Riding for Love (A Western Romance)

by Susedik, Tina

  “Where are the darks suits, ties, and sunglasses?” Denton asked.

  “We’re trying to blend in,” one of the men said, reaching a hand out to Eve. “You must be Eve Dayton. “I’m John Donaldson, leader of this group.” He dropped her hand. “This is Tim Dixon and the guy over there, is Al Winters.”

  John turned to Denton. “Who are you?”

  He stood. “Denton Johanson, friend of Eve’s.”

  John motioned for everyone to take seats around the rectangular table. “Why would you be here, Mr. Johanson?”

  “I asked him to come,” Dan said. “He has a vested interest in all of this.”

  “Right. Our investigations show he recently returned to the area and is involved with the woman who owns the land where marijuana is growing.”

  Tim leaned forward toward Denton. “Seems rather coincidental, doesn’t it?”

  “Easy, Dent,” Dan ordered when Denton pushed back his chair. “We’ve already been through this, John. For the crop to be this far along, they would have had to plant it before Dent was even here.”

  “He could have organized a deal from California and moved back here to be closer to the action.”

  “But I didn’t,” Denton said, leaning toward the agent. “If your investigations were complete, you’d understand I came back here to help my mother with the family business. I’ve never even tried the stuff, let alone know how to grow and sell it.”

  Al tapped the end of a pen on the table. “Got a computer?

  “Of course. Why?”

  “You shouldn’t be surprised at what can be found on the Internet. But you may be surprised to know that most dealers don’t use the drugs they deal.”

  Eve let out an unladylike snort. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Not at all.” Tim pointed at Denton. “Can’t run a successful business if you’re whacked out all the time.”

  “So what would we find on your computer, Mr. Johanson?” John asked.

  Denton sat back in his chair and stared at the agent. “Seriously? You think I’m part of this?”

  “We need to investigate all angles. We thoroughly checked into Miss Dayton here and need to dig deeper into your affairs.”

  “The only affair I’m having right now is with Eve, which you already know. And believe me, you won’t find that information on my computer.”

  “So if we subpoena your computer, we wouldn’t find any incriminating evidence?”

  “Go for it,” Denton said sarcastically, sitting back in his chair. “I guarantee you’ll be bored to tears since you’ll find nothing more than my work on the family business and research on the flight patterns of hummingbirds.”

  Eve giggled. “Hummingbirds?”

  He gave her a sheepish grin. “Yeah, I love watching birds, and hummingbirds are the coolest. Dorky, huh?”

  She placed a hand on his and smiled. “Cute, that’s what it is.”

  Dan shook his head. “Geesh. Will you two lovebirds knock it off?” He turned away from the couple. “He’s telling the truth.”

  “So, Miss Dayton. What would I find on your computer?”

  She squeezed Denton’s hand. “Certainly nothing as interesting as hummingbirds. I keep reservations and bookkeeping on it. I’m so far behind on my bookkeeping, I’d be ever so grateful if, while you’re searching, someone would enter receipts for me. I hate computers and only use it under dire threats from my ranch foreman.”

  Tim put his pen to a notepad. “Who would that be?”

  Denton leaned forward and put his forearms on the table, close enough to Tim to be able to yank the pen from the man’s hand. “Since you’ve checked us all out, you already know who he is, what he does, and how many nose hairs are stuck up his nostrils. So let’s cut to the chase. I don’t have anything to do with this, Eve doesn’t have anything to do with this, and neither does Tom.” He sat back into his chair. “You’re wasting time. Time you could spend catching these crooks.”

  “Eve, what about your relationship with this,” he looked down at his notebook, “Ralph Dayton?” John asked.

  “Snook?” She shivered. “He’s my cousin, and we’ve never gotten along. I believe he hated me the minute I came out of the womb.”

  “Why?”

  “Family stuff going back a long way. He’s always thought he was better than me.” Eve rubbed her nose. “His father was a businessman; mine was . . . well, not. When my dad went to prison, Snook thought the farm should be his and not mine.”

  “Doesn’t his brother work for you?” Al asked.

  Eve frowned. “Yes, but they don’t like each other, and as far as I know, have no contact. You don’t think he’s part of the drugs, do you?”

  “I’m not sure, Miss Dayton.”

  “Oh, please, you guys. Call me Eve.”

  “Okay, Eve,” John said, giving her a slight smile. “With all the people coming and going at the ranch, it’s hard to figure out who is involved.”

  Al picked up a pen. “Let’s go through this step-by-step. We have a couple of leads, but we can’t share them with you right now. A few months ago, we received information about a drug ring somewhere in northern Wisconsin, but not where.”

  “Let’s run some names past you and tell us if they mean anything.” Tim added, “Even though Dan filled us in on your little escapade yesterday, we need both of you to repeat the story again.”

  John smiled at Denton and Eve. “By the way, we do know you are not involved, including Tom. Now, Eve, tell me about your father.”

  Several hours later, Eve thought her brain had exploded. After going over each of her employees numerous times, her family and friends, she figured if someone had asked her what her name was, she’d come up blank. She and Denton left the building and continued down the sidewalk.

