by Sable Hunter
“Hello?”
“Yes, speak up.”
“This is George at the diner in Alpine? Could I speak to Molly Reyes?”
“Uh, no. She’s on her way to Alpine with my brother.”
On the other end of the line, Greg O’Neil smiled. Now, all he’d have to do was park near the intersection where the road from Fort Stockton hit the road to Alpine and follow them.
“Thank you, Mr. McCoy.”
Click.
The phone went dead.
Heath looked at it and grunted. “Wonder what that was all about.”
* * *
Once they turned off I-10 at Fort Stockton and headed south, Molly could see the tops of the mountains. A myriad of memories bombarded her, most of them sad. She remembered her mother and the hardships she’d faced without her. She remembered the cruelty of the kids she went to school with, like Rita. She also remembered the sharp agony of Tennessee’s accusations and his abandonment.
With a shake of her head, Molly pushed all of that aside. This wild, rough wilderness was beautiful. Big Bend country was in her blood. It had also given her Tennessee and their future looked bright from where she sat cuddled up next to him. “We’re almost there,” she whispered.
“This is a new beginning for us, Molly. As much as I love my family, I need to have something of my own.”
“I know.” And after tonight, he would have her and the baby too. She’d make sure he understood. “I want you to have everything you heart desires.”
He’d said it so much, it was turning into a song. “I want the windfarm, but…” Tennessee had been about to say, ‘not as much as I want you’. His phone ringing on the dash kept him from finishing his sentence. “Hello?”
Molly relaxed, figuring it was one of his brothers. After a few seconds of listening, she realized it was Ben Hunt. She shifted in her seat, thinking of Rita.
“Yes, they did call me.” Ten laughed, obviously happy. “I’m driving down the road toward Alpine now.” He listened. “I have a meeting with the Gages tonight.” Winking at Molly, he continued his conversation. “I can do that, I’ll be heading your way to go check out the property. I want to see what O’Neil did and where I stand.” He nodded like Hunt could see him and Molly smiled – he was so cute. “Why, I appreciate you talking to the Gages for me. Nope. No hard feelings at all. I have Molly here with me.” He grinned at Molly who squeezed his arm. “Thanks a lot, Mr. Hunt. I’ll see you later.”
Molly didn’t need to be told. “You have a full evening ahead of you.”
“Yes, but I promise that I’ll be back in time to take you out to eat. Dress up and we’ll go get a steak.”
Ten was in a rush, but when they arrived he took care of checking her in and taking her luggage up the room. He also gave her money – just in case. “Call me if you need anything.” Putting a strong finger under her chin, he tilted her head up for his kiss.
Molly threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. “Be careful. And congratulations!”
The next moment he was gone and Molly curled up on the bed to watch TV.
* * *
If one were to see Tennessee McCoy from a distance, he appeared to be cool and calm – the consummate business man. Inside, he was shaking. It wasn’t lost on him that this was big, he was getting a second chance at a golden opportunity. Hell, he was getting a second chances at something even more important – Molly and his child. And he sure didn’t intend to blow either of them.
When he drove down the lonely two lane highway toward the Gage ranch, he was surrounded by mountains as old as time. It was about four in the afternoon and the shadows were gathering on the east side of the foothills. As soon as he talked to the Gages, he wanted to check on the property. What little he learned from Hunt indicated that O’Neil hadn’t made much progress. And that was fine by Tennessee. As far as he was concerned, anything Greg touched was contaminated, so the less his fingerprints had stained things the better.
From the road, there was no fanfare for the sumptuous Gage ranch. Just a small simple wooden sign indicated the turn-off, then a winding dirt lane led down to a home big enough to serve as a ski lodge nestled behind one of the closest foothills. As his truck eased down the narrow road, he cleared his throat and prepared himself to speak to the two men who held his future in his hands.
Arriving at the paved concrete driveway, he turned in. The landscaping had changed from barren cactus strewn pastureland to rich, carpeted grass and big beds of semitropical flowers. Ten knew a team of gardeners must be necessary to upkeep a place like this. Parking between a big black SUV and a Hummer, he got out and headed toward the entrance.
