Best Kept Secrets(138)

that."

"No, you didn't," she replied with a weak smile. "In the

last few days I've learned that she was far from an angel."

"I would never have approved of her for Junior. My disapproval

didn't have anything to do with whether she was a

saint or sinner."

He watched her wet her lips anxiously before asking,

"What was your main objection, Angus? Was it because she

had me?"



So that's it, he thought. Alex blames herself for her mother's

fate. Guilt had driven her to get to the bottom of this

case. She craved absolution for the sin Merle Graham had

laid on her. What a spiteful thing for the old bitch to do to

a kid. Still, it served his purpose well.

"My disapproval had nothing to do with you, Alex. It was

Reede and Junior." Humbly, he folded his hands and studied

them as he spoke. ' 'Junior needs somebody to goad him every

now and then. A strong daddy, a strong friend, a strong

woman." He looked up at her from beneath lowered brows.

"You'd be a perfect mate for him."

"Mate?"

He laughed and spread his arms wide at his sides. "Hell,

I might as well come right out with it. I'd like to see a match

between you and Junior."

'What!?"

Angus wasn't sure whether she was actually stunned, or a

damn good actress. Either way, he was glad he'd chosen to

prod this thing along himself. Left alone, Junior wasn't getting

the job done.

"We could use a smart lady lawyer in this family. Think

what a contribution you'd make to the business, not to mention

the empty bedrooms at the ranch. In no time you'd fill

'em up with grandbabies." He lowered his eyes to her pelvic region. "You've got the build for it, and you'd bring new

blood to the stock."

"You can't be serious, Angus."

"I've never been more serious in my life." He patted her

on the back. "For now, though, let's just leave it at this: I'd

be pleased as punch if something romantic was to spark between

you and Junior."

She moved away from his touch. "Angus, I don't want to

offend you or Junior, but what you're suggesting is . . ."

She searched for the right word, then laughed and said, "preposterous."

"Why?"

"You're asking me to play the role my mother was cast

for. You rejected her."



"You're suited to the role. She wasn't."

"I'm not in love with Junior, and I don't want the part."

She stood up and moved to the door. "I'm sorry if there's

been any misunderstanding or if I've misled anybody into

thinking . . ." He gave her his darkest, most fearsome frown,

the one that usually struck terror into the hearts of those who

opposed him. She withstood it well. "Good-bye, Angus. I'll

be in touch."

After she left, Angus poured a drink to calm himself down.

His fingers closed around the glass so tightly, it was a wonder

it didn't shatter under the pressure.

Angus Minton rarely had his ideas questioned, and even

less frequently, snickered at. They were sure as hell never

called preposterous.



Alex left feeling greatly disturbed. In spite of her best

intentions, she had offended him. She regretted that. But what

disturbed her most was that she'd seen into the man behind

the good ole boy demeanor.

Angus Minton liked to have things go his way. When they

didn't move along fast enough, he boosted them. He didn't

take kindly to being crossed.

More than ever, Alex pitied Junior, whose pace was so

different from his father's. No doubt that had always been a

source of friction between them. She could also understand

why a man as self-sufficient as Reede had left Minton Enterprises.

He wouldn't have functioned well under Angus's

heavy thumb.

She returned to her car and began to drive aimlessly, leaving

the city limits and taking to the back roads. The scenery

wasn't much to brag about. Tumbleweeds were snagged on

barbed-wire fences that seemed to stretch forever. Oil wells,

black outlines against the colorless earth, pumped desultorily.

The drive helped; it gave her privacy in which to think.

Like her mother, she had become entangled with three men,

all of whom she liked. She didn't want to believe one of them

was a killer.

Lord, what a muddle. She was gradually peeling away



layers of deception. If she kept at it long enough, surely she

would eventually get to the truth.

But her time was running out. She had only a few days

left before Greg would demand to see some results. If she

couldn't produce something concrete, he would demand that

she desist.

As she approached the city limits on her return, she became