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  KAREN WARD

  Smashwords Edition

  © Copyright 2011 Glenda Hays

  Writing as Karen Ward

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be used, transmitted, or reproduced in any manner, electronic or otherwise without prior written permission from the copyright holder except in cases where permitted by law.

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual places, events, or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Cover images from COVERS BY RAMONA

  Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  PROLOGUE

  Los Angeles, CA, October 2004

  It's over. It's finally over. Legendary criminal defense attorney Jacob Murray breathes a deep sigh of relief and stares through the wall of windows in his penthouse overlooking the darkening Los Angeles skyline, sipping on scotch. He has just won the biggest, most difficult, highest profile case of his life. Academy Award winning movie star Barry Farrady was acquitted today of the murder of his wife, Tina Drake, and he owes his life to Jacob. The press had already convicted Barry of the crime long before the trial even started. It was touch and go for most of the last two years and the trial monopolized nearly all of Jacob's time. He is just glad it's finally over. Now, at last, it's time to go home ... home to the family ranch, the Rocking J, near Cody Wyoming ... home to his precious four year old daughter Danielle, his life.

  Taking another sip of scotch, he lets the memories consume him. He and his now dead wife Beverly met in college and married during his last year of law school. She was beautiful, sophisticated, with shoulder length raven colored hair, sparkling green eyes, and a figure to die for. He adored her even though she was quite spoiled and pregnant. Danielle, his precious Dani, followed seven months later. They had been happy, content, at least until all of the notoriety his famous clients brought into their lives. The high profile clients his reputation attracted only increased the stress on their marriage, the lack of privacy, the need for protection. The Paparazzi was relentless, following them everywhere, intruding into every corner of their lives. Every time they appeared in public it was the same. They couldn't even go out to dinner without being followed and harassed. They tried as best they could to shelter their precious Danielle from the prying eyes of the ever present photographers.

  A little over a year ago, his wife, Beverly had begged him to leave Los Angeles, to take Dani back to Wyoming where she could grow up without body guards, without gangs hanging around on every street corner, away from the cameras, the reporters. Her request surprised Jacob because Beverly had never been happy on the ranch, but he had promised. As soon as this case, the Farrady case was over, they would go. He would retire. Hell, he had made more money in his short career than they would ever spend anyway. He could always commute back and forth to the city if needed.

  Then, ten months ago, they had the fight of all fights. He and the family had planned a ski trip to Lake Tahoe, a get-away they all needed, but the Farrady trial had intruded again. Unexpectedly, he had to go to the Cayman Islands following up on leads in the Farrady case. Beverly was furious with him. She was determined to go to Lake Tahoe anyway for a little skiing and damn him and damn Barry Farrady! Her car skidded off the icy road and hit a tree. Beverly died instantly. Barely four year old Danielle, secure in her car seat was unharmed. She was taken in by Social Services and placed in a temporary foster home. It took days for the authorities to locate him.

  When Jacob finally got to her, Dani was a total wreck, crying endlessly for her Mommie. She was completely inconsolable. Horrible screaming nightmares haunted her sleep and she had developed an unreasonable fear of strangers, especially policemen and others in uniform. He had immediately taken her to Wyoming to his boyhood home, to the ranch and what is left of his family, his twin brother Jason and his new wife Jenny.

  Jason, the other half of himself, what would he have done during that horrible time if not for Jason and Jenny? They stood beside him and Dani from the first. They were his rock, his foundation in a sea of turmoil. Jason stepped up arranging for body guards and escorts. He intervened with the media. Oh, the media, they had been like vultures picking the bones of his marriage clean, and Jason handled it all, keeping Dani safe from their prying eyes, sparing him their intrusive questions. Jason understood without having to be told what he and Dani needed. Eventually a different story drew their attention and the vultures mercifully left.

  And Jenny... sweet, warm, understanding Jenny ... Jenny showered Dani with the love and attention she needed to fill the void of her mother's death. She held her through those first long, lonely nights, rocking her, singing her lullabies and soothing her troubled little soul.

  After two long months of his constant attention and the love and support of Jason and Jenny, Dani finally calmed enough for him to return to Los Angeles and the Farrady trial. She felt safe on the Rocking J and Jason and Jenny love her like a daughter. Jacob flew back and forth every weekend and during every break in the trial to spend as much time as possible with Dani and her confidence continued to grow.

  The trial was grueling, time consuming. It sucked the life right out of him. Now, it is finally over and he is going home too. He will honor the promise he made to Beverly, his dead wife.

  Rural West Texas, 2008

  Damn, damn, double damn! How could I have messed up my life so completely? It is a total disaster. I can't think of any other way to put it.

  I shake my blonde head trying to shake off my troubles like a dog would shake water off his body but the memories won't stop flooding into my head like a movie playing on a big screen. Sitting at a table alone in the little coffee shop I continue to analyze the mistakes of my past.