He’d no more than knocked on the door that a woman dressed in a traditional maid outfit came to greet him. “Mr. McCoy?”
“Yes, I’m Tennessee.” His eyes darted around the room, noting the richness of his surroundings. A full size carving of a horse stood by a fireplace big enough to roast an oxen. Yes, everything was bigger in Texas and these true native sons took that saying literally.
“Tennessee, welcome!” Virgil Gage came to greet him, a shot glass in his hand. “Get Mr. McCoy a drink, will you?” He motioned to the maid. “Come back here, Sam and I are in the den.”
“Good to be here, Sir. I was glad to hear from you.” Ten followed Virgil Gage down a richly paneled hallway to the biggest, most punked out man cave he’d ever seen. There was a pool table, a media center, a wet bar, a fireplace and other things he wasn’t even really sure how to define. Sam sat on a big leather couch cleaning a rifle.
“Tennessee, have a seat.”
He sat down and immediately the maid placed a drink on a coaster in front of him. “I appreciate the invitation to meet with you tonight.”
“Well, we were shocked to find out that Greg O’Neil had been dishonest with us and dishonest with you.” Virgil shook his head in disgust. “The boy has a lot of potential, but ever since his father died, he’s lost focus.”
Tennessee didn’t relay his past with the O’Neil’s. He presumed it was common knowledge. The lawsuit had certainly made all the newspapers and TV news shows. “I’m considering pressing charges. My lawyer is looking into it.” He didn’t mention Rita’s part in the scam either. She was a piece of work, but he liked her father.
“I wouldn’t blame you if you did press charges,” Sam said as he got up to place the rifle in a case. “If a man’s words isn’t his bond, I can’t do business with him.” He turned to walk toward Tennessee. “He didn’t live up to our expectations, to put it bluntly. And if he’ll cheat you, he’ll cheat us. Your bid was second. Would you like to lease the land?”
Tennessee stood. “Yes, sir, I would.” He shook the hand of one and then the hand of the other. A few minutes later, he’d signed the papers. “If it’s okay with you. I’d like to drive over to the site to take a look.”
“Of course.” Virgil went to a large ornate wooden desk and opened a drawer. “There’s a gate now. O’Neil still has a key, but we’ll get it from him. Here’s yours.”
Tennessee took the key and said his goodbyes. As he climbed into his truck, he fist-pumped the air and called Molly.
“Hello?”
“Hey, doll. I have the key to the lease property. I’m going to drive over there and take a look around. I won’t be long, then I’m going to stop by Mr. Hunt’s and thank him. I shouldn’t be over an hour or two. How are you feeling?”
“I’m good,” Molly said, “I’ve had a shower and I’m dressed for dinner.” Holding up her hand, she admired the beautiful diamond ring on her finger. She couldn’t’ wait for Ten to see.
“Great.” He let his voice drop a notch. “And I know what I want for dessert.”
“Ice cream?” Molly asked mischievously.
“Only if I can eat if off you.”
Molly groaned. “Hurry.”
Tennessee laughed. “Don’t start without me.”
“I just might.”
Now it was his tur
n to groan. “Okay, I now know a fantasy I want to fulfill. Me watching you get yourself off.”
“Perhaps I could arrange that.” Molly was enjoying herself. When she heard him let out a low growl, she laughed. “I’m hanging up now so you can get through and hurry back to me.”
“Bye, doll. I’ll call you when I leave the Hunts.”
Ten was still grinning when he got out to unlock the gate of the expansive Gage rangeland covered by a series of mesas. He let his gaze take it all in. Back in his truck, he ventured father, driving slow enough to avoid potholes. The road had deteriorated. O’Neil had done no work on it since acquiring the land a few months back. All he saw was some dozer work and a few pads scattered out. The roads that had been cut in the side of the mesas were needing reinforcement. It didn’t appear that O’Neil had been committed to the work.
