Montana Dreaming

by Judy Duarte

  “Oh, yes.”

  “I was wondering if you have any kind of a follow-up statement to our interview or anything you’d like to share with the public.”

  Lisa thought a minute. “Actually I do. Have a seat and we’ll talk. Have you eaten?”

  Chad looked as if he’d been granted an audience with the queen of England. His expression was serious, and he sat beside Lisa with a look of sheer gratification on his face.

  “I have a couple of new projects,” she told him, “and I’d like people to hear about them from me. One of them is a book on Lily Divine for the historical society. Hopefully it’s going to dispel some of the myths that have been perpetuated about her.”

  “Really?”

  Bernadine leaned forward. “There will be press releases regarding Miss Martin’s new ventures,” she told Chad. “What would you say to seeing those first and hearing any other news she has to share first, as long as you keep your distance the rest of the time? The way you have been.”

  “I’d say yes. I can try to work out something with the other reporters so that they’ll get the same accurate news after I’ve seen it. You might have to throw them a bone now and then and pose for a few pictures.”

  “I can do that.”

  “We’ll have something written up for you about this book project next week,” Bernadine told him.

  “Great. What about the other projects you mentioned? You only told me about one.”

  “The other one is under wraps for now—at least until some more plans can be made. You’ll be the first to know.”

  He stood and reached to shake both women’s hands. “Thanks a lot.”

  “So, you’re my publicist now?” Lisa asked Bernadine.

  “No, but I have people who can work up press releases. Anything to keep those bloodsuckers off your tail.”

  Lisa thanked her and they finally got around to eating their lunch.

  She had taken a huge first step toward her goal of clearing Lily’s name to the best of her ability. She was handling the press without Riley now and she had come up with her own idea for a local business venture. That should show Riley she had a mind of her own. She still had to figure out what she wanted for herself, though, and that was proving more difficult than the other tasks.

  First she’d thought she was happy the way she was and resisted change. Then she’d realized she wanted more and had broken out of her boring shell and tried to change everything about herself at once. She was discovering she was more creative and independent than she’d ever dreamed.

  She’d even been enjoying talking to people and coming out of her isolation. Not everyone was out to wheedle a chunk of her gold mine.

  “If I didn’t have a gold mine anymore,” she said offhandedly, “would you still want to have lunch with me?”

  Bernadine’s expression showed surprised but understanding, as well. “Yes, I would, Lisa. I think we’re becoming friends, don’t you?”

  “Yes, I think so.”

  The more Lisa thought about it over the next day or so, the more she realized she’d been very judgmental of the townspeople. Sure, there were the crazies who called to convince her they were a long-lost relative, but there were also plenty of other people who were perfectly warm and friendly. She’d always considered that they’d looked down on her and ignored her, but she’d perpetuated that treatment. If she’d stood up to a few juvenile comments in school or had not been ashamed of being related to Lily, maybe things would have been different. That kind of thinking changed her whole attitude. And scared her. And delighted her. She really had changed.

  Riley stood outside Town Hall after a chaotic meeting with officials over the much-needed addition of more police officers, firemen and medical personnel. Ever since the onset of gold fever, the town had been overrun by would-be prospectors and sightseers. Good for the economy but a stretch to their fiscal budgets. The board had asked Riley to head a project to appropriate more dollars for these jobs.

  Brad Vaughn paused beside him with a question about additional parking for Main Street shops. Brad and Emily had been married recently and had settled in Thunder Canyon. Brad had started a missing-persons investigation company and he took an active interest in town issues.

  “The motels are inadequate for the influx of tourists, as well,” Brad told him. “When Emily and I initially arrived here to investigate the mine ownership, we couldn’t find anyplace to stay. Your father loaned us that old cabin.”

  “I heard that was a good thing,” Riley replied easily.

  “As it turned out, it was, but not everyone has that option. Especially since we bought the place.”

  “I agree. Even with the resort there will be middle-income tourists looking for an economy stay.”

  “Emily tells me the Martin girl was reluctant to claim ownership of the mine at first. From what we see in the papers, it looks like she’s coming out of her shell now.”

  “She’s come a long way. She wants to learn all she can and manage the monster that was dropped in her lap.”

  Brad faced Riley with a furrow between his brows. “I hope there’s no hard feelings between us now—you know, because Emily and I made the results of our investigation public.”

  That comment didn’t soak in. “What do you mean? You found the only documentation available. It’s a legal document. I know we hired you to discover otherwise, but you did find the owner. Why would that create hard feelings?”

  Brad gave him an odd look. “Well…” He glanced away. “No reason, I guess.”

  “No, speak up. In your opinion, why would I resent you?”

  Brad seemed hesitant to speak but finally opened up. “When Emily and I found the deed, your father offered us money to keep silent about it being signed back over to Lily Harding. We wouldn’t consider it. I thought you knew this.”

  The information burned in Riley’s stomach like three-alarm chili. His father had offered Brad a bribe to keep Lisa’s ownership a secret. If left to his own wishes, Caleb would have destroyed the deed and called the mine Douglas property without anyone knowing any different.

