CHAPTER THIRTEEN

E XPLAINING THE MURDER SITUATION TO THE EMPLOYEES DIDN'T take long. Word traveled fast in Jerome, especially at a locals hangout like the Copper Star.

In a waiting room at the Verde Valley Medical Center, Jenny sat next to Cain for almost four hours before Leslie Owens's mother, Aida, and her aunt, Betsy, arrived from Phoenix.

Neither of the women had ever met Brian Santana. Leslie had told her mother she was dating someone new, but aside from Brian being a "good-looking, very nice man," Aida knew nothing more about him.

By the time the two women arrived to take over Leslie's care, Jenny and Cain knew the woman had suffered a concussion, but not how severe it was. Leslie was still unconscious, but the doctors were optimistic. Leslie had also sustained scratches, abrasions, and bruising, some of it around her throat.

As they were leaving the hospital, Chief Nolan arrived. He spoke to them briefly, then went in to talk to Aida and Betsy.

At least for a while, Jenny's duties were over.

"The doctors are hopeful Leslie will fully recover," she said, as Cain drove back up the hill to Jerome.

"That's good news, and they should know more by tomorrow."

Jenny watched the familiar desert landscape pass by outside the pickup's window, the wide open vistas, Palo Verde trees, prickly pear, and miscellaneous cacti. The sky was clear, the sun out and shining, but a storm was on its way, predicted for the weekend.

"I keep thinking about the murder," she said. "I think Brian and Leslie got into an argument that got out of control. Brian assaulted her, and Leslie killed him trying to defend herself."

"The door was locked when you got there, so it doesn't look like anyone else was involved. If the broken basin and pitcher turn out to be the murder weapon, you could be right, killing Brian was self-defense." He turned to look at her. "Unless Leslie murdered Brian on purpose, which would change things entirely."

Jenny felt a shiver. She thought of Leslie Owens, but couldn't see her as the type to murder someone. Then again, how would she know?

"I wonder what they were fighting about that could have caused things to turn so violent," she said.

Cain's big, scarred hands remained steady on the wheel. "With any luck, Leslie will be able to tell the police when she wakes up."

Jenny glanced at Cain, at his square-jawed, handsome profile, surprised she would notice after the trauma of the last few hours.

"Do you think Chief Nolan will tell us what he finds out?"

Cain flicked her a sideways glance. "Nolan was appointed by the mayor. If he has any gratitude for my sizable contribution to the mayor's reelection campaign, he'll be more than happy to keep us informed."

Jenny fell silent. Money talks and bullshit walks , Uncle Charlie used to say. She had supported the mayor as well, mostly by putting campaign posters in the windows of the Star and passing out brochures to locals.

At least Cain's money had gone to a good man.

By the time they got back to the Copper Star, Heather had found alternate lodgings for the guests who'd been planning to check in that afternoon, and the bar had returned to normal. There was a constant buzz among the customers, but people were eating and drinking as if it were any other normal day.

"Looks like the place is back to business as usual," Cain said.

"Looks that way."

"Amazing how well our employees can get along without us."

For the first time that day, Jenny smiled. "Kind of humiliating, really."

Cain laughed. "True."

They were standing in the opening between the lobby and bar. She needed to get back to work, but somehow couldn't summon the energy.

"I have an idea," Cain said. "It's been a tough day, so I hope you'll at least consider it."

Jenny looked up at him. "Of course. How could I not after all you've done to help."

"As you just said, the Star is chugging along just fine without you. You can't do anything about the room upstairs until the police release the crime scene."

"I hadn't thought about that, but you're right."

"I think you should take the rest of the day off and all day tomorrow. You deserve it, and it'll give me a chance to show you the ranch. We'll drive up, spend the night, and I'll show you around tomorrow. I'll bring you back the next morning. What do you say?"

For a moment, Jenny just stared. "Just because I let you kiss me doesn't mean I'm going to sleep with you."

Amusement lifted a corner of his mouth. "I'm not asking you to sleep with me. I'm asking you to visit my ranch as a guest. We won't be alone. I have half a dozen ranch hands milling about, plus my housekeeper, Maria Delgado. You've already spent the night in my suite, in my bed. You were perfectly safe that night, and you'll be perfectly safe this time."

She couldn't deny Cain had been a perfect gentleman. Still . . . Jenny felt torn between wariness and interest. "What about my work at the Grandview?"

"A couple of days won't make any difference."

She wanted to go. She was attracted to Cain Barrett as she hadn't been to a man in years. It was dangerous, but also exciting to have piqued the interest of a man like Cain.

Say yes , a little voice prodded.

