by J. D. Faver
The Reluctant Rancher
~Badlands: Book Two~
By J.D. Faver
Kindle Edition
Copyright © 2013 by J.D. Faver
www.jdfaver.com
License Notes
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized by, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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Cover art copyright © 2013 by Adina Mayo (AdinaMayo dot com)
~*~
Dedication
To all the cowboys in Texas who have two-stepped their way into my heart.
~*~
The Doctor’s Choice~BADLANDS: Book One
Will she choose love or money? The Cowboy or the City?
The murder of her only relative forces Camryn Carmichael, a lonely young doctor, to choose between her dream career in a Houston research hospital and a rural practice close to rancher, Breckenridge T. Ryan the infuriating man she loses her heart to.
Cowboys, murder and romance. Oh, my!
When her suspicions about her great-aunt’s death prove to be true, she resolves to uncover the villain herself. Breck tries to convince her that the community needs her just as much as he does, but when she uncovers a decades-old crime, she puts her own life is in danger.
Threatened by the diabolical killer and a ‘blue norther’, will she survive long enough to tell the tale?
http://amzn.com/B005341WX2
CHAPTER ONE
“You cannot go. I absolutely forbid it.” Breckenridge T. Ryan gazed at his bride of less than two months with an uncompromising glare. He rolled his eyes when he caught her amused expression.
"Really?" Camryn Carmichael-Ryan laughed and placed her hands on his chest, looking up at him in a way that usually tipped the scales in her favor during arguments. “Don’t be silly, Breck. I’m sure it’s safe. I mean the man is in prison, after all.”
He expelled a breath of air, continuing to look like a thunderstorm. “The man tried to kill you. He murdered Silky. How can you even consider running to a maximum security facility to see that snake-in-the grass just because he invited you?”
“Curiosity, I guess. I can’t imagine why he would try to contact me. After all, I was the one responsible for putting him away…or at least for getting him to confess to murdering Silky. Maybe he wants to confess some more.”
Breck snorted. “I’ll bet. Tell him to call for a priest. Cami, I just can’t let you go to see Eldon Kincaid, no matter what he’s offering as bait.”
“He said please." An impudent grin spread across her face, in spite of her best efforts to contain it. "In fact his letter was almost pleading in tone. It said he had a matter of the utmost importance to discuss with me.”
Breck’s handsome face contorted into a scowl. “Why can’t he call you? They do have telephones in that prison.”
She shrugged. “Beats me.”
“Dammit, Cami. It sounds like you’re planning on going, no matter what I think about it.”
She fixed him with a penetrating gaze. “You have hated Eldon Kincaid, the Kincaid ranch, Kincaid Enterprises and even his son, E.J. for as long as I’ve known you. I assure you I am not a fan of Eldon Kincaid, but the fact that he would ask to see me is very intriguing.” She watched a series of emotions play out across his face. “If you like, I can call E.J. and see if he has any idea what his dad wants with me.”
“Oh, great! My second favorite Kincaid.” He made a scoffing noise in the back of his throat. “That’s just what I want you to do. Call up that sports car driving playboy.”
Cami stepped back and folded her arms. “So you want me to ignore this whole thing because you hate the Kincaids?”
He nodded. “That works for me.”
“I’ll think about it. I have to go to the clinic now.” She turned away, but Breck’s big hands turned her back to face him.
“I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you. I just…I thought with that bastard in prison we wouldn’t have any more dealings with the Kincaids.”
She leaned toward him and he folded her in his arms. Something about nestling close to this man always made her feel safe and protected. “I don’t want to upset you, Breck. We’ll talk about it when I get home.”
He nodded and kissed her, then helped her into her jacket, before she gathered her bag and headed out the door. She climbed into the candy-apple red Lincoln she had inherited from her great-aunt and headed for town.
It had been a rough winter, but spring was coming on strong. Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush blanketed the fields on either side of the long straight road that led to town.
Langston, Texas was a place where Cami had come to visit her great-aunt and later, after her parents had been killed in an automobile accident, she had come to live with her. Silky Carmichael, had paid for her boarding school education in Dallas and Cami had spent summers here until graduation from the prestigious school. Afterwards, Silky had paid for her college and medical school tuition.
Although Silky had been her only relative, Cami hadn’t given much thought to the vast cattle ranch situated in the Texas panhandle, but upon her aunt’s death, she had inherited the whole kit and caboodle. When her suspicions about the so-called ‘accident’ proved to be true, she was determined to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding her great-aunt’s death. Learning that Silky had indeed been murdered had sent her on a dangerous path which almost led to her meeting a similar fate.
