by R. C. Ryan
“While you’re giving it some thought, why don’t you two join us?” Brand winked at his wife. “We were just heading to Katie’s Kitchen.” He pointed to the bakeshop.
Jonah and Annie exchanged a smile and a small nod before following the others into a pretty little shop, inhaling the wonderful fragrance of sugar and cinnamon that filled the air.
“Hi, Merrick family. Welcome.” The young woman behind the counter held out a crystal plate. “These are my specials today. Peanut butter brownies. Feel free to sample one.”
Amid oohs and aahs, they tasted while they studied the endless parade of fancy desserts in the glass display case.
Before they could make up their minds, Casey made a suggestion. “Let’s each get something different so we can all have a taste of everything.”
“Says the cowboy who never met a sweet he didn’t love,” Kirby said with a grin.
“And you ought to know, babe. You’re my sweetest weakness of all.”
Instead of Jonah’s usual disdain for his brother’s silly love talk, he held his silence. That had his brothers glancing over at him.
Brand studied the assortment of goodies. “I like the way you think, bro. I’m willing to try a little of everything. Just see that you don’t take giant bites. Leave some for the rest of us.”
With much laughter, they made their choices before settling at a round table in a corner of the room.
Jonah called out, “What does everyone want to drink?”
After taking their order, he remained at the counter to collect mugs of coffee and cups of Earl Grey, while the others began passing around coconut macaroons, lemon bars, fudge brownies, and one of Katie’s assortment packages that offered mini cookies and handmade candies.
Casey leaned close to Annie. “Before Jonah gets here, we’re all wondering what kind of magic you used to get him away from his latest work in progress.”
“Magic?” She looked around and, seeing they were all listening, couldn’t resist saying, “Maybe that’s it. Have you ever thought that I could be a master of black magic?”
“So you used a love potion,” Brand muttered. “That explains it. You do realize our brother has never let anything, or anyone, get in the way of his work. So you must be special.”
That had them all grinning just as Jonah circled the table, handing out their drinks.
He glanced at Brand. “What’s so funny?”
“You, bro. Do you realize you haven’t once said that you need to get back to your cabin and work?”
“Maybe I’m doing research while I’m here.”
“Only if you’re researching how to satisfy a sweet tooth.”
“Well, there you go.” He settled himself beside Annie and casually put a hand over hers.
Around the table, the others took notice and shared meaningful looks.
While they began tasting, the door to the bakeshop opened to admit a bewhiskered Ben Harper.
“All three Merrick brothers.” Ben ambled over to shake hands with Jonah, then Brand, and then Casey, before tipping his hat. “And their ladies. Hello to all.”
Jonah nodded toward Annie. “Ben Harper, owner of the grain and feed, this is Annie Dempsey.”
“You Des’s niece?” The man doffed his wide-brimmed hat.
“I am.”
Annie saw the way he glanced quickly at Jonah, then at his brothers, before looking away. Knowing the question on his mind brought a smile to Annie’s lips.
“Nice meeting you, Annie. And good seeing all of you.” He headed toward the counter, where another man who’d just entered approached.
“Hey, Doc.”
At Casey’s greeting, the man with the bowl haircut, dressed in a white lab coat, turned. Seeing them, he hurried over. “Good to see all of you. How’s that great-grandfather of yours?”
“As tough as ever,” Jonah said with a laugh. “Doc Peterson, I’d like you to meet Annie Dempsey.”
“Annie.” He offered a handshake. “Any relation to Des Dempsey?”
“My uncle.”
He arched a brow. “Very nice meeting you, Annie.” He turned away. “Sorry to rush off. I have to get back to the clinic, so I called my order in ahead to save time.”
At the counter, Katie handed him a handled bag before he dashed out.
When Noble Crain walked in, Jonah nudged Annie, and the two of them shared a laugh before Jonah called, “Are you following us, Chief?”
Noble strolled over to their table. “I see we all had the same idea. The best way to quench the fire of Nonie’s chili is with some of Katie’s sweet treats.”
