Cardwell Ranch Trespasser

chapter Four

“I don’t think your friend likes me,” Dee said once they were in the pickup and headed back to the ranch.

“Hilde likes you,” Dana said, not sounding all that convinced. “But I think she might be a little jealous.”

“I suppose that’s it,” Dee agreed. “Well, I hope she accepts me. I feel so close to you. It’s almost like we’re sisters instead of cousins, you know what I mean?”

Dana readily agreed, just as Dee had known she would. “Hilde is just a little protective.”

“A little?” Dee said with a laugh. “I think she’s worried I will take advantage of you, stay too long.”

“Put that right out of your mind,” Dana said, as she parked in front of the house. “You’re family. You can stay as long as you’d like.”

“Hilde has nothing to be jealous of me about,” Dee said. “She’s beautiful and smart and self-assured and has her own business. She’s what I always wanted to be.”

“Me, too,” Dana said with a laugh.

“Oh, you have even more going on for you,” Dee said. “You have Hud. And the kids,” she added a little belatedly, but Dana didn’t seem to notice. “And the ranch. I bet you were practically born on a horse.”

“I have been riding since the time I could walk,” Dana said, then fell silent for a moment. “Do you want to talk about your childhood? I don’t mean to pry.”

Dee realized that she’d sounded jealous of both Dana and Hilde. The truth had a way of coming out sometimes, didn’t it? She would have to be more careful about that around both women.

“There isn’t much more to tell.” Only because the real Dee Anna Justice hadn’t been forthcoming about her family. There had definitely been something in her background she hadn’t wanted to talk about. But it could have just been that some wealthy people didn’t like talking about themselves or their wealthy families.

So now Dee had to wing it, hoping to give Dana enough to make her feel even more sorry for her. “As I told you last night, when I wasn’t away at school, my parents were never around. My father traveled a lot. My mother was involved in a lot of charity and social events. I grew up feeling alone and unloved, yearning for what everyone else had.” At least the last part was true.

“I’m sorry, Dee. I wish I had known about you. Maybe you wouldn’t have felt so alone,” Dana said, as she parked in front of the house. “I would have shared the ranch with you.”

Dee watched Hud come out onto the porch and thought about Dana’s generous offer to share what she had. “Hud mentioned some high country back behind the ranch that has a great view. I’d love to see it. But this is probably a bad time.”

As Dana got out, she suggested it to Hud, who said the kids were napping and he’d be happy to take her if that was what she wanted to do.

“You sure it’s not an inconvenience,” Dee said.

“Not at all,” he said.

She watched as he gave his wife a kiss and felt that small ache in her stomach at the sight.

“I’ll help with dinner when I get back,” he said to Dana.

“I’ll help, too,” Dee said, even though she’d never cooked in her life. In New York City it was too easy to get takeout.

She followed Hud to the four-wheeler parked by the barn and climbed on behind him, putting her arms around his waist. He started the motor and they were off. It didn’t take long before the house disappeared behind them and they were completely alone.

Dee watched dark pines blur past. The air got cooler as they climbed, the road twisting and turning as it wound farther and farther back into the mountains. She laid her cheek against the soft fabric of his jean jacket and breathed in the scent of him and the mountains.

There were few times in her life that she’d ever felt safe. It surprised her that now was one of them. Hud was the kind of man she’d always dreamed would come along and sweep her off her feet. How could she still believe in happy ever after after what she’d lived through?

Her parents had hated each other to the point where they’d tried to kill each other. Her father... She didn’t even want to think about the role model he’d been to his daughter.

And the men she’d met since then? She let out a choked laugh, muffling it against Hud’s jacket. They’d hurt her in ways she’d thought she could never be hurt.

She’d been waiting her whole life for a hero to come along. When she’d seen Hud Savage come riding up, her heart had filled with helium at the sight of him. He looked bigger than life, strong, brave, the first real man she’d ever known.

She held on a little tighter, wishing Hud was hers.

When they reached the summit, Hud stopped the four-wheeler and shut off the engine.

Dee let go of his waist, stretched and climbed off to look out across the tops of the mountains. “This is amazing,” she said, actually meaning it. “You can see forever.”

“It is pretty spectacular up here, isn’t it?”

She tried to imagine living in country like this. It seemed so far away from the noise and filth of the big cities she’d wandered through so far in her life. What must it be like to wake up to this every morning?

Hud began to point out the mountain peaks, calling each by name with an intimacy that plucked at her heartstrings. She could hear his love for this land in his voice. There was nothing sexier than a man who loved something with such passion.

It took all her self-control not to touch him.

