Cardwell Ranch Trespasser

chapter Five

Hilde came to lying on a large flat rock with Colt Dawson kissing her. At least that was her first impression as she felt his mouth on hers. She coughed and had to sit up, gasping for breath.

She could see where the raft had pulled over downstream. The guide was leaning over Dee, who was lying on the side of the raft. “Dee.” It was all she could get out before she started coughing again.

“Dee’s all right,” he said.

Hilde shook her head and let out a snort. “She tried to drown me.” Her voice sounded hoarse and hurt like the devil.

Colt looked at her for a full minute before he said, “She tried to save you and almost drowned.”

She shook her head more adamantly. “She was the one who hooked my life jacket on the rope under the raft.” Hilde could see he didn’t believe her. “It’s not the first time she’s tried to hurt me. When we were up at the falls, she pushed me.”

He seemed to be waiting.

“Then she grabbed me just before I fell.”

Colt nodded and she realized how crazy she must sound. But if he had been under that raft with her...

“Is Dana all right?” she asked, looking downriver.

“She’s just worried about you.”

“And Dee,” Hilde said, seeing how her friend was clutching Dee’s hand.

“She’s probably worried about Dee because her cousin almost drowned, and this raft trip was her idea,” Colt said. “You apparently kicked Dee in the face.”

“Because she was trying to hold me down while she hooked my life jacket to that rope.” She could see that he didn’t believe her and felt her eyes burn hot with tears. “Colt, you have to believe me—there is something wrong with her cousin. I was under that raft with her. She wouldn’t let go of me. She hooked my life jacket onto that rope. If you find my jacket...” She was trying to get to her feet.

“Hilde, I’m not sure what you think happened under the raft—”

“I don’t know why I expected you to believe me,” she said angrily. “Especially about someone you have a date with tonight.” He reached for her as she stumbled to her feet, but she brushed off his hand. Stepping down through the rocks, she found a place to cross that wasn’t too swift. She could hear him behind her.

All she could think about was getting to Dana, telling her the truth about Dee. Dee was dangerous. Dana had to be warned.

She still felt woozy and should have known better, but she made her way downstream toward the raft. Dana was still holding Dee’s hand as she approached. The sight angered her even more.

Hilde remembered right before she’d gone into the river. She’d tried to lean back, but Dee was pushing on her, pushing her out of the boat and going with her. There was no doubt in her mind that the woman had tried to drown her.

“She tried to kill me,” Hilde cried, pointing a trembling finger at Dee, who lay on the edge of the raft clearly enjoying all the attention she was getting.

“Are you all right?” the guide asked, sounding scared.

“Did you hear what I said?” she demanded of Dana. “Your cousin tried to kill me.”

Everyone on the raft went deathly quiet. “She pushed me off the raft, then she pulled me under and hooked my life jacket on the rope underneath the boat. If Colt hadn’t pulled me out of there...” Hilde realized she was crying and near hysteria. Everyone was looking at her as if she was out of her mind.

“I tried to help you,” Dee said in a small, tearful voice. She touched her cheek, which Hilde saw was black-and-blue. “If you hadn’t kicked me I would have gotten you free from under the raft.”

“She almost drowned trying to save you,” Dana said.

Hilde let out a lunatic’s laugh. “Save me? I’m telling you she tried to kill me, and it wasn’t the first time.” She felt someone touch her arm and turned her head to see Colt standing beside her.

“Let me get you off the river and into some dry clothes,” he said, his gaze locking with hers. She saw the pleading in his eyes. He thought she was making a fool of herself. No one believed her. Everyone believed Dee. “I’ll take care of Hilde,” Colt said to Dana. “You make sure your cousin is okay.”

Crying harder, she looked at Dana, saw the shock and disbelief and pity in her eyes. Through the haze of tears she saw all the others staring at her with a mixture of pity and gratitude that it hadn’t been them under the raft.

