Loving Justice (Cowboys of Sagebrush Rose #4)

Prologue

“Are you sure about this, sir?” The envelope burned a hole in Jinx Weathersby’s pocket and his head spun wildly. He settled himself deeper into the chair across from the desk, his gaze automatically targeting the door, feeling a desire to run.

“I asked you to do this. I wouldn’t have asked unless I needed an answer. Did you find something?” Sam Rose stared back with wise grey eyes.

With the last shred of doubt unraveling, Jinx reached into his jacket pocket, withdrew the thick envelope and set it on the desk, pushing it toward Sam. “I don’t know if it means anything, these photos.”

Sam reached for the envelope. He glared at it for four heartbeats before opening the flap and taking out the contents. As he slowly flipped through the stack of photos, he shook his head, his expression growing grimmer with each image.

On his way to Sam’s office, Jinx had changed his mind nearly a dozen times. Then he reminded himself that if he didn’t give Sam the information, someone else would.

“Tell me what you know.” Sam tossed the photos down onto the desk.

“They met in some restaurant in the Catskills, and before she made it through the first course, she left.”

Sam arched his brow. “Did they seem…”

“Involved?” Jinx stretched his legs out in front of him. He didn’t like stirring up trouble and yet here he was. “Sir, you asked me to find out if your suspicions were true. I could just as easily hit a target blindfolded than guess what type of relationship your daughter has with Downs. I didn’t get warm and fuzzy feelings if that’s what you’re asking.”

After a moment of thoughtful silence, Sam planted his palms on his desk. “Did she see you? Does she have any clue that you’ve been following her?”

“No. I kept my cover.” When Sam came to Jinx and asked him to monitor Justice’s comings and goings, his first instinct was to turn the request down. He was a simple ranch hand not a private investigator, but he understood the confidentiality required in the situation. Not only did Sam want to keep his daughter’s fraternizing with the enemy concealed but the information getting into the wrong hands could be trouble for the Rose family. They were tight-knit, but Jinx sensed there were some troubles recently that put cracks in the foundation.

Then there was the little fact of payment. The large sum of money Rose promised for Jinx’s task and his discretion would cushion his bank account.

Agitated, Sam stood and stepped over to the minibar to pour himself a whiskey. “Drink, Jinx?”

“I’ll pass.” Jinx shifted uncomfortably in the leather chair, his gaze falling to the photos scattered on the desk. His gut tightened and he felt a bit sick. For a month, he’d been watching her, following her. At first, he’d been concerned that Sam had wanted his daughter watched. Jinx had felt it was a lack of trust and respect on a father’s part, and the longer the task continued, the guiltier Jinx felt. But the money had been the enticement. Years of working as a hand hadn’t made him rich and he’d lived on beans and rice more times than he could count just to ensure he cared for his sister. He was responsible for Ilene’s future.

Jinx had been twenty-five years old when their mother passed away. After Ilene was born, their father divorced their mother, remarried, and moved to Costa Rica with his new wife. He then shifted his focus to caring for his new family—he didn’t offer a cent of support to provide for his two biological children.

Life had been challenging as they managed to simply meet their basic needs. Jinx ’ s mother, Izzy, worked multiple jobs to provide for the family. When Jinx turned fourteen, he started working as a bagger at a grocery store to contribute, but at eighteen, he left Catskills to seek better opportunities. By that time, Izzy was in remission from leukemia but could no longer work. Her sister, Ness, moved in to help with caring for Ilene. When Izzy's condition worsened, Jinx became Ilene ’ s caretaker, assuming parental responsibilities. His sister exhibited challenging behaviors, particularly now at fifteen, often testing his patience at every turn. Despite this, Jinx intended to use the money offered by Sam to fund Ilene ’ s college education.

