No Red Roses: A Loveswept Classic Romance (Santa Flores) (19 page)

Rex muttered something under his breath that sounded like a shocking obscenity.

“What newspaper story?” Tamara asked carefully.

“Haven’t you seen it? I picked up a copy at a drugstore in San Francisco yesterday. I usually don’t buy those scandal sheets, but I saw Rex’s name and thought I’d see what was up.” Jenny pushed back her chair. “I’ll go get it.”

Tamara glared at Rex and Oliver, who both looked distinctly uncomfortable. “I gather this is no surprise to either of you?” she asked.

Oliver shook his head. “We saw it day before yesterday. Rex decided it would just upset you so we didn’t show it to you.”

“How considerate of Rex,” she said between clenched teeth.

“The article was already on the streets and there was nothing anyone could do about it,” Rex said, scowling. “Your seeing it would have accomplished nothing.”

Jenny came hurrying back and handed the paper to Tamara before resuming her seat. “The picture is rather good of you,” she said cheerfully. “Of course, the story itself is pure hog-wash.”

Tamara scanned the story hurriedly. “Oh no,” she moaned. The scandal sheet had made her out to be a sort of benevolent white witch, casting spells and drawing up horoscopes. She read on hurriedly. They’d even brought in Aunt Elizabeth’s psychic reputation in Somerset. How had they found out about that?

“I’ve got to phone Aunt Elizabeth,” she said, scrambling to her feet.

“There’s an extension in the hall,” Jenny told her.

There was no answer at Aunt Elizabeth’s, which only increased her worry. When she resumed her seat at the breakfast table, she distractedly pushed back her plate. “There’s no answer,” she said briefly, as she picked up her coffee cup. “I’ll have to try later.”

“There were just three lines in the article about your aunt, Tamara,” Rex reminded her softly. The gentleness she’d yearned for was in his eyes, but she was in no mood for it now.

“There wouldn’t have been anything at all if you hadn’t given out that crazy story,” she said, glaring at him. “If you’ve hurt Aunt Elizabeth, I’ll murder you, Rex Brody!”

“You’re jumping to conclusions,” he said, frowning. “You don’t know if she’s even seen it yet.”

Jenny looked from one belligerent face to another and hastily rose to her feet. “If you don’t want any more breakfast, Tamara, why don’t we
get on our way?” She turned to Rex. “If I don’t see you before I leave for the ranch, break a leg tonight.”

“Thanks, Jenny,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. He turned a flinty stare on Tamara. “I’ll see
you
at dinner,” he said commandingly.

Before Tamara could form a fittingly indignant answer to this arrogance, Jenny had whisked her from the room. Five minutes later they’d left the apartment and were on their way down to the carpark and Jenny’s cream-colored Mercedes.

The next few hours cemented a friendship between the two women. After the brief civic meeting, Jenny took Tamara to her favorite tearoom for lunch. They became so involved in exploring their mutual interests and backgrounds they never did make the proposed shopping expedition.

After their third cup of coffee, Jenny leaned back in her chair and made a confession in her usual frank manner. “You know, I was quite prepared to detest you when Rex called and asked permission to bring a guest with him to stay at the apartment. He’d never brought a woman
with him before, and after I saw that story in the newspaper I was sure some vamp had gotten her claws into him.” She grinned sheepishly. “Rex is very special to Steve and me. That’s the real reason I came back early from San Francisco. I wanted to protect him from your evil wiles.”

Tamara shook her head. “Rex is quite able to take care of himself from what I’ve seen,” she said dryly.

Jenny lifted a skeptical brow. “Rex has a soft streak where his friends are concerned. He’s fantastically loyal; he’d walk on hot coals to help a friend. I thought perhaps you’d managed to tap that core of loyalty.”

“Well, you needn’t worry. I’m not about to try to shear your little lamb,” Tamara replied. On the contrary, she thought miserably, she was the one that had been left unhappy and vulnerable by their relationship to date.

“Oh, I knew that the minute I saw your face when you caught me in Rex’s arms yesterday,” Jenny said serenely. “I never saw anyone so shocked or heartbroken. I was quite relieved.” Her eyes grew serious as she continued. “The
real reason I wanted to get you alone was I wanted to explain something about Rex. I couldn’t help but notice you were at each other’s throats this morning, and I know the reason is none of my business.” She looked down at her coffee thoughtfully. “Sometimes Rex can be very defensive. He had a childhood that would have permanently scarred most people—a mother who drank herself to death when he was thirteen, a father who deserted him and left him to fend for himself on the streets. His Aunt Margaret is the only one who ever displayed any family affection for him, and she didn’t appear on the scene until after his father died when Rex was sixteen. It’s a wonder that Rex lets anyone close to him. I just wanted to ask you to try to be patient with him.”