  Shame heated Riley’s flesh. “No. I didn’t know. But thank you for your integrity.”

  “I wasn’t sure where you stood,” Brad said.

  “I haven’t been sure most of the time either,” Riley replied honestly. “But the lines are becoming a lot more clear.”

  Brad extended a hand. “No harm done, then?”

  “Just the opposite.” Riley shook his hand.

  He and Brad parted on the sidewalk, and Riley walked toward the street where his car was parked. Family loyalties ran deep, but bribery and deceit were family values he didn’t want to condone any longer. He could forgive his father for his acts of adultery, but he had trouble with ignoring the pain his mother had suffered.

  The story of Caleb offering Justin’s mother money to keep him had always stuck in his craw. Had it made Justin feel valuable?

  And now this. Offering the investigators money to hide Lisa’s ownership of the mine. Equally as low-down and underhanded as Riley’s devising a plan to win her affection and marry her so he could get control, wasn’t it? He’d justified his actions by planning to leave her well off when he divorced her. What kind of warped thinking had that been? Why hadn’t he rejected the idea when he’d first had it? Because he’d seen all his life how money and power got you what you wanted. What he hadn’t seen—or wanted to see—were the far-reaching effects and the slow erosion of virtue when a person allowed this kind of manipulation.

  This was the first time he’d admitted these things to himself. He’d never promised his father he would carry out the marriage. But he’d pursued Lisa as though he intended to make it happen.

  What could he do to correct such a big, ugly mistake?

  She wouldn’t even take his calls.

  He didn’t know how to redeem himself or if it was even possible. But he knew he had to try.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Every
day for the past week Riley had left a message on her machine. Every one-sided conversation had been similar. He wanted to see her. Wanted to talk to her. She was aware of her limitations and knew she was toast if she gave in to him. She would have to get past this and face him for business, but all in good time. For the time being, she checked in with Marge when she had a question or when there was something that needed a signature. Marge accommodated her by using a courier service.

  Lisa went about her new life the best way she knew how. And she spent a lot of time thinking about where she wanted to direct her energy and her emotions. Dogs had always been her first love, and caring for them would always be important. Calls for walks and care had dwindled with her rise to local fame, though. Her clients assumed she didn’t have the time or the inclination, and truth be told, it was becoming more and more difficult to juggle Puppy Love with her other business obligations.

  She still loved her grandmother’s house and couldn’t imagine not having the security and memories it provided. One evening, out of the blue, the idea came to her that she could move this house to a more suitable location with surrounding land and a security enclosure.

  Amazing how money could open doors and move otherwise unoiled gears. Her first phone calls were met by receptive people with the knowledge and skill to help her move the house. Calls to Realtors resulted in appointments to look at property.

  Remembering something Emily had said to her the very first day they’d met, Lisa thought about the things she’d always thought she would do if she could afford to. Emily had said she’d pay for her sister’s college. Lisa didn’t have any siblings, but she’d given a lot of thought to things she would do with her money when she actually had an abundance.

  Riley left a message for her to call the bank and verify balances. She did and her ears went numb. She was rich.

  He was her financial manager. She needed to clear things with him, so she called Marge and asked her to leave him a message. Previously his secretary had caught on that Lisa didn’t want to speak directly to him. Lisa told her she wanted to start a search for property and asked how much she could safely spend this month.

  She wanted to implement a plan for an animal shelter, as well. Before she’d understood the magnitude of her inheritance, she’d had it in her heart that building a no-kill facility would be the height of her benevolent dreams. Now there was no reason it couldn’t become a reality.

  After explaining to Marge, she hung up feeling guilty and called her right back. “Marge, never mind. I’m sorry to have placed you in this position. I’ll talk to Riley myself.”

  “No problem. He’s right here.”

  She had expected him to return her call, not be standing by.

  “Hello, Lisa.”

  “Hi. I want to move on a couple of projects, so I need to run them past you.”

  “Great. Want me to come over there?”

  “We can talk over the phone.”

  “Whatever makes you happy.”

  She explained about looking for property and about the animal shelter.

  “You’d better hold off on the shelter,” he told her.

  “Why?”

  “You’d be doubling your efforts.”

  “How so?” she asked. “There’s nothing like that in Thunder Canyon.”

  “But there will be. There’s been land purchased.”

  “By whom?”

  He paused only briefly. “By me.”

  Riley had already bought land for an animal shelter?

  “One of the things I need to talk to you about is how to set it up and what features to employ. I thought we could visit a couple in nearby regions and get some ideas.”

  Lisa had to compose her thoughts to find her tongue. “You are planning to build an animal shelter?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “I heard you mention it once.”

  “Is this some sort of manipulation technique?”

  “No, it’s going to be a gift. To the city.”

  “Why this particular project?”

  “Because I know it’s close to your heart. And that’s where I want to be, as well. I was hoping it would show you I’m not the greedy, scum-sucking control freak you think I am. I admit I got close to fitting that description once, but I’m working at change. I’d like you to take over the project and have the final say on everything.”

