Cardwell Ranch Trespasser

chapter Six

The next morning, Dee got up early and borrowed Dana’s pickup to drive into Meadow Village. She still didn’t get the town of Big Sky. Everything was so spread out, but it was all close enough that it didn’t take her long to find Rick’s rental car parked in front of an older motor court motel.

Rick had always been cheap, usually out of necessity because he was broke. She could only guess that that was the case this time.

She had to knock three times before he finally opened the door wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

“I wondered when you’d show up,” he said with a grin.

She shoved past him into the room. It was pretty much what she expected: bed, television, bathroom. A discount-store piece of so-called art of a mountain from some other state hung on the wall over the unmade bed. Rick’s clothes were strewn on the floor and there were a half-dozen empty beer cans next to the bed.

“You always were a slob,” she said, turning to look at him. “You have to leave. Now.”

“I wish I could, but I spent every dime I had just to get here to see you.”

How had she known that was the case? She reached into her shoulder bag. “Here’s enough to get you back home and a little extra so you won’t starve on the way. The next flight is this afternoon. Be on it.” With that she started to leave. “And Rick. No drugs.”

“Come on, you know I’m clean. Anyway, you need my help.”

She stopped next to him. “No, I don’t. I know what I’m doing.”

“You and I used to make a pretty good team, as I recall. I’m probably the only person you can truly trust.”

“Unless you get drunk or high and shoot your mouth off.”

“I’ve kept your secrets all these years, drunk or sober. Come on, there’s a bond between us that not even you can deny.” He touched her shoulder.

She pulled away. “I mean it. Don’t buy drugs with that money.”

“Don’t try to kill that blonde woman again.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Remember when you and I were little more than kids and I almost drowned? I know you, remember?”

“Then you know to stay out of my business, don’t you.”

By the time she returned to the ranch, Hud was busy saddling horses. She drove into the yard, but didn’t get out of the truck right away. She liked watching him, watching the muscles in his arms and back, imagining being in those arms. Desire hit her like a sucker punch. She wanted him, and she’d always made a habit of getting what she wanted, any way she had to.

“Best get dressed,” Hud called to her, as she climbed out of the truck. “Dana’s put out some clothes for you to wear in your room.”

She smiled. “Thanks.” Inside she went right to her upstairs room. She could hear Dana in the kitchen with the kids. How could the woman stand that noise all the time?

She quickly dressed in the Western attire her cousin had so thoughtfully put out for her, right down to the cowboy boots. Fortunately or unfortunately they were close enough in size that all the clothes fit.

“They’re my prebaby clothes,” Dana said when Dee came downstairs in them. “I knew they would fit you.”

They did, she thought, as she caught a glimpse of herself in the front window reflection. At a glance, she could pass for Dana. A slightly skinnier version, but still...

Dana had made her a breakfast sandwich since she’d apparently missed the usual ranch breakfast. She couldn’t believe how these people ate. It was no wonder Dana hadn’t gotten back to her pretwins weight.

Breakfast often consisted of pounded and floured fried deer steaks, hash browns, milk gravy, biscuits and eggs. She’d never seen anything like it in her life. There would be changes if she were running this house.

There would have to be a lot of changes. She realized with a start that she hadn’t thought this through. Getting Hud would be hard enough. But what to do with Dana and the kids? Dana would have to go. So would the kids. She wasn’t interested in having them even come visit on weekends or summers.

She thought of Rick. Maybe he could be helpful after all. She was debating calling him to tell him they should talk, when she looked out and saw with a groan that Hud was saddling five horses.

“I see Hud has saddled a bunch of horses,” she said nonchalantly to her cousin over the screaming of the children. “Did you decide you could go on the ride with us after all?”

Dana smiled but shook her head. “I need to spend some time with my babies.”

“Then Mary and Hank are going?” She was amazed that she finally remembered their names. They were cute kids. If you liked kids.

“No,” Dana said with a laugh. “They’re too young for this ride.”

