So anyhow, this Texas soldier was just trying to save a wounded comrade, but it was just too late. Our Texas soldier had no idea the guy was carrying these three fancy jewels until hes caring for the body, trying to bury him. Anyway, the old guy was gone, no identification on him, so he took the jewels back to Royal-
And this is a true story? Klimt asked.
Justin yanked his gaze off the dance floor and looked at Klimt again. The man couldnt be five foot five, but for a little guy, he sure had the puff of a banty rooster. Everything about him was starched-posture stiff as a ramrod, linen shirt perfectly creased, hair perfectly brushed, smile perfectly appropriate. Even his shoes shone like mirrors. Justins glance strayed to the smaller mans left temple. There was a mole there, right by his eye. There were beauty marks, and then there were moles. This happened to be a plain old ugly mole-Justin immediately looked away; it was just second nature as a doc to notice a precancerous physical condition. And in this case, the minor flaw was particularly striking because everything about the guy was so spiffed-up-perfect in every other way.
Riley was laughing. Aw, none of the story is true. Or maybe it is. The truth is that none of us seem to care. The town loves the legend, so weve been passing it on for years.
Riley was laughing. Aw, none of the story is true. Or maybe it is. The truth is that none of us seem to care. The town loves the legend, so weve been passing it on for years.
So tell me more about these jewels, Klimt requested.
Well, to start with, each of the jewels refers to the motto on the Texas Cattlemans Club sign, see? Each of the gems is really unusual, partly because theyre so rare as to be priceless. You couldnt buy one for love or money, not then and not now. Which made it all the more interesting and mysterious, why this Texas soldier was carrying them-but well never know that answer. The point is that he had them. And one stone was a red diamond-
I never heard that diamonds came in a red color.
They dont, they dont, Riley said. Except once in a real rare while. And you study some gem lore, now, and you find red diamonds were the stones of kings, because they were that rare. So you look up in our motto sign, and thats what the first word-leadership-is about. Thats what the red diamond is a symbol for. Right, Dr. Webb?
Right, Riley. The orchestra had switched tunes to an old-fashioned waltz. Aaron Black glided past with a tall, plain young woman in his arms. Justin thought he recognized her. Pamela something? A teacher? Very shy, very proper-and how typical of Aaron to pick out a wallflower and make sure she wasnt pining on the sidelines.
Even better that he wasnt dancing with Win. Justin searched the crowd again. He saw Aaron, he saw Matt, he saw Finally, he caught a glimpse of her again. This time she was partnered by a man with coal-black hair and striking gray eyes, teeth shining stark white in a face that so rarely smiled-the Sheikh. Ben. And another Texas Cattlemans Club member, thank God, so it wasnt like Justin had to worry she wasnt in a gentlemans hands.
Exactly.
He trusted Ben the same way he trusted Aaron and Matt. With his life. But trusting them with a single, attractive woman was a different story-particularly when the men had no idea how much he cared about her.
Nor would they.
Dr. Webb, Mr. Klimt was asking about the other stones Riley prompted him.
Yeah? Well, the legend has it that theres the red diamondand then a black harlequin opaland then an emerald.
Yeah, yeah, Riley agreed, and settled on his elbows on the bar to keep spinning the tale for his willing listener. See, technically the opals the least valuable of the three stones. But a black harlequin opal-shes a rare mother. And those who get into the magic of gems tend to see the harlequin opal as both having healing power and as somehow having the inner light and power to bring justice-so thats where the second word in the Club motto comes from. Justice. As an ideal, you know?
Yes, Mr. Monroe, I believe I know what an ideal is, Klimt said impatiently. And the third stone, the emerald?
Im coming to that one. Around the world, for centuries, emeralds were always considered the stone of peacemakers, and this particular emerald was said to be one giant stone besides. So peace was naturally the third word they put in the Club motto.
Leadership, justice, peace, Klimt echoed. Thats quite a story. But it seems such an elaborate legend if the stones never really existed.
And theres more to it than that, Riley said happily. Our guy brought the stones back to Royal after the war with Mexico. He was gonna be rich, you know, sell em, buy a big spread, put up a fancy house and all? And he meant to, only he got home, and oil was found on his homestead. He had black gold coming out of his ears, so he never did need to sell those stones to have his fortune made.
So what happened to them?
Riley peered over Justins glass, then Klimts, then ducked down to bring up bottles again. I dont know. Nobody knows. The Texas Cattlemans Clubwell, there were some men formed this group, back even before Club founder Tex Langleys time. Some say they first got together to guard the jewels. Some say they were just the leading citizens of Royal, who passed on responsibility for the towns security from generation to generation. Some say they just used the legend of the jewels to create that motto, because, well, it was a good motto. Those are our values around here. Leadership. Justice. Pea-
You think the jewels exist?