“So what are those mountains over there?” she asked, wanting this moment to last forever. She didn’t listen to his answer. She just liked the sound of his deep and melodious voice. Desire spiked through her, making her weak with a need like none she’d known. She wanted this man.

“You have a wonderful life here,” she said, realizing she’d never been so jealous of anyone as she was Dana Savage. “It’s so peaceful. I can’t imagine having the tie to the land that you do. I’ve moved around a lot. I’ve never felt at home anywhere.” Until now, she thought, but she didn’t dare voice it.

Like Hilde, she was sure Hud was wondering how long she was going to stay. But she’d never met a man she couldn’t charm. Hud Savage would be no exception.

She moved to the edge of the mountaintop and breathed in the day. She’d been telling the truth about her family moving around a lot. Her father couldn’t bear to stay long in any one place—even if he wasn’t forced to flee town before the law caught up to him. A small-time con man, he worked harder at not working than he would have had he just gotten an honest job.

“I feel as if I could just fly out over the tops of all these mountains,” she said, as she freed her hair to let it blow back in the wind. She stuck out her arms, laughing as she laid her head back. The wind felt good. She felt alive. Free.

“I wouldn’t get too close to the edge,” Hud said, stepping to her. “I don’t want to have to explain to Dana how I lost her cousin.”

“No, we don’t want that,” she agreed, as she met his gaze.

“We should get back. The kids will be waking up and Dana will need help with dinner,” he said.

Disappointed, she pulled her hair up again and turned to walk back to the four-wheeler. For a moment, she had felt as if he was responding to her.

She hadn’t gone but a few feet when she stepped on a rock, twisting her ankle as she fell. Hud rushed to her as she dropped to the ground with a groan.

“How bad is it hurt?” he asked, frowning with concern.

“I think I just twisted it, but I can’t seem to put any pressure on it,” Dee said, wincing in pain as she held her ankle. “I’ve spent my life walking on sidewalks. I don’t know how to walk on anything that isn’t flat. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. It happens. Can you get to the four-wheeler?”

She made an attempt to put weight on her ankle and cried out in pain. “I don’t mean to be such a big baby.”

“I’m just sorry you hurt yourself. Here, I can carry you over to the four-wheeler. If it’s still hurting when we reach the ranch, Dana will take you over to the medical center.”

“Are you sure you can carry me?” she asked. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“Don’t be. I can certainly carry someone as light as you,” he said, lifting her into his arms.

She was quite a bit slimmer than Dana since her cousin had delivered twin sons not that long ago. Nice that he’d noticed, she thought. She put her arms around his neck, and he carried her with little effort over to the four-wheeler. She hated to let go when he set her down on the seat.

“How’s that?” he asked.

She lifted her leg over the side, wincing again in pain but being incredibly brave. “Fine. Thank you.”

“No problem.” He got on and started the motor. “Dana is going to have my hide, though.”

“I’m sure it will be fine by the time we reach the house. I don’t want to upset Dana or get you into trouble with her. It’s already starting to feel better.”

Dee wrapped her arms around Hud’s waist, leaning against him again as they descended the mountain. She breathed in the scent of him. She would have him. One way or the other.

* * *

AFTER THE HIKE to the falls, Hilde was still trembling an hour later back at the shop. The worst part was that there was no one she could tell. The shove had happened so quickly, even now she couldn’t be sure she’d actually felt it. And yet, she knew that Dee had pushed her. Was she trying to scare her?

Or to warn her to back off? The shove had come right after Hilde had asked how long Dee would be staying.

The shop phone rang, making her jump. She really was getting paranoid, she thought as she answered. “Needles and Pins.”

“Hi,” Dana said. “I just wanted to call and tell you what time we’re floating the Gallatin tomorrow.”

“Dana, I—”

“Do. Not. Try. To. Get. Out. Of. This.”

“You don’t need me,” Hilde said, and realized she was sounding jealous. “I really should work.”

“I know business is slow right now. Remember? I’m your silent partner. So don’t tell me you have to work. Come on. When was the last time you floated the river?”

“I’ve never floated it.”

“What? You’ve never been down the Mad Mile?”

“No, and I really don’t think I want to do it now when the river is so high. Dana, are you sure this is a good idea?”

“I’ve already talked to Dee. She’s excited. She was trying to get Hud to go with us. Stacy said she’d watch the kids, since Hud said he had something he had to do. Dee was excited to hear you were going with us.”

I’ll just bet she was.

“Come on. It’s going to be fun. You need a thrill or two in your life.”

