Chapter Twenty-Four
Clancy spent the next few hours at the hospital. Sarah sat with her while Dub was in surgery to remove the bullet from his shoulder.
“How can you forgive me for thinking you were a murderer?” Clancy had cried when Sarah showed up at the hospital and hugged her.
“Vernon had a lot of people believing it, including the sheriff.”
“But we were friends. I should have known,” Clancy said. “You saved my life by getting me out of the guesthouse. I almost got your cousins killed.”
“Stop, it’s over. Vernon is locked up, Abel and Dub are both in good hands here at the hospital and we’re still friends.”
Clancy nodded and wiped her tears. “I was so glad you and Max showed up when you did.” She blew her nose, then asked, “The bank. Was there anything there?”
Sarah smiled. “There was. More money than I will ever need.”
“What will you do now?”
“Fix up my cabin.”
“I loved your cabin,” Clancy said. “I could see you in what you’ve done so far.”
Sarah smiled. “I thought you might like it. But along with the cabin, I’m going to help out at Shady Rest until they get a new manager, then who knows.” She laughed. “I’ll probably work there part-time. What would Myrna do without me?”
“And what would you do without Myrna telling you the latest rest home gossip?” Clancy shook her head. “I’ve never had a friend like you.”
“Lucky you,” Sarah joked. “What about you? What are your plans?”
“Definitely not going back to Shady Rest except for an occasional visit to see some of the residents and staff,” Clancy said. “Definitely not going back to the convenience store either.”
“Wait, isn’t your birthday this weekend? Still going to Billings and maybe on south?” When Clancy didn’t answer, she said, “Or has the cowboy changed your mind?”
A nurse stuck her head in the doorway of the waiting room to tell her that Dub had come out of surgery. “The doctor said to tell you that the surgery went well. Mr. Crawford is recovering. You should both go home and get some rest.”
* * *
DUB OPENED HIS eyes to find Clancy in the chair beside his bed sound asleep.
He didn’t want to wake her. He preferred watching her sleep.
After everything they’d been through, he felt even more determined not to let her go.
Nothing had changed since the first time he’d seen her.
His heart ached for what she’d been through.
He hadn’t realized how lost she’d been until she turned up at the ranch.
That was when he’d discovered how much alike they were even though they came from completely different backgrounds. He understood her need to search for what was missing.
Her lashes fluttered and she opened those beautiful brown eyes of hers and smiled.
“You’re awake,” she said, sitting up.
He nodded, smiling. “I was just enjoying watching you sleep.”
She blushed, shaking her head. “How do you feel?”
“Sore and a little out of it, but not too bad. It’s good to see you. Are you all right?” He realized it was a stupid question. She’d almost been killed, knocked around and traumatized. “You just went through a lot.”
“I’m okay. You found me.”
“I would have never left you alone at the guesthouse if my brother—”
“It’s all right. The sheriff told me. I knew you wouldn’t just leave without telling me or leaving a note. But you found me when I needed you the most.”
Dub could think of nothing to say as he reached for her hand.
He wanted to tell her that he loved her—he didn’t care that they didn’t know each other well yet—but he held his tongue.
He promised himself there would be time now to tell her everything he needed to say to her, because he was going to marry this woman.
The nurse came into his room and told Clancy to go home and get some rest. Home? She didn’t have a home or a job or anywhere to go, he wanted to tell the nurse, but then the doctor came in to check his shoulder—and he saw Sarah waiting at the door.
Clancy let go of his hand as she stood. Smiling down at him, she said, “I’ll see you later. I’m staying with Sarah, but I’ll be back.”
He couldn’t wait as he watched her leave.
* * *
WHEN THE NEWS came out about the Shady Rest manager, Grass Range residents were shocked to find out they’d had a murderer living among them.
No one was more surprised than Sheriff Max Lander.
When Vernon was taken into custody, his prints run, Max discovered Vernon Vance, aka Donald Hanley, was a former homicide detective from Florida who had been wanted for years.
