Own the Night (17 page)

Eleanor stared at the shirt and Levi’s. “Why are you wearing those things?” she asked in a low, irate voice, as if she couldn’t help herself. As if she no longer had control over her carefully modulated tone.

“My luggage was stolen.”

Her mother’s lips parted slightly and something registered in her hazel eyes, as though she’d just made a connection. “Get in the car. I’ll take you to your hotel.”

“I’m sorry you drove all the way out here for nothing,” Alana said in an admirably calm voice. The last thing she wanted was to become a spectacle on Main Street again, but she had nowhere to go. Certainly not to Noah’s house. The panic-inducing thought raced along the edges of her nerves. “There is no hotel in Blackfoot Falls. If you turn around now you may find one before dark.”

Eleanor’s gaze narrowed in disbelief. “What’s happened to you?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

“No, you aren’t.” Her mother’s unfailing composure momentarily slipped. “Let me help you,” she said urgently, her gaze flicking to something over Alana’s shoulder. “Just please get in the car. Tell me where you’re staying, and we’ll go from there.”

Controlling the impulse to turn and run as far as she could, Alana drew in a deep breath. There was no way this would end well, no matter what she said. But she could mitigate the fallout. “I’m staying at a dude ranch.”

“A what?”

“I’m sure you know what a dude ranch is.”

Eleanor just stared at her, no noticeable disapproval on her face, at least not to someone who didn’t know her well. What did unnerve Alana was the banked hostility she’d never before seen in her mother’s eyes. “Fine. How far is it?”

Alana had to think fast. She could call Rachel…explain enough to get a room for each of them. Just for tonight…

Another thought stopped her cold, such an unpleasant one that it made her stomach cramp. “How did you find me?”

“I told you this conversation can wait.”

“You had my cell phone tracked,” Alana said, the pain in her belly growing nearly unbearable. Her mother had finally crossed the line. “Didn’t you?”

“What? That’s ridiculous.” She waved a hand impatiently and opened the car door. “How would I do such a thing?”

Alana didn’t move. “Oh, please.”

Eleanor shook her head and stared at her as if she’d never seen her before. And then, for a brief moment, concern settled into her features. “Some crazy old man answered the last time I called. He told me he lived in Blackfoot Falls, Montana. Now for the love of God, would you get in the—” Abruptly, she jerked her head and glared at something behind Alana. “This is a private conversation.”

Alana spun around.

Noah stood not three feet away. Looking at Eleanor, he touched the brim of his hat. “Afternoon, ma’am,” he said, cool as could be, then shifted his gaze. “Alana, everything all right?”

She opened her mouth, but hesitated long enough for her mother to jump in.

“You’re the sheriff, I presume. What have you done about my daughter’s missing luggage?”

“Eleanor, stop.” Alana paused, forced herself to breathe. “Sheriff Calder has been very helpful. He even made sure I had a room at the Sundance Dude Ranch.” She cleared her throat and slid him a glance. He was watching her with detached interest. Jesus, he and her mother, what a pair. God forbid they should show their emotions.

Except she knew what Noah was feeling right now. Hurt and confused. She’d referred to him as Sheriff Calder, as if he were no more than a civil servant to her. And then lied about where she’d been staying, as if she was ashamed to admit the truth. He had to understand her predicament, though, now that he knew this was her mother.

Noah took out the pen and small notebook he kept in his breast pocket. “I overheard you say a man answered Ms. Richardson’s phone,” he said in a deceptively businesslike manner. “Anything you remember about his voice or what he said that might help identify him?”

Alana heard her mother answer, but she didn’t pay attention to the words. All she could do was stare at Noah, with icy fingers of dread squeezing her heart. He didn’t get it. He was angry and hurt, and she couldn’t do a damn thing about it until she got rid of Eleanor.

17

N
OAH
SAID
NOTHING
AS
HE
AND
Alana walked toward his
office. Her mother was sitting in the Caddy, no doubt watching them like a hawk.
If he hadn’t seen with his own eyes how Alana behaved around her he wouldn’t
have believed it. Any parent-child relationship could be complicated, but
Alana’s inability to hold her own in the face of Eleanor had surprised the hell
out of him. Especially after he’d seen her in action with Gunderson. The strong,
capable woman he’d begun to know had reminded him of a rebellious teenager
struggling to cut the cord. She didn’t want to give in, but she wasn’t ready to
draw a line in the sand, either.

