The Texan’s Bride(68)
“No.” Myra took a seat. “It’s about Vernon Lynch.”
Cadde stiffened.
“The D.A. won’t let me work on the case because I’m too closely involved, but I’m pulling all the strings I can backstage. I’ve talked them into going for murder one and the death penalty.”
“Oh.”
“Lynch came into this house knowingly and willingly to kill Jessie and the baby. I wanted to fry that bastard.”
“Can you prove that?”
“Believe me, I was going to give it a damn good shot.”
“Was?”
“Vernon Lynch hung himself in his jail cell about an hour and a half ago. I got here as fast as I could. I didn’t want you to hear it on the news.”
Cadde plopped onto the sofa. “Damn!”
“Even he couldn’t live with what he’d done.”
Cadde rubbed his hands together. Somehow the news didn’t make him feel better. It didn’t bring the baby back. And it didn’t bring Jessie home.
All the pain was still there.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“I RECEIVED DIVORCE PAPERS,” Cadde told Myra.
“What?” Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Jessie took the time to do that?”
He shared what Jessie had told him before she’d left about being responsible for the baby’s death.
“Oh, crap, this just gets worse.” She looked at him. “Did you sign them?”
“Hell, no, and I don’t plan to. I burned them.”
“I used to not like you, but you’re turning into a pretty decent guy. I thought you were after the money.”
“Ever since I was a kid I dreamed of being in the oil business, not as a roughneck like my father, but someone in control, running the company. I guess money was part of it. Roscoe brought me into the office and for ten years I spent almost every day with him, learning everything I could. I had offers from other companies, but I turned them down. I liked working with Roscoe. He was different, hard to please, but he knew the oil business. I had no idea Roscoe was going to give me twenty-five percent.”
“And a wife.”
“Yeah.” He ran his hands over his face. “That hit me like a blow.”
“Why? Couldn’t you see how Jessie felt about you?”
“Honestly, no. From day one Roscoe made it very clear I wasn’t to mess with his daughter. I pretty much had that tattooed on my brain.”
Myra’s cell rang and she reached for it in her purse, turning it off. “I thought she was just infatuated with you. After Roscoe died, I took her to a few parties to…”
“You took my wife to parties?” He couldn’t keep the anger out of his voice.
“Now don’t get your nose out of joint, big guy. Jessie’s never been around men her age and she needed to realize she was a desirable, beautiful woman. Guys were buzzing around her like deranged bees, but she didn’t see any of them. It was always you.”
He drew a deep breath. “When I was with her, she never showed any signs. We talked about Shilah and its future, but we never got into anything personal.”
“Because she was scared. That’s why she came up with that insane baby deal.”
“We tore it up and got beyond that.”
“I know. I wish I had some answers for you, but I don’t. I’m just worried.”
“Me, too.” He jammed his hands through his hair. “I told you not to investigate further to give Jessie some space and time, but now I’m changing my mind. I have to know she’s okay. I won’t try to see her. I need to know.”
“Okay.” Myra got to her feet. “I was only waiting for the go-ahead.” She swung toward the door. “I’ll be in touch.”
Maybe if he knew he could find some peace in his private hell.
JESSIE DIDN’T KNOW HOW many days had passed when she woke up again, but she was better. She wasn’t hot or tired and her mind was functioning. Slipping out of bed, she found her clothes in the dresser and changed into jeans and a knit top.
She vaguely remembered a portly man with a black moustache examining her, Teresa bringing her food, brushing her hair, helping her down the hall to the bathroom and giving her a sponge bath.
The room did a crazy spin and she sank onto the bed, feeling weak. She glanced at the stone walls. What was she doing here? So far from home. If she was planning to outrun the pain, it hadn’t worked. It was just as vivid as ever.
Teresa poked her head around the door. “Ah, you’re awake.”
“Yes, and I feel better.”
“Good, you can come for breakfast in the dining room with the children.”
“Oh, no, Teresa, please. I don’t want to be around anyone.”