Page 60

“But why?”

Natalie was quiet for a moment and Vaughn noticed that the driver, a middle-aged man with a dark, scruffy beard was looking from Vaughn back to Natalie, as if he were following the conversation.

“Because I can’t just forget it and move on, Vaughn. Not like you obviously can.”

“I—” She sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you, I just—”

“You made your point very clear. And I guess I’m just not like you.”

“But you can still stay. I didn’t mean to make you feel like you had to leave.”

“That was all me,” Natalie said. “I made that decision on my own.”

“Please,” Vaughn said. “Don’t go.” She stepped closer.

“Why?” Natalie said.

Vaughn hesitated. Struggled to find the words. Struggled to somehow get past what she’d said to her that morning. “Because I don’t want you to. And Gram doesn’t want you to. And the horses don’t want you to.”

“I think you’ll all get along just fine without me.” She opened the passenger door.

“No!” Vaughn let out. Natalie paused and looked back at her again. “I mean, no, we won’t.” She swallowed. “I won’t.”

Natalie studied her. Really bored into her. Vaughn came closer, went to reach out her hand. “Please,” she said. “Stay. I want you to. I—need you to.”

Another moment of silence ensued. Then the driver spoke. “Ladies, I’ve got a schedule to keep here. Can we hurry this along?”

“Mind your business,” Vaughn said, still looking at Natalie, pleading to her with her eyes.

“At the moment, lady, she is my business. Now if you don’t mind, she and I need to get going.”

“Just shut up a minute,” Vaughn snapped. She reached her hand out for Natalie. “I can’t promise you anything, Natalie. God knows I wish things were different. But they aren’t. I’m not. And I’m sorry. I don’t know if I’ll ever be. What Jeanie did…the betrayal. All the time behind my back—” She shook her head. “But I still want you to stay. Please. You’re safe here. And we love having you. We need you. I need you, Natalie.”

Natalie lowered her hand from the door. She pushed the door closed. The man sighed and jerked the car in reverse. “Damn waste of time.”

Vaughn dug out her wallet and pulled out a fifty-dollar bill. She tossed it in his car at him. “Go,” she said, never taking her eyes off Natalie.

He took the money and backed away, back down the drive. Natalie gripped Vaughn’s hand and Vaughn led her to Charlie’s side where she helped her up in the saddle. Once she was settled, Vaughn climbed on behind her and wrapped her arms around her with reins in her hand. She inhaled the scent of her hair, closed her eyes, and ticked at Charlie, turning her around. Then, with a gentle kick of her heels, she led them back toward home.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Allen tied the belt to his satin robe as he descended the stairs. The door chime sounded again as he reached the ground level and he barked, “Hang on a damn minute!” It wasn’t even ten a.m. Didn’t they have any goddamn manners? He still had guests upstairs. New guests. Ones he was thoroughly enjoying.

He got to the door, unlocked it, and pulled it open. Two men in cheap suits were standing at the threshold. One gave him a practiced but nevertheless awful grin.

“Mr. Beaufort? Mr. Allen Beaufort?”

“Who’s asking?”

The one with the grin flipped open his identification, showing a shiny badge. “Detective Hallorin. And this is Detective Marks.” He flipped the wallet closed and took on a more serious look. “May we come inside for a moment?”

Cops? What the fuck? Were they here for the girls? No. The agency he used was exclusive and extremely private. They guaranteed complete anonymity. So why were these assholes at his door?

“Well, that depends,” Allen said. “On why it is that you’re here.”

“Mr. Beaufort, we’re here to discuss your ex-wife.” He peeked at his small notebook. “One Natalie Brewer.”

Natalie? What the fuck? Had she’d been found? Was she dead? He hadn’t heard from Tito since he’d last seen him and that had been a few days before. If she was dead and Tito hadn’t found that out and told him, he really would kill him. He needed to know this shit. Preferably before the cops, in case he needed to clean anything up.