Tracie Peterson - [Desert Roses 01] (27 page)

Instead of getting angry, both men smiled at her. “Miss Keegan, that certainly doesn’t imply murder,” Stokes said. “I can understand you’re filled with worry over your mother’s
situation. So much so, no doubt, that you would say anything to keep her from going to jail for your father’s murder.”

At this Alex decided she’d had enough. She’d hoped they might listen, but she could see that they believed her to be nothing more than a faithful daughter lying for her guilty mother. Getting to her feet, Alex looked first to the sheriff and then to Mr. Stokes. “I’m a Christian woman. I am not in the habit of lying. I’ve answered your questions as best I can. Good day.” She crossed to the door and opened it.

“Miss Keegan, please sit down. We’re not finished with you yet,” Stokes said sternly.

Alex felt the room close in as the sheriff got to his feet. “There are some important questions that we, as of yet, do not have answers for.”

“Such as?” “Well, for starts, it’s been suggested that you or your mother might have hired someone to kill your father.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Alex froze in place, unspoken words stuck permanently in her throat. She looked at Mr. Stokes, unable to read from his expression whether or not he took the comment seriously.

“Please sit down, Miss Keegan, you look rather pale.” She shook her head, almost afraid that if she did as she was told, they might actually find a way to accuse her and judge her guilty.

“Someone remembered you threatening Mr. Harper,” the sheriff threw in. “You said something about pushing him over the edge. Do you remember that?”

Alex thought back to her first encounter with Joel Harper. The night he’d pinched her and caused her to break a tray full of dishes. He’d wanted her to join him at the rim after dinner, and she’d said . . . The memory sickened her. She’d joked about pushing him over the edge. Someone in Winthrop’s party had obviously shared that little story with the sheriff and Mr. Stokes. No doubt that someone was Joel Harper or Valerie Winthrop. Both had reasons to implicate her.

“Miss Keegan, you must admit it looks rather suspicious that you would suggest such a thing in regard to Mr. Harper, only to have it later happen to your father,” Stokes said softly. “Given the things your father did to bring embarrassment and disgrace on you and your mother, perhaps you felt you needed to take matters in your own hands, eh?”

“I can’t believe this,” Alex said, finally finding the words. “I would never hurt anyone. I can’t even imagine resolving my problems in such a manner.”

The sheriff laughed in a humorless manner. “You imagined it quick enough when putting Mr. Harper in his place.”

“People have fallen over the edge before. The canyon is full of dangers and it is something often spoken about amongst the workers here. After all, we live with this danger on a daily
basis. I wasn’t serious about what I implied, I was trying to defuse a rather testy moment. Mr. Harper was being too free with his hands and needed to be put in his place. As for the similarities, hear me once and for all. I didn’t kill my father, nor did I hire it done. I resent that you would question my character when you know nothing of me.”

“We can only go on what we’ve been told in our investigation. Do you have someone who can vouch for your character?”

Alex could scarcely believe this line of questioning. “I, for one, can vouch for the character of this woman,” Luke Toland said, joining the party uninvited. “But since I’m also a suspect in this whole sordid affair, that probably doesn’t hold much weight. I’m sure Mrs. Godfrey and at least a dozen other people, however, could vouch for Miss Keegan. I heard what you just said, and I can tell you from my knowledge of her over the past four years, there’s no way in the world she’d even consider such a thing. Now, I’d personally like to talk to whoever is telling such lies.”

Luke took a protective stand at Alex’s side. In spite of his casted forearm, he looked for all purposes like a lion about to spring should anyone threaten his lair.

“Now, mister, don’t go getting all uppity and stickin’ your nose in where it don’t belong,” the sheriff said, coming from around the desk. “This is a private matter.”

“Hardly,” Luke replied, the anger building. “I’m Lucas Toland. I was summoned here to speak to a Mr. Stokes, and I’m supposing that’s one of the two of you.”

“I’m Stokes.” “Yeah, well, I’m not impressed. Is it your plan to badger my friend and her mother? Because if it is, I’m going to have to put a stop to it.”

