Promise Her
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Comments From Readers:
Dedication
Books by Mitzi Pool Bridges
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
A word about the author...
Thank you for purchasing this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Promise Her
by
Mitzi Pool Bridges
The Callahan Series, Book Three
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Promise Her
COPYRIGHT © 2013 by Mitzi Pool Bridges
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: info@thewildrosepress.com
Cover Art by Kim Mendoza
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708
Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com
Publishing History
First Yellow Rose Edition, 2013
Print ISBN 978-1-61217-850-9
Digital ISBN 978-1-61217-851-6
The Callahan Series, Book Three
Published in the United States of America
Comments From Readers:
“Love those Callahan boys. I want one of them.”
~*~
“When is the next book coming out? I can’t wait.”
~*~
“I couldn’t put the book down. I had to know what happened.”
~*~
“I’ve enjoyed every book you’ve written. Especially, the Callahan Series.”
~*~
“Love the stories. Mixing mystery and romance is my kind of book.”
~*~
“Good storytelling. Keep ʼem coming!”
~*~
“I shed tears while reading FIND MY BABY, but the ending was worth every one.”
Dedication
For all my fellow writers
who have helped me over the years—
Your encouragement and words of wisdom
have helped more than you’ll ever know
Books by Mitzi Pool Bridges
FIND MY BABY
~*~
The Callahan Series
PROMISE KEPT — Book One
PROMISE BROKEN — Book Two
PROMISE HER — Book Three
Chapter One
Lisa Kane tapped a boot-clad foot against the chrome table leg, wishing she were down on the arena floor where the action was brimming over with excitement. Instead, she sat bored and impatient in the skybox with its crowd of high rollers. But Tempest had insisted. And Tempest Wheatley was paying the tab.
With her binoculars, Lisa scanned the crowd and the arena below. As one of the biggest attractions in the city, The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was a full house.
The Grand Entry!
When a roar rose up from the crowd, Lisa jumped to her feet, cheering. The well-dressed group behind her couldn’t be bothered to put down their glasses of champagne or interrupt their conversations. Which didn’t stop Lisa. Though her cheers were heartfelt, there was silence behind her.
Ignoring them, she stayed on her feet until the last flag waving cowboys and cowgirls left the arena, then sat down to wait for Tempest and enjoy the show.
As usual, Lisa was eager for the main show to begin. She couldn’t count the number of rodeos she’d attended over the years, but the same thrill raced through her every time.
Her best friend, TJ had told her she was overly emotional about it. So what? The horses were magnificent, and the flags the riders carried were an exhilarating display of patriotism that never ceased to thrill.
Binoculars brought the riders' faces up close. Some were relaxed and smiling, others somber-faced as they focused on their job.
Lisa brought her attention to Harold Wheatley, Committee Coordinator, and the object of her undercover investigation.
Though he held sway over the numerous and varied committees, he wasn’t as prominent as Lisa thought he’d like to be.
However, in his Western jacket and matching Stetson, he cut quite a figure. In his middle forties, with his dark hair just beginning to turn silver, he turned ladies’ heads. He gloried in their attention. Flirting and chasing skirts was part of his persona. Sitting in a red, fifties-vintage Mustang convertible, waving and smiling to the cheering crowd only added to his image.
“Bastard eats it up,” she muttered, once again questioning her decision to accept this job.
“Looks impressive, doesn’t he?”
Lisa dropped her binoculars on the table with a click of metal against glass. “You trying to scare me?”
Tempest laughed as she put her drink on the table and sat across from Lisa.
“You look great. I love the outfit,” Lisa said as she gave her friend the once-over.
Tempest fairly sparkled in her rodeo glitter. A tiny waist and very impressive size forty boobs complimented the image. Lisa envied the self-confidence emanating from the woman who had become her friend.
Lisa guessed Tempest was in her late twenties. In her rodeo duds or her costume, she had a body to die for and was in great shape. Had to be for the routine she did.
“It’s new. I kinda like it myself.” She glanced at her watch. “I only have a few minutes before I have to change for my act.”
“Why did you want me up here today? I’m much more comfortable mixing with my friends than with this group.” As far as Lisa was concerned, they were way too impressed with themselves.
“Wanted to see you for a minute before my performance.” Tempest’s brow knitted. “I thought the exposure here,” she gestured slightly at the crowded box, “…might give you a boost in your investigation. Harry makes it a point to show up in the president’s box every night. I’m sure he’ll be here any minute. I want you to watch him. See if you can pinpoint his latest squeeze.” She paused, leaned closer. “He’s been acting stranger than usual. I don’t trust him.”
“Strange? As in…?”
