Born to Be a Cowboy Read online

  Mac cleared his throat. “You’ve been spending a lot of time away from the ranch. It’s been almost three weeks now, son.”

  “Yeah. Sorry about that.” Finn fiddled with a pen on his desk. “I figured it was time I tackled all the work that had piled up here in the office while I was…” He shrugged. “Otherwise occupied.”

  “I hope you can spare some time. Ben wants all of us together while he gives us the latest on Wayne Stone.”

  “Of course I can go with you.” Finn shut down his computer and shoved away from the desk.

  Outside, he joined his family to walk along Main Street until they came to the sheriff’s office.

  Inside, Ben was waiting, along with Basil Caldwell.

  Ben’s office was littered with enough chairs to accommodate all of them. As they took their places, Finn noted two additional chairs. Before he could comment, the door opened and Jessie and her aunt stepped into the room.

  While the family members greeted Jessie and Nola, Finn stood back, studying Jessie with a look of naked hunger.

  When she’d greeted all the others, she turned to Finn almost reluctantly. “Hello, Finn. How are your wounds?”

  “All healed.” A lie, he thought. His heart had taken a fatal hit. But at least nobody could see it. “And you?”

  She managed a half-hearted smile. “I’m fine. And the doctors are really happy with the way Aunt Nola is healing.”

  The older woman walked to Finn and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thanks to you, Finn.” She paused. “I was too exhausted and too overcome when I first returned home to say what I was feeling. I want you to know that what you did was truly heroic. Jessie fought hard to save me, but I was like a dead weight. If you hadn’t found us in time, I know what our fate would have been.”

  He shook his head. “We were all in it together. I’m just glad we came through it alive.”

  As the others took their seats, Nola patted the chair beside hers. “Jessie, honey, you sit here.”

  Jessie took the seat her aunt indicated, effectively sandwiched between Nola and Finn. The chairs were so close, she could hear every breath he took. And with each breath, she could feel her heart hitching.

  When all were seated, Ben began.

  “Both Basil and the state police team are still digging up facts about the man we know as Wayne Stone. So far, the list of his crimes and victims are as long as my arm. But this is what we’ve learned so far. We’ve uncovered six aliases. Besides Wayne Stone, he’s called himself Rogers Sutter, Clint Sawyer, Bill Seiver, Gene Struthers, and Wyatt Seabold.”

  Ben looked over at his family. “Are you seeing a pattern here?”

  Puzzled, they merely stared.

  He gave them a smile. “Maybe you need to see it on paper. He chose the first names of famous cowboys. And the last names all started with an S. The police profile team report that most of these serial criminals have these odd little idiosyncrasies. Wayne was really obsessed with cowboys and with his own genius. He honestly believed he was bulletproof and that the authorities would never touch him.”

  Ben turned to Basil. “Why don’t you tell them what else you’ve uncovered?”

  The detective held up his notes. “Those names were used by our guy while he conned the six women we know about so far. We expect we’ll turn up more as we dig deeper. Miss Blair, you’re the only one of his victims who managed to survive.”

  At Nola’s little gasp, Jessie caught her aunt’s hand and squeezed.

  Basil continued. “The police are seeking court orders to exhume the bodies of all his known victims, to see if we can match the toxins that were in your blood to theirs. We believe once he successfully killed his first victim with no questions asked by the authorities, he saw no reason to change his mode of operation.”

  “There’s more,” Ben added. “The arson department confirmed that the motel fire that nearly killed Jessie was definitely arson. They’re working to determine if Wayne Stone was caught on any security cameras in the area. Of course, he was so good at altering his appearance, he may not be recognizable. They feel this proves that Stone had targeted Jessie from the beginning, hoping to eliminate anyone who could be a threat.”

  Ben glanced at his brother. “And the brakes on your truck were deliberately tampered with. We now believe Wayne was watching Jessie, and when he learned of your involvement, knew he had to eliminate you, as well. He had himself hired as a wrangler to gain access to the ranch in order to set that little accident into motion and then, when you showed up in the hills, deliberately cut himself with barbed wire in order to leave without suspicion.”