Her gaze settled on Dee. A whisper of a smile touched her lips, before she, too, began to cry. As Dana tried to assure her cousin that Hilde was just upset, that she hadn’t meant what she’d said, Colt urged Hilde toward the edge of the river and the vehicles waiting on the highway above it. The guide had apparently called for EMTs and a rescue crew.

“I don’t need a doctor,” she said to Colt, as he drew her away from the raft. She could feel everyone watching her and tried to stem the flow of her tears. “I don’t need you to take care of me.”

“But you do need to get into some dry clothes,” he said. “My place is close by.”

She looked over at him, ready to tell him she had no intention of going to his house with him.

“You can tell me again what happened under the raft,” he said.

“What would be the point? You don’t believe me.” She stumbled on one of the rocks. He caught her arm to keep her from falling. His hand felt warm and strong on her skin.

“How about this? I believe you more than I believe Dee.”

She stopped, having reached the edge of the highway, and glared at him. “Then why didn’t you speak up back there?”

“Because it’s your word against hers, and as upset as you are, she is more believable right now. That’s why I stopped you from telling them about what happened at the falls. Come on, I know this EMT. He’ll give us a ride.”

* * *

“I AM SO SORRY,” Dana said for the hundredth time since the raft trip.

Dee planned to milk the incident for all it was worth but was getting tired of hearing Dana apologize. Almost drowning had gotten her out of helping with the huge family meal Dana had cooked. It also had Hud hovering protectively over her.

Dana had told all the family members about the mishap on the river as each arrived. Dee noticed that she’d left out the part about her best friend accusing her cousin of trying to kill her.

It would have been amusing except for the fact that Hilde had almost drowned her. Hilde had kicked her hard. For a moment, she’d seen stars. She really could have drowned under that raft. She was lucky she hadn’t died today.

She’d had to meet all the family before dinner. There was the sister, Stacy, a smaller version of Dana, whom she’d met only briefly before. She had a pretty, green-eyed baby girl named Ella. Dee remembered that because she got the feeling Stacy might be a good resource—even an ally in the future.

Jordan and his wife, Deputy Marshal Liza Cardwell, were nice enough, but both were wrapped up in each other. Newlyweds, Dana had said. Then there was their father, Angus, and their uncle, Harlan. The talk at that end of the table was about the house Jordan and Liza were building somewhere on the ranch. Far enough away that they hadn’t been a problem, Dee thought.

Apparently Dana had another brother, Clay. He worked in the movies in Hollywood and seldom came up to the ranch. Another positive. Hud’s father, Brick, wasn’t well. He lived in West Yellowstone and seldom got down the canyon. That was also good since he was an ex-marshal.

At the sound of a knock at the front door, Dee looked through the open dining room door into the living room. She could make out a dark shadow through the window.

Probably not Hilde or Deputy Colt Dawson, she thought with no small amount of relief. Hilde had come off as crazy on the river earlier. Dana had been shocked by her friend’s accusations and torn in her loyalties. Dee had pretended to be hurt, which only made Dana more protective of her.

Hopefully that would be the last they saw of the woman, she thought, rubbing her jaw. It didn’t surprise her that Hilde was turning out to be a problem. That first day Hilde had asked too many questions and was too protective of Dana. Not only that, she paid too much attention.

She suspects something is wrong.

Dee had run across a few intuitive people in her life. Best thing to do was get them out of your life as quickly as possible. After what happened on the river today, she didn’t think she would have to worry about Hilde again.

She’d seen the moment when Hilde had realized there was nothing she could say to convince Dana that cousin Dee had been responsible for her almost drowning. Blood was thicker than water—didn’t Hilde know that? Dee almost laughed at the thought since she and Dana shared none in common. But it didn’t matter as long as Dana believed they did.

All the others on the raft had felt sorry for Dee. Everyone agreed Hilde was just upset and confused. They had tried to comfort Dee, telling her she shouldn’t feel bad. The bruise on her cheek from where Hilde had kicked her was now like a badge of honor. She’d tried to save the woman—but there was no saving Hilde from Hilde, she thought now with a silent chuckle.