“You’re angry, and I’m sorry. I don’t blame you,” she said the
second they entered his office and closed the door.

“I’m not angry.” He took off his hat. “You want me to call
Rachel, or do you want to do it?”

Alana folded her arms across her chest. “I couldn’t tell her I
was staying with you, because then…” Her shoulders sagged and she cast a
helpless look out the window. “Believe me, this is the path of least resistance.
I’ll spend the night with her at the Sundance. She’ll leave first thing
tomorrow, and I’ll come back to town.”

“You don’t owe me an explanation.” When he almost added that he
was
only
the local sheriff, he realized he was a
little angry…and hurt. Shit. They just had a few days left.... “Here’s the
number to the Sundance.”

“Noah.” She tugged at his arm. “Please.”

“What?”

“Kiss me?”

He glanced toward the window, wondering if Eleanor had stayed
put as her daughter had asked. When he looked into Alana’s pleading eyes, the
misery he saw there softened him, and he finger-combed the tangles away from her
flushed cheeks.

“I’ll make this up to you, I swear.” She rose on tiptoe, and he
met her partway, brushing his lips across hers. “I’ll call Rachel myself. Did
you figure out who took my luggage?”

“I have a hunch.”

She didn’t ask who he thought it was, which was just as well,
because he wasn’t about to throw a name around without proof. There was still
some shred of lawman in him.

He left her in the office using the phone, and considered the
idea that this could be the last time he ever saw her. She had nothing at his
house of any value, and if her mother pushed hard enough, he wouldn’t be
surprised if Alana took off for New York with her tomorrow morning.

Just as quickly he discarded the notion. Not the leaving
tomorrow, that was a solid possibility. But she wouldn’t simply disappear
without saying goodbye to him. Oh, he had no illusions that she would admit the
truth about their brief fling. No reason to, really, but if keeping the secret
meant she’d have to leave early, he didn’t see her coming clean in order to
justify staying.

Noah let out a heavy sigh. Hell, he understood keeping secrets.
Nobody in town talked about his mother’s drinking, at least not to his face. She
rarely left the ranch anymore, and somehow he and his sisters had convinced
themselves that no one knew about Celia Calder’s decline. They’d kept her out of
sight, under the guise of keeping her safe.

Yeah, Alana thought he was a great son. Right. Easy to be Zen
when you can shove the problem under the rug. Keep it nice and tidy and
compartmentalized, separate from your daily life. Nah, that wasn’t true. He was
doing right by his mother.

Before he climbed into his truck, he stopped at the Watering
Hole. No one had seen Avery since Noah had barred him from bothering Sadie
earlier. Good. He’d rather confront the old man at his ranch and not before an
audience. Not because Noah thought he might be wrong about the man. Made sense
it was someone like Avery. The old man was angry and lonely and aching to hit
someone who couldn’t hit back. He’d probably seen a chance and gone for it.

Noah turned off onto Avery’s gravel road, which was sorely in
need of grading. The truck bounced over deep potholes that were going to be hell
to cross come winter, after the first major snow. If Avery used a quarter of the
time he spent drinking to maintain the place, maybe he wouldn’t be so
miserable.

The run-down cabin-style home came into view, the small spread
looking deserted until Noah spotted his quarry’s truck parked on the side of the
house closest to the barn. He pulled alongside the rusty clunker, got out and
looked around. The place really needed work, although it wasn’t used for much
anymore other than to keep a roof over Avery’s head and house his chickens and
last cow.

Before Noah had to knock, Avery opened the front door, rubbing
his eyes as if he’d been sleeping. He shuffled in his stockinged feet onto the
porch. Usually he wore coveralls instead of dungarees. One of his suspenders had
slid off his narrow shoulder and he snapped it back into place.

