Chapter Four
A fter meeting with Ken Willard and catching him up on the ranch happenings and assuring him that she was doing well, Hayley learned that there was nothing to stop her from leasing water to the Kellers if she so chose.
The Lone Tree Ranch, her ranch, was one of the oldest on that side of the valley, and had both surface and subsurface water rights. Because she had fields laying fallow that year, it was the perfect time to lease—and the money from the lease would be useful for her baby project.
Ken started drawing up the paperwork, promising to have it ready the next day, and Hayley walked down the street and around the corner from his offices to grab a cup of coffee with her old friend and fellow geek, Bella Knight, who’d moved back to Marietta a few months ago.
Hayley spotted Bella’s dark curls, and she would have waved, except that Bella’s nose was deep in her book. She looked up as Hayley approached, then pushed her glasses up, reminding her of Vince, which caused a pang.
“I’m at the good part.”
It was a joke they’d shared since high school, when they’d both rather read than participate in whatever was going on around them. A survival skill at the time. They looked studious, which in turn had people giving them a wide berth.
“I’m sure you are.” Hayley sat as the server cruised by with the coffeepot. He held up the pot, both Bella and Hayley nodded, and a second later, Hayley was dumping a small container of half-and-half into the dark brew.
“Are you settling into your new place?” Hayley asked before lifting her cup. Bella had just purchased a small house—a cottage, really—on the edge of town, having taken a job at the local clinic.
Bella pushed her book aside. “I’m making progress. I have a three-day break coming up. I’ll be painting when I’m not sleeping.” She leaned her elbows on the table. “Before you offer to help, because I know how much you love painting, I’m taking my time, enjoying audiobooks while I work.”
Having just painted almost every building on the ranch over the course of the past year, Hayley could say that she was no fan of painting, but she was good at it. Brush, roller, sprayer. She was a master of all. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Besides, you probably shouldn’t be exposed to paint fumes if you’re going to try to get pregnant.” Bella leaned forward before glancing first right, then left, as if making certain they were not overheard. “Any closer to a decision?”
The decision was not if, but when and how.
“Getting there, but I want to make certain I have all my ducks in a row.”
Bella’s gaze came up to look past Hayley, who shifted in her seat to see what had caught her friend’s attention. A young woman in her early twenties, dressed in worn jeans, a western shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and a battered felt hat with a feather in the band, approached. The light-brown braids she wore reached nearly to her waist.
“Excuse me . . . Hayley Parker?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Andie Landry. I think you have my dog.”
Bella’s eyebrows rose as she met Hayley’s gaze.
“I adopted a dog from the shelter,” the woman continued. “And she got loose while I was at work and ran off.”
“Where do you work?”
“I worked on the Hunt Ranch.” Andie’s expression tightened. “First my dog disappears, then they fire me. Not a good week, but I can take care of Greta. I’d feed her before feeding myself.” She lifted her chin. “I just want her back.”
“You got fired?”
Elena at Whiskers and Paw Pals had told her that the Hunt Ranch said she quit, but there was something about the girl’s demeanor that made Hayley wonder which scenario was true.
“Yeah. They didn’t like my attitude. I made the mistake of telling Mr. Hunt that he was using the wrong bit on his horse. Or at least I think that’s why they fired me.”
“You know bits?”
“I know horses,” she said simply. “I thought I was hiring on as a day hand for the summer, handling horses and cattle, but I ended up doing housework in the lodge.” Her tone bordered on disgust.
“Really.”
“It was supposed to be a temporary thing, until they replaced their former housekeeper, and Mrs. Hunt was so nice about it, I agreed. But... I messed up.” Her eyebrows went up. “Mr. Hunt did not appreciate getting horse advice from a housekeeper.”
“Or any advice, I’m guessing,” Bella said darkly. “My brother used to work for them.” She lifted her cup, elbows planted on the table. “That said, Mrs. Hunt is nice, and Mr. Hunt contributes to many local causes, so”—she lifted her shoulders in a c’est la vie shrug—“his megalomania is, for the most part, overlooked.”
“Not on my part.” Andie spoke in a stony voice before turning to Hayley. “My grandparents live in Great Falls, and they’ll take Greta until I get on my feet again.”
