Hiding Out At The Circle C

Chapter 7

Shock and grief hit Haley as she sat there in the silent library, reading the article about her colleague's death. According to the report, Alda had been missing since the mysterious death of Dr. Bob Herntz. Both deaths were being investigated because of their strange and curious nature. Herntz had died in a car fire, but the autopsy had determined that a blow to the head had come first.

The facts sank in. Alda was well-known for her antidrug position, and yet she'd died of an overdose of a wild assortment of street drugs. The USGS had gone on record to say that although Bob and Alda hadn't worked for them in years, they deeply regretted the loss of two of their most intelligent and well-liked geologists. The police were currently looking for a Dr. Haley Whitfield, the only known connection left to the bombings, the murders, and the missing uranium.

They meant suspect, of course. They thought she had murdered, for her own gain. It filled her with a sense of panic so great, she couldn't breathe. If Alda had been involved, she had paid the ultimate price.

And so would Haley-if she left Colorado. So would Cam and his family, if she came out of hiding and revealed herself. She simply couldn't breathe.

"Haley?"

She brought her hands up to her neck, as if that could make her lungs work. Nope, she thought vaguely, not working. She was going to suffocate and die. As her vision grayed, she pictured the headline.

Prominent Geologist, Haley Whitfield, Dies of Self-Suffocation

"Haley?" She felt her chair swivel and then Cam knelt before her, his hands on her arms, his concerned face inches in front of hers. "Christ, Haley. Breathe. You're turning blue. Come on, darlin', breathe." He gave her a light shake, then slipped his hands around her face. "A deep breath, Haley. Come on, give me another one. That's it. Again."

She did, her eyes locked on his as if he were her lifeline. Her hands gripped his on her face as she struggled. Then the strangest thing happened. Once she started breathing, she began to hyperventilate.

Her panic tripled now, every breath coming quicker and quicker, harsher and harsher. Frederick. Danyella. Lloyd. Bob. Alda. All of them, gone. She couldn't control herself, it consumed her-the deep, gasping breaths. And no matter what she did, she couldn't stop. Not even when she hiccuped painfully with each intake. Not even when the tears streamed down her face. She just couldn't stop.

"Haley, Haley." Cam held her face firmly and his eyes never left hers, as he forced her to concentrate. "You're okay," he said in a soothing voice. "Just slow it down. Come on, slow… Good." He wiped her tears away with the pads of his thumbs. "You're okay," he said again and again, and when finally she felt in control, she sagged against him, exhausted.

He lifted her and took the now empty chair she'd vacated, holding her close to him on his lap. He scooped the hair off her wet face and managed to come up with a napkin for her to blow her nose. She waited, painfully aware of what a fool she'd just made of herself, yet he remained silent.

The funny thing was-here in the circle of his solid, sure arms, she'd never felt safer. "I'm fine," she said eventually.

"Don't."

Cam hugged her tight and she felt his muscles tremble. "Watching you have that panic attack took ten years off my life." He drew a ragged breath. "I thought I could be patient for the rest. I can't. You've got to tell me what the hell's going on."

"I didn't commit murder."

"You may be able to lie smoothly enough to give me the chills," Cam said roughly, still rocking her. "But I never thought you could kill."

She'd caused those stress lines in his face, the tightness of his jaw. His gaze seemed weighted with worry, concern, and even fear. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut and held on to him. "I need out of here."

Cam didn't push Haley for answers on the long drive back. He parked his truck in front of the ranch house, then turned in the seat to look at her.

"Ever been on a horse?"

That was just about the last possible thing she expected him to say. "A horse?" She cleared her rough throat. "A couple of times. At school once. I knew someone who took me riding. I'm not very good."

He nodded, got out of the truck and came around for her, holding out a hand. "You know, Haley, that's the most you've ever volunteered about yourself." For once, his deep eyes revealed nothing. "Let's go for a ride."

