CHAPTER 10
Morgan changed out of her uniform and into something more comfortable, something flirty and feminine, just in case she ran into a certain man that made her hum. Waiting for her friends to arrive, fresh lemonade and sweet tea made, she was ready for their get together. Megan had asked each of the ladies to be in her wedding which also meant, help her plan every…little…detail.
Today, they were picking dresses and finalizing flowers. Pinecrest hosted Meg and Colton’s first date and would now host their nuptials. The Cowboy Dinner and Dude Ranch experience that tourists enjoyed so much would now be the central theme, but with Megan Johnson flair.
The plans to date had Morgan’s head spinning. Megan, the woman, was a sweetheart. Megan, the soon to be bride party planner, was hell on wheels, who left sparkly shit everywhere she went. You couldn’t help but love her either way.
Morgan greeted the small caravan of cars as they pulled up out front. Meg was the first to tackle her with hugs and an overwhelming giddy excitement that was entirely Meg and made her talk faster than a muscle car speeding down the drag strip. Morgan actually envied Meg. She wanted that sense of joy that came with finding your one true love, your soul mate. The kind of love that never let your feet touch the ground and annoyed everyone around you. One day, she thought, she hoped to be the one that was annoying Jessie to clenched fists and gritted teeth just like Meg was.
“Where’s the food, Morg?” Jessie greeted with a less than friendly tone.
“Good to see you too, Jessie. Hungry?” Morgan questioned.
“Not at all. Fifteen minutes in the car with turbo tongue over there,” she nodded to Megan, who tossed her a sweet smile as if accepting the insult as an endearing compliment, “time to stuff her face and shut her up! I’ll help myself to the liquor cabinet.”
“I made lemonade and…”
Jessie found her own joy in Morgan’s comment and cut her off before she could finish her thought, “Perfect! I’ll grab the vodka from your freezer.”
“But I don’t have vodka in the…”
“Yes, you do – you’re welcome. Let’s go have some…lemonade, Fancy Pants.” Jessie grabbed Meg by the arm and dragged her through the front door, relieving the rest of the ladies from a retelling of Bridezilla’s fifteen-minute conversation she had going up the ridge.
“Girls, come give me a hand,” Granny Lou hollered from behind Everly’s car.
The ladies obliged the old woman, knowing they were being asked to carry trays of baked goods Gran must’ve brought with her, as she always did.
“Hey Lou…what the hell is that?!” Morgan stopped abruptly and asked.
Evie laughed, shaking her head, “Don’t ask unless you really want to know.”
“What?” Lou questioned, sincerely confused.
Sam and Lydia each chuckled at Morgan’s reaction to Granny Lou’s baffled demeanor.
“That!” Morgan pointed to the cross-body carrier that was resting on Granny Lou’s left hip and appeared to be full of four legs and a tail.
“Oh! Well that’s my wiener!” she deadpanned.
Laughter erupted as Morgan’s jaw dropped and eyes flew wide open in shock, “Excuse me? Your what?”
“My wiener!” She patted the side of the bag just as a little black and gray head popped out of the carrier and one blue and one brown lazy eye landed on Morgan. “This here’s Moonshine!”
Morgan’s sharp gasp was followed by furrowed brows and a startled tone, “What the hell’s wrong with it? Why’s it looking at me like that?”
“Like what?” Granny gave Moonshine a concerned once over before her expression changed to one of fluster, matched by her tone. “There ain’t nothin’ wrong with him and I’d appreciate it if you’d watch how you talk about him. He’s sensitive due to his special needs
.”
“Special needs? Oh, I’m sorry, is he blind?”
“Blind?!” Lou snapped, “why ever would you assume such a thing?! No, he ain’t blind – see’s just fine!”
Everly handed a plate of lemon bars to Morgan before grabbing the last plate of snickerdoodles and closing the trunk. “This is Colton’s doing. He thought Gran needed a companion as much as Moonshine needed one.”
“He sure did, sweet boy, that Colton,” Lou defended. “It’s been a little lonely with Sam and the kids being so far away, and Evie moving away. I needed some company and Moonshine here needed a care taker to tend to his special needs
. It worked out perfect.”
The ladies walked around the house to the back gazebo, Moonshine in tow. Jessie and Lydia were already seated, drinks in hand.
“Sam and the kids are five minutes away, Gran, and I’m next door. Hardly as dramatic as you portray. And stop calling that dog special needs. He’s fat, that is all.”
“Everly Louise Shaw,” Lou huffed, “you’ll watch how you speak about your uncle!”
“First, he’s not my uncle. Second, he is
fat.”
