Lies That Bind (16 page)

“Having the Suburban detailed can wait.” Rex put the envelope Derek had left to them in the box along with the rest and locked it. “I’d prefer we stay together.”

Tessa did as well. “Sounds good.” She watched Rex put the box inside the gun safe. Derek’s photo album was under it. They’d find a way to give them to Robert without witnesses. How sad and touching that Derek always left his room this way, just in case he died suddenly.

She touched Rex’s shoulder before he locked the safe. “I’d feel better if those were with us for now. Maybe we could put them in your safe-deposit box.”

He gave a single nod, retrieved the box, and secured the safe. “Did you tell your parents Derek had died?”

“No, I didn’t think it mattered.” But it did. After all, Derek was their son. Or rather her father’s son. No, not
her
father. Tessa didn’t want to think about it anymore. It was right they be notified. “I’ll call once we’ve made arrangements.”

This was going to get damn confusing. Mike was Mike, despite their biological tie. Her dad was her dad, plain and simple. Tessa was sure Derek had felt the same way. Mary and her dad. Her mom and Mike. Looked like ménage ran in the family. It certainly explained their strained response when she’d told them she’d been hired by Mike Ford to design an aviary. She couldn’t begin to imagine how they agonized over that. All their secrets and fears had come to pass. Nothing mattered now except healing the rift.

She slipped into her white heels once they reached the first floor and grabbed her purse as they walked toward the door. All of it in a haze.

Tyler opened the front passenger door of Rex’s car for her. She shook her head. “I want to sit in the back and read the letters again.”

Neither argued. Tyler opened the back door. Rex placed the box on the seat beside her. Tessa had the first letter out before Rex started the car. The one from Mike telling all. It made her smile, especially his
It was the 80s, and everyone was doing it
. The four of them had met during their last year at UCLA and hooked up.
Crazy times
, he’d said. After graduation, her parents went back home to San Diego. He and Mary returned to Texas to take over the family ranch. Yet they’d still kept in touch, even hooked up once or twice in Vegas. Pregnancy had been a big oops and a wake-up call that permanently separated them. They’d known early on who had fathered which child, since looks didn’t lie. As Tessa and Derek got older, they resembled their mothers more. They left things as is because it didn’t matter…until Derek got sick.

That was when things got tricky. Tessa still didn’t understand Mike’s logic or Derek’s either. If Mike wanted an heir, who better than Rex and Tyler? Why seek her out? Why violate the understanding between the two couples that had existed for thirty-some years? Her parents must have been furious. Her own reaction to the news had only made things worse.

She stuffed Mike’s letter away and retrieved Derek’s. He’d known his parentage since his mother died. She’d wanted to go with a clear conscience. At least she and Mike had that in common. He and Mike agreed the land should go to Tessa. Given his terminal diagnosis, Derek hoped she’d understand now why he’d torn up the deed. She did and she didn’t. Again, why not give it to Rex and Tyler? No one had more of a claim on the land than they did. And once the dust settled, she was going to see that happened.

“Mike changed his will as soon as he found out Derek was terminal.” She locked the box and stared out the window. “They had this planned well. The only thing they didn’t anticipate was Mike dying before Derek.” Heart attacks were sneaky little bastards.

“Imagine how conflicted Derek felt,” Tyler said. “Better to have you pissed off at Mike over the news than him.”

She gave a short laugh. “That’s true.”

“I’m sure Mike planned a softer way to tell you,” Rex said.

“
Did
the two of you know?” She’d accused them of it before.

“We didn’t.” Rex caught her gaze in the rearview mirror. “Nothing could ever compel us to keep that type of information from you. You were the most important thing in our lives.”

Were
. Tessa took note of that. He’d made it pretty clear yesterday the ranch they’d poured their hearts and souls into was their top priority. How they must have felt, knowing it was in her hands.

“Before I leave, I’ll be signing the ranch over to the two of you. We might even have time to—”

“No,” they said in unison.

Rex pulled to the shoulder of the road. They turned as one.

“Nate’s right. Think about what you’d be giving up,” Tyler said.

“Think about everything you’ve put into the place,” she replied.

“We do this together.” The heat in Rex’s eyes slithered to her belly.

