The Doctor's Choice~Badlands (Contemporary Western Romantic Suspense)

by J. D. Faver

  “What’s this?” She pointed to where Sara Beth stretched to reach something on a higher shelf.

  “The pillow shams. They’re included in the price.”

  Cami reached above her and unfolded the shams. They were a perfect match to the quilt. “I’m so happy to find this.”

  “Look around,” Sara Beth said. “You might find you want something else.” She walked beside Cami and chattered amiably. “Are you staying long?”

  Cami considered the question and smiled. “I truly don’t know. I’m trying to decide. Were you born here?”

  “Oh, Lord, no. I’m from Fort Worth. I met my husband in college.”

  “Did you have a hard time getting used to this after living in a city?”

  “Nope. The first morning I woke up and heard a rooster instead of ambulances and traffic I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.”

  “What do you do here to fill your time?”

  The young woman stared at her blankly.

  “I mean,” Cami said, “there’s no museum, no mall, no theatre, no zoo.”

  Sara Beth burst out laughing. “Well, we’ve got all that. When I want big department stores I drive to Lubbock or Amarillo. We have a movie theater right here and there are plenty of animals all around.”

  “I see.” Smiling, Cami took the quilt and shams that Sara Beth had wrapped in brown paper and tied with a length of raffia.

  She drove back to the ranch thinking about the home she’d inherited. When she arrived, she found E.J. Kincaid waiting for her. He was sitting in one of the wicker chairs, rocking amiably.

  “Come in,” she said. “You must be cold.”

  “Real men don’t get cold,” he said, a grin spreading across his face.

  “Oho! Then I’ll just leave you on the porch. I wouldn’t want to undermine your masculinity.” She unlocked the door and carried her precious packages inside.

  Shadow was waiting just near the door and emitted a low growl, his eyes never leaving E.J.’s face.

  He followed her and, ignoring Shadow, secured the door behind them. “Wednesday is the day I thought I’d get in touch with my feminine side, so I’ll come in out of the cold.”

  Cami smiled at him. How could one man provide so much eye candy all the time? “Did you come over to exchange make-up tips on Womanly Wednesday?”

  “I came to see if you’d like to come for dinner with me and my dad sometime this week. He could make a fortune with his barbeque.”

  “I thought he already had a fortune,” she said.

  His eyes twinkled. “Yeah, he does.”

  “So, why is the rich man’s son really here?”

  E.J. gave her a dazzling grin. “I had to see you again. There’s not much to do around here. If you want, we could drive to Amarillo for a few more choices. But, the main reason I’m here is because I wanted to see your pretty little face.”

  “How does your dad figure into this?”

  “He likes you. When he found out I was coming here he asked me to invite you over. Any chance you might like to take me up on that?”

  “That would be nice,” she said. “I love to have men slave over a hot grill for me.”

  “Tomorrow night? I’ll pick you up at seven.”

  “Sure,” she said. “I’ll be ready.”

  E.J. left soon and Cami went out to invite Frank and T-Bone to dinner. She found them in the barn, both peering under the hood of the ranch truck. They were happy to accept her invitation.

  Before returning to the house she stopped by Red’s stall and gave him an apple. “Hey, big boy.”

  He always thrilled her. Something about his attitude told her this was no ordinary horse. Cami stroked his neck and said nice things to him. She wondered if Aunt Silky had talked to Red when he was her horse. Somehow, she knew the answer was yes.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Frank and T-Bone stomped up on the front porch and stood, hats in hands, waiting for her to open the door.

  “Come in, guys. I left the door open for you.” She had gathered all of the available liquor on a tray in the dining room and gestured toward them. “Help yourself to whatever you want. I’ll just be a moment.”

  Cami arranged the heated enchiladas and rice on platters and added tortillas and salad. When she carried the food to the dining room, the men rushed to take the platters from her.

  “Miss Cami, this sure looks good.” T-Bone set the food on the table and pulled out the chair for her.

  “It was no trouble. I’m a city girl. I know how to do take out.” She waved them to the chairs. “Please sit down, gentlemen.” She passed the platters, smiling as they loaded their plates.

