Wyoming Tough - Diana Palmer [49]
“If you have a defense, let’s hear it,” he added, his eyes on hers.
Morie just laughed. “Sure. I’ve been set up and she—” she indicated Gelly “—knows it. But nobody is going to believe me. I’m just the new hire.”
She put her things into the rucksack and gathered up her small television and iPod and coat. “This is all I brought with me. May I ask someone to drive me to the bus station in town, or would you like me to walk there?” she added icily.
Mallory felt even worse when he saw how little she had. Maybe she’d been desperate for money. But if she had, why not come to him and ask for help? His face hardened. He’d made that impossible, with his own antagonism.
“I’ll drive you, honey,” Cane said gently. “Let’s go.”
“I can drive her,” Tank protested.
Neither of them believed her guilty, and it was obvious.
“Thanks,” Morie told them sincerely. “I’ll remember you both kindly, years from now.”
Mallory was fuming. He hated being put in this position. And he really hated having his own brothers make him look like the villain.
“Darby, could you drive me to town, please?” she asked the older man. “If the boss doesn’t mind.”
“Drive her,” Mallory said curtly. He glared at his brothers. “In case you didn’t notice, she had Grandmother’s jeweled egg in her rucksack!”
Both brothers looked at Gelly with veiled hostility.
She stepped closer to Mallory. “Why are you looking at me? I didn’t steal anything!”
“Neither did I,” Morie told her as Darby gathered up the heavy things and she shouldered her pack. She smiled at Gelly. It wasn’t a nice smile. “When I get home, my father will want to know all about you,” she added softly. “I’m sure he’ll find interesting things.”
Gelly panicked for just a minute. But she noted the other woman’s pitiful clothing and lost her worry. “Oh, I’m sure.” She laughed. “Does he even own a computer?”
You might be surprised, Morie thought, but she didn’t speak. She looked up at Mallory as she passed him, with sadness and pain.
“You might have given me the benefit of the doubt,” she said quietly.
“I did,” he muttered.
She sighed. “You think I stole from you,” she said in a soft, wounded tone.
“You did,” he replied, digging in.
She shook her head. “One day, you’ll find out the truth and you’ll be sorry. But it will be too late,” she added.
He felt cold chills down his spine. He wasn’t in the wrong. Gelly had assured him that one of the hands knew something that he was afraid to tell. She’d learned about it accidentally while they were riding. The poor boy was almost in tears as he related how he’d seen Morie handling that beautiful egg he’d once seen in the display case inside the big ranch house. Of course, unbeknownst to him, Gelly had coaxed Bates into going to Mallory with his story and coached him on how to behave.
Mallory felt sick to his stomach. Morie was going to leave. He’d never see her again. It shouldn’t bother him. He knew she was after him for his money; no woman had ever wanted him for any other reason. He knew he wasn’t handsome. She was a gold digger. Why did it hurt so damned much to see that pain in her face, to hear it in her voice?
“If you’re leaving, go,” he said curtly. “Before I change my mind and have you prosecuted!”
“Oh, that would be very interesting,” Morie replied with a twinge of her old audacity. “Very interesting, indeed. In fact, I’m quite tempted to dare you to do it,” she added with a thoughtful look at Gelly, who was flushed and worried.
“No!” Gelly said, feeling suddenly unsure of herself at the other woman’s confident smile. She was friends with the judge who knew Cane. She might dig up something that Gelly didn’t want known. “No, it’s too much. She’s poor. Just let her go. One day, she’ll get what’s coming to her.”
“More than likely, you will,” Morie countered. She looked at the brothers. “I enjoyed my time here.”
“I don’t think you did it,” Cane said flatly.
“Neither do I,” Tank affirmed.
They both glared at Mallory.
“Well, she’s got you blindsided,