“Nice to meet you, Jess, welcome to Bradbury Ranch.”
“Thanks, Ms. Bradbury,” Jess said feigning a shy smile.
“Please call me Katie,” she replied.
Katie had little experience dating. She was comfortable around the men at the ranch. They were older and took a brotherly interest in her. During her high school years, Katie was active in school activities but never had a steady boyfriend as did most of her classmates. Katie was happiest when going over accounts with Gramps or riding her beloved horses.
When Jess smiled at her, she felt a warm glow. Clem noticed Katie’s reaction and when she left the office, he gave a stern warning to Jess that Katie Bradbury is off-limits. Clem had a sinking feeling he’d made a mistake hiring a smooth character like Jess.
***
As the days went on, Jess found ways to be close to Katie. He kept an eye out for her when she left the ranch house and offered to drive her to town. Katie accepted and Jess drove her truck off the ranch before Clem knew the man was gone. Jess made Katie laugh and forget the responsibility of managing the ranch. With Jess, she felt like a woman, not just one of the boys.
Jess suggested they have lunch while in town. Katie agreed and Jess found a small pub on the main street where they sat in the corner of the darkened restaurant.
“Katie, I remember passing through a town back east. There is a big house on Bradbury Hill. Have you ever heard of it?”
Katie told him about her great-grandfather’s birth certificate and that Gramps told her about his elderly aunts living in a city called Oakwood Park.
“So, your Grandfather told you the two old ladies are rolling in dough?”
“He didn’t put it that way,” Katie laughed, “I’m my grandfather’s daughter, I don’t care about a lot of money. As long as I have enough to feed the horses and pay the bills, I’m happy.”
“You said you have an appointment to get your hair cut. Why don’t I meet you in thirty minutes? I’ll explore Elk River while you’re at the hairdresser.”
Jess had no intention of exploring the dreary town. He went directly to the library, sat at a computer and looked up the name Bradbury of Oakwood Park, New York.
He’d hit pay dirt. Caleb Bradbury owned most of the town of Oakwood Park before he died. His daughters are in their nineties and without heirs. He’d have to talk Katie into visiting her aunts to tell them she is entitled to one-third the loot. The two old hags couldn’t live too much longer and Katie would inherit the entire fortune. Her new husband, Jess King, will be by her side helping her spend the dough.
Jess waited in the truck dreaming about the yacht he’d buy when Katie knocked on the window.
“What were you daydreaming about, Jess?” Katie asked. “You had a big smile on your face.”
“I was thinking about you, Katie. Let’s get married.”
Katie laughed, and Jess told himself to go slow, he didn’t want to ruin the best opportunity he’d ever had.
***
Ned Granger returned to the Elk River Bank after his lunch date with a customer.
“Ned,” called his assistant, Annie, “you missed Katie Bradbury. She was in here an hour ago with a good-looking guy in a cowboy hat. I keep telling you to let her know you’re crazy about her or she’s going to end up marrying someone else.”
“Annie, I have nothing to offer Katie. She owns a cattle ranch, I can’t compete with that on a banker’s salary.”
“Ned, you’re a fool. That cowboy isn’t Katie’s type. She isn’t interested in how much money you make. I think she’d be happy to have a special someone sit by the fire with her in that old ranch house. She asked about you when she was in earlier.”
Chapter Three
Rebecca Snow sat at the mirror in the small makeup room applying dark red lipstick. The color suited her character, Madeline Langley, in the play being performed this evening. It is the first of five shows and the crew’s apprehension was building. Opening night is always filled with elation and dread. Although they are unpaid amateurs, the group prides themselves on presenting a professional program.
It is the first on-stage performance by Detective Daniel North. Dan and Rebecca became friends after he interrogated her in the murder of an old school acquaintance. Dan took Rebecca’s advice and volunteered for the playhouse. He soon became enamored with acting. Tonight, he is nervous and afraid he’ll forget his lines.
Earlier at the Police Station
Dan was assigned a new partner, Detective Erica West. Erica moved to Oakwood Park to put an ill-fated romance behind her. She worked in a small precinct in Indiana where she couldn’t avoid her ex. Unfortunately, Dan North looked very much like the man she was running from.
As a woman, Erica found it difficult to break into the good-old-boys’ club. It didn’t help that she was six feet tall and often mistaken for a fashion model.
Dan knew her type, he’d dated a few beauty queens while living and working in New York City. The captain thought it was fun to pair Detective North and Detective West together. Dan always followed orders and didn’t protest Detective West’s placement.
While Erica was going through orientation, Dan worked on his own and liked it that way. The closer the time got to when they would be official partners, the more he resented the intrusion into his work life.
“Dan, try to hide your feelings for Detective West,” said Midge, his assistant. “You know we like to make the new folks feel at home. I can almost hear you hissing when she walks by.”