  Sam swore under his breath. “Yeah. Clint Sawyer. And we actually paid him.”

  Mac’s eyes narrowed. “I thought, for a moment in the woods, that I recognized him. And then discarded the notion. He’s certainly a master of disguise.”

  Ben nodded. “This guy figured all the angles.”

  Basil flipped his notebook. “Although the authorities closed the book on the accident of Matthew Carver, the retired FBI agent Jessie hired, and his car is no longer available for testing, we believe his death was also deliberate.” He paused. “We have the name of the woman Wayne Stone was paying in the county offices to give him information on single women and the amount of taxes they were paying on their property. That gave our guy a long list of potential victims.”

  Ben added, “Ida Hunt was arrested and charged with aiding and abetting. Because of the number of victims, she was looking at a long prison sentence. When the state police told her how many years she would likely spend in jail, Ida agreed to be a witness against him in exchange for leniency.”

  Nola spoke up. “Is my marriage to this monster considered valid?”

  Ben shook his head. “Because he used false information, the courts consider the marriage invalid. We’ve already asked for documentation to aid you in getting back any money or properties he may have already claimed while holding you hostage.”

  She gave a deep sigh of relief.

  Ben explained, “It may take a lawyer to sort out all the legalities, since your signature appears on a lot of documents.” He shot a grin in Finn’s direction. “If you’d like, I could recommend a very good lawyer.”

  The sound of chuckling was a welcome relief from the tension in the room.

  Ben looked around. “I know this doesn’t answer every question, but Basil and the state team are working together, sharing information and hoping to put this to rest soon. From what we know so far, Wayne Stone, or whatever his real name is, has been working scams his entire adult life. He’s a man with absolutely no conscience. And he has left a string of deaths and broken families across Montana, and possibly other states, as well. If he hadn’t been stopped, we have no doubt he would have continued on this crime spree without a pause, adding more victims to his long list. Thankfully, the judge has refused to allow him to post bail, so he won’t be a threat anytime soon.”

  As the family got to their feet to thank Ben and Basil, Finn stood back, watching as Nola crossed the room.

  “Thank you, Chief Monroe.” Nola’s handshake was firm.

  “You’re welcome. And, Miss Blair, it’s Ben.”

  “And I’m just plain Nola.” She smiled. “I know you’re Finn’s oldest brother.” She turned to Jessie. “I asked my niece to help me sort out the various family members.”

  She turned to Mac. “I understand you opened your home to Jessie while she was searching for me. I’ll never be able to thank you enough, Mr. Monroe.”

  “It’s Mac. And there’s no need to thank me. That’s what family does.”

  “Jessie has told me about your amazing family, Mac.” She turned to include Mary Pat and the others. “I was alone until I took in Jessie after the death of my brother and his wife. I know some folks thought a single woman with no children of her own didn’t have the proper tools to raise a child, but I was determined to do whatever I could to make up for the loss of her parents. If anybody had told me all those
years ago that I would be the one getting so much more than I gave, I’d have never believed them. But it’s true. Having Jessie has filled my life with such joy.”

  Mac nodded. “I know what you mean, Nola. Every person in this room has given me more than I could ever give back.”

  “Well.” Nola turned toward the door. “I hope you will all agree to come to dinner one night soon, so I can thank all of you.” She chuckled. “I’m not much of a cook, but I learned how to roast a turkey just so Jessie could enjoy Thanksgiving every year.”

  Sam couldn’t help boasting. “My wife, Penny, is the best cook in the county. Maybe in the entire state of Montana.”

  Penny flushed with pleasure. “Sorry, Nola. Sam likes to brag about me. But if you wouldn’t mind a change of plans, why don’t you and Jessie come to dinner at our ranch?” She looked at the others for confirmation before adding, “How about Saturday night?”

  Nola beamed with pleasure. “I’d like that. I’m sure Jessie knows the way.”

  She glanced around and caught sight of Jessie and Finn standing awkwardly on the fringes of the family.