“I’m sorry, but this young woman and her mother are suspects in this investigation. By your own acknowledgment, you are also a suspect, Mr. Toland. After all, you were with Mrs. Keegan when the murder was discovered. For all I know, you
and Mrs. Keegan were lovers and you did the old man in so that you could run away together. Or perhaps you were paid by Miss Keegan and her mother to kill Rufus Keegan.”

“Of all the low down . . .” Luke stepped forward, grabbing Stokes by the lapels of his suit. His broken wrist seemed to cause him little trouble in getting his point across. “You have no right to talk in such a vulgar manner—especially in front of a lady.”

“You seem awfully upset and defensive for someone who is claiming innocence,” the sheriff said, reaching out to push Luke back.

“I ought to deck the both of you, and were I not a Christian, I might do just that.”

“And you’d go to jail too,” the sheriff said. “I’m Sheriff Bingham, and I won’t tolerate any cowboys coming between me and truth. I’ve dealt with your kind before, and I can see to it that you’re no trouble to me at all.”

Alex felt as though she were watching a play. Worse yet, she felt she had been pulled from the audience and forced into a part she didn’t know. She waited for someone to tell her what her lines should be—where she should stand—but no one said a word.

Without warning her eyes filled with tears and a sob broke from somewhere deep in her chest. Her breath came in ragged gasps. “Stop!” she screamed. “Stop it now!”

She turned and ran down the hall and out the hotel. She didn’t stop running until she was well down the rim path, past the Lookout, past the studios. She was nearly to the Bright Angel Trailhead when Luke caught up with her and took hold of her. Spinning her around, he pulled her into his arms with such force that he nearly knocked the wind out of her as she slammed against his chest.

Spending her tears against his well-worn shirt, Alex didn’t fight his hold. She felt such hopelessness, such despair. Luke was keeping her from throwing herself over the edge—maybe not literally, but certainly figuratively.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she said, clinging to him tightly, almost afraid he’d push her away.

“I know, darlin’, and I’m sorry.” “It’s just too much, given everything else.”

Luke gently tipped her chin up so she was forced to look into his eyes. “As much as I love holding you, why don’t we sit down and talk this out? I want you to tell me everything. I want to talk about us.”

His words brought back her biggest fears. Fears of Luke going away. Fears of him siding with the Winthrops. She loosened her hold and her words tumbled out. “I don’t know if I can. I don’t know that it would be a good idea. I know you have plans. Plans that will take you away from here—from me.”

“They don’t have to, Alex.”

She looked up and met his warm expression. “But I know about the ranch—about Valerie Winthrop and her father.”

“What are you talking about?”

Alex shook her head. “You don’t have to hide it. You don’t have to worry about my feelings. I already know. Miss Winthrop told me everything.”

“Then maybe somebody better tell me, because I don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about.”

Alex had never known Luke to lie to her. She studied him for a moment, then raised her apron to dry her eyes. Swallowing hard, she drew a deep breath. “Miss Winthrop told me her father had offered you a ranch in Wyoming—a ranch that you would manage as your own. She said the senator thought you would make a good husband and . . . father. . . . I just figured . . .”

“You figured wrong,” Luke said. He reached out and took her face in his hands.

The hardness of the cast’s molding around his left hand rubbed against her cheek, but she didn’t care.

“Alex, you figured this all wrong. I should have straightened
this out weeks ago when I had the chance. Maybe even months ago.”

Alex felt her heart race, and a tingling started where he had touched her cheeks. The sensation edged along her neck and spread throughout her body.
What’s happening to me? Is this love? Am I in love with Luke Toland?

She moaned slightly at the thought.
I can’t be falling in love—not now
. “But you said . . . I mean when I mentioned the ranch you didn’t deny it.”

“I’m buying my own ranch,” Luke replied. “My brother sent me an advertisement about a ranch in Wyoming. It was just about the right size and already had a place to live and outbuildings. It had nothing to do with the Winthrops.”

“But Miss Winthrop said . . .” “Miss Winthrop is a liar,” Luke said firmly.

He continued to rub his thumbs against her cheeks. Alex felt as if her face were on fire. “But you’re still going away.”

“Not without you,” he replied, lowering his mouth to hers. “Not ever.”

His kiss was slow and sweet. He pressed his right hand against the back of her head as if to pull her more deeply into the experience. Alex felt herself yield to the warmth and sensation of falling. Nothing like this had ever happened to her, not in all her life.

