The Tycoon's Proposition

“How bad is he?” Martha asked in a pain-filled whisper. “Don’t spare me.”

Terri’s hand tightened on the receiver. The other woman sounded like she’d taken the news personally, almost as if…

“Actually the doctors have assured me he’s going to be fine.” Without hesitation she told the secretary everything Dr. Fortuna had related to her.

“Thank God he wasn’t killed. I’ll let his family know at once.”

“Tell them he’s at San Lorenzo Hospital, Room W621. There’s no use anyone phoning his room. He won’t be able to use his voice for several more days. But I’m sure either Dr. Dominguez or Dr. Fortuna will be happy to discuss his condition if the family will call the sixth floor nursing station.”

“I’ll convey the message. Terri?” There was a hint of pleading in her tone. “Would you put the phone to Ben’s ear so I can say something to him before we hang up?”

The woman was in love with him. Terri could hear it in her voice.

“Yes. Of course.”

She turned in his direction.

“Mr. Herrick?”

Ben groaned. Now that Terri knew his identity, he could tell she no longer felt as free to treat him the way she had earlier when she’d believed he was alone in the world and lost… Damn the situation.

“Ms. Shaw wants to say something to you.”

Bile rose in his throat. Martha had no shame. She would use anyone to get what she wanted, but there wasn’t anything he could do about the situation right now. He nodded to Terri.

With great care she placed the hearing end of the receiver next to his ear and left it there. He saw how she purposely looked away from his eyes to give him some privacy. She did everything right. He was utterly charmed by her.

“Ben? I hope you can hear me. It’s Martha! Thank God you’re all right!” she cried in a tear-filled voice. “I’ve been trying to reach you for a week at least. When you didn’t return my calls, I knew something was wrong. But I thought it was because you were angry over the letter I wrote you a while ago.”

Repulsed would be a better word.

“As soon as we hang up, I’ll tell Creighton so he can phone your parents. When they hear what’s happened, they’ll be down to bring you back to Houston for a recuperation period. I’d give anything in the world to do it myself, but I know I don’t have that right. At least not yet.”

Yet?

“Oh, Ben,” she whispered emotionally. “I can’t wait to see you. It’s been so long. I know what a terrible mistake I made, but don’t you think I’ve been punished long enough?”

Her tears were wasted on Ben who’d become conscious of the wonderful peach scent coming from Terri’s hand as she held the phone close to his ear.

Those soft, feminine hands had brought his body so much pleasure, the endorphins they’d produced had blotted out any pain he’d been feeling. He’d never wanted her to stop.

“Please, Ben—when we see each other again, tell me we can work things out. I’ve always been in love with you. You know it’s true! There’s so much I want to say to you.”

Ben couldn’t get rid of Martha fast enough. Frustrated as hell, he lifted his left hand so Terri would realize he wanted her to hang up the phone. He had information to give her about her ex-husband.

Terrie saw his left arm go up. She imagined Ms. Shaw had said what she’d wanted to say.

Putting the phone to her own ear she said, “Ms. Shaw?”

“I wasn’t finished talking,” the other woman snapped.

“I’m sorry, but Mr. Herrick signaled me that he was tired. Perhaps if you waited until tomorrow to call again, he’ll have more strength.”

Ben nodded, letting Terri know she’d said the right thing.

“Do you think he heard me?” There was that pleading sound in Martha’s voice again. Something was going on here, but it wasn’t any of Terri’s business.

“Yes, of course.”

“Thank you for phoning me, Terri. I’ll inform everyone who needs to know. Please don’t hesitate to call if there’s any help you require with your travel plans. I hope everything’s all right with your husband.”

“Me, too. Goodbye, Ms. Shaw.”

She hung up the phone before walking around the other side of the bed to the table where she’d left her purse.

Mr. Herrick made a couple of sounds. If she didn’t miss her guess, he didn’t want her to go yet. She rushed over to his side.

“I have to get back to the hotel and phone Captain Ortiz.”

To her surprise he gave an emphatic shake of his head. Even bandaged to the hilt and out of commission, she felt his aura of authority.

“You’ve had enough excitement for one evening and need your rest now.” She put his new clothes back out on the chair so they’d be seen by the help. “I’ll tell the nursing staff who you are and leave Ms. Shaw’s number with them. Sleep well, Mr. Herrick.”

Don’t go, dammit.

He was still making sounds of frustration as she left the room.