“Don’t I, though.” What could she say? That there was something not quite right about Dee Anna Justice? That the woman had shoved her at the top of the falls? But then grabbed her to “save” her?

“Great,” Dana was saying. “We’ll pick you up tomorrow at your place so we can all ride together.”

“Great,” Hilde said. By the time she hung up, she’d almost convinced herself that Dee hadn’t pushed her. That there was nothing to worry about. That she was just jealous. Or crazy.

More likely crazy, she thought, glancing out the front window of the shop hoping to see Colt Dawson. His usual table was empty.

* * *

COLT WAS AT the marshal’s office filling out paperwork when Hud walked in.

“I would really appreciate it if you would go on this rafting trip with Dana and her cousin this afternoon,” Hud said. “Dana’s cousin is a little clumsy. Hell, a whole lot clumsy. I don’t want her falling off the raft and taking Dana with her.”

Colt looked at his boss. “You aren’t really asking me to babysit your wife and her cousin, are you? Why don’t you go?”

“I have to take care of a few things at the station. Oh, and I did mention Hilde is going, right?”

Colt swore under his breath. “You think that’s going to make me change my mind?”

Hud grinned. “I could make it an order if that would make you feel better.”

“You should be worried about Hilde drowning me.”

His boss laughed. “You’ll grow on her over time. Look how you’ve grown on all of us around here.”

“Yeah. What time do I have to be there?”

“You probably better go change.” He told him the name of the raft company and where they would be loading in about an hour. “Good luck.”

Colt ignored him as he left to head to his cabin. When he’d taken the job, he’d lucked out and gotten a five-year lease on a small cabin in the woods outside of Big Sky. One of the biggest problems with working in the area was finding a reasonable place to live.

At the cabin, he changed into shorts, a T-shirt and river sandals. As he did he wondered what Hilde would have to say when she saw him. He’d never been tongue-tied around women—until Hilde. What was it about her? She seemed unfazed by him. He really didn’t know what to do when he was around her.

He knew what he wanted to do. Carry her off and make mad passionate love to her. Just the thought stirred the banked fire inside him.

Colt shook his head, realizing how inappropriate his thoughts were under the circumstances. Hilde hadn’t looked twice at him. His chances of getting her to go out on a date with him didn’t even look good.

Well, he’d make this float with her and Dana and Dana’s cousin because Hud had asked him to keep an eye on them. But he would give Hilde a wide berth. She’d made it clear she wasn’t interested. The best thing he could do was move on. Maybe there’d be some young woman on the raft who’d want to go out to dinner later tonight. Best advice he had was to get back on that horse that had thrown him.

With that in mind, he drove down the canyon to where the rafting company was loading the rafts. Dana waved him over as he got out of his pickup. Her cousin stood next to her. He did a double take. The two looked a lot like each other, especially since they were both wearing their hair back. Her cousin was a little slimmer and not as pretty as Dana. There was a hardness to the woman that Dana lacked.

Hilde was standing off to the side, her arms crossed over her chest. He got the feeling she didn’t want to be here any more than he did. She wore white shorts and a bright blue print sleeveless top. Her honey-colored hair was pulled up in a way that made her look even more uptight.

He gave her a nod and turned his attention to Dana and her cousin.

“This is my cousin Dee Anna Justice,” Dana said.

“Just call me Dee.” The woman shook his hand, her gaze locking with his, clearly flirting with him.

“Colt Dawson.”

“Colt is a deputy marshal. He works with Hud.”

“How interesting,” Dee said, still holding his hand.

He didn’t pull away. He knew Hilde was probably watching him. Impulsively, he said, “Maybe you’d like to hear more about crime in the canyon at dinner tonight.”

“Maybe I would,” Dee agreed and looked to Dana.

“Oh, remember? My family is coming tonight for dinner at the ranch so they can meet you,” Dana said. “Colt, why don’t you come?”

“No, I couldn’t. I—”

“I know you don’t have other plans,” Dana pointed out.

She had him there.

“Hilde’s coming, too,” Dana said.

He glanced at Hilde. She was studying the ground at her feet, poking one sandaled foot almost angrily at the dirt.

Minutes later, they were all dressed in wet suits and life jackets provided by the rafting company. Dee latched onto his arm as they started to load the rafts, riders sitting three across.

Their guide, though, had him move to a spot on the outside next to an older woman and her husband. In the row directly in front of him, Dee was forced to sit in the middle with Dana on one side and Hilde on the other. Both Hilde and Dana were given paddles.

From where he sat, he could catch only glimpses of Hilde. As their guide shoved the raft off from the shore, everyone on the sides paddled as they’d been instructed. The raft went around in circles for a few minutes before everyone got the hang of it.