“The beauty queen will never feel at home in this town. She’ll be running off to the big city where she has a better chance of hooking herself a sugar daddy.”
“You have her all wrong, Dan, Erica isn’t like that,” said Midge. “She’s a very nice, normal person who is tall, slim and gorgeous. You are underestimating the captain, he wouldn’t have hired her if she didn’t qualify for the job.”
“She could be perfect for the job and a flake too. Let’s change the subject, are you coming to the opening tonight?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’ll be bringing a guest, I bought two tickets and Mama is under the weather.”
“Good, the more people who see me make a fool of myself up there on stage, the better,” Dan said with a cringe.
He didn’t see the smirk on Midge’s face. If he had, he’d have guessed Midge’s companion’s identity.
Oakwood Park Community Playhouse
Dan watched nervously from behind the curtain. He heard their chatter as the patrons filed into the seats.
The theater was silent when Angus Carlson, in his baritone voice, announced:
“The Oakwood Park Community Playhouse proudly presents Murder on Chamberlain Lake. Starring Rebecca Snow and newcomer Detective Daniel North”
The crowd cheered. Mysteries were their favorites and they showed their appreciation by applauding before the first act began.
Dan was so afraid of forgetting his lines, he practiced Rebecca’s lines too. He didn’t realize he’d been mouthing the words along with her. Dan anxiously awaited his cue, he stepped on stage to applause from those in the community who knew him and knew it was his first attempt. The noise startled him but with a reassuring wink from Rebecca, he recited his lines flawlessly.
It wasn’t until the final bow that Dan glanced into the audience and saw Midge standing next to Detective Erica West. Both were clapping wildly; Erica’s smile was broad as she looked into Dan’s eyes. This woman he thought of as a beauty queen cheered for him as any loyal partner would do. His resentment lessened and he knew she deserved a chance.
***
Midge made her way backstage with Erica in tow.
“Midge, I can’t just barge in on Detective North. I’m the last person he’d want to see. You go and I’ll wait in the lobby.”
“Nonsense, you two will be responsible for each other’s safety in a few days. It’s time you got better acquainted. I know Dan appears an unfeeling oaf, but he’s a pussy c
at once you get to know him.”
“Midge, you didn’t tell me you were bringing my new partner tonight. Hello, Detective West, I hope you enjoyed the show.”
“I did Detective North, you were fantastic, I can’t believe you’ve never acted before. Everyone in the cast did a great job.”
“Why are you two so formal? Detective North? Detective West? It’s time you call each other Dan and Erica?”
“Good idea, Midge,” said Dan. “Hello, Dan.”
“Hello, Erica,” replied Erica, and they both laughed.
“You two deserve each other, I’m going to say hello to Rebecca,” said Midge smiling as she walked away.
***
“Is that Dan’s new partner?” Rebecca asked. “They make a nice couple.”
Midge nodded in agreement.
Chapter Four
Bradbury Cattle Ranch, Elk River, Wyoming
“Katie, is Jess King bothering you?” asked Clem, the ranch manager.
“He’s not a bother, Clem. He makes me laugh and forget about how much I miss Gramps. Clem, did you know about my great-grandfather being the son of some rich guy back east?”
“Your gramps said something about it one time. He wanted you to know he had two aunts older than him. The aunts are twins if I remember correctly. Are you interested in meeting them, Katie?”
“I think I am. Jess knows where they live and he said he’d go to New York with me to meet them. I don’t know what to do.”
“Why don’t you call your gramps’ lawyer. He’ll know the right way to handle this. Those ladies are your only kin until you have a family of your own.”
“Jess says they’re rich, I don’t want them to think I’m after their money. Jess says I should meet them in person.”
“Katie, you know if you leave the ranch with Jess, tongues will be waggin’. Alma would go with you and she’d make a better chaperone.”
“Clem, you know Alma would never step foot on an airplane. Gramps never cared about wagging tongues and neither do I. Jess has been to Oakwood Park and has seen Bradbury Hill. There’s no need to worry, Jess would never hurt me.”
Clem wasn’t sure about that but Katie is a grown woman and he couldn’t tell her what to do.
***
Jess’s plan was working. He knew he had to behave himself and make believe he was only interested in helping Katie find her family. After he gained her complete confidence, he would seduce her, marry her and share all that lovely money with her.
***
Katie booked seats on the airplane to Oakwood Park and reserved separate rooms in the Oakwood Park Hotel. Jess grumbled silently having to travel coach. He kept his mouth shut imagining the private plane he would buy when he married Katie. He didn’t mind separate rooms, he was certain he’d find someone to share his bed for a few hours.
