'And you won,' Merle breathed, still finding it difficult to believe. 'Do you still gamble?'
'That's what the oil business is all about,' he said drily, enjoying the traces of thought that were flickering across Merle's face like neon lights. Taking pity on her, he continued, 'If you mean, do I still play roulette, the answer is no. I haven't been in a casino since. I don't even buy lottery tickets.'
Merle stared at him. What an incredible story! Maybe that was why he regarded the business of the well as nothing more than a game. 'This is a better story than the one about you coming from a wealthy family. I can't understand how come I haven't heard it before.'
'That's because you're the only person I have ever told,' Leon said matter-of-factly and Merle looked at him in surprise. His face was in profile as his eyes rested on the two boys sitting as though entranced in front of the television.
'You mean, nobody else knows?'
'That's right, and Merle, keep it quiet, will you? If it got around that that was where I got my money, I think my bank manager would start getting awfully nervous.' He turned his head and smiled at her, causing her heart to give a little jerk. It was gone, that barrier he had erected against her was missing. With all that had been going on when he had arrived she hadn't realised it before.
Merle wet her lips. She wanted to ask him if he had forgiven her but didn't have the courage. He must have done, though, for why else would he have told her his secret? Of course, the story might not even be true. It was a little far-fetched, even if it did sound like the sort of thing Leon might do.
He had gone back to watching the boys and Merle continued to stare at him. It was also the sort of story Leon might make up just to confound her, one of his practical jokes. Maybe he really was the son of Sir Robert, the shipping magnate.
'Leon,' she asked quietly, 'is this story true? I mean, did you really win the money to start Puma Resources?'
'Now why would I want to lie about a thing like that?' he asked, not quite answering the question and not taking his eyes from the boys.
'Because,' Merle said, frowning at him as her suspicions grew, 'you like teasing me.'
He grinned over at her. 'That's because you're so gullible.'
'Then it was all a lie?' she demanded, feeling a stab of disappointment.
'I didn't say that. I might have got the money that way, on the other hand, I might not. I could have rescued a sheikh's daughter from a fate worse than death and he gave me the money as a reward. After all, you know how I am when it comes to ladies in distress.' He glanced back at the boys. 'Speaking of which, have you given any thought to how you're going to feed those two?' he asked, deftly changing the subject.
'Andrew and Sean?' Merle followed his gaze. 'Not really. I guess I'll probably take them over to the truckstop in a little while.'
'Do you really think you can manage two small boys and a baby in a public restaurant?' he asked, his eyebrows lifting.
'Oh.' She hadn't thought about that. Merle glanced over at the car bed where Lisa was sleeping peacefully. What if she started screaming like she had earlier while they were at the cafe?
'Don't worry, Merle,' Leon cut into her thoughts, 'since it looks like you're in need of rescuing again, I'll help you. That seems to be my role in life. We'll move this lot over to my kitchen unit and we can fix them something to eat there.' He stood up and went over to enlist the boys' aid in making the move. 'Besides,' he said over his shoulder to Merle, 'you have to stick around the motel. I talked to the RCMP this afternoon and they're coming over to see you later.'
'They found out something?' Merle asked, surprised. She hadn't heard from the police since they had talked to her on the hill the morning after the shooting.
'No, but they want to ask you some more questions.' He turned off the television and told the boys to get their toys so they could move to the other unit.
'About what?'
'Greg Larson.'
'Greg? Why…?'
'Merle,' Leon said seriously, his eyes meeting hers and his expression grave as he turned to look at her, 'I suggested they might want to check him out. He was pretty angry with you the last time you saw him. He hit you.'
'He was in a temper. I think you're being ridiculous, Leon,' Merle dismissed his doubts. 'You, yourself, said there is a big difference between an act of passion and something done in cold blood. Greg Larson couldn't have had anything to do with those shots. It was a hunter.'
'You don't know that, Merle. I can't see any harm in letting the police check him out.'
