REN TOOK HIS purchases back to Graylings and changed clothes before he went back into town to see Meredith.
She looked up when he walked into her hospital room, smiling.
“You look different.”
“You’ve never seen me in casual clothes,” he replied, indicating his nicely tailored dark blue slacks and black turtleneck sweater under a casual jacket. He had the new creamy Stetson in one big hand.
“You look very nice,” she said softly.
He smiled, bending to her soft mouth. He brushed it tenderly with his. “I had a burger and fries and a long talk with the police chief and several strangers.”
“You did?” she asked.
He nodded. He tossed the Stetson into an unoccupied chair and sat down beside the bed in another, taking her hand in his. “Many people sent well-wishes. You’ll have to ask Grier who they were. I lost count.”
She smiled. “I know everybody. Daddy never let us socialize, but since he died, I’ve spent a lot of time in town at the café.”
“The owner’s very nice. She sends her greetings.”
“Barbara,” she said, nodding. “Her son is a lieutenant in San Antonio PD.
“Did Chief Grier tell you about the driver of the truck?” she asked.
His eyebrows arched. “How do you know about it?”
“Cousin Mikey came in to see me before he left for lunch. He thinks he has an idea, about how to spike the contract killer’s guns.”
“Does he, now?” Ren asked. “What?”
“He wouldn’t say. He says we can talk about it when I get home.” She made a face. “I guess that will take a few days, though.” She shifted restlessly. “I’m awfully sore.”
“Injuries take time to heal,” he said softly. “But you’ll be better in no time. Meanwhile, you’re well protected here, and law enforcement will be on the lookout for any strangers who show up at the hospital.”
“How about at home?” she worried.
“Mikey took Rogers and Barton around and showed them where a sniper might set up shop. They’ve got the whole place covered like tar paper.”
She drew a breath and grimaced. “Hurts to breathe a little,” she confessed.
“Bruising,” he said. “You get that from blunt force trauma.”
She studied him, curious.
“You got thrown across the backseat, into the door, by the impact,” he explained. “It bruised your internal organs. That’s why they have you on antibiotics. They worry about pneumonia.”
“Oh. I wondered about that.”
He crossed his legs. “You’ll mend,” he said. He smiled at her. “The worst is behind you, Meredith. It gets better from now on.”
“I hope so.” She hesitated. “Ren, have you heard anything about your mother?”
He drew in a breath. “No. Randall said they don’t have the results from her biopsy yet.”
“When they do, will you go, if she asks for you?” she asked.
He looked troubled. He studied her soft hand in his before he spoke. “I’ve made some bad decisions in my life. You were the worst,” he said, his black eyes searching her gray ones. “But my mother was second worst. What she said about me hurt, a lot. But I should have stayed and talked it out. Pride shot me out the door.”
“Nobody’s perfect.”
“Least of all me, honey,” he said gently. He smiled at her, aware of the pleasure in her eyes at the endearment. “On the other hand, I was angry enough to found a ranching empire on spite alone. I wanted to make my father successful, show my mother what a big mistake she made in leaving him. I got rich. But money wasn’t enough.”
“It never is,” she replied. “It’s nice to have it. But happiness doesn’t depend on it.”
“I found that out the hard way.” He leaned forward. “The worst part of it was leaving my brother behind,” he said with a whimsical smile. “I loved Randall from the day he was born. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him.”
“He feels the same way about you.” She searched his eyes. “He was trying to protect me, telling you what he did, that I was...his.” She flushed. “It wasn’t true. He was never more than a friend. He never could be.”
“I should have known that. All the signs were there.” He drew her palm to his mouth. “I was blind.”
“You’d been hurt. You thought I was like her.”
“Yes, to my cost.” He nipped her forefinger with his teeth. “You’re nothing like her. She was tinsel. You’re pure gold, Meredith.”
She flushed. “Thanks.”
“I like your sister,” he said. “She was ready to do battle with me on your behalf when I walked in. But when she realized what you meant to me, she was less antagonistic.”
“What I...meant to you?” she fished.
He drew in a breath. “Listen, I need to tell you...”
She was hanging on every word when the door opened and Sari walked in, oblivious to what she’d interrupted.
“Hi,” she said, going straight to the bedside. She smiled at Ren as she bent to kiss her sister’s forehead. “How’s it going?”
Merrie was still trying to catch her breath, and regretting her sister’s bad timing. But she smiled anyway. “I’m better. Just sore.”
Sari sighed. “I’ve been talking to Paul. He says his office tracked the hit man to San Antonio.”