Bishop's Rock Read online

  She held on to the banister, disconcerted by the concentration of his stare. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting. I fell asleep.”

  “Don’t apologize. I’m glad you were able to rest. No one has gone into dinner yet anyway.” He took her hand and then her shoulders, holding her at arms length as he searched her face.

  “Is something wrong?” she asked nervously.

  “Nothing at all.”

  “Then why are you looking at me like that?”

  An emotion she couldn’t name flashed in his eyes and then he seemed to catch himself. “I’m happy to see you looking so well. Almost like your old self.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded. “But the contrast from the past few days is startling.” He lifted his hand as if to brush her cheek with his knuckles and then abruptly stepped back. His eyes flashed again before he glanced away. “You were so pale and battered when I first saw you at the rehab center. You’ve no idea what seeing you like that did to me.”

  Now Lea was taken aback. His hesitancy stunned her. In the short time since he had appeared in the garden, she’d gleaned one thing from their encounters. Her husband was a man of supreme confidence. She had attributed his reluctance for physical contact as deference to her condition, but now he seemed vulnerable and confused, as if he didn’t know what to make of his own emotions. Far from drawing her in, though, his restraint made her want to retreat even deeper behind her barriers. His self-doubt made him seem human and approachable, and she wasn’t yet ready for that kind of familiarity.

  Then she noticed the man she’d seen on the patio earlier and something—another jolt of déjà vu—propelled her to her husband’s side. Andrew was also a stranger, but at least she knew something of their shared history. She had no idea where or when or how her path had crossed with the newcomer.

  He had taken Andrew’s place at the great room door, leaning a shoulder against the woodwork as he watched them openly. He was dressed in charcoal slacks and a blue shirt that made his eyes seem even more electric. He didn’t smile at her as their gazes touched. If anything, Lea could have sworn she saw a flash of suspicion before he glanced back over his shoulder into the great room.

  She had unconsciously pressed closer to Andrew. Released from the stranger’s gaze, she now moved away, peering through the doorway to glimpse the other guests.

  A blonde appeared at the stranger’s side. “Oh, you must be the new arrivals,” she said cheerfully. “I’m Elise. This is...” She turned with a frown. “I’m sorry. What did you say your name is again?”

  “I didn’t say.” His voice was low with a raspy edge. The sound of it filled Lea with inexplicable dread. “I’m Cole Matheson.”

  “Elise Terry.” She was a striking-looking woman with short platinum hair and blue-green eyes. She had dressed all in black—slim trousers, fitted sweater and stiletto heels that added four inches to her already statuesque height.

  Her crystalline gaze vectored in on Andrew. Her voice dropped expectantly. “And you are?”

  He extended his hand. “Andrew Westin. This is my wife, Lea.”

  “Well, Andrew Westin, Noah said you’d be arriving before dinner. Looks like you’re just in time for cocktails.”

  “Who’s Noah?” Lea asked as they all exchanged handshakes and greetings.

  “He’s a good man to get to know,” Elise said. “He pretty much runs this place. Anything you need, he’ll take care of. He’s also a tour guide if you want to venture off the main trails, and if you’re in the mood for a climb, he can see you safely up Bishop’s Rock.”

  “We can handle Bishop’s Rock on our own,” Andrew said. “My wife and I are both seasoned climbers.”

  “Is that so?” Elise’s brow arched ever so slightly as she turned to give Lea an assessment. “We should plan an excursion, then. How about you, Mr. Matheson? Do you climb?”

  “I hunt,” he said as his gaze raked over Lea.

  The stranger’s interest disconcerted her. She slipped her hand in Andrew’s and he squeezed her fingers before abruptly releasing her. “How about that drink?” he said, to no one in particular.

  Elise was quick to accommodate. “There’s a bar in the great room. Self-service tonight. Come along.” She tucked her arm through Andrew’s. “I’ll show you around and introduce you to the others.”

  Andrew shot Lea an apologetic glance as he allowed Elise to usher him through the archway.

  Left alone in the foyer with Cole Matheson, Lea said self-consciously, “Are there many other guests?”

  “Only a handful. Slow week, seems like.”

  “Are you staying in the main house or one of the cabins?”

  He cocked his head. “Does it matter?”

  “No, of course, not.” She shrugged. “I was just trying to make small talk. Apparently, I’m no good at it.”

  “I wouldn’t say that.” He searched her face for another long moment before he said, “I’m right down the hall from you, I believe.”

  “You would know that since you saw me earlier on the balcony.”

  “Yes.”

  Lea paused, not at all certain she wanted to continue the conversation. But a perverse curiosity about the stranger got the better of her. “Had you been out hunting when I saw you? I didn’t notice a rifle.”

  He smiled. “Just taking a walk.”

  A walk? No, Lea didn’t think so. Her first impression upon spying him had been of a man on a mission, one of some urgency. But he seemed in no hurry now as he folded his arms and continued to watch her.