“This here’s my pet, he’s family, that makes him your
family and you’ll remember that when you speak of him. Especially when he can hear you. Poor boy is a little overweight because he isn’t able to walk, that’s why I have the sling for him.”
“Oh, that’s so sad. I’m sorry, Lou.” Morgan’s apology earned another laugh, leaving her confused.
“He can’t walk because he’s fat, not the other way around. Doc Bain told you to get him out for walks and work on his diet.”
“Well that’s why I have this here sling – so we can go out for walks and we do work on his diet. No more cookies.”
“He’s supposed to do the walking. And taking away cookies, but replacing them with beer is hardly diet friendly,” Evie chuckled.
“The beer is medicinal, it’s for the anxieties! It takes the edge of his pain from dragging his belly around, hurts somethin’ fierce, I’m sure. It’s also good for a shiny coat and keeps the fleas away. Besides, if walkin’ hurts, I can’t expect him to live the life of a drunk, with all the beer he’ll need, so…”
Everly interrupted the banter she clearly wasn’t going to win by finishing Lou’s inevitable final thought on the matter. “You bought him a sling so he wouldn’t have to do the walking, you could do it for him.”
“Exactly!” Lou boasted, glad Evie finally had some sense about her.
Guy found his way to the ladies to say hello after unsaddling and brushing down the horse he’d ridden out to the pasture to mend yet another fence. To Morgan’s surprise, Blake walked up with him.
“Ladies…” Guy greeted with a friendly smile and nod, “I’m not interrupting, am I?”
Jessie snorted at the formality and said, “Not at all. Lou’s just showing Morgan her fat ass wiener.”
Drinks spat from mouths and noses in shock and surprise at Jessie’s declaration.
“Par…pardon me? Um, did I hear you right?” Guy stammered over his own words while still trying to decipher Jessie’s.
“Did I stutter? It’s right there. She keeps her wiener tucked away in a sling – see? It’s hanging off to the side.”
Fully aware of her uncomfortable choice of words and obvious innuendo, Jessie let it ride with a mischievous wink, waiting for the fall out of her shenanigans.
Innocent was not a word to describe Louise Shaw, but she tried it on a time or two, choosing this moment to run with it, “Wanna pet my wiener? He doesn’t bite.”
“For the love of God, she means her dog – it’s a dachshund. A wiener dog
.” Everly turned to a smiling Jessie and bewildered Gran. “You two should be ashamed of yourselves. Seriously, I apologize on their behalf, Guy!”
Guy reached for Moonshine giving him a pat on the head, enjoying the ladies’ antics. Somehow, being offered a shot at Lou’s wiener and the target of Jessie’s unabashed ways left him with a warm sense of belonging. He saw how they all interacted with one another and how their jabs were just endearing acts of fondness. They were very much a misfit family and he suddenly felt like one of them.
“No need to apologize, Everly. It’s not my first wiener,” he shot back, regretting how his now failed attempt at a joke worthy of the company he was in had failed. “I mean…that sounded bad. Sorry.”
Laughter engulfed him as the ladies broke out in giggles of their own.
Blake shook his head and patted Guy on the back, “Well played, man. Let’s make that the only wiener you pet out here, okay?”
More laughter erupted, “Nice one Guy, I knew I liked you,” Jessie spat between chuckles. No harsh words, or inappropriate overtone, just that she liked him. “You’re going to fit in just fine here.”
He paused at her statement, unaffected by the permanent nature her words swam in; he was okay with fitting in here, even if indefinitely. He looked to Morgan, considering what these swirling thoughts of his implied, and accepted her sweet smile as her own approval.
He was one of them now.
Guy had excused himself from the group so he could retire to the house and clean up after the day’s work he had put in. Blake took that opportunity to pull Morgan aside to discuss some rising concerns and make her aware of potential danger looming at Pinecrest. Morgan was expecting his interrogation the minute she saw him in riding clothes, covered in dirt, at Guy’s side leaving the barn. It wasn’t like Blake to hang out and work around the ranch for shits and giggles, nor was it like him to do so unannounced.
“Spill it Coop,” Morgan shot straight to the point while opening a couple beers in the kitchen.
Accepting the chilled brew, Blake took a long appreciative pull from the ice-cold bottle. “What makes you think something’s up?” he chided.
“Since when do you just show up for work
at the ranch on your day off?”
“I’ve helped out around here before,” he rebutted.
“Not for shits and giggles, Blake. What’s up? You have – the look.”
Morgan had been Blake’s partner enough years that she read him like a proverbial book. She probably knew him better than anyone in McKenzie Ridge. Something was up, and he was stalling.
“The look, huh? Good to know. No playing poker with you,” he joked.