What had transformed over the last few weeks had undoubtedly been unexpected. He looked forward to seeing Justice and learning her behaviors and mannerisms. The way she tucked in her bottom lip when she was super focused. The way the wind caught the end of her long, wavy hair and she tried to contain it. Her ever-changing laugh depended upon her mood and how comfortable she was with someone. When she spoke to her sisters her translucent blue eyes would sparkle, but when she talked to one of the crew, she always had her guard up. The other day, she was in the barn feeding the cats, and she seemed so happy, carefree, and happy that he felt a tug in his gut, wishing he could see that joy directed at him. He’d been brushing one of the horses and hadn’t realized he’d been staring until she made eye contact. She grinned, and he’d felt thunderstruck to the center of his bones.

She was beautiful—more than beautiful. She was radiant, yet many times, he saw a sadness in her expression that didn’t quite make sense to him. How could she be so sad when her life seemed nearly perfect?

Yet, no one had a perfect life.

When he followed her to the restaurant and saw who she was meeting, he thought he had to be imagining what he saw. And once he saw how uncomfortable she’d been—fidgety, tense, restless—sitting at the table with Downs, Jinx realized she thought he was a snake, too.

He was curious what her relationship had been like with Downs. Had they been close and simply gone sour? Had Downs hurt her?

“I’ve given my daughters everything,” Sam said quietly, drawing Jinx’s attention. “Sometimes I don’t know—” He rubbed his forehead, and his skin appeared weathered. He peered over at the portrait of his late wife as if looking for answers.

Jinx perched himself on the edge of the chair. “I can relate to a certain extent. Since my mother died, I’ve been taking care of my little sister. Talk about a revelation.” He chuckled as he shook his head wryly, remembering how many times they’d butted heads. It seemed they bickered more than they talked these days. There were days when she tried sneaking out of the house in shorts that showed off too much and crop tops. He often wondered where she bought the scraps of material. Or the time he caught her sneaking out of the house at midnight. She’d tried to say she was sleepwalking and couldn’t understand why she was grounded.

“You have a sister?” Sam dropped back down into his chair behind the desk. He looked tired—possibly weary.

“She’s fifteen going on thirty. Thinks she knows it all.”

Sam’s laughter echoed across the room. “How did I not know that about you, Jinx?”

With a shrug, he said, “You didn’t ask.”

Sam set his glass on a coaster. He reached into the handmade cedarwood case and took out a cigar. “I guess you don’t know unless you ask. That’s a lot of responsibility for someone your age. Cigar, son?”

“No, thanks. We do what we have to do. Aunt Ness has been a godsend.” The usual bitterness rose in the back of his throat. Now he wished he’d accepted the drink.

Sam lit the cigar and closed his eyes a moment as if he were enjoying his last smoke. “My daughters hate cigars, but I deserve a little fun at my age. Anyway, my apologies. Death changes everything. When my wife passed, I didn't know how I’d manage daily life, let alone raising five daughters. Friends suggested remarrying for their sake, but I couldn’t do it.” He glanced again at his late wife's portrait above the fireplace. “That’s irrelevant now. Kids don’t understand a parent's sacrifices—the worries, the mistakes.” He bowed his head briefly. “Now they despise me.”

“I don’t think they hate you, sir.” Jinx had seen the love and respect the sisters had for Sam. At his birthday party, they gathered around to celebrate the patriarch.

“I’ve only wanted the best for them.”

“Of course.”

“I don’t think we’re close like we once were.” He snuffed out his cigar.

“My sister and I are close, but it’s not always peaches and sunshine. She thinks I don’t understand anything. Thinks I was born in the Stone Age. I just know what teen boys are thinking.”

Sam spun back, some of the tension gone from his features. “I remember those days. Hell, we’re still in those days. I should have told them from the beginning that boys have cooties.” His gaze lowered to the photos for a split second. “I often wonder what life would have been like had my wife lived. When a parent takes on both roles, sometimes we tend to overcompensate.” He leaned back in the chair, picked up his pen, and clicked it repeatedly. “I made a promise to their mother that if anything happened, I’d make sure our daughters become something. Made sure they fully realized their potential.”

