Cardwell Ranch Trespasser - By B. J. Daniels Page 0,16

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