“Way too nice,” she said, drawing out the words as only Houston cowgirls could. She took a sip of her drink. “More of my trust money is missing. At this rate, I’ll be drained as dry as a dust storm before I know it.”
Tempest’s hand trembled when she lifted her glass. Lisa gave her a closer look. The glitter didn’t hide her discomfort. A light sheen of perspiration showed on Tempest’s perfectly made-up face. She blinked her eyes a couple of times as if to focus.
“Are you all right?”
Tempest shook her head. “Not myself today for some reason. Maybe something I ate.”
“Then you shouldn’t perform.”
“I tell the girls all the time that the show must go on no matter what. You wouldn’t believe the stories of their troubles they tell me. I have to abide by my own rules.”
“You look pale. Maybe you should make an exception.”
Tempest shrugged. “I’ll perk right up if you can tell me you’ve found Harry with his hand in the honey-pot.”
Tempest never failed to make Lisa chuckle. “Okay. Here goes. My boss has a tail on Harry. If he’s having an affair, he’s cooling it, at least for now. Our best computer guy is looking into the money part. We haven’t found anything yet, but if something’s there, we will.”
The crowd roared as a cowboy made a fast run across the arena floor that started the first performance.
“I’m out of here,” Tempest said, as she finished her drink and set the glass on the table.
“Break a leg,” Lisa said, as Tempest made her way through the crowd in the box.
Lisa picked up Tempest’s empty glass and sniffed. It wouldn’t be wise to drink alcohol before the kind of performance she put on. But Lisa detected no odor. Probably a club soda. Still, Tempest’s unusual pale look, plus her trembling hands, made Lisa nervous.
She turned her attention back to the floor of the arena. George Strait was the featured performer tonight and the crowd was already edgy with anticipation.
Memories of a lifetime of similar performances washed over her. Pleasant memories. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was her favorite place to be and getting the three weeks off so she could attend every performance had been a requisite when she took the position as chief investigator for Max and TJ’s company. Besides, she needed extra time to practice. Barrel racing was both competitive and taxing. There never seemed to be enough time to improve her performance.
The rodeo this year was different as she was mixing business with pleasure. She saw Harold Wheatley step into the skybox, leaned back and watched. He preened under the attention; smiling, shaking hands; always the big shot. Lisa didn’t think he deserved any of it. After all, he wasn’t the president of the association, merely one of the worker bees. High on the ladder to be sure, plus his wife was wealthy—a combination that he capitalized on. He shook hands with the president of the association. Said a few words before he meandered away. His gaze brushed over her briefly before someone in the crowd regained his attention. Lisa had met him of course, several times. And he’d made a pass, which she’d brushed aside. But her rejection didn’t slow him down. He continued to flirt as he did with most women. He was doing it now, lifting the hand of a pretty red-haired woman who had evidently just been introduced, and bringing it to his lips.
Lisa chuckled at how fast Harold dropped her hand when a tall man came over to put an arm around the woman.
One of these days, Harold was going to upset one husband too many.
As he glad-handed the guys and pecked the cheeks of every female in the vicinity, his gaze again slid her way again. She watched him closely. Was he paying more attention to one of the ladies than others? Could his present lover be here? Would Lisa recognize the signs? This type of investigation wasn’t her forte. Hers was fraud: corporate, small business, government.
But she couldn’t detect any particular woman here that he gave more attention to than others.
If it wasn’t that she’d come to care for Tempest, she’d quit this job in a heartbeat.
As Harold continued to work the room, Lisa wondered how many times he’d seen her with his wife. Or if he wondered why the two of them had lunch so often.
But he hadn’t seen them together that first time. Not when Tempest had sought her out in a Starbucks a few blocks from Reliant Stadium. At the time, Lisa had been surprised. She knew Tempest by reputation, but didn’t hang out with the rodeo bigwigs. Most of what she knew revolved around Tempest’s beauty and her amazing performance. Most of what she knew about Harry was that he had a roving eye.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Tempest had said when they were both seated that day, lattes in hand. “I understand you work for AAF.”
Advocates Against Fraud. The company started by her best friend, TJ, and TJ’s husband, Max. AAF now had a dozen employees and jobs that spread from Texas to California to Washington, D.C.. Lisa was happy most of her assignments were local.
Lisa had expected that Tempest’s plan was to warn her away from Harold, who sniffed around Lisa like a bull around a cow in heat. Tempest didn’t know Lisa wasn’t even vaguely interested.
To Lisa’s surprise, Tempest said, “I know what AAF does and I need your help to investigate a possible fraud.”
“Such as?” Lisa had been intrigued. Houston’s Livestock Show and Rodeo had a clean reputation and was known for the millions of scholarship dollars it gave out every year. Was something dirty going on behind the scenes? Lisa hoped not. Hundreds if not thousands of people around the state had made the rodeo a success for nearly a century. To have them disillusioned would be a disaster.
