Page 48 of River Legacy
“I know it sounds like CJ, but I can’t believe he’ddo this and so quickly after being released. Let me talk to him,” she said. “Please, I’ll handle it. If he’s behind either of these incidents, I’ll know. I’ll have his probation revoked and he’ll be behind bars by tonight.”
“Just be careful,” Holden warned. “If he is behind this, I can’t see him admitting it, let alone going back to jail without a fight.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll call you.”
With that, she disconnected, leaving him with a bad feeling she was underestimating the danger she might be putting herself in. He called her right back to insist he go with her, but only got her voice mail. “I’m going with you to meet him. Don’t go alone. Call me!”
It was strange. Oakley had been thinking about her brother when she saw the flames. At first, she’d thought they were a mirage as they rushed toward the house through the tall dry weeds left from the construction site around the house. Pickett had ordered the sod for the yard, but with the house just now finished, he hadn’t had time to do anything more. He still had a ranch to work.
Born and raised on a ranch, she knew the dangers of a wildfire. She called Pickett at once since she knew he was working close by today, then she ran out the back door and grabbed the garden hose attached to that side of the house.
She was busy fighting the fire when Pickett rode up with a couple of ranch hands. The fire hadspread, but she’d managed to keep it away from the house. Between all of them, they were able to put out the blaze before it could spread.
Hot, sweaty and smoky, they stood looking at the charred land. She glanced at her husband and saw his jaw muscle working as he took in how close the fire had gotten to the house. A moment later, he walked out to the edge where the fire had started, the men going with him.
She knew by his body language that he’d discovered the same thing she had. Someone had purposely started the fire. She placed a hand over her stomach, thinking of the secret she was keeping from everyone, especially her husband. They’d both gotten too excited the other times she’d been pregnant only to have it end suddenly, leaving them desolate and feeling broken. They both wanted children so badly. It had seemed so unfair.
That was why she couldn’t share the news. Not yet. Not until she was far enough along that there was a better chance it would last this time. She hadn’t even taken a pregnancy test yet. Her body felt different, and she was determined that this time she was pregnant and it would last. If it didn’t, Pickett would never have to know. She would suffer the loss alone and spare him.
“Are you all right?” he asked as he walked back to where she was standing.
She nodded and removed her hand from her belly. “Someone started it, didn’t they?”
“Yep.” His gaze said he knew who it was. CJ.Her brother had tried to kill her twice. Why not a third time?
“We don’t know it was him,” she said, though neither one of them believed that. “Let the sheriff handle it. Please, Pickett. Promise me.”
He studied her for a few moments, then gave in and nodded. “I’ll call Stuart.” He stepped away to make the call, but still she worried. She couldn’t lose her husband, and she couldn’t trust her brother. CJ didn’t want her to be happy. He wanted everyone to be as miserable as he was.
For a moment she was tempted to tell Pickett about the baby she was carrying so he knew what was at stake here and why he had to be careful and not confront CJ. There was too much bad blood between the McKennas and the Staffords still. This child would need a father.
But she realized, knowing her husband, if he knew she was pregnant it would only make him more protective of her and the baby growing inside her. So she kept quiet. Soon she would tell him, she told herself. Soon she would feel safe enough to tell him.
CJ had been waiting for a report from Claude updating him on what was going on at the Stafford Ranch. Last report Victoria and Ryder had left, but had returned to the ranch together. They’d hurried into the house, and Claude reported that he hadn’t seen them since. No sign of Ryder’s brother.
“Keep up the good work,” CJ had told him andsmiled to himself as he’d hung up. No sign of Brand because he was in the hospital.
He quickly put in a call to Treyton. “Brand’s in the hospital recovering. Haven’t heard anything about a fire out at my sister’s new house yet, though.”
“A little impatient, are you? You’ll be hearing about it. I just got a report from an associate of mine. Apparently, it was put out before it reached the house, but I’d say you made your point—whatever that point is. Does this have something to do with the news about your father and my mother?”
“What news?” he asked, telling himself it was probably the same old thing. If they weren’t arguing about water rights, it was land. Even though Charlotte had supposedly forgiven Holden, CJ knew it wouldn’t last. She could pretend that she had changed, but he and his mother were too much alike. The two of them never forgot any slight or injustice toward them. Where did she think her eldest son had gotten it from if not from her?
“Our parents are getting married,” Treyton said, dropping it like a bomb.
“What?”CJ felt his whole body go numb. “No. Like hell they are.”
“It’s true. They’re engaged and already planning the wedding. I thought you would have at least heard about the engagement. They’re planning a huge wedding in just over a week. Apparently, everyone is invited. Cooper made a point of calling me to warn me not to cause any problems. Like Ineed my little brother telling me what to do. Can you believe that crap?”
CJ couldn’t believe any of it. “They can’t get married,” he said more to himself than to Treyton. “That would ruin my whole plan.”
“They’ve set the date. I heard it’s coming out in the shopper this week. They aren’t wasting any time. If you’re thinking of riding into the church to stop it, I’d think again. Heard my father hired a bunch of security guards. Knowing him, he probably told them to shoot on sight if I turned up. Like you could get me to that wedding. But sounds like it’s happening no matter what we think about it.”
CJ swore. “It’s not going to happen. You hear me? We aren’t going to let it happen.”
“How arewegoing to stop it?” Treyton asked sarcastically. “It’s one thing to terrorize your family. Wait, you aren’t planning to kill one of them, are you?”
“Not unless I have to,” he said as he realized he’d just have to step up the timeline on his plan. “I’ll call you if I need you.”
