The Cowboy Wants a Baby. Jo Leigh

“Is it really that bad?”

       “Sometimes. But nothing hurts as much as the heaviness in my heart. And that’s why I’ve called you.”

       “How can I help?”

       Eve leaned back in her chair as if the effort of sitting upright had become too much for her. “I have a grandson.”

       “You’ve never mentioned him.”

       “I haven’t. Because I haven’t seen him in five years. I haven’t spoken to him or heard about him. My son, his father, died four months ago. He had a heart attack. He hadn’t spoken to Cole in five years, either.”

       “Why?”

       “That’s not important,” she said, her brow furrowed with the effort of the conversation. “What is important is that I see my grandson before I die. I won’t be able to rest until I do. Can you understand?”

       “Of course. You love him.”

       “More than he’ll ever know.”

       “Do you know where he lives?”

       She shook her head slowly. “The last I heard, he was in Houston. But that probably isn’t where he is now.”

       “Do you have any idea what he does?”

       “No. Business, perhaps ranching. I don’t know.”

       “I see.”

       “You don’t. But you don’t have to. Lily, I trust you. I know you’ll bring him back. I’ll pay twice your normal fee if you’ll abandon all other cases to concentrate on this one.”

       “You don’t have to do that.”

       “I don’t have to do anything. But I’m a rich old woman whose shopping sprees are over.”

       Lily had no intention of arguing with her. She’d send an appropriate bill when the job was done. If, in fact, it ended satisfactorily. “I’d like to take this job, Eve, but I have to make something clear. I won’t bring him back against his will. We reunite families that want to be reunited.”

       “Fine. Then I’ll trust you to make him want to come home.”

       “Fair enough. I’ll do my best.”

       “I know that, Lily. That’s why I called you. I’ve done a little research of my own. I’m impressed with this new company of yours. But believe me when I say it was only because I’d met you and seen how you operate that I considered hiring you. Finding my grandson is the most important thing in my life. And that life, if one believes the doctors, will end in approximately six months.”

       “Please don’t say that. Anything can happen. Miracles.”

       Eve’s smile changed her face. The beauty of the portrait was still there despite the ravagement of years. “There are no miracles. Only things to regret. I don’t want to go that way, you see. I don’t want to die with this terrible regret.”

       “I do understand, Eve. I do.”

       Eve’s pale-blue gaze met Lily’s and held it steady. The determination there was like steel. “Find him. Do whatever you have to do to bring him home. He’s my only heir. He’ll inherit it all. Make sure he understands that.”

       Lily nodded.

       “Now drink your tea. It’s probably cold by now.”

      MAX SANTANA yearned for a shower. A long, cold one. Riding out to the far pasture hadn’t bothered him, but hauling that big mother cow out of a muddy bog had worn him to the bone. It was the heat. Normally San Antonio was in the high eighties this time in July. But a heat wave had settled across the state, shooting the temperature and the humidity to record levels.

       He loved everything about this place except the high heat. Days like this, he had to keep his mind occupied on cool things. Iced tea. Snow. A long swim in a chilly pool.

       The only thing Max wanted more than a dip in the pool was a woman.

       As he rounded the corner of the big house, he bumped into something soft and sweet. Lily.

       “Hey, Max.”

       “Sorry about that.”

       She waved the small accident away.

       Lily was a woman all right, but to him she was practically a sister. What he needed was a stranger with loose morals. Yes, indeed. But he’d think about that in the shower. “Dylan’s looking for you.”

       “Pardon?”

       “You know. Your brother. He’s looking for you.”

       “I’ve been out.” She sounded distracted, her voice was softer than normal. And she hadn’t smiled once.

       “What’s wrong?”

       She didn’t answer him.

       “It’s not that son of a bitch Jason Gill, is it? ‘Cause I know where he lives and I’ve got vacation time coming.”

       “No, no. It’s nothing like that.”

       He folded his arms across his chest and frowned at her. He wanted to look down his nose at her, but with her being five foot nine and him six-one, his scowl wasn’t nearly as effective as it should have been. The more he studied her, the more he knew something was wrong. Lily had her hair up in some sort of tortoiseshell contraption, but a long strand had escaped captivity and hung down past the middle of her back. Lily didn’t miss things like that unless she was preoccupied or worried.

       “Max, calm down. It’s a new case, that’s all.”

       “What kind of case?”

       “I need to find a missing heir.”

       He grinned. “How much is at stake? I could sure use an inheritance.”

       “You could, huh? And what would you do with your millions, Mr. Santana?”

       “I’d buy the O’Neill place.”

       She smiled, finally. “You are the most predictable man. So why don’t you tell me where my little brother is?”

       “He’s in the office, and I’m going to tell him you called him that.”

       “You do, and I’ll tell that O’Neill girl you’ve got the hots for her.” The O’Neill girl was about fifty, and ornery as hell.

       “Lily, don’t threaten me. You know I can be vindictive as hell.”

       She slugged him in the shoulder, and for a skinny girl like her, she made it hurt. “You don’t have a vindictive bone in your body. But you sure need a shower.” She waved her hand in front of her nose and made a face at him. “You smell like wet cow.”

       He grunted, then headed off again. After his shower, he’d dive in the pool so fast he’d hardly feel the splash. Oh, yeah.

      DYLAN WAS IN the makeshift office, actually a spare bedroom in the old part of the house. They’d moved in two desks and a filing cabinet, then loaded the place with electronic equipment: fax, computers, printers, phones, scanner, all of which would be transferred to the upstairs offices as soon as they were ready. For an interim space, the bedroom wasn’t bad. Just small.

       Lily put her purse in her bottom drawer then waited while Dylan finished his phone call. From his tone, she gathered it was business, and as she shamelessly eavesdropped, she realized he was talking to Bill Richardson, one of the homicide detectives working on Julie Cooper’s case.

       Searching for Cole Bishop was going to prevent her from assisting Dylan, but given the circumstances, it couldn’t be helped. With Eve so ill, there wasn’t a moment to waste. Besides, Dylan on his own was quite formidable, and she had no doubt that he’d do everything possible to find Julie. She just hoped he wouldn’t get hurt.