The Bodyguard's Return (7 page)

He remembered Clay mentioning that Zack and Kate had done some investigating when Kate’s father had been murdered and decided to swing by the Sampson ranch on his way home.

As he pulled up in front of the ranch house he saw his brother and Kate seated on the front porch swing. Zack stood up as Joshua got out of his truck.

“Well, well, look what the wind blew in,” he said.

“Hi, Zack, Kate.” He smiled at his pretty sister-in-law. “You two got a few minutes?”

“Sure, come on in,” Kate said. “I was just about to fix us some coffee.”

Together the three of them went inside and to the kitchen, where Zack and Joshua sat at the table and Kate made the coffee.

“So, when are you coming back to work for the agency?” Zack asked the minute they got settled in the chairs.

Joshua frowned, tamping down an edge of irritation. “Why does everyone keep asking me that? Why does everyone just assume that’s what I’m going to do?”

Zack leaned back in his chair and eyed his brother in surprise. “I never understood why you wanted to do anything else. You might have been a good stockbroker, but you were a terrific bodyguard.”

Joshua waved his hand as if to physically dismiss the compliment. That’s what family did, told you
that you were good no matter what the truth was. “Actually, what I wanted to talk to you about was the investigation you did when Gray was killed.”

Kate carried coffee to the table and set a cup in front of each of the men, then slid into a chair next to Zack. “What do you want to know?” she asked.

She was a pretty woman, with long reddish-brown hair. The red shades of her hair reminded him of Savannah and that damned kiss they had shared. He shoved the memory of that brief but hot kiss aside to focus on the questions he wanted to ask.

Briefly he told them about Savannah’s suspicions and the shooting at the newspaper office. When he was finished, a deep frown cut across Zack’s forehead.

“After Gray’s death we found out that not only had Sonny Williams killed Gray, but he’d also tried several times to kill Katie.” He reached over and took his wife’s hand in his as if to assure himself that she was fine.

She flashed Zack a quick smile, then looked at Joshua. “We also found out that a deposit of a hundred thousand dollars had been deposited in Sonny’s bank account on the day my dad was killed.”

Joshua released a small whistle. “That’s not exactly chicken feed.”

Zack nodded. “We tried to chase down the source of the money, but we hit dead ends everywhere we turned.”

“When Sonny was arrested and before he was led away to jail he told us that my father’s death
wasn’t anything personal, that it was strictly business,” Kate said. “We’ve tried to follow up on what he meant, what it all means, but like Zack said, we’ve hit nothing but dead ends.”

Joshua wrapped his hands around the coffee mug. “But what you’ve told me definitely lends credence to Savannah’s notion that something is going on in this town.”

Zack and Kate exchanged glances and Zack nodded. “We’ve felt the same way, but we haven’t been able to get to the bottom of things.”

“Besides, we’ve been pretty busy here at the ranch,” Kate added. “When Dad died the ranch was in a bad financial state. Things had been neglected and it’s taken all of our time and energy to get things back into shape.” Once again she reached for Zack’s hand. “We’re slowly getting things back to what they once were, but it’s been a struggle.”

“After Gray’s death and Sonny’s arrest I talked to Jim Ramsey about my concerns and left it at that,” Zack explained.

Joshua sipped his coffee, his thoughts racing in half a dozen directions. Was Savannah right? Was she really onto something? A plot that had somebody killing the ranchers in Cotter Creek and making the deaths look like accidents? It sounded plumb crazy.

Had somebody killed Charlie and made it look like the old man had eaten his gun? But why? Why would anyone do such things?

“So, you never figured out why Sonny killed Gray?” he asked.

Kate shook her head. “That’s been one of the most difficult things of all, not knowing why Dad was killed or why Sonny tried to kill me.”

“Maybe it’s time somebody gets to the bottom of all this,” Joshua said thoughtfully.

“Let us know if there’s anything we can do to help.” A hardness swept into Zack’s green eyes. “There’s nothing we’d like more than to find out who was really responsible for Gray’s death. We know Sonny did the actual murder, but somebody paid him a lot of money to do the deed. That’s the person I want.”

Joshua nodded, finished his coffee, then stood. “I’d better get out of here and let you two enjoy the rest of your evening.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Zack rose as well and the two men walked back outside.