“But—”

“We’ll find a way to make it work,” he said.

“Together,” Tyler added.

Stubborn cowboys. “All right.” What else could she have said? She didn’t have the energy to argue the point. That didn’t stop her from picking apart the conversation during the ride to town. Or from trying to find a logical argument to bend them to her will.
Like that worked in the past
. She’d tried to subtly force them to leave it all behind before and come to her. What a disaster that had been. No more battles. She might not know what they meant by
together
but was content enough to let them show her the way. It might not be the relationship they’d once had, but it was better than the hell of this last year. She’d take it.

“We’ll stop at the bank first.” Rex pulled onto the main thoroughfare. Tessa had been so lost in thought she hadn’t realized they’d reached town.

“Derek might have left information in the safe-deposit box that will let us know what his wishes are for…”

Yeah, Tessa couldn’t say it either. She placed her hand over the lockbox. There was nothing damning in the letters, only answers. Not all the answers but a good portion of them. There seemed little point in locking them away. Still, something nagged at her to safeguard them.

She passed the box to Tyler when they stopped, and he got out and opened the door for her. Then she clutched the hand he offered in assistance. Tessa had to admit, she loved the princess treatment. No one made her feel more like a woman than these two. Rex and Tyler flanked her as they walked inside the bank and right into Kevin Drummond. He was dressed casually today. Without the trappings of business attire, there was a familiarity about him Tessa couldn’t quite place. The almost ruffled hair, the quick smile, the way he walked… Something that kept eluding her. Whatever it was, she still had misgivings about him. The man was hiding something.

“Taking care of business, I see.” Kevin pointed to the box under Tyler’s arm. “Anything I can do for you? Been to the funeral home yet? I understand the medical examiner has released Derek’s remains.”

“Thanks.” Rex pressed his arm against her lower back. “If we need anything, we’ll let you know.”

“I’m heading out to Austin and expect to be gone the rest of the day. Still, don’t hesitate to call if you need something.”

“Will do.” Rex steered her around Kevin and toward the service counter.

“He is ever helpful, I’ll give him that,” Tyler mumbled under his breath.

“I don’t trust him. There’s something about him that feels off to me. How long has he been in practice?” Tessa dared a glance over her shoulder. Kevin still watched them, but he turned and walked out when he saw her look back.

Tyler gave a small shrug. “Don’t know. He arrived a while back. Derek hired him. The lawyer Mike used retired.”

Rex plucked an index card for the file box on the counter, filled it out, and dinged the bell for assistance.

Ethel scurried over, her smile bright. She’d been the one who had handled their bank transactions when Mike died. Efficient as always, Ethel missed nothing. She would be running this bank one day because
it’s what Turnbauers do
. Tessa fought a cringe. The phrase was worse than nails on a chalkboard.

“I suspect you’ll be wanting into Derek’s box.” Ethel punched information into the nearby computer with long, nimble fingers.

“Yes.” Tessa watched her work. “I heard you cleaned house in the archery competition at Dog Days.”

Ethel paused, then smiled. “Sure did. It wasn’t easy either. I thought Derek had me.” Her smile faded. “Shame what happened. Damn pigs. I’ll need ID and the key, Tessa honey.”

“We have the key, Ethel. And here’s my ID.” Rex showed her both. “Tessa’s not on our box, but we would like to add her.”

Tessa frowned up at him. “Didn’t we do that last year?”

Ethel gave her an indulgent smile. Tessa braced herself for a hand pat. “Rex, that key’s for the box you, Derek, and Tyler have. I meant Derek’s box. Used to be Mike’s. That’s the one you were added to last year, sweetie.”

With everything else going on, the fact clearly zipped over her head. “I don’t have a key.”

Tyler placed his hand over her forearm. “I’m sure we’ll find it. For now, we need into ours and to add Tessa.”

“Sure thing.” She extracted a form from beneath the counter and slid it his way. “Just fill this out. You know, Tessa, if you ever decide to sell, my daddy sure wouldn’t mind finally buying. He’s been wantin’ the property for as long as I remember. Even more so after Dog Days.”

Wanting it bad enough to kill?

