B.J. Daniels the Cardwell Ranch Collection

by B. J Daniels

  Hud swore. “I know Jordan is your brother and even with you being on the outs with him right now, you’d still take up for him when push comes to shove. But, Dana, I’m afraid of what Jordan might be capable of when he doesn’t get his way. Right now from what I can gather, what he wants more than anything is the Cardwell Ranch. And you’re the only thing standing between him and the money from the sale. Watch your back.”

  Chapter Ten

  Dana had stopped off to see Hilde on the way home, putting off the family meeting as long as possible—and trying to keep her mind off Hud and the kiss and everything he’d told her as well as the person she’d spotted across the street watching the shop. Watching her.

  “Someone is trying to scare me,” she told Hilde. “Or worse.” She filled her in.

  “I’m with Hud. You shouldn’t be alone out there. Maybe especially with your family. Come stay with me.”

  “Thanks, but Hud is coming out later,” Dana said. “I really think it’s just one of my siblings trying to get me out of the house so they can do a thorough search for Mom’s new will.”

  “Didn’t you say you looked for it and couldn’t find it?”

  Dana nodded. “They would be wasting their time and I could tell them that, but they wouldn’t believe me.”

  “You’re sure one of them hasn’t already found it?”

  “I hope not, because then it is long gone,” Dana said. “But then how do I explain these threats?”

  “That is too creepy about the doll in the well last night. It sounds like something Jordan would do.”

  She shook her head. “He wasn’t in town.” She thought about the doll her father had given her. Why that doll? “I just have a feeling that the person at the well wanted me to see the light and come up and investigate. And I would have, if I hadn’t been on the phone with Hud.”

  “Did he find out who left you the chocolates?”

  Dana shook her head. “He’s having them checked to see if they might have been poisoned.”

  Hilde shivered. “Dana, someone came into your house to take that doll and leave the chocolates. That person had to know the house. Not just the house. He knows you.”

  “That’s why it’s probably one of my siblings.” She pulled on her coat. “I kissed Hud.”

  Hilde’s eyebrow shot up. “And?”

  “And it was…” She groaned. “Wonderful. Oh, Hilde, I want to believe him. He thinks he was set up five years ago. That someone other than just Stacy wanted to see us broken up and that nothing happened.”

  “Didn’t I tell you that was a possibility?”

  Dana nodded.

  “You’re the only woman he’s ever loved,” Hilde said. “You know that. Why can’t you forgive him?”

  “Could you if you caught him in your sister’s bed?”

  Hilde looked uncertain. “It would be hard. But imagine how he must be feeling? If he really believes nothing happened. Have you ever asked Stacy about it?” Hilde asked.

  Dana shook her head. “What was there to ask? You should have seen the expression on her face that morning when I caught them. I can’t bear to be in the same room with her, let alone talk to her. And anyway, what was there to ask? ‘How was my fiancé?’”

  “Given everything that’s been going on, maybe this family meeting isn’t such a bad idea,” Hilde said. “If it was me, I’d corner that sister of yours and demand some answers.”

  On the way to the ranch, Dana thought about what Hilde had said. How many people knew about the chocolates that Hud had always bought for her birthday? Her family, not that any of them seemed to pay much attention or care. All three of her siblings knew about the doll upstairs and that the ranch house was never locked. But so did a lot of other people.

  Stacy, Clay and Jordan seemed the most likely suspects. She couldn’t imagine any of them hanging out in a blizzard with a flashlight just to scare her away from the house though.

  But if this wasn’t about her siblings trying to speed up the sale of the ranch, then what?

  Ginger Adams’s murder?

  Jordan had always had a terrible temper when he didn’t get his way, just as Hud had said.

  On top of that, Jordan had lied about his relationship with Ginger Adams—and apparently been so angry when she’d dumped him that he’d knocked her down and broken her wrist. And all this right before she’d ended up in the well.

  With a shudder, Dana realized that Jordan also had access to their father’s .38. And now the gun was missing.

