Читать книгу Ambush At Dry Gulch - Joanna Wayne - Страница 8
ОглавлениеJacob Edward Dalton worried the knot in his red-striped tie for about ten seconds before jerking it off and tossing it to a nearby chair. Texas State Capitol building or not, he was going casual. Mid-June and the humidity was already battling the temperature for record highs for this time of year.
He could kick himself for letting Aidan Bastrop talk him into volunteering the Silver Spur for some project he’d never even heard of before now. Nothing like a gaggle of women descending on a ranch to guarantee his wranglers would do more gawking than work.
Not that Jake was against helping out. He gave generously to several causes important to him. But he had a ranch to run and a teenage daughter to corral, neither of which was going particularly well at the moment.
His foreman had been thrown last week when a rattlesnake spooked his horse. Granger had suffered a broken leg and bruised ribs. The man would be limited in what he could do for the next couple of weeks, though Granger would keep abreast of everything going on around the Silver Spur.
As for his daughter, Lizette, he was considering shipping her off to the Arctic until she cooled down. Her latest state of rebellion had been fueled by his forbidding her to date Calvin Owens.
Calvin was the local bad boy, two years older than Lizzie, and already had a juvenile record for vandalizing the local high school and shoplifting. And that was just what they knew he was guilty of.
Now Lizzie was constantly pushing the house rules and the limits of decency in her wardrobe choices. If her denim cutoffs got any shorter, she might as well skip them altogether. She considered curfews irrelevant and her newly acquired driver’s license a proclamation of freedom.
She did a lot better when her grandmother was in the house. But Jake’s mother, Mary, was on a European river cruise with a few of the other widows from their church. She was almost eighty, yet some days Jake swore she had more energy than he did. She definitely had more skill in dealing with Lizzie.
Jake headed down the hallway and stopped at the door to Lizzie’s bedroom. He tapped softly and lingered a minute, though he didn’t expect a response. She hadn’t been up before noon once since school let out for the summer.
He took the wide staircase to the first floor and then followed the smell of fresh brew to the kitchen. “Good morning, Edna,” he greeted his housekeeper as he poured himself a mug of coffee. “You’re here early today.”
“Not a lot of use in hanging around my place by myself when I can be up here drinking your coffee and soaking up your air-conditioning.”
“Can’t blame you for that.” And it wasn’t as if she had far to come. Jake had built Edna a cabin on his spread after her husband died almost three years ago. The tall big-boned woman had been with him ever since he’d turned his back on a promising medical career and taken over the ranching business right after...
Nope. He was not going there this morning.
Edna handed him a cup of coffee. “You don’t look like you’re planning to do a lot of ranching today.”
“No, but I should be. Instead I’m off to Austin and the capitol building for some meeting that I don’t have time for.”
“Seems like all those politicians do is meet. What are they yakking about this time?”
“Some project that Aidan Bastrop enlisted my help with.”
“I thought you had more on your plate than you can handle with Granger hurt.”
“Yep, but this is an emergency of sorts.”
Edna opened the refrigerator and started pulling out breakfast items while he finished his coffee. “What is it you’ve volunteered for? Giving a talk about ranching? Sponsoring an event? Making a donation?”
“I’m donating, all right. Unfortunately it’s not just money. It’s the ranch.”
She looked at him as if he’d lost his mind—which he probably had, at least temporarily. “Donated the ranch? What in blue blazes are you talking about?”
“Actually, it’s only the use of the ranch, our horses, corrals and some meeting space. And only for five days, starting Wednesday.”
“Who borrows a ranch?”
“A group of about thirty women. But don’t start having conniptions. You won’t have to do a thing.”
“Humph. A bunch of strange women taking over the place and no extra work. That’ll never happen.”
“I’ll see that it does,” he promised, though he wasn’t fully convinced of that himself. “The house is not included in the loan.”
“What are all these women training for, some kind of trail ride?”
“Nope. It’s called the Saddle-Up program, or something like that.”
“Never heard of it.”
“Nor had I, but then it involves teenage girls, so it’s outside my realm of expertise. I have enough trouble managing Lizzy.”
“Exactly what do they do with these teenagers?”
“According to Aidan’s persuasive argument, they give inner-city girls from high-poverty areas one month on a real working ranch over the summer. They teach them to ride, work as a team, take responsibility—that sort of thing.”
Edna’s hands flew to her ample hips. “Well, why didn’t you just say that in the first place? Those kids need a summer on a ranch. When does this training start?”
“Officially—Wednesday.”
“This Wednesday? As in two days away?”
“Yes, but like I said. You don’t have to do a thing.” As if there was a chance Edna wouldn’t be in the middle of things.
“You can’t ignore guests,” Edna said. “It’s not the Texas way.”