  “Miss Cami, it sure is nice of you to have us for dinner like this.”

  “I appreciate the company,” she said. “And, after we eat, I need to ask your opinion about something.”

  “Anything we can do to help, Miss Cami,” Frank said.

  After the meal, she pushed the dishes to one side. “Okay, now down to business. I need to know why someone would want my aunt out of the way.”

  Frank and T-Bone exchanged a look.

  She went on. “There’s Eldon Kincaid. I know Aunt Silky stood in the way of his plans to buy this ranch and she discouraged other ranchers from selling to him. If it’s Kincaid, he had to know that I was the heir and that I might want to sell.” She looked from one man to the other. “But, he didn’t know the particular stipulations of the will. Would he go so far as to kill Aunt Silky, or have her killed?”

  Frank spoke up, clearing his throat. “Kincaid’s boys have been responsible for some dirty tricks, but nothing as bad as murdering a little old lady.”

  “Are you telling us that Miss Silky was, for sure, murdered?” T-Bone stared at her with his bushy brows knit together.

  “It looks that way,” Cami said. “The Medical Examiner matched the wound on her head to the business end of a tire tool.”

  “It wasn’t Red?” Frank asked.

  “No, it wasn’t a horse.”

  Frank looked relieved. “Good. I’d hate to think it was Red.”

  “I don’t know anyone else besides Kincaid who might want Aunt Silky dead. Besides the land, what’s of value here to cause someone to commit murder?” Cami glanced from Frank to T-Bone.

  “There’s the water?” Frank said. “When there’s a drought, that’s a pretty valuable commodity.”

  “And there’s the Pan-Tex Plant,” T-Bone said. “They do some sort of nuclear stuff up there.”

  “I understand that Kincaid is an old wildcatter,” she said. “Could there be some kind of connection there?”

  “Some big oil company had a lease on Silky’s land for decades,” Frank said. “It could still be in effect.”

  “Them oil company fellers tested just about everything around here,” T-Bone said. “If there’s oil, they didn’t find it.”

  “Are there any other minerals or valuable resources that could be exploited?”

  Frank gave her a grin complete with dimples. “To a cattleman, the most valuable thing is the thousands of acres of grazing land with water access. The underground spring comes right up out of the limestone and shale. It provides clean drinkable water for both this ranch and the Ryan’s spread. When we’re having a drought both ranches use it for irrigation.”

  “You told me you baled hay for the stock, but what else is grown on this ranch?” Cami felt a twinge of guilt for not knowing.

  “In the summer we grow corn, cotton, wheat and sorghum and in the winter, rye grass.” Frank did the grin again. “If ethanol continues to be a prime commodity, we’ll probably grow more corn this year.”

  Without warning tears welled in her eyes. “What would I do without the two of you? I don’t know anything about ranching. Why did Aunt Silky want me to live here and take over this place when I’m such an idiot about every single thing to do with ranching?”

  T-Bone reached out a worn and callused hand to clumsily pat her shoulder. “Miss Cami, you
can learn. If you can learn all about doctorin’ this ain’t nothin’.”

  “Yeah, Cami,” Frank said. “You can count on us. We’ll help you. Just stay here and we’ll make a go of it together.” Frank’s entreaty was delivered with his usual forthright manner as though just saying it could make it so.

  “It’s not that simple,” she said. “I have some hard choices to make.”

  “Your fellowship,” Frank said.

  “And my fiancé.” She tried not to laugh as he gave her an eye roll. “I really do have a fiancé and I have to consider him.”

  “Yeah, like he’s considerin’ you?” Frank scowled at her. “If you was my fiancé and you had a death in your family, I’d be right there along side you.”

  T-Bone shook his head. “No, Ma’am. That just ain’t right. He shoulda come with you. To help you out an’ all.”

  Cami shrugged but thought that, were the circumstances reversed, she would have been with Clay.

  #

  E.J. Kincaid knocked on her door at the stroke of seven. He was grinning when she stepped outside.

