To Claim a Wife by Fox Susan

Author:Fox, Susan [Fox, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-05-26T22:00:00+00:00

The next afternoon, Reno came home from the hospital for a shower and fresh clothes. He took care of a little book work while he was there, but he was in a hurry to get back to the ICU. Lucky Reed caught him in the den as he was finishing up.

“How’s Miz Caitlin?” The old cowhand’s weathered face was lined with concern. Reno had called him last night and again that morning, but that was hours ago now.

Reno motioned for him to sit and Lucky eased himself onto one of the wing chairs. “Still unconscious when I left. The hospital hasn’t called with any change, so she must be the same.”

Lucky gave him a searching look. “You gonna spend time up there with her?” As if he realized the question was forward, he added, “You bein’ the only close family she’s got left.” The statement told Reno what Lucky expected of Madison St. John.

“Unless her cousin comes back early from New York.” Reno watched the old cowboy. He knew what was coming. He could tell by the determined glint in the old man’s eyes. Lucky glanced down at the floor for several moments as if collecting his thoughts, and Reno waited until Lucky’s gaze came up to his.

“When Miz Caitlin was gone, there wasn’t much point in tryin’ to talk to you. You never seemed inclined to hear the whole story, and Jess would never’ve let her come home anyway.” He looked down to pinch the crease of the battered hat he held in his work-scarred hands. “She’s been back long enough for the two of you to settle your differences,” he said, then looked up again. “Have you?”

Reno didn’t take offense at the question, though they both knew Lucky was out of line. “We’ve got more than differences between us.”

Lucky shook his head. “You can fire me if you like, Boss, but if the two of you ain’t settled things, then I gotta speak up.”

Suddenly restless, Reno leaned back in the swivel chair and rested his elbows on the chair arms. He respected the man’s age and good character too much to refuse to hear him out. “I heard your testimony.”

“Yep, you did. But you didn’t hear the whole of it. I don’t reckon ol’ Jess woulda told you anything, if he could even tell the truth anymore.”

Reno’s gaze narrowed on the cowhand’s face. “Are you saying Jess lied?”

Lucky gave a nod. “Yessir, I am. Besides bein’ a spiteful man, he lied at the inquest about worryin’ over Miz Caitlin and goin’ out to search. Weren’t nobody out lookin’ for her. On top of which, there weren’t much Jess ever told about that girl that was the whole truth.” He shook his head. “Never made sense how he treated her, but he’s dead now. I figger it’s left to the livin’ to make things right.”

The solemn pronouncement was the lead-in to a recitation of what Lucky had seen of Jess’s relationship with his only child. As Reno had begun to suspect, Jess had been anything but loving and kind to his daughter.

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