Highly Compromised Position (9 page)

“Rose, you can't order life up to fit the specifications you want.”

“My mother always said that she rushed into marriage to my father. She said they should have waited more than three months after they met to get married. She loved Daddy, but she hated the horse farm.”

“This isn't like your mother's and father's situation. I disagree that a relationship requires a great deal of time. People fall in love instantly and only days pass before they marry and they're happy forever after.”

“Name one,” Rose countered.

“Uncle Lucas, who thrives on telling the world how he met my aunt Edith when she was engaged to someone else. Within five days she was engaged to Uncle Lucas. A month later they were happily married in a union that lasted for years until she died from heart trouble. It happens, Rose.”

“Well, it hasn't happened between us, and you know it.”

“I think you're scared to let go and fall in love. You like to be in command of situations and it bothers you when you're not.”

Once again she could feel the clash between them. There was a chasm dividing them that would never be bridged.

“Let's go pick a room out for you. I'm sure you came
all prepared to move right in,” she said, standing. “You can have your choice of three bedrooms, mine excluded.”

“I'll take the one closest to yours,” he said, and she glanced up to find him watching her.

“I'll show you your room,” she said briskly, trying to keep passion under control.

She entered a bedroom that had hunter-green and beige decor, a king-size bed and a wall of books. She switched on a lamp. “You can have this room. There are towels in the linen closet in the adjoining bathroom.”

“Thanks,” he said, facing her with his hands on his hips, scrutinizing her in a way that made her pulse beat faster.

“Breakfast is promptly at seven o'clock in the morning in the main house. Don't ever be late for Jane's meals,” Rose said, trying to ignore her physical response to him.

“I'll remember. I'm going to the car to get my things. When do you turn on the alarm for this house?”

“Once I'm in for the night, which is after you get back from your car.”

“Go on to bed and I'll take care of it,” he said. They gazed at each other and desire swirled around them like rising mist. Along with it was an ever-present clash of wills. She turned on her heel and left, her back prick-ling as she walked away. She closed the door to her room and let out her breath. The day had been emotionally exhausting, and she knew she was in for the battle of her life. It was either marry him or fight him in court for joint custody. She didn't like either choice and all she could hope was to hold him off and let time temper his position.

He thought they could fall in love, and she recog
nized that they probably could. But he intended to move to his new ranch and she would never want any part of that. They were at an impasse. Unfortunately this living together every hour of each day was dangerous to her heart. She didn't want to fall in love with him and risk settling for a life that would make her miserable.

She rubbed her barely rounded stomach. How complicated her life had already become. And now Tom was only a few feet away. She could be in his arms any time she wanted—awareness of that fact kept her nerves raw and desire a burning ache.

Thinking constantly about Tom, she moved around her bedroom preparing for sleep. Later she lay in the darkness while her thoughts still churned over him and her future and their baby.

 

The next day Rose arrived at the Royal Diner at noon for her prearranged meeting with Tom. They were about to set the decoy plan in motion.

When she swung open the door to the diner, crisp cold air swept in with her while the tiny bell tinkled over the door. A bluegrass song on the jukebox was a backdrop for a buzz of conversation while the smell of hamburgers filled the air. The lunch crowd packed the diner and people stood waiting for a booth. It was the first time for Rose to see some people since her arrival back in Royal.

She spotted Tom as he slid out of a booth and waved to her. He was wearing jeans and a navy sweater that made his dark looks appear dangerous, more commanding than ever. Threading her way through the crowd, she was aware of his gaze on her while she returned greetings from the locals.

Before she reached their booth, she saw that Tom could not have chosen better. In the booth on one side of theirs was Zelda Mae Whitman, the biggest gossip in Royal. Seated in the other adjoining booth was Malcolm Durmorr.

As Rose passed Zelda Mae and Vita Langston, she said hello. “It's nice to have you back, Rose,” Zelda Mae said. Her blue eyes twinkled. “It didn't take you long to meet the new man in town,” she said in a lowered voice. “And a Devlin, too!”