  When they realized she was staring, they looked away. But not before she’d caught the yearning in both their eyes.

  She reached out a hand to her niece, and Jessie hurried to her side to offer her arm.

  As they started out the door, she called to the others, “Jessie and I will see you Saturday.”

  Long after the rest of his family had left for the ranch, Finn returned to his office and tackled a mountain of paperwork, determined to keep his mind off what he and Jessie had once had. It was the only way he could keep from going slowly mad.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Jessie pulled up to the Monroe ranch and parked her aunt’s truck behind a string of vehicles near the back door before turning to her aunt.

  “The red van belongs to Mary Pat.”

  “From what you’ve told me about her, she sounds like an amazing woman.”

  “She’s been serving the families around here for a long time. Everything from visiting nurse to teacher to counselor. She’s improved the lives of so many people, they ought to award her a medal.”

  Jessie pointed. “That tricked-out police SUV belongs to Ben. Finn said he and Sam still can’t believe their older brother in on the right side of the law for a change.”

  “He was there when we needed him, and that makes him a hero in my book.”

  Jessie nodded. “The rest of the trucks belong to the Monroe ranch.”

  She circled around to help her aunt from the passenger side, but Nola was already out of their truck and climbing the steps. Jessie had to hurry to catch up.

  She noted the gift bag on her aunt’s arm. “A hostess gift?”

  Before Nola could respond, the door was opened and the Monroe family began spilling onto the back porch to welcome their guests.

  Leading the way was Archie, tongue lolling, tail thumping with joy.

  “Who’s this?” Nola bent down to scratch behind the dog’s ears and he rewarded her with wet kisses.

  “This is Archie.” Becca stepped out beside her husband, Ben. “We found him at the Haller Creek Dog Rescue. But we’ve decided Archie rescued us.”

  “Hello, Archie.” Nola greeted the young couple. “Lucky dog.”

  “And lucky us,” Ben added. “We can’t imagine our lives without him.”

  Mac and Mary Pat warmly embraced both Nola and Jessie before stepping back to allow the others to lend their greetings.

  Otis and Roscoe, just walking up from the bunkhouse, shook hands with the two women, saving their brightest smiles for Jessie.

  Zachariah added a bit of formality. “Jessica, it is good having you back. And Miss Nolinda, welcome.”

  Nola smiled. “Your use of my formal name helps me like it. For a while, I thought I might never want to hear it again.” She touched a hand to Zachariah’s. “Thank you.”

  Sam and Penny stepped out to greet them before leading the way inside, through the big mudroom and into the kitchen, perfumed with the most amazing scents.

  Nola breathed deeply. “Is that bread baking?”

  Mac nodded. “Ever since Penny joined our family, she’s been spoiling us.”

  Nola smiled at Penny. “I remember that smell from my childhood. My mother and grandmother always baked bread. I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t inherit their cooking gene.”

  Penny chuckled. “I didn’t think I had, either. But with three hungry brothers, I had no choice but to learn how to keep them well fed.”

  While Penny turned to see to something in the oven, Sam passed around chilled longnecks and glasses of wine.

  Penny pointed to a pretty tray of cheese and crackers. “Please help yourselves.”

  While the others laughed and chatted and moved about the room, Jessie felt her spirits plummet. Everyone was here. Except Finn.

  Becca handed her a glass of pale wine. “I’ve missed you, Jessie. We all have.”

  “I’ve missed all of you, too, but I’ve been reluctant to leave my aunt alone.” Jessie sipped, avoiding Becca’s eyes. “I see Finn isn’t here.”

  “He’s been putting in a lot of hours at his office in town. He told us he didn’t think he could make it.”

  “On a Saturday night?”

  Becca touched a hand to Jessie’s arm. “I wish I could say he’d be here. But lately he seems to be avoiding everyone.”

  Hearing the sound of another vehicle, both women fell silent.

  Minutes later, as the rest of the family laughed and chatted, Jessie’s heart started pounding the minute Finn stepped into the kitchen.

