Page 29 of Lie for a Million

“Negative?”Crystal sagged against the side of the bed. “You mean the man isn’t my baby’s father?”

“That’s right, as far as I could tell. Have a nice night, and don’t call me again. Our business is done.”

The call ended, leaving Crystal sprawled on the cold linoleum floor, nauseated with relief.

Negative.

It was as if she’d won the lottery. Her baby wasn’t Judd’s. She was carrying Frank Culhane’s child.

CHAPTEREIGHT

Lila stood on the front porch saying goodbye to her daughter. Gemma, a nursing student at TCU in Fort Worth, gripped the handle of her wheeled carry-on bag. Her rental car waited at the foot of the steps.

“I can stay longer, if you need me, Mama.” Gemma resembled her grandmother—tall, slim, and practical-looking, with short light-brown hair and hazel eyes. Lila’s love for her twenty-year-old daughter was fiercely protective. If she kept her child at a distance, it was only to shield her from the craziness at the ranch.

“You really didn’t need to come at all,” Lila said. “I can’t believe Mariah called you when I hurt my shoulder. I’d have been fine.”

“I know. But I would have worried about you—especially after that awful accident with your car. This ranch has become a dangerous place. Be careful. I’ve only got one mother.”

“And I’ve only got one daughter.” Lila pulled her close for a quick hug. “Be safe, now. And call me.”

“I will. And you do the same.”

Lila watch the blue Toyota disappear down the road. Saying goodbye was always hard. But there was nothing for Gemma here on the ranch. She was better off building a separate, useful life for herself.

Lila had become pregnant as an eighteen-year-old college student. The father—a charming, irresponsible boy—wouldn’t have cared even if she’d told him. She’d quit school, had her baby, and left the little girl with her grandmother while she’d found work as a dancer in a Vegas casino show to support them.

When nine-year-old Gemma had needed a life-saving heart operation, Lila had paid for it the only way she could: by finding a rich husband. Frank had been married to Madeleine at the time, but even that hadn’t stopped her. Not only had she wed the handsome, wealthy rancher, she had fallen in love with him.

She’d done her best to be a good wife. But now, or so it seemed, it was time to pay the piper.

She reached across her body and massaged her left shoulder. Four days had passed since she’d been flung to the arena floor by the frenzied stallion. The sling was gone, but the joint was still sore from the dislocation. Healing would take time.

Roper’s truck had been in the parking lot since first light. He’d been working early and late with Fire Dance. But she hadn’t spoken with him since he’d helped her into the house and turned her over to Mariah. Gemma had arrived that night, making it hard for Lila to get away. But now, she’d been cooped up in the house long enough. With Gemma on her way back to Fort Worth, it was time for a visit to the arena.

She went back inside the house and cut through to the patio. She had just started down the path to the stables when her cell phone rang. Lila was tempted to ignore the call or send it to voice mail. But then she saw the identity of the caller. It was the doctor who’d agreed to do the in vitro paternity test of Crystal’s baby.

“Hello?” She could feel the tremor in her voice.

“Mrs. Culhane, this is Dr. Morgenstern. I have the results of Miss Carter’s paternity test.” He paused. “She took so long coming in, I was afraid she’d changed her mind. But she finally showed up, very confident and cheerful.”

“I don’t mean to sound impatient, Doctor, but what did the test show?” Eternities seemed to slide away as Lila waited for the answer that could shake her world.

“The markers showed a definite match between the baby’s DNA and your late husband’s,” the doctor said. “I’ve already emailed the test results to you. Of course this information will be held in strictest confidence. Do you have any more questions for me?”

“No . . . that’s fine. Thank you,” Lila murmured, ending the call. Nausea churned in her stomach. Her knees threatened to collapse beneath her. She made it back to the patio and sank onto a chair.

This was her new reality. The husband who’d never been able to conceive a child with her had managed it with a cheap little tramp he’d met in a bar.

But that was past history now. The real question was what would happen next. Crystal would have an agenda. She would undoubtedly want money. But what else would she want? That remained to be seen. Only one thing was certain. If this situation were a poker game, there was just one player holding the aces. And it wasn’t Lila.

* * *

Roper finished the training session with his client’s bay gelding, dismounted, and passed the horse off to a waiting groom. The morning sun, slanting rays in through the arena’s open sides, was already warm. The day was going to be another scorcher.

He’d paused to drink from the water bottle he kept by the arena entrance when he saw Lila standing in the shadows. His pulse quickened. Relief, mixed with apprehension, flooded his emotions. After a three-day absence, she had finally come to him. But his instincts told him something was wrong.

As he walked toward her, she stepped into the light. “Hello, Boss,” he said. “Are you all right?”

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