Of all the brothers, Zack and Joshua were the most alike in temperament. Zack was impulsive, quick to anger but equally quick to forgive. He was passionate about things he cared about, passionate about his convictions.

Zack walked with him to the pickup. “There’s been a lot of speculation that you’re going to run for sheriff in the fall,” Joshua said.

“It’s not speculation, it’s fact. Ramsey intends to retire and I’d like to take over his job.”

“So, you’ll quit working for Wild West Protective Services?”

Zack hesitated a moment, then nodded. “I feel like I’ve got more to offer to this town as sheriff than I’m willing to offer to the business.” He glanced back toward the house. “I loved working as a bodyguard, but I’m not willing to travel anymore. My life now is here with Katie.”

There was a quiet happiness in Zack’s voice that shot an unexpected wave of envy through Joshua. “I think you’ll make a great sheriff.”

Zack grinned. “Thanks, brother. I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

As Joshua drove home he thought about that unexpected emotion. What was it about seeing his brothers’ happiness with their wives that made him wish he had something like that in his own life?

Why now? When his life was so unsettled, when he had no real direction, when he was confused by who he was, separate and apart from being a West?

As he pulled up in front of the West ranch house he consciously willed his disturbing thoughts about relationships and his brothers away.

He wasn’t ready for a relationship with any woman. If he had learned nothing else in New York, he’d learned that he didn’t know how to handle women.

All he had to figure out was how to get through this investigation with Savannah, keep her safe from harm and not do anything stupid that would only complicate his life.

S
avannah stood in front of her bathroom mirror and stared at her reflection. The yellow dress she’d bought for Clay and Libby’s wedding had been a good choice. It fit her figure as if it had been specifically made for her and the color complemented both her skin tone and her red curls.

Joshua should be here within the next fifteen minutes or so to pick her up and take her to the wedding. This afternoon Clay would marry the woman he loved and another of the West men would be permanently off the dating market.

Joshua. She turned away from the mirror and returned to the bedroom where she sat on the edge of her bed.

Joshua. The past week spent in his company had been both the most exhilarating and the most frustrating she’d ever spent in her life.

Exhilarating because something about him made her heart beat just a little bit faster, made her breath come with a little more difficulty. His slow, sexy smiles didn’t come frequently, but when he gifted her with one, it sizzled through her.

She’d learned many things about Joshua West. He didn’t like to talk about himself. He had a self-confidence that at times bordered arrogance, and sometimes when he looked at her he made her forget that she wasn’t beautiful.

They’d argued politics, talked about movies and shared a fondness for apple pie and ice cream. She knew him better after the short time than she’d ever known another man in her life, and yet there were parts of him that were definitely a mystery.

She’d asked him several times to let her interview him for her column. She believed everyone would find him an interesting profile as many of the people of Cotter Creek would never get close to living in a big city like New York. But he continued to refuse.

They had spent the week digging further into the accidental deaths that had plagued the area for the past two years, but they had come up with nothing to sink their teeth in.

She felt as if somehow they were missing something, overlooking a fact that would make every
thing make sense. But for the life of her she couldn’t figure out what that might be.

She was frustrated with their failure to make any progress on the investigation but her real frustration came from the fact that each moment they were together she felt a tension that neared explosive proportions.

She wanted him. Whenever she was with him her desire for him made it difficult for her to think of anything else. She wanted him and she knew nothing good could come from it.

It had been over a week and nothing more had happened to make her think she might be in any danger. She’d definitely begun to believe that the shooting that night at the newspaper office was either the work of a drunk or bored kids looking for a little excitement.

After the wedding this afternoon she intended to tell Joshua that his bodyguard responsibilities weren’t needed any longer. It was getting more and more difficult to spend time around him and not think about that kiss.

That kiss. That brief, unexpected kiss that had rocked her world, weakened her knees and made her want more from him than he would ever be willing to give to her.

Yes, it was time she gained some distance from him and she intended to tell him. Glancing at her dainty gold wristwatch she realized it was time for him to arrive.

“Don’t you look beautiful,” Winnie exclaimed as Savannah came down the stairs.

“Thanks. You look very nice, too.” Winnie was clad in a light blue dress with lacy accents. She was riding to the wedding with her best friend, Lillian Walker, who worked as the Cotter Creek city clerk. “I think everyone in town has been invited,” she said as she grabbed a matching beaded blue purse from the coffee table.

