by Rita Herron
“I left Clyde in charge.”
“I know he cares about Horseshoe Creek,” Ray said. “But not like we do.”
A grin tugged at Brett’s face. “That mean you’re not going to sell out and leave?”
“I’m not selling,” Ray said emphatically. Although he didn’t know if he’d stick around. Coming back home to Pistol Whip had triggered the sense of betrayal he’d felt at his father’s affair.
It had also stirred good memories of carousing with his brothers when he was small. Of riding across the ranch, working with his hands and living off the land.
Not that he’d give up his PI business. He liked his work. But he could do that here...
He gritted his teeth. Was he really thinking about moving back?
“Seriously, Brett, go home. I’ll call you if Hardwick wakes up and I talk to him.”
Brett looked reluctant, but finally agreed. “Thanks, man.”
Ray nodded, grateful Brett would be at the ranch tonight in case more trouble arose. If Bennett had hired Hardwick or someone else to set the fire, he could have others working for him.
Just as Brett left, his phone buzzed. Deputy Whitefeather. “Yeah?”
“I talked to Scarlet. She’s safe now. I’ll take care of the restraining order.”
“Thanks. Any word on the DNA from that cigarette?’
“Not yet. I’ll call the lab and ask them to hurry it up.”
“Thanks. I’m at the hospital. We got a lead from one of our hands about a worker named Hardwick. Brett and I tracked him to The Silver Bullet but he ran. We chased him in our car, but he crashed. He’s in the ER now.”
“You want me to meet you there?”
“No, just find out what you can on Hardwick. If we can trace financials between Bennett and him, or if Hardwick has a record, we could use it to force him to talk.”
“I’m on it, but so far on paper Bennett looks legit.”
“Keep at it.”
“I will.” The deputy hesitated. “Call me if you remember anything else about the man who attacked you.”
Ray agreed, and the deputy ended the call. Ray sipped his coffee and paced while he waited on the doctor to let him speak to Hardwick.
A half hour later, the nurse finally relayed the news that Hardwick was going to make it, and that he was awake.
Ray followed her to the ER cube, his body tense as he approached the man. Hardwick was battered and bruised, a bandage around his head, one arm in a sling. His eyes looked bleary as he followed Ray’s approach.
“Looks like you’re going to make it, Hardwick. I talked to the deputy. He’ll transport you to jail as soon as you’re released.”
Hardwick’s eyes widened in fear. “What the hell for? I haven’t done anything.”
“It was your cigarette butt in the barn, wasn’t it? Did Bennett pay you to set the barn on fire?”
Hardwick coughed, his voice weak. “No, just to report back what you were doing.”
Ray heaved a breath. So he admitted being at the barn. “I don’t believe you,” Ray said. “I think he wanted you to sabotage our place and that he has more plans, maybe something bigger.”
Hardwick broke into another coughing fit, the machine beeping that his blood pressure was dropping.
The nurse rushed in with a scowl. “You’ll have to go, sir.”
Ray leaned closer to Hardwick. “If you didn’t do it, give me a name.”
Hardwick coughed again, struggling with each breath, and the nurse grabbed Ray’s arm. “I said you need to leave.”
Ray held firm and growled in Hardwick’s ear. “Tell me, dammit.”
“Romley,” Hardwick choked out. “Talk to him.”
Ray nodded, yanked away from the nurse and strode to the door. Romley was the hand he’d seen smoking with Hardwick.
He hurried to his Range Rover, then started the engine and drove back toward Horseshoe Creek.
His phone buzzed and he checked it. Brett. He punched Connect. “Yeah.”
“Did Hardwick talk?”
“He said he didn’t set the fire, but he was spying on our progress. He also told me to talk to Romley. I’m on my way back. I’ll swing by his bunkhouse.”
“All right. But listen, Ray. Maddox just called and said he and Rose will be home late tonight. He wants to talk to us first thing in the morning. Something about the will.”
Ray’s pulse jumped. “Did he say anything else?”
“No, but he insisted we both needed to be there.” Brett hesitated. “I think something’s wrong.”
Dread balled in Ray’s stomach. He felt as if a time bomb had started ticking inside his head.
Had Maddox discovered their father’s dirty little secret?
Chapter Sixteen
Tension knotted every muscle in Ray’s body as he drove back to Horseshoe Creek. Long ago, his father had built cabins on the property for the cook, the head horse trainer and groomer, and for the foreman and his family. He’d also built bunkhouses for ranch hands, especially those who took seasonal jobs.
Ten minutes later, he bypassed the cabin where Brett, Willow and Sam were living, noting the lights were off, so they must have turned in for the night. He scanned the ranch land as he drove, looking for trouble and praying he didn’t find it.
That whoever had set that fire wouldn’t return. But he couldn’t count on that.
Brett had been working day and night overseeing the additions to the ranch, buying and bringing in more horses, and supervising the building of his home with Willow. The sprawling farmhouse was set on a hill by the creek surrounded by giant trees and pastureland with a view of the sunset that could be seen from the front porch. Brett had also built his own barn to keep horses for his family to ride for leisure.
