The Coltons of Mustang Valley

Guilt speared Santiago’s heart, but he ignored the uncomfortable sensation. “Depends on your perspective,” he said, deliberately keeping his tone light. He wasn’t about to get into the details of his past with Ainsley with her brother, and especially not here.

Ace studied him a moment, and Santiago got the impression the other man was debating on staying or going. “Ainsley says you’re the best,” he said finally.

Pleasure bloomed in Santiago’s chest. It meant a lot to know that despite their past, Ainsley still thought highly of his professional skills and trusted him to defend her brother. “I’m glad she called me.” For more reasons than one. “I think I can help you.”

A look of relief flashed across Ace’s face. “I trust my sister’s judgment. If she thinks you’re good, I do, too.”

Smart man. Santiago knew from experience Ainsley had a brilliant legal mind. She’d had her pick of firms, but her loyalty to her family had led her to choose corporate law and Colton Oil.

“Ainsley told me about your situation. But I’d like to hear the details from you, if you don’t mind.” Santiago liked to hear his clients tell their stories firsthand, as often their body language and facial expressions told him just as much as their words.

Ace nodded, then started talking, pausing only to place an order for food and coffee when the waitress stopped by the table again. He told Santiago about the initial email and the board’s reaction, the DNA test and Payne Colton’s response to finding out Ace wasn’t his biological son. Ace tried to hide it, but it was clear from the anguish in his eyes that Payne’s actions had hurt him deeply.

He expressed shock over Payne’s shooting, and even more disbelief at the fact the police had found a gun in his condo yesterday.

“It’s not mine, I swear it,” Ace said, leaning forward for emphasis. “I don’t know where it came from, but someone must have planted it.”

Santiago nodded, jotting down notes on a small pad. “Does anyone else have a key to your condo?”

Ace shook his head, but then stopped and frowned. “The cleaning lady,” he said. “And maybe the property management company?” He sounded uncertain about the last possibility.

“Let’s start with the cleaning lady first,” Santiago replied. “What’s her name?”

Ace rattled off the information, and Santiago dutifully recorded her name and number. “Any security tapes?” he asked.

“I do have some cameras installed inside,” Ace said. “And I know the building has some security cameras.”

“All right. I’ll want to see the footage from your cameras,” Santiago said.

“I can email the files to you, but the police already looked at everything,” Ace said. He sounded discouraged. “They said they didn’t find anything.”

Santiago smiled. “They may not have found evidence of a crime, but I have a different set of criteria for evaluation.”

Ace considered that for a second. “I like it,” he said, nodding slowly.

“What about this source? What did the police say her name was again?”

“Destiny Jones.” Ace practically spat the name. “I have no idea who she is.”

“The police told you she said she’d seen the gun during an intimate encounter?”

“Yeah. Except I’ve never seen the woman, much less slept with her!”

Santiago tilted his head to the side. “This is only going to work if you’re 100 percent honest with me.” He had to know everything about Ace’s actions over the past few months, even the details that might be considered embarrassing.

Ace’s eyes widened. “I’m telling you the truth! I have no idea who she is. She could walk right up to me and I wouldn’t know her.”

“Okay.” He decided to take Ace at his word. The man didn’t appear to be lying; in fact, the whole time he’d been talking he’d seemed genuine and sincere. It was still possible Santiago was being played, but if that was the case, Ace Colton was a terrific actor.

“Any chance you know her by a different name?”

Ace shook his head. “How would I know that?”

Santiago took a sip of coffee. “I’m asking you if you’ve taken a woman back to your condo for personal reasons. Maybe someone you don’t know very well, or only just met? A professional, perhaps?” Ace looked aghast, so Santiago held up a hand. “I’m not here to judge you. I’m just trying to find out if this woman got inside your condo by pretending to be someone else.”

“That’s not possible,” Ace said flatly. “I’m not in a relationship, and I don’t need to pay for companionship. The only woman who has regular access to my place is the maid, and Maria has worked for me for years. I doubt she’d do something like this.”

“Fair enough,” Santiago said easily. “Let’s switch gears. Who found Payne after he’d been shot?” He hadn’t had time to pull the police reports this morning before coming to the diner. It was on his to-do list, but given the time crunch he was facing, he’d decided to prioritize talking to Ace and hearing his side of things. He wanted to gather as much information as possible before Saturday, when he and Ainsley had their appointment at The Marriage Institute. The two of them were going to have to share a room for the duration of the retreat, and bringing a pile of work was a surefire way to keep both his hands and his mind occupied.

“The Colton Oil cleaning lady found him,” Ace said. “Her name is Joanne Bates. She’s worked for the company for the past five years. I don’t have her contact information with me, but I know Ainsley can get you her number.”

Santiago nodded. “Sounds good.”

The waitress delivered their food. Santiago asked Ace a few more questions between bites of pancakes and eggs, getting to know the man’s temperament. He’d done some online research last night and had learned from several industry articles that Ace had a reputation as a ruthless businessman.

“Have you ever double-crossed someone in a deal?”

Ace shrugged. “I’m sure it probably felt that way to some people, but I’m always careful to do things by the book. My actions are always legal, even though they might not be nice.”

“Can you think of anyone who would want to frame you for Payne’s attempted murder? Any enemies in your personal or business life who want to see you suffer?”

