He picked up the receiver, half-asleep. “What?” he asked.
“Did you know that your houseguest is past the first fence and headed to the main road walking in the snow, without a muffler or even a pair of gloves on?” J.C. asked.
“What?”
He was out of bed in a flash, hunting clothing. “Lock that second gate, and I mean lock it,” he said shortly. “I’m on my way.”
“You bet, boss.”
He ran down the stairs, snapping his shirt buttons as he ran. He grabbed a coat and hat and scarf and the key to the Jaguar and darted out the door. The Jaguar was still parked at the steps. He grimaced at the memories it brought back. He jumped into it, cranked it and shot down the driveway.
He keyed the first gate, drove through and closed it, and kept going. He noted that the electronic lock hadn’t been put back on. He’d forgotten to do that when they came home, anticipating untold delights with Meredith. It was careless. He caught up to her about a fourth of a mile to the last gate.
She heard the car before she saw it, and she knew who was driving it. She started running, fighting tears.
He caught her easily before she got very far. He picked her up in his arms, ignoring her struggles, and stuffed her into the passenger seat.
“Stay put!” he said icily when she tried to get back out.
Her lower lip trembled. Tears rained down her cheeks. She was too tired to even care, and she felt frozen clean through. She wrapped her arms around her chest and refused to even look at him.
He felt the pain to his toes. He wanted to apologize, but he couldn’t find the right words. She looked devastated. That wasn’t the way any experienced woman would have behaved. He’d had enough of them to be certain of it. She wouldn’t even look at him. She’d left the ranch walking, in a snowstorm. Pride, he thought. She was proud. She wouldn’t stay where she’d been treated so badly.
“I called a limo service,” she said tightly. “The driver will be waiting at the main gate. Please tell him he can charge me for the inconvenience and I’m sorry.”
He called up J.C. and relayed the message. He hung up. Soon they were at the front door.
Just as he pulled up, so did Delsey, in a small SUV. She parked next to them and was surprised when they got out, both wearing regular clothes instead of their fancy evening clothes.
“My goodness, what happened?” Delsey asked, shocked to see Merrie crying.
“We had a little blowup,” Ren said tautly. “Get her upstairs and into a bath. She’s half-frozen.”
“I’ll do that. Come on, sweetheart, I’ll take care of you,” Delsey said, putting an arm around her.
Merrie burst into tears, sobbing as she went with the older woman into the house. Ren stood at the doorstep, snow pelting down on him, and he didn’t even feel the flakes on his face. It hurt him, to see Merrie like that, and know he was the cause of it.
*
MERRIE HAD A hot shower, but she put her jeans and sweatshirt back on. Then while she was waiting for Delsey to bring her some hot tea, she took out the throwaway phone and called home.
“Merrie?” Sari asked sleepily. There was a pause. “Baby, it’s three o’clock in the morning! What’s wrong?”
Merrie tried not to cry. “I had a little...problem here.”
“The killer...!”
“No. I had a blowup with Ren,” Merrie said, leaving out why. “Can Paul come get me, right now? I’m sorry it’s so late, but I can’t stay here! I’ll ask Delsey to drive me in to the airport in Catelow. It will take a baby jet, I checked.” She paused. “I’m so sorry. I know you thought I’d be safer here,” she began.
“There’s a new problem,” Sari said. “I’ll let Paul tell you about it when he gets there. It’s just as well that you want to come home. We planned to ask you to tomorrow.”
“What’s happened?” Merrie asked. “You’re not in danger, are you?”
“No,” Sari said softly. “No, I’m fine. I’m overly protected,” she said with a laugh. She paused. Her hand was over the phone and she was talking to Paul. A minute later she came back on. “Paul said he’s headed to the airport as soon as he’s dressed and gets the pilot out of bed.”
“I’m sorry,” Merrie began.
“You’re my sister. I love you. Shut up.”
Merrie laughed. “Okay. Thanks.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
*
DELSEY BROUGHT IN a cup of steaming-hot tea and put it on the bedside table.
“That will help warm you up. Why don’t you have your gown on?” she asked.
“Because I’m going home, Delsey. Sari is sending Paul to get me. He’ll be in the airport in about two hours. Can I get someone to drive me over there?”
“Of course you can. Two hours? Commuter planes are pretty slow...”
“We have a Learjet,” Merrie said heavily. “It’s very fast.”
“A Learjet?”