had seen Miaâs reaction to the word Riverbend. Now his senses were on high alert. She was hiding something, and he intended to find out what, despite that gaze of wide-eyed innocence.
In Calebâs experience very few women could carry off a claim of innocence. Lara had been one, but he wasnât totally certain about Mia because there were even fewer women who managed to tug at his compassion, and she did.
Surprised by the emotions she raised in him, Caleb decided heâd best be on guard around Mia Granger. Anything but friendship was impossible.
* * *
Caleb Grant was the most handsome man Mia had ever met. Tall, lean and dark, he exuded confidence, something sheâd always admired but lacked. At the moment, Mia didnât like the way he studied her with his silver-cold eyes. Nor did she like how his tall muscular body invaded the place where sheâd mostly lived alone. She especially didnât like the calculation in his voice, as if he expected to catch her in a lie.
Calebâs suggestion that Harlan had been unfaithful stung. The situation hadnât been ideal, but sheâd done her best to be a good wife after a simple ceremony at city hall had joined them in holy matrimony. No, they didnât share a strong, fairy-tale love. But heâd kept her safe after her mother died and she was grateful. Mia mourned his death. Now she was all alone.
But even though they hadnât really been married, not the way other couples were, that didnât mean Harlan would have done what Caleb Grant said.
On the tail of those thoughts, snippets of details dawned. Hadnât she always felt uneasy over Harlanâs frequent late-night meetings with Reba? And the way Reba touched his shoulder so fondly before jerking her hand away when she realized Mia had come to the office for her one and only visit? That had stuck in Miaâs mind for ages, especially after Harlan had ordered her to stay away. But that didnât mean...
She shoved her wayward thoughts out of her mind. Sheâd think about Harlan and Reba later. Right now Caleb Grant was here. He was a lawyer. Maybe heâd have some advice that could help sort out her pressing financial problems. Inhaling a breath of courage, she dived in.
âCaleb, this land, er, ranch you speak of Harlan owning. Where is it?â
âRiverbend Ranch is outside Buffalo Gap, about thirty-five miles from here.â Calebâs innocent gaze turned cunning. âDo you know of it?â
Heâd seen her reaction to that name, so there was no point in pretending. Mia rose, walked to her big battered desk and removed a thin file. She held it out.
âWhatâs this?â he asked, taking it from her.
âItâs about Harlanâs estate, according to Trent, Harlanâs partner and also my lawyer.â She sat down, lifted her cup and took a refreshing drink. âGo ahead and look. Riverbend is a lawsuit my husband was handling, if I understand those papers correctly.â
His eyes searched hers. Mia held it untilâthere went her stomach again, clenching and whirling as if some flu bug had hold of it. A minute earlier sheâd felt perfectly fine, but now she closed her eyes and waited for her stomach to settle.
âAre you all right?â Calebâs eyes bored into hers.
âA little flu. I hope you donât catch it.â Mia sat perfectly still, hands in her lap. When he didnât move she said, âPlease read it. Iâll wait.â
She watched him, amazed by the speed with which he scanned the documents sheâd taken hours to peruse. Less than two minutes later he looked up, his mouth stretched tight in a grim line.
âYou see? Thereâs nothing about a ranch or money,â she said, her voice dropping at the stern look on his face. âIâm not lying.â
âThis is all Trent gave you? Nothing more?â
Mia shook her head.
âDid you sign anything recently?â Caleb voice was tight and sharp.
âOf course. There were a number of papers Trent needed me to sign to deal with my husbandâs estate.â She shivered, intensely disliking this inquisition but not sure how to stop it.
Caleb had said he was a lawyer and she was sure he was a good one, though sheâd never heard of this adoption agency, Family Ties. But as a lawyer he would know how to get people to say thingsâshe should be on guard. He might actually be from some collection company.
âDo you have copies of what you signed?â Caleb demanded.
âNo. Trent said heâd copy them at the office and bring them back. He hasnât yet returned with them.â Something in the frost of his silver-steel eyes made her shiver. âIsâis anything wrong?â she asked hesitantly, and reared back when he nodded.
âYes. I think quite a lot is wrong.â Caleb closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. âMia, this will be hard to hear, but you must listen because itâs the truth. Iâve been investigating your husbandâs affairs, for Lilyâs sake. Nothing Iâve found indicates he was hard up for money or that he or Trent had taken on a new client in months.â
âBut that canât be.â She struggled to sort it out and looked at him. She saw nothing but honesty in his expression. Could it be true? âThen, what were he and Reba doing on all these trips?â
âThatâs what we need to discover.â Caleb glanced at his ringing phone, read the message and frowned. When he lifted his gaze to hers, the icy anger made her shiver. âDid you know your lawyer filed documents this morning seeking to take over all your affairs because he says you are incompetent?â
âWhat?â Mia couldnât believe Trent would do such a thing.
âWe need to act fast to protect you. Call Trent,â Caleb ordered. âAsk him to come here. Beg if that will get him here immediately.â
âWhy?â She was afraid to trust Caleb, to trust anyone, yet there was something in Calebâs hard, cold eyes that reassured her he would not be part of any wrongdoing.
She didnât truly trust him, but if he was right about Trent, who else could she turn to for help? She picked up the phone and pressed in her lawyerâs number.
âTrent, itâs Mia. Can you c-come here? P-please? Itâs urgent.â She listened to his gruff excuses but said nothing. Finally he agreed. âTh-thank you.â She hung up.
âWell?â Caleb Grantâs silver eyes probed hers.
âH-heâll be here in half an hour. But I have no idea what Iâll say to him. What do I do?â Even asking the question scared Mia.
âIâll speak for you.â Calebâs fierce glare faded slightly. âI know it hurts and you donât want to think about it right now, but Harlan Granger was not the man you thought he was and neither is his partner. Somethingâs been going on, something more than an affair. I intend to find out what. Okay?â
A picture of Harlan and Reba together, laughing and loving, sharing a child, while she sat alone, would not leave Miaâs mind. Her husband had always been cool, distant and businesslike. Heâd promised her mother heâd care for her. Surely he couldnât, wouldnât have turned to another... Suddenly her stomach heaved and Mia could think of nothing but escape.
âExcuse me.â She hurried to the bathroom, where she was violently sick.
Oh, Lord, I feel so bad. And something is terribly wrong. Please help me.
Sheâd barely had a chance to regain her