  “You look beautiful.” He held out his hand and she hesitated a moment before placing hers in it. He raised it to his lips. “Let’s go. My dad is excited that you’re coming. He’s been cooking like Martha Stewart.”

  Cami laughed as they walked hand in hand to the vehicle. “I’d better say nice things then.”

  “I’m not worried. Dad’s a great cook.” He handed her into his low-slung Jaguar, closing the door with a tight thunk.

  The smell of new leather enveloped her and she couldn’t resist running her hand over the expensive interior.

  He got in and started the car, smiling when a low-pitched whine responded to his touch.

  “This is such a nice car,” she said.

  “Thanks. My dad thinks I should be driving a big double dually to prove my manhood. He hates this car.”

  Cami shot him a sideways glance. “Is that why you drive it?”

  He chuckled deep in his chest. “You could be right.”

  They drove the short distance with E.J. putting the car through its paces.

  Cami felt the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on alert as he accelerated on the straight, flat road. She gazed out the window as fence posts flew by, determined to give no outward sign of distress.

  He took the turn through the imposing stone archway into the Kincaid ranch much too fast, but the Jag hugged the curve. She had to grin and a little sound escaped her throat as the rush of speed thrilled her. He shifted gears, flashing a toothy grin. They rounded another, gentler curve and Cami sucked in a deep breath.

  He. drew the Jaguar to a stop in front of a huge and elaborate structure. “Welcome to Buckingham Palace.”

  Cami couldn’t help but stare up at the façade. She couldn’t imagine a home less suitable to be built on the Texas Plaines. She turned to him, trying to find something to say.

  “This is my dad’s idea of home, not mine. I think your little Victorian house looks a lot more homey.” He held out his hand.

  “Thanks.” She hadn’t thought of Aunt Silky’s rambling house as being “little” but, she reasoned, everything was relative. Compared to her tiny Houston apartment, she now lived in a mansion but, in E.J.’s frame of reference it was tiny.

  He took her hand and led her inside. The glossy marble floor in the entry reflected the glow of crystal chandeliers. Soaring ceilings were grounded by mahogany paneling. The walls were lined with the decapitated heads of dead animals and photographs of Eldon Kincaid with various celebrities, governors and a couple of U.S. Presidents.

  Cami glanced at E.J. He wore a shuttered expression on his face. She raised her brows in question.

  “I feel you judging me,” he said.

  “Sorry. It’s hard to separate you from all this.”

  “Please try to see me, Cami. I’m not my dad.” He gave her hand a squeeze.

  She allowed him to lead her through a series of equally impressive rooms, including a dining room with a banquet table that might accommodate thirty.

  The next room was a huge den, of sorts. A home theater dominated the near wall and a granite counter top defined the work area where Eldon Kincaid manned an indoor grill. He was basting something under a vent hood.

  “There you are. I was getting ready to send out the posse.” He removed an oven mitt and came from behind the counter, grinning broadly. “Welcome to our home, young lady. And don’t you look lovely tonight.” He clasped her hand warmly.

  “Thank you, Mr. Kincaid.”

  “Now, now, I’ll have none of that. We’re all family here so you better call me Eldon.”

  “Eldon,” Cami said. He led her to the bar and seated her on a high leather stool. “E. J., get the lovely lady a drink.”

  “I’ll just have a soda,” she said.

  “Nonsense,” Eldon said. “Make Cami something special, E.J., so she can relax and enjoy herself.

  She caught E.J.’s eye and he gave her a one-sided smile before turning to the vast array of bottles lining the mirrored wall behind the bar. As Eldon rattled on about the food he’d prepared for them, E.J. came to stand close beside her. He set a tall glass adorned with a slice of lime in front of her. She looked at it and drew a breath before reaching for it.

  He leaned over and brushed a kiss against her temple, whispering into her hair, “Virgin.”

  She grinned up at him and his fingers lightly brushed the skin on her neck. She took a sip of her soda, grateful that he’d supported her choice without a hassle. Maybe he truly was not his father’s tool.