Riley fingered his chest. Me? Oh, you bet. I think they existed for real, back then, and they exist somewhere now.
So what do you think happened to them?
Well, everybodys got a theory
Someone cut in on her with the Sheikh. Dakota Lewis. Justins eyes tracked the two of them on the dance floor, and he almost had to smile. Dakota wasnt much on dancing. Wind be lucky if she left the floor without broken toes if she stuck with him long. Dakota looked what he was-no uniform, but the retired military status was obvious from his unyielding posture and scalped haircut. On the surface he looked tough and hard-and truth to tell he was-but Justin couldnt worry about Winona with Dakota. Since his divorce, Dakota had shown no interest in any women.
Well, if the jewels did exist, where is your best guess theyd be hidden? Klimt asked Riley.
Again Justin turned his head to the other two men. Klimt could only seem to march to one drummer. The town loved its legend. Actually, outsiders seemed to love it just as much; tourists consistently ate it up. But Klimt was pushing it beyond anyones normal interest. If the jewels really existed, theyd be under heavy lock and key, he said mildly. We only encourage the legend because its good fun for everyone. And whod want to be the one to break hearts by confessing that Santa Claus didnt exist? I sure plan to believe until Im ll0.
Riley chortled appreciatively. You saying you believe in Santa or the jewels, Dr. Webb?
In Santa, of course. You can have the jewels. Ill take the loot Santa carries around any day.
Riley laughed again. Klimt even threw him a sour smile, and, temporarily, Riley seemed to be off the hook for entertaining Mr. Banty Rooster. Klimt, carrying a fresh schnapps, wandered off into the crowd.
And Justin was about to do that, toountil Winona caught his attention again. She was still on the dance floor, but dancing with a stranger this time.
A non-Texan. One of the Asterlanders that Justin didnt know. He watched the dudes big hand sift down to her fanny.
She smiled at the guy. And then reached back and removed his hand.
Justin shifted on his feet. Something kicked in his pulse. Not just jealousy-God knew he knew all the shades of green there were in that particularly annoying emotion. But Winona was clearly handling the guy-no matter how protective Justin felt, the truth was, hed never seen a man that Winona couldnt handle with both hands tied.
That was, in fact, why she so often got conned into attending these kinds of shindigs. Regular cops were always around for security, but it wasnt the same. The few serious crimes in Royal tended to be robbery. Sure, there was a crime of passion now and then, a fight at the Royal Diner occasionally, domestic dispute problems and that sort of thing. But basically this just wasnt a high-crime community. This was oil country. Those whod made it, made it big. And those who hadnt made it were paid well, simply because there was ample to go around. The school systems were top-drawer, the whole area supported with fine services. The only risk prevalent in a small, ultrarich town like Royal was its being a draw for thieves.
Which was exactly why and how Winona was irreplaceable at these galas. She always showed up in the same evil black dress, the same sassy high heels. It wasnt that she showed off anything-ever-but there just didnt seem to be a man born who wouldnt talk to her. On top of that, she sensed things. She had an intuition when someone or something wasnt right.
And Justin frowned again suddenly. No guy was eyeing her at that specific moment-and her dance partner had quit trying to put the make on her. But her gaze was roving the room. She tripped in her partners arms-which wasnt that much of a shock, because unless a man let her lead, she couldnt dance worth a Texas jumping bean. But it was the way she suddenly moved-stiffly, warily-that had Justin suddenly alert and pushing through bodies to get to the other side of the room.
Maybe she didnt know he was in love with her.
Maybe shed never think of him as anything more than the old friend shed grown up with.
For damn sure, maybe shed never realize that his offers to marry her were sincere.
But if Winona were in trouble, Justin was going to be there for her-whether she wanted him there or not.
Two
Winona was in such trouble.
Shed slept with the same dream two nights running, replaying the evening of the Texas Cattlemans Club gala. She knew it was just another dream, because the same details kept getting embellished. In the dream, she was breathtakingly gorgeous-which was a lot of fun, but not remotely realistic. Shed been whirling and swirling on the dance floor, not tripping, being graceful-which was another reason she knew it was a dream. And she kept dancing with different men-man after man after man, all of them adorable, all of them charmed by every word that came out of her mouth, fighting to have another spin with her around the floor
Okay, okay, so these were pretty ridiculous dreams. But they were her dreams, and she was having a great time with them.