But apparently Deputy Marshal Colt Dawson was determined to try. Nice that he forgot he’d asked her for a dinner date tonight. She hoped she wasn’t wrong about him not being at the door. No, he was probably home taking care of poor Hilde.

She’d seen Dana on the phone earlier. No doubt checking on her friend. Dana was so sure that once Hilde calmed down she would realize that Dee hadn’t tried to drown her. So far Dana hadn’t seemed to have any doubts to the contrary. Dee had to make sure she stayed that way.

Hud got up from the table to go answer the second knock at the door. Dee got the impression that most anyone who stopped by just walked in and didn’t bother knocking.

As the door swung open, she felt her heart drop. She stumbled out of her chair and into the living room. “Rick?”

He saw her and smiled. Anyone watching would have thought everything was fine. Dee knew better.

“Rick, what a surprise.” She hurried to the door, belatedly remembering to limp only the last few steps. She’d managed to hurt herself again in the river—at least that was her story. It would get her out of helping Dana with the dishes and the kids.

“I had to come after I got your phone call,” he said smoothly. “Are you all right?”

“It’s just a sprain,” she said, and realized Hud was watching and waiting for an introduction. Before Dee could, Dana joined them.

“Rick, this is my cousin Dana I told you about and her husband, Hud. Rick...Cameron, a friend of mine from back East.” She gave Rick a warning look. “We were just sitting down to a family dinner. Tell me where you’re staying and I’ll—”

“We always have room for one more,” Dana said quickly. “Please join us. Any friend of Dee’s is welcome.”

Rick stepped in, letting the door close behind him as he looked around, amused at her discomfort. “Dee, are you sure you’re all right? I’ve been worried about you.”

“I’m fine. You really didn’t need to come all this way just to check on me.” She bit the words off, angry with him for showing up here and even angrier that he didn’t take the hint and leave. She hung back with him as Hud and Dana returned to the large family dining room, where everyone else was waiting.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded under her breath so no one else could hear.

“Is that any way to greet an old friend, Dee?”

Her mind whirled. How had he found her? Then with a curse, she realized what she’d done. She’d left a change of address so she could get Dee Anna Justice’s mail in care of the ranch. That way she’d know quickly if her cover was blown—as well as collect at least one of Dee Anna’s trust fund checks.

In retrospect that had been a mistake. She should have known Rick would come looking for her once he realized she’d bailed on him and the apartment. He’d know the real Dee Anna hadn’t gone to a ranch in Montana.

“You can’t stay,” she whispered. “You’ll mess up everything.”

He smiled at her. “I can’t tell you how good it is to see you, Dee.”

“Stop doing that.”

“I set another place for you, Rick,” Dana called from the dining room doorway. “Come join us and I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

Dee had indigestion by the time the meal wound down. Dana had introduced Rick, and he’d seemed to be enjoying himself, which made it worse. She couldn’t wait until dinner was over so she could get him out of here. The trick would be getting him out of town.

Rick could smell a con a mile off. The fact that she was going by Dee Anna Justice had been a dead giveaway. He knew she was up to something. He would want something out of this.

She couldn’t have been more relieved when dinner was finally over. Fortunately, because of her re-“sprained” ankle, she didn’t have to help with the dishes. Rick helped clear the table. She heard him chatting in the kitchen with Hud and Dana.

She was going to kill him.

Finally, Rick said he was leaving and asked Dee if she felt up to walking him out to his rental car. She wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

“You have to leave,” she told him outside.

He glanced at the stars sparkling in the velvet canopy overhead and took a deep breath. “This is nice here. A little too hick for me, but the food was good,” he said, finally looking at her. “I’ve missed you. I thought you would have at least left me a note.”

“What do you want?”

“You always were good at cutting right to the heart of it. Isn’t it possible I really did miss you?”