'And while they do?' she asked suspiciously. She remembered the promise he had extracted from her and her nerves tightened. Was this another trick to stop her from scouting the well? When he didn't answer the question she had just put to him, she asked, 'Have you made a decision on the well?'
'We have.'
'And?'
Leon sighed. 'The drilling resumes tomorrow.'
'And I suppose I'm to stay away from the site while the police check out this latest theory of yours, is that it?'
'I know what you're trying to get at, Merle, but believe me I'm not using this as an excuse to stop you from scouting the well. I honestly believe that Larson should be checked out.'
'I think I understand, Leon,' Merle said coldly. 'Okay, I'll talk to the police, but I don't consider that promise I gave to you still binding. If they are as concerned about Greg as you pretend to be, I won't go out. But, if they're not, then I think this is just another one of your dirty tricks.'
His only answer was the tightening of his jaw as his eyes grew cold. He turned away abruptly and started helping the boys gather their belongings, his movements made stiff with caged anger.
Although he continued to assist her in the care of the children throughout the evening, Leon made sure the newly resurrected wall between them remained firmly intact. He allowed Merle to take over the kitchen unit temporarily and moved his things into Mrs Blake's room.
Later, the manageress dropped by to inform them that Mrs Blake had had an emergency appendectomy and that he husband was driving out from Calgary to join her. Fortunately, the couple had friends who would be arriving at the motel in the morning to take the children into their care while their mother was incapacitated.
Leon's latent anger erupted after they had given little Lisa her bath. Being totally unfamiliar with the procedure, Merle had none the less gamely set out to clean her charge. Unfortunately, Lisa did not want to be cleaned and proceeded to give her opinion of a bath at the top of her lungs. As seemed to happen all too frequently, Leon came to Merle's rescue, taking over the squalling infant and finishing the task with a deftness that left Merle astounded.
When the baby had been settled for a sleep, Merle decided to tell Leon she would do as he asked and stay away from the hilltop. The police had arrived shortly after they had eaten and questioned her about her relationship with Greg Larson. It had been an embarrassing interview. Apparently, they had already talked to the men working on the rig and she was placed in the position of having to refute Greg's story as to the nature of their friendship. She could sense their scepticism as they heard her out, but also sensed that they were just as sceptical of Leon's theory that Greg was the one who had shot at her. Nonetheless, they promised to investigate.
Their lack of suspicion regarding Greg Larson temporarily strengthened her resolve to go back to the hilltop, but after she had thought it over she decided she was just being stubborn. She had more or less decided she wasn't going to turn her report on the well over to Wild Rose, so continuing to scout it was rather pointless. In the back of her mind, Merle also cherished the hope that by giving in to Leon on this she might be able to mend the rift between them. If it didn't, then perhaps the best thing for everyone concerned would be for her to go back to Calgary and try to get on with the rest of her life.
Merle left Lisa sleeping soundly in her car bed in the bedroom and went back into the living room. The boys had gone to bed earlier, their protests tha
t they weren't the least bit tired negated by the speed with which they fell asleep. Leon was standing by the sink, wiping away the water that had splashed out while they were bathing the baby.
'Leon, I have something to tell you,' Merle opened the conversation.
He turned around, a fed-up look in his eyes. 'Do you? Well, guess what? I don't want to hear it. I'm sick to the teeth with you, lady. You'd rather get yourself killed than leave that well alone. Well, I have something to tell you. You are not going out to that hill again. I forbid it.'
'Forbid it?' Merle asked, astonishment at the suddenness of his attack quickly turning to outrage. Nobody forbade her to do anything!
'That's right. I've taken the liberty of lifting your car keys again, so don't get any ideas about driving out there tomorrow. I suppose you could walk, but I think you'll be sorry if you do.' He tossed the cloth he had been using on to the counter and stalked to the door, then turned back to her. 'I doubt if Lisa will sleep through the night, so you had better get some sleep while you can.' With that final piece of advice, he stalked out of the unit, slamming the door behind him.
