disbelief. “Will you spread your legs for another man? I’ve already told my son about your cheating. He’s not happy with you.”