“What are you doing here?” he asked in the cantankerous tone
that made people want to wring his neck. He stopped at the edge of the porch,
spit into the dirt. “You bring that filly with you?” He craned his neck toward
Noah’s truck. “Or did she give you the boot already?” He smiled slyly. “You
shoulda known better, Calder. That one’s a Thoroughbred.”

Noah gritted his teeth. No way would he let the man rattle him.
“I need you to do something for me.”

His weathered face creased into a suspicious frown.

“I want you to let me inside.”

Avery stumbled back a step. “This is private property.”

“You have a problem showing me what you got in there?”

“Damn right I do.”

“You wouldn’t have something that doesn’t belong to you, would
you?” Noah asked calmly, and saw fear creep into Avery’s small dark eyes. “Like
some luggage and a purse?”

“I ain’t got anything you need worry about.” He moved to block
the door.

“There’s a lady in town who says different. Seems she had a
real nice phone conversation with you.”

Avery’s face lit up. “She’s here? Is she pretty?”

Noah heaved a tired sigh. Maybe someday he’d laugh about this.
“Move aside, Phelps.”

He blinked rapidly and shook his head. “You got no call to make
me let you in my house.”

“I’m asking nicely, because one way or another, I’m gonna have
a look, you understand?”

“Don’t you need one of those warrants?” Avery must’ve
recognized Noah’s exasperation because he lifted his gray-whiskered chin with
renewed confidence. “I reckon I’d like to see one of those pieces of paper,
Sheriff.”

Noah took off his hat, stared at it while he fingered the brim,
and tried to regain control of his rising temper. He had to remain professional,
forget the remark about Alana being a Thoroughbred.

After taking a deep breath, he looked up at Avery’s smug face.
“Force me to get a warrant, and I’ll cuff you to the goddam bumper of my truck
and make you walk to town.”

* * *

R
ACHEL
’
S
DIRECTIONS
TO
THE
Sundance were perfect, and if Eleanor harbored any suspicion that Alana
hadn’t been staying there all along, she kept it to herself on the largely
silent drive out to the ranch. Good thing, because Alana’s mind was racing
crazily. Rachel had no spare rooms, but she’d kindly offered to make up one in
the family quarters.

At first Alana was horrified that she would have no choice but
to share the room with Eleanor. But cool, calm, wonderful Rachel had offered her
the couch in the den. It was for only one night, and it worked out beautifully,
because if they did share, it would be obvious to Eleanor that Alana had not
been staying there. But instead, when they parted company at the end of the
evening, Eleanor would assume Alana was going to her own room.

The sun had dipped low by the time they arrived. Floodlights
were already turned on outside the house and both barns. The front of the
three-story house consisted of an amazing expanse of windows—odd for a place
that got so cold in winter, but it made for stunning views of the Rockies in the
distance.

As Eleanor parked the car alongside a row of other rentals,
Rachel stepped onto the large wraparound porch. The sight of her welcoming smile
brought a lump to Alana’s throat. She barely knew Noah’s friend, and yet the
woman had bent over backward to help.

“Hi,” Alana said, climbing out of the car and trying hard to
hide her nerves.
“Thank you,”
she mouthed to Rachel
over the roof of the Cadillac as her mother gathered her purse and opened the
driver’s door.

Eleanor took an inordinate amount of time stepping out of the
car and around the patches of dirt. Alana wanted to make the introductions, but
waited with a clenched jaw for her mother to find an acceptable grassy spot on
which to stand.

“I’m sure Alana has explained that we don’t have any vacant
rooms in the guest wing,” Rachel said smoothly. “I had to put you on the same
floor with the family, but I think you’ll be comfortable.”

Eleanor cast a critical eye toward the house, then offered the
benign smile she generally saved for doormen and waitstaff. “I’m sure it will be
fine.”

“Well.” Rachel rubbed a palm down the front of her jeans.
“We’re about to serve dinner. You two hungry?”

“I’d prefer to go to my room,” Eleanor said quickly. “I’ll have
something light later.”