She tried to cast off her dark thoughts when she reached the town of Langston. She pulled into the parking space reserved for her at the clinic and turned off the motor. She climbed out, realizing a few other cars were parked nearby. She saw the sedan belonging to Loretta the office manager, parked next to the pickup truck driven by Reba her opinionated nurse.
With a jolt of surprise she realized the red Jaguar owned by E.J. Kincaid was parked on the other side of the truck. She wondered what had brought him to the clinic. Could it be that he knew his father wanted to see her, or did he have a real medical issue?
She sucked in a deep breath, gathering strength for whatever lay in wait for her inside the neat white bungalow turned clinic and pushed through the door.
“Hey, boss!” Loretta greeted her.
“Good morning, ladies. What’s on my plate today?” Cami glan
ced at Loretta, who kept her schedule with a bulldog-like devotion.
“Your first patient is scheduled at nine, but young Mr. Kincaid asked if you could squeeze him in. He’s in examination room number one.”
Cami went to her office to stow her belongings and slipped into her white doctor’s jacket. She still had a few with the name of the Houston hospital where she had done her residency and where she had expected to pursue her dream of doing medical research. However, she hadn’t considered that she would inherit her great-aunt’s humongous ranch, her devoted employees or her hunky neighbor, Breckenridge T. Ryan.
The Ryan ranch was another large land holding, with similar numbers of cattle and acreage. However, Breck had also been her aunt’s attorney, and as such, was privy to all her legal and personal information.
She looped a stethoscope around her neck and squared her shoulders, anticipating that her visit from E.J. Kincaid might be enlightening, to say the least. She had enjoyed the one date with E.J., but it was the enigmatic Breckenridge T. Ryan who had both infuriated her and stolen her heart.
She knocked on the door to exam room one and entered. “Hi, E.J. What’s up with you?” She had to smile in response to his broad grin.
“Morning, Cami. You're looking mighty fine today."
She smiled. "Thanks, but you didn't need to come to the clinic to tell me that. Are you here for a physical complaint?"
"Yeah," he clasped both hands over his heart and made a thumping motion. "You know, you’ll always be the one who got away.”
She smirked and shook her head. She had to admire his stellar good looks. He was the exact opposite of her husband. Whereas Breck had dark hair and eyes, E.J. was blond and blue-eyed. But both were tall and well-built. As E.J.’s physician, she had occasion to examine his fine torso and could attest to the fact that he was an excellent male specimen. Deep dimples and a sparkling wit were the cherries on top of the cake. Beef cake, that is.
He had experienced a private school education in Dallas, similar to Cami’s which set him apart from the men who had been raised in the Texas panhandle. E.J. had played soccer and ridden in equestrian events. After he graduated with an MBA, he relocated to Langston to please his father. Eldon then named him the Chief Financial Officer of Kincaid Enterprises which included his large land holdings and ranching interests. But in spite of the wealth and title, E.J. hated Langston Texas.
On the other hand, Breck had gone to school in Langston, played football and basketball and graduated at the top of his class. When he graduated from law school, he had never thought to live anywhere else but back in his home town of Langston, where he now provided legal counsel to most of the surrounding county. Although he thought of himself as a rancher, most of the locals referred to him as “that young lawyer feller”.
“I needed to talk to you, Cami.” E.J.’s grin faded and he seemed to be groping for words. “I figured Breck couldn’t have too much to say about it if I paid for an office visit.”
“You don’t need to do that,” she said. “We can talk in my office, if you like.”
He shook his head, indeed seeming to be more subdued than she had ever seen him.
That his father had admitted to murdering Silky should have put a crimp in their relationship, but she knew E.J. had been blameless, and she also knew a secret that she had been sworn to keep.
“No, here is fine. I just wanted to ask if you would go with me to see my dad. He was not looking well when I last saw him, and he called last night, sounding … I don’t know. I’ve never heard him like that. He sounded desperate.”
Cami couldn’t imagine Eldon desperate. That certainly didn’t sound like the big, silver haired blowhard who had tried his best to connive her into selling out her property to him. “Maybe he’s just lonely,” she said. "Although I can’t envision any reason he would want to talk to me. I thought we were about done when he tried to kill me.”
E.J. flinched. “Yeah, about that…I can’t imagine why he would do that, Cami. He made some really bad choices, but he’s changed a lot in prison. You’ll see how he’s changed, if you come with me.”
“I don’t know. I have patients scheduled. I just can’t abandon them and run off with you on a whim.”
He flashed the killer grin again. “Now that sounds real nice, Cami. Nothing I would like better.”
She huffed. “You know what I mean.”
“Sadly, I do.”
“Look, E.J. I can’t promise anything, and I need to know why your father would want to see me before I take off like that. Breck is dead set against it.”
He let out a derisive snort. “I’m sure he is, but it would mean a lot to me. I mean, we’re still friends, aren’t we?”