  His unabashed scrutiny was truly alarming. She was all too aware of the bruises peeking through her makeup and the black hole that was her memory. She had the notion that this man was trying to test her. That he knew more about her than she knew about herself. If that were the case, he could be a valuable resource, but Lea had a feeling she was best not knowing his secrets. Something about the way he looked at her...watched her...

  I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Mrs. Westin.

  She physically jumped at the memory. Or was it a memory? Maybe her nerves had conjured the raspy voice in her ear, but that didn’t explain why her senses were suddenly filled with the scent of mint. The fragrance was so strong she might have been holding a fresh sprig beneath her nose.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “What? Yes. I just...remembered something.” She tried to shake off her unease.

  “Must have been something unpleasant by the look on your face.”

  “I need to find my husband.”

  An unsettling combination of doubt and bewilderment glinted in his eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  Fear prickled across her scalp. That voice! She had heard it before, a hoarse murmur against her ear.

  “Mrs. Westin?”

  “I’m...fine.”

  He purposely lowered his tone as if to create a false intimacy between them. “Don’t worry. Your husband hasn’t gone far.” He glanced over his shoulder into the great room, where Andrew and Elise stood at the bar mixing martinis.

  As Lea started into the room, the stranger straightened, falling in line beside her as she moved across the threshold. A few people milled about in small groups, chatting and sipping drinks as they waited for dinner to be announced. They took scant notice of Lea and her companion, but she was acutely aware of Cole Matheson at her side. How could she shake him when he seemed so insensitive to her discomfort?

  She fixed her gaze on her husband, willing his attention. Andrew glanced across the room and smiled as he caught her eye, but he made no move to rescue her. He didn’t even motion her over. He seemed too absorbed in whatever Elise Terry had to say to pay Lea anything more than a cursory acknowledgment. She watched them for a moment before turning back to Cole Matheson.

  “Would you like a drink?” he inquired politely.
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  “No, thanks, but don’t let me keep you.”

  His blue eyes deepened. “I don’t drink when I hunt.”

  She suppressed a shudder. “What do you hunt?”

  “Big game mostly, the more elusive the better. I enjoy a challenge.”

  Her chin lifted. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t appreciate your passion. I don’t understand how anyone can find pleasure in the taking of a life.”

  “Don’t you?”

  “Excuse me,” she said coolly. “I think I’ll get a breath of fresh air before dinner.”

  “It is a little stuffy in here. Mind if I join you?”

  She glanced toward Andrew again. One of the other guests had joined them at the bar and he seemed deeply engrossed in his companions, oblivious of Lea’s presence.

  “I don’t bite,” the stranger said.

  “Don’t you?”

  His smile crinkled the corners of his blue eyes and Lea thought, My goodness, he really is attractive. Not picture-perfect handsome like Andrew, but she found the man’s rugged good looks no less appealing or intimidating.

  He opened one of the French doors and waited for her to step outside. She did so reluctantly. He closed the door behind them with a soft click, shutting out the clink of glasses and the low rumble of chatter. “You don’t have to make small talk if you don’t want to,” he said. “We can just stand here and watch the stars.”

  “They are beautiful and so low I feel as if I could catch one in my hand.”

  Melancholy settled over Lea as she searched the sky. The heavens were so vast and she felt so lost and insignificant, as if she didn’t really exist without her memories. But something was there, swimming around in that black hole of her subconscious. Something tugged at her, warning her to be wary of Cole Matheson.

  The evening was warm, but a cool breeze blew up from the springs. She could hear the whisper of cascading water and the distant yip of a coyote down in the canyon. The sound was plaintive and primal, stirring unfamiliar feelings deep inside her. She was frightened of the man beside her, and yet she made no move to go inside. Something within her—resolve, desperation, the instinct for survival—made her stand her ground as she turned her gaze upon him.

  “Have we met?” she asked bluntly. “Before tonight, I mean?”

  He watched her from the shadows. “Why do you ask?”

  “You seem familiar. I can’t help thinking I’ve seen you somewhere before, perhaps in passing. Are you from Houston?”

  “Yes.”

  She glanced over her shoulder through the window. She could see the others inside. Andrew was still at the bar. He was so close and yet he seemed a million miles away just then. She took a breath and returned her attention to the stranger. “Do you think it’s possible our paths may have crossed somewhere?”

  “Anything’s possible. Where do you live in Houston? Maybe we’re in the same neighborhood.”

  “I don’t think that’s it.”

  “What about your work? What is it you do?”

  His questions seemed deliberately probing. She shook her head. “Maybe you just have one of those faces.”

  He fell silent, his head slightly canted as he studied her.

  Icy fingers slid up and down her spine, but still she didn’t back away. Instead, she lifted her chin. “Why are you staring at me like that?”

  He gave a slight shrug. “I’m just trying to figure you out.”

  “Figure me out? What do you mean by that?”

  His gaze narrowed as he continued to watch her. “Either you’re a very good actress or you really do have amnesia. In either case, you and I need to chat, Mrs. Westin.”

