Kathie DeNosky – The Millionaires' Club: David, Clint & Travis: Entangled with a Texan / Locked up with a Lawman / Remembering One Wild Night (страница 8)

“Half a million—what in blazes can she be mixed up in?” Ryan asked, and the men gazed at one another.

“Something dangerous,” Clint said grimly.

They fell silent when Jimmy returned with more drinks and sandwiches on silver trays. Another waiter helped him, and in minutes, the men were alone. As soon as each had what he wanted to drink and eat, David returned to their subject. “Let’s get back to business. Alex, go ahead with what you were saying.”

“I haven’t found anyone who remembers seeing her come into town. Not at the airport or the bus station. I don’t have a picture to show anyone. I can only give them a description, but so far nothing. I’m just beginning to work on that list of names and dates she had in the diaper bag. Since she’s malnourished, I’m guessing that the money hasn’t been in her possession long. Her clothes were bought off the rack. Her nails aren’t done professionally. If that money is hers, then she’s one of those eccentrics who stashes every penny, but she’s too young to accumulate that kind of money. My guess is that she’s on the run,” he said, and the others agreed.

“That means you need to continue to guard her if you can,” David added.

“I can help out when y’all need me. I can spell you at the hospital, Clint,” Ryan offered. He looked at Alex, whose thick brown hair was windblown. “I’ll help you, too, Alex, if you need me for anything.”

“Thanks,” Alex replied as Ryan’s gaze shifted to David.

“You’re on your own with the baby, though.”

“So I guessed,” David replied with resignation. “When are Travis and Darin getting back?”

“I don’t know, but we could certainly use their help,” Ryan answered. “I’ll get in touch with Travis and find out.”

“So where do we go from here?” Clint asked.

“I’ll keep trying to find out our mystery woman’s identity and who gave her that card. I can ask here at the club and everyone will keep things confidential,” Alex offered. “I put the money in the club safe and I’m staying in contact with the police chief.” His green eyes twinkled. “So, David, you’re our surrogate daddy. You just keep taking care of little Autumn. Looks as if she’s happy.”

“She is happy. She’s got a nanny coming soon.”

“Who’s the nanny?” Alex asked.

“Marissa Wilder.”

“I know her sister,” Ryan said.

“Karen Wilder,” Alex agreed. “I dated her once. She’s a hoot. I think she was more of a party girl than her little sister. Karen’s married now and has a passel of kids.”

“So my nanny has a good background?”

“You didn’t check?” Clint asked. “I can run a check on her background, but sounds like we’ve already got enough if you guys know her family. You didn’t check on her?” he repeated.

“Hell, no, I didn’t,” David snapped. “If you’d been up all night trying to get formula down and a diaper on a baby and stop her crying, you’d snap up the first nanny you could find, too. Marissa has a knack with babies.”

“Well, so might have Lucrezia Borgia,” Alex teased.

“You guys. Give me much flak and you can take this baby and then we’ll see who runs out and gets a nanny,” David answered, thinking about the night he’d just spent.

“Just keep it up, Dad. You’ll do fine,” Alex said. He rubbed his forehead. “Seems to me I remember Marissa Wilder being married.”

“She’s not married now,” David said. “I asked her.”

“Yeah, she was,” Clint broke in. “A guy who was a doctor. After his divorce from Marissa, he and his new wife moved to Midland.”

“I don’t care if she’s had five husbands,” David said firmly, and the others laughed.

“I’m going,” Clint said, standing and taking a last long drink of pop. Clint was as solemn as ever, looking worried and concerned. David was sorry Clint was mixed up in this because he didn’t need any more hurt in his life.

“Frankly, David,” Clint remarked, “you look like you had a rough night.”

David merely waved his hand at Clint as if shooing away a fly.

Ryan stood. “I’ll walk out with you, Clint.”

“I better go while she’s still sleeping,” David said. “If she wakes and is hungry, they’ll hear her all over this clubhouse.” David picked up the new diaper bag and the carrier with the sleeping baby. She jumped, her tiny fingers spreading, and then she became still again.

“Looks like you have a peaceful baby,” Alex said, falling into step with David. They walked out into bright sunshine. “I think we’ve got our hands full,” Alex continued. “I just wonder where Jane Doe got that blow to the head. And who is trying to take her baby and why. It could be the father. Or relatives. I have a lot of questions and so far, no answers. Too bad that baby can’t talk.”

“She’s vocal, just not into conversation.”

