Chapter Thirty-five – The Man I Want To Be
Chapter Thirty-five
Rafe
THE MAN I WANT TO BE
Performed by Chris Young
Four days had passed since I’d sent Sadie and Fallon away. Four days and we were no closer to finding Adam and Theresa. No closer to ending the danger that hovered around me and mine. I loathed the useless feeling it left me with. The simple knowledge I couldn’t control what happened to us made the rage I felt at the missing couple eat away at my insides.
I needed this to be over and behind us, not only for our safety but so I could put things right with Sadie. So I could convince her I’d found a way to blend our worlds without her having to give up any of her dreams.
I wouldn’t let Sadie end up like my mother or my great-grandmother, feeling trapped and alone after having given up everything for the man they loved. As I reread Beatrice’s journal over the last few nights, it wasn’t her sadness that I’d felt, it had been my mom’s.
I remembered my parents’ arguments, her wanting them to take a trip to Florence or Paris or London so she could see and feel and learn from the great artists she admired, and Dad’s ever-consistent response that it wasn’t the right time. The young calves needed castrating. The fields needed seeding. The fire line around the buildings needed clearing. Something had always prevented them from going.
I didn’t understand why Mom hadn’t just flipped him off and gone without him, just as Beatrice could have returned to Hollywood and made a career for herself without Alasdair. So why hadn’t they? The answer was simple. They’d fallen in love with unyielding men who’d taken them for granted, who’d thought less of the dreams of the women they loved than they had of themselves and the ranch.
When the cancer had come for Mom the second time, I was almost sure she’d simply given up the fight because her life had felt so empty.
I wouldn’t let the same thing happen to Sadie. To us. I absolutely refused to repeat the cycle of my ancestors.
So, in the dark of the night, I made my decisions and formed my plans. A way to keep Sadie and to ensure she had what she wanted. But I was smart enough to realize I needed to wait until we were face-to-face to explain it to her. If I tried to do it over the phone, she’d simply say no. She’d dig those stubborn heels of hers in and offer herself up as some sort of sacrifice without letting me do the same in return.
Which was why I denied us the relief and pleasure of talking on the phone. Part of it was to ensure she had time to really think about what she was getting into with me. To give her a chance to back out before she committed herself to a man over a decade older than her. A smaller part of it was a way of hedging my bets, hoping my absence would make her desperate enough to accept the deal when I laid it at her feet. But the biggest reason was because if I heard her voice, the siren who’d stolen my heart would be able to convince me that she didn’t need the dreams she’d give up.
So instead, I concentrated on putting my plans in place, kicking them off so she’d have less reason to back down when she realized I’d already spent the money to get the ball rolling. I had the resources to make both my daughter’s dreams and Sadie’s come to life, and I couldn’t think of a better way of spending it.
So, while I felt useless and out of control with Adam and Theresa on the loose, I dug into the plans I had to give the two women I loved more than my own breath everything they deserved and more.
I started by hiring back most of the workers Spencer had laid off. With the ranch hands managing the day-to-day chores, it left Lauren free to develop a detailed plan for the ranch’s conversion with me.
I invited two companies to work up bids for the renovations we decided to make to the main house, converting it fully into a hotel, while we built a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home on the hill for Lauren and Fallon that would give them privacy away from the resort activities. I had human resources post jobs for a live-in housekeeper and two assistants who would stay in the old servant quarters, and I talked to the head chef at The Fortress, compiling a list of his peers who might enjoy taking on the challenge of the five-star resort I was going to build in the middle of Nowhere, California.
And after Lauren left my side each day, I researched the feasibility of creating the theater in Willow Creek that Sadie had wanted. She likely had designs in mind already, and I’d honor those, but I hired a firm to look at similar performing arts centers around the country, not only for architectural and technical ideas but ideas on how they were run. A lot of similar centers in small towns were losing money, but there were successful case studies amongst the failures. I was confident, between the two of us, we’d make Sadie’s one of the winning ones.
A little over a week ago, I’d been strolling through The Fortress, satisfied at what I’d created but at a loss to what came next. The routine had already been getting to me. I’d been ready for the next adventure. Now, I’d found it. And it had nothing to do with bringing my visions to life but in bringing Sadie’s and Fallon’s dreams to fruition.
If I could convince Sadie of it, we’d split our time between Rivers and Willow Creek. We’d stick close to both our families, to the people who truly mattered. I’d still have to travel, keeping a finger on the pulse of Marquess Enterprises and all the businesses underneath it, but I could also afford to hire a chief executive officer to run it.
I could devote myself to the women I loved.
I could find my way back to the land and the horses I’d once thought I’d never leave.
And I’d make sure I was always there to be Sadie’s last dance partner.
I could have it all.