  He tossed his attaché case on a side table before greeting everyone.

  “Jessie.” He nodded from across the room before accepting a longneck from Sam.

  His formal, almost chilly greeting had her heart falling to her toes. “Finn.”

  Following his lead, she stayed where she was, aware that he was deliberately keeping the width of the room between them.

  Maybe it was best this way. At least, as long as he kept his distance, and she was surrounded by so many people, she could get through this night without embarrassing herself. But try as she might, she couldn’t keep from staring at him. He was so handsome. So strong and self-assured. She felt achingly miserable. He looked so cool and aloof, as though he’d already made his peace with a life apart from her.

  “So, Mac.” Nola had been eating nonstop since Penny first set her famous prime rib on a platter in the middle of the table. Along with it she’d made garlic mashed potatoes, a salad of greens and sweet peppers from Otis’s garden out back, and a loaf of crusty bread warm from the oven, drizzled with olive oil and sun-dried tomatoes. “Have you ever leased cattle haulers from Miller and Company in Arvid?”

  Mac shook his head. “I’ve been using MacMillan and Sons for years. I knew Fred MacMillan when I was a boy, and he and his sons have a fine reputation.”

  “That’s good to know. I’ve been hearing rumors that Miller and Company may be going out of business.” Nola helped herself to another slice of prime rib. “I’ll be calling you for the number for MacMillan.”

  Mac nodded. “I’m happy to recommend them. How about your wranglers? Are you sticking with the ones Wayne hired?”

  She gave a firm shake of her head. “I have no intention of trusting anyone connected with that monster. My old crew is back, including my longtime foreman, Hugh Jenkins, and they have things running smoothly. I’m eager to get back in the saddle and run the show the way I always did. The doctors have said I should be able to ride again soon.”

  For dessert Penny set a five-tier chocolate torte in the center of the table and began slicing it onto plates and adding scoops of chocolate-chip ice cream before passing them around.

  Sam circled the table with cups of coffee. He’d appointed himself Penny’s assistant for the evening and was doing a fine job of it.

  For a short time conversation ceased as everyone hummed w
ith pleasure while devouring the confection and happily sipping their drinks.

  Seeing Finn at the far end of the table, Nola turned to Zachariah. “I’m told you’ve been Finn’s mentor through the years.”

  The old lion smiled. “I like to think I had a hand in Finnian’s desire to be a lawyer.”

  “I remember reading about you years ago. You’ve handled some pretty famous cases.”

  “I’ve been very fortunate in my career.”

  Nola chuckled. “Now you’re being modest. Everyone of a certain age knows your name. You’re one of Montana’s shining lights.”

  Pleased, he gave a slight bow of his head. “That’s kind of you to say.”

  Nola turned to Otis. “Penny said these salad greens and vegetables came from your garden.”

  He gave her a wide smile. “It relaxes me to dig in the dirt after finishing ranch chores.”

  “I feel the same way.” Nola held up a hand, the nails short and blunt. “In my entire life I’ve never bothered with a manicure, because it would be money and time wasted. When I’m not up in the hills with the herd, or mucking stalls, I’d rather get down and dirty in my garden. Like you, gardening relaxes me.” She touched a hand to his arm. “Becca told me you grow pumpkins. I’d like to know your secret.”

  “No secret.” He shared a conspiratorial smile. “I swear, I just drop a few seeds in the ground, and dozens of pumpkins appear magically. For years, after we grew tired of pumpkin pie and the first snowfall, I used to scatter a hundred or more pumpkins in the fields for the deer and mustangs, figuring that’s all they were good for. That is, until Miss Becca started selling them in her garden shop in town.”

  “Speaking of your garden shop.” Nola smiled at Becca. “It’s delightful. On the way here my niece took me on a tour of the town. First we stopped at Florence Gaddy’s place to give her a donation for the Haller Creek Aid Society.”

  Mary Pat gave her a wide smile. “I bet Flo was grateful for the donation.”

  “Not as grateful as Jessie and I are for the care she showed after that awful motel fire.”