  Fresh out of a divorce, I should have known better than to get involved with a traveling man. But Frank swept into my life with the pretty words my lonely soul longed to hear and stolen my heart. I dreamed of forever. Forever wasn't part of his vocabulary. The signs were present, but I ignored them. He didn't have the same values as mine. He believed it was all right to cheat a little, to lie to get what he wanted, even to steal if it benefited him. He was only interested in ... what? ... my money? ... probably ... a place to hide out for a while? ... definitely! He was controlling but I hadn't seen it. He was a master manipulator, subtly manipulating every aspect of my life while I paid all the bills, bought all the groceries, made excuses for him. And when he left, he took not only my heart, but my self-esteem and all of my savings too. He truly was the "bastard" he always told me he was. I'm not bitter though. In fact, I am relieved. With the clarity of hindsight I can now see how it could have been so much worse.

  Two years have passed and I learned the lesson well. I am stronger now and have rebuilt my self-esteem. But n
ow, I have lost my job. The small manufacturing company where I handled the bookkeeping has shut its doors. The owner retired. So now here I am ... no man, no money, and no job. What is a girl to do?

  Well, I don't know about most girls but I know what I am going to do. I am no quitter. I am smart and determined and I am going to dive right in and start over ... a new life with a new job in a new town.

  CHAPTER 1

  June 2009

  Driving through the late afternoon sunshine underneath a cloudless sky, the heat rising from the pavement in waves, I am headed north. Finally, at thirty years old, I am leaving the hot, dusty prairies of Texas behind. I am free and happy and a big grin slides across my face.

  After a hectic few months, I am finally starting my new life. I sold my house and all of my possessions and now I have a pocket full of cash. Not sure where I am headed, I dream of a small mountain town, where I can get a job making enough money to live comfortably, a place where everybody knows everybody else and friends are numerous. I dream of a place where friends and neighbors look out for each other ... a home. I'm not sure, yet, where that is, but I intend to find it.

  As I drive, my mind drifts back over my life. My parents are gone. My mom died of a stroke during my freshman year in college and my dad a few years later. I still miss them with an ache that seems it will never cease. I have no other family so I am all alone in the world. I met and married my ex-husband right after my father's death. We were happy at first. I thought we would be together forever. It wasn't to be. My marriage of six years had ended because of my husband's drinking. He isn't a bad person, or even abusive, just useless. He managed to hold his job, but as soon as he left work every day, he popped a cold one. Then he would drink until he either passed out or ran out of beer and went to bed.

  I wanted more out of life ...I still want more out of life, so I divorced him. Lonely and alone, Frank literally waltzed into my life. We met at the Lone Star Ballroom where all the locals go to scoot a boot. Frank wasn't particularly handsome. He was tall, strong, with a charisma that drew people. He was a wonderful dancer and had swept me into a world I had only previously dreamed of. I love to dance and he had used that fact to his advantage.

  Frank Gibbons was in town working on a big construction project. He made good money and spent it freely lavishing me with gifts, fancy dinners, and late nights out on the town. It hadn't taken him long to cast his spell. Within a few weeks he moved into my modest home and slowly over time all of the expenses fell to me. No more gifts, no more fancy dinners. Even on our occasional nights out he would conveniently be short of cash. Eventually he was able to convince me he had some immediate needs for cash. He always seemed to have a sick relative or his aunt whose house was going into foreclosure if he didn't come up with some cash to help her out. Looking back, I can see how easily he had talked me out of all of my savings. When the money ran out, so did Frank.

  I felt so stupid, so used. Well, never again. I will never trust another man. They are all out for a meal ticket and a quick roll in the hay. I will manage just fine all by myself. My only regret is not having a child of my own. I love children and have always dreamed of a large family. Well, it's just not meant to be.

  ******

  Eight year old Dani Murray is terrified. She has been crouched in the corner of the restroom stall trying to hide since the cold and that creepy guy drove her in from outside the truck stop late last night. She hates being alone. It reminds her too much of that other time, when her Mommie had died. She is so scared of strangers. Scared they will take her away again and this time her Daddy will never find her.

  Cybil, her Daddy's girlfriend, left her here last night telling her she would be back in a little while. Well, that little while has now been hours. Dani is so tired and she is starving. She hasn't had anything to eat since lunch yesterday and she doesn't have any money to get herself something to eat. Where is Cybil? Who leaves an eight year old girl alone at a truck stop in the middle of nowhere? It must be nearly noon. What is she going to do? What if her Daddy never finds her this time? He doesn't even know they left the ranch because Cybil wouldn't let her call him. She lays her head on her knees and lets the tears flow.

  As she cries she thinks back over the last twenty-four hours. Cybil had gotten a phone call. She went into the study and closed the door but Dani still heard her yelling at whoever it was that called. She was real nervous after she hung up. She told Dani they were going on a road trip and she made it sound so exciting. They would drive down to Casper, do some shopping, see a movie, and stay in a hotel. But when Dani had asked to call her Daddy, Cybil yelled at her. Once they were on the road Cybil was grouchy, snapping at her if she even asked a question, or said she needed to go to the bathroom. Lunch had been horrible. Cybil embarrassed her in the restaurant yelling at the server because her coffee was cold and the bread stale. Dani was hardly able to eat anything. Then the manager told them to leave because of how mean she was being to the server.