Tamara’s lips twisted wryly. “At the moment that request borders on the impossible.”

Jenny sighed. “Well, I tried.” She changed the subject briskly. “Are you going to Rex’s opening show tonight?”

Tamara’s lips tightened and her violet eyes clouded stormily as she remembered Rex’s dictatorial
demand that she join him for dinner. “I most certainly am not,” she said tersely.

Jenny eyed her shrewdly. “Nor are you going to show up for dinner.” It was a statement, not a question.

Tamara shook her head.

“I didn’t think so,” Jenny said, her eyes dancing. “Rex
was
a bit autocratic. May I suggest an alternate plan for the evening?”

“Be my guest,” Tamara answered promptly. There was no way she wanted to be alone today. Between worrying about Aunt Elizabeth, and her depression and annoyance with Rex, she needed Jenny’s cheerful presence as a bulwark.

Jenny’s silver eyes were eager with excitement as she leaned forward. “Let’s go to Lucky Creek tonight.”

Tamara stared in surprise. “To that kooky witches’ coven? But that was just a practical joke.”

“But what if it wasn’t?” Jenny asked excitedly. “Wouldn’t you like to get a peek at a real witches’ coven? And ghost towns are fascinating places, Tamara. That alone would be worth the drive.”

Tamara frowned doubtfully. “I don’t know if I like the idea of surprising a bunch of weirdos in a deserted ghost town.”

“Oh, we wouldn’t let them see us. We’d just take a peek at what was going on and then leave.”

Why not? Maybe it
would
be interesting, and Tamara couldn’t find it in her heart to disappoint Jenny. The other woman’s face was as radiant as that of a child expecting a birthday treat.

“What time do you think we should leave?” she asked indulgently.

“First we’ll go back to the apartment and check the location of Lucky Creek and see how far it is,” Jenny said briskly. “Steve gave me a map that lists all of Nevada’s ghost towns.”

The following hours flew by on wings supplied by one Jenny Jason, who proved a dynamo of activity. After discovering to her pleased surprise that Lucky Creek was only about fifteen miles from her ranch, she’d insisted on Tamara leaving with her immediately for her home and spending the evening there before they began their witch
hunt. After Tamara complied with Jenny’s imperious order that she change to jeans and a black shirt for their midnight jaunt, they set out for Jenny’s ranch.

The Jason ranch house was a gem of a Spanish hacienda with a rambling white stucco façade. Exquisite wrought iron grillwork fronted the windows and there was a beautiful courtyard, complete with a graceful fountain. The interior was just as lovely, furnished in beauty and comfort, but still retaining a warm, glowing hominess. Or perhaps the glow was provided by Jenny and the inhabitants of the gracious hacienda, Tamara thought, with a touch of wistfulness.

That evening she enjoyed a magnificent meal provided by Jenny’s cook, Mike Novacek, who seemed to be more family than employee. She even met Mike’s wife, Connie, a sandy-haired beauty with a superb figure and the warmth and gentleness that seemed to be inherent in the people living in this wonderful house. Connie was acting as nanny for Jenny’s son, Sean, and was utterly besotted with the two-year-old pixie.
Tamara could readily see why when she met the young heir. His golden hair, silver eyes, and smile that would melt an iceberg made her his immediate slave.

It was eleven-thirty when Tamara and Jenny left the ranch and almost midnight before they reached the outskirts of Lucky Creek. Tamara’s apprehension had been growing by leaps and bounds during the drive.

As Jenny parked the Mercedes in a grove of cottonwoods a little distance from the town itself, Tamara ventured a tentative comment. “It looks deserted. Perhaps it was just a practical joke after all.”

Jenny shook her head, her silver eyes shining with excitement as they searched the deserted streets and ramshackle wooden buildings for signs of life. “I’m sure it was legitimate. Don’t be discouraged. A coven wouldn’t exactly advertise its presence. It’s not their style. We’ll just have to do some reconnoitering until we find where they’re meeting.” She quickly jumped out of the car and set off briskly toward the main street of the ghost town.

