by B. J Daniels
Her worry now turned into a hard knot of fear. Janie had never been an early riser. Nor had she ever liked to ride. Lizzy doubted that had changed.
So where was she going so early in the morning and on horseback?
Before she could talk herself out of it, Lizzy headed for the stables. She had a bad feeling and couldn’t bear the thought of Anne being hurt any more than she had been already. As she watched Janie disappear over the hill, Lizzy knew where she was headed. The Winchester Ranch. The question was why?
TD HEARD SOMEONE OUTSIDE his cabin just before the sun came up. He stepped to the window, but it was too dark to see anything. Was it the person who’d left him the note? No. That person had gotten him to the ranch and was now feeding him clues. The first had been Winchester Ranch. The second was Whitehorse Sewing Circle. He still wondered what that was and what it could possibly have to do with him.
But what bothered him the most was if the person wanted fifty thousand, then why give him any clues at all?
He shook his head. Whatever. All he cared about was getting the answers, and since he had no intention of giving the person a dime…
Right now he needed to find out what was going on outside. Dressing quickly, he started out of the cabin as someone took off on a horse. He didn’t get a good look, but his instincts told him to follow the rider. TD pulled on his holster and pistol and headed for the corral.
The rider crested the ridge in the semidarkness of the coming dawn behind the Winchester lodge. The morning was cold as TD swung up into the saddle and rode in the direction he’d seen the early-morning rider heading. Fortunately, the rider was leaving tracks in the crusty snow and would be easy to trail.
Enid had said no one rode the horses anymore. And to leave this early, TD was betting something was up.
He slowed as he neared the top of the ridge where he’d last seen the rider. The sun rimmed the badlands to the east, showering the fallen snow in gold crystals. It was a blinding sight and he was awed by it. He hadn’t realized that he’d missed Montana, missed all this wide open space, missed a simpler life. The last really did come as a surprise.
Rolling prairie stretched as far as the eye could see. It was deceiving, appearing perfectly flat when in fact the land was filled with narrow coulees and deep ravines chocked with stunted juniper and sage and jagged rock outcroppings.
What wild remote country. A person could get lost here and never be found, TD thought, afraid that was exactly what had happened this morning. There was no sign of the rider. Worse, there were no tracks up here on this rocky ridge where the snow had blown off.
He’d lost whomever he’d been following. Or had he? he thought as he heard the soft whinny of a horse in the distance.
LIZZY SADDLED UP AND rode out the way she’d seen Janie headed. The day was cold, the winter sun weak as it came up in a clear and cloudless sky.
Janie had too much of a head start for Lizzy to see her as she rode through the cold winter morning. As the sun rose, she followed the trail of fresh tracks Janie’s horse had made in the snow. Lizzy’s dad had taught her how to track when she was a girl. She’d learned the tracks of all the animals in the area and could easily tell the difference between a deer and an elk, a coyote and an antelope—or even the horses.
Janie seemed to be riding toward the back side of the ranch, circling through a more remote area. As Lizzy rode along, she kept her eye on the horizon, even though she didn’t think Janie would be worried about being followed.
It was easy to lose herself in the beautiful winter day and the feel of the powerful horse beneath her. She loved this and realized how much she’d missed this kind of freedom.
It surprised her that Anne wasn’t interested in the ranch or horseback riding anymore. Anne had loved it so much. She reminded herself that her memories of the ranch were completely different from Anne’s and Janie’s.
At the top of a hill, Lizzy stopped to scan the horizon. Still no sign of Janie but her horse’s tracks led down a narrow ravine through a stand of junipers. Spurring her horse, she dropped down into the ravine.
She hadn’t gone far when she spotted Janie’s horse tied to a scrub pine a dozen yards ahead. Pulling up short, Lizzy slid from her horse next to a large juniper out of sight of Janie’s horse. Tying her reins to a limb of the juniper, she crept closer, staying down behind an outcropping of rock.
Peering over the rock, she saw Janie with her back to her. She appeared to be waiting for something. For someone?
The thought was barely out before Lizzy saw a man approaching, leading a horse. He came from the direction of the ranch lodge. For just an instant, she thought it might be TD Waters and was relieved to see it wasn’t.
This man was large, dark-headed and somber-faced.
“I told you I would contact you when I had the money,” the man said, biting off each word. “Twenty-five thousand dollars is a lot of money to raise on such short notice.”
Janie’s laugh had a knife’s edge to it. “But the alternative is so much worse, wouldn’t you agree, Mr. Winchester?”
He shook his big head like an angry bull. “I don’t like being blackmailed. You don’t want to force me to do something you’ll regret.”
Janie laughed again. “It’s you who is about to force me to do something you’ll regret. What would happen if I went to your mother?”
He took a menacing step toward her but she stood her ground.
“Touch a hair on my head and the letter I’ve left in case of my death goes to your mother. We both know where that would leave you, now don’t we?” Janie demanded angrily. “I want the money by tomorrow. No more excuses, Worth.” Worth Winchester?
