Cooper’s Redemption (Crimson Romance) (17 page)

“He’s on his way,” Sabrina said with a smile.

“Great.” Elizabeth tried to return the smile, but her cheeks felt like popped balloons, impossible to inflate.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Sabrina’s expression faded to one of concern.

“Nothing.” Elizabeth’s knees gave out and she fell onto the sofa.

Sabrina’s gaze sharpened. “What is it?”

Elizabeth closed her eyes. “It might not have been the best idea to call Cooper, that’s all.”

“Why not? He’s been helping you, right?” Sitting beside her, Sabrina said, “He was happy to lend a hand. Did you know that he and Henry were good friends? Well, as good as Henry was to anyone? It was a shame about the accident.”

“No, I didn’t know that.” Elizabeth was intrigued Sabrina referred to Henry’s death as an accident. She said so.

“I never bought for an instant that Cooper killed the old coot,” she said. “Listen, Henry Harper was a hard-boiled old man who didn’t get along with anyone. I’m surprised Cooper put up with him as long as he did. The man must’ve had the patience of a saint to have Henry for a neighbor. I just can’t see Cooper losing his temper with Henry when he never had before.”

“How do you know all this?” A little green-eyed monster tapped Elizabeth on the shoulder. “Did you and Cooper … that is, did you date?”

Sabrina laughed. “Me with a man like him? Hardly.”

“What do you mean ‘a man like him,’” Elizabeth demanded. “He’s a fine man.”

“Sure he is,” Sabrina agreed easily. “I meant a looker like him isn’t going to be interested in an old plain-Jane like me. He goes more for the drop ‘em in their tracks type. Have you seen his ex-wife? Rumor is she posed for a men’s magazine. If her looks are any indication, I believe it. Word is he hasn’t quit pining for her.”

Elizabeth’s spirits sank a little lower with each word that came out of Sabrina’s mouth. She had been stupid to think Cooper could be taken by her. He’d probably made love to her out of pity. Or worse, because he needed a meaningless fling. “Can you call him back and tell him not to come?”

“Why on earth not?”

“I don’t think he wants to see me,” Elizabeth muttered.

“I don’t see why not.”

Elizabeth’s cheeks heated and she looked away.

Sabrina slapped her forehead. “Oh, my Aunt Betty’s cookies. I get it. I’m so dumb sometimes. You got cozy. What, now you’re having second thoughts?”

“Not me,” Elizabeth confessed as she felt a fever red torch across her face.

“Want to talk about it, hon?” Sabrina frowned. “Hell, men on the run are my specialty. And I don’t mean the ones I get paid to find either.”

“No,” Elizabeth said, “I feel stupid enough without sharing details.”

“Okay, but if you need a friend whose been there, I’m all shoulders. For what my opinion’s worth, I think Cooper’s a good guy.” Sabrina took Elizabeth’s hand and squeezed it. “Ignore everything I said about what’s-her-name. Esperanza. Given the chance, I’d fight for him. He’s worth keeping when not many are.”

“Thanks.” Elizabeth’s throat tightened. He’d blown his chance to be the guy in the white hat. Seeing him again today would only prove it.

• • •

Elizabeth let Cooper in with a tight smile. “Hi.”

“Hi.” His voice was husky, his expression closed and impossible to read.

“Sabrina’s in the front room. I’ll make coffee.” Elizabeth fled for the safety of the kitchen. With shaking hands, she poured grounds and water in the maker. She wasn’t a naive schoolgirl. Sex between two adults didn’t necessarily mean anything had to change between them. But last night ruined everything for her and Cooper. Unsure what else to do to stall, she hesitated.

“Can you come in here for a minute?” Sabrina called.

Walking into the living room, Elizabeth avoided Cooper’s gaze. “Yes?”

Sabrina gestured to sealed cardboard cartons. “We’re just wondering if it’s okay to open these boxes?” Sabrina gestured to sealed cardboard cartons.

“Sure. Do whatever you want.”

Taking a knife out of his pocket, Cooper ripped open the seals on several boxes. In one, there were several photo albums. Taking the top book from the stack, Elizabeth idly opened the cover. In the first picture, a man and woman stood on the porch of this house. Removing the photo from the sticky page, Elizabeth saw there was no writing on the back. “Is this Henry and Bea?”

Cooper took the print from her, careful to avoid her fingers. “Yeah. This looks like it was taken in the last couple of years.”