"A ride," she repeatedly stupidly, coming to a stand before him. The day was cool, the sunny sky streaked with light clouds. But her chill came from deep within. Did he really believe she was involved? And if he did, could she blame him? She hadn't exactly been forthcoming with information. "I don't think so."

"Why not?"

She let out a little laugh, then rubbed her temples. Had he forgotten? "I'm tired, Cameron."

"You look it."

The words were brutal, in complete contrast to the absolute kindness of his voice. She snapped her head up to look at him and saw the burning questions and, yes, the basic affection and warmth she'd come to count on. She also saw his frustration. His pain and confusion over the lies. No, he hadn't forgotten.

"I just thought you could use a diversion."

There were a thousand reasons not to. "I'll slow you down."

"I'm not in the mood to race."

"I have-"

"Work?" he interrupted, with a small shake of his head. "Heaven forbid you forget that for even a few minutes." He gave her a ghost of a smile. "You can give up that pretense for now, don't you think?"

The sad thing was, she didn't want to. What she wanted most was to dive into the kitchen and work. "I don't want to."

He just looked at her.

"I want to work." She could panic over this, she realized. What if he wanted her to go, when what she wanted most in the world was to stay?

"We need to talk, Haley."

She studied her shoes. She smelled the aspens. She listened to the grass grow.

"Hel-l-o-o-o."

"I know. It's just that I was kinda hoping to…"

"Put it off?" He shook his head. "You're going to make me mad, Haley."

She rubbed her aching temples.

"Come on. Just a ride. Just you and me and the mountains."

He had her wait while he saddled up the horses. The ranch house sat at the base of a series of rolling hills that in spots still held their lush summer green even though winter was nearly upon them. But most of the tall grass had turned to a dull canvas brown. Soon, snow would fall, but for now, the last of the warm autumn days held. Beyond those hills were the high ridges of the Rockies, pasted against a mottled gray sky.

A perfect day for a ride.

When he led out the horses, Cam saw that Haley still sat on a large rock by the barn, just where he'd left her. The haunted look hadn't faded from her face.

"Just us," he said easily to her, forcing a calm he didn't feel. If he wasn't calm, there was no way he could get her that way. And that was exactly how he wanted her-relaxed and compliant. She wouldn't talk otherwise.

She stood and ran her hands down the thighs of her jeans. Her eyes had gone wide at seeing the horses. "They're… big."

"Yeah," he said, laughing a little. "Which is why they carry us, not the other way around." He reached for one of her busy, nervous hands. "This big guy here, he's mine. His name is Sal. The lady is Mrs. Twisted. She's Nellie's, which explains the name." He placed her hand on the horse's neck, holding it when she would have flinched away. "She's the sweetest, tamest horse we have, unless Jason's around."

"She doesn't like him?"

He could tell she didn't want to get on any horse, much less a temperamental one. "She's just jealous. You've seen Jason and Nellie."

"Yeah."

He wondered at the flash of emotion he saw. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn it was envy. Did she, like him, both admire and wish for what Nellie and Jason had?

"So I just hop on?" she asked.

"Need a hand?" He imagined touching her, helping her up. His hands would brush over her hips, her thighs…

"I can do it," she said quickly, moving past him.

He watched as she pulled herself up with an ease that spoke more of her physical strength than experience. He'd noticed that for a tiny thing, she was tough as nails. And had a tight little body to go with that toughness-one that happened to drive him crazy every time he looked at it.

He got on Sal and they started for the hills. Haley sat naturally in the saddle, which didn't surprise him. She wouldn't like to be less than good at anything. She didn't smile, or even look at him, but then, he hadn't expected her to. Nervousness vibrated from her, and he knew she was thoroughly braced for his barrage of questions.

She'd have to wait.

He had no intention of grilling her. That would get him nowhere with the stubborn woman riding next to him. No, it would take much more finesse to get what he wanted. Though, in truth, he wasn't sure what he wanted from her. The rest of the facts, certainly.