“They’re good, strong women. You've done a fantastic job. We all make mistakes in life, and we learn from them,” Feeling like he’d seen enough of the images, Jinx swiped up the photos and shoved them back into the envelope.

“You sound like a cowboy who’s mature for his age. What mistakes have you possibly made in such a short life?” Sam dropped his pen and clasped his hands.

“Well, sir, just as I told you when you hired me, I served some time in the county jail. I had my days of fighting and drinking. They never served me well. My nose is to the grind now.”

A pensive moment passed and Sam narrowed his gaze. “Why aren’t you married, son?”

Jinx chuckled. “Guess that hasn’t been in the cards for me.”

“Wouldn’t life be easier? Have some help to raise your sister?”

“I don’t think there are a lot of women out there who want to take on a ranch hand’s hours combined with a feisty teenager.” Not that Jinx had been searching. He’d never played any games with any women, never made any false promises, and didn’t want to change his lifestyle to please anyone. He described himself as a simple, hardworking, salt-of-the-earth cowboy who thought a good time consisted of a football game and a beer, or two.

“Maybe you’re looking in all the wrong places.”

“Possibly.” Jinx couldn’t argue.

Sam snorted with a dramatic flair. “After my heart attack, I realized I wasn't invincible.” He grinned. “My ego was too big. Once upon a time, I was a lot like you, kid. Thought I held the world in the palm of my calloused hand. A good woman will sneak in and lead you to a better life. When a woman is pleased, she’ll treat you like a king.”

“Sounds like you know all about that, sir.”

“Used to.” He whistled through his teeth. “Boy, did I win the wife lottery?”

“From an outsider, you seem to have had a good life.”

“I’ve always hoped my girls would want similar things out of life. I decided to make changes on the ranch and with my daughters. They were upset when I insisted they marry or lose everything here. I wrote them out of my will. And if they want back in, they better find a spouse.”

Jinx cleared his throat uncomfortably. He supposed that went well. “It ain’t none of my business, but that’s more than a change. That's what I call setting off a bomb.”

“I guess maybe I didn’t feel like I had any other option. I had to do something drastic to get them to see Sagebrush Rose Ranch as a legacy, not a three-ring circus. I’ve dedicated every single day of my life to this land—to my family.” His expression soured. “They don’t realize hardship, not like we do, Jinx. We’ve hit rock bottom and come back up stronger.”

Jinx doubted Sam had hit the exact ‘rock bottom’ as he had. “I don’t want my sister to experience the same disappointment as I have. That’s why I’m busting my ass to give her a better life.”

“Fair enough. What bothers me is that Kent Downs is dangerous. Justice put herself at risk. Nothing will convince me that the bastard didn’t use her to get to me—to get to this land. She’s smarter than opening the door to a snake.”

“Like I said, we all make mistakes,” Jinx said with a shrug.

"A mistake?" Sam shook his head. "More like betrayal. I spoiled them, bought horses, got top trainers, and ensured they had everything. Yet, I feel I've failed them horribly."

Jinx didn’t know how honest he could be. Sam was the boss. He’d had a few bosses through the years who could only handle what they wanted to hear. “I’m not a father, at least not in the traditional sense of the word, but I’ve realized the hard way that nothing in the world will ever mean more to a child than being loved.”

Sam opened his mouth but snapped it shut. “I guess you’re right. I've never been the type to expose my feelings. I’ve always assumed my girls knew how much I love them.”

“You know what they say about assumptions.” Jinx swiped his palm down his whiskered jaw.

“I’ve become quite aware.” Sam laughed. “Their mother made it all look so easy when they were babies. All the diaper changing, the night feedings, long nights of sickness. I never thought I’d ever be doing parenthood alone. If you love them enough, you’ll all be okay. That love will see you through. But love is never enough, Jinx. I respect your belief, but I’m telling you. You can love a child with all you have and they still need more.” He sighed as if he released the world from his shoulders. Almost as quickly, the stubborn pride came back to his expression. “I want to make you an irresistible offer.”