“No.” He hadn’t come here for a reunion. If anything, he’d come to blackmail her.

“Look,” she said. “I will cut you in, but I need time. I don’t even know what there is here yet.”

He laughed. “You can call yourself Dee or anything else you like, but remember, I know you. You’ve staked out something here or you would be gone by now. Is it the land? Is it worth something? Or is there family money I’m just not seeing?”

“There isn’t any hidden wealth,” she said. “I’m just spending a few days here like a tourist while my cousin shows me a good time. She’s picking up my little vacation. That’s it.”

“You’re such a good liar. Usually. But I don’t get what you could possibly be thinking here. Does Hud have a rich brother I haven’t met yet?”

“Rick—”

“You’d better get back into the house,” he said, glancing past her. “You really shouldn’t be on that bad ankle too long.” He chuckled. “Don’t forget to limp or you’re going to be doing dishes with the women in the kitchen the rest of your little vacation.”

With that, he climbed into his rental car and slammed the door. She slapped the window, trying to get him to roll it down, but he merely made a face at her, started the engine and drove off.

She stood in the faint moonlight mentally kicking herself. Rick was going to ruin everything.

* * *

“ARE YOU FEELING BETTER?” Colt asked, as Hilde came out of his bathroom dressed in the sweatpants and T-shirt he’d given her.

She nodded. He’d changed into jeans and a T-shirt that molded his muscled body. She’d never seen him in anything but his uniform before. No wonder he was so popular with women.

He handed her a mug of hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows floating in it. He must have seen her surprise.

“My mother used to always make me hot chocolate when I had a hard day in school,” Colt said, and grinned shyly. “I thought it might help.”

She curled her fingers around the mug, soaking in the warmth, and took a sip. She couldn’t help smiling. “It’s perfect.” She was touched at his thoughtfulness. “I don’t believe I thanked you for saving my life earlier.”

He waved her apology away. “I’m just glad you’re okay. Would you like to sit down?” he asked, motioning to his couch.

She glanced around his cabin. It was simply but comfortably furnished. He’d made a fire in the small fireplace. This time of year it cooled down quickly in the canyon.

The fire crackled invitingly as she took a seat at one end of the couch, curling her feet under her. She’d finally quit shaking. Now she just felt scared. Scared that she was right about Dee. Even more scared that she wasn’t. Had she wrongly accused the woman?

Colt seemed to relax as he joined her at the opposite end of the couch. “Why don’t you tell me about Dee?”

She hesitated, upset with herself for the scene she’d made earlier. It was so unlike her. No wonder Dana had looked so shocked. She shouldn’t have confronted Dee in front of everyone, but she’d been so upset, so scared. She’d almost drowned. If Colt hadn’t pulled her out when he had...

“You can tell me how you really feel,” he said quietly.

She took a breath. “I don’t know anymore.”

“Sure you do,” he said and smiled. “Follow your instincts. I have a feeling your instincts are pretty good.”

Hilde laughed. “After seeing that hysterical woman on the river a while ago?”

“Almost drowning does that to a person.”

She studied him for a moment. He was way too handsome, but he was also very nice. He’d saved her life and now he was willing to listen to her side of it. “What if my instincts are wrong?”

“You know they aren’t.”

Did she? She took another sip of the hot chocolate. It did help. Bracing herself, she said, “There’s something...off about Dee.”

He nodded, urging her to continue.

“I admit I was worried when Dana told me that she’d asked a cousin she’d never met to come visit. She’s paying for all Dee’s expenses. That seemed odd to me. But according to Dana, Dee recently quit her job. Add to that, no one knows how long she plans to stay.”

“So you thought right away she might be taking advantage of your friend.”

Hilde nodded. “After we picked her up at the airport, Dana was telling her all about this area. I noticed that she didn’t seem interested. It wasn’t until we reached the ranch and she met Hud that Dee perked up.”

He nodded but said nothing.

“I know this all sounds so...small and petty.”