  But that didn’t explain the incident last night at the well. Unless Jordan hadn’t been in New York when he’d called her yesterday.

  As she turned into the ranch house yard, she saw a car parked out front with a rental sticker in the back window. Jordan. Apparently he’d arrived early. She could see lights on in the house and a shadow moving around on the second floor—in what had been their mother’s bedroom.

  HUD FOUND Deputy Liza Turner waiting for him in his office. “What was so important that you had to see me right away?” he demanded, and instantly regretted it. “Sorry.”

  “Oh, I caught you in the middle of something,” she said, stepping tentatively to him to wipe a smudge of lipstick from the corner of his mouth with her thumb. She grinned and he knew he looked sheepish. “But I thought you’d want to see this right away,” Liza said, unfazed.

  He noticed then that her eyes shone with excitement. Then he looked at what she held up. A .38 pistol in a plastic evidence bag. “Where—”

  “I was going through the list of names you had me put together, checking to see if I recognized any names on the list of people who owned registered .38 firearms, when Angus Cardwell drove up.” She grinned. “I thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask him if he had a .38. He told me he did, but he’d lost it. I asked if he’d mind if I took a look in his truck.” Her grin broadened. “Don’t worry, I got him to sign a release. And lo and behold, the .38 was right under the seat behind some old rags.”

  “Nice work, Deputy.”

  “Tomorrow’s my day off,” she said quickly. “I was wondering if you’d like me to take the gun up to the crime lab.”

  “You’d drive all the way to Missoula on your day off?” he asked, amused. She reminded him of the way he’d been when he’d first started working for the sheriff’s department.

  “Truthfully? I can’t stand the suspense,” she said. “You should have seen Angus’s face when I pulled out the gun—don’t worry, I was careful not to get any of my prints on it. He looked like he might faint. No kidding. He grabbed the side of his pickup. You would have sworn he’d just seen a ghost.”

  “It might take a while before the lab can run a ballistics test on the pistol,” Hud said distractedly, thinking of Angus’s reaction.

  “I can be pretty persuasive when I need to,” Liza said with a grin. “It’s about the only advantage of being a woman deputy.”

  He smiled. Liza was cute, with dark hair, green eyes and freckles. “Call me as soon as you get the results.”

  “I left the list on your desk,” she said as she locked the .38 in the evidence room. “I’ll pick it up first thing in the morning.”

  “One more thing,” he said, thinking about what she’d said about being persuasive. “Think you could get the fingerprints of our main suspects before you go off duty?”

  She grinned. “Just give me a list.”

  He jotted down the names: Jordan Cardwell, Clay Cardwell, Angus Cardwell, Stacy Cardwell, Harlan Cardwell. He left off Dana’s name. He could get those himself.

  She took the list, read down it, then looked at him. “Just about all of the Cardwells, huh?”

  He nodded, wishing now that he’d put Dana’s name on it.

  Liza started for the door. “Oh, I almost forgot. I found a card in that plastic garbage bag with the box of chocolates when I sent it and the doll to the lab for you this morning. I left the card on your desk. And I just took a phone message for you from the airlines regarding the passenge
r you’d inquired about.” Hud could see curiosity burning in her gaze. “Also on your desk.”

  “Thanks.” Hud stepped into his office and picked up the note Liza had left. His heart began to race.

  Jordan Cardwell flew in yesterday—not today. He had taken a morning flight. When Dana said he’d called her to let her know he was flying out—he was probably already in the canyon. Maybe even on the ranch.

  He picked up the other item Liza had left him. A wadded-up birthday card. He stared at the front. This had been in Dana’s wastebasket? He opened the card and saw Stacy’s name. His heart stopped dead in his chest.

  He recognized this handwriting. Hurriedly, he pulled out the anonymous note he’d received in California. The handwriting matched.

  It had been Stacy who’d gotten him back here?

  JORDAN MUST HAVE heard Dana’s pickup approaching because as she parked, the lights upstairs went off. A moment later she saw her brother rush past one of the living room windows.