  Lea’s hand crept to her throat. She felt vulnerable and exposed and she had no idea why. “Then you do know me?”

  “In a manner of speaking. I’m the man you hired to find out who wants you dead.”

  Chapter Three

  Icy fear shot through her veins. She felt so light-headed she worried she might actually keel over. As if sensing her weakness, Cole Matheson put out a hand to steady her. Lea jumped back. “Don’t touch me!”

  He gentled his voice. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I shouldn’t have blurted it out like that.”

  “Who are you?” The question came out on a gasp.

  “I told you earlier. My name is Cole Matheson. I’m an investigator. I work for a private security firm in Houston called the Blackthorn Agency. Think hard, Mrs. Westin. Does any of that ring a bell?”

  “I’ve never heard of you. I don’t know anything about a private security firm. And don’t come any closer,” she warned. “I’ll start screaming if you try anything.”

  “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m here to help you. That is, if you still want my help.”

  Lea stared up at him. “I don’t know you. Your name means nothing to me. How can I be sure you’re telling the truth?”

  “I’m going to reach in my pocket for my ID, okay? I don’t mean you any harm, I promise.” He took out his wallet and opened it. “See? That’s my certification card.”

  She frowned. “It doesn’t look very official.”

  “Tell that to the State of Texas.” He put away his wallet. “We never met in person until tonight, but we spoke at length on the phone.”

  Her voice rose. “When?”

  “The same day you were attacked. You called my office and set up a meeting, but you never showed.”

  “And I told you someone wants me dead?”

  “You sounded convinced your life was in danger. You said there’d been incidents. Phone calls. A suspicious car parked outside your home. Then you just disappeared. When you missed our meeting, I made inquiries, but I kept hitting dead ends. It was only by chance that I found you in the hospital.”

  I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Mrs. Westin.

  His voice echoed inside her head. “You came to see me there, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “You spoke to me.”

  He said in surprise, “You were unresponsive. I thought you were still unconscious.”

  “It all seems very dreamlike. As if I imagined it. You leaned over my bed and spoke softly in my ear.”

  Now he was the one who looked disconcerted, as if she’d just exposed a very dark secret. “I tried to be discreet. I didn’t want anyone to overhear me.”

  She took a moment to digest the implication and then her voice turned desperate. “Who wants me dead?”

  “That’s what we still need to find out.”

  “So the attack wasn’t random, as the police thought.”

  “Most likely not.”

  “My God.” She put a shaky hand to the wound at her temple. “Why would anyone want to kill me?”

  “If we find out the why, it will lead us to the who. We’ll need to work together on this.”

  “But I have no memory of anything you just told me. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

  “It’s usually a safe bet to follow the money.”

  Her head came up. “I have money?”

  “A great deal of it, from what I can tell. You’re also an extremely private person. You rarely go out. Your charitable work is done out of the limelight and you apparently shun social media. Which is why tracking you has been so challenging.”

  “Tracking me?” She shivered. “Tell me everything I told you on the phone. If I’m to believe you, I need to know everything.”

  He glanced behind her through the patio doors. “I will, but not here. Not now. Your husband is on his way out here. I don’t want to say anything in front of him.”

  “Why not?”

  He gave her a look.

  Lea winced. “Are you implying—”

  “I’m saying it’s always better to be safe than sorry.”


  She hugged her arms around her middle as she stared up at him imploringly. “You can’t expect me to just take your word. How do I know you’re not the one who attacked me?”

  “What do your instincts tell you?”

  “Not to trust you. Not to trust anyone.”

  He nodded. “Good.”

  “This is crazy.” She bit her lip. “How did you know I would be here?”

  “I’ll answer all your questions, but we’re running out of time. Your husband will walk out that door any second now and you can’t let on anything is wrong. Do you understand? It’s for your own protection.”

  She hesitated, and then nodded. “I understand.”

  He leaned in, so close she could smell the mint on his breath. “You want to know everything you said to me on the phone? You want to know how I found you at Whispering Springs? Then meet me later after everyone else has gone upstairs. I’ll be at the springs. Come alone and don’t let anyone see you leave the house.”

  She said incredulously, “After what you just told me, I would have to be out of my mind to meet anyone in such a remote location.”

  “I’m not a threat to you, Mrs. Westin. To the contrary, I may be your only hope.”

  “So you say.”

  “Come downstairs after your husband goes to bed and exit through these doors. I’ll be watching the house. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

  “You’re asking me to take an awfully big risk.”

  “I’m asking you to take a leap of faith. There’s a trail just beyond those trees. It’ll lead you straight to the springs. Don’t worry if you don’t see me straight away. I’ll be closer than you think.”

  “Wait!” She put out a hand.

  He lifted a fingertip to his lips as the French doors opened behind her, and then he slipped seamlessly into the shadows.

  “Lea? What are you doing out here in the dark? Are you all right?”