“Maybe not, but I plan to give it my best shot.” Starting today. “A few of the women are coming out to tour the ranch this afternoon, just to get their bearings before the official training begins. If they show up at the house before I get back, give me a call and I’ll have one of the wranglers hook up with them.”
“You should be here for that,” she said. “You never know. Some of those women might be mighty fine-looking.”
“I’m sure the wranglers will appreciate that. If you need me, call me.”
“You’re not leaving without breakfast, are you? I can whip up some bacon and eggs before you finish your coffee.”
“No need. I’ll grab a bite to eat in town. Best to get on the road now before traffic becomes a pain in the butt. But you can remind my daughter when she finally crawls out of bed that I expect to see her at the dinner table tonight. On time.”
Edna stared at him as if he’d spoken in a foreign language. “Lizzie didn’t spend the night here last night.”
Irritation ground in his gut. “She was here when I went to bed.”
“She left you a note on the foyer table that she was spending the night with her friend Angie.”
“A note telling me—not asking. Another stunt like this and I’m going to take her keys away.”
“Maybe you should just sit down and talk to her first. Take her for a horseback ride and a little teamwork of your own.”
“See you at dinner,” Jake said. He turned and walked away before he said something he’d be sorry for.
Edna thought talking was the answer to every problem that came along, but she had no idea what he’d been through with Lizzie. If her mother was here...
The old pain swelled inside him, followed by a surge of crusty hardness that allowed him to keep functioning. It was the only way he knew.
When he reached the foyer, he picked up his daughter’s note. Angie broke up with her boyfriend tonight. Needs a friend. I’ll spend the night. See ya.
He’d been home. She should have asked him before she left instead of sneaking away. But then if she’d asked, he’d have said no. At sixteen, she was too young to be driving the dark country roads out to Angie’s at night.
If she’d even gone to Angie’s.
The sweet, adorable Lizette he’d known once had to live somewhere inside the stranger she’d become. Somehow he had to find a way to reach her.
Instead he was off to a meeting he could do without.
* * *
CAROLINA MARCHED UP the steps of the capitol building, fighting the growing agitation that she was forced to accept Jake Dalton’s help, mentally debating how she’d handle their initial meeting.
“Slow down,” Mildred said. “I’m out of breath trying to keep up with you.”
“Sorry. I guess I’m still blowing off steam.”
“You are going to be civil to Mr. Dalton, aren’t you?”
“I’ll try. That’s the best I can promise—which is more than he was with me when I called him about paying R.J. a visit.”
“You might have caught him at a bad time. Maybe this is his way of making it up to you.”
“I seriously doubt that. And if it was just a matter of timing, he’s had time to rethink it and contact R.J. Besides, he was the one who made this personal by insinuating I’d done something wrong.”
“If he’s still upset with you, he certainly wouldn’t have volunteered the Silver Spur for the Saddle-Up project.”
“I strongly suspect a little quid pro quo was involved. He probably owed a favor to Aidan Bastrop—or wants one from him.”
“Whatever his reason, I’m glad the training wasn’t canceled,” Mildred said. “Now I just hope I can continue to be part of it.”
Mildred’s voice hinted of angst. Carolina slowed and turned to face her. “Of course you’ll be part of it. You’ve already put in hours and hours of work.”
“I know, but...”
“But what?”
“Thad.”
Carolina’s irritation switched from Jake to Mildred’s abusive ex-husband. “Have you heard from him?”
“Last night, near midnight. He sounded as if he’d been drinking.”
“What did he want?”
“To see me. He said it’s urgent.”
“What gall. He almost beat you to death. You’re divorced now. You owe him nothing.”
“He admitted all that, but he begged me to give him another chance. He says he’s a changed man.”
“What did you tell him?”
“That it’s over and he should go on with his life. But I know Thad. He’s not going to accept that. He thinks I belong to him like a piece of property. He always did.”
Mildred was clearly disturbed and with good reason. She needed to talk this out, but the meeting was due to start in minutes. “Why didn’t you mention this at breakfast or on the drive from the hotel to the capitol?”
“I didn’t want to upset you, but then I started to feel guilty about keeping it from you. If you want me to drop out of the training, I’ll understand.”
“Drop out and let Thad dictate your life. Absolutely not. You can block him from calling you again, and you definitely don’t have to see him.”
“That doesn’t mean he won’t cause trouble.”
“If he does, we’ll contact Sheriff Garcia and he’ll have him arrested. The law is on your side. You don’t have to put up with Thad’s abuse ever again. Now, let’s not let Thad Caffey ruin our day. After all, we have Jake Dalton for that,” she added with a smile, trying to ease Mildred’s tension.
