“I’m Shem.”

I stood and held out my hand.

He shook his head. “Don’t want to get you greasy. What can I do for you?”

“I’m interested in a car that was brought in about two weeks ago. The owner is Nico Kostas.”

“Yes, sir, I remember. It was a wreck. He’s lucky he got out of it alive.”

“Well, airbags are amazing things. Are you aware that he had a passenger?”

“Oh, yeah. Her blood was everywhere. Airbag didn’t deploy, I heard.”

“Yes, that’s what happened.” I looked around. “I understand you still have the car.”

“Yeppers, got it done. It was damn near a total loss. The only thing that kept it from being totaled was that the car has so much value.”

“I have reason to believe the airbag might have been tampered with, and that’s why it didn’t deploy. I’d like to take a look at the car, if you don’t mind.”

“You a cop?”

“No, just a friend of the family of the woman who was injured. She’s lucky to be alive.”

Shem spit on the ground. “I’ll say. That car was sure wrecked. And no airbag?” He whistled. “She’s damned lucky for sure.”

“About the car? May I see it?”

“Sir, it’s not your car. I can’t release it to anyone but the owner.”

“Has the owner been in to claim it?”

“No, sir, he hasn’t. Damnedest thing. We’ve called him every day twice a day for the last week. No one can get hold of him.”

Shocking. “Listen, I’d be happy to make it worth your while if you let me have a look at the vehicle. Even more if you let me bring an expert to look at it.”

“Sorry, sir. Without a cop, without a warrant, I can’t do it.”

I pulled two Benjis out of my wallet. “How about now?”

He pocketed them. “Meet me here at seven. Sharp.”

I nodded. “Thank you.” I left.

I guessed we’d be staying in the city for the night. At least I would be.

I picked up some takeout from a local place and drove back to the hospital. Jade and her dad were happy to have some decent food.

“I’d like to take you to dinner,” Brian said. “Get to know you a little better.”

My neck chilled. Get to know him a little better? Shit. Talk about a scary thing. So I made excuses. I hoped Jade would understand.

“I’d appreciate that, but I can’t. While I was making my business calls, something came up at the orchard, and I need to get back. Baby, go ahead and stay here. Take a cab home if you want. Or spend the night here with your father, and you can see your mom in the morning.”

It was a coward’s way out. But I couldn’t stomach the thought of sitting here in the hospital for the next six hours trying to make small talk with Jade’s father. I had to stay until seven, to meet Shem over at the body shop. What would I do in the meantime? I could go back to the ranch and then drive back this evening. Better yet? I’d find a so-called expert to take a look at the car and make it worth his while to come back with me at seven sharp.

Chapter Twenty-One

Jade

Getting my mother settled in a normal hospital room was good for my spirits. I wished Talon could have stayed. I so wanted them to meet. But perhaps it was best that he hadn’t. I could tell being around my father made him nervous. I wasn’t sure why. My dad was the easiest person in the world to get along with. But like Talon had said, he’d never met a girlfriend’s father before.

Girlfriend.

The word sounded so juvenile, but it would have to do for now.

My mom was more alert than I’d seen her in a while. The move out of ICU was definitely doing her good. I desperately wanted to ask some questions, but I didn’t want to upset her.

“Is there anything I can get you, Mom?”

“No, no. I’m just so glad to be out of that sterile environment.”

I smiled. “You’re looking so much better. Your face is healing nicely.”

“But there will be scars.”

I wasn’t about to sugarcoat things anymore. She was out of danger. “Yes, there will be scars. But you know? Scars aren’t necessarily a bad thing. Scars show that you’ve been through life. That you went through hell and came back kicking. Scars are a good thing.”

“I made my living on my beauty, Jade. I was still a bankable model. Sure, I wasn’t making the kind of money I did when I was young, but I was doing okay. I was living check to check, but I was at least making something.”

“Who says it’s over?”

“Darling, look at me.”

“I am looking at you, Mom. I see a strong and beautiful woman whose life is not nearly over. So stop talking like it is.”

“No. I’ve taken everything for granted. I took for granted that I would always be beautiful, and then I started to get older. I started to get laugh lines around my eyes, a few age spots here and there. Nothing good makeup couldn’t cover. But now? I have scars from all these lacerations on my face. I’m not sure my eye will ever look normal again.”

“Mom—”

“No, let me finish. I always took it for granted. And not just my looks, but people. You, your father. And now Nico.”

My hackles rose. Why did she have to mention that jerk? I couldn’t tell her that we thought he might’ve tried to have her killed to collect insurance money. But maybe I could find out why she had taken out the policy in the first place.

“Mom, speaking of Nico, tell me about this insurance policy you took out.”

“You mean the life insurance policy?”

“Yeah. If you were going to take out a life insurance policy, wouldn’t it make more sense for you to designate your next of kin as beneficiary?”

“You mean you think you should have been the beneficiary?”

Crap. I hadn’t meant for that to sound the way it sounded. “No, that’s not what I mean. I mean, yeah, it’s what I mean, but I’m not after any money from you. But why would you name a boyfriend? He wasn’t even your fiancé.”

“I figured we’d be married eventually.”

“I didn’t know you were planning to marry again.”