Cardwell Ranch Trespasser - By B. J. Daniels Page 0,17

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