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HE HADN’T WANTED TO come to the ER. Not the Masterson County one, anyway. But Clive knew that if he’d made too big of a fuss, Maria would figure it out. And he didn’t need the questions.
As luck would have it, the Tyler girl was working the ER when he was wheeled in. The scratch on his leg wasn’t too bad, but there was no way in hell he wanted her touching him. He pulled on Maria’s sleeve. “Get me another nurse. I don’t want that Tyler woman near me.”
Maria’s surprise was written in her big, dark eyes. Then they cleared, as if she understood. “Of course, honey.”
The hospital ER wasn’t big, and it was curtained off for exam bays. It needed a good updating, but he had to admit the man running the hospital was doing a damned fine job of it.
Except with Jay.
No doubt that Masterson doctor had deliberately left his boy to die like that. Revenge. For that girl. That twin to this one. They’d both been there; had probably seized the opportunity to get back at Clive for all those nights on the highway. “Damned bitch.”
“Clive!” Maria’s tone held her surprise, and no wonder. Clive did his best not to ever curse in front of her. Maria was old-fashioned like that. It had taken him over a year just to get her clothes off.
“It’s the truth. Damned Tylers are the reason my boy is dead. I’ll never forget that.”
“Are they? Jay went after her sister, Clive. No sense lying to yourself about it. What happened was a tragedy. No doubt. But not one those sweet girls caused. Everyone knows that. Let’s get your leg taken care of.”
He sat there and seethed.
Even Maria believed the lies then.
He’d never felt so damned alone in his life.
That didn’t change when Maria called Clint to come get him so she could go on in to work at that bookstore in town. The one owned by that cousin of the Tylers.
Tylers were just everywhere now.
It sure shocked the hell out of him when that boy showed up to do just that.
The boy wheeled him out to the old ranch truck Clint had driven for years and told Clive to stay put. Clint wasn’t happy about picking him up, no doubt.
Clive supposed he should be thankful Clint was there at all. “Where’s the baby?”
“With the new...housekeeper.”
“Finally got someone out there?” Rumor was his wife’s boy had been having some trouble getting a woman to stay out there in that heap of a ranch house, caring for that baby of his. Hell, he couldn’t blame them. That place needed some serious work. Work Clint couldn’t afford.
He doubted Clint was paying the housekeeper even a living wage, considering what Clint made with the highway patrol.
What kind of help could Clint get for that baby with no damned money to pay for it? Probably not good, that was what.
Clive winced. He could help the boy out with some cash, he supposed.
He had nothing else to do with the small amount of savings he’d built over the years.
It had been intended for Jay someday. When his boy had been mature enough to deserve it.
He supposed giving it to his stepson for Paula’s grandbaby was good enough as any reason. She’d have wanted the best for that girl.
He’d call his lawyer in the morning. Have it taken care of. If nothing else, he’d set it up in an account for that baby.
Clint hesitated. “I got a new woman out there now. I’m not sure she’ll work out. Let’s get you home. I don’t like leaving Violet with a stranger if I can help it.”
“Don’t coddle her.” He had Jay, and he knew it. Maybe if he had been as tough on Jay as he had been on Clint, things would have turned out differently. “Make her tough. So she can survive in this world better than your brother did.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure Violet survives just fine. In my own way.”
Clive did what the boy told him to do, when Clint went back inside to retrieve Clive’s wallet and belt he’d left inside. He should have done it earlier, gotten his things himself, but Clive had insisted the boy get him away from that Tyler girl and that Masterson boyfriend of hers—who had stood in the midst of that damned hospital and glowered right at him. Big-ass brute, that was for sure.
That Masterson had it out for him, and Clive knew it.
Probably because of that girl who had been nothing but trouble for Clive for the last three years.
Her car was right there. Next to Clint’s truck.
Clive had no trouble recognizing it. He’d watched for it weekly for years.
Whenever he’d been bored out there as sheriff and out late for whatever reason, he’d go find her. Have a little fun. Just to keep his skills sharp. He’d only ticketed her twice, but he must have pulled her over dozens of times. There at the end, she’d not say a word to him. Just look at him with that blue eyes of hers. Not fighting. Just freezing him out. Taking it.
So he’d leave the rest of her family alone.
It had been like a little secret deal the two of them had had going between them for all that time.
Yes, he’d known Perci Tyler for years.
Since that night Jay had first done something stupid with that Tyler girl and changed everything.
Hell, half of his entertainment had come from pulling that nurse over, first when she was a student, and then after. Just to remind her that he could still make trouble for her.
That had ended when he’d retired to work his ranch after losing the election to that damned Joel Masterson a little over a year and a half ago.
Mastersons.
Those bastards had ruined everything. Taken everything from him. And now Masterson was getting that pretty girl, just like his brother had gotten the twin Jay had wanted.
Everything was ruined.
He hadn’t felt so damned impotent in a long damned time.
Clive pushed the wheelchair toward the rear of the car. It took him only seconds to pour the contents of the extra-large coffee Maria had bought him down the gas tank of that little car.
It would cause some damage. No doubt about that. He amused himself for a moment, imagining the little car going over the shoulder at Wreck Road Curve, just like her mama’s had.
It still left him feeling about as useless as teats on a warthog. Completely without purpose for the rest of his life.