But even that didn't matter so much as banishing the fear from her eyes. The woman was a bundle of contradictions. Seemingly aloof, but really just shy. Her domestic "front" was merely a facade for a slick professionalism and a need to succeed at everything she tried. Bravado covered up her almost-desperate need for approval and affection.

Haley pulled Mrs. Twisted to a halt and lifted a shoulder. They'd come to the top of the first hill. "Which way?"

Her dark hair blew against her pale, serious face. He wanted to see her laugh with abandonment, talk with ease. "You pick."

Without another word, she chose the path that would take them past the rolling hills and into the wooded area at the base of the craggy, jutting mountains. The only sound came from their horses' hooves pounding the dirt.

"It's beautiful here," Haley said, speaking for the first time in long minutes. She ducked beneath the low branch of an aspen. "I hear water running."

"There's a creek. There're also some cliffs a mile or so ahead. Jas, Zach and I camped there overnight once."

"You must have played here a lot as a boy."

He brought Sal alongside Mrs. Twisted. "No. I grew up in Denver, I only bought the Circle C several years ago."

"Oh. I thought- Never mind."

She'd turned away, embarrassed, and shifted in her saddle. "You'd thought what?" he pressed. "It's okay to ask me, Haley. Contrary to some people I know, my life's an open book."

She flashed him that haughty, annoyed look, but said nothing, not even when he lifted his brow and silently dared her.

They came out of the woods into a clearing. The creek ran noisily through, rushing past rocks and boulders. "This is my favorite spot. I came here a lot when I first bought the house." He glanced at her. "I bought it after Lorraine died. I wanted to change my life-style. Completely. I dumped the suits, quit the job." He looked around at the beautiful woods he considered his. "I had no intention of really running the ranch, I just wanted to… disappear, I guess."

He saw a flash of surprise light her face. "I can understand that," she said softly.

"I thought maybe you would."

She dismounted and so did he. The horses turned to the spots of green at their hooves, looking for something to graze on.

Cam walked to the water's edge. "Jason came with me. He'd had some trouble with college, then on a job. He was as desperately unhappy as I was. But within a week of being here, that changed. He's got a knack for working the place. It's really amazing. And then he met Nellie. Things have been good for him."

She came up beside him, the wind teasing color into her pale cheeks. "And Zach?"

"Zach came later. He'd been working as a cop. Saw a lot of junk, and it burned him out. Then he went to work on another ranch, so it was only natural he'd come here. He and Jason make this place work, not me."

"But you love it, too."

He watched a squirrel dash across a branch, chattering busily. "I do." He looked at her and decided to take the plunge. "You want to start at the beginning or at what happened in the library?"

Turning her face away, she sank to the ground as if her legs wouldn't support her. Her nervous fingers played in the dirt. She was silent for so long he didn't think she'd answer, but she surprised him. "I used to work with her. The geologist who died."

"Did you steal the uranium?"

Abruptly, she stood and stalked toward the horses.

Catching up with her, he whirled her around, spurred by that temper he so rarely felt, and by his fear that Haley could still prove to be no different from Lorraine. A horrifying thought, since he figured he was already halfway in love with her. "Answer me."

"I didn't steal anything! And if you think I could, then I was wrong about you." She shook herself free. "I'm not going to tell you anything. I don't have to."

Like a knife in his heart, he thought. And when the hell had he forgotten his promise to walk away? "No," he agreed, dropping his hands from her. "You're right. You certainly don't have to. I guess I'd just hoped you'd want to. Forget it. You know what? This was dumb. Let's go back."

He expected her to stomp off, or to at least stare at him in stoic silence as usual. The last thing he expected was for her to touch his arm and meet his angry gaze steadily.

