Chapter 2
Two
Sunlight spread across the landscape and the drive to Rhett’s ranch was incredibly beautiful.
On one side of the highway, Stanton Forest led to a mountain range, and above, the cloudless blue sky went on forever.
The spring rains had turned everything into a rich green and the pastures in the lowlands were lush.
Every tree they passed was wearing its summer best and all alongside the road and throughout the lowland pastures, wildflowers spread out like a patchwork quilt.
Jenna and Kane with their sons, Tauri and Jackson, arrived at Rhett’s ranch a little before ten-thirty.
Carter came out immediately to help Kane unload the horses, and Jenna took her sons and made her way up the steps and into the grand foyer of a massive ranch house.
She gaped at the intricately carved wooden panels, the magnificent staircase, and the oil paintings gracing the walls.
“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Julie greeted her with Rhett hurrying to her side. “I wish I could stay here forever. I’ve never had so much room to move around before. Do you want me to give you the tour?”
Jenna smiled. “Maybe later when we come back. Dave and Ty are waiting outside. The kids are anxious to go riding. I’ve never taken them to a ranch this size before.
” She looked at Rhett. “This house is beautiful. I didn’t even know it existed.
I noticed many other buildings around the area. Are they as splendid as this one?”
“Actually, I haven’t been inside all of them as the ranch staff occupy them.
I believe it would be an invasion of privacy and I don’t want to upset them.
This house is overwhelming for me, but Julie has been wonderful.
” Rhett gave Julie a squeeze. “She’s been making a ton of changes around here and bringing everything up to date.
The house is in great shape, but when I arrived everything was over twenty years old.
Now we have TV and satellite Wi-Fi.” He looked at Jackson and Tauri.
“The kids will be fine. The place had antiques all over, but we’ve moved them into a spare room. ”
Jenna smiled. “I’ll keep them close. I figure they’d get lost here. The house is much bigger than I envisaged.”
“Are we going riding soon?” Tauri looked at her. “Dad said they have cows and bison. I’d like to see them.”
“They’re all over. I promise you won’t miss anything.” Rhett smiled at him. “We’re ready to go if you are?” Julie grabbed the food. “I’ll go and get the horses. Meet you round the front.” He turned on his heel and headed along the passageway.
Jenna took the boys outside and they mounted their horses. Kane took Jackson and placed him before him on the saddle. He went a little ahead with the children, and Jenna rode beside Rhett. “You’ve been here for a few weeks now. What’s the lay of the land like?”
“It’s a very busy working ranch and people are coming and going all the time.
” Rhett stared into the distance. “They employed twenty or so people last week. The place is filled with seasonal hands, so it is difficult to figure out who is here permanently. I know there’s a big staff most of the year, but around this time, they’re not only managing the cattle and bison but also cutting hay for winter. ”
Jenna nodded. “So nothing weird is happening?”
“Not than I can see—well, apart from a few side-eyes from the hands.” Rhett frowned. “They shake their heads and roll their eyes when they see me. I’m not a good fit for a cattle ranch and I know that.”
Looking at the fresh-from-graduating-UM young man, she had to admit, the bad-boy biker image did look out of place.
Jenna smiled. “Well, this a Western county. Maybe it would help if you went into town with Carter to buy yourself a few pairs of Wranglers, a cowboy hat, and some boots. He’ll be able to advise you. ”
“Yeah, Ty said the same thing and I’m trying to understand the way of things here.” He narrowed his gaze. “I have a ton of records from when my dad was in charge. I’ve started wading through them, but there’s so much paperwork. It’s almost impossible.”
Looking ahead, Jenna could see Kane with Jackson seated in front of him, and Tauri riding between him and Carter.
Tauri rode well. They’d been taking him out often over the weekends and their good friend and relative, through Tauri, Atohi Blackhawk had been taking him trail riding into the forest since he turned five.
She turned her attention back to Rhett. “Carter mentioned he planned to do an aerial survey of the ranch. How did that go?”
“Yeah, I went up in the chopper with Ty and noticed many patches of freshly toiled earth. When I came back to the ranch I asked Bowman about them, and he said that they bury dead cattle where they fall. They have a ton of tractors and other machinery at their disposal. Apparently, it’s easier to bury them where they drop rather than try and drag them back to a burial area or whatever.
Once they’ve laid in the field for a few days, which is usually the time it takes to discover them, they’re no good for anything. ”
Immediately Jenna’s mind went on alert. Freshly turned soil could well be burial plots for dead cows, but they could also be burial plots for victims of crime.
She nodded to Rhett. “I’m going to catch up with Dave.
” Seeing an anxious look flash across his face, she reined in Seagull.
“I forgot to ask if you’d ridden before.
” But before Rhett could answer, Julie rode up beside her.
“Yeah, he’s ridden before. In fact, he spent some time as a foster kid on a turkey farm.” Julie smiled. “He knows his horses too, but Blackhawk came along when we purchased four for our own use, just to make sure they were sound.”
“We’ve been out a few times, which is just as well because when I came back after not riding for ten or more years, I couldn’t walk the next morning.” He laughed. “I sure looked like a cowboy then, bandy legs and all. Ty pushed me back on a horse and it got better from then on.”
Seagull pulled at the bit, dancing sideways, snorting, and doing everything to encourage Jenna to move faster.
A white Arab, Seagull wanted to gallop the moment she could see an open stretch of green grass in front of her.
Jenna turned her round a couple of times to get control and they cantered toward Kane and Jackson.
“Hey, has Carter mentioned the patches of freshly turned soil all over this spread?”
“Nope.” Kane looked at her and raised both eyebrows. “I know what you’re thinking but that’s normal practice, and something the boys don’t really need to hear about.”
She turned to Carter. “Can you give Jackson a ride? I need to talk business with Dave. I only need five minutes.”
“Not a problem.” Carter rode closer and took the little boy from Kane’s hands and placed him in front of him on the saddle. Jackson laughed and bunched his fingers into the horse’s mane.
Jenna rode beside Kane as he urged Warrior forward in a canter and then pulled back to a walk twenty yards or so from the others.
Jenna looked at him. “I want to take a look at the burned-out cabin where Rhett’s parents died, but we need to look at this place like a crime scene.
People are coming and going here all the time.
Look at this place. It would be paradise for a serial killer.
There are so many places to hide a body. ”
“Yeah, that ran through my mind as well.” Kane turned in his saddle to look at her.
“Not that the records from twenty-two years ago are very good. In fact, most are nonexistent, but Blackwater and Louan both have records. If a list of people went missing around the time Rhett’s parents were murdered, we could look into possible burial sites.
” He sighed. “I figure his father stumbled into something else. Maybe money is involved. Rhett may need to hire a forensic accountant to go through the books from around that time and see if he can find anything unusual.”
Jenna nodded. “Hmm.” She thought for a beat. “I’m still inclined to do a search for missing persons around that time. Just hearing about the graves for the cattle makes it so convenient for a serial killer. What if Rhett’s father discovered one of the bodies and was murdered to silence him?”
“Nah, a psychopath would kill him right away and not risk being exposed. I figure as Rhett’s father made a point of leaving a detailed letter for his son, he would have told his lawyer—and gone to the sheriff for protection.
” Kane met her gaze. “If he was able to run this place, he was a smart man. I can’t see him taking chances with his family. ”
Unconvinced, Jenna shook her head. “I guess this is another mystery we’re going to have to solve.”