  As E.J. joined Eldon behind the grill, she took the opportunity to examine him. Objectively, she could say he was the handsomest man she’d ever laid eyes on. Although he was tall and broad shouldered like Eldon, his features were more refined. Chiseled, where Eldon’s were hawk-like. She presumed that he must look like his deceased mother. She liked that he was easy-going and listened to her.

  Breck’s face sprang into her thoughts, Breck who thought he knew more about her needs than she did. Her lips tightened as she continued to peruse the maleness in the room. E.J. kept up a light banter with his dad, teasing him about serving up a burnt offering.

  “You get out of here, boy,” Eldon ordered. “Go entertain your lady friend and leave the cooking to me.”

  E.J. pulled up a barstool beside Cami and sat down. “Hello, Lady Friend.”

  “Does that make you my man friend?”

  “I could be your boy friend,” he said softly.

  “That could be a little inconvenient, because I have a fiancé.”

  He raised his brows and tilted his head to one side. “Speaking of which, why haven’t I seen him around? If I was engaged to such a hottie, I’d be stuck on you like crazy glue.”

  She laughed. “I can’t believe you called me a hottie.”

  “Cami,” he said seriously. “I can’t believe you’re not staring at yourself in the mirror all the time like the constant stream of Dallas debutants my mother paraded before me. She thought the next Kincaid bride had to have blood as blue as hers.”

  “I guess you didn’t find the right one,” she said.

  “Not in Dallas.” He stroked the back of her hand.

  She reflected that Breck’s slightest touch sent goose flesh creeping down her spine. She determinedly pushed all thoughts of the darkly disturbing rancher from her brain. “I’m sure you’ll marry the love of your life and make lots of little Kincaids to inherit all this.” She gestured to her surroundings.

  “That sounds like a wonderful plan,” he said under his breath.

  Cami sipped her soda and tried to ignore the way E.J. stared at her.

  Eldon served the delicious meal in the den and he demonstrated his media equipment by showing a first run film. She leaned back in a leather recliner and felt E.J.’s eyes on her in the darkened room.

  When she was ready to leave, Eldon escorted her to the front of the house.

  “
What do you think of my trophies?” Eldon waved a hand to indicate the heads mounted to his wall.

  “Very impressive,” she said. “But I’m on the animal’s side.”

  Eldon grinned and looked down at his expensive ostrich boots. “I’m sure that a lovely young lady such as yourself could never fathom the pleasure of the hunt, the thrill of firing a gun and bringing down a big animal.”

  “On the contrary, Eldon. My Aunt Silky taught me to fire a rifle when I was twelve and we used to shoot rattle snakes. I hate snakes of all kinds.” There was a moment when they stared into each other’s eyes intently. She knew he fathomed the kind of snake she was talking about.

  He drew in a breath and let it out slowly. “Alrighty then,” he said. “You take care, now.” He folded her hand in his and shook it with a firm grip.

  “Thank you for a great meal and interesting company.”

  E.J. walked her to his car and headed to her home. He reached over and took her hand, threading his fingers with hers. “Cami, this has been the best evening I’ve had since I came here.”

  “I had a good time, too.” She cast a glance at E.J. and noted that he was grinning as he drove. “Your dad is a real charmer. I hope I didn’t upset him with my comments on the trophies he’s so proud of.”

  “He’ll get over it,” he said. “It’s not like he hasn’t heard it all before. My mother hated his trophies. When she was alive he kept them at his office. Now he has them here.”

  “What about your previous home?”

  “It’s still there. Dallas is my home. All my friends are there…except for you.” He shot her a glance under his obscenely long lashes, blue eyes twinkling.

  She grinned back at him. “Yes, we’re friends.”

  He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers before releasing her hand to grind into a higher gear.

  She heard the high-pitched whine as the Jag went through its paces, tearing up the lonely highway under the big Texas night sky.

  #

  Cami woke up feeling rested. She stretched and looked around her new room. It was much more comfortable and spacious than the guest room. Sunlight slanted through the windows because she hadn’t the heart to put the heavy yellow drapes back up.