Hayley studied the young woman, noted her short fingernails and work-roughened hands. “You’re looking for a job.” It was a statement, not a question.
Andie nodded. “I have a few leads.” From the tone of her voice, they didn’t sound like strong ones. “The important thing is that Greta will be taken care of until I land something. My grandparents have a fenced yard, and Greta loves their cat, so she’ll be in good hands.”
“I’ll tell you what,” Hayley said. “Can you meet me at Whiskers and Paw Pals to discuss Greta with Elena? She has to have the final say in what happens.”
“When?”
“Say in an hour?” If she could get the Greta matter settled, she’d feel better. And if Andie needed a job, well, maybe they could help one another out in that regard.
Andie gave a solemn nod. “I’ll be there.”
*
Two hours later, Hayley glanced in the rearview mirror at the big truck following her smaller one as she turned onto the Lone Tree Ranch Road. Interesting how a person could go to town to meet a friend for coffee and end up returning home with a temporary ranch hand, but that was how things worked out.
After an intense discussion with Elena at Whiskers and Paw Pals, who was all about the welfare of her charges, Greta was going back to Andie, and Andie was going to work on the Lone Tree. Hayley needed immediate help now that Vince was gone, and Andie needed a job until she could land something permanent. Permanent meaning “permanent with horses.” Hayley, knowing how rare jobs in the equine field could be, silently wished her luck.
Andie parked next to her under the big elm tree that shaded the house. Greta jumped on the side yard gate, and Andie made a beeline for the little dog who started yipping and leaping at the sight of her mom. Any doubts Hayley had about Andie evaporated as the gate opened and Greta launched herself into Andie’s arms. Uncontrolled wiggling and face kissing ensued, then a nudge on the back of her leg made Hayley start. Remy nudged her again, and Hayley reached down to rub the pig’s bristly head.
“Thank you so much for finding her,” Andie said, as she put the little dog on the ground. Almost immediately, she picked her back up again as the pig approached. “Aren’t you a beauty?” she said to Remy, who grunted as she sniffed at Andie’s shoes. Andie hugged Greta close. “And thanks for hiring me.”
“I’ll show you where you’ll stay.”
All Andie had with her were two duffel bags, her riding gear, and a plastic bag of pet supplies. She lifted one duffel out of the back of her truck and Hayley the other.
The duplex-style cottage that served as housing for seasonal employees had been built in the 1960s by Hayley’s grandfather. Hayley had painted the building last summer as she buried herself in ranch repairs while dealing with the loss of her dad that spring. A small porch fronted the building, with two doors separated by a couple of feet of shiplap siding.
“Take your pick,” Hayley said.
Andie gave a shrug. “The one on the left.”
Hayley opened the door, and they went inside to drop the duffels on the floor near the small Formica table. They’d already established that Greta would stay in Hayley’s yard while Andie was at work, and hashed out the details of pay and notice required before she moved on, but Andie seemed oddly distracted. Worried almost.
“Is everything all right?” Hayley finally asked before leaving her new hand to settle in.
Andie started to nod, then shifted her weight. “The thing that got me fired?”
“Telling Carter Hunt about his horse’s bit?”
Andie nodded. “That happens to me a lot. Not the losing the job part, but pissing people off by blurting out the truth. I sometimes have a filter issue.”
Hayley considered the woman’s words. “Okay. You’re saying I shouldn’t ask you if these jeans make my butt look big?”
“It’s not like I have no control. Ninety percent of the time, I stop and think before speaking. But that remaining ten percent can be deadly. And the bit Mr. Hunt was using on his horse was an abomination. It must have weighed a couple of pounds. Very showy. Probably a pricey antique, but that poor horse was way too young to be carrying that thing in his mouth.”
“I might have said something, too, under those circumstances.” Hayley hated it when people had no idea that they were causing an animal pain. Or worse, they knew, and didn’t care. She decided to be charitable and put Carter Hunt in the first category. His wife did give generously to Whiskers and Paw Pals.
“I just wanted you to know that sometimes I say things I shouldn’t.”
“I appreciate it.” She doubted that Andie would say anything that would grievously offend her, but one never knew.
