Chapter 12

“So, where was the body?” Beau asked.

Colton heaved a sigh. “In the barn.” He pointed to the structure. “Hamilton was up in the hayloft. Someone had speared him through the middle with a pitchfork.” He felt Big Jim’s and Beau’s eyes on him. “Yeah, it was horrible. And he had been there several days, so he was plenty ripe.”

“Ugh! I hate that smell.” Big Jim made a face.

The three Garretts took off on a slow stroll around the area.

“That’s a good John Deere tractor,” Big Jim commented. “And the rest of the equipment is in decent shape. I wonder why they couldn’t make a go of it.”

Colton heaved a sigh. “Probably because her dad became a drunk after her mom died…and he was terminally ill.” He shrugged. “And her brother Joe was a dumbass.”

Beau nodded in agreement. “That he was. Joe sort of took a wrong turn somewhere along the way. He was never really interested in ranching. Spent most of his time partying with his friends.” He looked thoughtful for a minute. “He always ran with Eddie Simmons and that bunch. Remember Eddie’s cousin, Nate Blair? There were five of them who ran together before Nate disappeared.”

“Yeah, I remember,” Colton said. “Wonder what happened to Nate? Never saw him again after that summer he went missing.”

Beau shook his head. “That’s when Joe and the others really went off course.”

“Shame,” Big Jim commented. “This is a nice little ranch. How many head of cattle?”

Colton told him.

“Nice herd. With some tending, this place could shape right up. Maybe I should think about buying it from the Dalton kids. I’d hate to see them lose everything.”

It’s now or never. “Too late, Dad.” Colton hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and took a wide stance.

“What? It’s already been foreclosed on?” Big Jim turned to face him.

“No, Dad. I invested in this ranch. I’m a legal partner with Misty and her brother.”

Big Jim’s eyes narrowed for a moment. Then he gave a slight nod. “Good business decision. Just see that you turn this place around. It’s a good acquisition.”

Colton shook his head. “I didn’t acquire it. I bought into it. I went to the bank with Breck Ryan and paid the loan up to date. And I have a legal partnership agreement with Misty.” He shrugged. “Now, all I have to do is figure out how to make it productive again.”

“Shoot, Son. That’s the easy part. Put a crop in the ground, keep the herd fed, and start planning for the next season. We Garretts have been doing that forever. It’s our way of life.” He slapped Colton on the shoulder and turned back to his stroll.

Beau gave him a grin, shook his head, and then fell into step alongside his dad.

Colt took a second to come to grips with his father’s easy acceptance of his expenditure. He had thought there would be a huge uproar. He breathed out a sigh of relief and caught up with Big Jim and Beau as they drew even with the barn.

Big Jim stopped, staring up at the open door to the hayloft. “I can’t understand what Fred Hamilton was doing out here on the Dalton property.”

“Neither can I, Dad,” Colton said. “But the sheriff is looking into it.”

* * *

Misty started on her father’s room. She knew that was in fairly good shape because she had always been the one to make sure her dad’s clothes were washed and put away carefully.

When she opened the door, a feeling of desolation washed over her, like a riptide pulling her under. She fought the urge to sink to her knees and weep her heart out.

The sight of the empty bed tore at her heart. Her loss felt enormous, but she sucked in a breath and stepped into the room, leaving the door open wide for Leah to follow.

With Leah to help, they sorted and folded her father’s clothing before packing it in the boxes. Concentrating on this task helped to focus her energy on a positive project and avoid thinking of her father, at least for the moment.

She discarded the unused medications and cleared off the bedside table. The hospice company had arranged to come and remove the electric bed, but her parents’ cherry bed and mattress were stored in the attic. Maybe Colton would help bring them down.

Rosa swept the floor, promising to mop and wax it before returning the area rug to the room. The hospice company had suggested removing it lest her dad stumble when he had still been able to walk.

Now the room looked forlorn, as though stripped of its dignity. Rosa said she would take down the curtains and wash them as well.

Nothing more to do in here. Sadly, Misty closed the door.

She tried to squelch the feeling of dread when she twisted the knob on Joe’s door. She’d rarely even caught a glimpse of the interior. Joe had long ago threatened her with bodily harm when she had chanced to venture inside. Now, she definitely felt as though she was trespassing.

