Carter had looked back at his little brother, who was watching with a scowl. Carter had known that any second Ross would open his mouth and say something that would get him into trouble.
“It’s okay, buddy,” Carter had said.
He’d given Ross the look he had when they were kids, signaling Ross to let him take care of it. Ross had always tried to defend Carter, and often ended up paying for it, whether against bullies or someone in authority.
The deputy, Rafael Sanchez, who was a good friend of Ross’s, wasn’t happy he had to question Carter. The sheriff, on the other hand, sat with a slow smile on his face. Hennessy had been giving Carter hell for years.
The door opened, and Billy was ushered in. Ross must have ensured he was called.
“Sheriff, Deputy Sanchez.” Billy gave each a cordial nod in turn. “Can we come quickly to the point? Carter has many responsibilities at his place of business and a daughter to look after.”
“Fair enough,” Hennessy said, pretending to be reasonable.
Hennessy didn’t start the recorder, which could be good or could be bad. Carter could deny anything he said in here if it wasn’t on tape, but then, so could Hennessy.
Hennessy began. “This afternoon, Elizabeth Fredrickson, who was released into her parents’ care this morning, went missing from the Fredrickson’s apartment in Houston. She was home alone, and there were signs of a break-in and a struggle. A truck the same make, model, and color as one belonging to Carter Sullivan was seen alongside the apartment building, and a coffee receipt with Carter’s name and last four digits of one of his credit cards was found in her bedroom.”
Shit. Carter betrayed none of his thoughts on his face, but this was bad. While he had no love for Lizzie, he didn’t wish an abduction or kidnapping on her. He had a pretty good idea who would do something like that as well.
On the other hand, Carter wouldn’t put it past Lizzie to fake her own abduction in order to run. Planting a receipt and renting a truck similar to Carter’s wouldn’t be that hard, especially if she had help.
Billy folded his hands. He was a big man, but in his designer suit, neatly groomed, he looked formidable in a letter-of-the-law way.
“Anyone could have stolen Carter’s credit card or card number and made a purchase. Cards can also be faked. You have a receipt and a truck, which might or might not have been my client’s. Is that all?”
Hennessy looked annoyed. “I’m willing to give Carter the benefit of the doubt. All he has to do is tell me where he was today, and names of witnesses who saw him.”
“How about witnesses who saw him buy the coffee or park the truck?” Billy asked smoothly.
Hennessy shrugged. “He either answers, or I charge him, and then he can think about his answer for the hearing.”
Charging him meant locking Carter up for the night until he could arrange bail, if the justice he came before even granted it. That meant Faith at home without him and a mark against Carter when it came to a custody hearing.
Was Carter Sullivan so crazed he’d abduct his daughter’s mother to keep her away from Faith? The trouble was, Carter would think of doing something like that, and a judge and jury in River County would know it. In Texas, custody cases could be tried before a jury, which meant a bunch of people staring at Carter across the courtroom, deciding whether he was a good father.
“I was in Houston,” Carter said abruptly. “Earlier today.”
“Sullivan,” Billy cut him off, shooting him a warning glance. “I’ll do the answering.”
Carter rocked back in his chair. The next best thing to silence was the absolute truth. “I was there around noon. Didn’t stay long, got home in time to pick my daughter up from school at four-thirty.”
Hennessy gave one blink of surprise before he masked his reaction. He hadn’t truly thought he could place Carter in Houston today, which meant he didn’t really think Carter had done it.
“What did you do there?” Hennessy asked in a mild tone.
“I’d like a moment to confer with my client,” Billy said sharply.
Carter shook his head. “I was there, but not at any fancy apartment complex—I don’t even know where Lizzie’s parents live. I went to visit an old acquaintance.”
“I see,” Hennessy said. “Will this acquaintance vouch for you?”
“Doubt it. Had a fight with him and his boys. It’s where I got this.” Carter pointed to the cut on his face. “If you want to question Joss Brady, good luck. But maybe someone down by his place saw me. Not that they talk to cops much. I drove straight back from there to Riverbend and never stopped for coffee.”
