From the Heart: Romance, Mystery and Suspense a collection for everyone (46 page)

Chapter Fifty-six

Jessica Shupe was waiting in her white Lexus when Richard and Maggie parked in front of their house. She’d shown up during the chaos of the last few days when they were at their worst, and through it all, Maggie had managed to keep a civil tongue. Even though each time the woman invaded her space and Ryley’s, she’d wanted to yank out every strand of Ms. Shupe’s hair. And now, after this morning’s drama, she didn’t know if she had a diplomatic bone left in her body. Richard must have known because he came around the front of the truck and took Maggie’s hand, holding her beside and behind him as if he thought she’d repeat what she’d done to Jane earlier.

“Ms. Shupe. Ryley’s not here; we had court this morning, which I’m sure you know. Ryley’s grandma’s in town, and he’s with her right now.” Richard was all business when he wanted to be.

“Yes, I know you were in court. I also heard the state dropped charges. And I was directed to close my investigation. I just wanted to stop by and let you know my findings will not be filed.”

Richard and Maggie stared at each other just as Richard’s cell phone buzzed in Maggie’s jacket pocket where she’d left it. She reached for it and glanced at Harper’s number on screen and passed the phone to Richard.

“Hi, Harper.” Richard stared at Jessica Shupe while he listened to what Harper had to say. “Well, Ms. Shupe is here. She was waiting in her car when we drove in, and she just advised me that very same thing. I find it interesting how she knew before I did.” Richard nodded turning his back to Jessica and watched Maggie. “I’ll put her on.”

“Ms. Shupe, my lawyer would like a word with you.” Richard strode straight to Jessica, the power in each step showed Maggie how pissed off he really was.

Jessica appeared startled, but to her credit, she accepted the phone and reluctantly put it to her ear. “Hello, this is Jessica Shupe.” She lowered her gaze to the ground. “No sir, I’m not aware of any impropriety. I came here after I received word from Judge Cooper. I thought they knew.” When she glanced up at Maggie, she blushed. “Mr. Lee, I am not here to harass your clients. And I am done. Yes, yes, I understand.” She handed the phone back to Richard and strode straight to Maggie. Richard walked farther away as he spoke to his lawyer.

“I just wanted to say, Mrs. McCafferty, this wasn’t personal. Off the record. You’re a good mother, I’ve seen some things… well parents who have no interest in their child and expose their children to all kinds of unethical behavior, drugs, alcohol, and parties. But not you.” Jessica extended her hand to Maggie, and even though she wanted to slap it away out of spite, she recognized a woman trying to make amends. So Maggie accepted her hand. For a second, Maggie wondered if the woman really knew the game she’d just been part of and whether she really was no more than a pawn. Jessica walked away, climbed into her fancy car, and drove away.

Richard watched Maggie and then glanced at the trail of dust in the driveway as Jessica turned onto the road. Richard hurried over to Maggie, and he lifted her in his arms and pressed his lips to hers as he walked her toward the house. He lowered her onto the step. “Well, she was right. Charges were dropped against me. Harper, I’ve never heard him so mad. He said he’d just found out from the DA, and Judge Cooper apparently called Jessica and told her. They both knew before Harper.”

She rested her palms on Richard’s shoulders as his hands lowered to her waist and held her in a way he hadn’t in a long time. “You don’t care, do you?”

He shook his head and smiled, and a hint of light touched his eyes. “I’m free. And this damn ankle bracelet will be gone this afternoon. And I don’t give a shit who told who first and what politician leaned on who. Although I have the bank beating on the back door, and we could very well lose this place and everything, but for the first time in I don’t know how long, I know what’s really important. You and Ryley.”

“What about the property you own with Dan? What if we lose this house?”

“I’ll call Dan’s mom, and meet with her about what Dan owes me. I’m pretty sure she can be reasoned with. At least Dan’s not around trying to find new ways to screw me. But if we lose everything… we’ll start over.”

Daisy barked and scratched the door. Richard’s hand fell away, and he went around Maggie and opened the door. The dog wandered out and rubbed against her, demanding a good pat. Maggie scratched her dog behind the ears. Daisy went down the stairs slowly but with a little more energy. She wandered over to the grass and squatted.