She gave him a long look. “Yes, we are.”
Abruptly he slid off the examination table; towering over her and standing way too close. “Just think about it.” He headed for the door, leaving the scent of his expensive cologne to linger in the air.
~*~
The receptionist looked up when he stopped by the desk. “That was short and sweet.”
“Yeah, well, charge me for an office visit," he said.
“But Mr. Kincaid, the doctor hasn’t brought your chart yet. I don’t know what the charges will be. “
“She’s not going to want to charge me, but do it anyway. I always pay my way.”
“But...”
“Never mind,” he said and threw a large bill on the countertop.
He left a sputtering receptionist in his wake and a couple of surprised looking patients in the waiting room.
When he got to his car, he climbed inside and turned on the motor. He listened to the quiet thrum of the high performance engine as it came to life. He revved the motor once. Lately, it seemed that this vehicle was the only thing he had power over. He sat for a moment reflecting on how he had come to be in this god-forsaken part of Texas in the first place. He had planned on making it back to Dallas as soon as he could, but he had not planned on his father being arrested for murder. The fact that Eldon Kincaid had confessed to the murder of Silky Carmichael had also astounded him. He knew that his dad was ruthless when it came to business and wasn’t above some dirty dealings when it was a matter of getting what he wanted, but he hadn’t thought his father’s hunger for land would result in the murder of an elderly woman. Lately, all Eldon seemed to want had been to acquire more and more of this flat, ugly north Texas terrain.
After E.J.’s mother died, and he graduated from the university, he had been coerced to join his father in his huge land and cattle business here at the end of the earth.
He put the Jaguar in reverse and pulled out of the clinic parking lot. He couldn’t fathom why his dad wanted to talk to Cami, and he seriously doubted that she would agree to make the trek to the prison with him, but he had to try anyway. If Eldon hadn’t been incarcerated, E.J. would be in Dallas right now, but he had to stand by his father and take over his business for him. E.J. had no idea what the future held. He hoped that Eldon’s life sentence would be shortened and he could earn an early release for good behavior. E.J. wanted to hire the best lawyers to defend him, but Eldon had signed a confession and agreed to a plea deal. The confession was another event that was totally unlike Eldon Kincaid. He couldn’t imagine that his dad would just roll over.
When E.J. drove through the town of Langston, he tried to find something to redeem this community in his opinion. It was just a small jerkwater town. There were three restaurants and five churches, two banks and a few civic organizations. The Agri-Business Council meetings were attended by most of the area residents and the county agents were local celebrities. Not his idea of a fun place. Miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles. This was where Eldon had been a young landman and had acquired his first land holdings, which he expanded exponentially. Whatever had lured Eldon to return to this area totally escaped E.J. . .The sooner I can make it back to civilization, the better.
He picked up speed when he cleared the city l
imits. The whine of the high-performance engine always gave him a thrill. And today he needed a thrill. He hoped that no Texas Highway Patrolmen were in the area because he was suffering from the need for speed. He put the car through its paces, smoothly going through the gears as he shifted from brake to clutch. He opened it up on the flat highway and pressed his foot on the accelerator. One hundred ten miles per hour and climbing. Up ahead he saw a horse trailer being towed by a pickup truck. No other traffic. No problem. He pressed harder on the gas and swerved around the truck and trailer. He felt a sense of euphoria well up in his chest as he left the other vehicle in his wake.
He slowed and veered through the fancy gate his father had erected at the entrance to the Kincaid estate. He drove to the end of the road and killed the engine in front of the pretentious southern-style mansion his father built as a monument to himself. The sooner he could get rid of this place and move back to Dallas, the sooner he could pick up the threads of his life. He got out of the car and slammed the door. But he had to hang in here and keep his dad’s business enterprise going. It wasn’t fair when Eldon had spent his entire life building this empire to give to his only son, even though the only son had an entirely different plan.
He had taken a couple of steps up the broad granite stairs when the pick-up truck towing the horse trailer he had passed on the highway pulled up to the house. He turned back to the house when he heard the truck door slam.
“You jackass!”
He turned to see the local veterinarian advancing on him. In fact, she was stomping mad. “Are you speaking to me?”
“You moron!”
“And good morning to you, too, Jenna. I would ask what blew up your skirt, except or course, you don’t own any.”
“Of course I own skirts and dresses, you jackass. I do go to church every Sunday, unlike some total heathens who never set foot inside a house of God.”
E.J. lifted one side of his mouth in a smirk. He patted himself on the chest. “Ah. You must be referring to me.” He raised his eyebrows and stood smiling down at her. “I assure you that I attended church with my mother every Sunday for as long as she was able, but it was a civilized church with an organist and choir that actually stayed on tune.”