I’ve got a grandfather, but I don’t know where he is. I don’t even know who he is. Mama hardly ever talked about him. I can’t even call the police. Darrin would find out where I am and come after me.”
“Why?” he asked. “Because you saw what he did?”
She opened her purse and took out the will. “Because Mama changed her will and I’ve got it,” she said. “She stuffed it into my purse a day ago and told me to keep it there. She always had premo . . . premonitions.” She swallowed tears and grief.
He was noticing the gaudy ring she wore. Costume jewelry, of course. He wondered why she hadn’t chosen something less ostentatious, that looked less like a fake. Women were incomprehensible to him most of the time, though. He’d never been able to keep one for long, especially his fiancée. She was hung up on cowboys when they met, and thought that he had a ranch in Wyoming. He’d never lied to her about that. He owned a hundred acres and a few horses, but he was no land baron. Perhaps she’d been wrapped up in daydreams. She hadn’t been that crazy about him after a few dates, and to be honest, she’d been pretty drunk when he proposed. He’d thought she was innocent until he took her to bed, where she taught him things he’d never known. Probably it was just as well that she’d left him. Hearing her talk about past lovers made him uncomfortable. It was something he’d never have done.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” he said gently. “Bathroom’s down the hall and it has a lock. I hate having people walk in on me when I’m having a shower, even if it’s other men.” His face hardened for a minute and she wondered if it was because part of his arm was missing, but she didn’t say so.
“Thanks for giving me a place to sleep,” she said gently. “I’ll find something as fast as I can and get out of your hair.”
He just smiled and closed the door on her.
* * *
She was too tired to take a shower. She took off her slacks and blouse and slid under the covers, nervous and sick and worried. It would be a miracle if she got a wink of sleep after what she’d been through.
But she felt safe. That kind man in the other room had been generous. He didn’t know her from a snowball, but he was willing to trust her in his home. It made her feel humble. She had to make sure that she found something soon, so that she didn’t have to presume on his hospitality. He wasn’t a man who had a lot of material possessions, she could tell, but it didn’t matter to her. He had a good heart.
She closed her eyes and, amazingly, went right to sleep.
* * *
He tapped on the door around eight. “Breakfast. Hot coffee. Great company!” he called through the door.
She burst out laughing, still half asleep. “I’ll be right out.”
She got up and put on the clothes she’d been wearing the day before, her eyes wincing at the blood stain still on the hem of her slacks. Maybe she could wash it out later.
They ate in a companionable silence. He’d made scrambled eggs and toast and bacon to go with the coffee. They were great.
“You’re a wonderful cook,” she said.
“You only think so because you’re half starved,” he pointed out good-naturedly. He leaned toward her. “The toast has been scraped. I burned it!”
She giggled.
He grinned and went back to eating.
“Is there a local paper, and does it have want ads?” she asked.
“Yes.” He got up and retrieved it from the sofa, handing it to her.
“Thanks.” She sipped coffee while she searched through the Help Wanted column. She sighed. “Well, I can’t drive an eighteen-wheeler or handle cattle, and I’m pretty sure I’m not cut out to be a shepherd. But there’s a waitress job going in town at the Gray Dove.” She looked up. “I hate to ask . . .”
“But can I drive you to town,” he finished for her, laughing. “Sure. Let me feed Two-Toes and the other critters and I’ll drive you in.”
“Thanks!”
He shrugged, not even looking back.
His truck wasn’t new, but it was well kept and it ran smoothly. She grinned. She’d never been in a pickup in her life. “This is great!” she exclaimed as they went down the road.