Lone Calder Star (Calder Saga 9)

“Holly tells me you’re taking night classes at Texas Christian,” Boone said over the lip of his own coffee mug.

“That’s right.” Dallas was brief with her answer, eager to cut to the chase and get this ordeal over with.

“You’re carrying quite a load on your shoulders—commuting to school, holding down a full-time job, and working here at the café on your free nights.”

“I’m used to it.” If he was attempting to remind her of all she stood to lose, Dallas could have told him it was unnecessary.

“It doesn’t leave you much time for fun,” Boone observed and flashed her a smile. “You know what they say about all work and no play.”

“I have all the free time I want. Isn’t that the reason you wanted to see me?” Dallas challenged, tired of all this dancing around the issue. “Because I had a drink with Quint Echohawk Saturday night?”

His eyes narrowed, but the amused smile remained. “What gave you that idea?”

“I wonder.” There was a wealth of mockery in her dry response. “It couldn’t be because Holly has already warned me about seeing him again.”

“It’s probably good advice, considering there wouldn’t be much future in a relationship with him. Sooner or later he’ll be on his way back to Montana.”

It was a likelihood that hadn’t occurred to Dallas before now. It left her feeling flat, even though she had already decided against seeing him again, aware that she had too much to lose.

For the first time, though, Dallas was confused. “If you didn’t invite me to lunch to warn me about Quint, just why am I here?”

“Maybe I just wanted the pleasure of your company.”

Again she felt the slow rake of his glance. “Everyone knows you want the pleasure of any woman’s company, Boone.” She was careful to keep any emotion out of her voice.

“Most men do,” he countered smoothly and unhooked his arm off the backrest to lean forward and curve both hands around the mug. “But you’re right. As much as I am enjoying your company, it wasn’t the sole reason I asked you here.”

“And that is?” Dallas prompted, both curious and wary.

“First, I think you should know how impressed my father is with the way you’ve dug in and started carving out a new life for yourself. There aren’t many people willing to hold down two jobs, carry nearly a full load of college courses at night, and maintain a better than three-point-oh grade average. He feels such intelligence and determination should be rewarded.”

“Really?” Dallas instantly doubled her guard.

“He’s interested in providing you with a full ride. Tuition, books, a house in Fort Worth, all utilities paid, and a monthly allowance so you won’t have to work, not to mention a vehicle to get you around. That old truck of yours can’t have many more miles on it before it breaks down. In short, he’s prepared to be very generous.”

“Forgive me,” Dallas began in a tightly controlled voice, an anger simmering, its origin unknown, “but everyone knows that your father is only generous when he’s getting something in return. So what’s the catch?”

Boone’s smile widened a little. “Your grandfather.”

“What about him?” She felt a lick of fear along her spine.

“Where is he now?”

“At home, of course.” But Dallas was suddenly uncertain about that.

Boone took a cell phone from his pocket and handed it to her. “Call him.”

Hesitating, she searched his face. He looked a little too smug and a lot too certain of himself for her peace of mind. Dallas didn’t like jumping through the hoop he held, but there seemed to be few other choices. She punched in the phone number and pushed the Send button, then lifted the cell phone to her ear.

It rang once, twice, three times with still no answer. Dallas stole a glance at Boone while he calmly sipped his coffee. Four, five, six, seven times it rang. After the eighth, the answering machine clicked on and Dallas broke the connectio

n.

“As nice as it is today, he’s probably puttering outside,” she said, more to convince herself than Boone.

“He’s probably outside, all right,” Boone agreed. “But you can bet he isn’t anywhere near that old trailer you’re living in.”

What had been only a vague suspicion now became a full-blown certainty. “You knew he wasn’t there, didn’t you?” Dallas accused in a cold fury. “Where is he? What have you done with him? So help me, if you have laid one hand on Empty—”