Much as she would have loved to stay, she didn’t dare. She’d been enjoying their association far too much. In truth, she felt a bond with him that defied logic. It had happened when she’d first looked into his eyes and felt his soul reaching out to her.

Her heart whispered it would be better if she didn’t remain in his presence any longer. Otherwise she might crave it more and more. Something told her that was a no-no.

Surely a wise woman would walk away right this minute before she learned the answers to burning questions like, did he have a wife? If so, did she know his secretary was in love with him? Was he a womanizer like Richard?

The thought that this man was anything like her ex-husband left Terri feeling strangely desolate. That’s why she had to get out of his room and far away from the hospital.

Nothing about this situation had anything to do with her. There was no reason for her to visit him again. She’d done everything she could for Mr. Herrick. By tomorrow morning, he’d be receiving a surfeit of attention from the people who loved him.

The intrigue was over. Mystery solved.

As for Terri, she’d go to the place where Richard worked and see for herself that he was faring all right since his accident. Once that was accomplished, she’d fly home to Lead.

Poor Ray. She’d dumped all her work in his lap. He’d be happy to see her back on the job.

After leaving the information at the nursing station, she left the hospital and took a taxi to the hotel. When she reached her room, the first thing she did was call Captain Ortiz, but he’d turned on his voice mail.

She gave him the news about Mr. Herrick, then related a brief account of her futile attempt to find Richard at his apartment. If the captain had any information concerning her ex-husband’s whereabouts, would he please call her at the hotel, no matter the hour?

Having made the call, she hung up the receiver and got ready for bed. Before she fell asleep she phoned Beth and told her the latest developments. Her private thoughts and feelings about Mr. Herrick she kept to herself.

After asking her sister to tell their mother she’d be home within twenty-four hours, Terri hung up.

Afraid her mind would dwell on the man lying in the hospital bed, she pulled out a new bestseller she’d brought with her. But she couldn’t get into it. Finally she turned on the television and found another movie to help her fall asleep.

It worked. She didn’t waken until she heard the phone ring at eight-thirty the next morning. Reaching for the receiver, she said hello.

“Señora Jeppson? This is Captain Ortiz.”

Terri sat up in the bed. “Yes, captain.”

“Thank you for the message about Mr. Herrick. He’s a very important man. If word had leaked to the press that he was missing, there would have been a great uproar.”

Terri had figured as much.

“You’ve managed to find out more information than our own police department, and have saved us a lot of grief. Now let us get down to business. Have you talked with your ex-husband yet?”

“No. But as I told you earlier, Mr. Herrick indicated Richard wasn’t at a hospital so I’m not as worried. This morning I’m going to go to his work. If I can’t find him there maybe you could send an officer to accompany me to his apartment. I need a translator to talk to the woman staying there. I have a feeling she’ll know exactly where he is.”

“If that becomes necessary, I will drive you there myself, señora.”

“Thank you very much. I’ll stay in touch.”

Fortified with a big breakfast, Terri left the hotel for Mr. Herrick’s office. The same receptionist was on duty in the lobby of the building. When Terri explained what she wanted, the other woman shook her head.

“It’s a long way from here and difficult to locate unless you’re familiar with the area. To save you the trouble, I’ll make a phone call to find out if he reported for work this morning. If he is there, then I will give you directions. A moment, por favor.”

Terri nodded.

While she waited, she couldn’t help but wonder if Mr. Herrick had already been bombarded with visitors this morning. At least when they showed up, they would find the same man they knew. Instead of a mummy facsimile.

Terri had tried to imagine what he looked like under all those bandages. But maybe it was better she didn’t know. Better that he remain her phantom friend. The man without a face.

Except for a pair of gorgeous gray eyes.

They were the portals to the inner man with whom she felt connected in an inexplicable way. Yet if she admitted as much to her sister, Beth would tell her she was being ridiculous.

Maybe she was.

“Señora Jeppson?”

Terri turned to the receptionist whose frowning expression clearly meant more bad news.

“According to your husband’s supervisor, he hasn’t been to work for three days, and didn’t report this morning. He thinks your husband probably quit on him because there’s been some trouble with him lately.”

That sounded like Richard and didn’t surprise Terri a bit.

“Thank you for inquiring. Would you do me one more favor?”

She gave the receptionist Captain Ortiz’s number and asked her to get him on the phone. Within a few minutes he came on the line and made arrangements to pick her up in front of the office. He would drive her out to Richard’s apartment.