Tamara followed more slowly, a wry smile curving her lips. Discouraged! She would have liked nothing better than to give up this little adventure and was fervently berating herself for the impulse that had led her to give in to Jenny’s persuasions. This desolate and deserted place filled her with a nameless uneasiness. The dark, gaping windows seemed to be watching them as they made their way down the overgrown, rutted main street, and there was an odd aura of something waiting beyond those dark windows and boarded-up doors.

Tamara shivered uncontrollably, and Jenny glanced at her curiously. “Are you cold?” she asked. “Perhaps you’d better go back to the car and get a jacket. There’s no telling how long it will take to run down our hosts at this little clambake.” Jenny seemed to feel none of the chilling emanations that were plaguing Tamara, and her voice was cheerful.

Tamara shook her head and made an effort to shrug off the cold lethargy that was beginning to invade her. “I’m fine,” she said lightly. “Perhaps a goose walked over my grave.” She made a
face. “Speaking of graveyards, this has got to be the spookiest place it’s ever been my misfortune to encounter. I can’t understand your fascination with ghost towns, I’m sorry to say.”

“Do you find it frightening?” Jenny asked, her eyes widening in surprise. “I think these old towns are just wonderful.” She gazed around with infinite satisfaction. “They have such a lovely, nostalgic atmosphere.”

“I guess I’m becoming a bit imaginative,” Tamara said, her violet eyes twinkling. “It goes with the territory when you’ve lived all your life with a psychic like Aunt Elizabeth.”

They’d come almost to the end of the street without seeing any signs of life, much to Tamara’s fervent relief. Perhaps a little further search and she could persuade Jenny to return to the car and leave this weird place.

“There it is!” Jenny clutched her arm suddenly and pointed to a building on their left with a broken seesaw in the front yard.

“But that’s a schoolhouse,” Tamara protested, with an obscure sense of shock. “And it seems as deserted as all the other buildings.”

“It
was
a schoolhouse,” Jenny whispered, her voice tense with excitement. “But that was over a hundred years ago. It would be ideal as a meeting place for any large group. Besides, I’m sure I saw a flicker of light at that right front window. Come on, let’s see if we can get closer.”

She was already moving silently toward the window and Tamara reluctantly followed her. The window was almost completely covered by a thick layer of dust and for a moment Tamara could see nothing. Then, with a chill chasing down her spine, she saw the flickering lights Jenny had mentioned.

“They must have candles,” Jenny whispered in her ear. “Can you hear anything they’re saying?”

Tamara shook her head. The barely distinguishable figures in the room were curiously shapeless and their voices almost entirely inaudible.

Suddenly the door opened and a large, black-robed figure stepped outside, not ten feet from where Jenny and Tamara crouched. Her heart suddenly pounding in her breast, Tamara groped for Jenny’s hand and began pulling her away.
Despite her earlier excitement, Jenny showed no reluctance to leave now.

The figure had turned slightly so that his back was partially to them, and Tamara and Jenny hurried down the street as quietly as they could. By the time they could see the glimmer of the shiny, cream-colored Mercedes, they were practically running. Tamara fully expected to hear the sounds of pursuit behind them any second.

Jenny reached the driver’s side of the car several yards ahead of her, and fumbled at the door while Tamara tore around the hood of the car to the passenger door.

“Ugh!” The pained masculine grunt as she rammed full steam into a hard male body sent her into a panic. Instinctively, she knotted her fist and punched with all her strength. The man’s torso was iron hard, but she must have hurt him for he staggered against the side of the car. She had only a moment to feel a sense of smug satisfaction before he straightened, grabbed her by both arms, and shook her until her head flopped like a rag doll.

“You damn little idiot, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Rex?” she gasped unbelievingly, but there was time for no more.

They suddenly heard a shout coming from the direction of the schoolhouse. Tamara looked over her shoulder to see a number of dark figures with flickering candles, moving down the main street in their direction.

Rex swore violently and tugged open the passenger door. “Take off, Jenny,” he said sharply. “I’ll bring Tamara in my Ferrari. We’ll meet you at the turnoff for the ranch.” He slammed the door and the Mercedes took off like a Grand Prix contender.

Rex grabbed Tamara’s arm and urged her into a dead run to where the yellow Ferrari was parked by the road. She could hear him cursing steadily under his breath all the way to the car, and he almost pushed her into the passenger seat before jumping in the driver’s side and taking off with a screech of tires. They nearly went off the road as he made a U-turn and took off after the Mercedes.