Page 10 of Killer on the Homestead
“Who’s Franny?”
“Oh, our other roommate. Our cousin on our mom’s side. Besides, who needs a guard dog when we’re all carrying and excellent shots?” She grinned at him, all sharp angles and implied threat. “Audra wins sharpshooting trophies on the regular.”
Maybe there was something wrong with him that he was very interested in every last one of her implied threats.
She finally got up off the swing and walked over to the steps. “Sorry I haven’t been in touch. Had another case get hot. I did do some initial looking into everything though. I haven’t forgotten about you. Just haven’t found much to go on. Except I did run background checks on some of your dad’s ranch hands. He’s got a newer one. Owen Green. He had a few brushes with the law when he was a minor.”
“I’m not saying it’s not worth looking into, but most of the younger guys who work for my dad are his brothers’ or cousins’ ne’er-do-well kids. Mom calls it Norman’s Camp for Wayward Boys.”
Rosalie chuckled. “Yeah. I’ve heard the complaints. I didn’t realize this one was one of his though.”
“Pretty sure Green is a North Dakota cousin. But by all means, look into him. I don’t trust them any more than my mom does.”
“Will do, boss.”
“So how much do I owe you? Or do you just bill me when you’re done? And make sure it’s me. I don’t want Mom seeing the cost.”
She lifted a shoulder. “Free of charge.”
“I thought I could afford it.”
“Audra lectured me about how great your parents have been to us since…” She trailed off, never finishing that sentence.
But he knew. Maybe he hadn’t remembered all the details, but Mom had been filling him in. When Tim Young had died, it came out that he’d been having an affair for quite a few years. He had a whole second family out in Cheyenne no one had known about. Then his actual wife had left the girls with the ranch, not wanting to be around anything that reminded her of Tim.
Including her daughters.
Apparently the Young girls—women, he had to keep reminding himself—had tried to make some overtures with their half siblings in the time since, but that hadn’t worked out.
Audra popped her head out of the door. “Duncan, have you eaten? You’re more than welcome to come in and join us.”
“No, I ate. Thanks. Enjoy the food. I’ll see y’all around.” He gave a bit of a wave, and one last glance at Rosalie, then turned back to his truck. He was about halfway there when Rosalie spoke.
“Hey, one more thing.” She hopped down the stairs and took a few strides toward him. Then, when she was out of earshot of the front door, she spoke quietly. She pointed a finger at him. “You check out my sister again and I’ll castrate you.”
He supposed he should take that as the warning it was meant to be. Hesupposedhe should let the comment slide and get out of there. But she was standing there, chin lifted, arms folded over her chest. The falling sunlight made her hair look especially…fiery.
He supposed a lot of men were intimidated by her. Maybe he should be. But he couldn’t seem to find it in himself. “What if it was you that I was checking out?”
He watched her wrestle with something, hoped at least alittleof that mischievous sparkle in her eyes was humor, not castration plans.
“Audra’s got too soft a heart. Me? Mine’s titanium. I can handle myself against the likes of you.”
“That feels like a dare, Red.”
This time, she couldn’t quite stop herself from smiling, though he watched her try. “I’ll be in touch,Ace,” she said, then turned on a heel and strode back inside.
And, yeah, he checked her out the whole way.
He’d been flirtingwith her. Not uncommon. While Rosalie intimidated some guys, some took her attitude as a challenge. Duncan seemed to be the latter.
But damn, he was so unfairly good-looking. She didn’t mind a good flirt. She didn’t mind other things. She wasn’t looking for anything serious, ever, but she liked the male species on a very superficial level.
Maybe Audra had dreams of roses and white dresses. Maybe AudraandFranny looked at Vi and Thomas and Magnolia a little wistfully.
Rosalie most decidedly did not.
Maybe it was a cliché, maybe it meant she needed therapy, but learning her dad had a whole secret family after he’d died had killed absolutely any trust she held in the male species.