He drove about halfway down the side of the second mesa, some three miles from the gate and got out of his truck to walk closer. In his mind, he was envisioning a veritable forest of wind turbines, all spinning, all generating green electricity – and all his. “I can’t wait for Heath to see this,” he murmured. Tennessee spent another ten minutes or so, moving across the terrain, gauging how many turbines he could put up. The smile on his face was wide, everything was finally coming together.
* * *
A knock on the door surprised Molly. “Tennessee?” she called. “That was quick.” She smiled. He’d probably called from right down the road, making her think he was going to be longer than he really was. She opened the door without checking the peephole, so sure he’d come early to surprise her.
But it wasn’t Ten, it was Greg O’Neil! Molly immediately tried to shut the door. “I have nothing to say to you.”
Planting his foot in the opening, he blocked Molly from closing the door. “Now is that anyway to talk to your loved one?”
“You helped Rita convince Tennessee to believe a lie about me! I never sent you any pictures and I certainly never gave you his bid. You need to leave before I call the cops!” She put her full weight against the door trying to keep him out.
“Water under the bridge, we have something much more important to discuss. Sister.” With that, he pushed in, forcing Molly back so hard that she fell.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“My father, Liam O’Neil, fucked your mother. You had his ring. You saw it was the same as the family crest on my bolo. I knew it was only a matter of time before you made your claim and I won’t give any part of my inheritance to his by-blow.”
Scrambling to her feet, Molly began to panic. “My mother gave me the ring, but I had no idea who my father was. The symbol meant nothing to me.”
“He obsessed over your mother and how she died. That’s why we went to Santa Elena Canyon every time we came to the park. He was mourning.”
Seeing the crazed look in O’Neil’s face, Molly began backing up. “Please, I don’t want anything of yours or your father’s. Please just go.”
“Nope, I think we have a date with destiny. Kill two birds with one stone, you might say. I think we need to revisit where your mother took a nosedive. Let Tennessee see how it feels to have someone whose life is hanging in the balance.”
His meaning wasn’t lost on Molly. She could read him like a book. The man intended for her to die. With one last lunge, she tried for the door. She didn’t make it. He struck her on the side of the head and her head crashed into the corner of the dresser. White hot pain was the last thing she knew.
* * *
Knowing he’d promised Molly he’d return soon, Ten returned to his truck and set out for the Hunt Ranch, making sure to lock the gate behind him. As he drove the short distance, his mind was whirling with what he had ahead of him. He’d have to meet with Heath’s suppliers, hire some help and get him and Molly a place to stay close by. Dividing his time between here and the Highlands would be necessary until he got the farm up to speed. After that, most of the monitoring could be done by computer.
The entrance to the Hunt ranch was a bit more auspicious than the Gages’. Tennessee had no idea who was wealthier, but Hunt tended to be more flamboyant. The house was visible from the road and the entire front was made of glass, reflecting the image of the lake that sat in front of it. As Ten pulled up next to a white Lexus he assumed belonged to Rita, he couldn’t help but dread seeing her. Being polite was going to be a challenge after everything she’d done. But Tennessee was in a good mood and he wasn’t going to let one crazy woman spoil it.
Ringing the doorbell, he waited for a second, peering through the beveled glass into the luxurious home. His family wasn’t poor by any stretch of the imagination, but they didn’t display their wealth in so blatant a manner. From Ten’s vantage point, he could see an Aston Martin and several off-road vehicles.
When the door opened, Ben Hunt greeted him. “Congratulations, Tennessee! I’m so glad things worked out for you.”
“Thank you, me too. I can’t stay long, but I wanted to come by and tell you how much I appreciate your support and that I don’t hold you…”
“Responsible for my actions?” Rita Hunt came up alongside her father.
Ben put an arm around his daughter. “I’m going to leave you two alone, I think Rita has something to say to you. But I don’t want you to be a stranger. You’ll be spending a lot of time here and I intend to get in a few rounds of golf soon.”