  Denton put an arm around her shoulders. “You did fantastic.”

  “Makes me realize what little information I have about my employees.”

  “Oh, come on, Eve, no one could ever answer those questions about someone else. You can’t follow them around on their days off. Hell, I’m not sure how I managed to answer them about myself, let alone someone else.” He dropped his arm from her shoulders and laced his fingers with hers. “Let’s get something to eat. I have holes in my stomach from all that coffee. Soon caffeine will be oozing from my pores.”

  “Good idea. A thick, rich malt would patch some of those holes. At least they could have sprung for some doughnuts or something.” She pressed the side of his arm against her breast. “For a while I didn’t think we were even going to get a bathroom break.”

  Denton laughed. “The only thing keeping me from wriggling around like a little boy with a small bladder was those hard chairs. Haven’t they ever heard of cushions?”

  Eve followed Denton into a nearby café and gravitated to a booth in the corner.

  “They were only doing their jobs, Eve.”

  “By not feeding us and making us wait to go to the bathroom? I was ready to confess to being the Boston Strangler.”

  “Hunger makes people say things they normally wouldn’t, especially if they are guilty of something.” He opened a menu. “Since neither of us did anything wrong, their little ploy didn’t work.”

  Eve dropped the conversation when the waitress came to the booth? “Coffee?”

  “Oh, lord, no.” Eve laughed. “I’ll take a chocolate malt, a cheeseburger with fried onions, and fries.”

  Denton raised an eyebrow.

  “I need to coat my stomach with something other than coffee. Maybe the grease will soak up some of the acid.”

  “I’ll have the same,” he said, slapping the menu closed and sliding it back in place between the condiment rack and wall. “It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten a meal like this,�
� he said when the waitress left.

  “They make the best malts.”

  “And greasy, greasy fries.”

  Eve laughed. “And vein-clogging cheeseburgers.”

  “Remember coming here after marching at the football games?”

  She nodded. “And after basketball games?”

  “And after school?”

  She smiled. Even though her father became angry whenever she stayed in town after school, it was worth his ire. She cherished the memories of pep band practice, getting the school newspaper ready, or simply spending time with Denton sharing fries and a malt. “After you left, I never came back.”

  The scarred wooden table top and red, cracked leather seats hadn’t changed. Faded marks from old, removed jukeboxes graced the walls at each booth. The place still smelled of fried onions and grease. She ran her hand over the tabletop.

  “I wonder if our initials are still here?” he said, interrupting her musings.

  “Hard to tell with all the others added through the years.” She gasped and smiled. “Oh my gosh, here they are. DJ plus ED.”

  “It’s still true.”

  “What?”

  “DJ plus ED.”

  Her heart flipped at his shining eyes filled with love.

  “So, Eve. What about us?”

  “What about us?”

  “You know.”

  She grinned. “No. Tell me.”

  “Eve Dayton. I’m asking you here at this booth, where we spent so much time and declared our love to each other so long ago . . .” He cleared his throat. “Will you . . .”

  “Well, well, well. If it isn’t the two little lovebirds.”

  “Shit,” Denton muttered. Was he ever going to be able to ask her to marry him without someone interrupting?

  “Just like old times, isn’t it?” Snook chuckled, sliding in beside Eve, breaking apart the couple’s hands.

  If ever there was a time, and there had been plenty in the past, that Denton wanted to punch Snook in the face, it was now. “We never had old times, Snook.”

  He was pleased when Snook curled his fingers into fists.

  “Don’t. Call. Me. Snook. How many times do I have to remind you,” he said through clenched teeth, his voice rising to a near squeal.

  “I guess more than once . . . Snook,” Eve said.

  He opened his mouth to respond, when the waitress brought their food, took out her pad and pencil, and pointed them at Snook.

  “What do you want?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Doesn’t surprise me. Sitting’s not free here, Snook.”

  “Can’t you see I’m just visitin’ my old cuz’ here, Brenda?”

  She brought her pen to her order pad and stared at him.

  He sighed. “Bring me a cola.” He turned sideways and reached for a fry.

  Eve smacked his hand.

  “Ouch! What’d you do that for?”

  “Get your own, Snook. You’re not mooching off me.”

  He shrugged and took a sip of the drink the waitress banged on the table in front of him.

  “Whatever. I hear tell the sheriff’s been out to your place a bunch of times.” They ignored him, and he took the opportunity to snatch a fry and pop it into his mouth. “So?”

  “So, what?” Eve repeated in the same tone, stirring her malt with the straw.

  “So why was the sheriff at your house?”

  “Why do you care, Snook?” Denton nudged her leg with his foot, and gave her a subtle shake of his head. He was glad when she seemed to take his hint to go easy with her cousin.

  “Someone has been breaking into buildings in the area and we had a few problems on the ranch this summer. He wanted to talk to me.”

  “He also wanted some information on giving his kids riding lessons,” Denton added.