“Tell me about the day at the falls.”

She finished the hot chocolate and put her mug on the table next to her elbow, noticing the bestseller lying open, his place marked halfway through the book. It was one she’d been wanting to read, and she was momentarily distracted to know that Colt was a reader.

“I didn’t want to go on the hike, but Dana insisted. I was probably rude. I asked how long Dee planned to stay. Shortly after that I was standing at the edge of the falls. Dana had gone over to the picnic spot to look for her camera, and all of a sudden I felt a hand on my back and a hard shove. Then Dee grabbed me and warned me to be careful, that it was dangerous around here.”

“You believed it was a threat.”

“I did.”

“But you didn’t say anything to Dana.”

“I was too shocked and—”

“You talked yourself out of believing it.”

She nodded. “Also, Dana was enjoying her cousin so much, I didn’t have the heart to tell her.”

“You feared she wouldn’t believe you.”

Hilde let out a laugh. “With good reason. She didn’t believe that Dee tried to drown me today.”

“But you do.”

She swallowed, then slowly nodded. “She wasn’t trying to save me. I know you find that hard to believe because I tried to fight you off moments later, when you were only trying to save me.”

“Why do you think she pushed you at the falls and yet saved you, then today tried to drown you and maybe really did try to save you?”

“I don’t know. It makes one of us seem crazy, doesn’t it?”

He smiled. “What is it you think she wants? Dana and Hud don’t have a lot money. She can’t possibly think she can get her hands on the ranch. She’s going to wear out her welcome within a week or so.”

“That’s just it, I don’t know. I just can’t get over the feeling that she wants something from Dana. But the more I think about it, the more I feel I must be wrong. What if I’m overreacting? Maybe she was trying to save me in the river today.”

“Maybe she didn’t push you at the falls?”

She looked away. “Dana thinks I’m jealous.” She turned to meet his gaze. “Maybe I am.” She got to her feet. “I should go home.”

Colt rose, too. “What are you going to do?”

“Stay away from Dee,” she said with a laugh. “Like you said, she’ll wear out her welcome and leave.”

“Hud called while you were changing clothes. He’s taking Dee up to Elkhorn Lake on a horseback ride tomorrow. Dana’s idea. I think we should go.”

“What? And give her another chance at me?”

He grinned. “That’s what I thought. You don’t think you imagined any of this. Dee’s dangerous, isn’t she?”

“Yes. But you’re the only person who believes me. Dee always comes away looking like a hero.”

“Almost as if she planned it that way. If you really think Hud and Dana are in danger, then I think we need to keep an eye on Dee. Meanwhile, I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

Hilde couldn’t help but feel a small thrill at the last part. She liked the idea of Colt keeping an eye on her. She told herself not to make anything of it.

“The last thing I want to do is go on a long horseback ride with Dee Anna Justice. What makes you so sure she won’t try to kill me again?”

“I can’t promise that. But it will look more than a little odd if you meet with yet another accident. I have a plan. But you probably won’t like it.”

She didn’t, but she was so thankful that Colt believed her, she would have gone along with anything he asked.

“Right now, she’s won,” he said. “You need to throw her off balance and stay close to Dana. There’s only one way to do that.”

* * *

“HE’S A BOYFRIEND, isn’t he?” Dana said excitedly when Dee returned to the house after walking Rick out. Hud had apparently gone up to bed. Everyone else had left as she was coming back into the house.

“No, he’s...” She saw the sympathy in Dana’s expression. Her “cousin” was waiting for some heartbreaking love story. How could she disappoint her with so much at stake?

“Your ex, isn’t he.” Her cousin drew her over to the couch and patted the cushion, indicating she should sit and spill all. Dee was thankful she had only Dana to deal with now. Dana saw what she wanted to and clearly loved finding a cousin she’d never known she had. Hilde wouldn’t have been fooled by her relationship with Rick.

“I can tell he still cares about you,” Dana was saying. “He followed you all the way to Montana to make sure you were all right.”

