Chapter 28
maverick
I’m halfway through checking the drip lines behind the greenhouse when my phone buzzes. The sky is warm with late spring sun, and the air smells like lavender and wet loam from this morning’s irrigation.
I stare at the name on the screen, a muscle jumping in my jaw.
I swipe to answer. “Yeah.”
“Where are you, Mav?” Her voice is soft and sweet.
“The greenhouse.”
“I’m coming over, so don’t go nowhere, alright.” She giggles.
I want to say hell no, but I ask her to hurry ‘cause I’ve got things to do. I need to know what she’s up to. Hugh has been digging into what’s happening at Longhorn, but he’s got nothing right now.
With the auction tomorrow, I’m worried what new hell is going to land on my woman’s ranch.
She catches me as I walk to the door of the greenhouse. She gives me a quick hug. “Mav, darlin’, it’s so good to see you.”
Celine is the antithesis of her sister, dressed like she’s headed to a party—black linen slacks, a raw silk blouse, heels that don’t belong within fifty miles of soil. Her sunglasses are perched on her head like a crown.
“I’m on my way to the Save The Sea Urchin fundraiser at Kitty Adair’s place in Aspen,” she tells me, her hand sliding onto my forearm.
“You want to save the sea urchins?” I ask bemused.
She laughs. “You know Kitty. She just needs an excuse for a party.”
Her perfume hits me before she does—sweet, cloying, too much.
I don’t like her touching me, but I let it slide.
If she thinks I’ve crossed over to her sister’s side, she’ll clam up.
And right now, I want her talking ‘cause I need every edge I can get if I’m going to figure out what she and her husband are really up to with Longhorn.
“I’ve heard something distressing, Mav.” She turns to face me, her hands linking around my neck.
I place my hands on her waist. “You have?”
“My sister told me you’re sleepin’ with her.” She pouts.
I raise an eyebrow. Aria claimed me in front of her sister. I like that. I like that very much.
“You’re fixing her fences. Helping her tag cattle. Are you helping her save the ranch?”
I smile, slow and sharp. “I’m bein’ a good neighbor, Celine.”
She licks her lips, keeps her baby blues on me. Any minute now, she’s going to flutter those eyelashes.
Celine looks innocent. I’ve got to give her that. Everyone who knows her thinks she’s soft, lovely, maybe not the sharpest tool in the shed but harmless.
“But…don’t you want to buy Longhorn? You said that if I just give her space and time, she’ll fail, and then you’ll buy it.” She rests her forehead against my chest. “I’m trusting you, Mav. You know we need the money.”
“I don’t think she’s goin’ to succeed,” I say calmly, carefully. I don’t want to spook her.
She raises her head and smiles. “Really?”
“Yeah. Someone’s been sabotaging her efforts. It’s been a mess.”
She blinks like she has no clue what I’m talking about, but I catch the smugness in her eyes. I know. I can’t prove it. But I know. It’s her. Hudson is probably involved as well, but she’s the one who’s put this together.
“I wonder who that could be.” She does flutter her eyelashes now. “It isn’t you, is it?”
“No, of course not,” I say, feigning just the right amount of indignation. “But folks are talkin’, sayin’ I’m helpin’ her for the wrong reasons. So, I gotta keep up appearances, yeah? Last thing I need is this town thinkin’ I’m out to sabotage her chances at Gunnison.”
I lay it on thick, feeding Celine exactly what she wants to hear. I need her calm, not spooked. The last thing Aria or Longhorn needs is Celine panicking and setting off another disaster.
I extricate myself from her embrace with the excuse of tearing a yellowing leaf on a lemon tree.
“What kind of sabotage is…happenin'?” she asks, all casual-like.
But her eyes gleam—like an arsonist hangin’ around just to watch the fire she lit.
“Sugar in the tractor. Contaminating the feed. Cutting the fence. Calling the organic Gestapo.”
“I hear the organic inspectors didn’t even file a complaint. Just let her go, saying it was a witch hunt, and she was set up.”
For a woman who just asked me what was going on at Longhorn, she’s obviously well informed.
“You know, I think she’ll fail…no matter what. She’s not a rancher,” Celine declares.
I make an effort not to clench my jaw and jump to Aria’s defense. “She’s alright.”
Celine laughs as if delighted. “So…how alright is she? Are you sleepin’ with her?”
I don’t want to discuss this with her in any way. “Does it matter?”
She shrugs. “I…I mean…it hurts, you know…’cause I thought that…well, doesn’t matter.”
She’s a master at looking injured. In the past, this act would’ve worked. I’d have coaxed her to tell me what was bothering her.
“Why does it hurt?” I ask casually.
I walk up to the kumquat tree in the corner of the greenhouse and reach out, brushing my fingers over a cluster of new buds.
The leaves are glossy, the branches pruned just so.
I check for leaf curl, pinch off a withered blossom, and tuck it into my palm.
It gives me something to do with my hands while I try not to look at her.
“Because…I love you, Mav. You know that.”
I raise my eyes from the leaves to look at her. “Celine, darlin’, you’re married.”
“Not for long.”
“Speakin’ of, where is Hudson?” If he and Celine are working together to harm Longhorn, which I think they are, I want to know where the fuck he is at all times.
“Went to Aspen, says he has a meeting….”
Her eyes are sad again. She can do this on command, and I’m impressed despite myself.
“Probably boning some bimbo,” she adds.
She makes a show of getting her emotions under control.
“It’s just been so hard, you know, Mav.”
Christ! Has it been a chore getting her spa appointments?