  When they got to this truck stop just outside of Casper, Cybil told Dani to get out of the car. She said she would be back in a little while. She told Dani she needed to see a friend. Then she drove away leaving Dani all alone. Dani is so scared, she hates being alone. She sat on the cold stone bench in front of the convenience store shivering in the cool night air and watching for Cybil to come back for her. A dirty smelly man kept walking by her, staring, and when he sat down on the bench next to her, Dani fled to the bathroom. Now she is wedged in the corner of this stall trying to hide. Sobs wrack her little body again.

  ******

  I have been on the road for five days now. Once I made it to Colorado, I left the interstate highways and took the back roads looking for a town that feels like home. The mountains of Colorado are absolutely magnificent. The towering peaks covered in snow take my breath away. The lakes as smooth as glass reflecting the brilliant blue of the sky warm my soul. The rivers rushing through the narrow gorges over rocks and cascading down steep cliffs to puddle in serene pools at the bottom stir my emotions. I have traveled every winding road I can find searching for that illusive place, my new home. I have seen deer, elk, even a bear. I have been through tiny little villages where I walked down cobble stone streets peeking in shop windows and dining in sidewalk cafes and through big bustling cities where I didn't bother to even stop, but nothing ever felt right. I crossed over the border into Wyoming a few hours back and now I have an urgent need for a bathroom and a sandwich.

  I can't believe my luck ... a truck stop, in the middle of nowhere. After filling my car with gas, I pull up to the convenience store and restaurant and head for the bathroom. As I am washing my hands I hear what sounds like a kitten mewling in the corner. I slowly push open the door of the stall so as not to scare the kitten and am shocked to see a small girl cowering in the corner, a look of sheer terror on her face. The child has long, dark brown pig tails that brush her shoulders, a pixie face, and big brown eyes swollen from crying, and a runny nose.

  My heart clenches painfully at the sight. What could have caused this child to cower in the corner of a bathroom stall? Has someone hurt her? I force a smile to my face and softly ask, "Sweetie, are you all right?"

  Dani is shaking like a leaf in a strong wind. She can feel her heart pounding and wonders if the pretty stranger can hear it. She is so afraid of strangers. What's she going to do now? Is this stranger going to call the police? Is she going to take her away again? Will her Daddy be able to find her if she does? When the woman smiles warmly, Dani feels herself relax a fraction. She is going to have to trust somebody because she can't just stay here with no food and no money. She makes a decision. "N..N..No." she whispers.

  "My name is Jana. What's yours?" This poor child is scared to death.

  "Dani ... Dani Murray," she stammers.

  "Hi Dani, I am about to get a sandwich in the restaurant next door. Are you hungry?" I smile again. Maybe if I can get her out of the restroom I can help her.

  "Yes, but I do
n't have any money." Dani says shyly as her stomach growls loudly.

  "Oh, I see. That's all right. I have money. Come on and I'll buy you a sandwich and we'll see what I can do to help you, all right?" I smile encouragingly.

  Dani hesitates, she is so scared but she knows she can't continue to hide in the bathroom in a truck stop, her Daddy will never find her here. Cybil obviously isn't coming back for her. Maybe this lady will help. She only hopes she doesn't take her away like they did before. Dani slowly slides out from behind the toilet and stands. Her legs are wobbly from sitting for so long. She swipes her hands at her eyes and takes a deep breath. She is still scared and shaking some but the prospect of food is more temptation than her little body can stand.

  I point toward the sink, "Let's wash your face and hands. That ought to help you feel a little better." I lead her to the bathroom sink and watch as she washes her face and hands. This poor child! She is scared to death!

  While Dani is washing her hands she prays that this lady won't take her away. Please God, help me. Don't let her take me away again.

  Once that is done, Dani follows me into the restaurant where we pick a table in the far back corner away from the other guests. Sitting at the table across from the child I carefully assess the situation. Dani appears to be about seven or eight years old. She is about average height and weight so she doesn't appear to have been on her own too long. Her clothes are high quality and well kept. They are still reasonably clean considering she has been hiding in a truck stop restroom. The child seems to be terrified but I am not sure why just yet. She is visibly shaking and my heart constricts with sympathy.

  After ordering a couple of hamburgers with fries and chocolate shakes, I smile again. "So Dani, why don't you tell me what's wrong and we'll see what I can do to help you?"

  Dani is still scared, but not shaking as badly as she was. She licks her dry lips. This lady, Jana, seems nice, but you never know. After all, Cybil had seemed nice too as long as her Daddy was around. And those people that took her away when her Mommie died seemed nice too. But it took forever for her Daddy to find her that time. She wrings her little hands in her lap. She wishes Uncle Jason or Aunt Jenny were here. They would know what to do. She reminds herself to tell the truth. Her Mommie had taught her to always tell the truth, even when she is scared.