An hour later the captain pulled his police car to the side of the street in front of the building Terri had visited yesterday.

He turned to her. “You remain here. I will go to the door first. If I think it is necessary, I’ll come back out and signal for you to follow.”

“All right.”

Fifteen minutes passed before she saw him walk toward her. When he got back behind the wheel, he turned in her direction.

“Your ex-husband wasn’t there. The woman in question is named Juanita Rosario. She says she has been living with him for ten months, which could or could not be the truth. According to her, they met soon after he found a job down here with the Herrick Company.

“It seems he left for work four days ago and never came home from his job. At first she wasn’t worried. She said there are times when he parties with his friends and doesn’t show up until the following day. But he’s never been gone this long before.

“When you knocked on her door yesterday, she was afraid you were his wife. He’d told her he’d been trying to get a divorce from you, but you wouldn’t let him.”

Terri shook her head. It sounded like the same old Richard. Lies, lies, lies to suit his particular purpose at the moment. No one hated commitment as much as Richard did.

“I told her you were his ex-wife from America, that you had divorced him a year ago. At that point she broke down. Now she is afraid he’s gone off with some new woman for a while. But she’s certain he’ll be back because he’s excited about their baby which is going to be born next month.”

“I hope she’s right,” Terri murmured. “Unfortunately my ex-husband has a pattern of disappearing when he’s really needed. How is the woman supporting herself?”

“He’s been taking care of her.”

A groan escaped her throat. “Does she have any family who will help look after her if he has deserted her?”

“No. She came from an abusive home and boyfriend.”

“Captain? We’ve got to find Richard. If nothing else, she needs him right now.”

The other man eyed her speculatively. “At the moment it appears Mr. Herrick appears to know more about your ex-husband than anyone else.”

Her eyes closed tightly. “I’m afraid you’re right. If you’ll drop me off at the hospital, I’ll try to find out what else he knows.”

“While you do that, I’ll send some officers to the work site to make inquiries. Maybe one of his co-workers knows something of importance and isn’t aware of it.”

“Before we go, I’d like to see Juanita for a minute.” She rummaged in her purse for her wallet. “I’ll be right back.”

He looked like he was about to say something, then thought the better of it.

She jumped out of the police car and hurried into the apartment building, tiptoeing past the same children who’d been playing on the stairs yesterday. The only cash she had on her was a hundred dollars, but it might help the pregnant woman get along for a few more days.

This time when she knocked, the door opened a little wider because there was no chain guard.

“Juanita?”

“Si?” She sounded hurt as well as angry this time.

“Captain Ortiz dice que Richard no esta aqui ahora.” Undoubtedly Terri was making every language error possible, but she had to try to communicate.

The other woman glared at her.

“Tengo dinero para usted.” Terri held out several bills.

Juanita didn’t make a move to take them.

“Por favor.”

“Por que?” she bit out.

Why? Because I know exactly how you feel to be abandoned at the last moment.

Maybe if Terri said it was for the baby. “Es necessario para el nino, verdad?”

Juanita’s face closed up. She had her pride. This had probably been the wrong thing to do, but if Richard didn’t come back…

Unable to say the rest in Spanish she murmured, “In case you change your mind, I’ll leave the money here.”

She put the bills on the ground and hurried away without looking back.

The engine was idling when Terri returned to the car. Within seconds they were off.

Captain Ortiz drove a few miles before he said, “You are a kind person, but I’m afraid it was a mistake to give her money.”

“If I were in her shoes, I would hope someone would do it for me. It will buy her food for a few more days. Perhaps by then we’ll have found Richard.”

“Let us hold that thought,” he muttered, but he didn’t sound as if he believed it any more than she did.

CHAPTER THREE

AS TERRI entered Mr. Herrick’s hospital room, she could smell flowers. Obviously the word had gone out he was here because a dozen fabulous arrangements had been brought in on carts. A huge fruit basket stood near his closet door.

Which gift was from his wife? Had Martha Shaw sent one, too?

Stop it, Terri. It’s nothing to do with you.

She looked around. His room held wall-to-wall chairs. Someone had been to visit already. The clothes she’d bought him were no longer visible. As for the man in question, neither he nor the IV stand were anywhere in sight.

The door to the bathroom had been left ajar. He wasn’t in there. Anxious to know if he was all right, she rushed out of the room and down the hall to the nursing station.

