Son of Texas

Belle shook her head. “No. My father couldn’t stay in the arranged marriage so he left to find my mother.”

“What happened to the first wife?”

She frowned deeply. “She was very angry at my father for leaving her. She was four months pregnant at the time.”

There was a tangible pause and Caleb went on pure instinct. “So you have a half sibling?”

She gripped her head. “I suppose. Why can’t I remember?”

“Don’t get stressed out,” he cautioned, turning on US 281 toward Three Rivers. “How about something to eat and drink? I didn’t have a thing but coffee this morning. How about you?”

“I had a muffin and fruit with Ms. Gertie, but I’d love a cup of coffee.”

They stopped at a small diner in Three Rivers. The trip was three and a half hours and they were more than halfway. Caleb ordered coffee and they sat in a booth.

Belle pulled a Snickers out of her purse. “Want a candy bar?”

“No, thanks.” He hid a secret grin at her chocolate fetish. She never went anywhere without chocolate.

The waitress brought coffee and Belle nibbled on the bar, licking her lips. He watched as if mesmerized.

“Her name is Ashley,” Belle said suddenly.

“What?” Caleb wasn’t sure what she was talking about. He was totally absorbed in her mouth and tongue.

“My half sister, that’s her name.”

“Oh.”

Caleb took a sip of coffee and waited for her to continue.

“That doesn’t feel right, though.” Belle clutched her cup, and her turmoil tightened his gut.

“Don’t push it. We’ll be in Beckett soon and hopefully some of your questions will be answered.”

Her eyes suddenly sparkled. “You and I have something in common. We both have a half sibling.”

“Yeah.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her face, that light in her eyes.

“I hope my sister is as nice as Eli.”

Caleb wished that, too, and he wished all her memories would unfold like a fairy tale. But the stark truth was someone tried to kill her, possibly someone in her own family.

“Lorna is my father’s ex-wife.” Belle seemed to be remembering tidbits at her own pace. “And I have an uncle—Mason is his name, I believe. And I remember Caddo.”

“Who is Caddo?”

“I don’t know. I just remember the name and I get a good feeling inside when I do. I must have liked him.”

Caleb toyed with his cup. He knew she wasn’t married, but little things pointed to a boyfriend, a fiancé maybe. When she’d started remembering in the hospital, she’d said that he’d bought her Egyptian cotton sheets and she’d told him they were too expensive. She could never pinpoint who he was, and she hadn’t mentioned him since. Maybe Caddo was the man she’d been talking about.

He pushed his jealousy down, keeping her best interest uppermost in his mind. “Could Caddo be a boyfriend?”

She shook her head. “No. It’s not that kind of feeling. It’s more of a friendship reaction.”

That was a relief, but Caleb knew if it wasn’t Caddo, it was someone else. And he had to accept that.

Soon they left and Caleb held the door for an elderly man, puffing on a cigar. Belle twitched her nose as they walked to the car. “That cigar is so strong.”

“They’ll probably make him put it out,” Caleb remarked, getting into the truck.

They turned onto US 59 toward Beckett. The land was flat with scrub oaks, bushes, mesquite and plenty of cacti. This was farming and ranch land enclosed with barbed wire fences.

“Are you okay?” Caleb asked after she remained quiet for several minutes.

“I’m remembering all these names, but I don’t feel a connection to any of them.”

“You said you came to Beckett after your parents died. The report said you’d been there less than a year so you probably didn’t get to know anyone very well.”

“Well enough that someone put a bullet in my head. I keep asking myself why. Why would someone shoot me? And why did I wake up in Austin? That’s three and a half hours from Beckett.”

“We’ll find out soon enough.” Caleb had no answers for her, he only had the same questions. She was so sweet, so completely enchanting. He couldn’t imagine anyone having a grudge against her or wanting to hurt her.

“Yeah.” She glanced out the window

“Do you remember anything about your grandfather?” That bothered Caleb the most. How could a powerful man like Boone Beckett not report his granddaughter missing?

The scent of the cigar triggered a memory. “He’s a controlling manipulative person.” Belle watched the barbed wire fences flash by and Boone suddenly filled her mind. She closed her eyes as a scene became vivid.

“I’m Boone Beckett, Brett’s father.” The bear of a man standing in her parents’ living room introduced himself. He puffed on a cigar and the smoke spiraled around his face. The wind left her lungs and she couldn’t speak.

“Did you hear me, girlie?” His voice boomed and she had the urge to step back. But she didn’t. Her father had never backed down from him and she wouldn’t, either.

She swallowed hard. “Yes.”

“I’m here to take my son’s body home to Silver Spur.”

“What about my mother’s?”

His eyes darkened. “Her body will never rest on the Silver Spur. She took him away from his heritage, his family, and I’ll never forgive that.”

Anger welled in her chest. “She didn’t take him away. You forced him to leave by manipulating his life and not allowing him to marry the woman he loved.”

“He could have had any woman he wanted,” Boone shouted.

“He wanted my mother,” she shouted back.

Boone glared at her through narrowed eyes. “Listen, girlie, I’m not arguing with you.” He pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket. “Sign this and our business is over.”