Alex smiled. “You’ll get the hang of it, and now you have help. From what I remember, the Wilders are a pretty good family. Her folks do some sort of charity work—I don’t recall, exactly.”

“She said they were out of the country. I think we know enough about the Wilders. Keep us posted, Alex.”

“I will. The minute I find out anything, I’ll let you and the others know. Jane Doe didn’t pop into Royal from a void. And somewhere in her background there’s someone from the club. I’ll keep asking. And you keep up the great baby care. This will make you an expert so when you marry and become a dad, you’ll know what to do.”

“Yeah, right.” David snorted. “Marriage has always been out for me—now I’m absolutely sure it’s out. Growing up without a mom and my dad away half the time, I don’t know anything about this family stuff.”

“You’re learning. You’ll let all that knowledge go to waste,” Alex teased. “What a shame.”

“Yeah, right.” David left his friend and hurried to his car.

“This car wasn’t even made for a baby,” David remarked to himself, struggling to get the new carrier buckled into the back seat. He looked down at the tiny baby, who still slept peacefully. He brushed her wispy hair with his fingers. “Darlin’, you’ve been an angel. Now I’ll live up to my promise and we’ll buy a rocking chair on our way home.”

As he closed the door carefully, he saw Clint approaching on his way out of the lot. David flagged Clint down, got the borrowed carrier and hurried to Clint’s car, to ask him to return the carrier to its rightful owner at the hospital.

As Clint drove away, David climbed into the front, starting the engine and glancing into the rearview mirror at Autumn. “Sleep, little one,” he said softly. “’Course, you’re probably resting up for tonight, but that’ll be between you and your new nanny. I’m going to hit the sack and pass out for twelve hours.”

To David’s relief Autumn continued to sleep through his purchase of a rocker and promise of delivery later that day.

Praying that she continued to sleep until he was home, he took the shortest route and sped home, finally turning from the county road onto his own ranch road. Iron gates were opened wide. Pipe-and-wire fencing ran up to two tall posts and a sign on one of the posts read TX S Ranch. He looked at the familiar TX S brand that made up the name. Stirring up a cloud of dust, he raced the car along the gravel drive.

He let out another sigh of relief when the sprawling house came into view. He loved the ranch. This was home, the happiest memories of his childhood had been here. In tight spots in far corners of the world, this was the place he dreamed about.

Made of sandstone, the house was built before the turn of the century in the late 1800s. David had often climbed up its shake-shingle roof, swung from the branches of the tall oaks that shaded the fenced yard and spent hours on the wraparound porch. Now the house was his haven from the world.

Beyond the house stood a barn, a bunkhouse, other outbuildings and a corral. In the distance several other houses could be glimpsed.

As he neared the four-car garage, a brown-and-black shaggy dog came tearing out of the shadows and ran to meet the car, jumping and wagging his tail, staying back a safe distance away from the car.

David parked and climbed out, idly scratching the dog’s head briefly. “Now, General, you scoot. We’ve got a sweet baby who has come to live with us, and she’s too little for you to play with.”

Just then Autumn stirred and blinked, and for a few moments, gazed at the world in silence.

“We’re home, little one. I’ll have you changed and fed in no time. I’m getting to be an old hand at this,” he said, hurrying into his house.

As he passed a rocker on his porch, he eyed it, and half an hour later he went back outside to pick it up and carry it into his spacious kitchen, which had a large living area at one end of the room. He picked Autumn up from her carrier and put her on his shoulder, patting her as he crossed to the counter to get her bottle he had just readied.

“Now, darlin’, your diaper has been changed. We can rock and you can eat and that ought to make you happy.” He sat down and shifted her carefully in his arms, holding the bottle for her as he had seen Marissa do. In seconds Autumn was happily sucking away and David rocked, marveling that he had a baby to care for.

“I’m getting the hang of it,” he said in amazement. “I’ll still be mighty glad to see your nanny arrive.” He glanced around the kitchen. His housekeeper, Gertie, had cleaned his disastrous kitchen from last night. Imported tile countertops were once again immaculate, as was the terra-cotta floor. He looked around the room. It had rich fruitwood cabinets with fruitwood covering the refrigerator. A workstation island separated the kitchen area from the living area, and one end of the room held a large stone fireplace with a sofa and two comfortable chairs. On the other side of that end of the room stood a fruitwood oval table and twelve chairs beside a wide bay window. Practical and comfortable with state-of-the-art equipment, the room was one of David’s favorite places. Now the rocker was in the center of the living area.