“That’s what we’re doing.” Brand pointed to the plates scattered around their table. “We decided to try one of everything.”
“It’s a good thing you work as hard as you do. This little visit will cost me a hundred sit-ups.”
Casey pointed to the chief’s flat stomach. “You might want to go for two hundred if you try those peanut butter brownies.”
Noble was chuckling as he made his way to the counter to place an order.
When the last crumb had been eaten and their cups emptied, the party made their way to the sidewalk, pausing every few steps to greet neighbors and old friends.
After she answered a dozen questions about the relationship of Annie to her uncle Des, Jonah turned to her. “Sorry. It’s part of being a small town, where everyone knows everyone’s business.”
She couldn’t hide her smile. “I was just thinking the same thing. It’s not something I’ve ever experienced before, but, despite the questions, I like it.”
“You do? You don’t find the explanations tedious?”
“I think it’s sweet that they know my uncle and wonder why I’m”—she fumbled for a word—“consorting with the enemy. And that they’re all too polite to pursue the issue.” She breathed a sigh. “They’re just good, concerned people.”
Jonah felt an odd burst of pride.
Brand, Casey, and their wives had their heads together briefly before walking up to surround Annie.
Brand spoke for all of them. “We have to head home. But we’re all in agreement that we really hope you stay at the ranch until this…business is decided. Just remember, Annie, there’s safety in numbers.”
As they said their goodbyes and walked away, Annie turned to Jonah with a hint of a smile curving her lips.
She took in a breath before saying, “Okay. You win. The Merrick family is a mighty force. Let’s visit the florist and see how many bushels of flowers I can buy to soften the blow when your grandmother gets the news of her latest boarder.”
Melissa, owner of the flower shop, had fashioned a glorious mixture of hydrangeas, ivy, and the palest pink roses for Miss Meg, all wrapped in a cloud of silky white paper and streams of ribbons.
Outside the shop, Annie handed the bundle to Jonah. “If you wouldn’t mind carrying these to your truck, I need to let Julie Franklyn know that I’m canceling my lease on her apartment. Since I paid her for the first month, plus a cleaning fee and a deposit, I don’t owe her anything, but I want to let her know she’s free to find a new tenant. And while I’m in town, I’d like to take a walk through the apartment to make sure I haven’t left anything behind. Then I’ll follow you to the ranch in my car.”
Jonah considered a moment. “I think it’s a mistake to take your car. It might be better to leave it parked behind Julie’s.”
“Why?”
“So that if Park is reporting back to Arlen Lender, he’ll continue to believe you’re still here. We can hope that he’s gone, but if not, at least you’re buying a little time by having him think you’re upstairs.”
She gave it a moment’s thought before nodding. “All right. I guess I won’t need my car. I’m willing to leave it here for now.”
Jonah closed a hand over hers. “I’ll drive the truck over here and wait for you in the back of the building. And, Annie…” He paused. “You may want to casually ask if anyone was around looking for you last night.
”
She gave a thoughtful nod.
Jonah watched her walk toward the hair salon before crossing the street to retrieve his truck.
Once there, he phoned his grandmother to explain that he’d invited Annie to stay with them while Chief Crain and the police handled their investigation.
He could hear the smile in her voice as she said, “I’m glad she’s coming back. Should we expect the two of you for supper tonight?”
“Yes. She’s going through her apartment now. We’ll be at the ranch in an hour or so.”
“I’m looking forward to her company.”
“Thanks, Gram Meg.” He paused. “This means a lot to me.”
“I know it does. And you mean a lot to me, Jonah dear.”
He sat there for a moment after disconnecting. There were so many things his grandmother could have asked. How the meeting went with Annie’s uncle. Why she wasn’t staying with her relatives. But Gram Meg had always been a remarkable woman. He’d never known her to be anything less than warm and welcoming. And that, he thought, was exactly what Annie needed right now while she made her way through this maze of troubles.