Taking the image back, she studied the people. The slightly plump woman looked pleasant enough, but the man next to her looked stern. Elizabeth noticed a strong resemblance between her mother and Henry. Both had large, brown eyes, thin lips, and dark red hair, although his was heavily shot with gray. “Henry was a redhead?” She was surprised. “I didn’t know that. My mom has auburn hair, too.”

“Yeah,” Cooper said. “Henry’s hair faded, but he said he had a real bright red color when he was young.”

Strangely touched by family history, Elizabeth gently replaced the image. A lump filled her throat. “I wonder if there’s a picture of my mom in here somewhere? I’ll look some other time.”

“Does anything in this box seem off to you?” Sabrina looked to Cooper.

For a moment he didn’t answer. When he looked up, his eyes glazed over, his skin gray. He looked ill.

“What wrong?” Elizabeth stepped toward him, concerned.

Cooper shook his head, mute. In his hands, he held open another album. Taking it from him, she examined the photo he had been staring at. Cooper stood next to Henry Harper, his arm slung around the older man’s shoulders. Apparently at a barbeque or cookout of some kind, both men held plates of food. Turning it over, she saw it was dated the Fourth of July from the previous summer. About a month before the date of Henry’s death. “I talked him into going.”

“Oh,” she whispered.

“Find something interesting?” Sabrina asked.

“No.” Elizabeth stuffed the photo back in the book without looking at Cooper. “You?”

Sabrina dropped her book and dusted her hands. “Nope. Just a lot of junk. I’m surprised your mom didn’t just trash it.”

Curious, Elizabeth moved to see what Sabrina found. She had pulled a pile of twisted thread and yarn and half-finished cross-stitch projects out of a box. Knitting needles and embroidery hoops were caught in the mess. “It does seem odd Mom didn’t just throw this in the burn barrel out back. I think it needs to be junked. I wonder where Uncle Henry and Aunt Bea kept their important paperwork?” Elizabeth stood with hands on hips. “Those documents don’t seem to be here anywhere. Do you know, Cooper?”

He shrugged. “If I had to wager a guess, I’d say he kept them in that desk over there in the bottom drawer.”

Together, the three of them went to the ugly, metal desk in the corner. Elizabeth opened the drawers while the others watched. Apparently, Lillian had already gone through the center drawer, as it was empty. The next two down on each side held stacks of receipts, a checkbook and four large, leather-bound ledgers. Elizabeth picked one up. “What are these?”

Cooper took one and examined it. “These are Henry’s cattle journals. I keep one very similar. Records are here of the herd, everything from how much hay is baled to which cow didn’t produce a calf in a given year.”

“I see,” Elizabeth said.

Sabrina, looking over Cooper’s shoulder, said, “Henry kept detailed records.”

“He did,” Cooper agreed.

“Here’s the last entry.” Sabrina pointed it out. She glanced at Cooper, then continued, “In the middle of August, right before he died, Henry noted two different breaks in his north fence. See? He fixed one on the tenth, then another on the sixteenth. He says that fourteen pairs escaped the first time, ten the second. He put them back both times.”

“What’s your point?”

She shrugged. “Just thinking out loud. Don’t you find it odd that there’s no property deed here? We know Elizabeth’s mother had it in her possession because Henry’s attorney in Montrose told us so. Look,” she picked up a folder. “Here’s the property tax receipt, water rights, the cancelled check, see what I mean? This is the logical place for the property deed. It’s not here. We know it’s not in Lillian’s things. So where is it? And why is it missing?”

“Maybe on file at the courthouse?”

“Possibly.” Sabrina pulled on her coat and went toward the door. “I’ll go check it out. When I know something, I’ll call you.”

“Wait,” Elizabeth called weakly, but it was too late. Sabrina had already left. Being left alone with Cooper was the last thing she wanted.

“Coffee smells good,” he hinted.

Surprise filled her. She figured he meant to run away the minute Sabrina left them alone. “Would you like a cup?”

“Sounds good. I’ll light the fireplace.”

Elizabeth wondered what he wanted now. With shaking hands, she poured two cups of hot coffee, hoping it was dark enough for his taste. Back in the living room, he had a fire going. In spite of the heat it threw, she shivered. Thrusting the cup at him, she said, “Here.”

“Thanks.” He took a sip.

She perched on the couch and wrapped her hands around her own mug. Her throat felt tight, so narrow she couldn’t swallow. Or speak. Warily, she watched Cooper as he sat on the edge of the fireplace, his back to the flames. Dark circles lined his eyes, and the sharp planes of his face were more pronounced than usual. He was tired.
I’m the reason he’s worn out. Because we made love half the night.