Just then the front door opened. She turned and was unable to hide her shock as Hilde came in duded out in Western attire. “Hilde?”

“Dee,” the young woman said. She hurried to Dee and took both her hands. “I am so sorry about yesterday. Can you ever forgive me?”

Even if she hadn’t been good at reading people, she would have seen through this apology. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Dana was smiling, buying into every word of it. The only gracious thing to do was pretend it was real.

“Hilde, you don’t need to apologize, really. I was so scared for you. I’m just glad you’re all right. It was such a freak accident.”

“Wasn’t it, though?” Hilde agreed. “Thank you for being so understanding. I told Dana I couldn’t wait until I saw you to tell you how sorry I was for thinking you had anything to do with my almost drowning.”

I’ll just bet. “Well, it’s good to see you looking so well today. Thanks for coming by.”

“Hilde’s going on the ride up to the lake with all of you,” Dana said.

It took all her effort not to show how that news really made her feel. Hilde was smiling as if she knew exactly what Dee was feeling right now. Apparently such a close call with death hadn’t taught Hilde anything.

“That’s great,” Dee said. “But I would think you’d want to stay home and rest today after what you’ve been through.”

“That’s what I told her,” Dana said. “But Hilde is tougher than she looks.” She smiled and gave Hilde’s arm a squeeze.

“I’m not so tough,” Hilde said to her friend. “Look at your cousin. She almost drowned yesterday, too, and look how she’s bounced back.” Hilde turned back to her. “Oh, Dee, that bruise on your cheek looks like it hurts. Did I do that?”

“I know you didn’t mean to,” Dana said quickly.

Ha, Dee thought. “So who else is going with us?” she asked just an instant before Hud came in the door with Colt Dawson right behind him and Rick bringing up the tail end. “Is anyone protecting Big Sky?” Dee asked. “It seems the entire force is right here.”

“The other two deputies are holding down the fort,” Colt said. “So don’t worry about the canyon being safe while we’re here with you.”

Dee swore silently as Hud asked if they were ready to go. “I can’t wait,” she said. Rick was more of a dude than she was. She hoped he got saddle sores.

As they all filed out to the saddled horses, she wondered what the trail was like to this Elkhorn Lake. Hopefully it wasn’t too dangerous. She would hate to see anything happen to Hilde. Let alone Rick. Horses were so unpredictable.

Before she mounted her horse, she surreptitiously picked up several nice-sized rocks and stuck them in her pocket.

* * *

COLT MADE SURE that he and Hilde stayed behind the others as they rode away from the ranch. He liked riding next to her. It was a beautiful Montana spring day. The air smelled of new green grass, sunshine and water as they followed the creek up into the mountains. Sun dappled the ground as it fingered through the pine branches.

“So tell me about Hilde Jacobson,” he said, as their horses ambled along. The others had ridden on ahead, but Colt kept them in sight in case anything happened.

“There isn’t much to tell,” she said. Then, as if realizing he really was interested, she added, “I grew up in Chicago. My father was a janitor, my mother worked as a housekeeper. I was an only child. My father was determined that I would be the first in his family to go to college.”

“And you were?”

She nodded. “I went into business. My father had worked around corporate America and decided that would be the world that I should conquer. I gave it my best shot at least for a while.”

“How did you end up in Big Sky owning a fabric store?”

“My father died. My mother told me to follow my heart. I hated big business. I came up here skiing, met Dana and Hud, and the rest is history.”

“You and Dana are close, aren’t you?”

“We were.”

He heard the catch in her throat.

“Your turn,” she said after a moment. “Tell me your life story.”

“I grew up north of here. I married young. It didn’t work out. I went into law enforcement and got the job here.”

“You like Big Sky?”

He looked back at the country they’d just left behind and nodded. “It’s not as open as I’m used to—the mountains are so much larger—but it grows on you living in the canyon.”

“Doesn’t it?” she said. “Some people think its paradise and hate to leave.”