Hayley said goodbye and left her new hand to settle in.
Tomorrow she’d pick up the water lease from Ken, then drive to the Keller Ranch to meet with Daniel Keller. She wondered if Spence would be there, since he’d been the one to put forth the issue, and she also considered the fact that she kind of wanted him to be there. Wanted to see him because... yeah. She was gratified that he’d stopped by the ranch during the windstorm.
Gratified and what else? There was more to this heady feeling she experienced while talking to the man.
Gratification and a sense of danger.
Interesting.
Hayley slowed her steps as she considered. What was threatening about Spence?
The way she reacted to him.
So it wasn’t so much Spence as herself. Again, interesting.
She was realistic with herself regarding guys; what was possible, what was not. She hadn’t seen many happily-ever-afters, and while she applauded those who managed to hold on to relationships through thick and thin, she hadn’t experienced anything like that firsthand. Certainly, her parents hadn’t set an example to follow.
Her dad never remarried after her mom left him, and it was now clear that Reba was looking for something she couldn’t find. Being beautiful in an old-school, Rita Hayworth way and financially comfortable due to an inheritance, she had a lot of guys to choose from, but she inevitably chose wrong. Each new relationship was “the one.” Then the cracks would appear, and eventually, the sledgehammer would come out, smashing the relationship to smithereens, then off Reba would go, looking for the guy who would give her a perfect life.
Fortunately, Hayley had gone to live with her father early enough in life to learn to be independent instead of guy dependent, and being a geek hadn’t hurt in that regard. She’d watched her mom from the safety of the sidelines, hoping each new stepfather would be different, only to discover that they were basically all the same. And not one of them had the ability to connect with a child—aka her. Thankfully, she had limited time with them, but each and every one of them managed to make her feel like she had a third eye or something.
She put a hand on her flat abdomen and promised her future baby that she or he wouldn’t have to deal with that shit.
Hayley went to bed early that night. Even though it was still daylight, she could see the warm glow of a light in the window of the left side of the duplex cabin. She nodded off almost immediately, jerking upright when the phone rang.
The house was dark, and she didn’t bother checking the clock as she got out of bed and made her way to the kitchen where the landline phone sat on the desk where she did her accounts.
It rang again and, heart beating faster, because late-night calls were rarely good, she picked up the receiver and said hello.
Then she said hello again.
“Do yourself a favor and keep your water on your own property.”
The line went dead.
A spark of anger ignited as Hayley set down the receiver. Really? Someone had called her late at night to warn her off?
Did . . . whoever . . . honestly think that a late-night call would sway her?
Maybe.
She was a woman alone on the ranch—or rather, she had been until bringing Andie home with her.
Who would know that she was thinking of leasing water?
She hadn’t told anyone but Ken; however, she had no idea whom the Kellers might have told.
She walked across the dark kitchen to stare out the window. She could only see the duplex cottage by craning her neck, but the lights were off. She didn’t even know why she was checking, other than idle curiosity and the need to distract herself while she got a grip.
The call was creepy, and she was reacting accordingly. Nothing wrong with that.
And it was probably going to be a while until she fell asleep again.
Whatever. She headed down the dark hallway and into her bedroom, which was partially illuminated by the outside porch light.
Nobody was going to scare her into doing their bidding. She might not seek out confrontation, might have spent a lot of her life making herself invisible to avoid it, but she’d changed over the past few years, and she wasn’t taking this kind of crap lying down.
Tomorrow she was signing water lease papers right after she checked out Andie’s tractor skills. Mr. Anonymous Caller could take a flying leap. No one was telling her what to do with her own property.
*
Spence was checking the boundary fence along the county road before they turned their cattle into that pasture. It was open range, but cows on the road were a danger, especially at night, and the Kellers were careful about keeping their fences intact. He approached the junction between the county road and the long driveway leading to the ranch when a truck slowed and then turned down the drive.
He knew that truck. Now what he needed to know was if Hayley was there with good news or bad.
By the time he got back to the house, Hayley was seated at the kitchen table between Daniel and Audrey, going over the terms of the lease, which according to Daniel, were almost identical to the terms before, except for the price, which had gone up significantly.