"You need to get away from this place for a while, and I think you know it," Cain pressed. "A few days off will give you time to put things in perspective. If your people need you, you'll only be an hour's drive away."

"What if Chief Nolan wants to talk to me about the murder?"

"As I said, you'll only be an hour away."

The last of her defenses faded. She smiled. "All right. Taking off for a couple of days sounds wonderful, and I would love to see your ranch."

Being away from town, breathing fresh air out in the open desert—the appeal was overwhelming.

Jenny thought of what had happened in the room upstairs. At least for the rest of today and tomorrow, she could leave ghosts and murder behind.

* * *

Now that things were under control, Cain finally relaxed. The moment he had seen the EMTs and police arriving at the Copper Star, fear had gripped him. He'd been sure Ryder Vance had returned and attacked Jenny.

At six-foot-three and nearly two hundred pounds, not much scared Cain. Throw in dealing with the rough crowd he'd run with as a kid and the tough men who worked the mines, and fear was an odd sensation. He'd learned to overcome it years ago.

He'd been equally surprised at the relief he'd felt when he'd discovered Jenny wasn't the victim. It made him realize how important she had become to him. It didn't mean he had fallen madly in love with her. Hell, he wasn't even sure he believed in love. It was just a bit of knowledge he would stash away to examine later.

In the meantime, he intended to enjoy her company for a couple of days while he showed her the ranch.

Cain waited at the bottom of the hotel stairs, while Jenny went up to pack a few things for the trip. A police officer escorted her past the yellow tape to her room, then stood in the hall until she was finished.

Once they were loaded into his big Dodge truck, Cain headed straight for Highway 89A. No need to stop at the Grandview. He kept plenty of clothes at the ranch.

"Might as well sit back and enjoy the ride," he said as the truck rolled down the curvy mountain road. At that altitude, they were driving through timbered forest, down to the desert floor below.

Jenny said little on the way. Emotion could be a bitch. Though she was drained and exhausted, she looked pretty, with her shiny, golden-brown curls and the tiny row of freckles across her nose.

Arousal stirred through him. He wasn't taking her to the ranch with seduction in mind, but that didn't mean he didn't still want her. Denying the strong physical attraction he felt had him a little on edge.

With the sun pouring in through the window, the cab of the truck grew warm. He glanced over to see that Jenny had fallen asleep, her head curled into her hand, propped against the warm glass. A surge of protectiveness burned through him, which seemed to be a common occurrence when Jenny was around.

Cain wasn't sure he liked it.

As he turned onto Iron Springs Road, heading toward the ranch, Jenny sat up in the passenger seat. She looked out the window to see where they were. Recognizing the road northwest out of Prescott, she turned toward him.

"I can't believe I fell asleep. Not much company, was I?"

"You needed the rest. It's been a hard day."

She raked back her curly hair and sat up a little straighter. Dusk had fallen, but as he neared the ranch, it was still light enough to see the white-fenced pastures along the road and lining both sides of the lane leading to the ranch house.

Cain pulled to a stop in front of the single-story, red-tile-roofed structure and turned off the engine. Jenny was out of the truck before he could get down from the driver's seat.

"What a beautiful place," she said, glancing around, taking in the barns, the fenced paddocks, and desert vistas surrounding the property. She looked more rested, more relaxed, and he was glad he had brought her here.

"I fell in love with the Cross Bar the first time I saw it," Cain said, grabbing her overnight bag from behind the seat. He slammed the pickup door, and they headed for the house.

Maria Delgado opened the front door. "Se?or Cain. Welcome home."

"It's only been a few days," he said, smiling. "Maria, this is Jenny Spencer. She's a friend from Jerome. She'll be staying with us for a couple of days."

Maria's black eyes swept over Jenny, who was about her same diminutive height, though Maria was older and much more robust.

Jenny smiled warmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Maria."

" Buenos días ," Maria said, but there wasn't much friendliness in the greeting. His housekeeper was extremely protective. Cain rarely brought a woman to the ranch, no one for over a year. Maria's motherly instincts had been aroused. She thought every women was after his money.

Mostly she was right.

"This way," Cain said, grabbing Jenny's bag and carrying it in through the foyer. Continuing down the long hallway in the bedroom wing, he walked past the master bedroom and put her things in the guest room next door.

Jenny walked in behind him.

"All the guest rooms have their own baths," he said. "If there's anything you need, just let me or Maria know."

"I'm sure I'll be fine." She surveyed the Southwest décor, the colorful striped fabric draped over a heavy wooden chair, the Native American blanket at the end of a queen-size bed with an ornate wooden headboard.