  When she entered the house, he was sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs, one shiny new cowboy boot resting on his opposite leg, a drink in his hand.

  “Finally,” he said. “I thought you got off at six?”

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but I had a stop to make. Anyway, Stacy told me the family meeting was at seven,” she said, taking off her coat. “Aren’t you a little early?”

  “I wanted us to visit before the others got here.”

  She turned to look at him. He was trying to give her the impression he’d been sitting there waiting patiently for her—not upstairs snooping around. Her brother really was a liar. She’d always known that Jordan was a lot of things, but she was starting to worry that he could be a lot more than just a liar. He could be a murderer.

  “Visit?” she said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. “Let me guess what you want to visit about.”

  “Isn’t it possible I might just want to see you before the others arrive?” he demanded. Another lie.

  “No. Not unless you want to tell me the truth about what you were doing up in Mother’s old room.”

  He made an ugly face in answer to being found out.

  “Or I can tell you,” she said against the advice of the little voice in her head warning her to be careful. “You were looking for Mom’s will. The one you said didn’t exist. In fact, you accused me of making up the story to hold up the sale of the ranch.”

  “I still believe that.”

  She felt her anger rise. “If I didn’t know better I’d swear you staged that scene last night at the well.”

  Jordan stared at her. “What are you talking about?”

  “Last night.” Dana said, biting off each word. “Someone tried to trick me into coming up to the well. To kill me. Or just get me away from the house so you could search for the will. Hud was almost killed.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jordan snapped. “Remember? I didn’t even fly in until today.”

  “How do I know you aren’t lying again.”

  Jordan downed the rest of his drink and slammed the glass down on the end table as he launched himself to his feet. “I’m sick of this.” He stormed across the room until he stood towering over her. “The ranch is going on the market,” he snapped, grabbing both of her shoulders in his hands. “You are going to quit using every legal maneuver possible to hold up the sale.”

  She tried to pull free, his fingers biting into her flesh.

  He gave her a shake. “There is no will. Or if there is, you can’t produce it.” His words were like the hiss of a snake, his face within inches of hers. “You have no choice, Dana, so stop fighting me or you’ll be sorry you were ever born, you stubborn damned—”

  The sound of the front door opening killed the rest of his words. He let go of Dana at once and stepped back as Stacy asked, “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing,” Jordan said sullenly. “We were just waiting for you and Clay. Where the hell is Clay, anyway? And what is that?”

  Dana never thought she’d be relieved to see her sister. She was also surprised by Stacy’s attitude. Her sister never stood up to Jordan but clearly she was angry with him now. Because of what she’d just witnessed?

  Her hands trembling, Dana reached for the container in Stacy’s hand and instantly regretted taking it.

  Through the clear plastic lid she could see the crudely printed words: “Happy Birthday, Dana!” on what was obviously a homemade cake. Stacy had baked?

  Dana didn’t want to feel touched by the gesture, but she did as she heard the sound of another car coming in from the highway. She realized she and Jordan would have heard Stacy arrive if they hadn’t been hollering at each other. Her shoulders still hurt from where he’d grabbed her.

  “That must be Clay now,” Stacy said, still glaring at Jordan.

  He shoved past Stacy and out the front door.

  Stacy shrugged out of her coat as she looked around the living room as if she hadn’t seen it in a very long time. She hadn’t and Dana wondered if her sister might be starting to have doubts about selling the place.

  “I wish you hadn’t done this,” Dana said to her sister, holding up the cake.

  “It was nothing,” Stacy said, dropping her head.

  Dana studied her for a moment wondering if the cake wasn’t just a ploy to get back into her good graces so Dana would quit fighting the sale of the ranch. Now that Dana thought about, she wouldn’t have been surprised if the cake was Jordan’s idea.

  Jordan came back in the house, stomping his feet loudly, Clay at his heels.