But before she reached it, an animated group of people turned the corner in her direction. She would have walked right past them if she hadn’t caught sight of the dark-haired man in the center who was dressed in a navy robe and pajamas.

As Terri’s gaze flew to his, she felt the impact of his piercing eyes and her feet came to a complete standstill.

It didn’t matter that he had dressings at his hairline and beneath his strong chin. The ruggedly handsome face that went with those unforgettable gray eyes took her breath. No preconceived notion of the features she’d imagined hidden beneath the mask could live up to the vital, living presence of Benjamin Herrick.

When she realized the group’s conversation had stopped and everyone was staring at her because Mr. Herrick had refused to move on, her cheeks went hot. She knew she had to say something.

“I-I’m afraid we’re all at a disadvantage. I’m Terri Jeppson.”

“You’re the woman Martha told us about,” the older man in the Stetson interjected in a Texas accent. “If it hadn’t been for you discovering the mix-up, our family wouldn’t have known Ben was even in here. We’re indebted to you, Mrs. Jeppson.

“I’m Ben’s father, Dean.” He shook hands with her. “This is my wife, Blanche, our daughter Leah and our son Parker. Our other son Creighton and his wife are on vacation and Leah’s husband Grant couldn’t make it, otherwise they would have flown down with us.”

Everyone said hello.

Terri muttered an appropriate greeting, but relief that Leah wasn’t Ben Herrick’s wife dominated her chaotic emotions. Of course it didn’t mean he wasn’t married. Or engaged. Or living with a woman…

“I’m pleased to meet you,” Parker said with a dashing smile. He let go of the IV stand to shake Terri’s hand. His charm reminded her a little of Richard who knew he was attractive to women.

Like his father, he wore a Stetson. She thought he looked younger than his brother Ben who appeared to be in his mid-thirties. Both men bore a strong facial resemblance to their lovely mother, whereas sandy-haired Leah took after their father.

“Is your husband all right?” Mrs. Herrick asked in a compassionate tone of voice.

My ex-husband.

“I think so, but I haven’t caught up with him yet.”

Terri didn’t want to believe Richard would shirk his responsibility for his pregnant girlfriend at this late date. Hopefully he’d show up before too much longer.

Refusing to look at the silent man for fear he’d read too much feeling in her eyes, Terri said, “It’s been very nice meeting all of you, but at this point I’m sure Mr. Herrick is tired after his walk. He probably wants to lie down. Now that I know he’s with his family, I’ll go.”

“Don’t worry about Ben. He’s tough.” His father patted his son’s left shoulder. “But since the doctor said this is his first day out of bed, you may have a point.”

As Terri started to walk toward the elevator around the corner, she heard a distinct groan of protest. It was a familiar sound. Loud enough to wake the dead, but she kept on going.

Already emotionally involved in ways she wasn’t ready to examine, she knew any more time spent in his company could only backfire on her. The best thing to do was head for the hotel and stay put until she heard from Captain Ortiz.

“Mrs. Jeppson? Wait up!”

Terri had just emerged from the elevator on the main floor when Parker Herrick approached. He put a detaining hand on her arm. Then he grinned.

“You move faster than a nervous filly trying to outrun a twister.” The analogy made her chuckle. “If there hadn’t been another elevator going down, I would have missed you. My brother wants you to come back upstairs.”

“I’ll visit him again before I fly home to the States.”

He shook his head. “Not good enough. He’s more upset than I’ve ever seen him. If you don’t show, there’ll be hell to pay.”

“Tell him I’ll come by later when he doesn’t have family around. I don’t want to impose.”

Parker pushed his hat back on his head. “We’ve been here six hours and that’s longer than we’ve all been corralled together at one time in I don’t know how many years.”

In spite of her misgivings, she laughed.

His gray-blue eyes twinkled. “Knowing my brother, he was ready to throw us out ten minutes after we got here. It’ll be doing the whole family a real favor if you’d be willing to baby-sit for a while.

“You see,” he said in a confiding voice, “the hospital staff’s been singing your praises. With you here, Mom will feel like we can leave for an hour to grab a bite to eat.”

After having to fly down here at a moment’s notice, Terri could well imagine how tired and hungry they were. It would be churlish to refuse when she’d come here with every intention of trying to get more information out of Mr. Herrick about Richard.

“All right. I’ll go back with you, but I can’t stay long.”

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