At the Crossroads (Buckhorn, Montana #3)(46)

“You’ll only have yourself to blame when she’s dead,” Culhane said, and the two of them walked out.

It wasn’t until they were in the pickup and had driven away that he asked, “Find anything of interest?”

She thought about the papers she’d photographed. “Have you ever heard of Lost Sunset Ranch?”

He frowned. “It’s some offbeat, pseudoreligious group that says it’s a safe haven for troubled young women. I’ve had to go out there a couple of times when I was a deputy in that county to do welfare checks on the women.”

“Did you know Jana went there seven years ago?”

Culhane stared at her a few moments too long. A horn honked, and he jerked the wheel, sending the pickup careening back into the right lane. “That’s where she went?”

Alexis could tell that he was shocked by this news.

“Why would she go there?”

“I don’t know, but it cost Jack a pretty penny. She stayed for seven months.”

CULHANE FELT AS if he’d been hit upside the head with a baseball bat. He shook his head, trying to clear his whirling thoughts. Jana spent seven months at the ranch with a cult out there? It made no sense.

But then, knowing Jana, nothing she did should surprise him. She’d thought by marrying him she would have money. Once she realized that wasn’t going to happen, she’d pretended she’d lost the baby and left. But why would she go to a place like Lost Sunset Ranch?

“You might want to see this,” Alexis said. “But I suggest you pull over first.” He did and she handed him her phone.

He read the letter from Jana to her father, recognizing her handwriting.

“I’m fine. I know what I’m doing. Don’t worry about me and don’t tell anyone where I am—especially Culhane.”

He shook his head as he handed back the phone and pulled back onto the highway. “This makes no sense.”

“She was apparently troubled,” Alexis said. “Do you think she’d go back there?”

Culhane didn’t know what to think. He couldn’t see Jana at the ranch unless she was involved in some kind of scam. But there was only one way to find out.

The driver behind them laid on his horn as Culhane swung into the passing lane. He ignored the driver as he turned left at the light and headed toward the Lost Sunset Ranch.

THE SHERIFF WAS in his office when his deputy Furu came in and closed the door. Willy swore, seeing the deputy’s expression. “What now?”

“Leo Vernon. The parolee who worked as a cook in Buckhorn, Montana? He’s dead in that café shoot-out.”

He’d thought it was going to be bad news. “That saves me having him arrested.”

“Same for Bobby Braden. Also deceased.”

“Sounds like my lucky day.” He was growing impatient. “I already heard about all of this. The bank robbery in Idaho, the disturbance at the café and the men being found dead down the road.”

Furu waited. “Why was Culhane there in the first place? Coincidence that he just happened to be in the café where Leo worked and then Bobby ends up there, too?”

“How should I know? So somehow Culhane knew that Leo and Bobby were involved with Jana.” Willy couldn’t believe that Jana would have told him.

“What if Culhane knows now? He could have spoken with either Leo or Bobby before they died. Culhane and Alexis left both scenes before law enforcement arrived.”

The sheriff felt as if his head might explode. “We have to assume that Culhane knows that Jana is alive. He’s probably looking for her. We have any idea where he is?”

Furu shook his head.

“I can’t believe someone hasn’t picked him up,” the sheriff said as he swore and rubbed the back of his neck. Culhane was determined to bring him down. If he found Jana... “You know what has to be done.” He looked up to meet Furu’s gaze. He could see that it was a line the deputy wasn’t comfortable stepping over. “First, Jana. Find her, and have Cline keep her on ice until I get there.”

“She hasn’t been easy to find. She’s streetwise and running scared.”

“You sure she isn’t already dead?” the sheriff asked. “I saw the report that just came across my desk. Sounds like there was a lot of blood. Maybe Culhane killed her.” He wanted Furu to agree with him, but the man shook his head.

“She wants us to believe she’s dead,” Furu said. “She’s out there, and if anyone can find her, it’s Culhane.”

“I don’t want to hear that,” the sheriff said, shooting to his feet and sending his chair flying. “You’re better than Culhane. Find that bitch. And then get me Culhane, dead or alive. Preferably dead. Same with his new girlfriend.” When Furu raised a brow, he added, “She should be more careful of the company she keeps.”



CHAPTER SEVENTEEN


DARK SHADOWS HUNKERED under the pines as they neared Lost Sunset Ranch. Culhane felt the temperature outside the pickup dropping as nightfall came on quickly. He still couldn’t believe Jana had spent seven months at this place. Maybe she’d only told her father that she was staying here and taken the money.

“Is that a guard booth?” Alexis asked as they neared the gate. “This place has better security than the White House.”