Ray envisioned himself riding across the ranch with a woman and maybe a kid, and his mouth grew dry. Could he ever see himself settling down with a family?
Scarlet’s face taunted him, and he nearly ran into a ditch. He blinked and yanked the Range Rover onto the road, then turned down the drive leading to the bunkhouses. The lights were off in most of them, as well. Ranch hands started at daylight and went to bed at dark.
Hardwick and Romley lived in the one on the end, and he slowed as he approached. His gaze swept the pasture behind and surrounding the bunkhouse, but didn’t see movement.
Hoping to catch Romley off guard, Ray slowed his vehicle and parked at the first bunkhouse. He eased open the door and slid from the interior, tucking his gun inside his jacket as he walked. Gravel crunched beneath his boots, and the wind nearly ripped off his hat, but he jammed it firmly on his head and strode forward.
When he reached the bunkhouse, he realized there was only one truck parked by it. Was it Romley’s?
He squared his shoulders, climbed the two steps to the stoop, then raised his fist and knocked. Once, twice. He paused to listen for sounds inside.
A light flicked on, and footsteps sounded inside. Ray braced himself for a confrontation as the door opened. A rail-thin young man in his early twenties stood on the other side, scratching his head, his hair sticking up. Not Romley.
“What’s your name, man?” Ray asked.
“Curtis.”
“Ray McCullen.” Ray gestured inside. “I’m looking for Stan Romley.”
“He’s not here. Left out earlier.”
“What do you mean, he left out?” Ray shouldered his way inside, flipped on an overhead light and surveyed the interior of the cabin. A main living area/kitchen and two rooms on each side, both rooms housed with bunks.
One bed was unmade. Curtis’s. He’d obviously been sleeping. The rest of the beds were turned up, although a duffel bag, shoes and personal items filled one corner in the room opposite Curtis’s.
&nb
sp; Ray examined the clothes and bag. “Whose is this?”
“Hardwick’s. It was just the three of us in here, but Romley came in about five o’clock, grabbed his stuff and rushed out.”
Had Hardwick tipped him off that they were on to them?
“Did he mention where he was going?”
Curtis shook his head. “I asked him if he was coming back and he said no. I figured something must have happened and you all laid him off.”
Ray silently cursed.
He checked the desk drawer in the corner, then Hardwick’s duffel bag in search of a hint as to what the two men had planned.
That turned up nothing.
“Did he do something wrong?” Curtis asked.
Ray slanted the young man a curious look. “I think he and Hardwick set the fire that destroyed our new barns.” He watched Curtis for a reaction. “Do you know anything about that?”
The young man took a step back, his lips thinning. “No. Hell, no.”
“You help them?”
Curtis held up his hands in a defensive gesture. “Listen, Mr. McCullen, I just got this job last week. I only met Hardwick and Romley when I came on board.”
“How about Arlis Bennett? Do you know him?”
“I’ve heard his name, everyone around Pistol Whip has,” Curtis said.
“Have you ever worked for him?”
“No.” Curtis’s voice cracked. “I swear, Mr. McCullen, I wouldn’t do anything against you and your brothers. I was hired on ’cause I’m a fan of Brett’s, and I was hoping he could teach me some riding tricks.”
Ray relaxed slightly. He could hear the hero worship in the young man’s voice. And God knows, Brett had fans.
“Did you ever hear Hardwick or Romley talking about Bennett? Or about sabotaging our operation?”
“No,” Curtis said. “But last night Hardwick said they needed to finish here and get out of town. I thought they had another job lined up.”
They did, Ray thought with a grimace. A big paycheck, probably from Bennett.
* * *
SCARLET TOSSED AND turned all night. She kept listening for sounds of an intruder, afraid Bobby or Pullman would return.
Tomorrow at noon they would meet with the lawyer to hear the reading of the will.
As excited as she’d been over Joe’s donation to The Family Farm, she was equally anxious about Ray’s brothers’ reactions.
She closed her eyes but shivered as she thought about Bobby—whatever stipulation Joe had put on his share, Bobby wouldn’t like it.
Ray’s sexy face materialized, replacing Bobby’s antagonistic one, stirring feelings she couldn’t allow herself to feel... Would she see him again after the reading?
A noise sounded outside, and she rolled over and listened. Wind, rain, the windowpanes rattling. The noises went on and on, keeping her nerves on edge.
Finally at dawn, she gave up on sleep, punched the pillow, got up and showered. A faint stream of sunlight wormed its way through the bleak-looking sky, the gray cast mirroring her mood.
She faced herself in the mirror and gave herself a pep talk. Joe had included her because he knew she’d use her inheritance to help needy children. If the McCullens questioned her intentions, she’d find a way to convince them how much he’d cared about The Family Farm.
She dressed, taking more time with her makeup than usual to camouflage the bruises from her accident and the dark circles beneath her eyes due to lack of sleep.
Despite her nerves, she managed to eat some toast and sipped her coffee while she finished the paperwork for the Fullers’ adoption. Then she drove to The Family Farm and spent the morning with the smaller children who didn’t yet attend school.
