“Don’t try to scare me; I’m already scared.”
“Then?”
“I told you, I can handle it.”
Impatiently Trask raked his fingers through his hair. “I want to keep an eye on you, but I have to go to Salem, to the penitentiary, tomorrow.”
“To talk to George Henderson?”
“And Linn Benton.”
Tory felt her throat constrict at the mention of her father’s two “partners” in the
horse swindle. “Do you think that’s smart?”
Trask’s eyes narrowed and in the darkness Tory could see the hardening of his jaw. “If someone else was involved, they’d know about it.”
“And what makes you so sure they’d talk to you?”
“I already set up the meeting through the warden. Henderson and Benton are both up for parole in the next couple of years—your dad took most of the blame, you know. While he was handed down thirty years, they plea bargained for shorter sentences.”
“It was never fair,” she whispered.
“Because Calvin didn’t even try to defend himself!” When she blanched he touched her lovingly on the chin. “Look, knowing the likes of Benton and Henderson, they won’t want to stir up any trouble that might foul up their chances for parole.”
“And you intend to throw your weight around, now that you’re a senator and all.”
“That’s about the size of it.”
“Isn’t that unethical?”
“But effective.”
She couldn’t argue with his logic, though she didn’t like the idea of involving Henderson and Benton. A small feeling of dread skittered down her spine. “When will you be back?”
“Tomorrow night. I’ll come by here and let you know what happened.”
“Good.”
“Are you sure you won’t come with me to the cabin?” he asked, pushing a wisp of hair out of her eyes. “It might be safer.” Once again his eyes had darkened seductively.
“That depends upon what you call safe, senator,” she said teasingly, trying to push aside her fears. “Besides, the Lazy W is home. I feel safer on this ranch than I do anywhere in the world. I’ve managed to make it by myself for five years. I think I’ll be okay for the next twenty-four hours.” She winked conspiratorially at him and he couldn’t resist kissing her provocative pout.
Trask realized that there was no point in arguing further with Tory. Short of bodily carrying her to the Blazer and taking her hostage, there was no way of getting her to leave the ranch. “Just remember that I love you and that I expect you to take care of yourself.”
She couldn’t hide the catch in her voice. “I will.”
He reached for his hat and forced it onto his head before kissing her once more and striding out of the house. Tory watched him from the window and smiled when she saw him tuck his shirttails into his cords. Then he climbed into the Blazer and roared down the lane.
“It’s too easy to love you,” she whispered as she mounted the stairs and headed to her bed…alone.
* * *
TRASK DROVE LIKE a madman. His fingers were clenched around the steering wheel of the Blazer and the stream of oaths that came from his mouth were aimed at his own stupidity.
He skidded to a stop at the main intersection in town and slammed his fist into the steering wheel. He was furious with himself. Inadvertently, because of his own damned impatience, he had placed Tory in danger.
“Damn it all to hell,” he muttered, stripping the gears of the Blazer as he pushed the throttle and maneuvered through town. He drove without conscious thought to Neva’s house. After parking the Blazer in the driveway, Trask strode to the front door and let himself in with his own key.