Because Of The Ring. Stella Bagwell

chuckled. Shook his head. Then chuckled again. “Really, Ms. Westfield. This is San Antonio, not the Twilight Zone.”

      “You don’t have to tell me where I am, Mr. Bedford,” she said primly.

      His blue eyes were full of suspicion as they raked her from head to toe. “How could a vision lead you here? How did you know my name? Am I supposed to believe that I talk to you, too?”

      She sighed. This is exactly what she’d been dreading, she thought. Questions for which she had no answers. “No. So far you haven’t said anything to me. But I picked up on things in the background. Like your boat. And then it finally dawned on me to trace the numbers through registrations. I can tell you that I was pretty shocked when I found out there was such a boat and an actual person owned it.”

      “I keep that boat docked down on the coast at Port O’Connor. You were obviously there and copied the numbers,” he accused.

      Sadly, she shook her head. “I wish that were true. That would prove I might not be going crazy. But now, after seeing you—seeing that you’re the man—I really don’t know what to think.”

      He muttered a curse. “This is ludicrous and if I had any sense at all I’d call the cops and have them check up on you!”

      Claudia gestured toward the phone. “Go ahead. If they can explain any of this, I’d gladly welcome their help.”

      Glaring at her now, he stalked over to his desk, picked up the receiver and shook it at her. “I have a friend who’s a detective on the force,” he warned.

      “Good. That will be even better. He might have some ideas of how to solve this mess.”

      Seeing he couldn’t frighten her into confessing, he slammed the receiver back onto the hook. “Do you realize how stupid you sound? How stupid it makes me look just to be listening to this?”

      She nodded. “Yes, I realize.”

      “People don’t have visions. Not normal people. And they certainly don’t have them about me!”

      Unblinking, Claudia stared at him. “A month ago I would have said you were right. Now, unfortunately, I’m forced to disagree.”

      He strode back to the couch and, with his thumbs riding his belt, stared down at her. “I don’t know what you’re after Ms.—”

      “Claudia,” she interrupted. “You’ve already kissed me, so you might as well call me by my first name.”

      He didn’t want to call her by any name. And as for kissing her, that had been a big mistake. Because in spite of her lunacy, he wanted to do it again.

      “Like I started to say, Claudia, I don’t know what you’re after,” he bit out, “but you’ll not get anything from me and I mean anything.”

      Rising to her feet, she met his gaze and as she did so a terrible sadness welled up in her. Yet she could understand his doubts and suspicions. She couldn’t blame him for accusing her of being dishonest. She still couldn’t quite believe any of this herself. It would be stupid to expect him to swallow such a story.

      “Don’t worry, Mr. Bedford. This is the last time you’ll ever see me.”

      Politely, she reached to shake his hand and felt a sense of gratitude that he didn’t object. “I apologize for taking up your time. Goodbye.”

      Bewildered by this sudden turn of events, he watched her start toward the door. “What will you do now?” he asked.

      Glancing back at him, she shrugged. “Go home and hope that I never see your face again.” And she wouldn’t, she told herself grimly. If she took off the opal. Claudia had not told this man about the ring. She’d understood it would’ve only made the whole thing even more far-fetched. And now it didn’t matter. She was ending her search. And the visions.

      Hayden thought he would feel relief once the woman was out of his office. But now that she was gone, the room felt eerily empty, as though she’d taken the very life out of it.

      Raking a hand through his hair, he sank into the comfortable chair behind his desk and reached for the telephone. Halfway there, his hand paused in midair and, with a muffled groan, he flopped back against the seat.

      He’d kissed the woman! And not just a peck on the cheek. He’d really kissed her! What had he been thinking? Oh, he’d met women before that he’d been attracted to on first sight, but he’d never impulsively kissed one. In fact, he couldn’t think of one woman he’d kissed since he and Saundra had divorced.

      That notion was shocking in itself and he quickly leaned up and pushed the button on the intercom connecting him to Lottie’s desk.

      “Yes, Mr. Bedford.”

      The fact that the woman called him Mr. Bedford was laughable. She’d been with the company for thirty-five years and during that time she’d seen Hayden born and his father die. She knew everything about the family, including births, deaths, marriages, divorces, public scandals and hidden affairs. But apart from her knowledge of the Bedford family tree, she kept the office running smoothly. No matter if they were experiencing times of joy or strife.

      “How long have I been divorced?”

      “Three years, sir.”

      “That long?”

      “Yes. Why?”

      “I just realized something about myself, that’s all.”

      “Are you ready to start taking your calls now?”

      “No. Not yet.” He paused and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Lottie—”

      “Ms. Westfield is staying on the river walk. I have her hotel and room number.”

      “What makes you think I was going to ask you about her?”

      There was a pause and then his secretary said, “I just had a feeling.”

      “That’s a scary thought. The last time you had a ‘feeling’ crude oil bottomed out to a record low.”

      “Well, I hardly think Ms. Westfield could have any effect on crude prices.”

      No, but she’d already had an affect on him, Hayden thought. And he wasn’t a bit sure what to do about it.

      “Cancel the rest of my calls, Lottie. I’m going out to the site to see Vince and then I’m quitting for the rest of the day.”

      “What about Ms. Westfield?”

      He snatched up a pen. “All right, damn it, give me the hotel and room number. I’ve got some unfinished business with her.”

      “What sort of business is she in?”

      “Illusions, Lottie.”

      “Illusions? Did you have a few beers with your lunch, Mr. Bedford?”

      “I’m stone-cold sober,” he answered. “Although right now the idea of getting drunk has a mighty big appeal.”

      Inside her hotel room, Claudia snatched up the telephone directory. She was going to call the airport and get the next available flight back to Fort Worth. There was no point in staying in this town any longer. Hayden Bedford was a jerk and she’d been stupid for ever allowing Liz to dare her into making this ridiculous journey.

      As for the opal, she’d get rid of it as soon as she got back home. The only thing the ring had ever brought her was a pile of misery. Never again would she allow it to lead her anywhere. Especially to a worthless man!

      Claudia was on hold, waiting for the ticket clerk to make a search through scheduling when a knock sounded at the door.

      With an impatient groan, she dropped the receiver onto the bed and walked across the room. At the door, she called cautiously, “Who is it?”

      “Me. Hayden Bedford.”

      Claudia