He saw that she was looking at the two riders ahead of them. Dee was in a deep conversation with Hud. Rick was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

DEE WAS LEANING toward Hud and pretending to be fascinated by the different types of rock faces ahead when Hilde and Colt came riding up. Colt cut Hud away from her as slick as the ranch cow dog she’d seen herding calves in the pasture.

A few moments later she found herself riding next to Hilde, also not a coincidence.

“Where’s Rick?” Hilde asked, looking behind her. “We seem to have lost him.”

“I think he needed to see a tree about a dog. Isn’t that what you locals say out here?”

“I’m not a local,” Hilde said. “I’m actually from Chicago, and I think it’s a dog about a tree.”

“Really? I just assumed you were like Hud and Dana, born and raised out West.”

“So is Rick from New York City, too? Is that where the two of you met?”

Dee smiled over at her to let her know she knew what she was doing and it wasn’t going to work. “I’m still surprised you were up for this ride today after your near-death experience yesterday.” She touched the bruise on her cheek. “I know I was still feeling the aftereffects this morning. I didn’t realize Montana was such a dangerous place.”

“It sure is—when you’re around.” With that, Hilde spurred her horse and rode on up to join Colt and Hud.

So much for that earlier apology, Dee thought with a curse.

She hadn’t planned to actually drown Hilde yesterday, but at some point it hadn’t seemed like such a bad idea. Dana would have eventually gotten over losing her friend. In fact, she would have needed her cousin even more.

But Dana would have had to lean even more on her husband. Dee had hoped to avoid all of that and just get Hilde to keep her distance. Apparently her plan hadn’t worked after the incident at the waterfalls or on the raft trip.

Hilde needed stronger encouragement to get out of her way. Dee stuck her hand into her pocket, closed her fingers around one of the rocks, hefting it in her hand. Ahead, the trail narrowed as it cut across the side of a rocky mountain face. The horses with Hud, Colt and Hilde fell into single file as they started across the narrow trail.

Dee looked down at the drop-off. Nothing but large boulders all the way down to the creek far below. She let Hilde and her horse get a little farther ahead. She didn’t want to be nearby when things went awry.

Poor Hilde. She was having such a bad week. First almost falling off Ousel Falls, then almost drowning in the Gallatin River. Clearly she shouldn’t have come along on this ride after what had happened yesterday. She really wasn’t up to it.

Dee lifted the rock, measuring the distance. The trail was narrow. If a horse bucked off its rider right now, the rider could be badly hurt—if not killed.

She told herself she had no choice. Hilde had managed to get back in Dana’s good graces. Dana was more apt to believe whatever Hilde came up with now. And there was no doubt Hilde would be trying to find out everything she could about cousin Dee.

Reining in her horse at the edge of the pines, she pulled back her arm to throw the rock. All she had to do was hit the back of Hilde’s horse. If it spooked even a little, it might buck or lose its footing, and both woman and horse could fall.

Just as she was about to hurl the stone, a hand grabbed her arm and twisted the rock from her grip. She let out a cry of both surprise and pain. Turning in her saddle, she swore when she saw it was Rick.

“Don’t be a fool,” he said under his breath. “If she has another accident this early, it will only make everyone more suspicious.”

“I have to stop her. She’s onto me.”

Rick shook his head. “I’ll help you, but not here. Not today. Be nice to her but watch yourself.” He dug into her pocket to pull out the other rocks. “Just in case you get another smart idea while looking at my horse’s backside,” he said, and rode on up the trail to catch up with Hilde.

* * *

HILDE KEPT HER eye on Dee during the ride to the lake. But the woman seemed almost subdued after their little talk.

Rick spent most of the time talking with Hud on the last part of the ride up and even when they’d reached Elkhorn Lake. Hilde saw Dee watching the two of them. She got the impression Dee didn’t like her boyfriend talking with Hud.

When Hud broke out the lunch Dana had packed, Colt brought her over a sandwich and sat down with her on the rocks at the edge of the lake away from the others.

“Have you noticed the way she is with Hud?” she asked quietly before taking a bite of her sandwich. They’d both been watching Dee.