'Damn Leon, damn him, damn him, damn him,' Merle muttered as she tramped up the hillside, viciously kicking out at any obstructions that lay in her path. She had absolutely no desire to be up on this damn hill, but he had backed her into a corner. Even after last night, she still might have been able to retreat and retain a modicum of pride, but not now.
This morning, Leon had arrived at the kitchen unit as Merle was preparing breakfast for Sean and Andrew. No sooner had he walked in than Lisa had started crying so he had taken over the preparation of the meal while Merle attended to the baby. (Which was another thing she didn't like about him. Every time he showed up, something went wrong and he would end up taking charge as though she were totally incapable of handling the problem herself. She was sick to death of being treated like the village idiot!)
His manner throughout breakfast had been arrogant and faintly taunting, almost daring her to mention the well. Although his attitude infuriated her no end, Merle managed to hold her tongue. It wasn't as though they could conduct a slanging match in front of the children. Then, the couple who were taking charge of the children had arrived and everything else was forgotten in a flurry of preparations for their departure.
To Merle's relief, the couple, John and Candice Burton, were not strangers to the boys. Until six months ago, the Burtons had lived in the same city in Ontario as the Blakes. Both Andrew and Sean remembered them and seemed content to be placed in their care.
While Merle had grown attached to the boys while they were in her charge, it was Lisa's departure that brought a hard lump to her throat. It was so bewildering. She had been up with the baby every three hours throughout the night, changing her and feeding her, making sure she burped her before returning her to the car bed. Merle just couldn't understand why she would miss her but she knew she would.
After the car bearing the children drove away, Merle felt flat and dispirited—and certainly not in the mood for a phone call from her mother. Leon had got in touch with her again. Merle found nothing funny in this latest interference in her life. Though her mother loved nothing better than to advise Merle on how she should conduct her life, fortunately she was blessed with a short memory and generally forgot about her daughter—unless something or somebody reminded her.
Admittedly, her mother had been concerned that Merle might be in danger, but that hadn't stopped her from jumping to some pretty wild conclusions about Merle's relationship with Leon. Nor had she refrained from delivering a lecture on the unattractiveness of women who were too independent. Men didn't like women who were constantly defying them, and Merle had better revise her attitude or Leon was going to slip through her fingers.
Merle was furious by the time she finally got off the phone. Dragging Edith into their disagreement had been totally unwarranted—and if Leon thought that having her mother on his side was going to change anything, he could think again. Picking the lock on the Blazer wasn't as easy as she had hoped, but after about fifteen minutes she managed it. Once she was in the cab, she found the wires that ran to the ignition and within seconds the motor was running. Maybe she could become a car thief when she gave up scouting, she thought sardonically as she drove off. Of course, she would have to improve her lock-picking skills. She had got some very suspicious looks from departing guests while she was trying to open the door to the Blazer.
When Merle had climbed to the crest of the hill, she stood peering down at the site. The drilling had resumed as expected and even at this distance she could detect the faint odour of natural gas that hung in the air. The gas was escaping as the bit passed through the bearing layers.
She saw Leon standing near the rig and remained where she was until he noticed her. When he finally glanced up at the hilltop, Merle waved a salute, then settled down to take up her position. While standing, she hadn't bothered with the binoculars: she could imagine quite clearly what Leon's expression would be on seeing her, and smiled to herself. God, she loved it when she outsmarted him and so far this summer that hadn't happened very often.
She had been lying on the hilltop for nearly an hour when she heard a noise behind her. Every nerve in her body went on red alert. She didn't really believe in Leon's assertion that Greg Larson might be trying to harm her, but subconsciously it had been preying on her mind. Telling herself it was ridiculous to be nervous, she slowly lowered the binoculars she had been holding and turned to peer over her shoulder.
It was a dog—that dog. This is what Leon had meant when he said she would be sorry if she came out. For several seconds, Merle stared into the small, beady eyes watching her. Her hand was trembling as she reached it out to him. 'Nice, d-dog… nice Laddie Boy,' she whispered. Laddie Boy curled his lip and a growl rumbled in his throat. Merle snatched her hand back, her heart thundering in her chest.
