Love on the Range (Brothers in Arms #3)(27)

Molly went for her things, came back, pulled on her coat, then hugged Kevin goodbye.

Whispering, just for his ears, she said, “You know why I have to do this.” She pulled back, meeting his gaze, her heart almost trembling with memories and pain and shame.

He knew how she felt. It was the one great secret they shared, although Kevin had told Win—at least he’d told her all he knew—but it had never gone further.

Molly followed Wyatt out into the early morning of a chilly October day. The wind was mild. The sun was out. Snow had fallen again in the night but not heavily. It danced along the ground, as if the day were joyful.

Molly couldn’t say she felt the same.

Wyatt spoke quietly with Rubin. Molly followed him to the barn, and they saddled two horses. Then he and Molly were on the trail.

“I’ve never applied for a job before,” Wyatt said as they rode in the cold.

“He’d be a fool not to hire you, even if he thinks it’s strange. It sounds like you’re a better cowpoke than anyone he has.”

“Do you remember everything Hobart told you?”

“I think you’d better call her Mrs. Hobart, should her name ever come up in front of Hawkins. You’d do well not to sound like you know her enough to be casual.”

Molly thought about another way into her soon-to-be new employer’s business. “Has Hawkins found someone to take over all the bookwork Ralston did?”

“Not that I know of.” Wyatt glanced at her as they galloped along the rocky trail, heading southwest. Hills came up beside them. They rode through a herd of magnificent, shining black cattle. “Do you think he’d let you do his bookkeeping for him?”

“Why not? It sounds like he’s a lazy man. I know my arithmetic from teaching school. If I work it right, he’ll think he’s asking me for help when really he’s letting me get a close look at his finances.”

“Ralston died without telling much. There’s a good chance he was stealing Hawkins’s money besides his cattle.”

“Has anyone searched the cabin he took Amelia to?”

“Ralston wouldn’t have left anything behind. They were clearing out.”

Nodding, Molly considered it. “You’re right he wouldn’t have left any money, but did they search carefully? He might’ve left some information about what he was up to. And maybe you can search his cabin while I work inside. I might be able to find where he paid himself a special salary. If I get a chance, I’ll try to find out how much money Hawkins has. He’s been spending his dead wife’s money for years.”

“His ranch runs, but it’s no great success. And with all the hired help, that has to cut into his profits.”

“I don’t see how finding out about his finances leads me to proving him a murderer, but it will be interesting.” Molly felt a cold chill of anger at Hawkins. A deep desire to avenge the deaths of women who’d been harmed by him. A deep desire to turn over every slimy rock that came near Oliver Hawkins and see what kind of worm crawled out.

They fell silent as they rode toward the Hawkins Ranch. Molly, lost in thought, planning what she’d say to get the job. Wyatt might be doing the same thing.

“Molly, about kissing you—”

“There’ll be no more of that, Wyatt.” Her hands tightened on the reins so suddenly her horse slowed and tossed its head.

Wyatt reached out quick as a rattler and grabbed the reins. He slowed the horse and gave Molly a few seconds to get ahold of herself.

Molly’s chin came up, but she didn’t look at Wyatt. Instead, she stared straight ahead. “It was a mistake. I have no plans to marry. Because of that, I shouldn’t behave as if I have an interest in a man. It’s unfair of me. Sinful even.”

“A kiss isn’t sinful, not when it ends so soon.”

Molly remembered the kiss, and it had gone on far too long. “It’s sinful if I have no proper intentions toward you. You started that kiss, Wyatt, but I should’ve called a halt to it immediately. It won’t happen again.”

“I’m not so sure.”

Molly didn’t respond to that.

“I remember waking up with you in my arms, Molly. I think about it. Often. I’m not likely to forget how nice it felt to hold you close.”

He looked at her, heat in his eyes. Molly only knew he looked because she looked at him. And she couldn’t look away. It was long minutes before Wyatt released her reins, and they rode on.

The trail curved around a steep bluff, and the ranch lay before them. Molly saw the house and gasped. “Who built that?”

Wyatt turned to look, then shook his head. “Like everything else, Hawkins hired someone to do the work. And remember, this was nearly twenty years ago. There was no train. There was no sawmill, so no boards. He had the wood shipped in from a lumber mill somewhere. He hired men out of Omaha to travel with the fancy work, the doorknobs, and glass. There are marble fireplaces inside, all sorts of outrageous flounces. When you see it, you’ll wonder if Hawkins is a fool or a madman.”

“He could be both. If he’s killed women, then he’s a monster on top of it.”

“Be careful in there, Molly. You packed a gun, didn’t you?”

“And a knife.”

“I’m just a shout or a shot away.”