Cardwell Ranch Trespasser - By B. J. Daniels Page 0,60

she pressed her chest into his hard, strong one.

One of his arms came around her as if he thought she’d stumbled into him and was about to fall off the edge of the mountain.

Several seconds passed, no more, before he pushed her away, holding her at arm’s length. “What the—” His eyes darkened with anger. “What was that, Dee?” he demanded.

“I...I just—” She saw the change in his expression and knew that Hilde had warned him that she was after him. He hadn’t believed her—until this moment.

Hud shoved her away from him.

She felt tears burn her eyes and anger begin to boil deep in her belly. She wanted to scream at him, Why not me? What is so wrong with me?

Instead, she said, “I’m so sorry,” and pretended to be horrified by what she’d done when, in truth, she was furious with him.

“It was all of this,” she said, motioning to the view. “I just got swept up in it and, standing next to you...” She looked away, hating him for making her feel like this.

“We should get back,” he said, and turned to walk toward the horses where he’d left them ground tied by the aspens.

She tried to breathe out her fury, to act chastised, to pretend to be remorseful. It was the hardest role she’d ever played.

They rode in silence down the mountain through the now dark pines.

Dee thought about the kiss. She’d been anticipating it for days and now felt deeply disappointed. Hud had cut her to the quick. She could never forgive him.

Worse, he would now suspect that everything Hilde had said was true. Good thing she’d made that plane reservation for tomorrow. She couldn’t wait to get away from here.

* * *

HILDE GOT THE text from Dana the next morning as she was starting to open the shop.

u r rght abt D Im so—

She hurriedly tried to call her friend. The phone went straight to voice mail. “Dana, call me the moment you get this.”

Hilde stood inside the shop for a moment. The apparently interrupted text scared her more than she wanted to admit.

She called the sheriff’s office. If Hud was home... But she was told that Hud had been called away on a case in West Yellowstone.

So Dana was alone out at the ranch with the kids...and Dee.

Colt was on his way, but she couldn’t wait for him. She had to make sure Dana was all right.

Locking the shop, she headed for her vehicle, thankful Colt had changed her flat and retrieved it for her. Her mind was racing. The text had her terrified that something had happened. She drove as fast as she could to the ranch, jumping out of the SUV and running inside the house without knocking.

“Dana!” she screamed, realizing belatedly that she should have at least thought to bring a weapon. But she didn’t have a gun, let alone anything close to a weapon at the house or shop other than a pair of scissors. She shuddered at the thought.

Dana appeared in the kitchen doorway looking startled. She was wearing an apron and had flour all over her hands. “What in the—”

“Are you all right?” Hilde said, rushing to her.

“I’m fine. What’s wrong?”

“I got your text.”

“My text? I didn’t send you a text. In fact, I haven’t been able to find my cell phone all morning.”

Belatedly, Hilde remembered who’d answered Dana’s cell just the afternoon before. She looked around the kitchen as that slowly sank in. Dee must still have the cell phone. Dana hadn’t sent the text. But why would Dee send her a text that said she was right unless... “Where are the kids?”

“Hilde, you’re scaring me. The kids just left with Dee for a walk up the road.”

Hilde glanced around, didn’t see Angus and Brick. “The twins, too?”

“She took them in the stroller to give me some time to myself this morning.”

“No one is with her?” She saw the answer in her friend’s face. “We have to find them. Now.”

“Hilde, Dee might have her problems but—”

“Colt called me from Oklahoma.”

“Oklahoma? I thought he went to Denver?”

“He went down there to find out what he could about Rick. The woman you thought was Dee is his sister, Dana. When they were teenagers, the two of them were suspected of torching their house and killing their parents, but it could never be proven.”

Dana paled. “Dee is Rick’s sister?”

“Her name isn’t Dee Anna Justice. It’s Camilla Northland. Or at least it was.”

“Then where is Dee Anna Justice?”

“I have no idea,