He lingered over the kiss, then pressed his lips against her cheek, her nose, her eyes. “Ah, Alex, do you know how long I’ve waited to do this? How much I’ve longed for this . . .” His voice trailed off as his mouth came back to hers. He kissed her again, then pulled away.

Alex, lost in the feeling of free falling, felt as though she’d landed rather abruptly. Opening her eyes, she looked at Luke, struggling to regain control of her breathing.

“Alex, I’m buying the ranch in order to offer you a home. You and your mother, if she’ll join us.”

“I don’t think that would . . . I think . . .” She shook her head. “I can’t think.”

Luke laughed and wrapped her in his embrace. “You don’t need to think right now. Just say yes.”

“Yes? Yes to what?”

He laughed even harder. “I guess I never did ask you, did I?” She shook her head again, not at all sure she understood what was happening.

“I’m asking you to marry me, Alex.”

Her thoughts cleared with those few words. Suddenly ugly memories of her father’s infidelity came rushing back. Other images came too. Valerie Winthrop with her arms wrapped around Luke. Joel Harper’s unwelcome advances. It was too much, and Alex pushed Luke away and started to walk up the path.

“Wait! What are you doing?” “I don’t know,” she said, refusing to stop or even look at him.

“Then come back here and talk to me.” “I don’t think I can.”

Luke took hold of her arm and drew her back around. “I think you’d better.”

“It’s just that . . . oh, Luke, you’ve been a dear friend to me. You’ve been the only man I could talk to and feel safe with.”

“So what’s the problem?” Luke asked, his brows knitting together in worry.

“Marriage is built on trust and love. I don’t know that I could ever trust any man. That’s why I’ve always avoided any kind of relationship. Any kind except the friendship I have with you.”

Luke grinned. “Let’s deal with one thing at a time. First, you said marriage is built on trust and you struggle with that. But I notice you didn’t say anything about struggling with the love part.”

Alex felt her cheeks grow hot. “I can’t talk about love when I can’t figure out the trust issue. I mean, what about the past? What about my father and people like him?”

“Do you think I’m like him?” Luke asked seriously.

“I . . . never . . .” She looked away. “I don’t think you’re like him, but you’re a man. Flesh and blood. Men have been unfaithful since the beginning of time. There are all kinds of examples in the Bible.”

“Alex, I don’t deserve your distrust based on the actions of someone else. If that were the case, I could say that you were just like Miss Winthrop or those trollops your father dallied with. I saw you in Joel Harper’s arms the other night. I could accuse you of throwing yourself at him, and in fact, I did worry that maybe you’d gone to him for help, but Michaela set me straight.”

“You’d really think me capable of—”

He put his finger to her lips. “I was wrong to suspect without any basis for the truth. I let presumption push me to suspicion. Just as you’re doing with me.”

His statement struck a nerve and hit her heart straight on. She’d never considered how it might be if someone perceived her on the same scale. She suddenly felt very ashamed of her attitude. Every man deserved to be dealt with as an individual. They weren’t all men like her father . . . or Joel Harper.

“Oh, Luke, I’m sorry. Of course you’re right. I never thought of it that way. It’s just that I’ve been so surrounded with men who—”

“The past is not important, Alex. I’m asking you to put the past behind you and build a future . . . with me.”

She looked into Luke’s eyes and saw the love reflected there—love for her. It wasn’t fair to believe him to be like her father or his cronies. It wasn’t right to anticipate that he would cheat on her should she marry him. But the problem wasn’t with Luke, she realized. The problem was with herself.

“I’m sorry, Luke. I’ve been so unfair to you. I don’t deserve your kindness or your . . . your . . .”

“Love?” he asked, reaching up to touch her cheek. He gently stroked the smooth skin of her face, mesmerizing her with gentleness.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Alex, I don’t love you because you deserve it, although you do. I love you because of who you are and who I am with you. I’m a different man with you, a man I can live with. My heart used to be all hard and bitter before you came into my life. Now I know God really cares about me, and I believe He’s brought us together for a reason.”

He moved to draw her into his arms once again. The cast felt cold against her shoulder, but his embrace warmed her to the core. How could she possibly walk away and never experience this warmth again?