Lizzy ducked down, but Janie didn’t look in her direction as she stalked over to her horse. For an instant, she feared that Janie would ride back the way she’d come and see not only Lizzy—but also her horse.
Fortunately, Janie rode off toward the east and the rising sun.
Staying hidden, Lizzy didn’t dare move as she heard Worth Winchester swing up into his saddle, the leather groaning under his weight. She listened to the jingle of his reins as the sound died off in the distance and started to turn to retrieve her own horse when she heard a faint, unmistakable sound behind her. It was then that she realized she’d made a mistake. She should have brought her gun.
LIZZY CALDER SWUNG around looking ready for a fight.
TD quickly held up both hands in surrender, unable to keep from smiling. “Easy,” he said, enjoying the spirit he saw in her.
She opened her mouth as if to say something but quickly closed it. He’d surprised her and now watched as she seemed to be trying to come up with an explanation for what she’d been doing other than the obvious.
“Don’t like being caught spying?” he asked, not about to let her off easy.
“I wasn’t spying.”
He grinned. “Sure looked that way to me.”
She brushed angrily at the snow she’d gotten on her jeans while hiding behind the rocks. “Which begs the question, what are you doing here? Spying on me? Or are you going to try to convince me you just happened along?”
“Nope. I’m just as guilty as you.”
“I followed my friend because I was worried about her.”
“As you should be, since apparently she’s a blackmailer.”
Lizzy seemed surprised that he’d also heard the conversation. “That doesn’t explain why you were spying on me.”
He grinned. “I was just enjoying the view. You have no idea how interesting it was.”
She stopped brushing snow from the back of her jeans as she realized he was talking about her derriere. “You should be ashamed.”
“Really? ’Cause I’m not.”
“You are incorrigible.”
“I’ve been told that.” He sobered. “Seriously, your friend is in trouble. Blackmail is a nasty business. It could get her hurt. So do you have any idea what that was about?”
“None.” A lie. The woman
just couldn’t seem to help herself. She had no idea how easy she was to read. Like before when he’d seen recognition in those beautiful gray eyes and she’d denied it.
“Your friend’s blackmailing Worth Winchester and you can’t even imagine why?”
She squirmed under this gaze. “I might have my suspicions, but I’m sure you wouldn’t be in the least bit interested.”
“I might surprise you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What is it you said you do for the Winchesters?”
“I help cook.”
She laughed. “Sure you do.”
“I’m a hell of a cook, I’ll have you know. If you’d ever had one of my pies, you’d be madly in love with me. Wouldn’t be able to help yourself.”
She actually blushed. He was even more intrigued with this woman. Not that he wasn’t aware that she might not be quite as sweet and innocent as he’d first suspected.
“I really need to get back to the ranch before I’m missed.”
“Hold on a second,” he said. “What’s your interest in Worth Winchester? Hell, what’s your interest in all the Winchesters? And don’t bother to lie. You aren’t very good at it. Why else have you been sneaking over here for years?” He grinned. “And why sneak over here last night pretending you came to see me?”
“I did come to see you,” she blurted, then clamped her lips shut as she straightened her shoulders, eyeing him. “You thought I had an ulterior motive when I came by to apologize to you?”
“It crossed my mind.” Somewhere nearby a horse whinnied. His horse answered and he saw Lizzy’s eyes widen a little.
“You followed Worth up here,” she said.
“Curiosity.”
“I guess you never heard what it did to the cat.”
He laughed. Damn, but he liked this woman. “I think we should join forces.”
“Is this about your pie-baking again?”
TD cocked his head at her, still smiling. “Something is going on with the Winchesters and the McCormicks. I think since we both have a stake in this, we should try to find out what it is.”
“I’m sorry, what was your stake in this again?”
“I like these people,” he said simply. “I don’t want to see them hurt.”
He could see she wasn’t moved by that. Or she was doing a great job of hiding it. He figured he had nothing to lose by confiding in her, especially when he could use her help. Clearly the bad blood between the Winchesters and McCormicks was playing a part in all this.
“While I’m being honest with you…I wasn’t always a cook’s helper. I came here to find an extortionist,” TD said.
She opened those gray eyes a little wider. “Why would someone want to extort money from you?”
He grinned. “Did I say this was about me?”
LIZZY HAD HAD ENOUGH of his games. She pushed off the rocks and headed for her horse. As she started past him, he caught her by the arm and turned her in to him. She felt just how strong he was even though his touch was gentle as he drew her to him.
She went like metal to a magnet, as if she had no choice, had never had a choice. He brushed his lips over hers, light as a snowflake, and she felt her lips part of their own accord. Then his mouth covered hers and she felt as if he had lifted her off her feet.
Then the kiss ended as quickly as it had begun. Her feet hit the ground again and she stumbled back, stunned that she’d actually not only let him kiss her, but that for a moment she had been kissing him back.
She looked into his dark eyes and felt him try to steal a little piece of her heart. And he would have, too, if he hadn’t grinned just then, making her want to wipe it off his face.
“I’ve been wanting to do that since you and your horse almost totaled my pickup,” he said. “Now that we got that over with, could we level with each other?”
