by June Faver
“Mijita.” The woman held Misty tight, rocking her in her arms. “We didn’t know you were coming, mi preciosa.”
“I’m sorry. I should have called, but I wasn’t certain that we would stop by.” She gave Rosa another hug. “We just took a drive around the property, but now it’s getting dark.”
Colton swung out of the truck, suddenly seeing Misty as a little girl instead of the woman he loved. He was glad she had this couple to provide some comfort.
Paco eyed him warily as he approached. The old man offered his hand. Colt shook it somberly.
“Welcome, Mr. Garrett.” Rosa looked shy, but she managed to get that much out. “Come inside, both of you.”
When they had all trooped into the house, Rosa turned to Misty. “I cleaned your father’s room and folded his things. I thought you might want to go through them to see what you want to save. There are some good clothes to give to the poor.”
Misty sighed. “Thank you, Rosa. I’ll come this weekend and go through everything.”
Rosa invited them to the kitchen, where she offered them hot chocolate.
“Oh, Rosa makes the best hot cocoa. She puts cinnamon in it, and it’s so good.”
Colton smiled, catching some of her enthusiasm. “I’ll try a cup.”
Misty pulled him to a round table in one corner of the kitchen. She sat down, and he took a chair beside her.
“Paco,” he said, “do you have any idea how many head of cattle are on the ranch?”
The old man blinked. “Of course.”
Misty’s eyes grew wide. “Really? How many?”
Paco glanced at Colton and leaned over to whisper in Misty’s ear.
Colton managed to refrain from laughing. No trust there.
Misty smiled and said the number aloud for Colton’s benefit.
“That’s a good-sized herd for this ranch.” Colton nodded at Paco.
The old man frowned, exchanging a glance with his wife.
“It’s okay, Paco,” Misty said. “Colton is my very good friend.” She reached out to take his hand. “We have no secrets.”
Paco nodded, but his gaze remained guarded.
After they had enjoyed the hot chocolate, Misty went to her room and gathered a few of her things in a small bag, and they took their leave. Misty promised to come back on the weekend to decide how to deal with her father’s and Joe’s personal property.
Colton drove her back to the Garrett ranch, knowing she would be getting up early to go to her new job the next morning. He stole a sideways glance at her.
She looked pensive, staring out the window without seeing the passing landscape.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked.
She gave a slight shake of her head. “It’s just everything. I can’t stop thinking about Joe. I mean, why would someone murder my brother?”
“I have no idea,” Colton said. “But I’m sure the sheriff will figure it all out soon.”
She looked at him doubtfully. “I hope you’re right. The anxiety is eating me alive.”
He had thought maybe she was recovering from the loss, but apparently she had been keeping it inside.
“And I will be sorting through their things and getting rid of them. Giving away my dad’s clothing seems so final. I know it’s just stuff, but there’s so little of him left.”
“I understand. How do you feel about Joe’s things?”
“The sheriff’s men went through everything, but I haven’t gone in there since he was murdered. I dread even going into his room. He always kept it off limits to Mark and me. It will seem like an invasion.”
“I can help if you want,” Colton offered.
“Thanks, but I think this is something I need to do by myself. A final chapter of sorts.”
He didn’t want to tell her that the banker had flaked out on him. He thought he would discuss it with Breck tomorrow and get his take on it. Maybe if Breckenridge T. Ryan were to accompany him to the bank, they could force Hamilton to cooperate.
* * *
The next day, Colton set off for Langston, determined to get things straightened out with Fred Hamilton. Misty had called to tell him Breck was in his office and that he would meet with him at eleven. Colton was early, but he thought he could visit with Misty before meeting with Breck and then take her to lunch afterward.
He was still pissed off that the banker had ditched him the day before. Hamilton had to know Colton would come back with a vengeance. That he would have his attorney in tow would just be bringing in the heavy artillery.
He stopped at the florist to pick up a small offering before heading to Breck’s.
Colton arrived at the law office a little after ten, relieved when he saw Leah’s crap car safely parked next to Breck’s big diesel truck. When he went inside, he grinned as he saw Misty working at her desk.
She looked up and returned his grin. “Breck’s got someone in his office right now.”
“I’ll just wait.” He took a seat beside her desk. “What are you working on?”
She smiled prettily. “I’m typing up some things Breck asked me to work on. I’m not a fast typist, but Breck was really nice about it. He said he would prefer I was slow and precise rather than fast and careless.”
Colton leaned over and placed the pink roses he had picked up at the local florist on her desk.
Her brow puckered. “Oh, Colt. I don’t know what to say.”
He reached for her hand. “I just thought you deserved something pretty today. Pretty like you are.”
Her luminous eyes opened wide. “You think I’m pretty?”
“No, I think you’re beautiful.” He flashed a grin. “But I didn’t want you to get a big head.”
She sucked in a deep breath and released it, a smile breaking on her face. “Thanks, Colton. This is so sweet.” She held the bouquet close to her face and took a deep breath. “Lovely. Thanks for making me feel good.”
“I’m glad the roses cheered you up, but don’t forget what happened to your brother. I want you to keep those big eyes open. You may be in danger too.”
