Endangered Heiress. Barb Han

put on glasses and took a seat in the executive chair. He motioned toward a leather club chair opposite the massive desk. She took a seat, crossed her legs and placed her folded hands in her lap, figuring this day couldn’t possibly get any worse.

      He mumbled another apology before locating an envelope and making an “ah-ha” sound. He pushed black-rimmed spectacles up the bridge of his nose.

      Madelyn realized she’d lifted her hand to her mother’s necklace as she fingered the details of the dragonfly.

      “Forgive me for saying, but...” He paused and then seemed to think otherwise as he stared at the envelope.

      She caught his stare and a feeling rippled through her. She couldn’t exactly pinpoint what it was but that look in his eyes sent a shiver racing down her spine, like the kind when people said a cat walked over a grave.

      Ignoring the prickly-pin feeling on her arms, she half expected him to get up and walk out of the room when he tossed the envelope in her direction. Many a news lead was “handed” over in similar fashion.

      Instead of excusing himself, he leaned back in his chair and continued examining her.

      “What’s in that envelope is yours to keep. I’ve been instructed by the late Mr. Butler to advise you to think heavily on it before you break that seal. There’ll be no going back once you know what that envelope contains and the information will change your life forever.” She listened for something in Ed Staples’s tone to indicate that this was some kind of joke. The intensity of his stare said that it wasn’t. And now her curiosity really was hitting full peak.

      “I doubt that, Mr. Staples.” She picked up the white envelope.

      “Don’t be so sure,” he said. “You should take a moment to consider whether or not you’re ready.”

      She ripped open the flap in one swipe and pulled out the 8-1/2 by 11 sheet of paper. It was trifold, so she flatted out the page. “All I’m ready for is a hot bath, a glass of wine and a...”

      Madelyn froze. A gasp escaped.

      There was no way. This had to be some kind of twisted joke. She glanced up, looking for cameras. Was she on one of those prank shows?

      “I can assure you this is legitimate,” Ed said, but his voice disappeared in the background noise exploding in her head.

      She would know something like this. Someone would’ve said something to her before now.

      “I know who my father is and it isn’t Mike Butler.” The words were barely audible even to her as she pulled out the legal document that declared her his legal child. Madelyn cleared her throat. “There’s been a mistake.”

      And then Ed Staples said the words she least wanted to hear. “I’m afraid not. It’s true.”

      Madelyn gripped the piece of paper. The edges crinkled in her hand.

      “I’ve never even met this man. This can’t be—”

      Ed sat there, looking like he had a well of patience to draw on. And then he said, “Who do you think gave your mother that necklace you’re wearing?”

      Those words exploded in her head. She was on her feet fast and racing toward the door before she could even begin to process. The day her father had given her the trinket popped into her thoughts. He’d looked so grieved when she opened the gift on her fifteenth birthday. Her mother had given him death-bed instructions to make sure Madelyn received it. He’d looked so pained as she opened the box. Until now, Madelyn had always believed that the necklace reminded him of her mother. Could his expression have meant something else? Was it a reminder of the affair she’d had?

      Madelyn didn’t bother to look back to see if Ed Staples had followed her. All she needed was a quiet room and a way to rewind this crazy day.

      With every step toward her pale blue convertible, a little more life escaped from her. A shot of adrenaline was the only thing keeping her legs moving, her flee response having kicked into high gear. Her chest squeezed and it felt like her lungs were seizing.

      Hands shaking, she took a few tries to get the letter unstuck from the moisture gathered on her fingers and grip her car key.

      She wasn’t sure how she managed to get the key in the ignition and start her car. It was all a blur. Was her entire life a lie? A secret this big couldn’t be hidden for thirty years...could it?

      Tears blurred her vision. She blinked them away the best she could and focused on getting the hell out of there. Time seemed to slow as Madelyn tried to process the possibility of Mike Butler being her birth father. Maverick Mike Butler.

      One hand on the wheel, she absently fingered the delicate silver dragonfly dangling from its chain as the log-style home shrank in the rearview mirror.

      Madelyn parked in front of her motel room. Her limbs felt like hundred-pound weights and her body sank deeper into the driver’s seat. She managed to pick up her phone and dial her father’s number.

      Of course, he didn’t pick up. Why would he start now, she thought bitterly.

      Madelyn forced herself out of her car and into her motel room. The second she walked in, something felt off. Hadn’t she placed her laptop on the second bed, not the one closest to the door? Her overnight bag was unzipped and some of the contents spilled out. On the mirror at the back of the wall were scribbled large letters in what looked like red lipstick: Walk away or die.

      Taking a couple of steps backward, she stumbled over her overnight bag. She quickly recovered her balance, grabbed her laptop and shoved it inside her small suitcase.

      A few seconds later, panting, she was inside her car. She locked the doors and tossed her bag in the back seat. All she could think about was getting out of there and far away from Cattle Barge.

      But go where?

       Chapter Four

      Madelyn thumped the steering wheel, refusing to cry. Then the questions flooded. Who was behind this? How did someone find out she was staying at the Red Rope Inn? How on earth did someone get inside her room? Was she being followed? That was a stupid question. Of course someone had followed her—the white sedan from earlier. The feeling of eyes on her prompted her to scrutinize the parking lot.

      All the cars appeared to be empty but appearances could be deceiving. She drove around the building to the motel lobby. She parked, locked her car door and stalked inside, tucking her fears as far below the surface as she could. Like a simmering pot, her emotions threatened to boil over without warning.

      Later, she would process this horrific day. Right now, all she could think about was finding out who was behind this threat. A dozen scenarios fought for attention. She’d been so quick to blame Owen for trying to run her off the road earlier. Her thoughts moved in a different direction now. The person behind the mirror scrawl was most likely the driver of the white sedan.

      It was obvious that someone wanted her far away from Cattle Barge. Did one of Mike Butler’s children know about her? What about Ed Staples? Could she trust him? As far as she knew, he was the only one who knew she was coming to the ranch. Why would he summon her there and then try to hurt her? He had her number, probably her home address. Why wouldn’t he just assault her without making himself known? It didn’t rule him out, but placed him lower on her possible suspect list.

      Nothing else made sense. She’d been nearly run off the road, shot at and threatened.

      Madelyn was certain of one thing: someone was watching.

      A bell jingled as she swung open the glass door to the lobby and stalked inside.

      “Where’s Trent?” Madelyn asked the smiling woman as she walked to the counter. A metal nametag pinned to her shirt read Kelsey.

      “Shift change,” Kelsey reported, looking a little