Running his hands over his face, he knew the answer. Jessie was in so much agony she wasn’t thinking. The pain was all she could feel. She blamed herself because of the arranged marriage and his failure to say the words she wanted to hear—the words that would have made their marriage valid were never said.
Oh, God.
He didn’t know how long he sat there, but it had grown completely dark outside. He called Myra once again. Jessie wasn’t there. In her state of mind, where would she go?
A whimpering caught his attention and he looked down to see Mirry at his feet. “Hey, Mirry.”
The dog whimpered louder.
He knew that sound. “You have to pee. Okay.” He picked her up, carrying her out the front door. Mirry played around in the grass and he noticed blood drops on the tiled porch. His stomach clamped tight. But, just then, his attention was riveted by headlights at the entry. Jessie! The car drove on and he sank down on the step. It wasn’t Jessie.
Mirry whimpered again, not liking the colder temperature, and Cadde settled her in his lap.
Was Jessie ever coming back?
She had to. He couldn’t survive without her.
JESSIE RAISED HER HEAD from the steering wheel and stared out at Blue Bell Creamery in Brenham. What was she doing here? It was late and the ice cream company was closed, but she could see lights inside.
Her father had brought her here many times as a child. She loved homemade vanilla and refused to try any other flavors. Her father had said she was stubborn. And she was—stubborn, manipulative, controlling. That’s why she’d lost everything. She’d forced Cadde into marriage. She’d forced him into having a child. And now she suffered the ultimate punishment—the loss of her child. The loss of Cadde.
She couldn’t think about it. She wouldn’t allow herself to. It would kill her. And she had to be alive to feel the pain.
Starting the car, she drove toward Houston alone in the darkest of nights. She wasn’t afraid. There was nothing left to fear.
She checked into a hotel and people stared at her bruised face, but she ignored them. She slept for two days. When she woke up, she didn’t know where she was and then it all came flooding back and she screamed into a pillow to stop the vivid nightmare.
After a moment she went through the motions of taking a shower and then ordered food even though she wasn’t hungry. Forcing herself to eat, she wondered what she was going to do. She couldn’t see Cadde. It would be too painful and they had to make a clean break. She had to let him go. The thought didn’t even faze her. She was an awful person and he’d be better off without her.
With that concept firmly in her head, she called her lawyer, Hal, and had him file for a quick divorce. She also gave Cadde control of Shilah.
He’d earned it.
Pacing her room, she plotted what she needed to do next. She had to get away. But where? She could call Rosa or Myra, but they’d just try to change her mind. There had to be someone who would help—someone who would understand and not ask questions.
She picked up the house phone.
Within thirty minutes she opened the door to Hooter Caldwell.
“What is it? Oh, Jessie, your face.”
“It’ll heal.” She didn’t want to talk about her bruises or what had happened.
“Why are you in this hotel?”
“I need your help.”
He removed his hat, chomping on his cigar. “Sure, anything. I heard—”
“Don’t say it!” she shouted. She couldn’t hear those words.
“Okay.” He gave her a strange look.
“I need money.”
“Jessie, honey, you have more money than I do.”
“Cadde would know if I accessed my account. I’ve already used all my cash for the hotel and I want to be gone before Cadde finds out where I am.”
“Jessie, go home. Talk to the man.”
“Are you going to help me or not?”
He scratched his balding head. “I suppose. I’d do anything for you.”
“Find out who my aunts in Italy are and their address.”
One shaggy eyebrow rose. “How am I supposed to do that?”
“Chip at Shilah has all the information. You just have to get it.”
“Cadde will be there and he’s not stupid.”
“But you’re sneaky just like Daddy and I know you can find a way.”
“Jessie, you’re looking mighty pale. Why don’t you take a nap and think about this first.”
She clenched her hands at her side. “Get me the information.”
“Okay, okay. Don’t get upset.”
“I’ll also need a plane ticket to the town and some extra cash.”
Hooter sighed. “You’re asking a lot, Jessie. I wish you’d…”