“Richard, what about what Sam and Diane said. I mean, about Dan and Sandra being responsible for Lily’s death? Just the thought, Richard…” Her heart twisted as she struggled to not think about it, but that very thought had been in the back of her mind for the last few days.

“Don’t go there, Maggie. She’s gone. No one planned for her to run out on the road, and there’s no way they waited for that exact moment to hit her. Whoever that person was, we’ll never know what they really wanted. And Dan’s dead anyway. We need to let it go and get on with our life. Ryley can’t afford for either of us to go there.”

She watched the dark shadow on his face and the hardness in his tone as he spoke, and wondered if he truly believed what he said or if it was for her benefit.

“Come on. Let’s get changed and go get Ryley.”

Chapter Fifty-seven

“Your housekeeper’s okay with Kyla, Mr. Silver?” Marcie sat in one of the leather wing chairs in front of the plate glass window. She crossed her jean-clad legs, and felt overdressed in the bulky blue sweater in this warm dark-paneled study.

“Oh, she’s fine. What a little
angel
you have. Nellie loves kids, and she’ll enjoy spoiling your baby.” Marcie accepted the coffee Lance Silver poured for her.

“Thank you.”

Lance Silver was a handsome distinguished man wearing dark blue jeans, cowboy boots, and a tailored white shirt. In his late fifties, average height, and still in good physical shape, he could’ve almost passed for a man in his thirties. He sat across from her in the other wing back chair and set his coffee on the marble end table.

“It was such a surprise to get your call last night. To ask for my help. You must truly care for your friends. And for you to come here. I don’t believe you’ve ever been here to my humble dwelling.” He flicked his hand to the side.

She sipped her coffee and watched the man she’d feared for most her life. The man who controlled the highway of drugs flowing down the West Coast across the country with deep ties into South America. And no one on Las Seta grew any marijuana or did anything sketchy without Lance Silver’s okay. And as she sipped her coffee and glanced at Lance, she wondered for a moment what she’d opened the door to.

“Granny and Sally would never allow you anywhere near me. I’ve seen your closed gates and have walked by here when I knew you were gone. But no, I’ve never been past the gates. Heard about it, though. It’s lovely.” She glanced around the warm and expensive room, staring at the rich oil paintings on the dark paneled walls that surely cost more than she’d see in a lifetime. This grand mansion that had turned the reclusive, off the grid island of Las Seta upside down when Lance built it. She smiled warmly at the man who appeared genuine, honorable. But then, so could a snake just before it struck. “And thank you for… helping me.”

Lance held up the flat of his hand to stop her, “No, Marcie; no need for thanks. I’m happy to help you. Anytime you need anything, you call me.”

She set her hot mug down on the oval table beside her. And for the life of her, couldn’t decide whether she’d just sold her soul to the devil. “So what about the threat to Richard, will you be able to help him? I mean Sam and Diane haven’t been able to find Jane Carter, Sandra’s sister… and we know she made the fake call to set Richard up. It’s as if she dropped off the face of the Earth.”

Lance smiled and folded his hands in his lap. “Jane was found. And what you may not know since you’ve been here for a few hours waiting patiently, the charges against Richard were dropped. And your Maggie will no longer be bothered by any further investigation by Children’s Services into her suitability as a mother. What a horrible, horrible thing to have been done to her after losing her daughter the way she did.” Lance shook his head.

She nodded as a lump tightened in her throat. She couldn’t imagine the power this man before her had with politicians, state officials, and of course, the drug underworld. He knew what everyone was up to. Where they hid, what they were doing. And one call from him could make or break a man. Or so she thought.

“Your Sam doesn’t know you’re here?”

She glanced at her hands, afraid of what showed in her eyes. “No, he doesn’t. I should be going. Sam will be wondering where I am.” Marcie stood up. So did Lance, and he gazed at her in a way that appeared caring in some odd, familiar way. She held out her hand. He took it and kissed the back of her hand before holding it between both his hands.

“Stay for lunch.”