The room smelled like Joe. It probably smelled the way the boy’s locker room did at the high school.

She sighed and opened the windows to air it out.

Leah came bustling into the room. “Okay, I took those boxes to the truck. We can drop them by church tomorrow.” She raised her nose in the air. “Smells funky in here.”

“Unwashed male,” Misty said.

Rosa came in with an empty laundry basket and started picking up clothes off the floor. She stripped the bed and removed all the bedding from the room. Before she left, she sprayed a fabric freshener on the mattress and pillows.

“Much better,” Leah said.

Since the clothes stuffed into Joe’s dresser had taken on the musty odor, Rosa said she would wash and fold the contents and have them ready to donate in the next couple of days.

Misty started opening the drawers, one by one, dumping the contents of each into a wash basket.

Leah carried the first filled basket to the laundry room, leaving Misty alone to open the bottom drawer, but it seemed to be stuck. She could only open it halfway.

Misty sat cross-legged on the floor and tried removing the articles of clothing, mostly threadbare jeans and faded T-shirts.

She pulled out something hard from the back corner and gazed at it in disbelief. It was a revolver partially wrapped in a torn T-shirt. She didn’t unwrap the shirt, but sat staring at it for a few minutes. A huge dose of anxiety grabbed her gut, and she put the gun in her large handbag. She was aware that Joe owned a handgun but didn’t think it was a revolver. And this one looked old.

She sat back down to finish emptying out the drawer, and her hand brushed against something that had been keeping the drawer from opening all the way. Something firmly affixed to the bottom edge of the drawer. Misty gritted her teeth and forced the drawer out of its groove.

Groping along the underside of the drawer, she found it was a packet that was taped all around. She was finally able to pry it loose and examine it. Whatever was inside, Joe had kept it hidden but secure. Now that she had discovered his hiding place, she was reluctant to open it. That he had kept it concealed made her feel as though she was invading his privacy all over again.

When Leah returned, she found Misty still contemplating the carefully wrapped bundle. “Whatcha got there?”

Misty started guiltily. “Oh, um—I’m not sure. It was taped under one of the drawers.”

Leah cocked her head. “Well, take it with you. Colton said we should get started for home.”

Misty shoved the drawer in and scrambled to her feet, still clutching the packet. She saw that it was an envelope like one that might contain a greeting card. Large and square. Heaving out a sigh, she stuffed it in her purse as well. Whatever was inside, Joe had cared enough to hide it.

She glanced around the room. It looked better and smelled better than it had earlier. Some things remained to be sorted, but they had done a good job for one day. Crossing to the windows, she closed and latched them. That someone had been murdered in their barn was worrisome enough. The least she could do was make sure the house was secure.

* * *

When Misty had driven off to Langston the next day, Colton decided to take a look at the Dalton ranch without the Daltons. He figured if he were going to get into a head-to-head with the old man, he might as well get it over with. Paco had been working the ranch for years. No wonder he felt proprietary.

He drove straight to the property and knocked on the door. When Rosa answered, she smiled shyly when he asked if he might speak to her husband.

“He go to check on the cows. He be back later.”

Colton nodded and told her he would return. He wandered around the outbuildings for a while and then decided to check on the herd himself.

He drove to the field where he had seen cattle pastured and soon spied the old ranch truck Paco drove. Pulling up behind the truck, Colton parked on the side of the road. Paco had climbed through the barbed-wire fence and stood eyeing Colton with suspicion.

Oh, boy!

Colt climbed through the fence and approached the old man with a smile. “Hey, Paco. How ya doin’ today?”

Paco nodded at him warily but accepted the hand Colton offered.

“I wanted to get some of your insights about the ranch.” Colton saw this register, but the old man stonewalled him. “I figured you were the best person to ask.”

Paco stood a little straighter but nodded again.

“Mostly, I wanted to know what you think it will take to turn this place around. I know it was a productive ranch at one time.”

“You bet this was a good ranch,” Paco said, his voice gravelly. “It still is.” He picked up a small rock at his feet and hurled it back toward the road. “All it needs is for someone to care about it. Mr. Dalton, he loved this ranch…but when the wife died, he just stopped caring about everything.”

Colton gave a grunt of agreement. “Joe didn’t care? I thought he had been working on the ranch.”

