Page 60 of Lie for a Million

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Crystal crossed the unkempt lawn and mounted the front porch of the large house. Her hand trembled as she raised it to the doorbell and heard the loud chime from the other side. Light footsteps approached the door. The door opened.

The woman in the entry was petite, blond, and visibly pregnant. Her doll-like face wore a sour expression. “Whatever you’re selling, we don’t want any,” she said.

“No, please, I’m not selling anything.” Crystal placed a booted foot across the threshold so the door couldn’t be closed. “Your husband knows me, Mrs. Culhane. I have some important business to discuss with the two of you. It concerns your right to inherit the Culhane Ranch.”

“Who is it, Simone?” Darrin Culhane appeared from the next room. “What do they want?”

Simone stepped aside, revealing Crystal in the doorway. “This womanclaims to know you. She says she’s here to discuss business. Something about the ranch.”

“Oh.” Darrin looked startled. Crystal suspected he’d never told his wife about his visits to the Jackalope Saloon. “Well, come on in,” he said. “What can I do for you?”

“It’s what I can do for you,” Crystal said, stepping through the doorway. “I have a story and a business proposition, for both of you. If you’re interested in getting control of your family ranch, you’ll want to hear me out.”

Darrin switched off the TV and motioned her to an armchair. After clearing magazines off the sofa, he took a seat with his wife to face Crystal. “Well, let’s hear it,” he said.

Crystal took her time, telling her rapt audience how she’d met Frank and they’d become lovers. “He promised to divorce Lila and marry me. He even gave me this.” She held out her hand, displaying the diamond ring. “Look all you want. I guarantee it’s real.” She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue from her purse. “Of course you know what happened. I didn’t even get a chance to tell Frank that I was pregnant with his baby.”

Simone gasped. “You’repregnant? How do you know the baby is Frank’s?”

Her tone made Crystal want to slap the woman. She bit back an angry response. There was nothing to be gained by losing her temper. From her purse, she took out a copy of the test results the doctor had sent her. “Take a look. DNA doesn’t lie.”

She passed Darrin the paper, which she’d printed off her email. He showed it to his wife. Crystal could see their disbelief turn to resignation. “Keep it,” she said. “It’s a duplicate.”

Darrin folded the paper and put it in his shirt pocket. “So what’s the rest of the story? Where are you going with this?”

“I needed money, so I made a call to Lila,” Crystal said. “I’d planned on keeping the baby, but she offered to adopt it and pay me for my trouble. At first I was shocked—that would be like selling my baby. But what kind of life would that baby have with me? Lila could give him—or her—everything. So I agreed.”

Crystal paused to gauge the effect her story was having on Darrin and Simone. They were transfixed.

“Of course, I know why Lila wants my baby,” Crystal said. “As the legal mother of Frank’s child, she’d be meeting the terms of Frank’s will. You two would no longer have a case.”

Crystal could tell the news had hit them hard. Simone’s mouth had hardened into a thin line. Darrin looked as if he’d been slapped across the face.

“So what are you doing here?” he demanded. “What do you want?”

Again, Crystal took her time. “To tell you the truth, I’m having second thoughts about Lila. She only wants the baby to help her keep the ranch. She wouldn’t love Frank’s child by another woman. Not the way I would love him—or her. I want to keep this baby. But look at me—I work in a bar. I have no education, no family support. If I can’t afford to give my child a decent life, I’ll have no choice except to take Lila’s offer.”

“How much is she planning to give you?” Darrin asked.

“We’re still negotiating. But my baby could save the ranch for her. That has to be worth a lot. Of course, I won’t get the full amount until I give birth and turn over the baby.”

Crystal gave the words time to sink in. Darrin and Simone exchanged uneasy glances.

“Here’s my offer,” she said. “What would it be worth to you if I were to leave town and disappear? I could move out of the state, start a new life somewhere, raising my baby on my own. Lila would never hear from me again, and you’d have a good chance of getting your family ranch back.”

“We’re not millionaires like Lila,” Darrin said. “How much would you need?”

“For moving expenses and a new start, a hundred thousand dollars cash up-front.” It wasn’t a million, but she needed it soon. From these people, it was as good as she was likely to get.

Again, the couple exchanged glances. “We’ll need to talk this over,” Darrin said. “Can we let you know?”

“Of course.” Crystal stood. “But don’t make me wait. I need to make a decision, and I’m running out of time. Here’s my number.” She handed them the card she’d prepared and left before they could ask her more questions.

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“What do you think?” Darrin asked his wife as Crystal drove away. “A hundred grand is a lot of money.”

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