Cardwell Ranch Trespasser(11)

“Hud called while you were changing clothes. He’s taking Dee up to Elkhorn Lake on a horseback ride tomorrow. Dana’s idea. I think we should go.”

“What? And give her another chance at me?”

He grinned. “That’s what I thought. You don’t think you imagined any of this. Dee’s dangerous, isn’t she?”

“Yes. But you’re the only person who believes me. Dee always comes away looking like a hero.”

“Almost as if she planned it that way. If you really think Hud and Dana are in danger, then I think we need to keep an eye on Dee. Meanwhile, I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

Hilde couldn’t help but feel a small thrill at the last part. She liked the idea of Colt keeping an eye on her. She told herself not to make anything of it.

“The last thing I want to do is go on a long horseback ride with Dee Anna Justice. What makes you so sure she won’t try to kill me again?”

“I can’t promise that. But it will look more than a little odd if you meet with yet another accident. I have a plan. But you probably won’t like it.”

She didn’t, but she was so thankful that Colt believed her, she would have gone along with anything he asked.

“Right now, she’s won,” he said. “You need to throw her off balance and stay close to Dana. There’s only one way to do that.”

* * *

“HE’S A BOYFRIEND, isn’t he?” Dana said excitedly when Dee returned to the house after walking Rick out. Hud had apparently gone up to bed. Everyone else had left as she was coming back into the house.

“No, he’s...” She saw the sympathy in Dana’s expression. Her “cousin” was waiting for some heartbreaking love story. How could she disappoint her with so much at stake?

“Your ex, isn’t he.” Her cousin drew her over to the couch and patted the cushion, indicating she should sit and spill all. Dee was thankful she had only Dana to deal with now. Dana saw what she wanted to and clearly loved finding a cousin she’d never known she had. Hilde wouldn’t have been fooled by her relationship with Rick.

“I can tell he still cares about you,” Dana was saying. “He followed you all the way to Montana to make sure you were all right.”

Maybe it would be better for everyone to think Rick was a boyfriend, then when she broke up with him and sent him packing, it would play well with the family. It could buy her more time here. She wouldn’t want to go back East right away after such a traumatic breakup.

“That’s why you quit your job,” Dana said. “Did you work with him?”

Why not give her what she wanted and then some? “He was my boss.”

“Oh, those kinds of things are so...sticky.”

“I knew better, but he was unrelenting.”

“I can see that in him. To fly all the way out here.”

“I should never have called him and told him where I was. But I knew he’d worry and I certainly shouldn’t have mentioned that I sprained my ankle.”

“You couldn’t know that he’d follow you,” Dana said. “He seems nice, though. Is there no chance for the two of you?”

No chance in hell. “He’s married,” she lied.

Dana looked worried. “Children?”

Dee shook her head. “He and his wife are separated. He’s always wanted children, but his wife didn’t. She says she doesn’t like kids.”

Her cousin looked shocked. “Oh, how awful for him.”

“Yes. I feel sorry for him, but he needs to try to work things out with his wife.”

Dana agreed.

Dee realized she was painting too sympathetic a picture of Rick. “He’s been so despondent since I broke it off and...” She lowered her voice. “He’s been taking...pills. I’m worried sick he might do something...crazy, between the depression and the drugs. Still I shouldn’t have called him to check on him.” Like she would have ever called him, but she was grateful that Rick was quick on his feet when it came to lying.

“You did the right thing. Just imagine how you would have felt if you hadn’t called and something had happened to him.”

“Hmm,” she said. “You’re right. But maybe I should go back home. I hate bringing my problems to your door.”

“Don’t be silly.” Dana reached out and squeezed her hand. “That’s what family is for.”

She’d always wondered what family was for. A part of her felt sorry for Dana. The woman was so caring. It must be exhausting.

“You’re tired and you’ve had such an emotional day,” her cousin said, glancing at her watch. The fact that Dana still wore a watch and didn’t always carry a cell phone told Dee how far from civilization she now was.

“I hope Hilde is all right.” She watched Dana’s expression out of the corner of her eye, trying to calculate whether or not Dana would call her friend to patch things up or not.

“It’s just a good thing Colt was there,” Dana said. “He’ll take care of her. I’ll give her a call later to make sure.”

“I feel badly about what she said.”

“Don’t let it bother you. She was just talking crazy because she was scared. Still, it wasn’t like the Hilde I know at all.”

She could tell Dana was worried about her friend. “Almost drowning would do that to anyone. I just don’t want to come between the two of you.”

“You won’t. I shouldn’t have insisted Hilde come on the raft trip. It really isn’t her thing. And anyone would have panicked if they’d been trapped under the raft like that.”

“It was just such a freak accident,” she agreed.

“I’m sure Hilde realized that, once she had a chance to calm down. I wouldn’t be surprised if she shows up tomorrow to apologize.”

Don’t hold your breath on that one. “I hate to even ask what you have planned for tomorrow,” Dee said with a small laugh. She hoped Dana would come up with something away from the ranch with Hud and as far away as possible from Big Sky and Hilde and Rick. “You really are showing me such a great time. How will I ever be able to repay you?”

“It’s my pleasure. I thought you’d like to ride up to Elkhorn Lake.”

“So you’ll be able to go?” she asked.

“No, I have to stay here. Hud is going to take you by horseback, if you’re up to it. The lake is beautiful and the trip is really wonderful.”

Oh, yes. She couldn’t wait.

“I think his deputy Colt is going along.”

Dee swore silently. Colt? The man who’d saved Hilde.

“It sounds like fun,” she said, although it had sounded much more fun when it was just going to be her and Hud. “I just wish you could go. Maybe next time?”

Dana nodded. “You must come back every year.”

Or never leave. “Oh, I would love that.”

“Well, sleep tight and don’t worry about Rick.”

Easy for Dana to say.





Chapter Six

The next morning, Dee got up early and borrowed Dana’s pickup to drive into Meadow Village. She still didn’t get the town of Big Sky. Everything was so spread out, but it was all close enough that it didn’t take her long to find Rick’s rental car parked in front of an older motor court motel.

Rick had always been cheap, usually out of necessity because he was broke. She could only guess that that was the case this time.

She had to knock three times before he finally opened the door wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

“I wondered when you’d show up,” he said with a grin.

She shoved past him into the room. It was pretty much what she expected: bed, television, bathroom. A discount-store piece of so-called art of a mountain from some other state hung on the wall over the unmade bed. Rick’s clothes were strewn on the floor and there were a half-dozen empty beer cans next to the bed.

“You always were a slob,” she said, turning to look at him. “You have to leave. Now.”

“I wish I could, but I spent every dime I had just to get here to see you.”

How had she known that was the case? She reached into her shoulder bag. “Here’s enough to get you back home and a little extra so you won’t starve on the way. The next flight is this afternoon. Be on it.” With that she started to leave. “And Rick. No drugs.”

“Come on, you know I’m clean. Anyway, you need my help.”

She stopped next to him. “No, I don’t. I know what I’m doing.”

“You and I used to make a pretty good team, as I recall. I’m probably the only person you can truly trust.”

“Unless you get drunk or high and shoot your mouth off.”