Paco made a scoffing noise back in his throat. “That boy Joe, he only cared about Joe. He didn’t care about the ranch. He didn’t care about his family. He only cared about himself and his little pack of friends. They were like young wolves, always coming around to rip off the place.”

Colton frowned. “Who were Joe’s friends?” Though he knew the answer, he wanted to get the old man’s take on the relationships.

Paco waved his hand, as though this was a trivial matter. “The youngest Diaz boy, the Lynch boy, and Levi Blair’s nephew, Eddie Simmons. The four of them were like blood relations. Always together. Always sneaking around.” He cleared his throat noisily and spat on the ground.

“Levi Blair, huh?” Colton recalled the frosty look the old gentleman had given him when they had encountered each other in Breck’s office. Something about a history of a land dispute with Big Jim. Well, that’s reason enough for Blair to dislike me.

Paco spat again. “That man would cut your heart out for a nickel.”

A cold sensation twisted Colton’s gut. “And Joe was running with Blair’s nephew?”

“He was running with Levi’s son too before that boy ran away.”

“Seems like I heard something about that,” Colton said thoughtfully. “Nate Blair, right?”

Paco nodded.

“It’s been a while back.”

Paco’s face contorted in concentration, his forehead folding into lines. “It’s been about eight years ago. The boys were probably just fifteen or sixteen years old.” He shrugged. “Everyone thought Nate would come back eventually. Never did.”

Colton thought about the set-to between Big Jim and Tyler. It could have gone the same way. “It’s tough when there are big disagreements between family members and neither one wants to give in.”

Paco removed his hat, raked his fingers through his thick head of mostly gray hair, and then set the hat back on his head. “If I remember, Levi claimed there was no reason his son would have left home. He thought the boy had been kidnapped.”

“Maybe he did meet with foul play,” Colton suggested.

“Most likely,” Paco agreed. He folded his arms over his chest. “So, what’s going on with you and Misty? Do I need to get out my shotgun?”

Colton cleared his throat. “No, sir. I don’t expect you do.” Then he chuckled. “But maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea.”

Humorless dark eyes assessed him. “So you’re serious?”

Colt lifted his shoulders and spread his hands in a “who knows” gesture. “I am. I’m not sure if Misty is yet.”

Paco narrowed his gaze. “You better not break her heart.”

“More than likely she’s going to break mine.”

As Colton was driving home, he felt pretty satisfied with himself. He thought he had won the old man over. They had retired to the house and chatted over coffee, finally getting around to discussing the management of the land and the stock.

The plan was to get a grain crop in the ground as soon as possible to harvest for feed, and rye grass in another field for winter forage. Colton would arrange for seed to be paid for at Moore’s Feed and Seed, and Paco would pick it up the next day.

He felt somewhat elated that they were really making a start. He was certain that his partnership with Misty and Mark would work out to be financially rewarding for all of them. He just hoped that their personal relationship would work out as well.

Colton realized Misty had no idea how Joe had been spending his time. She thought he had been working to keep the ranch going. He wasn’t sure he wanted to disabuse her of that fact. After all, Joe was her brother. Her dead brother. Colton would just keep Paco’s revelations to himself.

* * *

Misty was having a pretty decent day. When she’d gotten to the law office, she’d discovered some typing on her desk that needed to be done. Apparently, Breck had come in on the weekend and made a nice pile of tasks for her.

I can do this. She prioritized her work and started right in on it first thing. By the time she took her lunch break, the pile was significantly smaller.

Lunching with Sara Beth was a treat. The shared meal was always interesting, but the shared conversation was even better.

Misty realized she was getting very attached to Cami Lynn, Sara Beth’s baby daughter. She was such an adorable little thing. And Misty was growing very fond of Sara Beth as well. Having two close female friends was a luxury she had never known before. Between Leah and Sara Beth, Misty felt she was developing a support system she would need to get through the tough times ahead…especially in the event that Colton didn’t reciprocate her feelings.

Misty knew Colton liked her, but he seemed to feel the same way about everyone. Like a big, lovable puppy. She considered her options.

Maybe she had been too subtle. Maybe she needed to do something to catch his attention. She shivered. Maybe I should just forget about it.

She had loathed the girls in school who appeared to be constantly flirting, even throwing themselves at the various popular boys.

And where are those girls today?