Jinx sunk back into the chair. “Sir?”

“Hell, life as a ranch hand isn’t easy. Especially with a kid to raise. I can change some of that for you.” Sam switched to the tough businessman that Jinx always knew. “Marry Justice.”

As if the ceiling had collapsed on top of Jinx, it took him a moment to recover before he moved forward. “I must have heard you wrong. Did you just say “marry” your daughter?”

“I did.” Sam smoothed his fingers over his jawline.

“With all due respect, I don’t think your daughter looks at me in that sense.”

“But you didn’t say you don’t look at her that way.”

Sam was clever, Jinx had realized that a long time ago. “She’s a beautiful, intelligent, successful woman. I don’t think you’d expect a man not to notice.”

As Sam eased into the chair, it creaked under his weight. He laced his fingers over his stomach as if digesting what he’d heard. “I could have hired anyone to trail my daughter. They would have found some satisfaction telling me she’d met with my enemy. But you…well, you didn't find any delight in the news. I think I’m a pretty good judge of character and I think you didn’t want to have to show me the photos.”

Jinx said, “I do not believe disrupting a father-daughter relationship offers any satisfaction.”

“You haven’t said no either about the marriage.”

Again, Sam paid close attention to facts. “Didn’t I? I think it takes two to marry, sir.”

Sam eased forward, his broad shoulders stretching the seams of his button-down. “I’ll take care of the details. If you say yes, you’ll be part of the Rose family, and so will your sister. There’s money here. Lots of it.”

“I am not motivated by wealth,” he said.

“Nonetheless, everyone has a price.”

Jinx exhaled slowly. “Not everyone owns well-regarded ranches, sir.”

“But here’s your chance to own your share. To make sure your sister is taken care of. Not to mention, Justice would be a good role model.”

“What makes you think Justice would agree?”

Sam’s gaze swung to the envelope. “I think she’ll see she has no choice.”

“Is that really what you want to do? Force her into marrying someone.” Jinx knew Sam could be creating a storm that couldn’t be tamed.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Sam answered. “Yes.”

Jinx couldn’t quite wrap his head around what Sam was offering. “That’s a big request.”

“And you’re not saying no.”

Taking the time to think over his words carefully, Jinx couldn’t deny that he had developed feelings for Justice, but enough to marry her? That was an entirely different idea that would take time to digest. “No, I guess I’m not.” Thinking of another man marrying Justice, forced or not, made Jinx’s stomach turn.

“Then I’ll take it from here.”

“What do you want to do with those?” Jinx jutted his chin toward the envelope.

“I’ll keep them.” He swiped them up, dropped them into a drawer, and took out another envelope, tossing it onto the desk. “That’s yours, as we agreed.”

Jinx felt guilty accepting the cash, but he had a responsibility to his sister. College didn’t come free, and with her aspiration to attend one of the best universities and not a community college, he knew it wouldn’t be cheap. He’d already started looking into selling the farm to pay for Ilene’s needs. After their mother had passed, she’d left a mountain of medical debt that seemed impossible to get paid off.

He took the envelope and shoved it into pocket.

“Stay tuned, Jinx. And in the meantime, keep an eye on things.”

Jinx narrowed his gaze. “Excuse me, sir?”

“Stay close to Justice, still on the down low. Downs is a snake. He might do something unwise if he feels he didn’t get what he wanted.”

Jinx knew he was betraying Justice further, but he trusted Sam. Downs wouldn't leave easily. Jinx lacked details, but the crew's chatter about the sinister businessman made him question why Justice got involved.

“I doubled the cash,” Sam added.

Needing the money, Jinx simply nodded. “I don’t mind helping, but I need to take a day off. I need to head home to check on Ilene.”

Sam nodded. “Of course. Take the weekend.”

Standing, Jinx grabbed his hat off the hook and headed for the door. He stopped with his hand on the doorknob. “I know it’s none of my business, but sometimes we see what we want to see. Someone like Downs can be convincing.”

And then he left.