“You’re absolutely right. It’s not fair at all.”
“I would kill him if he was here. I’d just kill him. I’d shoot him dead and the police could come and cart me off and I wouldn’t care.”
“Let’s not think about that right now. I don’t want my best friend to go to jail.” She took Megan’s hand and led her back to the car. They both climbed in. “Cole is on the case, and I know he’s determined to catch him.”
Megan shook her head and stared down into her lap, picking at her fingernail. “I hope to hell he does. If he doesn’t, I’m going to have to do it myself.”
Dani wished at that moment that she could do something to help. Anything. Maybe keeping her distance from Cole was the best course of action. She didn’t want to be a distraction. That being said, she couldn’t exactly go back on her promise to bring the boys to his ranch tomorrow. They were already so excited about it.
“I think you need some closure,” Dani said. “I mean, you’re caught in this impossible situation—you can’t even talk about Jason or Rich because of the investigation. But maybe it would be helpful if you had a small memorial for Jason. Something private where you and Aaron and Savannah can say goodbye.”
Megan hung her head, the tears falling onto her lap. “You’re right. Maybe I just need to say goodbye.”
“I think you’ll feel better. You can’t keep everything bottled up inside forever. And until Rich is caught, you know that’s going to be the way things have to be.”
Megan sat a little straighter and dabbed at her eyes with a tissue she’d pulled from her handbag. “Maybe we could have it at Aaron’s house. Savannah is living there full-time now. I don’t want it to be too much of a disruption for her. She’s still so little.”
“I think it sounds wonderful. I’m happy to help in any way I can.”
“I’d want Will to be there, too. He’s been so great to me since this happened. He’s the one who brought Cole on board with the investigation in the first place. I’d like to invite Cole, too, but only if it’s okay with you.”
Dani had to think about that for a minute. “This isn’t a ploy, is it?”
“I tend to think of situations that are a bit more romantic than a memorial service if I’m trying to set up a couple.” Megan looked up and flashed her trademark smile, making Dani feel one hundred times better.
“Perfect. Just name the day and I’ll be there.”
“I’ll talk to Aaron, but I’d like to do it sooner rather than later. Maybe Saturday.”
“I’ll keep it open.”
Megan reached for Dani’s hand. “Thank you. For everything. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“You’re welcome, and I feel the exact same way. Now, let’s go get some lunch. I’m buying.”
“Cocktails, too?”
Dani turned on the ignition and shifted the car into gear. “Of course. I think we both could use one.”
Five
Cole didn’t get a wink of sleep on Wednesday night. Between the investigation, the upcoming sting operation and knowing Dani and the boys were coming to the ranch, there was too much rattling around in his head.
The topic that really wouldn’t go away, no matter how hard he tried to focus on other things, was that of Colin and Cameron. Could they be his sons? The fact that he couldn’t let it go when he had so much on his professional plate said a lot. Cole was frequently guilty of putting career before anything else. He just couldn’t walk away from the immense satisfaction of it. It all led back to Cole’s childhood fascination with the Rangers and their ability to solve tough cases. No matter what it was, Cole had to find the truth and get to the heart of what was right.
Cole had to find out the truth about Colin and Cameron. Had he and Dani conceived twin boys? Or had Taylor Blake been not only lucky enough to have been with Dani, but to have fathered her children? He cringed at the thought, but the alternative wasn’t much better. If Colin and Cameron were his sons, Dani had kept a massive secret from him for more than five years. Of course, he’d stomped on her heart, so maybe in her mind, they were even.
Cole was out in the yard talking to one of his ranch hands. He’d been working on the investigation all morning and was sorely out of the loop with the state of the ranch. One of the mares had given birth to a healthy foal that morning. The boys were in for a real treat. In the middle of their conversation, a minivan came up the driveway. Dani was in the passenger seat, and a woman Cole didn’t recognize was driving. When it came to a stop, the side doors opened on their own, and the boys unbuckled their seat belts and ran up to him. Cole waved to Dani as the boys nearly tackled him in the driveway.
“Mr. Cole, we’re here!” Cameron exclaimed while Colin nodded in agreement.
“Hi, guys. I’m happy to see you.”
“Hey, Cole,” Dani said, walking toward him. Her perfume got to him first, then the gorgeous skin of her shoulders, left bare by her white tank top. And to think he’d had his hands all over her the other night...the very idea made his whole body come alive with electricity. “I need to ask you a favor.”
“Yes. Of course.”Anything.
“That’s my nanny, Elena. She wants to check out the antiques at Priceless. I told her she could take the minivan since not much can fit in the back of my convertible. Do you think you could give us a ride home when we’re done?”