I just had to find Adam and Theresa and make sure they were incapable of hurting me and mine ever again.
I turned away from the window in the office, glancing down at the expensive suit I wore for the meetings I had scheduled today. The suit felt tighter than usual, more restricting after days spent in jeans and T-shirts. But I’d wanted the businessmen showing up today to see the multi-million-dollar entrepreneur I’d become rather than the cowboy they’d watched grow up.
I wanted them to take me seriously, starting with the architect who was coming to give me his bid for the renovations to the main house. I opened the tube with the original floorplans of the mansion I’d ordered from the city planning office. I pulled them out, rolling them along the desk and anchoring the corners with office supplies. We weren’t adding on to the house but were converting existing space to maximize it. As the vault was hardly used for anything more than storage these days, I thought we might be able to create a cozy, secret speakeasy bar out of it with a few high-top cocktail tables.
My finger skimmed across the plans to the office and the safe. I leaned down, squinting at some slanted lines that made no sense. My heart seemed to stop for several seconds before my finger ran along the drawing for the side wall, realization dawning at what I was seeing. Hidden goddamn passageways. They were so narrow a man could hardly fit inside them. They ran through several rooms downstairs, behind the butler’s quarters, and to a stairwell running up to a secret room in the attic.
I’d lived here for twenty years and never known they existed.
It instantly brought back memories of playing hide-and-seek as a kid with Spence, Lauren, and Adam, and the way we’d never found him. The way he’d been like a ghost, disappearing and reappearing with a smug look on his face, all the while keeping his secrets.
Anger swarmed through me. That he’d known my home better than me. That he’d used the advantage to play parlor tricks.
A chill washed over my spine, thinking of the man who’d tried to smother Lauren. How Adam had appeared in her room out of nowhere. The hidden passage went right by her bedroom.
Shit. Was he still here? Were we searching for him in Mexico when he was still in the house?
I picked up my phone and dialed Steele. “I need you here. Now.”
When he came running into the office, I put a hand to my lips and then silently pointed to what I’d found on the plans. His face turned grim, and we headed into the vault.
Steele pulled his gun from his holster, and I grabbed one from the wall. The Liliput was missing. I’d thought Sadie had put it back before she left, but maybe it was still in the room upstairs.
Between Steele and I, we found the switch behind the shelves that swung open the door to the first passageway. Well oiled, it didn’t make a sound, and I cursed myself all over again.
We made our way, floor by floor, through the narrow halls with our phone lights casting dark shadows along the walls. The passages weren’t dusty. No spiderwebs existed. They’d been used frequently and recently.
As quietly as we could, we cleared the spaces and ended in the hidden room in the attic. A brass bed with mussed sheets and a pile of recently used dishes proved someone had been here in the last few days. A simple, plain desk was strewn with computer cords along with a host of other electronics. Seeing them, Steele cursed.
“What?” I demanded.
“These are cloning devices for phones. If he’s used them on Lauren’s and Fallon’s phones, he could be following everything we’re doing.”
How could I have been so careless? Why hadn’t I demanded they use burner phones?
“Damn it, Steele.”
We left the secret room through a door that led into the attic space I’d known well as a child, playing amongst the leftovers of the Harringtons’ past. As we headed down the stairs, Steele said, “Give me your phone. I’ll make sure it’s clean, and I’ll find Lauren and scan hers as well.”
As he headed out of the house, I went back into the office. While I waited for him to return, fury built inside me. I stared at the plans with disgust, knowing my father had kept the secret of the passages for his benefit. Or maybe to see if we’d ever find them on our own. By doing so, he’d allowed the spider to spin its web, just like I’d allowed the monster in the gate.
When Steele walked in with a glower on his face, my heart sank.
“He was monitoring us?” I growled.
“Not you,” he said, placing my phone on top of the floorplans. “But Lauren. Which means he was probably monitoring Fallon’s phone as well. You’ll need to tell Sadie to get her a burner phone.”
“Fuck.”
“But it was actually good news.”
“How the hell do you figure?”
“I was able to use the link he established to backdoor him. I’m waiting for it to ping his location now.”
I stilled, hope flaring. “You’ve got him.”
“Not yet. But as soon as he sends a text or makes a call, I will.”
It was good news, but I hated that I couldn’t text my daughter to warn her. I couldn’t even be sure he hadn’t cloned Sadie’s while she’d been here, so I’d have to contact one of her brothers and get them a message that way. She wouldn’t like it any more than she’d like that I’d told Ryder about what had been happening here. Her text message to me once she’d found out had been scathing, but I’d done it for a good reason. I’d do it all over again if it meant keeping her safe.
I had to believe she’d forgive me for all of it once I told her my plans. Once I touched her again. She’d forget anything and everything but what we could be when we were together.
