Cardwell Ranch Trespasser - By B. J. Daniels Page 0,14

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