“And you know what makes it harder? That you are with her.” On cue, her eyes fill with tears.
I want to clap for her Oscar-worthy performance.
“How could you, Mav?” Her voice shakes just enough to convey her distress, her heartbreak, her bullshit.
“Celine, it’s just business, yeah?”
She studies me, calculating. “You’re falling for her, aren’t you?”
I keep my voice flat. “I’m doing what I said I’d do. Watching her fail. And when she does, I’ll be there to buy Longhorn, just like we planned.”
Celine licks her lips, sniffles. “Really?”
“Well, as long as these sabotage attempts stop. Because if they don’t…hell, I’m going to be the one accused of fuckin’ with Longhorn.”
I’m hoping this way, Celine will back off. I’m hoping this way Aria can sell her herd. I’m hoping this will give Hugh time to investigate and find the evidence to get Celine and or Hudson locked up.
Celine throws her arms around me again. “No one would dream of accusing you. Everyone loves you, just like I do.”
Fuck! How did I miss what a viper Celine is? But that’s how sociopaths survive—they smile sweet, play soft, until you’re close enough to feel the fangs. I see her now, clear as day. No velvet. No veil. Just venom.
“Now, I’ve got to get back to work, Celine.”
She smiles tremulously. “Thanks, Mav. I can’t wait for Longhorn to be sold. You’ll come see me in Aspen, won’t you?”
“Of course, I will, darlin’.”
I walk her out to her ride and see Tate driving the SUV.
Suddenly, I know who’s been fucking with Longhorn.
God damn it! Why didn’t I see it before? Tate’s always had a thing for Celine, and she’s probably balling him and convinced him to recommend Wes Boone to Aria. She didn’t give it a thought. Neither did I.
“Hey, Mav.” Tate waves.
I nod at him. I need to do damage control now.
“Bye, Mav.” Celine kisses my cheek and then hurries into Tate’s truck.
I pull out my phone and call Aria. She doesn’t pick up.
I call Earl and tell him what I need him to do and why.
“The motherfucker,” Earl snarls.
“Don’t let him know you suspect him. Just keep an eye on him, alright? I’m going to talk to Hugh and see how to handle this.”
“I’m gonna watch him like a hawk,” Earl vows.
As I drive to Longhorn, I call the sheriff.
“How far have you gotten with the Longhorn investigation?” I demand without preamble as soon as he picks up.
“Well, hello to you, too, Mav,” Hugh jeers as I take the turnoff for Longhorn, my tires chewing gravel. “I got other priorities, yeah?”
“Whatever! Did you look into Wes Boone?”
“Just the usual. Didn’t have time for more than that.”
“What the fuck, Hugh!”
I hear him growl. “Hey, we had that fifteen-truck pileup on I-70—derailed the whole damn week. But I’ve got a contact in Austin digging into old employment records. Something’s off about your boy.”
“He’s not my boy,” I growl. “He’s in Aria’s Goddamn crew, and dirty as hell.”
“Yeah, well, if he is, he’s been careful,” Hugh mutters. “Nothing obvious. No priors.”
“I’m telling you—he was planted,” I say, and then explain how I came to that conclusion.
“I’ll talk to Tate. In the meantime, keep your cards close, don’t spook the son of a bitch.”
“I can’t let him hurt Aria more than he has. Won’t let Celine—”
“Hey, I wanna get them, too, which means you protect Aria without lettin’ the world know what the fuck’s goin’ on, otherwise I can’t get evidence, got it?”
“Hurry the fuck up, Hugh, ‘cause if he pulls another stunt, I’m going to beat down the motherfucker.”
“Christ! Mav. What’s gotten into you?”
“He’s fuckin’ with my woman, Hugh.”
“Oh shit! You’ve done gone fallen for Aria Delgado.”
“Just get to work, yeah?”
“Try not to do anything illegal,” he retorts.
“Not gonna promise a damn thing to you,” I mutter, ending the call.
I pull through the Longhorn gates and park beside the house.
Earl’s already coming down from the bunkhouse, face grim, coffee thermos in one hand and a rifle slung across his shoulder.
“He’s gone,” he says before I even reach him.
I stop cold. “You sure?”
Earl nods once. “I just checked, and his duffle is gone, and so is our ATV. He took off, the motherfucker. Left the damn gate unlatched.”
“Son of a bitch,” I mutter, dragging a hand through my hair.
I thought I got here in time…but…fuckin’ hell.
“It’s like he knew that you were on to him.”
It did seem that way.
Maybe Celine didn’t buy my act, perhaps she saw through it and asked Wes to leave. Or, she bought it and told Wes to skedaddle ‘cause he didn’t need to sabotage anything anymore. I was on it.
Either way, Wes Boone has bolted, and now I have to break the bad news to Aria. She’s going to blame herself for trusting him.
“Where is she?”
Earl jerks his chin toward the barn, jaw flexing. “She’s running the final checks before we start loading cattle.”
I exhale, staring out at the hills. “All okay with the herd?”
“So far.” Earl’s voice is sharp. “Let’s hope we can keep it that way.”
I nod wearily. “I’ll talk to Hugh. If Wes is running, I want him found before he buries whatever evidence we might still get.”
Earl’s gaze hardens. “You think he’ll come back?”
“Only if he’s stupid.”
Earl puts a hand on my shoulder. “No matter what, you’re goin’ to take care of her, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, Earl, I am.”
“You won’t let her break.”
“No.”
He nods slowly. “Good. Good.” Then he pulls his hand off me. “Alright, you go tell Aria about the situation with Wes; I’ll go kick Tomas’s ass.”