Chapter Six
Jordan had only met Jess Connery face-to-face one time prior to their upcoming meeting.
The wheels of the probate process had just started to grind when the broker cold-called Jordan, asking for a meeting concerning his upcoming inheritance.
Curious, Jordan agreed. They’d discussed business over coffee in the almost empty Main Street Diner in Marietta that day, even though Connery’s offices were in Livingston.
He’d made it easy for Jordan to meet with him that day.
Today he’d chosen to have Jordan drive north to his place of business.
That first meet-up had felt like a godsend.
An unnamed buyer had been trolling for property in the area, and for that reason, Connery had kept his ears open, looking for any opportunity.
He’d never fessed up to how he’d learned that Jordan had inherited Carl Jordan’s property, but at that point, Jordan didn’t care.
After checking Connery’s credentials, he’d agreed to start the process of selling the place.
It was only later, after probate had concluded, that the condition of no tenant had been introduced.
Not that Jordan would have been able to do anything about that stipulation prior to his actual inheritance.
“What’s going on that can’t be handled over the phone?” Connery asked after Jordan had taken the seat on the opposite side of the broker’s desk.
“There’s no legal way I can force the McAllens off the property.”
Connery played with his pen, studying it thoughtfully.
Finally, he looked up, his expression blank. “Give them time to think.”
Jordan narrowed his eyes. “I thought this deal was on fire.”
“It is,” Connery said offhandedly, “but I’ll explain things to the buyer.”
Something was off, or maybe Jess was now looking at the situation in a new light. Jordan waited a beat, studying Connery before matter-of-factly dropping his bombshell. “I think someone is screwing with the McAllen sisters’ property. Cutting fences. Letting their cattle out.”
A flash of irritation crossed the broker’s face. “What the actual fuck? You think I’m doing that?”
The reaction seemed genuine, but Jordan didn’t know this guy. It could be that he was one hell of an actor.
“Didn’t say that.” He’d been careful not to.
Connery set the pen on the desk as color rose from his collar. “Then tell me what you’re talking about.”
“That’s it. Cut fences. Several times in the past weeks, from what I can tell.”
“You think someone is trying to chase the women off the property?”
Jordan merely raised his eyebrows. Yeah. He kinda did. This deal would bring in a big chunk of money for the man. “I’m saying that they’re having a lot of trouble with their boundary fence and things get serious when livestock trespasses on conservatory land.”
“That’s not the way I operate.”
“Who’s the buyer?”
Connery didn’t so much as twitch. “I’m working with a representative.”
Which didn’t answer the question.
“Is there any way the buyer will agree to let the McAllens stay until the end of the lease?”
Connery shook his head. “They want to take up residence.”
“Why are they so hot to get hold of this place? Is there something special about it?”
“The location,” Connery said sharply. “They value their privacy.”
He emphasized the last word, indicating that the interested party was someone who had reason to seek isolation. A celebrity or a wealthy individual who wanted a quiet piece of Montana where they wouldn’t be bothered. The Willow Creek Ranch fit the bill.
Jordan pulled in a deep breath as he contemplated the woodgrain of Connery’s desk. Selling the Willow Creek and buying the Reed property was a multi-win situation. He’d be happy, the buyer would be happy, Jim Reed would be happy, and Connery would earn his commission.
The McAllen sisters would not be happy.
The inconvenient truth was that as much as he wanted to help his dad buy the Reed parcel, he couldn’t force those women out.
He’d done some checking, had his brothers do the same.
Even cold-hearted Wade had agreed that Lil was correct when she said she’d never get a lease as favorable as the one she had with Jordan’s late father.
It was a done deal, and he could not undo it.
And there was something about this whole mystery buyer affair that made him suspicious.
Legitimate questions, like how Connery knew about the inheritance before it was common knowledge, had not being answered.
Jordan also had the feeling that Connery knew about Jordan’s time constraints, even though he’d never mentioned the Reed property sale.
Jordan pushed back his chair and stood. “You’re right. This deal isn’t going to work out.”
Connery also stood, quickly enough that Jordan knew he’d rattled the man. That had not been his intention. Well … maybe a little, but he hadn’t expected the stunned look on the broker’s face.
“Because of some cut fences? I swear to you I had nothing to do with that.”
Jordan shrugged. “Because I can’t meet your terms.”