Annie hung the last of her things in the guest room closet and stowed her suitcase. Afterward, she walked to the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and stared at the serene countryside. Just seeing the hills black with cattle and the sturdy mountains rising in the distance had a calming effect on her. How could anything dangerous or criminal be lurking in this pastoral setting?
She crossed her arms over her chest and watched the flight of a hawk, drifting almost lazily on a current of air. Suddenly the hawk took a nosedive, heading to the ground with such speed she was certain it would crash and shatter into a million pieces. Instead it caught something in its talons and lifted into the air before landing on a flat stretch of lawn below her window.
Through the closed pane of glass, she could hear the pitiful cry of a tiny creature before that sharp beak was lifted, filled with flesh and fur. Blood pooled around the predator and its victim.
She turned away and covered her face with her hands, horrified at the carnage.
She walked unsteadily toward a chair and dropped down, shoulders slumped.
There was her answer. Even here, in this picture-perfect setting, there were predators and prey. Victors and victims.
She made her way to the luxurious bathroom and splashed cold water on her face before looking in the mirror. Satisfied that her color had returned, she made her way downstairs to face Jonah’s family.
She lifted her chin. No matter what Arlen Lender and his cronies thought, she intended to prove to her uncle and to herself that she was nobody’s victim.
Despite the million questions that plagued her, and the fear that came over her in waves whenever she thought about the threats made since her discovery of that bank account, she was committed to seeing this through.
The family had gathered, as always, in the warm kitchen, close to the fireplace. The chorus of voices grew silent as she stepped inside.
Jonah walked over to take her hand and lead her toward the others.
“So.” Hammond set aside his longneck. “You’re back, girl.”
Before she could say a word, Casey winked. “We were hoping you couldn’t stand to leave us. In fact, we were counting on it. It happens all the time.”
That had the desired effect, leaving her relaxed and smiling.
“What’s your drink of choice tonight?” Jonah indicated the tray.
She walked over and helped herself to a glass of red wine.
Meg called, “I’ll have one of those too, dear.”
Annie handed her a glass and the older woman smiled and sipped before asking, “Are you all settled in?”
“I am. Thank you again.”
Avery clinked her glass to Annie’s. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Thank you.”
“Me too.” Kirby touched the rim of her beer to Annie’s glass. “It’s always nice to have another female in the house to counter all these guys.”
At that, Liz looked up almost shyly before turning to her mother. “I never thought of it that way. There are still way more men than women here, but we’re catching up.”
Meg chuckled before saying to Annie, “Liz is right. We’ll take all the woman power we can get.”
“Amen to that.” Casey lifted his beer in a salute, while the others laughed.
When Billy called them to dinner, they gathered around the big table adorned with Annie’s exotic floral display and began the nightly ritual of passing platters and filling one another in on the details of their day as they enjoyed another of Billy’s fabulous meals.
Chapter Fourteen
Meg touched a napkin to her lips. “Another perfect dinner, Billy.” She looked at the others. “Shall we take our dessert and coffee on the porch?”
With nods of approval, they began making their way from the kitchen and settling on the comfortable furniture on the back porch. Billy pushed a trolley through the doorway and began filling cups with coffee before handing them around. He lifted the lid from a footed cake plate to reveal a pineapple upside-down cake.
Meg turned to her husband. “Oh, Egan. Your favorite.”
The older man beamed as Billy handed him the first slice. After a taste, Egan looked around with a bright smile, then settled his gaze on Annie. “When you get a taste of this, you’ll understand why it’s been my favorite my whole life.” He turned to Hammond. “Remember how Ma used to make this for me every year on my birthday?”
Ham nodded. “It was the only cake you asked for. And every year I used to hope you’d change your mind and just for once ask for her Black Forest cake.”
“That was for your birthday,” Egan said between bites.
“Indeed it was.” Ham fell silent, and the others knew that when he turned to look at the sunset over the mountains, he was really seeing his beloved Mandy’s grave.
