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Then straightened slowly as a familiar prickle of awareness skittered across the back of her neck.
A shadow fell across her own.
Her hand at her throat, she spun around. And found herself looking into the hard eyes of Abe Wheeler.
“Mandy isn’t here,” she breathed, trying to quiet her racing heart.
“I know.” His voice was deceptively soft, slurred. His breath, heavily laden with the sour odor of stale beer and cigarettes, made her eyes burn. “I figured you and me needed a talk, all by ourselves.”
He moved closer. Way too close, until she could see the coarse pores on his cheeks and the inflamed capillaries in his eyes.
“I told people about you, you know.”
“What?”
“Talk over a few beers, and the whole town hears ’fore you can finish the first bottle. Figured they oughta know better than to see a doc like you. AMaxwell.”He spat out the words as if they tasted bitter.
He’d been the source of the rumors? “But why?”
“Figured you’d wise up and leave town.” He gave a harsh laugh. “You’d be a lot better off if you had.”
She eased back, feeling her way along the porch railing.
In another three feet it took a right turn, followed the side of the cabin. But there were no stairs at the end. She’d be trapped if he made a move.
He leered at her, his hands flexing at his sides. “Did you like what I left you?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” She eased another few inches farther, but he gained on her even more.
“The present I left at your office. I figure you owe me big time. But you were gone the last time I stopped by.” He trailed a meaty, callused fingertip down the side of her cheek, sending waves of revulsion clear to her toes.
“Money? I owe youmoney?”
“You can’t evenimaginehow much. Maxwell makes sure his precious son gets away with anything he does. Your brother almost killed a few people, but did he serve a day in jail? Then he got my sweet little girl pregnant—and lied his way out of paying a nickel.”
Abe’s voice rose, the rage in his eyes growing with every breath. He shoved a fist in the air. “Who’s gonna take care of that brat? Pay to take care of my girl?”
Reaching forward, he caught a handful of Jolie’s hair, twisting it painfully until he’d wrapped it around his hand.
“Soyoutake her in, pretending to be nice—but it’s just a way for you Maxwells to avoid paying for what Bobby did.”
Trying to ignore the pain, Jolie fought to keep her voice calm. “You’re worried about child support?”
“That, and alotmore. Your little brother ruined her life.”
“Believe me, I want child support for her, too. I’ll see that she gets it.”
He blinked. Then his voice grew harsh. “What youwantis to get off this porch and get away from me, but it ain’t happening.”
He spat at her feet. “I figure the Maxwells have owed me for too many years to even count. They stole my ranch—as if theyneeded more land. Left me to work at what I could, with no place of my own.”
He was referring to the foreclosure of his ranch, when the place had gone up for auction.
Walking Stones had placed the highest bid, fair and square, but she knew it would do no good to point that out. “Tell me what you want. M-maybe I can help you get it.”
He didn’t seem to hear her. “At first, I was gonna take you like Bobby must have taken my girl. I figure he raped her, so that would be fair.”
“Abe—we can go talk to my dad, you and me. Get the money—the payments, however you like.”