Senator Ralph Baldwin caught up with them just as they reached the door. He pushed it open and held it for them to enter.
“Good morning, Carolina. You look beautiful, as always,” he said, practically ogling.
“Thank you. You look nice yourself.” She stepped through the door and kept walking. She could definitely do without Ralph’s seduction routine this morning.
The senator took her arm and tugged her to a stop. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d be here today?”
So she could avoid awkward moments like this one. “I’m just here for a meeting.”
“I have a luncheon meeting myself today, but I’m free tonight. Surely you could stay over in Austin and have dinner with me,” Ralph said. “I hate to eat alone.”
“I’ll go on ahead,” Mildred said, no doubt mistakenly thinking Carolina would appreciate the privacy.
Carolina turned back to Ralph. “You could always have dinner at home with your wife.”
“She’s in Midland visiting her parents.” He lowered his voice. “Besides, I’ve told you, we’re married in name only and even that will come to an end after the next election.”
“Perhaps we’ll have dinner then.” And perhaps there would be a Dallas snowstorm in August. “I need to go now. Time for my meeting.” She hurried away before he had time to reply.
No one seemed to understand that she didn’t need a man in her life. She’d been married to Hugh Lambert, bigger than life, a man among men. How could she ever expect to find a man to measure up to him? If she did, it certainly wouldn’t be a lowlife philanderer like Ralph Baldwin.
Carolina hurried down the wide halls of the capitol and slipped inside the conference room a few minutes before the scheduled starting time. Once she was inside, the noise level increased dramatically. A good sign that the volunteers were excited about the project.
Carolina glanced around the room, nodding and smiling at the attendees. This would be her first time to meet many of them, though she’d interviewed every volunteer by phone and had a background check run on them. In every case they were respectable ranchers’ wives or experienced riders, active in their communities.
There was much more to providing an enriching summer experience to these teens than just teaching them to ride. She had to make sure the volunteers knew exactly what they were signing up for and that they had a true desire to help and bond with the frequently troubled girls.
She quickly spotted Jake Dalton, standing in a corner by himself. It was only the second time she’d seen him in person, the first being at the Dry Gulch just after R.J. had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.
The occasion had been less than joyous—the reading of R.J.’s will while he was still alive. Jake had been resentful then, and unlike his half siblings, he apparently still nurtured his grudge.
He had the same ruggedly handsome features as his four younger half-brothers. Tall. Tanned. Broad shouldered. Chiseled jaw. Lean and hard bodied. Blatantly masculine in his ranch-cut sports jacket and shirt that was open at the neck. A bit of gray salted the thick, dark hair around his temples.
About her age, she’d guess, though he might be younger than her fifty-five years. The only obvious negative to his looks was a mouth that looked as if it might have forgotten how to smile. Probably a reflection of having to deal with her this morning.
Only he didn’t have to. He could have said no. She knew for a fact he was good at that.
Aidan welcomed the group and talked for only a few minutes before introducing Carolina. Jake Dalton stared at her, looking as shocked as if someone had thrown a glass of ice water in his handsome face.
So he hadn’t known he’d be dealing with her and hadn’t recognized her before now. That explained a lot. She could start looking forward to five days from hell.
After the introductions, Aidan and Jake excused themselves and left the room, and the rest of the meeting went off without a hitch. The women all seemed capable and excited about the project.
They broke at noon. Carolina, Mildred, Peg Starling and Sara Billings, the four who planned to tour the facilities at the Silver Spur Ranch that afternoon, lingered in the conference room.
“How is it you failed to mention our host was a hunk?” Sara asked.
“And no little gold band on the gorgeous rancher’s finger,” Peg commented. “Guess that means he’s available?”
“I wouldn’t know,” Carolina said. “Any ideas for lunch that won’t eat up too much of our afternoon?”
“There’s a French bakery nearby that makes great coffee and sandwiches and the best almond tart I’ve ever tasted,” Sara suggested. “It will be crowded, but service is fast.”
“Works for me,” Mildred said.
“And for me,” Peg added.
“Then the bakery it is,” Carolina agreed, ready to get moving before the conversation switched back to Jake’s looks or relationship status.
“If you don’t mind, I’ll get you and Mildred to follow us to our ranch after lunch,” Sara said. “It’s on the way and we can change into jeans, drop my car off at home and catch a ride with you out to the Silver Spur.”
“Can do. Mildred and I brought more appropriate clothes for the ranch, as well. We can change at your place.”
“I would have packed much sexier jeans if I’d known Jake Dalton was so good-looking,” Peg said.
“You’ll be sexy no matter what you wear,” Mildred assured the shapely blonde.
Carolina picked up her purse and slung the strap over her shoulder as the door opened and both Aidan and Jake stepped back into the room. She wasn’t surprised to see Aidan, but she’d assumed Jake was long gone, possibly trying to figure out an excuse to get out of his commitment to the project.