The sun caught in his dark hair, making it shine like obsidian. His eyes shone just as brightly as he looked at her. She was reminded again of who this man was. Not just an agent, but a rogue agent, a very dangerous man. That kiss proved it.
“I told you what I was doing here,” she said, reminded that he’d just told her she was a terrible liar. “I had a good reason to follow her. Did you have as good a reason to follow one of your employers?”
He smiled at that. He had one of those smiles that threatened to melt something inside her. “All right, if that’s the way you want to play it, I’ll tell you what I think she has on Worth Winchester. She saw him from that third-floor room down there,” he said motioning toward the lodge. “She looked across the deep ravine to that ridge.”
She followed his gaze remembering what the sheriff had asked the sisters—about some binoculars and what the two of them had seen. Anne swore she hadn’t seen anything. But Janie said she had seen something. Trace Winchester murdered?
“I’ve heard that Pepper Winchester suspects one of the family was a coconspirator in her youngest son’s murder—and was on the ridge that day,” he continued.
“If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on Worth Winchester.”
Lizzy’d had the same thought when she’d heard Janie threatening Worth. “So go to the sheriff.”
“I think even up here in the Wild West they still require evidence,” he said.
“So this extortionist brought you to Montana?” she asked. “Is it possible Janie has something on you? Or is it Worth Winchester who does?”
He laughed. “I told you what I suspected. Don’t you owe me something in return?”
“I think the kiss makes us even,” she said as she started past him again. She thought he might grab her again, but he didn’t.
As she walked to her horse, she heard him chuckling behind her and knew he was looking at her behind. The man really was incorrigible, she thought as she touched her fingers to her lips.
BACK AT THE LODGE, TD found Enid in the kitchen and fell in beside her, picking up a spatula and seeing to the home fries she had going on the griddle.
“She eats like it might be her last meal,” she complained as she pulled the eggs out of the refrigerator.
“Virginia asked for an omelet. An omelet. She acts like she’s staying at some fancy hotel.”
“I can make the omelets,” he said. “She say what kind she wants?”
If looks could kill, Enid’s would have made him deader than a doornail.
He shrugged under the heat of it. “Just thought keeping them happy might prevent the murder.”
Her face seemed to crack open as she laughed. “Can’t make these people happy.” But she added, “Ham-and-cheese omelet.” She was already digging both out of the refrigerator.
He made the omelets on the griddle, moving the potatoes to a skillet on the back burner as she set about getting orange juice and glasses ready.
She was good and worked up and complained the whole time. He listened to her gripe about the family and gathered that she hadn’t had anyone to complain to since her husband died a few months before.
He slid four perfect ham-and-cheese omelets onto a platter around a pile of home-fried potatoes and held them up for her approval.
She let out a snort, then picked up the tray with the orange juice and glasses and they headed for the dining room.
This morning, he noticed as he put down the food, only one person was missing, Worth. Was he just running late? Or was he skipping breakfast as he tried to figure out how to come up with twenty-five thousand dollars?
“Excuse me?” Pepper said to him.
TD looked up into Pepper Winchester’s dark eyes and remembered Lizzy’s visit last night and Worth seeing her. He now wondered if he’d been right about Worth tattling to his mother. He figured he was about to find out.
“Enid tells me you made the pies yesterday,” the elderly matriarch said.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I just wanted to tell you that they were delicious.”
“Thank you.” He heard Enid make a rude sound nearby.
“I as
sume you also made the omelets this morning?”
“Yes, I’ve been trying to help Enid as much as possible. She’s got enough on her hands as it is.”
Pepper Winchester smiled, a light coming into her dark eyes. “That is very kind of you. You are the first help Enid has allowed me to hire for her. I’m glad the two of you are getting along so well.”
“Enid’s teaching me,” TD said.
As Worth entered the dining room, TD took his leave, Enid trailing along behind him. The minute the door closed, Enid demanded, “Why didn’t you take all the credit in there?”
“I just spoke the truth. This is way too much for one person to do.” He smiled at her. “Can I make you something for breakfast? Would you like an omelet?”
“Why not? I can be as snooty as that Virginia. Why not let someone wait on me for a change?”
“My thought exactly,” he said as he made them both breakfast. “I saved us a couple pieces of apple pie if you’re interested.”
She smiled, a real honest-to-goodness smile, and took the slice of pie he offered her.
“Enid, I heard someone mention the Whitehorse Sewing Circle,” he said as he sat down, watching her devour her omelet before he cut into his. “What’s the deal with it?”
“A bunch of old women who make quilts for all the babies born around Old Town Whitehorse,” she said.
What could that have to do with him? He didn’t remember ever having a quilt. But maybe they kept track of births in the area.
“Why are you asking about them? You haven’t knocked up your girlfriend, have you?”
He started to say he didn’t have a girlfriend. So why did Lizzy Calder come to mind?
Before he could deny it, Enid said, “Is that really why you came to work out here? I knew you were too good to be true,” she snapped, but she sounded relieved, as if she had suspected he had a lot worse to hide. “So you’re looking to get rid of this kid.”
