Page 57 of Murder at Rescue Ridge

“That’s a fair question.” He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “We’ve skated around the topic because, well, to be honest, I think we’re all scared to find out just how far Beaumont went.”

Before Harrison’s death, she wouldn’t have understood the depth of that statement. It was like not wanting to have the last shreds of hope that your father was something besides an ego-driven, power-hungry monster destroyed.

Even when faced with the highly likely possibility that he was exactly that…a monster.

Nikki involuntarily shivered. She needed to change the subject.

Conrad’s cell buzzed. He pulled in front of a house before exiting the neighborhood and checked the screen. “I better take this.”

Nikki nodded.

“What’s up, Kade?” Conrad answered, putting the call on speaker.

“It’s Beau,” Kade said.

“What has he done now?” Conrad asked.

“Hired a lawyer,” Kade supplied. “He’s suing us for a hundred million dollars.”

“You have to be kidding me,” Conrad said, his tone incredulous. He’d backed the wrong horse if this was true.

“He’s claiming damages as well as asking for backpay since Beaumont never paid child support,” Kade supplied.

“That sonofabitch,” Conrad said under his breath.

Nikki should have seen this coming. She should have warned Conrad this was a possibility. It could have been Beau’s plan all along. Get close to the family so he could figure out the financial situation. Now that he’d spent several months at the Sturgess ranch and dug into the finances, he could really cash in.

“So, it was always about the money,” Conrad said.

“It seems so,” Kade admitted. “I’m sorry. I know you wanted to trust him. And I also know that if I hadn’t been such an asshole, running over everyone like a steamroller, you wouldn’t have felt the need to defend him.”

“You had to step up to look out for us when you were way too young, brother,” Conrad said after a thoughtful pause. The emotion—and reverence—in his tone almost made her reach for the door handle. This felt like a private family conversation, and Nikki had never been more reminded that she was alone in this world.

Except when she was with Conrad.

Once this was over, could she talk to him about her growing feelings? See if there could be a next step for them?

What if he didn’t feel the same way? Rejection from Conrad Sturgess would be unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Having always prided herself on being able to handle whatever life dealt, she questioned herself for the first time.

Another question emerged.

Could she walk away from him without knowing the answer?

19

Conrad swallowed to clear the emotion knotting in his throat. Kade wasn’t one for apologies or regrets. He’d changed. He was more thoughtful now. Having a family must have humbled him and brought out the best in Kade.

“I appreciate the words, Kade,” Conrad began. “But we’re all out here trying our best. You’ve done right by us.” He couldn’t imagine the sacrifices Kade had made at such a young age to ensure his siblings weren’t beaten within an inch of their lives. There was a semblance of order. “You deserved a better hand than what you were dealt.”

“There was a time, not so long ago, when that was all I could see,” Kade said. “But I never would have gotten the best siblings a brother could ask for if life had happened any other way.”

Damn. Kade really had changed. He was happy now. He was in love with Bree and their baby. The changes in him were remarkable. It made Conrad believe change could happen to anyone if it had happened to his older brother.

Could it happen to him? He was beginning to believe there might be something with Nikki that was rare. Something that was difficult to describe and elusive to nail down.

“Right back at you,” Conrad said. “We’ll fight Beau together.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Kade stated. “And when anything else comes up, I hope you’ll feel able to talk to me about it. One thing I’ve learned recently is that we’re stronger together.”

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