Page 19 of River Legacy
“I’m going to get Tilly to go over there with me to check her out.” She didn’t mention that she’d been avoiding her very pregnant sister out of jealousy and felt guilty about it.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea to go to the Stafford Ranch right now?”
“It’s a great idea. You know Ryder. All my brother has thought about is running the ranch with Brand while Mother is gone. This is so out of character forhim. He hardly ever dates. Now he’s brought a woman to the ranch. I have to find out what’s going on.”
He sighed. “Well, be careful if CJ is around. Or your mother for that matter.”
“Neither CJ nor my mother are staying at the ranch. She’s staying at the hotel in town. She got CJ an apartment in Miles City. Mother isn’t letting him back on the ranch.” At least for now.
“So you’ve talked to your mother about this.” He gave her the side-eye. “She convinced you that CJ is no longer a danger to you.”
“Convincedisn’t exactly the right word. I’ll never trust CJ ever. But I do want peace in the family. Families,” she added. All the years with the McKennas and Staffords being at war seemed to be over. Pickett had worked on the McKenna Ranch since he was a teenager, so he was McKenna kin.
Her husband still looked worried as she left. But then again, he had been worried long before her miscarriages. Now they were both waiting, hoping the doctor was right and she could still conceive a child and carry it to term.
Claude tried to enjoy Yellowstone Park, but it smelled like rotten eggs and had a lot trees, way too much traffic and no bears—at least none that he saw. How many bubbling, boiling mud pots could a person look at before they’d had enough? He’d had enough quickly, mostly though because he couldn’t get his mind off Victoria and her cowboy. When hewasn’t thinking about them, he was thinking about how much he hated her and her father.
After fighting the summer traffic, he’d finally left the touristy part of the state for the wild, open spaces. He couldn’t imagine what his boss thought was so appealing about this part of Montana. The farther east he drove, the more boring the country became with miles of nothing but prairie broken only by badlands and mountains. He yearned for some sign of civilization. How he would have loved to see a town, any town.
When his phone rang, he snatched it up, thankful for the break in the monotony of this drive. “Hello?” He instantly regretted not checking first to see who was calling.
“Where are you?” Wen demanded.
“I’m trying to find this ranch where your daughter may have run off to,” he snapped back. “You didn’t tell me it’s in the middle of nowhere. Why do you ask?” He realized that his boss might be calling to tell him that Victoria had returned, and he could turn around and come back. That would have been the best news he’d heard in a long time.
“You should have already been there hours ago,” Wen snapped.
“I decided to let her enjoy ranch life for a while.” Silence. “I thought you told me to use my good judgment.”
“Did I?”
Claude heard something in Wen’s voice, also inthe background. “Is everything all right? It sounds like you’re driving. Wen?” No answer. “Wen?” Maybe he was having a heart attack or—
“I’m being followed.” His boss sounded scared, which was so not like Wendell Forester that it scaredhim.
“Do you want me to call the police or something?”
“I have to go.” With that he disconnected.
Followed?What was Wen doing driving? Where were his bodyguards? Where was he?
Ahead, Claude saw a town appear on the horizon. It wasn’t much of a town, but he’d take it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Powder Crossing. Well, it didn’t matter. Tired, he’d had enough driving. A thought struck him. What would happen if the person who sent the death threats actually made good and took his boss out? What would that do to his contract with the bastard? Wouldn’t it be null and void? Wouldn’t he be free?
He found himself rooting for whoever was following Wen.
At the only motel sign in town, he pulled in and let himself breathe, suddenly a whole lot less tired. He paid for one night and drove down to his room to park right out front. The room had knotty pine walls and a cowboy bedspread, making him realize he was in another world, one he couldn’t wait to get out of.
He reminded himself it was just for the night.There was one other positive he realized. If whoever was following Wen did him in, he wouldn’t have to go to Powder Crossing. He’d never have to see Victoria Forester or her father ever again. Except at the funeral. He probably should go to the funeral. He’d see how he felt.
Claude told himself that he would decide about his future in the morning. Maybe there would be something on the early-morning news. He fell into the lumpy bed and dropped off to sleep, hoping that come morning he would be free of Wendell Forester and his daughter.
Tilly Stafford McKenna waddled over to answer the door. Her ankles were swollen, although she could no longer see them. She’d gone from a cute baby bump to this giant watermelon pressing up against her lungs. She couldn’t remember what it was like to get a good night’s sleep. The only way she could breathe was by not lying down. The thought brought tears to her eyes since she craved sleep so badly. If she didn’t have this baby soon...
She opened the door to find her sister standing there. “Oakley,” she cried, never so glad to see anyone. Oakley had been avoiding her since her sister’s last miscarriage. She’d missed her so much that she began to cry, both sad for the toil this pregnancy was having on her sister and joyous that Oakley was finally here. Tilly threw her arms around her, getting as close as possible in her condition.
“Not the waterworks again,” Oakley said with agroan. “Really, sis. I can’t believe you haven’t had this baby yet.” That only made Tilly cry harder because it was exactly what she would have expected from her sister.
“That was a joke, you know,” Oakley said, alarmed as Tilly sobbed. “It’s a good thing I’m here. You desperately need to get your sense of humor back. You did have one, didn’t you? It’s been so long, I can’t remember.” Oakley pulled back to look at her sister. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
