Chapter 17
CHAPTER 17
Ryan looked around the room, drew in a deep breath, and let it out in a rush. “I don’t know all of you guys here, and I’m not ignoring you, but I’m going to be talking directly with Clark and Jake. I don’t know if you know my story, but Clark was my former LT.”
“We understand,” Jake said. He nodded to the men around the room. “They know your story, and why you’re working at Royal’s. Did something happen?”
“Yes,” Ryan said as he pulled the envelope he’d retrieved from the small of his back. Instead of saying anything, he handed it to Jake. “Inside you’ll find a button camera I used to record the conversation I had today. I think it would be better if you watch it, then ask your questions.”
Ryan watched as one of the men jumped up, took the package, and before he tossed the small notebook to the side, Ryan grabbed it and gave it to Clark. “That’s my written report.”
“Thanks,” Clark said as he flipped it open and started reading. He looked at Ryan in shock. “Are you fucking shitting me?”
“No, watch.” He pointed to the screen of a computer. Someone pressed play, and they all watched the conversation Ryan had earlier with the enemy. They ended up watching it several times before Jake shook his head and looked between Ryan, Clark, and Pru.
“Who is this Donaldson person?” Jake asked. “I take it from your reaction, Riceman, you know them?”
“I do, his spread is north of the Riceman ranch.” He looked around and saw a map of the state on the wall. He walked over and began pointing out the locations. When it was straight in everyone’s mind, Clark shook his head and sighed heavily. “There’s something these assholes don’t know.”
“What’s that?” Pru asked.
“Erin owns the Donaldson spread these assholes are talking about. Can they come over onto Riceman property? Yes, that wouldn’t be a problem. The only thing is that both Erin and I own it.” Clark looked at the shocked expressions of everyone, and explained, “Miller is after Rin because she was the one that started the investigation into his parents and what they were doing to the local ranchers. Once the dust settled, they were sent to jail for eight to twelve years.”
“What did they do?” Jake asked in confusion.
Clark sighed heavily, rubbed the back of his neck, then settled his hips on a desk behind him. “I can’t give you all the information, not because I don’t want to, but because I don’t have it, but I can tell you what Erin told me. Our ranch was established back in the eighteen thirties, by my grandmother, Erin Riceman. Yes, my sister is named after her. Anyway, whenever anyone added land to the original homestead, it was paid for in cash. Erin’s Way never ever in its history had a mortgage to speak of. I’m talking for damn near two hundred years.
“Anyway, after our parents were killed and Erin inherited everything, about a year after the accident, she started getting foreclosure notices from the bank. She went to a new accountant, and that person tried to rob her blind.”
“Wait,” one of the men said. “Was that the Millers? One was a CPA, and the other was the local bank manager?”
“Yes, at the same time they tried to take Erin’s Way from Erin, they sent a foreclosure notice to Donaldson. His property was also paid off, but his wife was sick and dying with cancer, so he ignored the notices like Erin did. Well, she looked into it, found the fraud, and she was able to get our farm out of the mess. When they went forward to getting Donaldson’s property, she took the foreclosure notice, went to the bank and paid the amount on the notice. It happened to be the day that Mr. Miller was off. With the receipt in hand, she went to her lawyer and had a case against Miller for Donaldson’s property. She then went to Donaldson and told him what happened. He thanked her, and asked if he could live there until he passed. She said it was fine. All of Mr. Ducky’s children were gone, like he had outlived them, and he only had grandchildren that lived in different states. Because Mom and Dad had left Erin’s Way to Erin, Erin put my name on the new deed of Donaldson’s property.”
“So,” Jake said as he rubbed his lower jaw. “If this Donaldson really is in an old folks home, then the property will automatically revert over to you and Erin?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have proof?” someone asked.
“Erin has the deed in the safe back home. I’ve seen it.”
“Question,” Pru said from where she’d been standing in the corner. Everyone turned to look at her with raised brows. “I know what you guys are thinking, that you should go check on Donalson and move in. But, what if you do check on Donaldson, then not move into that property? What if, Clark, you and your men, camp out about a mile onto Erin’s Way property?” She saw their confused looks and walked over to the map to explain what she said.
“They don’t need to know that you own Donaldson’s property now. Let them come onto Erin’s Way property, and arrest them then.” She shook her head and sighed heavily. “I don’t know if I’d trust them that they didn’t want any animals hurt, because we know what the Firths do with animals, but what if we put some of the horses out there where you camp? I don’t know if it would be entrapment or what, but maybe that would be another charge against them, but I think we need to investigate something else first.”
“What’s that?” Ryan asked quietly.
“Who is the lawyer that keeps getting them off? From my calculations, all four of them are looking at, at least four felonies since Reid arrived on the ranch a year ago. If Royal’s footing the bill, who’s getting them off? Is it a lawyer or a judge?” She shook her head before she looked around the room. “Or aren’t they even making it to the jail cell? Is a cop not charging them with the proper charges?” She again shook her head as if to clear it. “I know I’m scatterbrained at times, but I do like to think I have some smarts left. I also know it’s confusing that the entire Riceman property is in three different counties. Which cop from which county isn’t charging these goons properly? Do they have something to gain from taking Erin down?” She shrugged and looked at the shocked faces of the others around her. “Just a thought.”
“That’s several good questions,” a voice said from the side, and they all turned to see both Sparrow and Jim Faulker standing there. The men took the next fifteen minutes to reveal what Ryan had uncovered, and sat there to wait until the two law enforcement agents stopped swearing.
