Trumped Up Charges - By Joanna Wayne Page 0,47

at the ranch all day today. He can fix you up with the helicopter. And this is my card. Call me if you need either of the corporate jets. I’ve already checked. They’re both available and reserved for your use.”

“How much notice will you need?”

“I’ll give Tague a call now and tell him to get a pilot on standby for the helicopter. Or for that matter, Tague can fly it for you. So I’d say the helicopter could be ready by the time you drive to the ranch to board it. I’ll need an hour’s notice on the jet.”

“Sounds good,” Fred said.

They said their goodbyes and R.J. and Adam stood on the porch as Durk and Meghan drove away.

“Thanks for asking them to stop by,” Adam said. “If you’d asked first, I would have probably said no. But I’d have never expected them to be so willing to do whatever it takes to find two kidnapped girls they don’t even know.”

“And the rest of the Lamberts are just as friendly and accommodating. Considering the life I’ve lived, it’s amazing they have anything to do with me.”

“Were you that bad?”

“I did a lot more hell-raising than I did volunteering my help. And as you know, I wasn’t much of a father. That’s why it’s asking a lot to expect you or any of your half siblings to give me the time of day, much less move onto the ranch.”

“You sweetened the pot with the money and the ranch.”

“Money doesn’t make up for letting people down. I can’t undo any of what I’ve done, but I’d do a better job of being a dad if I had to do it over again. That’s all I’m saying.”

“That’s saying a lot.”

“Well, I lied. It’s not all I’m saying. I’ve made lots of mistakes in my day, son. I’ve learned things the hard way, so trust my advice. Don’t you let Hadley get away from you, boy. If you do, you’ll be a bigger fool than I ever was.”

Advice Adam would give the world if he could heed.

But he couldn’t. Still, R.J.’s advice lingered in his mind as he walked outside and made a call to his mother. He wouldn’t talk to her about R.J., but he did need to fill her in on what was going on.

He wondered if she suspected that he was still in love with Hadley when she’d called and insisted he offer his assistance. She’d always had a sixth sense about knowing what what was on his mind and in his heart.

R.J. might be new at being a Dad, but Jerri had been his mother all his life.

* * *

SMOKE FROM FRYING tortillas filled the Mexican restaurant. Quinton waved it away with his napkin and took a bite of the spicy egg, cheese and bean taco. This was his favorite breakfast dive, but today he was too agitated to even flirt with the owner’s pretty young daughter who was back to refill his coffee cup.

Matilda had the means, motive and opportunity to kidnap those girls. She also had the motive to try and pin it on him—if she was guilty. But as hard as he’d tried to believe that she was the abductor, the edges of the puzzle always came out lopsided.

Matilda was loyal to the core. That’s why she’d put up with so much from him over the years. She was also loyal to Janice O’Sullivan. It had almost killed her to con Janice out of five thousand dollars to bail him out of trouble.

The only reason Matilda had gone through with the scheme was to protect Alana from him. She would have never done it for herself.

So if she was willing and even eager to pin this on him, she must be protecting someone. But who?

“Hadley O’Sullivan?” He had no use for that bitch, but it was hard to imagine she’d gotten rid of her own kids. She’d definitely never called him and asked him to do it for her.

But the detective’s eyes had lit up at that accusation. It was obvious he already suspected she had something to do with the kidnapping. It wouldn’t take much to nudge him into arresting Hadley. But Matilda wouldn’t pin the murder on him to protect Hadley.

So who took the girls? Adam Dalton?

Maybe. Tough former marine chasing hot mother of twins under the age of three. He might prefer to have Hadley all to himself. But the man had to know that if Hadley found out he’d gotten rid of her