“I want a divorce.”
Lisa sighed. Interest faded. “Then get one.” She wasn’t going to get involved in the personal frauds that occurred in many marriages.
“Not as easy as it sounds. I’m pretty sure Harold is stealing from my trust fund. Until I have proof and can get my money back, the bastard stays where I can keep my eye on him.” She studied Lisa for a moment. “How many times has he hit on you?”
Lisa couldn’t quite control the rush of anger and embarrassment that sent heat to her cheeks.
Tempest nodded. “It’s okay. I know how he is. And I know you turned him down. Harry can be charming. Also, my money shines on him, making that charm more appealing. But you don’t appear touched by either.”
“What do you want me to do?” Not that she would agree to do it. Though her background was multi-faceted, her previous investigations had been AAF assigned. To be sought out independently fed her ego just a tad.
“I want proof Harry’s taking what’s mine. Money is missing and I know he’s guilty, though I haven’t figured out how he’s doing it. While you’re at it, get me some pictures that will prove he’s screwing around. Then I’ll get that divorce.”
“You don’t expect me to sleep with him to get that proof, do you?”
Tempest laughed. Expressive, dark eyes held a trace of humor. She was a beautiful woman and Lisa didn’t understand why any man wouldn’t do his best to keep her. Harold was a fool for messing around with other women. If he was filching his wife’s money, he was an even bigger one.
“Certainly not. You don’t think you’re the only one he’s trying to screw, do you?”
Lisa gave it some thought. “I never take cases on my own, but I’ll check with my boss and see what he says.”
“Let me know soon. I have to have somebody on my side before I end up broke.”
Max and TJ had reservations, but Lisa agreed to keep an eye on Harold herself since she was at the rodeo every night. Max gave Bernie Peters, their company’s computer guru, the job of looking into the trust. They put a detective on Harold to see if they could find evidence of philandering. They’d pretty much covered the bases, but so far had come up empty.
Now, Lisa glanced over at Harold. Tempest was due to perform soon, but rather than appear interested in his wife’s performance, Harold continued to shake hands with the men, peck the women’s cheeks.
This was Tempest’s first year to perform for the rodeo and Lisa was nervous for her. Though Lisa made it a point not to get close to her clients, a friendship had developed.
Another glance and she caught Harold watching her. She looked away quickly, hoping he’d stay away. She wasn’t that lucky. He moved across the room to sit down in the chair next to hers. “Having fun?”
She smiled. “Always.”
“Would you like a drink?” He gestured for the bartender.
Nothing but the best for those lucky enough to get an invite to the president’s box. Harold took great
advantage of it. A bar was set up in one corner, a steam table in the other. Tonight it was Mexican food, featuring fajitas with all the trimmings.
“A glass of white wine would be nice.”
“Something to eat?”
“Too nervous.”
He gave the bartender the order, turned back to her. “Why nervous? You’re not competing tonight, are you?”
Of course, Harold would know everything about the rodeo, including the schedule of the contenders, It was part of his job. “Not until Friday night. The nerves are just part of the rodeo atmosphere. I’m always nervous for anyone competing.”
“Even yourself?”
She gave him a half-smile. “No. Just everyone else.” Barrel racing was her obsession. She’d trained all year on her horse, Sugarplum, and couldn’t wait for her own performance. Competing here in the rodeo was the highlight of her year.
Lisa noted that perspiration beaded Harold’s forehead. His hand shook as he lifted his glass. His time in the spotlight was over. Why would he be edgy?
“You look mighty pretty tonight,” he said, eyeing her from head to toe.
Not as pretty as your wife, you creep. She kept her thoughts to herself as she smiled at the compliment. She had taken special pains to look good tonight. Instead of her usual jeans and jacket, she wore a new denim skirt that brushed her ankles and a matching denim vest with red trim that went well with a red T-shirt, red boots, and a red Western hat.
“Look!” she exclaimed as Tempest came roaring across the arena on her snow-white gelding. Three others followed on their own white mounts. Decked out in red, white, and blue sparkling outfits, they took the house down with their spectacular entrance.
Then they began their number.
“She’s gorgeous,” Lisa breathed, enthralled.
But Harold wasn’t watching. Instead, he wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. When he smiled at Lisa, it was forced.
Lisa turned back to the glass window to watch Tempest gracefully execute the intricate maneuvers her performance demanded. First, she did a handstand on the back of her steed, followed by a series of back flips.
Amazing.
Lisa brought up her binoculars so she could get an up-close look. She wanted more than anything to be down there on the arena floor where she could see everything.