They lingered over their dessert, enjoying the cool evening, the red glow of the sun setting behind the Tetons, and second helpings of Billy’s pineapple upside-down cake.
Later, as Ham, Egan, and Meg called their good nights before heading off to bed, Casey turned to his father and brothers. “I brought down one of the calves from the herd. He’s in the barn.”
Bo looked up. “What’s the problem?”
“Some sort of infection in the eye. I want him isolated in a stall until I determine if it’s no big deal or if it’s contagious.”
“Good thinking, son.”
“Want to have a look?”
“Sure thing.”
The men started toward the barn, while on the porch Billy loaded up the last of the dishes on the trolley and made his way to the kitchen.
Avery glanced at Kirby, Liz, and Annie. “Anybody tired?”
“I’m not,” Kirby answered, setting the glider she was sitting on into motion before turning to Annie, who’d shared a porch swing with Jonah. “How about you? Is the day catching up with you?”
Annie shook her head. “I’m so wired I’m not sure I’ll be able to settle down enough to sleep at all tonight.” She patted the empty seat. “Would one of you care to join me?”
Liz left the chaise and settled herself beside Annie.
“I know what you mean about being wired. I still remember the feeling.” Avery pulled her chair between the swing and the glider so that the four of them had formed a close, comfortable circle.
Annie looked over. “What had you wired, Avery?”
“The trouble I’d left in Michigan when I came here to offer my physical therapy services to Brand.”
“Trouble?” The word had Annie leaning toward her.
In as few words as possible, Avery told her about the text threats she’d received and the decapitated mouse that had arrived in the mail in a padded envelope.
“I was sure the cause of all my troubles was a doctor I’d dated, because one of the nurses told me he’d only singled me out so he c
ould win a spot on my father’s surgical team.”
“What a jerk,” Annie muttered.
“Yeah. My thoughts exactly. That same nurse came here to warn me that he was out to harm me. It turned out, when Liz and I were alone with her up in the hills, she was the one planning on doing the harm.”
“Oh, how horrible.” Annie looked from Avery to Liz. “Thank heaven you had each other.”
“We didn’t.” Avery shook her head. “She managed to separate us, and then she drugged me, hoping to get rid of me.”
Liz picked up the thread of the story. “When I realized what she’d done, I ran to my family, who’d heard from Chief Crain that the nurse was dangerous and were fanning out to find her. I was so afraid that we would all be too late. But we rallied, and by the time the state police arrived, Avery was safe and the nurse had been subdued by her own drugs.”
“And,” Avery added, “just as I was about to fly back to Michigan with my father, Brand turned into my knight in shining armor by admitting that he loved me and didn’t want me to go.”
“Oh. How romantic.” Annie placed a hand over her heart. “And so dramatic.”
“That’s just the beginning of our dramas.” Liz smiled at Kirby. “Tell Annie how you and Casey met.”
Annie was shaking her head. “It’s going to be hard to top that story, Kirby.”
That had Kirby laughing. “Casey and I met up in the hills. In a cave, where Casey had taken shelter from a snowstorm. My boss had texted me about an escaped convict in the area, and I was trying to leave the hills when I took a nasty tumble and broke my ankle. I was desperate for shelter for the night, and when I found Casey in the cave I’d stumbled upon, I aimed my rifle at him, thinking he was the convict.”
Annie shook her head. “Wow. Talk about drama.”
“Yeah. We wrestled for the gun, and he won by sheer brute strength. But seeing the tender way he treated an injured mustang in his care, I was convinced he was a veterinarian, just as he claimed. And he ended up bringing me to his ranch, after we managed to dig ourselves out of the cave that got buried in an avalanche. Then I discovered that my truck was stolen and my apartment had been ransacked, so I came back to stay at the Merrick ranch until I could buy my uncle’s ranch, which had been deserted since his death. When I learned I couldn’t buy it, I made a sentimental journey there to see it for the last time and was kidnapped by the escaped convict who had been using it for his hideout.”