Misty let out a huff of air. Happily married, that’s where they are.

She turned to the next project in her pile, quickly scanned through it, and then heaved a sigh. Although she hadn’t particularly respected the girls who had been so blatant, she had to admit their ploys had worked.

While she’d gone off to college and then come home to take care of her dad, her female classmates had been getting married and having kids.

She felt a pang, and the image of Cami Lynn sprang to mind. She wouldn’t mind having a sweet little baby of her own.

Dropping the note back in the pile, she leaned against her fists.

Of course, her baby would look different. He or she would have dark hair, but it would be incredible if it had Colton’s striking blue eyes. The blue eyes seemed to be a strong Garrett gene.

Misty snapped out of her trance. She had been a million miles away, fantasizing about Colton’s eyes and having his baby.

Get back to work, girl. Breck isn’t paying you to sit around and daydream.

She picked up the note again, and her eyes widened. It was about updating a will for Levi Blair. The new will was to name Edward Eugene Simmons, Mr. Blair’s nephew, as the sole heir to Blair’s considerable estate.

Something clicked in her brain. This was the Eddie who had been one of Joe’s best friends. One of the guys he was always running around with. She pictured him in her mind. Tall, lanky Eddie with his ruddy complexion and a pinched look to his face. His hair was reddish-blond and curly. She had always thought it looked like it needed to be washed. He was probably twenty-five now. Same age as Joe…as Joe would have been.

Well, Mr. Edward Eugene Simmons. You are going to be a very lucky nephew when your uncle croaks.

Misty typed up the new will and sent it to the printer. She stood up and stretched. Time for a break. She pulled the copies of the will from the printer and carefully placed them in Breck’s inbox.

She had made quite a dent in the pile of projects. Walking to the water cooler, she filled the tiny paper cup with water three times and drained it each time. She crushed the cup, tossed it in the wastebasket, and then returned to her desk.

She reached in the bottom drawer and opened her oversized purse. She knew she had a pack of gum in there, but it must have sunk to the bottom. Pawing through the collection of necessities and junk, she heaved a sigh and dumped the contents of her bag on top of the desk.

There was a clunk, and Joe’s handgun lay on top of the pile. It was still peeking out of the ragged T-shirt in which it was wrapped. She didn’t know why Joe had kept it like this, but she was reluctant to touch it.

Misty swallowed hard. Every time she looked at it, she cringed. She wasn’t afraid of guns. Her daddy had made sure she knew how to use one. But this thing just looks dangerous.

She picked it up and deposited it in her now-empty purse.

Blowing out a breath, she tried not to think of the gun. What was it she’d been looking for? Oh, yes. Gum. There it is. She took a piece and removed the wrapper, folding the gum into her mouth. The pleasing mint flavor refreshed her taste buds immediately.

Misty focused on the mess she had just poured on her tidy desktop. She tossed a few things in the trash, and then her hand lit on the packet she had pulled from underneath the drawer in Joe’s room.

Compared to the gun, this wasn’t scary at all. She took a long, pointy letter opener out of the desk and carefully opened the envelope. Spilling the contents onto the desk, she saw they were mostly photos. Her eyes teared up as she recognized Joe in a few of them. It was his gang. Ron Diaz, Stan Lynch, Nate Blair, and Eddie Simmons…when they were all much younger. Joe’s face was so innocent. No snarky superiority then.

Oh, yeah. The five of them were inseparable. Like a pack of feral animals.

She remembered how mad her dad would get when Joe snuck out of the house at night to go off with his posse. Or when he shirked his work around the ranch. She shook her head, but she had to smile.

The top photo showed four of them standing with their arms hung around each other’s shoulders.

She recalled when Joe had received the camera for a birthday present. At the time, he hadn’t been particularly thrilled with the gift, but over time, he had used it a lot.

She flipped to the next image.

Sucking in a breath, she experienced a choking sensation. Two of the boys were fighting. She couldn’t tell who they were. It was quite a scuffle. She tried to eliminate the nonparticipants and finally decided the two involved were Eddie Simmons and his cousin, Nate Blair. The two combatants looked serious. The last image was just of Eddie holding a handgun. His shirt was filthy, and he looked scared.