“And where would that leave us, Ethel?” Rex asked, never looking up once.

“Sugar, you can still work the ranch. Daddy loves how you’ve turned it all around. No way he’d want to give up good help.” Fingers splayed against her throat, she giggled.

Tessa felt storm clouds brewing. “I have no wish to sell. Are we done here yet?”

Ethel’s humor faded. “We are.”

It didn’t take long to get things squared away. Shorter still for them to place the letters in Rex and Tyler’s safe-deposit box. A box void of anything directly related to Derek. Maybe it had never been there in the first place, considering he had a separate box. Tessa was relieved to put some distance between them and Ethel. She dreaded having to return later.

They drove the few miles to the funeral home in silence. Death and final instructions were something none of them had ever discussed. Robert might have had some clue what Derek wanted. Maybe not, since he hadn’t told them. She took it as a sign that Derek expected them to do the right thing, much in the same way he’d ask that of them where Robert was concerned. Honestly, planning a funeral would be easier than figuring out what he meant about Robert.

Rex pulled into the parking apron of a two-story brick building shaded by towering elms. The mortuary had been there for generations, owned and operated by the Simpkiss family. The old man himself greeted them at the front door as they left the car. Even in this blistering heat, he was decked out in a black suit. His smile assured them all would be well—kindness personified.

“My sympathies on your loss.” He inclined his head in a slow bow of respect and swept his hand before him, inviting them in.

Brightness surrounded them, light and cheer in a place where darkness and despair threatened to swallow a person whole. Mr. Simpkiss didn’t hesitate. Taking them under his wing, he led them to the consulting room and away from those rooms dedicated to viewings.

“Derek was a fine young man. So much more so than his father. Such a tragedy. It doesn’t matter that it was inevitable, given his condition. It’s still sad. The three of you did a wonderful job of turning that ranch into a respectable place the town could talk about with pride.”

What?
She glanced at Rex and Tyler to gauge their reactions. Both were poker-faced.

“The tales you could tell?” Tyler asked with a small laugh.

Mr. Simpkiss chuckled. “Goodness, yes. That old inn had quite the reputation in its day. From cathouse to playpen, if you get what I mean. Goodness, the stories that came out of that place. We thought it would never end. Started when Mike and Mary took over the ranch and just went on and on for years. That all came to a screeching halt when… Well, it’s no matter. You two and Derek took charge and turned it all around. Made it a place to be proud of.”

No, Tessa wasn’t going to let that one slide. “It does matter. It never hurts to hear about the good someone did while they were alive.”

Mr. Simpkiss motioned to a nest of chairs, then sat with them. “Rumor mostly, since I never took a notion to get involved with those types of shenanigans. Some say it was because of the AIDS epidemic. Some say it got to be where no one was sure whose baby someone else carried. Not too many pregnant women delivered healthy babies. A lot of miscarriages and a couple stillbirths. Proof of the abominations those poor little souls were, in my opinion. Others say it’s because the kids they had got older and the adults didn’t want them to know how badly they’d sinned. No child should have to bear the sins of their parents. And sin it most definitely was. Mary taking sick like she did scared the bejabbers out of a lot of people. She took ill young and only got worse as the years passed.”

Rex cleared his throat. “Considering Derek’s diagnosis, she could have had cancer too. Could be a little of all you mentioned brought an end to all that carrying on. Until now, no one’s said a word to us about the history of the place. As you know, we met Derek in college. He talked about how great he’d heard the ranch and inn once were and that it had fallen not exactly on hard times, but that there was a lot of potential to make it great again. The more we talked, the more we felt it was something we wanted to make work. So we formed a partnership.”

“You did a darn fine job of it too. The grandkids love playing cowboy, and the inn is beautiful. The missus and I have picnicked in the aviary more than a few times. We were just there last week, in fact.” Mr. Simpkiss beamed a smile their way. “Along with half the town. First time in a long time my whole family got together outside work. Goodness, that was fun. Nothing pleases me more than seeing Tito Llano bested by a woman.”

Tyler slipped his hand over Tessa’s knee. “The inn and aviary are beautiful, all thanks to Tessa’s sharp eye and skills.”

Simpkiss’s smile swept her way.