Page 46 of River Legacy
“I beg your pardon? Hello to you too, Ryder.”
“I don’t have time for niceties, Mother. Brand’s been shot.”
She let out a cry. “Is he—”
“He’s in surgery here at the Powder Crossing Hospital. Where is CJ?” He heard a chair scrape and his mother moving through what sounded like a restaurant, then silence again for moment. “Your brother didn’t shoot Brand. He was just sitting across from me having brunch.”
“What a coincidence that he just happens to have you for an alibi,” Ryder snapped.
“Brand’s in surgery?” she asked, ignoring his implication. “Did the doctor say how serious it is?”
“No. We don’t know anything yet. I just know CJ hasn’t been out twenty-four hours and Brand gets shot.”
“I’ll call Holden and let him know. We’ll come down to the hospital,” his mother said, remindinghim that Brand was his half brother. And the result of one of his mother’s and Holden’s little get-togethers out at the creek, a secret that had only recently been exposed. Not even Brand had known. Holden hadn’t known until recently either. “Have you called the sheriff?”
“Stuart just walked in. I need to go.” He pocketed his phone and hurried over to the sheriff. “Someone took a potshot at my brother. Sound familiar?”
The same thing had happened to Oakley not all that long ago. When caught, CJ swore it had been an accident. He’d almost killed her.
“Where is your brother?” the sheriff asked.
Ryder wasn’t surprised that was Stuart’s first question. “Having brunch with my mother. Convenient, huh?”
The sheriff nodded, as if not surprised that CJ would have an airtight alibi.
As the doctor came out, he and the sheriff turned. Victoria was on her feet. “How is he?” she asked.
“Luckily, the bullet didn’t hit anything vital,” the doctor said. “He’ll be laid up for a while, but he’ll survive.” Even though the hospital was small, the doctor had taken care of his share of gunshot wounds.
“I’ll need that bullet if you have it,” the sheriff said. “Also, I need to speak with Brand.”
“It’s a .22 slug. I’ll see that you get it, but you can’t talk to Brand yet. He’s still in recovery. It will be a couple of hours at least before he’s awake enough to make sense. I’d suggest you come back later.”
“Thanks, Doc,” Ryder said and turned to the sheriff as the doctor walked away. “This has CJ written all over it.”
Stuart didn’t argue the point but asked, “Why would he want to shoot Brand? It would appear that whoever shot your brother wasn’t trying to kill him shooting him with a .22.”
“Or was a piss-poor shot,” Ryder said. “If it was me, I’d see if Treyton McKenna has a .22 rifle lying around.”
The sheriff groaned. “Everyone in this county has at least one .22 rifle lying around, but I’ll drive out and talk to him and pickup up whatever .22 he has. Again, why would CJ or Treyton want to shoot your brother?”
“Does CJ really need a reason other than he hates our family?” Ryder snapped. “Same goes for Treyton.”
Stuart shook his head. “He just got out of jail. If he breaks his probation, he’s going back behind bars. Worse, he could be looking at prison. Why would he risk it?”
Ryder looked at Victoria for a moment before shaking his head. “I don’t know.” The sheriff had a point. If CJ was after the ranch, why take such a foolish chance? And what was shooting Brand going to get him?
“Maybe it was an accident,” the sheriff said. “Some kid with a .22 rifle not realizing how far a bullet can travel.” Stuart saw his expression and quickly raised his hands. “Don’t worry. I’m takingthe slug as evidence, and after I talk to Brand, I’ll go check out the spot where he was shot and take a drive out to Treyton’s place. In the meantime—”
“Don’t even say it. You don’t want me getting into it with CJ,” Ryder said.
“I think that’s good advice on any given day,” the sheriff said. “You both might want to leave since I’d like to speak to Brand when he’s ready. I could have someone call you when your brother can have visitors.”
Ryder rubbed a hand over his face and realized that he hadn’t introduced Victoria to the sheriff, who was now studying her openly. “This is Victoria Forester, my... houseguest.”
Stuart raised a brow. “Forester?” Ryder had called him numerous times to have Forester’s men thrown off the ranch.
“Don’t ask,” Ryder said.
