Wyoming Tough - By Diana Palmer Page 0,58
else in mind for the introduction.
Morie clung to Daryl’s big hand as she joined them.
“This is my niece, Morena,” Danny introduced. “And her fiancé, Daryl Coleman. He’s CEO of an oil corporation.”
Morena lifted her head proudly. She was aware of Gelly’s suddenly white face, and Mallory’s utter stillness as he registered who she was.
“Yes, my daughter worked for you for several weeks, I believe,” King said in a voice that promised retribution. “And was allowed to quit rather than be prosecuted for theft. It might interest you to know that I’ve retained a private detective to investigate those charges. And I assure you,” he growled, “countercharges will be forthcoming. Nobody accuses my daughter of being a damned thief!”
Mallory gaped at her. This elegant young woman, dressed in couture, living in luxury, engaged to be married, was the same ragged little cowgirl who’d turned his life upside down and left under a cloud of suspicion.
“Well…well, what a surprise,” Gelly managed with a nervous laugh.
“Isn’t it?” Morie asked. “By the way, Ms. Bruner, that friend of yours who wanted to buy the scrubland on the ranch, his name wouldn’t be Cardman, by any chance, would it? Because Daryl has had some very interesting things to say about his past, and the lawsuits he’s facing in several states for unsafe drilling practices.”
“It was Cardman,” Mallory replied, and stared at Gelly blankly. He’d had one too many surprises for one night.
“You should sell him the land,” Morie advised with a pleasant smile. “Then when you want to see fireworks, all you’ll have to do is set a match to your water.”
He glared at her. “You lied,” he said in a rasping tone.
“Well, thieves do lie, don’t they?” she shot back.
He looked uncomfortable.
“My daughter is no thief,” King told Mallory with glittering eyes. “She has no need to steal. I understand a priceless jeweled egg is missing from your ranch. Since my daughter seems to be involved in the case, I’ve hired Dane Lassiter out of Houston to investigate the theft for me.”
“Cane hired him to investigate it for us,” Mallory said stiffly. “And I don’t think Morie took it,” he added without meeting her eyes. “It was stolen after she left the ranch.”
“How kind of you to move me off the suspect list,” she said. “A few weeks late, of course.” She was looking at Gelly, who was pale and unsteady on her feet. “Perhaps in the future, you’ll be more careful about whom you set up for a burglary charge, Ms. Bruner. This one seems to have backfired on you.”
“I didn’t set anybody up,” Gelly muttered. She pressed close to Mallory. “Could we leave? I won’t be harassed like this!”
“You didn’t mind harassing me, as I recall,” Morie replied. “Or that poor cowboy who was fired for a missing drill that conveniently turned up in his suitcase.”
“We need to go!” Gelly said. She was sounding hysterical.
“If you have any part in the charges against my daughter, Miss Bruner,” King continued, staring straight at Gelly, “I will have my attorneys nail you to a wall. That’s a promise. If you have one skeleton in your closet, I promise you’ll see it on the evening news!”
Gelly let go of Mallory’s arm and literally ran for the front door.
“As for you,” King told Mallory Kirk, “in the history of this ranch, I have never had anyone escorted off the property. But if you and your ‘friend’ aren’t gone within the hour, I swear to God I’ll have the local sheriff escort you personally to the airport!”
Mallory sighed heavily. He looked at Morie, so beautiful in her gown, with her face taut and her eyes hard. She clung to that damned handsome kid, her fiancé, and looked as if it would make her happy never to see Mallory Kirk again as long as she lived. And he was dying for her. He’d missed her, wanted her, blamed himself for her condition. He’d imagined her ragged and poor, in a shelter somewhere because she couldn’t find another job. And here she turned up in a mansion, surrounded by wealth, pampered by her father, the richest cattleman in Texas!
He’d been taken in by Gelly, lock, stock and barrel. Morie hated him. Her father hated him. He’d never live this down. He’d been stupid and judgmental, and he was getting just what he deserved. Morie had wanted to love him. He’d slapped her down. Now she was engaged to some other man, set to marry and start a family. Mallory