She wondered why Joe would keep these photos and especially why he would keep them hidden all these years. Carefully, she slid the images in the envelope and slipped it back into her purse. She replaced the items she was going to keep and tossed the junk before stashing her purse back in the bottom drawer.

She felt a little anxious. Probably just seeing Joe’s face again. Yeah, that must be it. Heaving a huge sigh, she reached for the next note in the stack Breck had left for her.

* * *

Big Jim Garrett had been amazed to learn that his oldest son bailed out the Dalton ranch. Perhaps he shouldn’t have been so surprised, considering how Colton felt about the girl. It must have taken a big chunk out of his savings, and Colt wasn’t one to fritter away his money.

He watched as Colt saddled the Appaloosa stallion he had bought at auction. It was a big horse and should be a good ride for a big man. As Colton swung himself up into the saddle, the horse danced a little to the side. Not his usual rider.

Colton rode him around the corral, keeping to an easy gait.

Ears back, the horse maneuvered close to the railing, scraping Colton’s leg against the wood.

Colton yelled and pulled the reins to the left, forcing the horse’s head in the other direction. But when Colt eased up on the reins, the horse tried to disgorge him again.

“That horse sure doesn’t want a stranger on his back,” Big Jim called.

Colt grinned. “Apparently not. It’s going to take a while for Sam to get used to me.”

Big Jim saddled his favorite horse and led him out of the stables. “Hold up, Colt. Do you want to go for a ride? We can go take a look at the cattle I have in quarantine.”

“Sure, Dad.” Colton maneuvered Sam out of the corral through the stables and joined Big Jim.

They headed to a pasture where the newest acquisitions were quarantined until the veterinarian could get by to take a look at them. Big Jim had to be sure they were healthy before he allowed them to mingle with the rest of his herd.

“So, what are your plans for the Dalton place?” Big Jim tried to keep his tone easy. He didn’t want to get Colt’s back up.

“I talked to the foreman. I think we’re going to plant a crop of feed for the cattle. That’s the first thing.”

“There’s time,” Big Jim agreed. “You could put in some winter rye and let the herd graze on that.”

Colton gave him a sideways glance and then nodded. “Good idea. I had thought a grain crop.”

Big Jim shrugged. “You can do both. Harvest a grain crop and leave the rye for forage. That should get you through the winter just fine.”

“Thanks, Dad. I really hadn’t had a chance to think this through.”

Big Jim was amazed that Colt admitted that to him. He bit his tongue to keep from roaring that he’d been a danged fool to make that kind of investment without thinking it through. He sucked in a deep breath, filled his lungs, and let it out slowly. He didn’t want to have the kind of breach with Colt that he’d had with his middle son, Tyler.

It was a miracle that they had resolved their issues over Ty’s music aspirations. It wouldn’t have happened at all if Ty hadn’t gotten involved with Leah and her daughter. Yeah, better keep my opinions to myself.

“Heck, Dad. The Dalton ranch is good land…and it’s a decent-size spread. I thought that I’d made a pretty good deal just paying the loan up to date. Besides, Misty and her little brother haven’t got the knowledge or ability to make a go of the place on their own.” Colton turned to grin at him impudently. “I don’t see how this can be a losing proposition.”

“You could be right. At least I hope so.”

Colt heaved a deep sigh. “And I suppose you know I couldn’t stand by while Misty and Mark lost their home.”

Another surprise. Big Jim congratulated himself on not going off on a rant. Maybe this slow and easy approach was paying off. “I know, Son. You’ve got a good heart. At least you made sure to get a legal agreement, all drawn up and signed. Good thinking.”

Colton’s expression grew grim. They rode along in silence for a moment. “The main reason I got Breck involved was because I was getting the runaround from Fred Hamilton at the bank. It was like he didn’t want me to pay up the loan. He told me the ranch was already in foreclosure, but it wasn’t. I told him I would be back in the afternoon to take care of the loan, but he skipped out on me. Next thing I know, I’m staring at him, speared through the gut in the Dalton hayloft.”

Big Jim drew up on the reins, staring hard at his son. “So, you’re telling me you might have been one of the last people to see Fred Hamilton alive?”

Colton reined in the big Appaloosa. “I guess so. I hadn’t thought about it that way. I thought he was just trying to dodge me.” He frowned. “But, at the time, I did think he was acting strange…evasive…shifty. I thought he had some ulterior motive concerning the Dalton place, like maybe he wanted to snap it up for himself.”

