A Home in Hill Country (Harlequin Heartwarming) (22 page)

“S-so it was Leland who ran my dad off the road?”

Wade nodded. “I did some checking after I tracked down some Havenses who live around here. Apparently, he borrowed his nephew’s car.
Didn’t want to use his own in case someone saw him.”

“But wasn’t it damaged?”

“Yep—but he never turned in a claim. Instead, he gave the kid twice what the car was worth and sold it to a used-car dealer down in Galveston.”

She’d thought she would feel a sense of victory if she could prove the circumstances of her father’s death. But now she sat back in her chair, stunned and shaky. “He might never have been caught.”

“Leland helped Clint find and hire the investigators who examined the Four Aces books, but those guys were in Leland’s pocket, from what we can tell.” Wade tipped his head toward Ryan. “Leland also covered his thefts by blaming Oscar’s ‘mismanagement’ and Nate’s embezzlement.”

“I thought Clint and Leland were
friends.
”

“Clint thought so too, I guess. He defended the guy to the end, but Ryan was suspicious about a lot of things that didn’t add up.”

Incredulous, Kristin shook her head. “So it was Leland, then. Not anyone else.”

“He wasn’t just the ranch lawyer, he was a financial advisor who could oversee and approve contracts or major expenditures while Clint was away. Which was most of the time, given Clint’s political career.” Wade tapped the file. “He’s been
a signatory on ranch checks for years, along with Clint and the foreman. Now there are grown sons here to handle things. But when the boys were small, it was a setup Clint needed.”

“Leland has been filtering money for years,” Ryan added. “He also tricked my father into some phony investment shells and several nonexistent offshore investment schemes—the sort of under-the-table deals a guy like my dad would be happy to use if he could avoid taxes. That aura of secrecy just helped Leland succeed.”

“But none of this makes sense. What about my dad?”

Ryan and Wade exchanged glances, then Wade nodded. “I’ll let you two talk. I need to visit with Clint for a bit.”

“I couldn’t figure it out at first, either.” Ryan accepted the file from Wade, then pulled up a chair next to her. “So Wade contacted the state authorities. He got a report back about a murder victim found near the Mexican border a number of years ago. Dental records in Homestead were a match for Oscar Ruiz.”

She stared at him. “But why?”

“We figure Oscar must have caught on to Leland. Maybe he threatened to tell Clint, or the sheriff. After Oscar ‘disappeared,’ Leland probably went through the files and covered his own
tracks by altering or destroying all the evidence he could find.”

“Which is why Oscar held his job as long as he did. He’d been doing fine until his so-called incompetence was discovered later.” A wave of sadness engulfed her. “I suppose the same thing happened to my dad.”

“Probably.” Ryan pulled a sheet of paper from the folder and handed it to her. “But this time, Leland planned ahead. He set up a scheme to frame your father, to cover his own thefts, and hinted that your dad blew all his money on gambling. Then he made sure Nate could never defend himself.”

“My dad had nothing,” Kristin whispered. “Leland is a
lawyer.
With his career, he could have had anything he wanted.”

Ryan shook his head. “Wade thinks he just got in too deep over the years. Fancy home, impressive vacations, debts that overwhelmed him. Who knows? Maybe it was simply greed.”

“My father died so Leland could continue enjoying those luxuries.” The unfairness was almost beyond bearing. Leland had been caught, but none of this could bring her father back. Handing the paper to Ryan, she rose wearily to her feet. “Thank you for helping clear my dad’s name.”

“After the criminal trial, you can pursue a civil suit against Leland for wrongful death,” Ryan
said. “Given all we know, you should be successful.”

She felt tears burn beneath her eyelids, but willed them away. “Blood money.”

“Security, for Cody’s future and your own. You two won’t have to worry.”

You two won’t have to worry.

Nothing had changed. The future wouldn’t include Ryan—it was easy enough to read between the lines when she looked into his somber eyes.

Ryan had been a part of her dreams for too long to even remember. But his inevitable departure wasn’t far away, and maybe this was the best time to simply say goodbye.

She held out her hand and swallowed hard. “I appreciate all you’ve done, Ryan. I hope we can stay in touch.”

He looked down at her hand, then his eyes locked on hers, and he reached out to touch her chin, tipping her face toward his. The pain and regret in his expression deepened. “I can’t imagine anything worse.”

She’d already accepted that their relationship would end, but hearing him say those words cut deep.

“Of course. I understand.” Embarrassed, she tried to turn away, but he caught her shoulders and brought her back to face him.

“I don’t want to just stay in touch. I want another chance at
us.
We lost something very precious, years ago, and I hope it’s not too late to give this another try.”

“But…you’re leaving. You said you never wanted any ties.”

He kissed her, long and slow, with heartbreaking tenderness. “And that has been one of my biggest mistakes. I love you, Kristin. I always have, though I was too angry and proud to admit it. Years ago, I believed you walked away because I had nothing left to offer you—no future, no security.”

“That wasn’t true. Only
you
mattered.” But she could never tell him the rest of the story. Not when it seemed he’d finally made peace with his father.

Ryan’s eyes were deep with understanding. “My mother explained a lot of things. It’ll be hard to ever forgive Dad for threatening your family. Even harder knowing that you and I have wasted so many years because of it.”

“He thought he was protecting his own, I guess.”

“It was never right, and it wasn’t the only time. When he and my mother split up, he threatened to drag her into a mudslinging court battle for as many years as it took, if she dared fight for
custody. Rather than put her young kids through all of that, she gave in.”

“And gave up everything she loved. Her home, her children.”

“Knowing the truth is better than imagining she never cared.” Ryan gave her a faint smile. “Now, I guess she’s agreed to stay here and take care of him…while he thinks he’s going to retire from politics and start taking care of
her.
Should be interesting.”

“And you? What will you do now—head back into the service? Ride off into the sunset?”

“Dad wants me to stay on. I know we’ll never get along well, but he wants me to be a full partner in this place with him and my brothers. In fact, he made it an
order.
” Ryan laughed. “Given his temperament and mine, I’m definitely thinking about that sunset.”

He held Kristin close for a moment before pulling away, his eyes so full of love and tenderness that she felt her own eyes burn.

“All of that seems inconsequential, given the most important thing in my life.”

“Which is?”

“This is coming many years too late, but I mean it more than ever, because my poor ole heart isn’t going to take another day without you. Marry me, Kris. I’ll take Homestead or that sunset—wherever I can be with you.”

“This is where we belong. Here. Together,” she whispered as she melted into his arms. “And tomorrow couldn’t be soon enough.”