Hilde took to paddling as if she’d done it before. The woman was right about one thing. She was serious in most everything she did. He liked that about her and felt like a jackass for having asked Dee out in front of her.

Now they would all be at some family dinner tonight at Cardwell Ranch. He couldn’t imagine anything more uncomfortable—unless it was this raft ride.

* * *

THE RIVER SWEPT them slowly downstream past huge, round boulders and through glistening, clear green water. A cool breeze stirred the trees along the bank. Overhead, white puffy clouds bobbed along. It was the perfect day for a raft trip.

Hilde tried to relax and enjoy herself, but the memory of what had happened up at the falls made her edgy. She was only too aware of Dee in the seat next to her. She could feel the woman watching her as if measuring her for a coffin. Who was Dee Anna Justice? Not the woman Dana thought she was, that much was clear.

But how was Hilde going to convince Dana of that? Maybe it was better to keep it to herself; after all, Dee would be leaving soon and probably never coming back.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could hear Dana and Dee talking and laughing as the raft picked up speed. Behind her, she was aware of Colt. She’d heard him ask Dee out. Not very subtle, she thought, realizing that she’d hurt him when she’d turned him down for a date. That surprised her.

She tried to concentrate on the river and her paddling. But it was hard with Dee so close and Colt probably watching everything she did. He probably hoped she’d end up in the river.

The Gallatin was known as one of the premiere rafting rivers in the West. The river wound through the narrow canyon with both leisurely waters as well as white-water rapids.

Most of the raft trip so far had been through fairly calm waters, the navigation easy. They’d passed through a few sets of rapids here and there that had had most everyone on the raft screaming as they’d roared through them, water splashing over the raft, Hilde and the other paddlers paddling furiously to keep the raft from turning or capsizing.

But Hilde knew that the rough part was ahead, where they would have to run technical rapids past House Rock for the Mad Mile in the lower canyon.

The Mad Mile was a mile of continuous rapids. The cold water ran fast with huge waves, holes and a lot of adrenaline paddling in the Class IV water. That stretch of river required more precise maneuvering, especially this time of year when the river was higher, and she wasn’t looking forward to that.

Hilde noticed that Dee and Dana seemed to be having a great time. She was glad she’d decided not to say anything to Dana. She could almost talk herself into believing that Dee hadn’t pushed her at the falls. Almost.

She didn’t dare sneak a look back at Colt. She concentrated on her paddling. Not telling Dana was the right thing. It wasn’t like Dee was...dangerous.

That thought hit her as the raft made the curve in the river just before the Mad Mile. She could hear Dana explaining about the next stretch of river ahead. Dee actually seemed interested.

They made it through the first few rapids, and the raft passed under the bridge. House Rock was ahead, a huge rock that sat in the middle of the river, forcing the fast water to go around it on each side.

The ride became rougher and wetter with spray coming up and over the raft. There were shrieks and screams and laughter as the raft dipped down into a deep hole and shot up again.

Hilde could see House Rock ahead. It was the other rocks they had to maneuver through that were the problem. The guide picked a line down through the rocks and shouted instructions to the paddlers.

The standing waves were huge. The raft went into the first one, buckling under them. The front of the raft shot down into the huge swell, then quickly upward, stalling for a moment.

Hilde reached with her paddle to grab the top of the wave and help the raft slip over it when suddenly her side of the raft swamped. She tried to lean to the middle of the boat, but Dee was pushing against her. Before she knew what was happening, she was in the water, the top of the wave crashing down on her, the current pulling her under.

As she struggled to reach the surface, Hilde realized she wasn’t alone. Dee had fallen out of the raft as well—and she had ahold of Hilde’s life jacket. She was dragging her under.

She fought to get away, but something was wrong. She couldn’t see light above her. Was she trapped against House Rock? She’d heard about kayakers getting caught against the rock and almost drowning.

But she wasn’t against a rock. She was rushing downriver through the huge rapids—trapped under the raft. Somehow, her life jacket had gotten hooked onto a line under the raft. As she struggled to get it off, she realized Dee still had hold of her. She kicked out at the woman, struck something hard, then worked again to free herself.

She couldn’t hold her breath any longer. The weight of the raft was holding her down. If she didn’t breathe soon—

Arms grabbed her from behind. She flailed at them, trying to free herself from the life jacket and Dee’s grip on her. The life jacket finally came off. She had to free herself from Dee’s hold and swim out from under the raft before she drowned.

The darkness began to close in. She could no longer go without air. She felt her body give in to the strong grip on her.