Daniel looked up as he walked into the kitchen. “Good,” he said simply. “I have something to discuss with you.”
“Okay.” Spence pulled out a chair and sat.
“Hayley here is having an issue.”
“What’s that?”
“I got a call warning me to keep my water on my own property.”
Spence met his dad’s gaze. “Really? Whoever could that be?”
“That’s the question,” Hayley said, drawing his attention. “As far as I know, no one knows that we discussed this matter.”
“Unless Hunt simply put two and two together.” Spence frowned at the table. “Although, he wasn’t living here the last time we leased water from the Lone Tree.” Carter Hunt had left his daughter on the ranch with a housekeeper while he traveled the world, nailing down his business deals, and had only recently taken up full residence on the ranch, which he now wanted to expand in a major way. Once an entrepreneur, always an entrepreneur.
“When did you get the call?”
“Last night. Just late enough to make it creepy. The voice was male, but I didn’t recognize it. It sounded... younger than Carter Hunt.”
“Are you leasing us the water?” Daniel asked in a patient voice.
“Of course. Even if I’d decided not to, the phone call would have changed my mind.”
“It must have been Hunt.” Spence could think of no one else with an interest in the matter.
“I can’t see him doing anything that would blow back on him legally, but... if he could get away with some nefarious shit, I can see it,” Reed said.
“If there’s nefarious stuff happening,” Audrey said, “then I worry about Hayley being alone on the ranch.”
“I’m not alone,” Hayley said. “I have a new hire staying with me.” She hesitated before adding, “A person who worked for Carter Hunt until a few days ago.” She shifted her attention to Spence. “She’s the one who adopted the dog you found. We hooked up via the dog.”
“This sounds kind of suspect to me,” Reed said.
“A coincidence?” They happened, but Spence was always suspicious of things that fit together too precisely. Like this time frame.
“You found the dog before asking about the water lease,” Hayley pointed out.
“When did this person get fired?”
“I don’t know the timeline,” Hayley said slowly. She regarded the table with a frown, then looked up. “I think she’s legit.”
“Even so...” Spence shifted, pulling his feet under his chair and propping his elbows on the table. “Maybe you need some day help.”
“I totally need day help.” Then she seemed to realize where he was going and abruptly added, “But not you.”
Spence made a movement to indicate a stab to the heart. Hayley’s cheeks went pink before she murmured, “It’s not you . It’s that I don’t want to interfere with the reason you’re back home. I’ll squeak by until my high school kids are available. They show up early next week.”
“Will this person from the Hunt Ranch be able to fill Vince’s shoes?” Daniel asked.
“I’m assuming so.”
Daniel leaned back in his chair, running his gaze over those gathered at the table. “Reed and I can handle matters here until... you know.”
The surgery. Scheduled for the end of June, five weeks away.
“And Henry will probably still be here,” Spence added before shifting in his chair. “Even if you don’t need day help, you have a half-finished pipe corral, and you probably won’t find a welder of my expertise who would finish it for the rate I charge.”
She looked interested. “What rate is that?”
Spence shot a look at his dad, then said, “Half my going rate.” He raised his eyebrows in a way that silently said, “After all, I owe you,” and Hayley appeared to receive the message.
She sat back in her chair, her gaze traveling from one Keller face to the next until she hit Audrey, who gave a slight nod.
“We’d all feel better if you weren’t so alone until we find out if this was just Carter Hunt taking a shot in the dark, or something else.”
Hayley pulled in a long breath, then released it. “All right. How long do you think the corrals will take?”
“How about I work halftime at your place, halftime here until Dad’s back operation? By that time, June... what?”
“Twenty-seventh,” Audrey said automatically.
“By then we should know if anything else is going on, and if your new hire is a Hunt spy.”
“Andie is not a Hunt spy.” But despite the certainty of her words, Hayley didn’t back away from the offer. “I’ll pay you for the corrals and for any work you might do, just like I would anyone else who sets foot on the place.”
“Agreed. Start tomorrow?”
Hayley looked as if she was still having a few second thoughts, but she said, “Yes. Tomorrow,” before opening the folder sitting on the table in front of her. “Now that that’s settled, let’s go over what Ken drew up for us.”