Hanley, a dirty cop, had been involved in a series of crimes before he killed two cops and disappeared.
“I never liked that man,” Sarah said when Max had gotten her and Clancy together to tell them the news. “None of the residents trusted him, for good reason. It didn’t help that everyone knew he was sleeping with Alice Chambers.”
“But why did he kill Esther?” Clancy asked.
“All this started,” Max said, “because of Esther, her thievery and her greed. She had been blackmailing Vernon aka Hanley since the day she moved in. Her bank account show weekly deposits, smaller ones that kept getting larger until her death.”
“I still don’t understand how she recognized Vernon as a dirty cop and cop killer from Florida,” Sarah said.
“Esther had dozens of pen pals from the state penitentiary in Florida,” Max explained.
“One of the inmates was doing life without parole because Hanley had set him up. The inmate, stuck in prison for the rest of his life, became a pen pal with women across the country. He sent them each a photo of the cop who’d disappeared, asking for their help in finding him. ”
“Esther recognized him, but instead of letting the inmate know, blackmailed him,” Clancy said with a groan.
“No wonder he never did anything about her,” Sarah said.
Max nodded. “She had the run of the place. From what I can tell, she wasn’t even paying rent on her apartment.
She would have bled him dry, and I think Vernon aka Hanley realized it had to end.
More than likely, the argument you had with Esther, Clancy, made him realize it would look as if you had killed her.
When that wasn’t working, he produced the threatening notes Sarah had sent her. ”
Sarah shook her head. “And switched the blood samples. Too bad he didn’t know I was O negative.”
“Who would have suspected everything that was going on at Shady Rest,” Clancy said. “I never thought the job would be that dangerous. Fortunately, I made a good friend who saved my life even when I accused her of murder.”
Sarah reached over and took Clancy’s hand. “You wanted a more exciting life. Guess you got it.” They shared a smile. Max was glad to see that they were friends again.
“What happens to Vernon… Hanley now?” Sarah asked.
“He’ll be returned to Florida where I’m sure he’ll try to make a deal,” the sheriff said. “Then he’ll be sent back here to stand trial for Esther Mason’s and Jane Cooke’s murders and the shooting of Abel Wilson and Dub Crawford. I’m sure he’ll plead out. He’ll spend the rest of his life in prison.”
“Can you imagine what the Shady Rest residents are saying right now?” Clancy said with a chuckle. “Sarah, you’re their hero.”
Sarah shook her head. “I’m only filling in as manager until another one can be hired. But then I’ll probably stay on part-time.” As if noticing their surprise, since she no longer needed the income, she added, “They’d miss me,” she joked.
“What about you?” Max asked Clancy.
She shrugged, but smiled. He realized he hadn’t seen her this happy. Or was it content? “I think I’m going to stay around for a while. I have a good friend here and I promised Dub I’d give him a ride home from the hospital.”
“What about that world out there?” Sarah said, pretending to be shocked. “Aren’t you worried you’ll miss something?”
Clancy shook her head, smiling. “I think I’ve found what I’ve been searching for right here.”
* * *
DUB TOLD HIMSELF not to worry, but this could be the first of the best days of his life.
Clancy was meeting with the sheriff this morning, then coming by to give him a ride out to the ranch.
He wasn’t worried that she wouldn’t show.
He was worried what he would say to her and what her answer would be.
He’d had a lot of time to think about the future, lying in this hospital bed and healing from what his father called his near-death experience. He knew he’d scared him, but he also knew how proud his father was of him.
“Made any big decisions about your future?” John Crawford had asked the last time he visited him at the hospital.
The question had surprised him, but apparently his father knew him better than he thought. John Crawford had never made a secret of wanting him to stay on the ranch even when Dub had told him about wanting to work as an architect, maybe even having his own business.
“The reason I’m asking is that I never told you this, but your grandmother left you and Tanner a pretty nice nest egg. I know I should have told you a long time ago, but she set it up where you were to receive the money on your thirtieth birthday, so I didn’t see any hurry.”