Big Jim swallowed hard. “Do you think his death has anything to do with the Daltons or their property?”

“I can’t say, Dad. It was just a feeling. Like there was something going on beneath the surface… Hey!” Colton lurched to one side as his mount scraped him against a mesquite tree. The rough bark and thorns dug into his calf, tearing the dense fabric of his Wranglers. He let out a mild curse. “This damned horse hates me.”

Big Jim chuckled. “Looks like it. Maybe you ought to pay a little attention to where you’re going. You’re the rider. He’s the horse. You’re supposed to be giving him directions. Remember?”

Colton glanced at the torn denim and blood oozing out of his wound. “Yeah, thanks, Dad. I didn’t think of that.”

Big Jim huffed out a breath. “Was that sarcasm I just heard?”

Colton grinned. “You have the hearing of a bat, Dad.”

The return ride to the Garrett ranch house was silent for the most part. It seemed each man had a lot to consider.

Big Jim was thinking about Fred Hamilton, wondering if his death was tied to the Daltons. It seemed unlikely that their barn had been a random choice for a murder scene, but what was the connection?

He reminded himself that Misty’s brother had been murdered. Shot in the head. Was Joe’s death in any way tied to that of Fred Hamilton?

When they rode up to the stables, young Mark was there. He greeted them with a wave of his hand and a grin. A really good kid.

Big Jim watched Colton interact with the boy. Both men dismounted and handed the reins over to Mark, who promised to give the horses a good rubdown.

“Did you know your horse hates me?” Colton asked. “He really hates me. He tried to kill me a few times.”

Mark’s face reflected concern. “Oh no. He must have been having a bad day. He’s not like that. Sam is a good horse.”

Colt broke out in a grin. “It’s okay. He just has to get used to me. He doesn’t want anyone on his back except you. It will take a little time.” He ruffled Mark’s hair and headed out of the stable.

Throwing an arm around Colton’s neck, Big Jim trudged toward the house, his oldest son in tow.

Big Jim didn’t want to mention it, but he thought his son would make a great father someday. He just wanted Colt to wait for the right girl.

* * *

“It’s really beautiful here.” Misty stretched out her arms and turned around.

Leah had invited Misty to join her to inspect the home being constructed for her family. The site was beautiful, a modest rise overlooking a lush valley.

“You are so lucky.” Misty gulped in deep breaths and blew them out through her pursed lips.

Leah chortled. “You bet I am. My Tyler is the best man on the planet.”

Gracie ran to Misty and grabbed her hand. “C’mon with me, Misty. I want to show you my room.”

Leah and her grandmother followed into the shell of a house. The roof was covered with yellow Tyvek in preparation to have an outer layer applied. There was no electricity, but the windowpanes were in place, allowing sunshine to brighten the interior.

“Oh, this is quite spacious.” Misty stopped to look around the front room.

“The kitchen and den are back there, and the bedrooms are off to this side.” Leah gestured to a doorway opening off to the left.

“Except for my room,” Gran said. “They gave me a nice-sized room and my own special bathroom on the other side of the house.”

Leah laughed. “We thought you might like some privacy.”

Gran’s expression was amused. “I think that you might like some privacy too.”

Leah sucked in a deep breath and released it with a grin. “Yeah, that too.”

Gracie pulled Misty down the hallway to show her a room she was claiming as her own. “Mommy said I could pick whatever color I want. I want purple.”

Misty visualized a gloomy purple shrouding the space. “That sounds—nice. Very nice.”

“This is the color we’re going for,” Leah supplied, pointing to a paint swatch taped to the wall. It was a pale lilac. Much better.

“Even nicer,” she said. “How many bedrooms do you have here?”

“Um, we have one master suite, Gracie’s room, Gran’s room, and two more guest rooms.”

Misty grinned. “Planning on having a few guests?”

“Maybe.” Leah glanced at Gracie, who was dancing around her future room. “We hope to make some more little Garretts some day.”

“That’s a good plan. I wish you the very best.” Misty was happy for Leah and her family, but she felt a twinge of envy. She hoped that, someday, she might have a plan for the future that included Colton as well as Mark.

Just to be able to live every day with the people she loved and not be afraid of what the next day would bring was her idea of heaven on earth.