“You arrived in Riverbend at what time?” Hennessy asked. He fiddled with the pen on the table, not looking at Carter.
“Don’t remember exactly,” Carter said. “Must have been sometime after three. Faith stayed late at school for a science thing and was done at four-thirty. Like I said, I was there to pick her up.”
“And between three and four-thirty?”
Carter shrugged. “Went home. Took a shower.”
“Anyone see you?”
Carter kept his face carefully neutral. He’d not pull Grace into this, no matter what. “Don’t know. Everyone was out, don’t know if the guys working the stables saw me or not. Someone probably did. Ask them.”
Hennessy met his gaze now, frown in place. “All your employees are very loyal to you. They’d lie to protect you.”
“I can’t help that.”
Carter fell silent again. He’d given them most of the truth, and that was all Hennessy was going to get. It was up to the sheriff to figure out what really happened.
There was a soft knock at the door. Sanchez got up to answer it, spoke to the uniformed guard outside, then turned around. “A woman’s here to talk to Sullivan’s lawyer.”
Carter looked up, perplexed. Who? His mom?—No, Sanchez would have said that. Everyone knew Olivia. If Lizzie had decided to come in and confess she’d abducted herself, he would have said that too.
It sure as hell better not be Grace.
Billy rose. “Carter’s told you his story. Either charge him or let him go.”
Hennessy took a long time to consider. Sanchez closed the door and stood against it, as though worried Carter might try to make a break for it.
Hennessy tapped the pencil to the table then dropped it. The pencil rolled across the metal with a grating sound.
“All right, go,” he said to Carter. “Stay in Riverbend. I’ll be in touch.”
Carter cranked to his feet and leisurely made his way to the door, as though he had all the time in the world.
Sanchez moved aside, even opened the door for him. Carter had known Sanchez a long time. They’d neither clashed nor been friends.
Billy was right behind him. Billy would yell at Carter for talking without his permission, he knew, but the man would have to get over it.
Carter walked out of the hall into the front area, which was mostly empty except for the security guards, the bag check and metal detector machines, and a short counter where people asked information about all the services the courthouse provided.
The young woman waiting to see Billy was Grace. She stood with Ross, who’d obviously come out to discover what she was doing here.
“Mr. Emmons,” Grace said, coming forward. She wore the same light top and jeans shorts Carter had stripped from her earlier to make love.
Carter’s heart beat swiftly as tactile sensations came back to him—the smooth buttons against the fabric, the warmth of Grace beneath, the scratchy lace of her bra giving way to the softness of her.
He wished more than anything he’d spent all morning in bed with her, and all afternoon as well, and that she’d be in his bed this coming night. He hated Hennessy, and Joss, and Lizzie for throwing complications into his life.
Carter wanted nothing but simplicity, and Grace.
“Mr. Emmons, you hung up on me before I could explain,” Grace was saying. “If the sheriff nee
ds to know where Carter was after he got back to the ranch, I can give him an alibi. Between three and about four fifteen, he was with me.”
Carter started for her. Ross got in his way, and so did Billy. Billy, looking interested, went to Grace.
“You can swear to that?” Billy asked, sounding eager. “You’d say that under oath if you had to? He was with you every minute?”
“Yes,” Grace said.
“No,” Carter snapped at the same time.
There weren’t many people in the foyer, but this courthouse was a crossroads for the county. People came for marriage licenses, property records, passports, to pay speeding tickets—all kinds of things. So the half dozen or so folks waiting in line for whatever, all turned around to listen to Grace.
“Carter, it’s important,” Grace said. “I know Carter was with me that whole time, because we were … you know.” She started to blush, but looked not in the least ashamed.
“But it’s all right,” she added quickly. “It’s only natural.” Grace looked Carter full in the eyes, as though willing him to back her up. “We’re engaged.”