“What are you telling me?” Dub asked.
“That if you’d like to pursue architecture, you could. Or I could give you a few sections of the ranch that would be all yours and you could build a house for your bride.”
He stared at him. “My bride?”
His father rose to his feet. “Up to you, son. For the record, I really like Clancy.” He reached into his pocket and came out with a small velvet box. “It was your grandmother’s. She would have wanted Clancy to have it.”
Dub didn’t know what to say for a moment. “Thank you. What about Tanner?”
His father looked down at his boots for a moment.
“He’ll be stopping by before you leave the hospital.
I don’t blame you for being furious with your brother.
I guess I always hoped the two of you would work it out.
” With that, John Crawford put on his Stetson and turned to leave, saying over his shoulder, “See you at the house.”
The door didn’t even get closed before his brother came in, hat in hand. Dub noticed that Tanner had a hard time looking him in the eye. “I came to apologize.”
“Don’t bother. I know Dad made you come here.”
Tanner shook his head. “I’ve been a jackass to you our whole lives. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m sorry.”
“I knew you couldn’t stand it because I’m better-looking than you,” Dub said.
His brother looked up and smiled. “Smarter too.”
“And younger.”
They were quiet for a few moments before Tanner said, “Dad tell you about the money our grandmother left us?” Dub nodded. “I could take mine and leave the ranch if that’s what you want. I wouldn’t blame you.”
“I don’t want you to leave. If I stay, I’d hoped we could work together and maybe even become friends. Think that’s possible?”
Tanner nodded, tears in his eyes. “I could have killed you. I’m so sorry. Wait, you said, if you stay. You aren’t thinking about leaving because of me, are you?”
“Not because of you.”
His brother nodded. “Because of Clancy. I almost got her killed too. Dub, I’m so sorry. I don’t want you to leave. Do you think she can ever forgive me? Can you?”
“Maybe,” Dub said seriously. “But only if you’ll be the best man at our wedding.”
His brother smiled through his tears. “You got it!”
* * *
TANNER HADN’T BEEN gone long when Dub’s hospital room door opened, and Clancy came in with a wheelchair.
“You ready to break out of here?” she asked.
He couldn’t help but grin. “You’re the best thing I’ve seen all day.”
She came over to the bed, and he pulled her into a kiss. “Don’t get too frisky. The doctor said you still need to take it easy, cowboy,” she said.
“The night you came to the ranch you were on your way to Billings and all points south to find the life you’d always known was waiting for you. Any chance you still need to do that? Because I never want to hold you back, but” he said quickly, “if you’ve changed your mind…”
She leaned in and kissed him, holding his gaze as she drew back. “I found where I belong.”
His grin returned. “Well, in that case…” He pulled out the velvet box his father had given him.
“I told you the moment I laid eyes on you that I was going to marry you. I can’t wait to find out if you want to marry me.
” He slid off the bed and dropped to one knee. “Will you marry me, Clancy Roberts?”
Her brown eyes filled with tears. “Yes! Oh, yes, Dub.”
As he put the ring on her finger, he told himself they had the rest of their lives. There was nothing keeping them from realizing any dreams they cared to dream as long as they were together.
“About my brother,” he said as she steered the wheelchair and him toward the elevator.
“You mean our best man? I saw him on the way in.”
He reached back to squeeze her hand. “About you never wanting a cowboy…”
“Turns out they aren’t so bad, especially the one I’ve fallen in love with and am going to marry,” she said as she pushed the elevator button that would take them down and out into their new life together.
“You’ve finally fallen in love with me?” he joked. “Took you long enough.”
She laughed. “You’re so arrogant. Who says you’re the cowboy?”
The moment he was out of the wheelchair in front of the hospital, he took Clancy in his arms. “I love you,” he said, something he’d been wanting to say for a very long time, before he kissed her. “We should talk about how many children we’re going to have.”
“Easy, cowboy. You’re in no shape for that.”
He grinned. “Wanna bet?”
* * * * *