“No, I guess it didn't,” Rose replied with a smile as she moved toward her own booth.

“Tom, I have something to tell you!” she exclaimed when she greeted him. She knew that would make Zelda Mae perk up her ears.

When Rose slid into her seat and motioned to Tom to be seated, Malcolm Durmorr glanced over his shoulder at her. “Hi, Rose,” he said. A degree of repugnance stirred in her because she had never liked Malcolm.

“Hi, Malcolm,” she replied while she wondered if he, too, had heard her remark to Tom. Malcolm said a perfunctory hello to Tom before turning away.

“I couldn't wait to see you,” Tom told her, giving her a quick kiss, and she knew that kiss would draw even more attention to them and arouse people's curiosity.

“So you look like the cat that swallowed the cream. Or the mouse or whatever it was.”

She leaned toward him and lowered her voice, but she whispered loudly enough to be overheard and she knew that Zelda Mae would be listening. “I have the most exciting news possible!” Rose exclaimed with her pulse accelerating. She hoped she was convincing, because she had never tried to trick people before and now lives were at stake.

“So tell me.” Tom stated.

“I know where Jessamine Golden's treasure is,” she said, leaning closer and lowering her voice, yet still speaking with enough volume that both Malcolm and Zelda Mae could overhear her if they were listening.

“You know the location of the treasure? It really exists?” Tom asked.

“Yes,” she said. “I'm sure I do, but I need your help.”

“Keep your voice down,” Tom said. “We'll talk about it later.”

“No one is paying any attention to us.”

“Wait until later, Rose,” Tom urged as a waitress with golden-blond hair caught up in a ponytail came to their booth. A pin on her pink polyester uniform indicated her name was Valerie.

“Are you ready to order yet?” she asked. Even though she smiled, her periwinkle-blue eyes were shuttered as if hiding her own secrets from the world.

“You want another minute or two?” Tom asked, and Rose shook her head as she looked back at the kitchen and saw the Chicano bodybuilder bustling over a hot grill.

“I can't resist Manny's hamburgers and chocolate shakes,” she said to Valerie, who smiled.

“Good choice. Sir?”

“I'll have the same,” Tom said and their waitress picked up the menus and left.

“There's your friend, the sheriff,” Rose said, watching Gavin O'Neal motion to Valerie, who went to his booth. “I want you to come out to the horse farm soon. And it has to be during daylight.”

“I'll try, but I'm tied up this afternoon and tomorrow I need to help my uncle with a project. How about the
next day? Let's wait to discuss the details,” Tom cautioned again.

“This is Monday. Can you be there Wednesday after lunch?”

“Sure. I'll arrange my schedule.”

While they ate lunch, Tom turned on the charm. She introduced him to people who stopped at their table and noticed that he already knew a lot of the locals.

Gretchen Halifax entered the diner and paused briefly at each booth to greet people. Once again, when she reached their booth, her attention was on Tom and she gave Rose only a cursory hello.

“So the truce between the Devlins and Windcrofts is actually working,” she said to Tom, glancing briefly at Rose. “At least until another incident out at the Windcroft place. Then the feud will probably resume.”

“Relations between the families seem solid so far, Gretchen,” Tom said. “How's the campaign coming?”

“I expect to win. Do get out and cast your ballot for me, darling. Remember, Jake Thorne will ruin Royal's economy.”

She moved on, chatting with others before returning to join Malcolm Durmorr. Rose's pulse jumped when Malcolm leaned across the table to say something to Gretchen and the two slid out of their booth. Malcolm hurried to the cash register, paid and left with Gretchen.

“They departed in a rush,” Rose whispered to Tom.

“Probably had something to discuss,” he said with satisfaction in his voice. He smiled at Rose. “How're you feeling?”

She had to laugh as she answered, “Fine. Just the same as I felt when I saw you at breakfast.”

He grinned and touched her cheek. “It's good when you smile, Rose.”

“I could say the same,” she answered, relieved that he was less tense and angry with her.