As she left, Corey hugged her, and her heart warmed. One day she wanted a family of her own.
For now though these kids were her family just like Joe had been. It didn’t matter if they were blood related. She loved them just the same.
And she would do everything she could to make sure they were taken care of.
* * *
RAY’S STOMACH WAS in knots as he entered his father’s office. Mama Mary had set coffee in the office along with breakfast, but he couldn’t eat until he talked to his brothers.
Maddox was waiting, a steaming mug in his hand, and Brett loped in a second later.
“I thought we’d better conference before the reading,” Maddox said.
“Something wrong?” Brett asked as he poured his own coffee.
“I got a heads-up from Dad’s lawyer that there were some complications to the will. He wouldn’t elaborate, though.”
Ray cleared his throat, irritated that Bush hadn’t returned his call. He couldn’t avoid the dreaded conversation any longer. “I planned to talk to you guys when you got back, Maddox.”
Maddox arched his brows. “You know what this is about?”
Ray nodded. “You’d both better sit down.”
Brett scowled. “What’s going on?”
A muscle jumped in Maddox’s jaw. “I don’t like the sound of this.”
He wasn’t going to like anything about it, but Ray couldn’t keep his father’s secret any longer.
“There’s something I need to say, and I want you both to just listen. It’s about Dad.”
Both his brothers looked confused.
“If you want to sell your share, just let us know,” Maddox said.
“It’s not that,” Ray said. “It’s the reason Dad and I didn’t get along.”
Brett ran a hand through his hair. “Ray, that’s water under the bridge. We all had our differences.”
“You don’t understand,” Ray said. “Just listen.”
Brett started to smart off, but Maddox gestured to let Ray speak.
Ray took a deep breath and began. “Dad had an affair before Mom died. The woman’s name was Barbara.”
Brett looked shocked. Maddox did as well, although something else flared in his eyes. Recognition.
“You knew?” Ray asked him.
Maddox gave a short shake of his head. “No. At least not about the affair. I knew he dated a woman named Barbara later on, when we were teenagers.”
“How did you know about it, Ray?” Brett asked.
The image of his father in bed with that woman taunted Brett. “I walked in on them one day. In bed. I was five.”
“That’s the reason you were always so mad at Dad,” Maddox said matter-of-factly.
Ray nodded.
“Why didn’t you ever tell us?” Brett asked.
“I didn’t really understand what was going on, but I promised Dad I wouldn’t tell. Later on, he claimed he broke it off with her, said he was sorry, that he loved Mom. He said he didn’t want to hurt her so it would be our secret.” He bit out the words. “I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t want to hurt her.”
Maddox crossed his arms. “So you didn’t tell us, either.”
“He didn’t want you to know,” Ray said, remembering the turmoil he’d felt. “You looked up to him. I didn’t want to mess that up.”
A tense silence ensued while his brothers processed the information. Maddox pinched the bridge of his nose, his face strained.
“I always thought Dad had a wandering eye,” Brett admitted.
“He said Mom forgave him before she died,” Ray said. “That’s why he wanted to see me before he passed.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Maddox muttered. “I’m sorry, Ray. You shouldn’t have had to carry that burden all these years.”
Another heartbeat passed. “There’s more.”
Brett pulled a hand down his chin. “What more can there be?”
“Dad and Barbara had a child. A boy named Bobby. He’s about my age.”
> Maddox cursed and Brett dropped his head into his hands.
“That’s what Bush was talking about, isn’t it?” Maddox asked.
Ray nodded. “I’m afraid so.”
Brett lifted his head, anger glittering in his eyes. “You knew about the kid, too?”
“Not until a couple of days ago,” Ray said.
“Where is he?” Brett asked.
“He grew up living with Barbara not too far away.”
Maddox cursed again. “This is unbelievable.”
Brett jumped up and paced the room. “Dad should have told us.”
“This guy Bobby? He wants part of Horseshoe Creek?” Maddox growled.
“I think so.” Ray paused. “When I found out—”
Brett whirled on him. “How did you find out?”
“It’s a long story,” Ray began.
“Tell us everything,” Maddox said in a tone that brooked no argument. “We have to know what we’re up against before we walk into the lawyer’s office today.”
Maddox was right. Ray got more coffee and so did his brothers, and they gathered around the fireplace.
Both his brothers sat rigid as he explained about Scarlet’s visit, The Family Farm and how she’d come to live with Barbara and Bobby.
“Apparently Bobby resented Scarlet. He hated us and her for the attention Dad gave us,” Ray finished.
“So Bobby may want revenge against us.” Brett paused, mind working. “Why didn’t you tell me this before? He could have set the fire.”
“I know that,” Ray said. “I’ve been investigating him myself. Barbara claims he was with her that night.”
“You met Barbara?” Maddox asked.
Ray nodded on a pained sigh. “I had to. I wanted to find out if either of them had anything to do with the fire.”
“Let me guess—they alibied each other,” Maddox said in a derisive tone. “Perfect cover.”
“Hell, they could have been in on it together,” Brett snapped.