Chapter Ten
The men arrayed in front of Grace stared at her, dumbfounded. Gasps, murmurs, and laughter sounded on the other side of the lobby. One young man across the room said in a loud voice, “Are you shitting me?”
Only Carter didn’t gape. He strode forward, caught Grace under the arm, and half escorted, half dragged her out of the courthouse.
The River County courthouse sat on the town square, with a nicely kept park shadowed by large trees around it. It fronted the busiest street in town, which had been revived lately with new businesses and shops.
Carter propelled Grace away from the parking lot and into the gardens, turning her to face him when they were far from passers-by. “What the hell was that?” he demanded.
His face was hard, rage glittering in his eyes.
“Me keeping you out of jail.” Grace tried to sound calm, not easy with Carter looking at her like that. “When I called Mr. Emmons and told him you’d been arrested, he instructed me to try to find people who’d been with you today, especially this afternoon, when you disappeared for a while. I didn’t get the chance to tell him then that you were with me.”
“That’s none of anyone’s damn business,” Carter said in a near shout. “What happened to keeping it private? I told you to stay the fuck away from my problems.”
Grace planted her hands on her hips. “And do what? Bake cookies while you’re dumped in jail? I know Sheriff Hennessy doesn’t like you. He’d be thrilled to charge you with something and cart you away from Riverbend forever.”
“You let me take care of that.” Carter’s mouth was a grim line. “The best thing to do in circumstances like these is shut up. Not announce in the middle of the courthouse that you were sleeping with me. In five minutes, the whole county’s going to know.”
“So?” Grace gave him a defiant look. “I’m not ashamed of what we did. If you are—well, thanks a lot.”
She couldn’t stand here any longer and face his angry stare. Grace turned to walk away, but Carter caught her again.
“We’re not done—not even close. What the hell was the engaged thing about? It wasn’t bad enough you told the world we had a quick fuck?”
Grace flinched. “Was that what it was? So glad you explained it to me. I said we were engaged so people wouldn’t come down on you. I know what they think of you—and of me. They’d believe you seduced stupid, innocent Grace, poor thing. Maybe you did it to give yourself an alibi, or maybe just because you’re a reprobate, and that’s what you do. If we’re engaged, then everyone will think it was a mutual thing, a being-in-love thing. It gives it … legitimacy.”
“We wouldn’t need legitimacy, if you hadn’t announced it at the top of your voice. I was trying to keep it to ourselves.”
“I’m sure that would be a comfort while you were rotting in prison. What is wrong with you, Carter? If I can prove your innocence and keep Faith from having to talk to her dad through a thick sheet of glass, why the hell wouldn’t I? Does it matter if people know we went to bed together? They can suck it up.”
“Shit.” Carter backed off a little, but his face was dark with anger. “And what about when my mom asks us when the date is? Or our friends start buying us wedding presents? They’re gonna be disappointed when they get to the church, and we don’t show up.”
Grace gave him a patient look. “We go along with it for a while, until Lizzie’s found and this whole custody thing is settled. Then we tell people it didn’t work out. We’ll break up long before I fill out my bridal registry.”
“Grace.” Carter’s face was brick red. “No one is going to believe that you are engaged to me.”
“Why not? We’ve known each other forever, I work at the house, Faith likes me …”
“Because they’re not that gullible!” His shout rang into the heat under the trees. “You’re from a good family, you’re pristine, you’re untouchable. I’m a gang kid from the streets who lived on the Campbells’ charity. I’m working to pay back every penny they ever gave me, but no one gives a shit about that.”
“You used to be a gang kid. Now you’re a responsible father, run a business with your brothers, and have a career. I let an idiot cheat me out of my dreams and my savings, and now I’m enjoying the Campbells’ charity. It all comes out in the wash. Get over yourself, Carter.”
Carter stared at her for an astounded moment. Grace stared right back. Pristine, untouchable—what was he talking about? She’d thought that Carter at least would view her as a regular human being.
“Damn it, Grace—”
Grace balled her fists. “Damn it, Carter.”