A flame so hot it almost made her gasp out loud flared deep in her belly. Another ache, one to have him again, settled a bit lower. Would anything short of four straight days spent in bed with him would make it go away?

“You okay?”

“Sure.” She tried for nonchalant, wondering if he could tell she wanted him naked. And inside her.

“I need to explain … ”

“About what?” she interrupted, again telling herself to be nonchalant. After all, she was a California girl. Everyone knew they were casual about sex. He expected a strings-free tumble. It wouldn’t do to let him know how much last night meant to her. She could pretend to be blasé. If she tried hard enough.

“I want you to understand, Elizabeth.”

“I comprehend perfectly. Really, there’s no need for this.” Oh, she was good. Maybe she should audition for the next Kevin Costner western. Now that she had experience with a real-life cowboy, she had the part down pat.

“I don’t think you do.” Cooper shifted uncomfortably. “I want you to know that what happened last night wasn’t just … a physical thing.”

Elizabeth arched her brows at him. “Oh? If I remember correctly, you said you didn’t want a relationship before you tore out of here.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then what’s it like? Because I don’t understand your rules.” Elizabeth snapped her mouth shut. Men, especially cowboys, weren’t into whiny, needy women. Hell, even in-touch-with-their-feelings Californians didn’t like that. She was starting to sound like her universe would quit moving if he didn’t want her. Trouble was, that’s what she feared.

“Dammit,” he ground out, getting to his feet. “Why can’t you see what harm I can do to you? That I don’t want you to get burned?”

Standing, too, Elizabeth said, “I’m willing to risk it.”

“I won’t let you,” he snapped. “There’s things … I can’t talk about. And it’ll drive you away. Just like … ”

“Esperanza? I’m not her.” She took two steps forward until their noses nearly touched. She’d gone this far, she might as well go for it. “So you have secrets. I believe you didn’t kill anyone. Unless you lied, nothing else matters. I’m grown up enough to make up my own mind. I know what the consequences of being with you are, and I’m willing to take the risk.”

“I’m not.” His words hung in the air.

“Then go.” She backed up a step. If he got any closer, he would see her crack.

“I’m not going to let you gamble your life on me,” Cooper said. “Don’t you see what I can cost you? Why can’t you understand I want you to stay away from me, not for my sake, but yours?”

“Because I don’t believe you.” It killed her to say those words out loud. Despair bit into her soul. He was making up excuses so he didn’t have to say he didn’t want her. Because she wasn’t his type. Or that she didn’t fit in his world.

“Believe this.” Cooper drew her into his arms. Before she could speak or protest, his lips covered hers in a desperate kiss. His lips and tongue conveyed what his words had not. Passion flared between them a like firecracker, bright, beautiful, and intensely hot.

Plastering herself against him, Elizabeth reveled in the desire he ignited. Her entire body reacted to his touch, aching for him. This cowboy’s his lips were made in Heaven. She wanted nothing more than to be with him.

When he walked away, she nearly wept.

Chapter 13

Almost too depressed to get out of bed, Elizabeth dragged herself up. In the week since Cooper kissed her, she’d driven what seemed like endless miles of highway, searching, but finding nothing. Discouraged at her lack of progress, she decided to try a different tact. She decided riding might be the answer. She called Sabrina to fill her in.

“Are you nuts?” Sabrina threw her hand up. “There are millions of acres out there. I’ll have to search for you next if you go ahead with this plan.”

“I’ll take a map, and follow my own tracks back,” Elizabeth argued.

With a heavy sigh, she said, “Please, Elizabeth, reconsider.”

“I can’t. I’ll call you tonight.”

• • •

No one was around at Cooper’s place. Elizabeth ignored the disappointment in her gut and tacked up Splash. Acting as if he were as impatient to go as she, the gelding pawed the ground. Giving his nose a quick pat, she said, “Just a minute. I need to do something.”

Finding a piece of paper in her pocket, she scribbled a note to Cooper, thanking him for taking care of the gelding. Then she wrote out a generous check, placed it inside the folded paper and slipped them inside the screen door.

After studying a topographical map one last time, Elizabeth rolled it up and gathered her lunch and thermos. Taking Cooper’s advice, she wore a full set of thermal underwear, two pairs of socks, a long down coat, and leather gloves. Her final item was a wool-lined cap she tied under her chin.