The dog took a step towards her and her chest tightened in panic. Her instinct was to flee, to jump up and run away as fast as she could, but she knew that would be fatal. The dog would be on her in seconds. Calm down, Merle, she ordered herself. Think!
She knew that if you came on a bear when working in the bush, you were supposed to play dead. She didn't know if it worked for dogs, but she lowered her head to the ground and covered it with her arms. Her pulse was pounding like a jack-hammer as the seconds ticked by. All she could think about were sharp fangs burying themselves into her flesh.
She felt something nuzzle her leg and knew the dog had come over to her. Laddie Boy ran his nose up her thigh, occasionally prodding her with one of his huge paws. When he reached her midriff, Merle felt a shiver run through her and goose bumps sprang out on her arms. Lord, what a time to get ticklish!
A cold, wet nose was shoved into her ear and Merle closed her eyes tight, sure the dog would be sinking his teeth into her at any moment. They flew open again when Laddie Boy started washing her neck with his tongue. Cautiously, she turned her head slightly to eye him warily. The tongue hit her full in the face, sliding wetly over her mouth. 'Stop that, you stupid dog,' she ordered automatically.
Laddie Boy cocked his head and he stared down at her. He growled softly, then started washing her face again. Merle sat up and the big dog climbed into her lap, still intent on licking her face. She shoved him away and he flopped down beside her, thumping his tail against the ground as he looked up at her.
'You got me all wet, you idiot,' Merle said, digging into her pocket for a handkerchief. At the sound of her voice, Laddie Boy bared his teeth, his tail beating faster. Merle stared at the dog, frowning. 'Is that how you smile?' The dog growled, then stood up, his tongue going for her face.
Merle laughed, pushing him away. 'Stop that! Okay, I believe you, you're a friendly dog.' She twisted her head to evade that sopping tongue. She finally managed to get the dog to lie down again and sat with him, idly scratching him behind the ears. Leon must know the dog was friendly. No wonder he had practically died la
ughing when she had seen him in the truckstop after first meeting Laddie Boy and she had been so obviously frightened of the animal. So why had he sent it up here? Of course, maybe he hadn't, but somehow this had all the earmarks of a Leon Crane prank.
Merle stared down at the dog. Maybe Leon had thought she wouldn't stay around long enough to find out the dog was friendly. That was probably it. He didn't want her up here so he had sent the dog to scare her off. 'Well, Laddie Boy, I think I might just have scored another point.' She laughed, hugging the animal. 'Two in one day, that has to be a record.'
CHAPTER TEN
Laddie Boy lay in the October sunshine letting its warmth soak through his heavy coat of black fur. His head rested on his paws and one ear twitched as a fly, made sluggish by the cool autumn weather, buzzed past. The fly continued to annoy him and he opened his eyes, his muscles tensing when he saw the jackrabbit. The hare had not seen him yet, and he waited for it to move closer before springing into action. Laddie Boy trembled in anticipation, watching as the jackrabbit's powerful haunches brought it a foot closer. Suddenly the hare sat upright, its nose twitching. It had caught his scent, and the dog leapt to his feet. The jackrabbit took off like a shot with Laddie Boy hard on his heels.
'Don't be too long,' Merle called to him over her shoulder. 'They're just about to run the drill stem test.' She turned her head back towards the drilling site but didn't lift the spotting scope back to her eye. Talking to the dog was a silly habit, and yet, one she didn't want to break. During the long days on the hilltop she had spent hours in conversation with Laddie Boy, talking about the well, Leon, life in general—not that he had much to say in response.
How had she missed dogs up until now? Laddie Boy was the first dog she had ever really noticed. Before him, the only dogs she had ever had contact with were guard dogs at some of the sites she scouted (which she regarded as just one more difficulty to overcome) or leashed animals being walked by their owners on city streets. She had never seen them as companions, friends.
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