Carter drew a breath to continue the argument, then he snapped his mouth closed. Billy was charging over to them, his briefcase swinging. “This is great,” he called out as he neared them. “Why didn’t you tell me, Carter?”
“Because it’s b—”
“Carter doesn’t like to talk about it,” Grace cut in, before Carter could say bullshit. “He’s not happy discussing anything personal. I’m going to have to work on that.”
“This is perfect.” Billy’s eyes were shining, the big man sweating in his suit. “I told you that you needed to be settled down, show that you’re a stable, respectable member of society. An engagement to the daughter of a prominent family of River County is perfect. Everyone knows there’s nothing wrong with Grace Malory.”
He sounded so confident that Grace started to get offended. Grace—the safe choice. Not really what a girl wanted to hear.
She’d put up with it for now, but she was going to have to do something about her nice-girl image.
“Billy,” Carter broke in, “She made it up—”
Billy raised his hands and spoke through Carter’s words. “Don’t tell me things I don’t want to know. I don’t care. What you two work out, you two work out. Go with it, and don’t fuck it up. I need to make some calls.”
He spun on the toes of his Armani shoes and tripped lightly toward the parking lot.
“Well,” Grace said, watching him go, “at least I’ve made one person happy today.”
“What in the hell am I supposed to tell Faith?” Carter bellowed.
“Oh.” Grace’s cockiness came down with a crash. Faith. She’d be delirious with excitement when she heard Grace and her father were engaged, and severely disappointed when they broke it off.
“Yeah,” Carter said. “We’re gonna tell her the truth. Right from the start.”
Grace swallowed. The bright colors had gone out of the air, the trees were not so green, the sky as blue. Her heart squeezed.
“Okay,” she said. “Deal.”
***
By the time Carter reached home, Faith already knew.
“Dad!” She charged up the hill from the office, her small boots kicking up dust, her braided pigtails swinging. “Dad—you did something smart after all.” She slammed into Ca
rter as he emerged from his pickup, squeezing her slim arms around him. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Faith backed up, too excited to stand still, and smacked him on the thighs. “I had to hear it from Uncle Tyler. How dare you keep secrets from me?”
She was smiling broadly, her tone teasing. Carter leaned down and lifted her into his arms.
Though Faith was now nine, and growing taller every day, Carter still liked to hold her. One day, he wouldn’t be able to do this. All too soon, she’d be a young woman, beautiful, sweet, and a magnet for every young man in Riverbend. Carter would have to carry a shotgun and guard her everywhere she went.
“Faith. Baby …” Carter had vowed to tell her the truth, but the words came reluctantly. “We’re not really engaged. We’re just pretending. But don’t tell anybody, okay? Grace said that to make sure Sheriff Hennessy didn’t lock me up.”
Faith frowned, then her brow cleared. “Give me a break, Dad.”
“You know I’d never keep anything like that from you. Grace and I are going to pretend to be engaged for now, and then pretend to break up.”
Faith shoved at him, and Carter set her on her feet. Faith rubbed her hair in a gesture like Carter’s own. “It’s real,” she said. “You just don’t know it yet.”
“Faith—”
She held up her hands. “All right, all right. I won’t say anything.” She shot him a grin. “But I don’t promise not to tease you. I know, you can make the big announcement at my birthday party Friday. The official announcement, I mean.”
Carter frowned. “There’s not going to be any announcement.”
Faith’s brows rose as she looked right into his angry eyes. The trouble was, Carter might frighten the hardiest men in Riverbend and terrify thugs in every city in Texas, but the one person who’d never been scared of him was his daughter. Faith knew that the real Carter Sullivan was a shy kid who feared he could trust no one. On the streets, you were victim or conqueror, and he’d learned early on how not to be a victim.
Faith, who’d grown up safe and loved from the moment she’d landed in Carter’s arms, had no fear of her formidable father—which was fine with Carter. He never wanted her to be afraid of him.