Gift-Wrapped Family. Lois Richer
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like the way he studied her with his silver-cold eyes. Nor did she like how his tall muscular body invaded the place where she’d mostly lived alone. She especially didn’t like the calculation in his voice, as if he expected to catch her in a lie.
Caleb’s suggestion that Harlan had been unfaithful stung. The situation hadn’t been ideal, but she’d done her best to be a good wife after a simple ceremony at city hall had joined them in holy matrimony. No, they didn’t share a strong, fairy-tale love. But he’d kept her safe after her mother died and she was grateful. Mia mourned his death. Now she was all alone.
But even though they hadn’t really been married, not the way other couples were, that didn’t mean Harlan would have done what Caleb Grant said.
On the tail of those thoughts, snippets of details dawned. Hadn’t she always felt uneasy over Harlan’s frequent late-night meetings with Reba? And the way Reba touched his shoulder so fondly before jerking her hand away when she realized Mia had come to the office for her one and only visit? That had stuck in Mia’s mind for ages, especially after Harlan had ordered her to stay away. But that didn’t mean...
She shoved her wayward thoughts out of her mind. She’d think about Harlan and Reba later. Right now Caleb Grant was here. He was a lawyer. Maybe he’d have some advice that could help sort out her pressing financial problems. Inhaling a breath of courage, she dived in.
“Caleb, this land, er, ranch you speak of Harlan owning. Where is it?”
“Riverbend Ranch is outside Buffalo Gap, about thirty-five miles from here.” Caleb’s innocent gaze turned cunning. “Do you know of it?”
He’d seen her reaction to that name, so there was no point in pretending. Mia rose, walked to her big battered desk and removed a thin file. She held it out.
“What’s this?” he asked, taking it from her.
“It’s about Harlan’s estate, according to Trent, Harlan’s partner and also my lawyer.” She sat down, lifted her cup and took a refreshing drink. “Go ahead and look. Riverbend is a lawsuit my husband was handling, if I understand those papers correctly.”
His eyes searched hers. Mia held it until—there went her stomach again, clenching and whirling as if some flu bug had hold of it. A minute earlier she’d felt perfectly fine, but now she closed her eyes and waited for her stomach to settle.
“Are you all right?” Caleb’s eyes bored into hers.
“A little flu. I hope you don’t catch it.” Mia sat perfectly still, hands in her lap. When he didn’t move she said, “Please read it. I’ll wait.”
She watched him, amazed by the speed with which he scanned the documents she’d taken hours to peruse. Less than two minutes later he looked up, his mouth stretched tight in a grim line.
“You see? There’s nothing about a ranch or money,” she said, her voice dropping at the stern look on his face. “I’m not lying.”
“This is all Trent gave you? Nothing more?”
Mia shook her head.
“Did you sign anything recently?” Caleb voice was tight and sharp.
“Of course. There were a number of papers Trent needed me to sign to deal with my husband’s estate.” She shivered, intensely disliking this inquisition but not sure how to stop it.
Caleb had said he was a lawyer and she was sure he was a good one, though she’d never heard of this adoption agency, Family Ties. But as a lawyer he would know how to get people to say things—she should be on guard. He might actually be from some collection company.
“Do you have copies of what you signed?” Caleb demanded.
“No. Trent said he’d copy them at the office and bring them back. He hasn’t yet returned with them.” Something in the frost of his silver-steel eyes made her shiver. “Is—is anything wrong?” she asked hesitantly, and reared back when he nodded.
“Yes. I think quite a lot is wrong.” Caleb closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. “Mia, this will be hard to hear, but you must listen because it’s the truth. I’ve been investigating your husband’s affairs, for Lily’s sake. Nothing I’ve found indicates he was hard up for money or that he or Trent had taken on a new client in months.”
“But that can’t be.” She struggled to sort it out and looked at him. She saw nothing but honesty in his expression. Could it be true? “Then, what were he and Reba doing on all these trips?”
“That’s what we need to discover.” Caleb glanced at his ringing phone, read the message and frowned. When he lifted his gaze to hers, the icy anger made her shiver. “Did you know your lawyer filed documents this morning seeking to take over all your affairs because he says you are incompetent?”
“What?” Mia couldn’t believe Trent would do such a thing.
“We need to act fast to protect you. Call Trent,” Caleb ordered. “Ask him to come here. Beg if that will get him here immediately.”
“Why?” She was afraid to trust Caleb, to trust anyone, yet there was something in Caleb’s hard, cold eyes that reassured her he would not be part of any wrongdoing.
She didn’t truly trust him, but if he was right about Trent, who else could she turn to for help? She picked up the phone and pressed in her lawyer’s number.
“Trent, it’s Mia. Can you c-come here? P-please? It’s urgent.” She listened to his gruff excuses but said nothing. Finally he agreed. “Th-thank you.” She hung up.
“Well?” Caleb Grant’s silver eyes probed hers.
“H-he’ll be here in half an hour. But I have no idea what I’ll say to him. What do I do?” Even asking the question scared Mia.
“I’ll speak for you.” Caleb’s fierce glare faded slightly. “I know it hurts and you don’t want to think about it right now, but Harlan Granger was not the man you thought he was and neither is his partner. Something’s been going on, something more than an affair. I intend to find out what. Okay?”
A picture of Harlan and Reba together, laughing and loving, sharing a child, while she sat alone, would not leave Mia’s mind. Her husband had always been cool, distant and businesslike. He’d promised her mother he’d care for her. Surely he couldn’t, wouldn’t have turned to another... Suddenly her stomach heaved and Mia could think of nothing but escape.
“Excuse me.” She hurried to the bathroom, where she was violently sick.
Oh, Lord, I feel so bad. And something is terribly wrong. Please help me.
She’d barely had a chance to regain her breath when he rapped on the door.
“I’m all right,” she called, irritated by her weak voice. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
“We need to hurry.” Caleb’s voice left little room for argument. In fact, he was leaning against the hall table impatiently tapping his foot when she emerged. Feeling disheveled and weaker than she’d ever been, Mia walked slowly to the sunroom and sat down. She reached out to take her cup, but Caleb ordered, “Don’t touch that.”
Mia flinched and drew her hand away. “Why?”
“I believe there’s something in your tea that makes you sick.” His tone was harsh.
“Caleb, that’s ridiculous,” she burst out. Maybe he was wrong about Harlan... “Trent would never—”
“I’m pretty sure he’s done it before,” he said, certainty in his voice. “You’ve been drinking the stuff for days and you’ve felt ill about that long, right?”
“Yes. But—” Mia stared at her cup as frightening scenarios played through her mind.
“That tea should be tested. The police will be here shortly.”