Pressing her lips tight together, she nodded.
They sat chatting while Misty worked through the document. In due time, the door to Breck’s office opened and Breck appeared in the doorway, apparently in the midst of showing his client out.
Colton stood, and Breck nodded at him.
“Colt Garrett, do you know Levi Blair?” He indicated the grizzled man beside him.
Colton nodded. “I know the name.” He reached out a hand to the man. “I’ve never had the pleasure. Good to meet you, Mr. Blair.”
Levi Blair flicked his gaze over Colton and offered his hand in return, albeit reluctantly. “I knew yer pa,” Blair said. “You look a lot like he did when we was young.”
“I’ve heard that before,” Colton said.
The old man cast a shrewd glance back at him and then made his way out the door.
“Whoa! What was all that about?” Colton asked.
“Old Levi might not be Big Jim’s biggest fan.” Breck rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I think it has something to do with property and boundary lines. They disagreed over the exact property line, so your dad paid for a new survey, and it was determined that Big Jim’s claim was valid. Levi went around telling anyone who would listen that Big Jim paid off the surveyor to come up with his determination.”
Colton frowned. “My dad wouldn’t do that. He’s not a cheat.”
“You and I know that, but Levi’s ranch abuts a part of yours. He was pretty much a sore loser about the outcome.” Breck turned to Misty. “Levi and your father knew each other too, Misty. Actually, the Blair property touches on the north part of the Dalton spread too.”
“I think I knew that,” Colton said. “Mr. Blair’s spread lies between our ranch and Misty�
�s place.”
Misty looked up from her keyboard. She shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’m sure Joe was aware of anything having to do with the ranch, but they never told me anything about it.”
Breck’s brow furrowed momentarily and then cleared. He glanced at Colton. “Now, what did you want to talk to me about?” He gestured to his office.
Colt went into the office and took a seat as Breck closed the door behind them. “I want to do something to help a friend.”
Breck eased into his chair and turned to a blank page on the yellow legal pad. He reached for his pen. “What’s going on?”
“You may or may not be aware that the Dalton property is about to go into foreclosure. It’s comprised of two sections of good land for tillage and pasture. I want to go into partnership with the heirs and bring the loan up to date.”
Breck nodded. “Seems to be a sound investment. How much is the loan behind?”
Colton told him and watched Breck write the figure on the pad and draw an ornate box around it. “I met with the president of the bank yesterday morning and just got a bad feeling. It was like he was trying to hide something.” He shrugged. “I told Mr. Hamilton I would be back in the afternoon to pay the loan up to date. I wanted to take Misty to lunch and make sure she was on board with my plan, but when I went back to the bank, Hamilton had taken off for the day.”
Breck loosened his tie. “That was rude but doesn’t necessarily prove anything. What else do you have?”
Colton heaved a sigh. “Just a feeling. He was evasive. He was shocked I was there to try to save the Daltons’ ranch. He did say there was other interest in the property.”
Breck grinned. “So you thought maybe the two of us could double-team Hamilton and make sure the ranch gets paid up to date?”
Colton gave him a grin in return. “Something like that.”
“That bastard Hamilton has probably got the vultures lined up to snatch the Dalton property and line his own pockets in the deal. Not my favorite person.”
Colton gave him a nod. “I was thinking along those lines. He was just too upset and edgy when I told him I wanted to pay off the loan.”
Breck abruptly stood up. “I like it. Let’s get it done.” He straightened his tie and reached for his Stetson.
Colt pushed back his chair and got to his feet. “Thanks, Breck. I appreciate it, and I know Misty will too.”
Breck led the way from his office. He stopped by Misty’s desk to tell her he was going out and would return shortly.
Misty glanced from Breck to Colton, obviously wondering what was going on, but he was reluctant to inform her in case their mission failed. He gave her a wink and followed Breck out the front door.
Once outside, they climbed into Breck’s truck and headed for the bank. It was only two blocks away, and they made it there in a few minutes.
Colton was surprised to find his stomach was tied in a knot. This should have been a simple matter, but for some reason, Hamilton was making it difficult. He hoped that Breck could get to the bottom of whatever was going on.
The two men got out of the truck and entered the bank. Breck went straight to Hamilton’s office and rapped on the frosted glass inset in the door. He knocked a second time.
“Oh, Mr. Hamilton didn’t come in today,” a pleasant-looking middle-aged woman said. She had been passing by but stopped when she saw them outside Hamilton’s door.
Breck frowned. “Why not? Where is Hamilton today?”
The woman’s eyes opened wide. “No one knows. He didn’t call in or anything. He must be sick. Poor man.”
Breck and Colton glanced at each other, and then Breck turned to the woman. “Who is available to conduct business?”
She smiled. “We all are.”
“I mean, is there a banker who is able to help us?” Breck stood with his hands fisted at his waist. “We want to discuss a loan.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure I can help you,” she said. “I’m Abigail Parsons. I’m the vice president of the bank. Let’s go to my office.” When the two men had followed her to her office, much smaller and less pretentious than Hamilton’s, she asked, “What do you need?”