  Denton realized how tense Eve was when she didn’t reprimand Snook when he grabbed another fry and swiped it through her ketchup.

  “Why were you at his office all afternoon?” He smacked around the fry in his mouth.

  “You following us, Snook?” Denton asked, wishing the man would just leave so he could ask Eve to marry him.

  “No. Drove by his office as you came out.”

  Eve sipped her malt. “The Nelson’s had some break-ins.”

  Snook nodded. “Yeah, I saw the sheriff’s car at their place, too. But why go to his office?”

  Denton hoped like hell Eve could lie herself through this one. If Snook knew his cousin at all, he’d be able to tell when she was lying by the way she wrapped her hair around her finger.

  “He had a few more questions for me. Since I have a new group of riders coming today, he wanted to talk where I wouldn’t be interrupted every ten seconds.”

  Denton wiped his hands on a napkin. “He didn’t want to scare away her clients away.”

  “Why’d you go along?” he asked, pointing a fry at Denton.

  “He thought since the problems started about the time I came back from California, maybe I had something to do with them.”

  Snook slapped his hands on the table with laughter. “How great. Perfect Denton Johanson called in for questioning. I love it!” He wiped his eyes with a napkin and returned to the subject. “Any leads? Sheriff give you any names?”

  “Why all the questions, Snook?” Denton leaned across the table and moved Eve’s plate away from him. He wished Eve could push the hypocrite out of the booth and onto the floor.

  “Just looking out for my cousin.”

  Denton held back his disdain for the man. If Snook had ever in his life looked out for Eve, it had to have benefited Snook.

  “He ask about your old man?” Snook wiped his hands on his jeans.

  Eve shook her head. “Should he?”

  “I would. The timing’s perfect. Your old man gets out of the slammer just when everyone starts having problems on their places.”

  “Did you talk with him recently?” Denton asked, moving his plate of fries out of Snook’s reach.

  “Nah, not since I drove him out to the ranch to see you.” He reached across Eve, took one more fry from her plate, and slurped down the remainder of his soda.

  Eve rolled her eyes at Denton. He remembered Snook had been a slob and obviously nothing had changed.

  Snook slid out of the booth and stood. “Keep me up-to-date. Okay?”

  Eve frowned. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to tell you.”

  “You know, if the cops find out who’s behind the break-ins or anything else.” He wrote his cell phone number on a napkin. “Call me if your dear old dad contacts you.”

  “Uh, sure.” As he stepped away, she yelled out, “Snook” and smiled when he hesitated and curled his fingers into his palm before leaving the restaurant.

  “The bastard got away without paying for his drink,” Denton muttered.

  “And ate most of my fries.” She tore his number to shreds. “At least he didn’t get to my cheeseburger. I’d have had to cut off his hand.” She tossed her burger back on her plate. “What do you think he’s up to?”

  “Beats me, but I think he knows more about the break-ins than he’s letting on.”

  “Not to mention the drug thing. Do you think he’s watching the house?”

  “He must be. How else was he aware the sheriff came to your house?” He popped the last bite of his burger into his mouth. “He’d be stupid not to.”

  Eve chuckled. “Well, Snook is stupid, but not when it comes to saving his own neck.”

  “I’ll call the sheriff and tell him Snook is following us.” He glanced at the bill and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. After dropping some bills on the table, he stood. “Let’s go home. I have some protectin
g to do.”

  “Is that what they’re calling it now?”

  He opened the passenger door. “That’s what I’m calling it tonight.”

  Chapter 23

  The following week alternated between going too fast and too slow for Eve. She loved having Denton staying with her and their few times together sped by. Her clients kept her busy during the day, and Denton continued working on the family business, still trying to untangle the legal mess. In the evening, she prepared for the next day and tried to make sense of her bookkeeping while Dent worked on the upcoming trial. She enjoyed working close together, but her nerves were wound tight, and she jumped at every little noise. Even their nightly lovemaking didn’t relax her enough to allow her a good night’s sleep. Every little squeak or rustle had her searching for the cause of the noise.

  She threw her pen across the desk. Denton set his papers on the floor next to the winged-backed chair tucked in the corner of her office.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “How on earth can you ask? We’ve had no word from the sheriff or the feds in over a week. What’s taking them so long?”

  “I imagine it takes some time to coordinate men to get here and do it without arousing suspicion. People would talk if a large group of men bearing badges and weapons suddenly took up residence in our one-motel town. That’s why they told us not to contact them or the sheriff.”

  “I know.” She swept her hair behind her ears and sighed. “Not to mention the Hubers up and leaving Wednesday without even saying good-bye. I liked them and classes are too quiet with them gone.” She picked up her pen and took a sip of her wine. “I suppose if they didn’t like the service, I’ll need to refund their money.”

  “I wouldn’t. They left without complaining, so I would say nothing was wrong. You shouldn’t be responsible for returning their money.”

  Her nerves tight, Eve spilled wine down her sweatshirt when the phone rang. Her face turned white as she listened to the man on the other end. Denton stood when she placed the receiver in the cradle.