Page 48 of Reckoning with the Cowboy
There was nothing she would have loved more. They’d agreed to go the coming weekend, leaving Friday afternoon. She had wondered on the drive to the farmhouse if he was trying to protect her by getting her out of town.
She’d never worried about what the farm was worth since she’d never planned to sell it. But with the changes that had been happening across Montana, the large farm and the buildings would be worth at least a couple of million in today’s market.
Too much of an opportunity for a man like Shane Wagner. But first he would have to get rid of Josie. Which she hoped meant her sister was safe until then.
Josie had come back to get her overnight bag and more of her clothing. She was wondering where the two had gotten off to when she heard voices. A few minutes later, the screen door slammed as they entered the house. She tried to still her pounding heart. Now that she had a pretty good idea of what Shane was after, she had to find a way to stop him without him realizing what she was up to.
“There you are,” she said as she went downstairs to greet them. Her sister’s face was flushed, Shane was holding her hand and both of them looked deliriously happy. For just an instant, Josie wanted to believe that was all that was going on. “What have you two been up to?”
“Shane wanted to see the farm,” Amy Sue said. “I was just giving him a tour.”
“This is an amazing place you two have here,” he said, grinning. “I can see why you love it so much. I can’t imagine owning so much land. It must be worth a fortune.”
Amy Sue pulled her hand from his and playfully hit him. “He’s kidding. We’ve been talking about farming it and what we would grow.”
Josie looked at Shane, not surprised to see a grin on his face, his dark eyes telling her to be afraid.
* * *
“I’m worried aboutJosie,” Cordell told his brother later that night. He’d stopped by Max’s house to check on him, knowing that he wasn’t himself and hadn’t been for months now.
He’d brought over a six-pack of his brother’s favorite beer, opened one each and told Max what Josie had told him. “I think Shane Wagner’s after the farm, but to get it, he’ll have to go through Josie.”
“You’re saying he’s going to kill Josie, then Amy Sue, then sell the farm and abscond with the proceeds. Isn’t he employed by you? Is he a good worker?”
Cordell admitted that he was.
“Has he done anything to make you believe this is his plan to murder two people?” Max held up his hands. “I know about Josie’s second sight,” he said with a sigh. “But like I told her, there is nothing I can do until he breaks the law.”
“I feel like we’re in the same spot we were with Grimes,” Cordell said. “What if the two prisoners did know each other? Is there any way to find out?”
“What would it matter?” his brother asked. “If Shane wanted to know anything about Dry Gulch or everyone else in town, he could have just asked Amy Sue.”
“Still, could you call the prison and ask? Maybe they didn’t know each other and it’s just a coincidence they were both in the same prison.”
“Grimes is dead. Can’t we just let it go?” Max sighed. “Fine. I’ll check. Anything else?”
“I’m worried about you, too,” Cordell said. “You’re not yourself. What’s it going to take to get the old Max back? You know Goldie is miserable without you and you’re obviously miserable, too.”
“Thanks for the beer,” his brother said. “I have an early morning tomorrow.”
“Subtle,” Cordell said as he got to his feet. “Let me know what you find out.”
* * *
After another argumentabout Shane with her sister, Josie had taken what she’d come to the farmhouse for and gone back into town to stay at her office. She couldn’t bear seeing the two of them together, knowing that there was nothing she could do.
She and Amy Sue had always been so close. Now they could barely be civil to each other. She couldn’t stand recalling their argument before she’d stormed out.
“You’re jealous!” Amy Sue had cried. “This is about Cordell. You’re not getting what you want from him, and you can’t stand that I have a man and I’m happy.”
Josie had groaned. “You do realize how ridiculous that sounds, don’t you? I’ve always wanted you to find someone special and be happy.”
“I have, so what is the problem?” her sister demanded.
“The fact that you kept this relationship a secret tells me that you know something isn’t quite right.”
Amy Sue had shaken her head. “Shane deserves a second chance—just like the one you’re giving Cordell—don’t you think?”