Morgan rolled her eyes at his bad jokes and evasiveness. Time to pull out the big guns, and play dirty, knock him off balance. “No, we all know who you want to play poker with, but you and Jessie are both too pig headed to do anything about it.”
Shifting from one foot to the other, Blake hadn’t expected the low blow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Jessie is a pain in the ass. I don’t want to play…poker
with her any more than I do with you.”
“Noted. Guess this is where I say I’m not interested then?”
Blake was a well-trained interrogator and not easily rattled, given his past covert military experience. But, Morgan broke him with mention of a five-foot nothin’ loud mouth.
“Anyway,” he began changing the subject, “I’m out here helping Guy – helping you.
”
Her eyes cinched closed to a squinting glare, not buying his bullshit, “Hhmmm.”
The and
need not be said, as he was crumbling under her punchy jabs. Letting out a defeated sigh, Blake was fully aware he wasn’t going to win this one. Morgan was as sweet and kind as a nun on Sunday – until you pissed her off. Then she was as intimidating as an angry terrorist with a chip on his shoulder and a vendetta to settle. Relentless, unapologetic, and scary as hell.
“What are your thoughts on Guy and Dunny?” he asked.
“Guy is a nice guy
, hard worker, pulling his weight around here. Dunny is…Dunny. Why? What are your
thoughts? Stop dancing around this shit, cut to it.”
“What does Dunny is Dunny
mean?”
Morgan rolled her eyes, as if explaining the obvious was wasting her time, “He’s Dunny – protective, maybe a little territorial. He doesn’t care for Guy much.”
Blake’s brow rose, interested in her observation. “So, you’ve noticed.”
“Little hard to miss. Some days I feel like I’m in the middle of a tug-o-war.”
“I noticed that too. Look, I think there’s something behind all these mishaps around the ranch, despite Dunny dismissing it as normal wear and tear. The broken fences, missing cattle, unconscious man with a half dead horse.” He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in so she could come to her own conclusion. A conclusion he was certain would match his own.
“Okay, so there have been a lot of issues lately, but it started long before Guy arrived. He couldn’t be behind any of it. And what, you think he shot his own horse and just laid out there, hoping someone would eventually find him so he could execute a plan of sorts?” Her quick defense, where Guy was concerned, didn’t go unnoticed. It not only exposed some sort of building affection, but it revealed that this had all already crossed her mind.
“I didn’t mention Guy. Why so defensive? Because you’ve already thought about it? Because I’m right? Or?”
Cheeks blushing with as much embarrassment as anger, Morgan knew Blake was on to her. Of course he was, nothing got past him. And, he was right, Guy had crossed her mind, over and over, day and night, but not in the way Blake was eluding to.
I’m not defensive, I’m just…” Truth was, she didn’t know what she was
, she just knew this wasn’t about Guy, “I don’t think Guy is involved with any of it, but I have noticed a pattern. I thought it was just me, being paranoid. When my dad left, everything started falling apart. I figured it was just par for the course and something I hadn’t noticed because I didn’t have my hands in the day to day stuff. Dunny said…”
Blake cut her off before she could complete that thought. Dunny had become a red flag for him. “Dunny? Interesting you should bring him up…”
“Why? Dunny is harmless. He said this is normal and that it’s always been a thing
, a ranch this big requires a lot maintenance.”
“Interesting…I’m sure he did say that,” Blake chuckled.
“Oh, come on. Dunny? You think this is him? He knows this is killing the bottom line. Why would he do that? He would never hurt me, or this place. If I lose Pinecrest, he’s out of a job and a home. I just don’t see it – he grew up here, it’s the only home he knows, too.”
Rubbing his chin, Blake considered her point of view, “Well, something is off, I feel it. I came out to work with Guy and feel things out. I don’t think he is your problem, but his being here is definitely a contributing factor, somehow.”
“So you do think it’s Dunny? Sabotaging Pinecrest? I don’t know, Blake. It doesn’t make sense. He would never hurt me that way.”
“The horse wasn’t shot with a rifle, Morgie. I found more shells from the same type of weapon in the pasture near the cow that was found dead. It’s from a 9mm. A handgun, Jameson. Who hunts with a handgun?”
The seriousness of the situation became very real as the cold shock of his revelation rocked her to her core.
“It isn’t poachers, or hunters, its target practice.” A statement, not a question. “Dunny has a 9mm, Blake.”
“I know. He also doesn’t like Guy.”
“You think he’s setting up Guy?”
A rush of anger quaked through her at the thought of Dunny doing such a thing. There was only one question left, “Why? Why would he do that?”
“He feels threatened? Jealousy?”