***
“Katie, dear, I wish you would reconsider going to that place. You know nothing about these people. If your great-great-granddaddy wanted his boy in his life, he wouldn’t have rejected him.”
“Alma, we don’t know the full story. I will make it clear to my aunts I’m not looking for money, I only want to connect with my papa’s family.”
“I’m afraid no good will come from this trip and I don’t think it’s right that Jess is going with you. I don’t trust that man, remember what Clem and the boys taught you about defending yourself if he gets frisky.”
“Alma, I’m a grown woman, I can take care of myself without going to the extremes Clem has taught me. Jess is not interested in me that way, he simply wants to help me.”
***
On the airplane, Jess flirted with the flight attendant until she told the couple they could move to first class. Katie was reluctant but Jess pulled her by the arm and asked for a beer on the way to his seat.
“Get used to it, Katie, with your share of the Bradbury money, you’ll be flying first-class from now on.”
“Jess, stop teasing, you know I’m not interested in the money. I just want to meet my aunts.”
***
Ludlow, Pierce and Morgan Accounting Office
Jake Morgan’s cellphone rang interrupting his work on an audit. He didn’t recognize the number but answered the call.
“Jake, it’s me,” the caller said in a barely audible whisper.
“Yes,” he said unintentionally lowering his voice too.
After listening to the caller for a few minutes. Jake responded by saying he would take care of it and the call ended.
***
“Janet, if anyone needs me, I’ll call them back when I return in a couple of hours.”
“Jake, is everything all right? You look dreadful.”
“I’m fine, I have an appointment outside the office.”
It isn’t Wednesday so Janet knew he wasn’t expected at the Bradbury house. It is unusual behavior for Jake. He never leaves the office without telling Janet where he is going.
***
Jake drove to Kensington, a town across the river from Oakwood Park. He pulled his car into the parking lot of Kensington Savings and Loan. When he entered the bank, he asked to speak to a loan officer. Within thirty minutes he’d applied for a twenty-five-thousand-dollar loan.
Jake’s credit rating is exceptional, and the loan went through without a problem.
“How soon can I get the money in cash?” Jake asked.
“I can have it deposited in your account before we close.”
“No, I need cash.”
The loan officer, Paul Walton, looked at him wearily. This guy’s in trouble, I hope I’m not making a mistake approving his loan.
“I can have the cash ready for you to pick up tomorrow morning at nine o’clock.”
“Thanks, I’ll be here then.
Jake left the bank glancing around before he got into his car and drove off. Paul watched from the window, he had an uneasy feeling in his gut.
Chapter Five
Katie had never been to a hotel before. She’d never been over one hundred miles from the ranch and those times she’d slept in her sleeping bag in a tent.
Although she was eager to meet Gramps’ aunts, she wondered if she had done the right thing by not contacting them first. There is a reason the father and son were estranged. Maybe she should turn around and fly back to Wyoming where she belonged. Jess told her Oakwood Park was small compared to other cities, but it was too big for her. She felt out-of-place and missed the ranch and her beloved horses.
Jess knocked on the door interrupting her reverie.
“Katie, I need your credit card to rent a car. Let’s get going, we want to visit the old girls before their bedtime,” he laughed.
Katie was seeing a side of Jess he hadn’t shown before. She had thought the things he said were funny, but now they seemed mean. He’d given the flight attendant a hard time when she said she could serve him only two beers on the plane. Nothing about this trip was going well.
“Jess, I’m having second thoughts, I think we should go back to Elk River and forget about visiting the Bradbury sisters.”
“What? Don’t be ridiculous, come on, the hotel has a car rental office, they’re holding a nice little convertible for us.”
“Isn’t it a little chilly for a convertible?”
“Don’t be such a kill-joy, Katie, stop complaining.”
Katie walked to the elevator with Jess. She was miffed that he rented a flashy car, after all, it was her money paying for it.
On the way to Bradbury Hill, she forgot she was miffed and enjoyed looking at the big homes on the way. She wondered how city people lived without horses in their backyards.
“There it is, that’s Bradbury Hill, your birthright,” said Jess.
Katie looked in awe at the beautiful house on the hill. She found it difficult to contain her excitement. Any doubts she had disappeared on the drive up the winding road.
Inside the house, Emma and Anna watched an afternoon cooking show. The twins had never cooked a meal bu
t found it fascinating watching other people prepare food.
“Anna, remind me to have Jake look at the furnace tomorrow, it doesn’t heat the way it should. I will fetch our sweaters, you had the sniffles last week, we don’t want them starting again.”
While Emma was in their bedrooms gathering the, the doorbell rang.
Anna remembered Charles was no longer available to greet guests and, with her cane, walked to the door opening it to two young people.
“Miss Bradbury?” asked Katie.
Murder on Bradbury Hill Page 2