"Your house is lovely."

"Thank you. It's the only place I own that really feels like home."

They walked out of the guest room, back down the hall to the living room. It was also done with a Southwest flair, lots of bright-colored woven pillows and rugs, and heavy wooden furniture.

"You must be hungry," he said. "You haven't eaten anything all day but a candy bar and too much coffee at the hospital."

She looked up at him in surprise. "I hadn't really thought about it. Everything's been so chaotic, I guess I forgot."

He smiled. "Maria's a great cook. She feeds the hands at five. I called and told her we were coming but we'd be late. She'll have food for us waiting in the oven."

"Now that you mentioned it, I'm starving."

"So am I."

Maria was gone when Cain led Jenny into the dining room. But the Spanish-style table, a heavy slab of wood surrounded by ten ornate, high-backed wooden chairs, beckoned with dark red, yellow, and turquoise pottery dishes. Dark red napkins fanned out from inside thick ruby glasses.

"Grab a plate, and we'll see what's in the oven." Cain led her into the big, modern stainless kitchen, and they loaded their plates with enchiladas, rice, beans, and freshly made tortillas.

A bottle of Rioja Gran Reserve sat open on the table as they sat down, and Cain poured each of them a glass. There was no talk of murder or possible motivation, just pleasant, easy conversation about the Grandview remodel and the ranch.

When supper was over, Cain collected their plates, Jenny collected the rest of the dishes, and they carried them into the kitchen.

"What happened to Maria?" Jenny asked, glancing around.

"She has a husband at home. She'll be back first thing in the morning."

Jenny's features tightened. "You said there would be people around. You even mentioned Maria. What's going on, Cain?"

Irritation trickled through him. "As much as I would love to strip you out of those clothes and have my wicked way with you, that isn't why I brought you here. The hands sleep in the bunkhouse. You have your own room with a lock on the door. It's getting late. Why don't we just say good night now, and I'll see you in the morning."

He turned to walk away. He didn't need this. He had never disrespected Jenny Spencer. He wasn't planning to start.

Jenny stepped in front of him, her palm on his chest, blocking his way. "I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that."

Cain made no reply.

"I'm not afraid of you," Jenny said. "You've never given me any reason to be. It isn't you I'm afraid of . . . it's me."

He said nothing, but he was listening, curious about what she would say. "Go on."

"The truth is, when you're around, I feel things I shouldn't feel, and I don't completely trust myself."

Resting a hand on his cheek, she went up on her toes and pressed her mouth over his. It was a soft kiss, just the brush of her lips over his, but Cain's whole body tightened.

"Just so you know I'm telling you the truth," she said, repeating his own words back to him.

Cain reached out and pulled her against him. When her arms went around his neck, he kissed her the way he'd been wanting to, urging her lips apart, feeling a heady rush of desire that made him rock hard.

Jenny moaned, and Cain just kept kissing her, taking what he wanted, the rush growing stronger, his arousal strengthening. Her fingers dug into the muscles across his shoulders. He could feel the roundness of her breasts pressing into his chest, the brush of her curls against his cheek. Hungry need burned through him. If he didn't stop soon, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to.

He felt her small hands on his chest, pushing him away, and forced himself to let her go.

Her eyes were big as she looked up at him. "I shouldn't have done that." She pressed her fingers over her trembling lips. "You're my boss."

Cain laughed, grateful for a break in the tension. "Maybe I should sue you for sexual harassment."

Jenny's soft mouth, still moist from his kisses, curved into a smile.

Cain returned her smile and eased her loosely back into his arms. "So we're attracted to each other. What's wrong with that?"

Jenny shook her head. "I don't do things like this, Cain. I'm just getting my life back together after my divorce."

"From what I understand, it's been a while."

She sighed. "You're right, it has. I just can't seem to get back into the swing of things. I probably shouldn't have come out here with you. I don't want to lead you on."

Cain laughed. He couldn't help it. "That's usually my line."

She looked up at him with those big green eyes. "So I've been told."

Cain's smile faded. "I want you, Jenny Spencer. I'm not going to deny it. But there isn't any rush. When I want something bad enough, I can be a very patient man." Leaning down, he lightly kissed her. When she didn't push him away, he let the kiss play out, then reined himself in.

"It's a beautiful night," he said. "But the weather is going to change. Why don't we sit outside on the patio? There's a fireplace out there. I'll start a fire, and we'll finish that bottle of wine we left on the table. Tomorrow I'll show you the ranch."

Jenny looked up at him. "That sounds like a good idea." Her lips twitched. "Just don't expect me to attack you again."

Cain laughed out loud.