“Are you all going to the reception afterward?” Savannah asked. The wedding was taking place at two, and at four there was to be a huge reception at the West ranch.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Winnie said. “Red and Smokey know how to throw a party.” A honk from the driveway interrupted their conversation. Winnie looked out the window. “That’s Lillian.”

“Go on, I’ll lock up,” Savannah assured her. “We’ll see you at the church.”

She watched as Winnie joined Lillian in the car and they pulled out of the driveway and disappeared down the street. At the same time Joshua’s pickup appeared and pulled into the driveway.

She didn’t wait for him to get out of the truck, but instead grabbed her purse, locked the door and ran out to meet him.

The minute she saw him in the black tux with the cranberry-colored cummerbund and matching bow tie, the same crazy tension that had been present all week long renewed itself.

She’d seen him in jeans and knit shirts, she’d seen him in dress slacks and sports jackets, but nothing had prepared her for Joshua West in a tux.

“You look gorgeous,” she blurted out as he backed out of the driveway.

“Thanks, you look pretty hot yourself,” he returned with an easy grin.

Of course, she knew it was a lie, but she appreciated the effort on his part. “It’s a gorgeous day for a wedding,” she said. “Of course, as far as I’m concerned there isn’t a bad day for a wedding.”

“Is that what you’re waiting for? A wedding day?”

“Sure, someday I’d like to get married and have a family, but I’m not looking to make it happen anytime soon. I’m young and I’m not in a hurry. In fact, that’s the last thing on my mind these days. What about you?”

“Definitely not in the market for either.” He said the words fiercely, as if to let her know exactly where he stood on the matter. “There are some guys meant for happily ever after. I’m not one of them, at least not at this point in my life.”

“Don’t worry, Joshua. You aren’t my type anyway,” she said lightly. “When I decide to get married, I’d like the bride to be prettier than the groom and in our case that just doesn’t work.”

He cast her a sideways glance. “Why do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Why do you put yourself down like that?”

She flushed slightly. “I’m not putting myself down, I just don’t suffer any illusions about myself. I know who I am and what I have to offer. I know my strengths and my weaknesses.” She definitely knew her weaknesses, having them cataloged by her mother from the time she was a child.

He pulled into the church parking lot. He said nothing until he’d parked the truck and turned off the engine, then he turned and looked at her, his gaze enigmatic. “You want to know what I think? I think somebody definitely did a number on you and you don’t have a clue what your strengths are.”

He didn’t wait for her reply, but got out of the truck and slammed the door with more force than necessary. Moody. Definitely, the man was moody.

As they walked toward the front of the church Savannah found herself wondering about the darkness she sensed in Joshua.

There were times when his eyes were shadowed with emotion she didn’t understand, and it surprised her that she wanted to know the root of that darkness. It surprised her that she was as attracted to the inner man as she was to his outward appearance.

She found a seat in one of the back pews as Joshua disappeared to find the rest of the wedding party. She’d meet up with him again after the ceremony and they’d go together back to the West ranch for the reception.

As she waited for things to begin, she pulled out
a small notepad and made notes that would become an article for the paper.

White and burgundy roses bedecked the church, their beauty so intense it created a small ache inside her. Scented candles were lit, their flickering glows completing the romantic ambience.

When the men took their places near the minister and the traditional music began to play, a swell of emotion filled her.

Weddings always made her cry and the tears began the minute Libby’s daughter, Gracie, began her walk down the aisle as flower girl. She looked like a miniature fairy princess in a billowing white dress and with her pale blond hair falling in ringlets down her back. As she walked and dropped rose petals, she smiled at the man who would be her official daddy when the ceremony was finished.

Clay stood at the front of the church, his brothers beside him as groomsmen. Her gaze lingered on Joshua, who looked slightly ill at ease but handsome as the devil. Clay smiled at the little flower girl, and she hurried her footsteps, almost skipping toward him.

As the bridesmaids began their march down the aisle her throat closed up as her tears increased. Meredith was first, looking more lovely and put together than Savannah had ever seen her. Then came Kate and Anna and another woman Savannah didn’t recognize. One more lovely than the next in their cranberry-colored dresses and with flowers decorating their hair.

By the time Libby appeared in a stunning wedding gown and made her regal walk toward Clay, Savannah dug into her purse for a tissue.

Clay’s face lit at the sight of his bride, his gaze filled with such love it was palpable in the air.

