Cardwell Ranch Trespasser - By B. J. Daniels Page 0,18
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