"No, wait. I'm sorry, Cam. I'm so on edge." She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them, they were damp. "There were five of us in South America. We were a team, working specifically on earth movement. Our office was blown up, one week after we made a particularly critical discovery. The reports are saying that the discovery was uranium, but I never heard anything about that when I was there. If they found it, they kept it a secret. But we did discover something else that day, something just as unbelievable."

"Okay." He crossed his arms and stared at her, hardening his heart to the appeal in her blue eyes. "More."

"Alda was the last to die. Every one of them is now dead except me." She drew a ragged breath. "I'm next."

She was next. God. He couldn't begin to imagine what it would feel like to lose her. Yet she looked like she expected him to push her away. "I'm sorry."

She was sorry. He yanked her close, closing his eyes when he felt her nuzzle her face into his neck. He wrapped her in his arms and wondered how he could feel so much. "Haley-"

"Please. Just this. I'm about to explode from the tension."

He could feel it in her trembling form. "Okay, darlin', okay."

She clutched him. "I don't want to fight. Not with you."

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, feeling the vise that had gripped his chest loosen slightly. "We're not fighting, it's all right."

She snuggled against him for a bit. "It's a good thing, Cam," she said with ironic wit, "that you walked away from me."

He let out a little laugh. "Yeah. I sure showed you, didn't I?"

She was quiet for another moment. "I'm too screwed up for anything more than this. You know that."

"No."

"Friends, Cam. That's all this is." She sounded panicked. "You promised."

God, had he really ever agreed to anything so asinine?

"Hold me," she whispered, her eyes closed, her arms around his neck.

He did, even knowing his heart was in big trouble.

Cam found Zach in the study. He slapped the article he'd had faxed down on his brother's desk. "Got it."

Zach pushed aside the large lawbook he'd been studying. "And?"

"The uranium was indeed stolen. No suspects other than Haley."

"And we're so absolutely certain it isn't her."

"Absolutely," Cam said in a steady voice, ready to do battle.

"And her boss?"

"Lloyd Branson. Reported dead in the bombing, but according to the USGS, with which I just got off the phone, there's no body."

Zach frowned and picked up the faxed sheets. "They didn't just tell you that."

Cam grinned devilishly and affected a British accent. "Of course not. As Lloyd's youngest nephew, I deserved to know. I have memorial arrangements to make, you know."

Zach shook his head in amazement. "Does Haley know?"

"That I called? No." Cam sat on the edge of the large oak desk he'd made last year. "She's terrified. For us. It's what has kept her silent. She'd flip if she knew we'd started investigating on our own."

"If Haley is found here, they'll extradite her to South America and try her for murder."

"That's why she won't be found," Cam said with finality. He tapped the papers and tried to ignore the ball of tension growing inside him. "Haley says the entire team is dead-except her."

"You really think she's safe here?"

"Yes." He had to believe it. The brothers looked at each other, mirror images of stain and concern on their faces.

"What about Nellie?" Zach murmured. "If danger comes looking for Haley…"

"We'll protect what's ours. Are you going to fight me on this?"

"Could I?"

Tense, they stared at each other. "No," Cam admitted.

Zach stood, laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. "We'll help her. But if she's innocent-"

"She is."

"Then maybe we should call the police, let them prove it. It might be the best way to keep her safe." He lifted a hand when Cam's expression darkened. "Think about it."

He was so close to gaining her full trust, so damned close.

"They'll take her, you know they will. And what if they can't prove her innocence? Or they have to send her back to South America?"

"You can't make her accept your help," Zach said quietly. "Or you."

Welled-up fear for Haley had him shrugging off his brother's hand and stalking to the window. The day had faded, leaving nothing but a black sky. It matched the terror in his heart. "Do you think I don't know that?" The decision was painful, but he saw no choice. "Her safety comes first. When we can no longer provide that for her, we call the police."

"How long?"

"A couple of days. Just give me a couple of days. If we haven't come any closer to flushing out the danger…" God. "We'll call and let the authorities help her." Just the thought chilled his blood. "I can't let anything happen to her, Zach."