“First,” Jim said. “Donaldson’s property is in my jurisdiction, so I can be involved.” He went on to explain about the size of Erin’s Way and the different jurisdictions. “I can’t speak for the other arresting officers, but you can bet your ass that when I hauled those men in after trying to steal those cattle last fall, I made sure there was felony trespassing, and felony cattle rustling charges against them. Three felonies in one swoop. In my book, Philip Firth should have been sent back to jail on the day he was released when he showed up at The Broken Wheel, drunk and threatening Erin Riceman. They were clear violations of his parole and nothing was done. You can bet your ass I will be getting to the bottom of things.” He scratched the top of his head, shook his head, turned in a circle, then centered his gaze between Pru and Clark.
“If it were me, Riceman, I’d take the advice of that lady right there and camp out a mile onto your property from Donaldson’s. That will give them plenty of time to trespass, and not say they didn’t know there was a fence or a clearly marked property line.” He turned to Ryan with a scowl. “When is this supposed to take place?”
“Next week. Royal’s going to LA to pick up the firepower he says we’ll need, while the Firths and Miller are to procure the property. I’m to stay back and do the regular chores on Royal’s farm until he returns.”
Jim turned to look at Clark with a frown. “Today’s Monday, that gives you six days to get out there and make sure the fence is secure. You’re also going to want to post clearly No Trespassing signs on the posts so they can’t come back and say they didn’t know where the line was. Can you get it done in that time?”
“Yes, I can pull the men from Broken, and Erin’s Way. I think once I explain the situation, the women from Broken can flip over and help out if needed at Erin’s Way.”
“We can,” Pru said proudly. “You guys do what you have to, and once you go out there to camp, and the regular hands return, we can keep watch at Broken.” She looked at the map and shook her head. “It looks like they’d come onto Broken’s property first.”
“They would.” Clark walked over to the map and told everyone what he remembered from when he was younger growing up on Erin’s Way. They spent the next hour fine tuning details, and before everyone left, Jake said that he could have men help camp out, but they wouldn’t be able to finish up their jobs in time to help repair any fences that might need to be fixed.
“That’s fine, just stop by at Erin’s Way and I’ll make sure someone takes you over to Broken. Right now, the only way to that part of the ranch is to go past the main house.” They all agreed and the meeting quickly broke up. Ryan stood off to the side as Jake’s men left to go to their own homes, and he held Pru’s hand as they left.
In the quiet of the empty room, he turned to smile at her. “Can you stay?”
“I would love to, but Clark caught a ride with me at the last minute. He said he was worried about you and wanted to check in.”
“Damn, okay.” He turned so she was in his arms and lowered his head to hers. It was a long time before they came up for air, then with his forehead on hers, he whispered, “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too. I’ve noticed you’ve put on weight these last few weeks.”
“Yeah, I’m still thirty pounds less than when I was captured, but don’t feel as weak as when I first arrived at Broken. I’m eating for two, because Royal has me doing all the work at his farm.” Ryan shook his head sadly. “The Firths and Miller are supposed to be helping, but they sit around and shoot the shit all day instead of working.” He chuckled as he shook his head again. “Makes me curious what they’re going to do when they’re supposed to go out to make sure Donaldson’s really in the old folks’ home.”
“Maybe I can talk to Clark about it on the way home and have him go over there to check out the situation, and I don’t know, if he’s still there, maybe convince him to go over to Erin’s Way, or even stay in one of the big cabins on Broken and if he’s caught being there, Clark can say he’s there to clean up his grandfather’s house.”
“I can see that. Why don’t you talk to him on the way home.”
“Talk to me about what?” Clark suddenly appeared beside them. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to break you guys up, but we really should get back to the ranch to fill the others in on what’s coming.”
“Okay,” Pru said, then reached up, gripped the back of Ryan’s neck, and brought him down for a kiss. When they broke apart, Ryan noticed Clark had disappeared.
“I can’t wait to get you alone,” Ryan said as he gripped her hand and led her to the stairs. Fifteen minutes later, he sighed heavily as he stood in the parking lot and watched as Pru drove out with Clark in the seat beside her. He shook his head, went inside, and hurried up to his room to shower before the guests started returning from their day excursions.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” Clark asked once they were on the main road and heading back to the ranch.
Pru took a few minutes to answer, and he’d learned not to push her.
“It’s just a thought, but what if you and Erin go over tomorrow and pay Donaldson a visit? Check on him to see whether he’s in a home or not. I for one wouldn’t take Miller or Firth’s say so that he’s in a home. I would want to see for myself, and if he is, then go see him to see if he’ll be getting out. If he isn’t in a home, then convince him to come over to stay at Erin’s Way with Erin, or at one of the larger cabins on Broken. Get him out of the way and you move into his home.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out in a rush. “You can pose as his grandson and if the assholes show up, tell them you’re getting ready to clean the house out. I don’t know what you could say, but I feel it’s important to get Mr. Donaldson off of the ranch. I can’t put my finger on it, but I feel that one of the four might commit murder if he’s there.”
“Damn, I never thought of that. Yeah, let me talk it over with Erin.” He pulled his phone and sent a text. “I just sent a text for all of us to meet at one of the large cabins. It’s easier for Erin and Reid to come there, than all of us to go there. By the time we get home, supper will be over.” He looked over at her and smiled. “Don’t worry, Naomi said she’d keep something warm for both of us. I’m sorry I hopped in your truck at the last minute. I forgot you and Ryan are an item. I didn’t mean to cockblock him. I’ll make it up to you sometime.”
“The day he returns, you can take care of my chickens for two days.”
“Deal.” They shared a laugh and discussed what they needed to tell the others when they returned. The talking made the miles fly by and before they knew it, they were pulling into the driveway to Erin’s Way. They only waved when they saw Erin and Reid coming out of the house and going to one of their vehicles. The two in the truck nodded to one another and headed toward the large cabins further on the ranch.