She pulled her hand away. “I can’t.” She hurried out of the study and found her way to the kitchen where Lance’s housekeeper Nellie was cuddling Kyla.

“Thank you for watching her.” Marcie reached for Kyla and cradled her in her arms.

“Oh, she is such a good baby.” The small overweight housekeeper touched Kyla on the arm. “Goodbye Miss Kyla, you come back and see me.”

She turned to leave, and Lance Silver stood in the large archway watching her.

“Yes Marcie, please come back again. I’ll walk you out.”

And he did. Right behind her, holding the front door open for her and standing on the wide stone porch, watching as she drove away.

* * * *

“Sir, shall I have one of my guys keep an eye on her and Mr. Carre?”

Lance Silver never turned his head to the large balding man who handled all his business affairs. “No, keep the men away from her,” he instructed.
“Did Mr. White pose a problem?”

“No sir, he did just as you ordered.”

Lance Silver watched the trail of dust that disappeared with Marcie outside the gate. “I’ll be seeing you again soon, Marcie.”

Chapter Fifty-eight

“Push harder.” The two men on the large wooden raft pushed toward shore as the sun peeked over the horizon. “You know, man, there are easier ways to get to South America.”

“Just keep moving. Is that the village up ahead?”

“We must be careful coming into Columbia this way. Keep your papers with you, Señor.” The shorter Mexican used his oars to move the raft to shore.

The tall American jumped into the shallow water wearing his dark shorts and sandals and pulled the raft the rest of the way to the rocky shore.

In the early morning dawn, the orange and yellow colors flashed as the sun peeked over the horizon. The red-haired man with the light beard from several unshaven days, grabbed his knapsack and tossed it over his shoulder.

“This village have any women?”

“Sí, Señor Dan, lots of pretty single girls. They’ll love a tall good-looking American like you.”

###

Afterword

Thank you so much for reading
From the Heart, a collection including three of my all-time favorites, The Forgotten Child, The Gift, and Lost And Found.

If you enjoyed
this box set then I’d love to ask you a favor and have you go back to
Amazon
and provide review. Indie Authors live and die by their reviews, so to all of you who take the extra time to offer a review, I appreciate it so much.

Although this book and all my books have been edited and proofed, editors, proofreaders and I are all human. If you spot a typo, please email me at
[email protected]
and let me know. Also, I would like to thank everyone who has emailed and told all their family and friends about my books. And if you’d like to know more about my other books please scroll to the next section or visit my website at
www.LorhainneEckhart.com

If you’d like to
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All the best,

Lorhainne Eckhart

Other Works by Lorhainne Eckhart

What’s next in
Finding Love ~ The Outsider Series?

A Baby And A Wedding

Fallen Hero

The Search

The Awakening

Or Grab the box set with all four stories
:

The Perfect box set for the western romance fan including ~ A Baby
And A Wedding (a short story following The Forgotten Child ~ Brad & Emily’s wedding), Fallen Hero, The Search and The Awakening ~ A western romance box set collection of dramatic romance stories of The Friessen men and the women they love.

To download a sample or purchase Finding Love ~ THE OUTSIDER SERIES, simply click here
.

SECRETS –
the next book in Finding Love ~ The Outsider Series

"Jed always told me he'd take care of everything. And I believed him, I trusted him, I loved him."

To download a sample or purchase SECRETS, simply click here.

RUNAWAY

Finding Love~THE OUTSIDER SERIES

"Where’s my wife..." Andy Friessen has been looking for Laura for six months. After she walked out with her son, no goodbye, with no money and leaving everything he bought her, behind. But he knew she’d come crawling back, she needed him. After all he married her to protect her. And any woman would give their right arm to be his wife.

And then for six months his conscience poked at what an ass he’d been: Until he’s served…for divorce.

Even though Andy is the first man she’s every truly loved, and the first to break her heart, Laura plans to never see him again. After all to him she was nothing but a nuisance, someone he could order around, just another woman to warm his bed at night. But Laura is hurt and she’s thought nothing through including the fact she’s keeping the biggest surprise from him yet.

She’s pregnant.

And when Andy finds out … all hell will break loose.

To download a sample or purchase Runaway simply click here.