Steele’s phone vibrated in his hand, and as soon as he glanced down at it, a look of triumph took over his face. “We’ve got him!” The glee disappeared just as fast as it had arrived. “Shit!” The hope that had soared inside my chest crashed as he looked up at me with pure panic and said, “He’s in Willow Creek.”
For a moment, I didn’t believe I’d heard him right. The world went hazy, black swimming in front of me. Dread settled like a dead weight in my gut.
I reached for my phone, hitting Sadie’s number with a hand that shook. It rang twice and then went to voicemail. Even knowing Adam could be monitoring it, I called Fallon. It went straight to voicemail as well.
The dread spread through my veins like a poison.
Why the hell would Adam go there?
Why would he have followed Fallon and Sadie?
Simply to get back at me?
Then it hit me. The goddamn diamonds. But why would he go after them now? If he had access to the money he’d stolen, he didn’t need the cash. Being seen in Willow Creek, risking being arrested, seemed like a stupid play, and nothing he’d done so far had seemed stupid.
The only thing I could think was that he owed Puzo more than the man had admitted to me. What had Puzo said? He had a contract in hand that wouldn’t be easily put aside. But if Adam ran, if he wasn’t able to be found by the U.S. government or Puzo, he’d never have to pay back the debt.
Steele’s voice asking something about flights jerked me back to the room and the need to get to Fallon and Sadie. I’d left the goddamn jet in Tennessee so Parker could take it to Annapolis, and now I was stuck without a means to get to them quickly.
I thumbed my way through my contacts, landing on Maddox Hatley’s number.
“Hatley,” the man grunted out. Relief swarmed through me, but it was followed by a hive of bees stinging at what I had to tell him, how I’d led danger right to their door.
“This is Rafe Marquess. Adam is in Willow Creek, and neither Sadie nor Fallon is picking up their phone.”
Hatley swore before saying, “Sadie told my daughter they were going to go riding later. Maybe they went now. There’s no signal in the hills. I’m forty minutes away, dealing with another issue, but I’ll call the deputy I left in town and send him out to the ranch. Then I’ll call Ryder. He’ll know where to find them.”
I hung up, not even bothering with niceties, and dialed Ryder Hatley.
“You got premonition skills or something?” Ryder grunted out.
Chills swarmed up my back and over my neck. “Where are they?” I demanded.
“At the bar. The cameras there went dead about ten minutes ago. I’m on my way now.”
“Adam’s phone just pinged in Willow Creek.”
I heard the screech of tires and a roar of engines as Ryder cussed under his breath. “Call my brother. I need both hands to navigate.”
“I already did. He said he’s out of town, but he’s sending someone to the ranch.”
“You can call him back and have him send someone to the bar, but I’ll be there in less than five minutes, and I will handle it.” Ryder sounded absolutely sure of himself. Confident. Angry.
Relying on someone else to look after the people I loved left a bitter taste in my mouth. My voice was pained and gritty when I said, “If he’s harmed even one hair on either of them—”
“I’ll kill him myself,” Ryder hissed. “After everything my sister has been through… Goddamn it!” I heard tires squeal again. “I’ll call you when I’m at the bar.”
He hung up, and I headed for Steele, who was waiting at the office door.
“According to the crew at the hangar where the Cessna was kept, there’s nothing there that can get us across the country quickly, but there’s a private jet in Bakersfield. It’s the closest thing I could find.”
We were ninety minutes away. Too damn far. Even then, it would take at least another five hours to get to Tennessee once we were in the air. And once we landed, it was another hour and a half to Willow Creek. I was an entire day away from them. How the hell had I let this happen? I’d never let it happen again.
“What’s wrong?” Lauren’s voice stopped me as we made it halfway out the front door.
I swallowed, closed my eyes, and said, “Adam’s in Willow Creek.”
Her face paled, and she ran at me. “You’re going there now? I’m coming with you.”
She didn’t give me a chance to respond, just shoved past me and headed toward the Jaguar where Steele was waiting, hand out. “Give me the keys,” he said as Lauren climbed into the non-existent back seat.
“Not a chance. I grew up racing on these roads. I know the quickest way to get us there.” We eyed each other for a long moment. “Either get in or don’t, but I’m driving.”
I shoved past him and slammed my way into the driver’s seat as he made his way to the passenger’s side. I’d already shoved the car into gear and hit the accelerator as the door shut behind him. The gravel kicked up behind us as I sped down the road. I’d shave as much time as I could off the trip to the airport. If nothing else, it would keep me from losing my mind while I waited for a call back from one of the Hatleys.
I could only hope, could only pray to every higher power that existed, that it would be Sadie Hatley’s number that lit up my phone.