Maybe it would be better for everyone to think Rick was a boyfriend, then when she broke up with him and sent him packing, it would play well with the family. It could buy her more time here. She wouldn’t want to go back East right away after such a traumatic breakup.

“That’s why you quit your job,” Dana said. “Did you work with him?”

Why not give her what she wanted and then some? “He was my boss.”

“Oh, those kinds of things are so...sticky.”

“I knew better, but he was unrelenting.”

“I can see that in him. To fly all the way out here.”

“I should never have called him and told him where I was. But I knew he’d worry and I certainly shouldn’t have mentioned that I sprained my ankle.”

“You couldn’t know that he’d follow you,” Dana said. “He seems nice, though. Is there no chance for the two of you?”

No chance in hell. “He’s married,” she lied.

Dana looked worried. “Children?”

Dee shook her head. “He and his wife are separated. He’s always wanted children, but his wife didn’t. She says she doesn’t like kids.”

Her cousin looked shocked. “Oh, how awful for him.”

“Yes. I feel sorry for him, but he needs to try to work things out with his wife.”

Dana agreed.

Dee realized she was painting too sympathetic a picture of Rick. “He’s been so despondent since I broke it off and...” She lowered her voice. “He’s been taking...pills. I’m worried sick he might do something...crazy, between the depression and the drugs. Still I shouldn’t have called him to check on him.” Like she would have ever called him, but she was grateful that Rick was quick on his feet when it came to lying.

“You did the right thing. Just imagine how you would have felt if you hadn’t called and something had happened to him.”

“Hmm,” she said. “You’re right. But maybe I should go back home. I hate bringing my problems to your door.”

“Don’t be silly.” Dana reached out and squeezed her hand. “That’s what family is for.”

She’d always wondered what family was for. A part of her felt sorry for Dana. The woman was so caring. It must be exhausting.

“You’re tired and you’ve had such an emotional day,” her cousin said, glancing at her watch. The fact that Dana still wore a watch and didn’t always carry a cell phone told Dee how far from civilization she now was.

“I hope Hilde is all right.” She watched Dana’s expression out of the corner of her eye, trying to calculate whether or not Dana would call her friend to patch things up or not.

“It’s just a good thing Colt was there,” Dana said. “He’ll take care of her. I’ll give her a call later to make sure.”

“I feel badly about what she said.”

“Don’t let it bother you. She was just talking crazy because she was scared. Still, it wasn’t like the Hilde I know at all.”

She could tell Dana was worried about her friend. “Almost drowning would do that to anyone. I just don’t want to come between the two of you.”

“You won’t. I shouldn’t have insisted Hilde come on the raft trip. It really isn’t her thing. And anyone would have panicked if they’d been trapped under the raft like that.”

“It was just such a freak accident,” she agreed.

“I’m sure Hilde realized that, once she had a chance to calm down. I wouldn’t be surprised if she shows up tomorrow to apologize.”

Don’t hold your breath on that one. “I hate to even ask what you have planned for tomorrow,” Dee said with a small laugh. She hoped Dana would come up with something away from the ranch with Hud and as far away as possible from Big Sky and Hilde and Rick. “You really are showing me such a great time. How will I ever be able to repay you?”

“It’s my pleasure. I thought you’d like to ride up to Elkhorn Lake.”

“So you’ll be able to go?” she asked.

“No, I have to stay here. Hud is going to take you by horseback, if you’re up to it. The lake is beautiful and the trip is really wonderful.”

Oh, yes. She couldn’t wait.

“I think his deputy Colt is going along.”

Dee swore silently. Colt? The man who’d saved Hilde.

“It sounds like fun,” she said, although it had sounded much more fun when it was just going to be her and Hud. “I just wish you could go. Maybe next time?”

Dana nodded. “You must come back every year.”

Or never leave. “Oh, I would love that.”

“Well, sleep tight and don’t worry about Rick.”

Easy for Dana to say.