"You can't control this." Zach paused. "Just like before, with Lorraine. What happened to her and the baby… you couldn't have stopped it. It wasn't your fault."

"You're wrong." Cam paced the room, unbearably restless, frustratingly helpless. "I could have called Lorraine sooner that night. If I had, I could have gotten to the hospital faster. I might have seen my son alive."

"But he still would have died." Zach watched him pace, his expression holding a deep sorrow Cam wasn't sure he could bear. "It's the truth, Cam. You couldn't have stopped what happened."

"I can this time. I can protect her." Or he'd die trying.

Haley sat on the split-rail fence, next to where Nellie leaned on it, and bit back her laughter. Hard to believe she could feel like laughing, but that was exactly what she wanted to do.

Nellie, unable to hold anything back, held her stomach and roared.

In the pen, the three Reeves brothers-rough-and-tough cowboys-struggled to corral the largest pig for his shots. The pig wanted nothing to do with it.

The guys, covered in mud and dirt, took a break and huddled, discussing strategy. The pig stood his ground, staring at them defiantly. The brothers straightened, looked at each other, then nodded in unison. Zach went left, Jason veered right, and Cam handled the center as they stalked the pig.

"Does it always take the three of them?" Haley asked, giggling helplessly as both Zach and Jason dived for the pig, and missed. They collided in the mud. Cam still stood, shaking his head in obvious disgust.

Nellie swiped at the tears of mirth that rolled down her face. "Oh, this is good. Better than 'Oprah.'" She sniffed and sighed. "Usually Jason handles the animals' inoculations. But this pig-Cam calls him King-is pretty stubborn."

King continued to reign. Cam approached slowly. "Now, King, buddy… this isn't going to hurt but just a bit." He smiled the charming smile that never failed to turn Haley's heart on end.

King wasn't moved in the least.

"Come on, King," he cajoled. "You've got to have some gratitude, here. You could be bacon."

Nellie howled with laughter, clutching her stomach. "Empty threats, Cam, and he knows it!" she called.

Jason picked himself out of the mud and spared a frown for his wife, even as concentration banded his face. "Nel, honey, you keep laughing like that and you'll drop that baby right there in the dirt. Go inside."

"You just catch that pig, cowboy. I'll worry about this baby. Besides," she yelled, a mischievous smile on her face, "watching you is so much fun!"

Zach muttered something obscene under his breath as he brushed himself off and turned toward the pig again. Slowly, carefully, he made his approach. "Now, Cam."

Cam dived for the pig, landing directly on top of him. With King thrashing beneath him, he pushed down in the dirt and lifted his head. "For God's sake, Jas, hurry up, would ya?"

As both Jason and Zach hurried to help, King squirmed and squealed, splattering each of them with mud. When they finally managed to stick the pig with the needle, Nellie cheered.

"My heroes!" She laughed. "My dirty, stinky heroes."

All three brothers scowled at her. Despite the weak sun and cool air, Jason whipped off his shirt. Unsnapping his jeans as he went, he walked toward the house. Zach followed suit Cam pushed up from the mud, dirt and sweat streaked over him. He spared a half-hearted disgusted look for the women who'd been no help at all, who were in fact still laughing hysterically, and turned away. With his back to them, he, too, pulled off his filthy shirt and started after his brothers.

"Goodness," Nellie whispered beneath her breath, her eyes riveted to the men walking away from them. Muscles rippled and glistened in the sun. Three sets of wide shoulders tapered to lean waists that disappeared into jeans. "That's certainly a sight."

Haley, whose mouth had gone dry, had to agree.

And that was the image she kept with her for the rest of the day and long into the night.

When she lay in bed, writing in her journal, she remembered Cam telling her he wasn't hero material. Well, as she saw it, he'd been wrong, for he was indeed the stuff heroes were made of.