It was at that moment Savannah knew she’d lied to Joshua. She’d basically told him that love and marriage wasn’t important to her, but that wasn’t true.

There was a deep core of loneliness inside her, one that had ached inside her for as long as she could remember. She wanted somebody in her life, somebody who would listen to her dreams and share her desire.

She was filled with the need to love, with the desire to be loved. And her greatest fear was that she’d never find her lonely cowboy, she’d never get the opportunity to see a man look at her as Clay looked at Libby.

Her greatest fear was that her mother had been right when she’d told Savannah that she’d better learn to be content alone because a happily-ever-after probably wasn’t in her future.

The white canopy shielded the wedding guests from the late afternoon sun. Beneath the canopy were tables and chairs and enough food to feed two townships.

Joshua stood near one of the food tables, a soft drink in his hand, his bow tie dangling loose. It
appeared that the whole town was here. Mayor Aaron Sharp was holding court at one of the tables, talking to several other members of the city council. Jim Ramsey sat with a couple of his deputies, looking relaxed and definitely off duty.

Red and Smokey bustled between the kitchen and the tables, making sure the platters of food remained heaping and everyone got their fill.

A local band provided the music and a wooden dance floor had been laid out on the grass. A dozen couples occupied the space, two-stepping to a Garth Brooks tune. One of those couples was his brother Dalton and Savannah.

She looked like a bright yellow daisy, warm and vibrant amid the other people on the dance floor. Yellow was definitely a good color on her.

He narrowed his gaze as he watched them dance. It was obvious Savannah didn’t know how to two-step and each time she messed up she raised her head to look at Dalton and laughed.

Heat coiled in Joshua’s stomach, a familiar heat that he felt each time he looked at her. If only he hadn’t kissed her. The kiss had been a momentary lapse of judgment he’d paid for ever since with a heightened sense of sexual desire for her.

Over the last week he’d learned several things about Savannah Clarion. She was smart and confident when she was working. She was good with people and had a sense of humor most people would envy.

But, even though she had a bravado about her, he sensed her insecurity as a woman. She obviously had no idea that she possessed an earthy sexiness that was far more interesting than traditional beauty.

She seemed to have no idea that when she smiled she lit from within and that whoever was gifted with that smile felt special. More than once she’d repeated something her mother had said to her and Joshua wouldn’t have minded taking her mother out and horse-whipping her for the insecurities she’d put in Savannah’s head.

Damn the woman anyway. He turned his back on the dance floor and instead eyed the faces of the crowd, seeking one who didn’t belong, one who might have hatred in her heart.

For the past week he’d tried to connect with Lauren, to assure himself that she was still in New York City and not someplace in Cotter Creek.

Unfortunately, he’d been unable to get in touch with her. Her answering machine picked up at her house no matter what time he’d tried to call. She was either not home or not taking calls.

He’d also made several calls to mutual friends they had shared, but none of those friends had been able to tell him where she was or what she might be doing. Nobody had seen her at the usual places for the past week.

It had been a frustrating week on all levels as far as Joshua was concerned. He’d not only fought against his own desire for Savannah and failed at
finding out what Lauren might be up to, but their investigation had stalled as well.

They had spent the week getting in touch with family members of the victims of the accidental deaths. Most had moved away, others weren’t interested in rehashing the tragedies and nothing they had learned had indicated there was foul play at hand.

And yet despite that they’d hit nothing but dead ends, over the past week Joshua’s instincts had begun to whisper that maybe Savannah was right. Maybe something bad was happening in the town he loved.

It was Charlie’s death that made him believe something wasn’t right. As the week had progressed and he’d gained some emotional distance from the trauma of finding Charlie dead, he’d found it hard to believe that Charlie would have done such a thing under his own volition.

Although his logic battled with his instinct, he’d decided to go with his instinct for the moment. He glanced back at Savannah, who had changed partners and was now dancing with Joe Steward, a middle-aged widower with four kids at home.

Joshua thought about cutting in, but the idea of holding Savannah in his arms, feeling her lush curves against him sent an uncomfortable shot of desire through him.

“Heard you’re moving.”

Joshua turned and smiled at his brother Zack. “Yeah, I’ve decided to move into the cabin.” The
cabin was a little two-bedroom place down the lane from the big house. At one time or another almost all the brothers had lived there. Zack had been the last and had left to move in with Kate.