Ace took a bite of bacon and chewed, his expression thoughtful. “Not off the top of my head,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about it since yesterday, when the cops found that gun. Ainsley thinks maybe someone is trying to get me back for a business deal gone wrong, but I can’t come up with any people who would feel that way.” He took a sip of coffee and shrugged. “The people I deal with all know the score. I do what’s necessary to advance my company. They’re the same way.” A shadow crossed his face. “At least, it was my company.”

Santiago felt a pang of sympathy for the guy. It had to be hard, losing his job, his family, his identity all at the same time.

They finished up and Santiago signaled for the check. He had a lot of work ahead of him, and the sooner he got started, the better.

“Thanks for meeting me on such short notice,” he said as he signed the credit card receipt.

“Of course,” Ace said. “I appreciate you taking my case.”

“I’ll probably have some more questions for you,” Santiago said. “I know the police already told you this, but you need to stay in town. Don’t give them a reason to suspect you more than they already do.”

Ace nodded. “I know. I’m just tired of getting blamed for something I didn’t do.”

“I can understand that,” Santiago replied. “And I’ll do my best to prove you’re not the one who shot Payne.”

They stood and headed for the door. “Let me know what you need from me,” Ace said, shaking Santiago’s hand once they’d stepped outside. “Anything I can do to help you, I will.”

“Thank you,” Santiago said. “I’ll be in touch.”

They parted ways, and Santiago glanced down the street. The police department was only a few blocks away, at the end of Mustang Boulevard. The sun was bright, but the heat of the day had yet to settle over the town. A walk would help him organize his thoughts, so he set off in the direction of the one-story brick building.

He walked past a few storefronts, his mind ticking through options and making a mental to-do list. A kid on a bicycle careened toward him, so he stepped to the side to let the child pass. The move brought him up against the display windows of a jewelry store, and he was confronted by the sight of dozens of diamond rings, all sparkling in the sun.

Santiago’s stomach dropped as he realized he needed to buy Ainsley—and himself—rings. They were supposed to be married, after all, and married people wore wedding bands. But would she do that for him? Or was that taking things one step too far?

He remained rooted to the spot, indecision keeping him from walking away but also preventing him from going into the store. They would make a more convincing couple if they had wedding rings. If he’d hired a woman to play the part of his wife, he wouldn’t hesitate to supply the necessary prop. But Ainsley wasn’t just any woman. And this wouldn’t be just any ring.

Santiago shook his head, wishing for the millionth time there had been some way to preserve their relationship. But given his own dismal family history where love was concerned, he’d known his best option was to focus all his energy on his career and making a name for himself. At least he’d have some fulfillment in his life, even though legal briefs didn’t exactly keep him warm at night.

There had been times he’d questioned his decision. But in those moments of doubt, he’d only had to think of his parents and their seemingly permanent state of misery to know he’d made the right choice. His actions had paid off, at least professionally. He’d done well for himself career-wise. And he hadn’t lacked for company on a personal level. But he’d never truly connected with anyone the way he had with Ainsley. His relationships had been pleasant but superficial, and he’d been careful to ensure that the women he’d dated didn’t get the wrong idea about a future with him.

He simply wasn’t the marrying kind.

The men in his family were cursed when it came to marriage. He’d never met his grandparents, but his father had told him how unhappy they’d been together. And his own parents had made no secret of their disdain for each other. It was still a mystery to him why his parents had stayed together, but Gabriela had once told him she thought their mother and father wouldn’t separate because they hated each other too much to want to risk the other finding happiness with someone else. It made a sick kind of sense—they were locked in a self-destructive cycle, where punishing each other was more important than their own joy.

Growing up, Santiago had simply assumed he’d be alone. But when he’d met Ainsley in law school, he hadn’t been able to stay away from her. She was totally unlike his mother, her opposite in practically every way. Ainsley had taught him that relationships didn’t have to be prisons of misery, that both people could and should be happy together. And they had been, for a while.

But as the years had passed, Santiago had known Ainsley wanted to settle down. She’d made no secret of her desire for marriage, just as he’d been up-front about the fact that he wasn’t marriage material. When the job in New York had come up, he’d jumped at the chance to leave. Better to break it off while they still liked each other than let their affections wither and die because he couldn’t give her what she wanted most. No way was he going to follow in his parents’ footsteps.

He’d never thought he would be in the position of picking out a wedding ring. And yet here he was, standing outside a jewelry store and checking out the sparkling display.

A small part of him was curious about the process. Ainsley was the only woman in his life he might even imagine marrying, so it was somehow fitting he needed to pick out a wedding set for her. But not a diamond. Diamonds were significant—they meant commitment, a white dress, the whole nine yards. No, he needed something more subtle. Something that would look nice, but that wouldn’t send her mixed signals. He knew she wasn’t happy about doing him this favor, and he couldn’t blame her. He’d broken her heart five years ago, was lucky she’d even agreed to speak with him. Buying her a diamond ring and asking her to wear it would just be cruel, and he never wanted to hurt her.

Santiago peered past the window display, trying to see deeper into the store. Surely they carried more than just diamonds?

Only one way to find out. With a sigh, he pulled open the door and stepped inside.

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