“We’ll do it.” He nodded at the older man who turned and left Tennessee alone with Rita. He would’ve rather walked barefoot over hot coals rather than deal with Hunt’s daughter, but here he was. “Rita, I don’t know what to say. You did your best to tear up my whole life.”
“I know I did and I want to apologize. I was wrong.” She held out her hand. “I’m not used to people telling me no and I went too far.”
“Way too far. If that lady at the spa hadn’t found proof of your scheme, would I still be in the dark?”
“No, and that’s what I need to talk to you about. Follow me and let’s have a drink. This is complicated.”
“Molly is waiting for me,” he said, but he was walking behind her. His curiosity was getting the best of him.
She led him into a sitting room. “Scotch or whiskey?”
“Neither, I’m driving. We have dinner plans later. Say what you need to say, Rita.”
Rita poured herself a drink anyway. Taking a sip, she leaned on the bar to look at Ten. “I never got along with Molly. I’ll admit that, and it chapped me to think she could get you and I couldn’t. So, I enlisted your friend, Greg, to make it look like she was cheating on you.” Rita stared at him hard. “I thought you would fight, I had no idea you’d leave her.”
Tennessee had the good grace to feel guilty. “I paid for my sins. Molly has forgiven me and that’s all that matters. Cheating on the bid borders on a criminal offense, you realize that.”
Rita bowed her head. “Yes, that was low. And I wanted to come clean, but Greg O’Neil is seriously crazy.”
Tennessee had been measuring the distance to the door. This conversation was getting nowhere until her last five words registered with him. “What do you mean?”
“He bitterly hates you.”
“I know, he blames me for his father’s accident, but that’s what it was, an accident.” Ten didn’t know why he was bothering to explain. “He got his pound of flesh, he tried to ruin me.”
“Yea, but he’s more than just angry, he’s dangerous.” She came around the bar and faced him. “When Selma found the footage, I was in Europe with him.” Rita blushed. “I was angry and he was attractive…” Her voice dwindled off. “He started talking crazy and he hit me. I got out of there fast.”
“The man is nuts.”
“But, I learned something that I think you ought to know. He asked a lot of questions about Molly.”
“Molly’s safe, she’s with me. I’m going to remarry her as soon as possible.”
Rita continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “He was o
bsessed with Molly and how and where her mother died. He thought Molly was his half-sister and he despised her for it.”
“What?” Tennessee felt like he’d been hit with a sledge hammer. “Why would he think that? Molly didn’t know the identity of her father.”
“He said he found his father’s ring at her place the day he left his bolo there. Greg said he intends for Molly to follow her mother’s path, whatever that means.”
Tennessee started for the door. “I need to get back to her, I left her by herself.”
“I thought you ought to know and I’m sorry.”
By the time Ten was out the door, he was dialing the motel, waiting for Molly to answer.
One ring. Two. Three. Four. Five.
“Oh, God.” He gunned it, driving faster than the law allowed. When he arrived, Tennessee prayed all the way to the door. “Molly!” He called, frantic with worry. But when he pushed on the door and found it unlocked, Tennessee groaned. The room was empty, and there was evidence of a struggle. The lamp and chair was overturned and there was a dark substance that looked like blood on the floor near the dresser. With an anguished cry, he bellowed his rage. “No! God, no!”
Running out into the night, Tennessee tried to decide what to do. If Rita was right, and he was afraid she was, there was only one place to look for Molly.
Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park – one of the most isolated and dangerous places on earth.
With shaking hands he called his family, then he called the authorities, getting them to patch him through to the ranger station. Tennessee was going to need help.
* * *
The sound of running water was the first thing she heard. A faint breeze fanned her face. Sounds of night and the distant howl of a coyote cut into Molly’s subconscious. All of the sensations were familiar, but something wasn’t right. She shifted in her seat, leaning back into…nothing. The squeak of a rope, and a wave of vertigo made her realize she was hanging from a line and harness over a dark chasm. Santa Elena Canyon. The very spot her mother was taken from her.