“I hope everything went well,” Aidan said.
“Couldn’t have gone better,” Carolina assured him.
“Carolina’s enthusiasm gets everyone fired up,” Sara added.
“I’d love to take you women to lunch,” Aidan said, “but I have another meeting at one.”
“What about you, Mr. Dalton?” Peg asked flirtatiously.
“I have some errands to take care of in town before I head out,” Jake said, keeping his tone businesslike. “I’ll give you directions to the ranch. When you get there, my housekeeper, Edna, will hook you up with one of the wranglers. He’ll show you around and answer any questions you have.”
“That will work out fine,” Carolina assured him, keeping her tone as cool and aloof as his had been.
Directions were simple, and she was relieved when they were finally on their way. Jake was no doubt as eager to be rid of her as she was of him. He was turning them over to a wrangler for today’s tour. She suspected that would be his modus operandi for the remainder of the training session.
With luck, she might not even have to see him again.
“I know you think Jake Dalton is a heartless cad,” Mildred said as she walked to the car with Carolina.
“Yes, I do.”
“You can’t blame him too much for not bonding with a father he never really knew. Didn’t all of R.J.’s sons feel that way at one point?”
“Yes,” she admitted reluctantly, “but that doesn’t excuse Jake’s behavior. He’s the oldest. He should feel some level of responsibility.”
“If anyone can change his mind, you will,” Mildred said.
“With luck, I won’t even have to speak to him.”
They were several yards away from her vehicle when Carolina spotted a man leaning against the front fender of her car. He was in ripped jeans and a black muscle shirt, a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. A snake tattoo covered much of his right arm. A pair of aviator sunglasses hid his eyes, but his mouth was twisted into a menacing frown. An uneasy chill crept up her spine.
She glanced around. The parking lot was crowded with cars and pickup trucks, but the closest people she spotted were two men in suits, several rows down, walking in the opposite direction.
When the thuggish-looking man noticed her staring at him, he smiled and nodded as if in greeting.
Mildred grabbed Carolina’s wrist and pulled her to a stop. “What are you doing here?” Mildred demanded.
The man flicked his cigarette to the concrete and ground it out with the toe of his right boot. “Waiting on you.”
The taunting voice struck a chord and finally Carolina recognized Thad. He’d changed during his four years behind bars. Gained weight. Added a lot of muscle.
Mildred dropped Carolina’s wrist and hugged her arms about her own chest, as if protecting herself from Thad’s presence. “We no longer have anything to discuss.”
“That doesn’t sound like much of a welcome for a husband you haven’t seen in four years.”
“You are no longer her husband,” Carolina corrected.
“Stay out of this, Carolina. This is between me and Mildred,” Thad snapped.
“Please, Thad. Just go,” Mildred pleaded. “I don’t want trouble.”
“I’m not going anywhere until we talk.”
“What part of her not wanting to see you do you not understand? Either you go willingly or I call the cops,” Carolina ordered.
“I’m not breaking any laws. This is a public parking lot. So you call anybody you want to.”
He left the car and stepped closer, his gaze firmly planted on Mildred, his tone switching from arrogant to loving without missing a beat. “I know I made mistakes, sweetheart, but you can’t imagine how much I’ve missed you. We can start over now. I promise you that things will be different.”
Carolina’s stomach turned at his meaningless promises. Too little, too late. “Last chance, Thad. If you don’t leave this minute, I’m calling 911.”
“How about you let Mildred speak for herself? Or are you running her life now the way you run half of Texas?”
Mildred let her arms fall to her side. “I do speak for myself now, Thad. I hope you have changed—for your sake—but we can’t go back. I’ve moved on.”
“You know you don’t mean that, baby. You still love me. I still love you. We can work this out.”
“We can’t. It’s over between us, Thad.” Her voice trembled, but she didn’t back away.
Carolina put a steadying arm around Mildred’s waist. “There’s your answer, Thad. You can leave now unless you’re looking to go back to prison.”
“Go to hell, Carolina.”
Fury burned in his voice now, his mood turning dark and threatening. He reached out and grabbed Mildred’s arm, jerking her toward him. “Don’t make me do something I’ll be sorry for, Mildred. You know how I get when you make me crazy.”
Carolina pulled her cell phone from her handbag. Thad let go of Mildred and grabbed Carolina’s wrist with one hand while twisting the phone from her fingers with the other. She heard the clunk as it hit the concrete beneath their feet.
“Is there a problem here?”
Carolina jerked around at the sound of the strong, male voice. She gulped in a deep breath. Who’d have thought she’d ever be this thankful to see Jake Dalton?