  What did an animal shelter cost? she thought with skepticism. Only a fraction of a gold mine. If he sucked her in with this ploy, he’d still be a cool mil ahead.

  “Will you do it?” he asked.

  “If you’re serious. But not if you think it changes anything.”

  The line was silent a moment too long. “Will you accept my apology so I can sleep nights?”

  Why should he have a sleep advantage over her? “What, a conscience?”

  “A conscience, a heart, whatever you want to call it. I’m sorry. I can’t go back and fix it. But I can show you I’m not that same person.”

  “By building an animal shelter?”

  “By doing something I thought you’d respect me for.”

  “People earn respect, Riley.”

  “That they do. You earned mine.”

  She couldn’t listen to this. She couldn’t weaken. “We’re business associates. I don’t want to avoid your phone calls. I want to know that when your number shows up, you’re calling about business. I want to know that when we see each other face-to-face, it’s not going to be a test of wills. The manipulating and bribing have to stop.”

  “You’re right.”

  “Why did you send the stained-glass window, then?”

  “Because it’s beautiful and I knew you’d love it. Why did you send it back?”

  “Because it’s beautiful, and I loved it.”

  “It doesn’t go with my place.”

  She wanted badly to comment that nothing went with his place, but she held her tongue. “No more bribes.”

  “You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to.”

  “Business. Period.”

  “All right, Lisa.” The way he said her name with such sincerity and feeling hammered at her protective armor.

  “I’m not kidding,” she said and meant it.

  “I know you’re not. I agree to your terms. Thank you for calling, Lisa.”

  “We’ll talk soon, then.” She paused a moment too long. “Bye.”

  She hung up, satisfied with his promise but sorry she’d had to wrest it out of him. No room for chances where Riley was concerned. Things needed to be as safe as she could make them. She was existing in a tissue-paper world—and it was raining.

  The last thing Lisa wanted to do was attend the event at Town Hall on Saturday night of the next week. The Gold Fever Gala was being held in the huge reception room in the restored building. This evening had been planned in order to celebrate several things, including the boost to the economy and the production of gold from the Queen of Hearts, and to announce the plethora of projects which had been put in place.

  As a popular Thunder Canyon daughter and the newly discovered heiress, Lisa had been invited as the guest of honor.

  She had taken great care with her appearance, culling yet another divine red dress from the selection Gwen had pulled together for her. This one was calf length and slit up the side and left one shoulder bare. Tiny matching beads sewn on the fabric in leafy designs reflected the light.

  A valet took Lisa’s keys and the Blazer and parked it for her. Bernadine had offered to pick her up, but knowing her lawyer had a date, Lisa had refused.

  Several people Lisa didn’t know arrived just as she did. They introduced themselves and walked in through the double glass doors behind her.

  Inside, the first person Lisa recognized was Emily Vaughn. She looked elegant in a deep-emerald gown that emphasized her sleek hair and dark eyes. Emily was quick to greet Lisa with a smile and a brief hug. “You look as though you’re here for a roast.”

  “I�
�ll try to compose myself. I’m still a novice at this social stuff. I expect to trip or sneeze on somebody’s tie at any given minute.”

  “You’re the woman of the hour, so try to relax and enjoy every minute while it lasts.”

  “I’ll try. I feel like a big fake. I didn’t do anything to be here. I’m only the mine owner because of my genes.”

  “Don’t knock family money. Nobody ever says the Kennedys don’t deserve what they have.”

  Lisa laughed. “I’ll remember that.”

  A couple just inside the door to the reception hall greeted the two women. “Hi, Lisa. I’m Faith Stevenson, and this is my husband, Cam.”

  Lisa shook their hands. “Stevenson. You must be the parents of the boy who started this whole gold rush by falling into the mine.”

  Cam’s brown eyes were as warm as his smile. “That’s our claim to fame. It was scary, but it turned out well for everyone. Faith was the rescue worker who found Erik, and that’s how we met.”

  “Well, congratulations. I’d love to meet Erik one of these days.”

  Bernadine was standing with Olivia Chester and a few other guests when Lisa spotted her. She gestured for Lisa to join them, and Emily excused herself and moved off into the crowd.

  “You’ve met Olivia,” Bernadine said.

  “Hello again, Doctor.”

  “These are some of my colleagues.” Olivia gestured to those beside her. “Christopher Taylor works in the E.R. and his wife, Zoe, is a resident.”

  “Nice to meet you.”

  “You, too,” Zoe said. “I can see why red is your signature color. You look fabulous.”

  Lisa hadn’t really thought of it like that. She’d chosen red dresses as a statement of pride about Lily, but she didn’t mind the association. “Thank you.”

  The gathering broke up, and Lisa asked her lawyer, “Where’s your date?”

  “I thought he went to get drinks. I’d better go make sure he didn’t meet someone else and forget about me.”

  More guests arrived and drinks flowed from bars set up in two corners of the room. Lisa was tickled to see Tildy Matheson had come to the reception. The woman was seated in an overstuffed chair, which had been situated for her comfort. Lisa pulled a folding chair close so they could visit.