They chatted while they ate their burgers and drank Manny Reno's chocolate shakes. Finally Tom and Rose left together, strolling out into a brisk, cool November day. While the wind swirled brown leaves along the sidewalk, Tom straightened the collar of her jacket and his warm fingers brushed her throat lightly.

“I think we convinced them,” Tom said. “I'm sure that woman behind you was listening.”

“I'm sure she was. Zelda Mae has the curiosity of a cat. You did great getting a booth next to Malcolm.”

“I tipped that waitress to put me next to him. He eats lunch here almost every day.”

“And you had Zelda Mae on the other side of us.”

“That was sheer coincidence. I don't know her at all.”

“For our purposes, it was great, but Malcolm may have been even better. He sure rushed Gretchen out of there. Maybe it was to tell her what he overheard. Let's hope the right person will fall for your ploy. If Malcolm isn't involved in the trouble, Zelda Mae will have word about the treasure all over town by nightfall.”

Tom gazed at her solemnly. “Right now you get back to the farm. I'll be there after a brief meeting with the Cattleman's Club guys. I'll take the long way and make sure no one sees me. Connor is going to follow you home.”

She looked around. “Where's Connor?”

“He's parked down the street. You'll have about two blocks on your own and then he'll turn in behind your car.”

“Seems silly and unnecessary.”

“Humor us,” Tom replied. “Here's hoping it all works
and no one sees me. You head home now, Rose,” he ordered, and for a minute she stared at him, thinking how easily he took charge even though she knew it was for her protection. She nodded and turned to go to her car. He fell into step beside her and at her car he reached around her to open her door. When he paused, blocking her way, she looked up at him.

“Except for the family, townspeople don't know about your pregnancy, do they?”

“No, they don't. I don't feel up to coping with all the speculation and questions yet.”

His eyebrow arched. “There's a way to avoid some of that speculation, you know.”

She clamped her lips together. “I'm going home.”

“See you at the farm,” he said and closed the door as soon as she was behind the wheel.

When she arrived at the farm, she waved at Connor before she drove to the guesthouse. Now that the plan was set in motion, she had work of her own to do.

 

As prearranged, Tom went to the Texas Cattleman's Club to report on the incident in the diner. All he really wanted to do was keep tabs on Rose.

At the club Tom strode to the reserved private room, greeting the others, shaking hands with Gavin. “I've already heard that Rose thinks she knows the location of the treasure,” Gavin said as soon as Tom was seated.

“We expected word to get around but not this fast,” Tom said in surprise.

“I think you can thank Zelda Mae and her cell phone,” Logan said drily. “That woman knows everyone and she likes to spread news.”

“We sat in the booth by her. Malcolm was on the other side of us—I saw to that ahead of time.”

“I hope to hell this works,” Gavin said.

“I'll be glad when this is over,” Tom said, worrying about Rose.

“I imagine by now word is all over town about Rose discovering where the treasure is hidden,” Mark Hartman added. “The two of you must have been convincing.”

“No reason for anyone to think it's a setup at this point. The main thing to remember is Rose's safety,” Tom said.

“You put on a credible show,” Logan remarked. “I was there and saw Malcolm and Gretchen hightail it out of the diner.”

“There was another thing we mentioned. Rose asked me to help her and I said I couldn't go to the horse farm until Wednesday. Anyone eavesdropping would assume we were talking about getting the treasure, so now we have a time frame that may push the killer into action in the next thirty-six to forty-eight hours,” Tom informed them.

“You guys stay alert and where we can keep in touch with each other,” Gavin instructed and the others nodded.

“You know Gretchen was working the crowd in the diner. Maybe we ought to have someone out there actively schmoozing the public for you,” Tom said, looking at Jake.

Jake shrugged. “I'm campaigning my way. I'm sure Gretchen has a different approach.”

“From what I've heard,” Mark said, “Malcolm has cheated on her and has someone he slips off and sees in Lubbock.”

“That wouldn't surprise me,” Gavin remarked.

“Back to the question—what next?” Logan asked.