  “Hi, sis,” Clay said quietly. He looked as if he might hug her, but changed his mind. He didn’t seem to know what to do with his big hands. They fluttered in the air for a moment before he stuffed them into the pockets of his pants. “Happy birthday.”

  Had he been in on this? He sounded as if he’d only remembered her birthday when he’d seen the cake in her hands though.

  “Hello, Clay.” Clay was what was called lanky. He was tall and thin, his bones seeming too large for his body. His hair was shorter than Dana had ever seen it, a buzz cut, and he wore chinos and a T-shirt. He wasn’t so much handsome as he was beautiful.

  She saw Jordan give him a disgusted look. He’d always thought Clay weak.

  Stacy had taken down plates from their mother’s good china. Dana watched her stop for a moment as if admiring the pattern. Or maybe she was just speculating on how much the china might be worth on the market.

  Their mother should have been here, Dana thought as she watched everyone take a seat around the large table. Jordan pulled out a chair and sat at the spot their mother used to sit. Obviously he now considered himself the head of the family.

  Clay sat where he always had, near the other end of the table. Stacy put plates and forks on the table, then took the cake Dana realized she was still holding.

  As Dana slumped into her chair, Stacy carefully cut the cake. Dana noticed that her sister’s hands were trembling. She served everyone a piece, then started to ask, “Should we sing—”

  “No,” Dana interrupted. “The cake is more than enough.”

  Stacy looked disheartened but sat and picked up her fork. “I hope it tastes all right. I don’t do much baking.”

  Jordan snorted at the understatement.

  Dana studied her older brother as she took a bite of the cake. What would Jordan have done if Stacy hadn’t arrived when she had?

  “It’s good,” Dana said, touched by her sister’s kind gesture even though she didn’t want to be.

  Jordan downed his and shoved his plate and fork aside. “Could we please get this settled now?”

  Stacy looked angrily at their brother. “You are such a jerk,” she snapped, and got up to take everyone’s dishes to the sink.

  “Leave the dishes. I’ll do them,” Dana said, getting up from the table. The kitchen felt too small for this discussion, the smell of chocolate cake too strong. “Let’s go in th
e living room.”

  They all filed into the adjacent room. Clay sat in the corner, Stacy teetered on the edge of the fireplace hearth, Jordan went straight to the bar and poured himself a drink.

  “Dana, you’re killing us,” Jordan said after gulping down half a glass of her bourbon. “All these attorney fees to fight you. You know we’re going to win eventually. So why put us through this?”

  Dana looked around the room at each of her siblings. “I can’t believe any of you are related to me or Mother. If she knew what you were doing—”

  “Don’t bring her into this,” Jordan snapped. “If she wanted you alone to have the ranch then she should have made the proper arrangements.”

  “She tried to and you know it,” Dana said, fighting not to lose her temper. “I know Mother talked to each of you before she drafted her new will and explained how you would be paid over the long term.”

  “Produce the document,” Jordan demanded.

  “You know I can’t.”

  He made an angry swipe through the air. “Then stop fighting us. You can’t win and you know it. Dragging your feet has only made things worse. Now we have a dead body on the ranch.”

  “The body’s been there for seventeen years,” Dana said. “It would have turned up sooner or later.”

  “Not if Warren had filled in the well like he was supposed to,” Jordan snapped.

  Dana narrowed her gaze at him. “You told him to fill in the well?”

  Jordan glared at her. “I told him to get the ranch ready to sell. Filling in the well was his idea. How did I know he was going to find human bones in it?”

  How indeed?

  “We just need to stop fighting among ourselves,” Clay said from the corner.

  Jordan rolled his eyes. “No, what we need is to get this ranch on the market and hope to hell this investigation is over as quickly as possible. In the meantime, Dana, you could stop being so antagonistic toward the marshal.”

  Dana felt all the air rush from her lungs as if he’d hit her. “You aren’t seriously suggesting that I—”

  “Your attitude is making us all look guilty,” Jordan said.

  “And you think if I’m nice to Hud, it will make you look any less guilty?” she snapped.