Page 59 of River Legacy
“I’m going back in a few days. You’ll have to wait until then. Victoria is coming with us.” Wen started to turn back as if to get in the SUV and leave.
“Are you sure about that?” Claude asked, making him turn back to look at him. “I just saw her with the cowboy, and she didn’t look like she was going anywhere but to his bedroom.”
“You leave Victoria to me. I know my daughter. She might think she’s fallen for Ryder Stafford, but without his ranch...” Wen shook his head. “She’ll be coming back to Dallas. She’s had her fun, and now she’s going to do what is best for her.” Wen began to walk away again.
Claude laughed. “She might surprise you.” He had his hand on the gun again. “Where are your bodyguards?”
His boss stopped midstep and turned to look back at him yet again. “I fired them.”
“Aren’t you afraid someone might try to kill you?”
Wen seemed to freeze. “Do you know something I don’t?”
He smiled at that. “The next time I call you, pick up or you’ll wish you had.” With that, he walked toward his rental. If he had pulled the gun, his boss would have laughed in his face. No, he had a much better way of dealing with Wendell Forester. Plan B.
As he climbed behind the wheel, he saw that Wen hadn’t gotten into his rig. Instead, he stood next to it, frowning as if he might be worried about what Claude would do next.
He should be worried. He had only himself to blame.
CJ needed to wrap things up before he made his plans to leave the country. As much as he had hated putting the money back into the suitcase, he knew he had to get it into an offshore account or two. He couldn’t cart that much money around and even leaving it for a little while had him worried someone might take it.
But first he had to settle up with Treyton McKenna. The drive out to Treyton’s place in the badlands made him glad he was leaving. He no longer needed to be in business with Treyton or anyone else. His mother was right. He couldn’t trust anyone.
He tried to assure himself that he was home free, but he was worried about his money back at the hotel. He needed to get it stowed away somewhere safe, then get out of Montana. He wasn’t sure where he could go—someplace that hecouldn’t be brought back because of the ridiculous probation. Let them try to bring him back, he thought as he came over the last rise in the road and saw Sheriff Layton’s patrol vehicle.
Acid rushed to his stomach even as he told himself that Treyton was too smart to turn on him. Yet there he was, standing in the yard with the sheriff as if they were both waiting on him. Earlier, he’d texted Treyton he was coming out to finish their business. “What the hell?” he said under his breath.
His first instinct was to turn around and make a run for it. But there wasn’t a place to turn around and they’d already seen him. Running would make him look guilty, and unlike Treyton, he had nothing to be guilty about.
As he continued up the road, he furtively stuffed the stack of hundreds he’d had lying on the seat next to him into his jacket pocket. If this was a setup, Treyton was a dead man. Trying to stay calm, he parked and got out. No reason to worry, he told himself. Just as there was no reason to act surprised to see the two of them together.
“CJ?” the sheriff said. “I had a feeling we’d be seeing you. Treyton kept trying to get me to leave. Glad I didn’t miss you. I had this ridiculous idea that the two of you were in league.”
CJ shot a look at Treyton, but couldn’t read his expression. “We grew up on ranches adjacent to each other. I wouldn’t say we’re in cahoots.”
“Wouldn’t you?” Stuart said. “I thought the two of you hated each other’s guts.”
“There something you want, sheriff?” CJ asked. He didn’t have time for this. He needed to get back to the hotel. He was worried someone would steal his money. He just wanted to finish his business and leave. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your visit with my former neighbor. I can always visit some other time.” He started to turn back to his rig.
“Actually, I’m glad you’re here, CJ.” The sheriff smiled. “I was here confiscating Treyton’s .22 rifle. You might have heard that Brand Stafford was shot.”
CJ shook his head. “Maybe you heard I’m living in Miles City. I haven’t heard anything.”
“Well, what I heard is that your mother turned her ranch over to you,” the sheriff said, no longer smiling. “Want to explain to me exactly how that happened?”
“Not really. It’s between me and my mother, but I think everyone knows that I was always her favorite.”
The sheriff nodded. “I’d ask what you planned to do with the ranch, but I also heard you’ve already sold it to Wendell Forester.”
“All perfectly legal, Sheriff.”
“Unless I can prove that you coerced your mother into giving you the ranch,” Stuart said.
“That what my mother told you?”
The sheriff laughed. “If she had, you’d be in handcuffs by now. But it’s only a matter of time before you go to prison. I really doubt she’ll get you out again, don’t you? Sorry, I can see that I’m boring you. I’ll leave and let you visit with your former neighbor and, as I recall, former nemesis.”
CJ watched Stuart walk to his SUV and drive away before he turned to Treyton. “Tell me you didn’t shoot someone with your own .22 rifle.”