“Yep.”

Hilde locked gazes with him. “I think I know what she’s after. She wants Hud.”

Colt let out a laugh. “Hud?”

“I’ve been trying to figure out what she wants other than a Montana vacation, all expenses paid.”

“She likes to flirt.”

“Did she flirt with you?”

He admitted she hadn’t except for a few minutes at the river before the raft trip and he suspected that little bit of flirting with him had been for Dana’s benefit only. “If Hud’s what she’s after, then she’s wasting her time. He’s crazy in love with Dana, not to mention they have four kids together. Hud would never be interested in Dee.”

“She wouldn’t be the first woman who went after another woman’s man.”

“Or vice versa,” Colt said.

Hilde glanced at him. She knew Colt was divorced. Earlier he’d said he’d married young and that it hadn’t worked out. Had another man come after his wife? Or had Colt been seduced away from his marriage?

“But I don’t believe any woman can get a man to leave his marriage unless he’s willing,” Colt added, keeping her from asking him about his marriage. “As they say, it takes two to tango.”

“I agree,” she said. “Hud would never jeopardize his marriage for a fling with someone like Dee.” But had Colt?

“So what’s Dee’s plan, do you think?” Colt asked quietly. They both watched Dee, who was sitting in a tight circle with Hud and Rick. She was taking tiny bites of her sandwich, clearly not interested in food. Rick had Hud talking, and Dee appeared to be hanging on Hud’s every word.

“I wish I knew,” Hilde said, feeling a growing desperation as she watched the woman. Dee had wormed her way into Dana’s and Hud’s lives and she wasn’t finished yet. “Now that I know what she’s capable of, if I’m right and she is after Hud and she can’t get him through seduction, then she will do something more drastic. That’s what has me scared.”

* * *

COLT LOOKED UP from his lunch to study Hilde. She was breathtaking: the sun on her face, her hair as golden as autumn leaves. He was surprised when he’d first come to Big Sky and learned that Hilde and Dana were best friends. They were so different.

Dana was all tomboy. She could ride and rope and shoot as well as any man. Being a mother had toned her down some, but she was a ranch girl born and bred, and she was at home in the great outdoors.

Hilde was all girl, from the clothes she wore to the way she presented herself. He didn’t doubt for a moment that she was smart or that she was strong. She could get tough, too, if she had to. He’d seen that the way she’d gone after Dee on the river, but there was something so wonderfully feminine about her. Clearly she enjoyed being a woman.

The combination of smart, strong and ultra-feminine was more powerful than she knew. He suspected it scared away most men.

Dana had told him that Hilde didn’t date much. “She must know the kind of man she wants. I just hope she finds him. Hilde deserves someone special.”

Colt looked away. He was far from anyone special, but he did wonder what kind of man she was looking for. Or if she was even looking. He thought of his short marriage and the heartbreak it had caused. He’d told himself he would never marry again. But that was before he met Hilde.

They had just finished their sandwiches when there was a splash followed instantly by a scream. He and Hilde turned to look across the lake in the direction the sound had come from and there was Dee swimming in the clear, cold water.

She was laughing and shrieking, but clearly enjoying herself.

Colt noticed that even Hud was smiling at the crazy Easterner.

When it became apparent that she was nude, the men turned around and let her rush out of the water without them watching.

“Did you see that?” Hilde asked.

“I didn’t peek.”

“Not Dee. Did you see that even Rick turned around? Doesn’t that seem odd if the two were boyfriend and girlfriend?”

Colt shrugged. Everything about Rick Cameron seemed odd to him. Add Dee to the mix and you had a rodeo. “She does like attention,” he said.

“And she’s getting it. Hud isn’t completely immune to her. If for some reason Dana wasn’t around...”

Colt frowned as Dee came out of the trees dressed again, her hair wet, her face aglow from her swim.

Hud laughed and shook his head when Dee suggested he should have come into the water. No man was completely immune to a woman’s attention, especially one who, on the surface, seemed so much like his wife.

Colt had learned that the hard way.