Meeting Rachel’s startled gaze, Alana felt the heat crawling up
her neck. “This isn’t the Ritz, Eleanor. You eat when they serve.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Rachel said, pretending she hadn’t seen
Eleanor’s expression tighten. “We’ll have something for you later. Let’s go get
you settled.”

“You have someone to bring my bag?”

Alana had seen the small Louis Vuitton overnight bag in the
backseat. For God’s sake. “I’ll get it,” she said.

At the same time Rachel said, “Yes, someone will bring it right
up.”

Eleanor seemed momentarily confused. Was someone who was so
intelligent really that clueless? It was weird seeing her out of her
element.

Their
element. The thought
unsettled Alana. But the fact was,
her
life was full
of similar expectations. Up until five days ago, when she’d slipped down the
rabbit hole.

Rachel was frowning at something. “I think that’s Noah.”

Just hearing his name was enough to start Alana’s heart
fluttering, and she shifted her gaze in time to see a truck turn off the road
onto the long gravel driveway.

“Do we need to wait out here?” Eleanor asked. “Surely he’s not
come to see us.”

“Go on inside,” Alana said, not keen on being around him in
front of her mother in any case. “After what you told him, he may have
information about my luggage.”

“Right.” Eleanor studied her a bit too closely. “I’ll wait with
you.”

Alana knew it was no use arguing. She’d already ignited her
mother’s curiosity. Aware that Rachel was watching them, she felt shame wash
over her, and averted her gaze. Her mother had behaved like an ass, and Alana,
well, here she was a grown woman still cowed by her. Temporarily, of course, to
avoid a scene. Everyone would understand later.

The three of them waited in silence while Noah drove up, then
stopped a few feet away. Through his tinted windows, Alana could tell someone
else was sitting in the cab, but she couldn’t see who.

Noah stepped out of the truck. He got something from the
backseat, and when he cleared the pickup, she saw her luggage and purse.

Letting out a small shriek, she raced toward him. “You found
it! I can’t believe… I’d given up hope.” She threw her arms around Noah, then
remembered she had an audience and quickly backed off. “Is everything
there?”

“You’ll have to tell me,” he said, passing over her purse and
studying her face. His eyes were difficult to see under the brim of his hat,
especially because, unlike her, he was standing in the shadow of the house.

She lowered her lashes and concentrated on inventorying her
things. “You can put the bag down. It has wheels.”

“Why don’t I take it to the porch so it doesn’t get dirty?”

Alana slung her purse over her shoulder and reached for her
laptop case. “I think we’re too late for that.” She felt her mother’s gaze
burning a hole in her back. “I’ll just take it inside now.”

“Who’s that in the truck?” Rachel asked.

Noah turned briefly to throw a disgusted look toward his
passenger. “Avery. I have to take him to my office. Start writing up the
paperwork to charge him.”

“Isn’t this evidence?” Alana asked, nodding at her luggage and
purse.

“Yeah, technically.” Noah gave a small guilty shrug and glanced
at Eleanor. “I figured you need your things, so don’t worry about it. I’ll make
it work.”

The sound of the truck door opening drew everyone’s attention.
Avery ambled around the hood, his bowlegged gait slowing him down. His eyes went
to Eleanor and lit up. He spit into his palm and smoothed back his wiry hair.
Alana heard her mother’s soft gasp of disgust.

“Dammit, Avery, what did I tell you?” Noah said, his voice low
and stern. “Get back in the truck or I’m cuffing you.”

“I just wanna apologize to Miss Alana, Sheriff.” He looked
over, but had trouble meeting her eyes. “Didn’t mean no harm.” Then he grinned
at Eleanor. “You’re even prettier than you sounded on the phone.”

That startled a laugh out of Alana.

Her mother stiffened. “I’d like to go inside now,” she said in
a voice that brooked no argument. Ignoring Avery, Noah and even Rachel, she gave
Alana a censuring gaze. “Coming?”

Alana gripped her purse strap tighter. “I’ll take this,” she
said, not surprised when Noah promptly released the handle of her bag. “Thank
you,” she added, hoping desperately that by the time she had a chance to
explain, he’d still want to hear it. She met his eyes, then wished she hadn’t.
Hard to miss his disappointment. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”