“I have no idea. She swore that he didn’t leave the ranch all morning and therefore couldn’t have kidnapped Holly Jo from the bus stop.”
“How could she possibly know that unless—” She felt her eyes widen. “Do not tell me that Brand is seeing this...this woman.”
“I don’t know how she knew that he had been in his room after closing the bar last night until almost noon today, but while the sheriff might be suspicious, he seemed to think she was telling the truth.”
Pulling out her phone, she tried Brand’s number. The call went straight to voicemail. He probably didn’t want to talk to her. She couldn’t blame him. She didn’t leave a message, not sure what she would say to him.
She began to pace. “My son would not kidnap anyone. I told Stuart that.” She stopped to stare at her lawyer when he didn’t comment. Ian, she noted, was avoiding her gaze. “What is it you’re trying so hard not to tell me? Spit it out. It can’t be that...bad.” Even as she said the words, though, she thought of her eldest son, CJ. She’d never in her life dreamed that he would do the things he’d done. Was it possible she was also wrong about Brand? If she was, then how could she deny that she was responsible for the way both had turned out?
“The sheriff suspects Brand because of the kidnapper’s demand that Holden tell the truth.” She started to open her mouth, but he rushed on before she could. “It comes back to Brand and the DNA results. You have to understand how suspicious it looks. Also, his alibi might not stand up, given who it came from. I’ve been your attorney for too long, Charlotte. If there is any chance you know where that girl is—”
“Of course I don’t.”
“Or if Brand—”
“Stop! Brand didn’t take Holly Jo. He wouldn’t do that.” It made her furious that Drake would believe either of them was capable of doing something like that. But as he’d said, he’d been her attorney for years.
“Brand left a copy of the results for Holden McKenna the same day the kidnapper left a note demanding he tell the truth.”
“I know all that. It’s ridiculous. You know I already told Stuart that,” she snapped, trying not to think about Holden. He knew about Brand. That alone had her chest aching with worry as to how he took the news.
“Holden can’t think that my son...” His son. She told herself that she’d never known for sure Brand was his. It was a lie. She’d watched her son grow up, seeing Holden in him every day. Had Brand known or at least suspected? Was that why he’d gotten his DNA results?
Oakley, she thought with a curse. Her headstrong daughter had started this. But Brand was bound to find out eventually. Hadn’t she lived with the fear for years that it would come out? Now Brand had proof, and apparently so did Holden. Worse, Holden had reason to believe their son had kidnapped his ward.
“I need to see him.” She looked around for her purse, but stopped at his next words.
“Brand was released. I’m not sure where he—”
“Not Brand,” she snapped. “Holden.”
She saw her purse by the door. “I have to go.” The thought made her feel physically ill. But this was a conversation she should have had more than thirty-two years ago. “I’m going to see Holden.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Charlotte, this would be a good time to pull the family together. You need to see Brand. If you’re trying to avoid him, that will only make him look more guilty.”
“Let yourself out, Ian.”
“Charlotte!” he exclaimed, but she was already closing the door behind her.
AS BRAND EXITED the sheriff’s department through the back door, he did a double take when he saw Birdie clearly waiting for him. He looked past her, expecting to see his mother or Ian Drake. Seeing neither, his gaze returned to the young woman leaning against the side of a pale green SUV.
“Kidnapping?” She pushed off the car and walked toward him. “Really? What kind of family are you Staffords?”
He sighed. “What are you doing here?”
“Is that how you treat the person who just got you sprung from jail?” she demanded, but she was smiling as she said it.
He met her gaze. “You got me released? Why would you do that? I know how you feel about my family.”
Birdie eyed him for a moment and then shook her head. “Not your entire family.”
He groaned and looked around, still wondering why the only person here was Birdie Malone.
“Come on,” she said. “Let’s go get your pickup from in front of the café and then find someplace where we can talk.”
“I can’t imagine what we have to talk about.”
“Really?” She cocked her head at him. “The charges have been dropped because I gave you an alibi.” She tapped a spot just above her heart. “You’re welcome.”
Still feeling queasy from the hangover and the day he’d had, he knew he wasn’t tracking well. “You’re my alibi?”
“I know you didn’t kidnap that girl,” Birdie said.
“Of course I didn’t, but how could you—”
“I heard one of your friends call you by name at the bar last night. I was curious about you and your family. I told you that I followed you home after you and your friends closed the bar last night. I know you didn’t leave again until past noon, when you came after me. But if that girl isn’t found...no one will ever believe you didn’t have something to do with it.” At his perplexed expression, she added, “Seriously? You really don’t know what people say about your family?”
“I’m not my family,” he snapped.
“So I hear. It’s the talk of the sheriff’s office,” she said, grinning. “The question is, which side of you, the Stafford or the McKenna, are you really?”
He groaned. “It’s all over the county by now?”
“I overheard one of the deputies talking about it. But Charlotte is still your mother, and even with Holden being your father...that doesn’t exactly help your pedigree, does it?”
Brand hated her logic, but he couldn’t argue with it. “Okay, I’m the worst kind of mutt. What is it you want from me?”
“For starters? We need to find Holly Jo.”
