Read Online A CALLAHAN CHRISTMAS MIRACLE by Tina Leonard - Free Book Online Page B

struck up a conversation with Fiona, totally oblivious to the deep hole Galen had just dug for himself. Now that his siblings had figured out that his heart was leaning in a certain direction, he was going to hear about it endlessly.
    Galen sighed. “I might be playing far out of my league, but at least I’m in the game,” he said crossly to his sister.
    His family roared with laughter. “Meeting tonight,” he reminded them. “Don’t be late. It’s important. And someone get word to Jace, wherever he’s staged his disappearing act. One of you knows where Houdini Callahan is.”
    Then he retreated to the office to do paperwork, and think about Rose.
    * * *
    G ALEN HAD EXPECTED that the meeting wouldn’t go well. The topic was doomed to be met with tense questions.
    What he hadn’t expected when he told his family he was going to buy the ranch from Storm, in his own name, and that Fiona’s raffle was off, was nods of acceptance.
    “Sounds like a good idea to me,” Sloan said. “If you need cash, I don’t mind putting up a stake.”
    “I’d go in,” Tighe said. “I’d back my brother in a heartbeat.”
    Falcon nodded. “Can’t think of any one of us who deserves that ranch more than you, bro.”
    “True,” Jace said. “After thinking about it, I decided that you raised us, sacrificed a lot. You’d do the most good for the land.”
    “As long as you name it Sister Wind Ranch, I’m all for it,” Ash said, her smile mischievous. “You know it’s a catchy name, and if you’re going to start a dude ranch, that would look good on brochures.”
    Dante sat up. “A dude ranch! That’s a great idea, brother!” He slapped Galen on the back.
    “Who said anything about a dude ranch?” Galen couldn’t believe how boneheaded his family was. “Can you see me running a dude ranch?”
    “What else would you do with that land?” Ash asked solemnly. “You’re a doctor. Dr. Dude Ranch. It’s not like you’d want to be a rancher, Galen. Or raise chickens or grow crops. What would you grow over there?”
    He shook his head. “Look. I don’t know exactly what I’ll do with it. Well, I do know, actually, but running a dude ranch isn’t in the plans.” Galen was almost insulted that his siblings didn’t think he had a plan.
    “You do what you like,” Jace said. “But you’re no spring chicken, I might remind you. Cattle ranching’s not for old guys.”
    Galen set his jaw. “You guys are numbskulls. The first thing I’m going to do with that land across the canyons is let the Feds run all over it. So get ready.”
    “Wow,” Ash said. “You sure are slow about telling this story. What’s going on?”
    “It’s what’s going under,” Galen said, and proceeded to tell them what he and Jace and Rose had discovered under the ranch across the canyons, and what he suspected might be underneath Rancho Diablo.
    “Simple fix,” Ash said. “We burn them out. Then fill in the tunnels with concrete.”
    Galen quickly held up a hand to restrain his hotheaded sister. “No burning anybody out. We’re letting the law handle this.”
    Falcon looked displeased. “Not that they did much for our parents. Being in witness protection is hardly a life.”
    “That’s true,” Dante said. “Are we all going to need witness protection one day?”
    Galen sank back into the sofa, sipped his whiskey. “I hadn’t thought of that angle.”
    “Exactly. That’s why we hold these councils, because seven heads are better than one,” Ash said. “I personally won’t enjoy living my life in hiding.”
    “How are we any safer if we destroy the tunnels?” Galen asked.
    “He’s right,” Tighe said. “We’re not. We might get caught by Wolf’s thugs before we set the first charge.”
    “What are the tunnels for?” Sloan asked. “Smuggling? Or are they planning to tunnel under Rancho Diablo to ambush us?”
    “All of the above,” Ash said. “We won’t let it happen. We’re going to search every inch of