The Texan by Joan Johnston

Author:Joan Johnston [Johnston, Joan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-57074-1
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2009-09-15T16:00:00+00:00

BLACKJACK HAD BEEN STUNNED WHEN HE ARRIVED HOME after spending Sunday afternoon with Lauren Creed, to discover his wife sitting behind his desk with a drink in her hand.

“Surprised?” she asked, as she swiveled the chair to face him.

“How the hell did you get out?” he demanded.

“The wheels of justice are slow, but they do eventually turn.”

“I was supposed to be notified when you were being released.”

She pointed to the blinking red light on his answering machine. “I believe they did call. You weren’t in.”

“How did you manage to get them to let you go?”

“I finally found a doctor and a lawyer and a judge you didn’t control,” she said with irritating calm. “And, after all, I’m not really crazy. It was a simple matter to convince the doctor that I was as sane as he was. Even simpler for the lawyer to seek a court order from the judge for my release. And here I am, a free woman.”

“You had a man murdered.”

“So you say. But really, Jackson, there just isn’t any proof. Why, you had as much reason to want Jesse Creed dead as I did. More, if you consider your behavior with the lovely widow while I’ve been locked away in that hellhole.”

Blackjack gritted his teeth. “Keep Ren out of this.”

“I wish I could,” Eve said. “I’m afraid she’s in it up to her lovely eyeballs. You’ve been a very naughty boy, Jackson.”

“I told you eighteen months ago that I wanted out.”

“Since we’re still married, your behavior is called adultery. I would hate for this to get messy, but—”

His hands tightened on the back of the horn-and-rawhide chair in front of the desk until they were white at the knuckles. “Don’t threaten me, Eve.”

“Stay away from her, Jackson. Or you won’t like what I’ll do.”

“Don’t threaten her. Or me. Or you won’t like what I’ll do,” he said furiously.

“Actually, I was thinking it might hurt you more if I take Bitter Creek away from you,” Eve said. “I can do it. Especially since you’ve provided such lovely ammunition for me to use in court. I have pictures of the two of you together.”

Blackjack felt his heart beating hard in his chest. “You hired someone to follow me?” he said through tight jaws, incensed at the thought of someone intruding on his and Ren’s privacy.

“How else was I going to keep track of you, when I was locked away behind bars?”

“Don’t push me, Eve.”

“Then stay away from that woman.”

He choked back a strangled oath.

“You don’t look well, Jackson. Have you been taking your heart medication while I’ve been gone?”

“I was fine till you walked in the door.”

“Don’t let me keep you, if you’ve got business,” she said.

“You’re sitting at my desk,” he pointed out.

She stood. “It’s all yours. I’ve accomplished all the business I had to do here today.”

It took him a full fifteen minutes to get his pulse back to normal after she’d left the room.

They avoided each other as much as possible in the days that followed.

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