“But he’s like a brother, Blake. Why would he be jealous? We don’t even know how long Guy is going to be here. It just…isn’t right,” she pleaded, not willing to give in to the idea that her oldest, closest friend would be capable of such malice and deceit.
“You think of him as a brother, but does he think of you as a sister? He got your attention with the mishaps around the ranch; he got to be your hero. Now a new hero has your attention.” Blake left it at that, she had enough to think about now. His job was to make her aware, and then blend back in to the background as he always did, watching over his friends.
“Hey! Howdy Blake, what brings you out today?” Dunny’s voice boomed, startling Morgan. She dropped the bottle of beer that she had been nursing, causing a scattered mess of broken amber glass.
“You okay, Morgie?” Dunny rushed to her side and began picking up the shards of glass while giving her a once over.
“Oh, I’m fine! You just scared the crap out of me! I didn’t hear you come in.”
He put a hand on her shoulder, seeking her deep brown eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you, darlin’. You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah…yeah I’m fine. I was just so focused on what Blake was saying; I guess I tuned everything else out.”
“Oh?” Dunny questioned.
Blake took that opportunity to help Morgan out of her uncomfortable encounter and dig for information. “Yeah. I was just telling her about my afternoon out in the pasture – with Guy. Stopped by to check in with him, open investigation and all, and rode out to help him with some fences.” Blake took another long drink, finishing off the beer, without losing eye contact with Dunny.
“Is that right?” Dunny fired back, his demeanor taking an icy tone, “you guys get that fixed?”
Blake smiled, enjoying the stir he was creating. “Sure did. Guy told me how often this has been happening – seems a little odd. Don’t you think?”
“Nah, nothing out of the ordinary – fences break. Chief and I used to fix’em all the time.” Dunny referred to Morgan’s dad, Chief, adding credibility to his statement, knowing it could easily be verified. “Maybe the fix will stick this time since you were helpin’. I don’t think Guy knows a hammer from his asshole.”
“Is that right?” Blake laughed at the jab, more confident than before that Dunny was up to something.
“Yeah, it’s alright though. I’ll just take care of things like I always do for ya, Morgie.” He turned to Morgan with a wink that didn’t seem to charm her as it often had. His expression turned serious and maybe even cold. “I promised your daddy when he left, I’d see to the ranch and make sure you were taken care of – always.”
Morgan felt a rash of nerves set in. It was like she was seeing and really hearing Dunny for the first time. Was it Blake’s influence that suddenly had her on alert where Dunny was concerned, or was it really that there was something going on, sparking her intuition?
“Is everyone okay?” A breathless, and shirtless, Guy stood at the hall that lead from his bedroom, and ended at the kitchen. “I heard something crash, or break?”
Morgan’s wits disappeared at the sight before her. Guy stood dripping wet, shirtless, and barefoot with his jeans on but only half fastened, sitting low on his narrow hips.
“Yeah, everything’s fine, bud. Just a beer bottle.” Blake smiled, enjoying the fury Guy’s half naked presence sparked in Dunny, and the pure stupid it sparked in a drooling Morgan.
Morgan’s voice cracked into a subtle whimper when Guy ran a relieved hand through his dark wet hair. “Um, ya, beer bottle.”
“Okay, good, that’s good…” he sighed, worry fading from his expression.
Scanning the group, Blake took in the very telling scene. Morgan and Guy were locked in each other’s heat worthy gazes. Dunny, however, would be locked up for murder if looks could really kill, based on the heavy threatening glare he had pinned on Guy. Their attraction was undeniable, reciting a scenario that only further cemented Blake’s theory.
From looks of heated passion, to looks that could kill, a mystery was unfolding. Though Dunny was a local town favorite, born and bred nobody was above sinking to the bowels of humanity to achieve what they wanted when the wrong thing was threatened. The question in Blake’s mind wasn’t so much, was it Dunny
, rather it was how far was he willing to go to get what he wanted – whatever that may be. Shots had been fired, in more ways than one, but how many victims would there be and was murder on the table?
Time would tell, and Blake was willing to ranch to yield his answers. Like a game of clue, Blake ran down his list of gambling speculation. Was it Duncan Haines? Where did Guy fit into all of this? Was there already a target on Guy’s back when he got to McKenzie Ridge, and Pinecrest? What was in it for Dunny if Guy left the picture, willingly or otherwise?
Dunny briskly left the kitchen, exiting through the back door to who knows where, when Morgan moved to Guy’s side engaging in quiet conversation. The air had shifted alright, and all Blake could say, ever so quietly, was, “Challenge accepted. Not in my town, not on my watch, not with my people.”
He turned to his left, headed for the front door, nodding to Guy and Morgan as he left. He had some work to do.