Breck gazed at her earnestly. “We want to bring a loan up to date. It’s in default.”
She took the information and typed into her computer.
“Can you stop the foreclosure?” Colton asked.
She looked up from her screen, a puzzled expression on her face. “The property is not in foreclosure.”
Colton exchanged a glance with Breck. “It’s not?”
Ms. Parsons shook her head. “The loan is way overdue, and there are late fees applied, but no foreclosure procedures have been initiated.” She told them how much it would take to reconcile the past due amount as well as pay the late fees. This was significantly less than the figure Hamilton had quoted.
“Can I write you a check?” Colton asked.
The woman looked at him, mild surprise registering on her face.
“I have an account here,” he assured her.
When she made sure he had sufficient funds to cover the check, she followed through with the transaction and gave Colton a receipt.
He reached for it, realizing what a big chunk of his savings had gone into rescuing the Dalton land. Heaving a sigh, he tucked the paperwork under his arm. It’s worth it. Misty is worth it. At the very least, this is an investment.
When the two men stood to go, Breck leaned forward to offer his hand. “Thank you, Ms. Parsons. We appreciate doing business with you.”
She smiled and shook hands with both Breck and Colton. “I assure you, gentlemen, we appreciate your business.”
When Colton and Breck left the bank, Colt felt as though he could breathe. “We did it. You did it.”
“No,” Breck said. “You did it. Now we need to draw up a partnership agreement between you and the Dalton heirs.” He drove Colton back to his office and had him wait while he drew up the paperwork to make the partnership legal.
While Breck was in his office, Colt went to stand in front of Misty’s desk. “We did it. The loan is paid up to date.”
She gazed up at him, her mouth falling open and her eyes wide. “Really? You got the bank to stop the foreclosure? How did you do that?” She stood and came around her desk to stand close to Colton, placing her hands on his chest.
“I paid the past due amount. Simple as that.”
“Oh, Colton, that was a huge amount. I can’t believe you were able to make that kind of payment.”
He pulled her close. “I did what needed to be done. Breck is preparing a partnership agreement, just to make it official. Everything is going to work out okay. Have a little faith.”
She gazed up at him. “I have faith in you.”
Breck called them into his office and told them to take a seat. “Misty, since Mark is underage, he can’t sign a legal contract, but as his guardian, you can sign for him.”
She nodded, tight-lipped. “I understand.”
“We’re here to draft a simple partnership agreement between the Dalton heirs and Colton Garrett in the venture known as the Dalton ranch.” Breck went through the particulars and made note of anything Colton or Misty added. When he had read the last of it, he had Misty type up the agreement, using a legal form, with the specifics and details of the partnership; then Colton signed, and Misty signed for herself and as guardian for Mark.
When Misty returned to her desk, Colton asked Breck what he owed for his legal services.
Breck gave him a figure that seemed low to Colton, but considering the amount he had paid out that day, he was relieved. He drew up a check and handed it across the desk. “Thanks for everything, Breck.”
Breck shook his hand and chuckled. “At least we didn’t have to beat up old Fred Hamilton.”
Chapter 10
Misty was euphoric. She tried to carry on like a normal person for the rest of the day without dancing around in glee. Fortunately for her, Breck left the office, and she was on her own with her silly grin.
He did it. Colt said he would save the ranch, and he did it.
She was used to empty promises. Her alcoholic father’s vows of sobriety; promises broken time after time, until it didn’t matter anymore. So, for Misty, finding a man she could depend on was a great big deal. At the end of the day, she locked up the office and drove to her transitory home in a state of elation. When she caught sight of her face in the mirror, she let out a giggle. It seemed her entire being was elated. She felt as though she had wings.
Turning in under the gate to the Garrett ranch felt like coming home, but she jerked herself up short. This is not our home. Mark and I have a home.
She exhaled heavily. Now they needed to go there and stop mooching off the Garretts. She thought Big Jim Garrett would be glad to see them go. No, he appeared to have some affinity for Mark, but he would definitely be glad to see her leave his domain.
She pulled up in front of the house, parking in the space where Leah had always kept her vehicle before. Perhaps she could use the car for a while longer, just until she could make some other arrangements. Maybe there was a used car in Langston she could purchase. Maybe she could make payments. Maybe her paycheck would be enough to cover the cost and allow her to buy food for the inhabitants of the Dalton ranch.
Swallowing hard, Misty removed the keys and swung out of the car. She wondered if Leah would consider selling her the car. Not that she had any money right now, but tomorrow was Friday, and that was supposed to be payday. A bubble of anticipation welled in her stomach. She could go to the grocery store and bring fresh supplies to Paco and Rosa.
“How’s it going, Misty?”
Her reverie was jarred by Beau, who strode toward her.
“Oh, good, I guess.” She felt her cheeks flame. “I was just going to look for Mark.”
Beau cocked his head to one side, grinning. “He’s in the stables. That sure is one horse-crazy kid.”
“I have to agree. He’s always been that way.” She turned toward the stables, intent upon sharing her news with her brother privately.