“Wait.” When Jordan turned back, Connery said, “Give yourself some time. Think about this. It’s possibly the best offer you’re going to get.” When Jordan didn’t answer, he said, “Give it a few days, then let me know for certain.”
Jordan turned his felt hat in his hands. “Yeah. I’ve thought about it. Deal’s off.”
*
An hour later, Jordan let himself into Bailey’s trailer, now his home after Estelle had finally relented and moved in the day before. But only for a few days, she said.
All three of the Matthews brothers wondered about that one. There was a different vibe in the house. The mini-standoffs that had been going on between her and Wade since the day she’d been hired to manage the house while he convalesced almost a year ago continued, but the fallout wasn’t the same.
Or all three of them could be imagining things.
On the drive back home, Jordan had settled some things in his head.
He might not unload the Willow Creek Ranch as soon as he wanted, but he and Wade could talk to the banks again about a raw land loan for Jim’s land.
They agreed that a mortgage on the Tree Fork was out of the question because no one was willing to risk losing the generational ranch.
But with his inherited ranch as collateral, he could get them to reduce the down payment, extend the length of the loan.
His previous stabs at that hadn’t been successful, but with Connery waiting in the wings with his potentially lucrative deal, Jordan hadn’t pushed that hard.
Jordan hung his hat on the hook near the door, stretched, then opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. He’d barely settled on the alleged sofa with his unopened can when his phone rang.
Burke. What now?
“Hey, you busy?”
Jordan rolled his eyes. “I’m not in the mood to chase cows through the city streets.”
Burke laughed. “That was a kick.”
Oh yeah.
“No. I called because your name came up last night.”
“Where?”
“Wolf Den. Do you fucking own the Willow Creek Ranch?”
Jordan had kept his inheritance on the down-low on purpose. He just wasn’t ready for the questions, or knowing that people were speculating behind his back.
“Not something I want to talk about, Burke.”
“You do! Hol-y shit.”
Jordan didn’t answer. It was best not to stoke the fire when Burke was involved.
“How? I mean, did you buy it? You had a good job and all, but I never thought it was that good.”
He didn’t know it was an inheritance, which meant no one did.
“How did you come to hear that I owned it?”
Burke paused for a moment. It was beyond possible that he hadn’t had all his senses when he’d heard the big news, so it took a moment. “A guy came in …” He started slowly. “He was talking to another guy at the bar next to me.”
Jordan looked at the ceiling as he waited.
“His little brother works on the Willow Creek and is worried about the new owner,” Burke finished in a rush. “You. You’re the owner he’s worried about. He said your name and everything.”
“Okay.”
“Thinks you’re going to fire him.”
Like he had that power. More likely the guy in question was worried that the sisters would be forced out and then his brother would have to find another job.
“Did you say anything?” Jordan figured it’d be best to find out exactly what had transpired.
Burke’s help was sometimes disastrous.
“Nope,” Burke said on a note of pride.
“Are you sure?”
Burke pulled in an audible breath. “I would have, but Lizzie came back from the ladies’ and wanted to go. You can’t say no to Lizzie.”
Jordan wouldn’t know about that, but he sent a silent thank-you to the lady. “Hey, I know that if this was said in the Wolf Den, it’ll be all over town, but I really want to keep it quiet for a while, okay? As much as you can?”
“I can be quiet,” Burkey said.
“I know. We’ll have a beer one of these days and I’ll fill you in, but for right now …” Don’t help me out.
“You got some big plan for the place?”
“I’m still figuring them out. I’ll tell you about it when I can.”
Jordan hung up the phone after promising Burke another night out, being careful not to name a date, then leaned back against the hard sofa cushion. After dealing with Connery, he decided that until he had a firm plan in place, he didn’t want to go public.
He reached for the phone and dialed Lil’s number.
When she answered, he said, “Hey, it’s Jordan. I’m coming over if it’s convenient. Landlord stuff.”
“Yeah?” she asked warily.
“Nothing bad,” he assured her. Not for her anyway. “I’ll be there around six.”
*
Landlord stuff, he’d said. Nothing bad.
The best-case scenario was that Jordan was going to let them stay without a hassle. Maya was already sharpening her lawyer claws in case he had other ideas. As entertaining as it was to watch Maya take down an opponent, Lil had too much skin in this game to want that to happen.