Summer Days (Fool's Gold #7)(12)

“No, he did not.”

“Caveat emptor, Mr. Jefferson,” the judge said.

Trisha turned and whispered, “Let the buyer beware. It’s Latin.”

Heidi wanted to believe that the judge was on their side, but she had a feeling that she was reading too much into the exchange. With so much on the line, hope seemed painfully naive.

Judge Loomis leaned back in her large leather chair and removed her reading glasses.

“Mr. Stryker, despite your legal claim, am I correct in assuming this is truly your mother’s property?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

The judge nodded slowly. She glanced at May, who stood with her hands clasped.

“You’ve given me a lot to think about,” the judge said at last. “While Mr. Simpson took a significantly large sum of money, I believe it was with good intentions. Not an excuse, Mr. Simpson,” she added sternly.

Glen lowered his chin. “You are so right, ma’am.”

“Ms. Simpson, your willingness to help your grandfather is admirable but, twenty-five hundred dollars isn’t going to cut it.”

Heidi swallowed. “Yes, Your Honor.”

“Mr. Stryker, you’re a businessman who signed a contract without reading it. You deserve what you get.”

Heidi saw Rafe’s jaw muscle clench, but he didn’t speak.

“Mrs. Stryker, you seem the most injured party here, yet you’re the one who counsels forgiveness and compromise. You have given my somewhat cynical spirit a good dose of hope. I admire you and will therefore consider the merits of this case from your point of view.”

Heidi wasn’t sure what that meant, but wondered if it was possible they weren’t going to lose everything.

“The easiest answer is to put Mr. Simpson in jail, order him to stand trial, or plead out and be done with it. For you, Mrs. Stryker, I’m willing to consider other options. I would like to do some research on precedence for a case like this. Unfortunately, my schedule is fully booked right now, and my law clerk is getting married next week and then going on her honeymoon. So she isn’t available, either.”

The judge considered for a moment. “There is also the matter of the bank loan. Would they be willing to transfer the note to Mrs. Stryker and her son? While I doubt that would be a problem, they do need to be consulted. As you are all aware, banks can be notoriously slow in responding to this kind of thing.”

She paused, then smiled slightly. “All right, Mrs. Stryker, you shall have your compromise. You and your son will share the property with Ms. Simpson and her grandfather. You will in essence co-own it, at least for now. We will continue to work from our end, speaking with the bank and researching the case. In the meantime, Ms. Simpson, I suggest you do all you can to raise the money owed Mrs. Stryker. Legally, of course.”

Heidi felt as if she’d just fallen through a rabbit hole. Share the ranch? The four of them? It was better than losing everything, but how was it supposed to work?

She was aware of May beaming at Glen, and of Rafe, who whispered furiously to his attorney.

“Your Honor?” May raised her hand.

“Yes?”

“If Heidi and I agree, is it all right to make improvements to the property? The barn needs fixing and the fences are in terrible shape.”

“I remind you, I have not reached a final decision. It is possible you could lose the ranch completely, Mrs. Stryker. Please remember that. But if you and Ms. Simpson agree to the improvement, and you accept there will be no compensation should you lose this proceeding, then go ahead. I will call the concerned parties back when I’m ready to rule. Brace yourself, people. It could be a while.”

Heidi was still reeling from the sudden, if temporary, reprieve. She stood, as instructed, then swayed slightly, feeling as if she’d just avoided being smashed by a speeding train.

“This is good, right?” she asked Trisha.

“It’s better than Glen standing trial.” She smiled at the older man. “Not that I don’t adore you, hon, but your bony ass would so be going to prison. Two hundred and fifty grand is miles into felony territory.” She turned to Heidi. “Make it work with May. Figure out a compromise, be nice and, for heaven’s sake, start putting away money. If you can’t come up with a solution on your own, then showing you’ve made significant progress in paying back the money will help.”

“Okay,” Heidi murmured, aware that Rafe continued to have a heated conversation with his lawyer. He shot several angry glances in her general direction. May, she decided, wasn’t going to be a problem. If only the same could said about her son.

Trisha leaned close. “Remember what I told you yesterday,” she whispered. “Sex can fix a lot of sticky situations.”

Heidi took in Rafe’s well-tailored suit and expensive shoes. Even if she ignored them, there was still the man himself. Everything about him screamed stubborn and arrogant. Sure he was handsome, and it would be easy to get lost in his dark eyes, but she had a feeling falling under his spell would be a lot like a rabbit getting mesmerized by a cobra. It all seemed like great fun until the fangs sank in.

“Rafe Stryker isn’t the type to be seduced into anything.”

“All men are the type. Trust me.”

“Then I’m not the type,” Heidi admitted. “I wouldn’t know where to begin.”