Read Online Montana Refuge by Alice Sharpe - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alice Sharpe
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acting out of character. I don’t know what to think.”
“I don’t either.” He looked down at the ground to get a breather from those eyes, and then back. “Tell me the truth. Did you put her up to this so you could run away from your other problems?”
“You make it sound as if my ‘problems’ were a matter of late rent or something, and not fighting for my life.”
He dipped his head a little, a gesture it was clear she understood implied doubt, for her eyes flashed. But when she spoke, her voice sounded resigned. “I’m sorry. I swore I was going to leave you out of this. The answer to your question is no, I am not in cahoots with Rose.”
“I just wanted to know. I mean two days ago she was running around here barking out orders as usual and now she’s sitting in that room of hers like she’s a sick animal tucked into a cave. How could it happen that fast?”
Julie touched his arm. “She’s got lots of people here to help her if she needs it and besides, everyone gets sick once in a while, right?”
He looked down at her fingers on his sleeve and wished he could touch her. Oh, hell, he wished so many things when it came to her.
“Tyler, have there been any small crimes around the ranch lately?”
He felt like she’d taken a shot at him. What was going on? “What do you mean?”
“Thefts, maybe...break-ins...” she hedged.
“Did someone steal something from you?”
“No. I don’t have anything to steal.”
“Then what are you talking about?”
“I was just wondering. Listen, forget it. Let’s just try to stay out of each other’s way, and get through this trip, okay?”
He handed her the menu list he’d found by the phone. If she could be businesslike, so could he. “It’s a deal,” he said. “Rose got everything ready yesterday, so you’re good to go. I want you and Andy to take off as soon as you can, so you can make the river camp and get things set up. Today will be a short ride to get everyone acclimated, so we’ll join you midafternoon. We’ve got a couple of avid fly fishermen on the ride, so maybe there will be trout for dinner.”
“Same camp as before?”
“Same camp. Andy went up with me last week to check things over—he knows the way.”
He knew that she knew the way, too. He wondered if she remembered the last time they’d ridden out there together, the night they’d spent...
Probably not.
Probably better that way.
Chapter Six
They left within the hour, Julie taking the time to run back to her cabin and call Nora. She couldn’t stand the thought of her friend worrying about her for several days on top of her concerns for her brother and the stress of the long hours she worked. And she wanted to hear what conclusions Trill had reached the night before.
Nora didn’t answer her phone, which was highly unusual as the thing was always on her body somewhere, tucked into a pocket or a handbag, connected to a headset if she was driving. She lived in constant fear she wouldn’t be there for George when she needed to be. It was the main reason Julie did her best to call when Nora wasn’t working because she always took her calls.
But not this time. This time the phone just rang four or five times and switched to voice mail. Julie gave a quick hearty hello and told Nora she’d be out of touch for a week and not to worry. And then she left cabin eight and went to work.
First, she acquainted herself with the supplies and ran numerous trips between the wagon and the house to ask Rose for last-minute instructions. She found a pot of beans soaking in the wagon so they’d be ready to cook later in the day, and all the usual perishables stuffed into iceboxes. Way back when, cowboys existed on beans and corn bread and whatever they could tote in a wagon—good, substantial food to be sure, but not real fancy. This trip, however, was a vacation as well as a job, and someone spending thousands of dollars expected a delicious meal at the start and finish of
“I don’t either.” He looked down at the ground to get a breather from those eyes, and then back. “Tell me the truth. Did you put her up to this so you could run away from your other problems?”
“You make it sound as if my ‘problems’ were a matter of late rent or something, and not fighting for my life.”
He dipped his head a little, a gesture it was clear she understood implied doubt, for her eyes flashed. But when she spoke, her voice sounded resigned. “I’m sorry. I swore I was going to leave you out of this. The answer to your question is no, I am not in cahoots with Rose.”
“I just wanted to know. I mean two days ago she was running around here barking out orders as usual and now she’s sitting in that room of hers like she’s a sick animal tucked into a cave. How could it happen that fast?”
Julie touched his arm. “She’s got lots of people here to help her if she needs it and besides, everyone gets sick once in a while, right?”
He looked down at her fingers on his sleeve and wished he could touch her. Oh, hell, he wished so many things when it came to her.
“Tyler, have there been any small crimes around the ranch lately?”
He felt like she’d taken a shot at him. What was going on? “What do you mean?”
“Thefts, maybe...break-ins...” she hedged.
“Did someone steal something from you?”
“No. I don’t have anything to steal.”
“Then what are you talking about?”
“I was just wondering. Listen, forget it. Let’s just try to stay out of each other’s way, and get through this trip, okay?”
He handed her the menu list he’d found by the phone. If she could be businesslike, so could he. “It’s a deal,” he said. “Rose got everything ready yesterday, so you’re good to go. I want you and Andy to take off as soon as you can, so you can make the river camp and get things set up. Today will be a short ride to get everyone acclimated, so we’ll join you midafternoon. We’ve got a couple of avid fly fishermen on the ride, so maybe there will be trout for dinner.”
“Same camp as before?”
“Same camp. Andy went up with me last week to check things over—he knows the way.”
He knew that she knew the way, too. He wondered if she remembered the last time they’d ridden out there together, the night they’d spent...
Probably not.
Probably better that way.
Chapter Six
They left within the hour, Julie taking the time to run back to her cabin and call Nora. She couldn’t stand the thought of her friend worrying about her for several days on top of her concerns for her brother and the stress of the long hours she worked. And she wanted to hear what conclusions Trill had reached the night before.
Nora didn’t answer her phone, which was highly unusual as the thing was always on her body somewhere, tucked into a pocket or a handbag, connected to a headset if she was driving. She lived in constant fear she wouldn’t be there for George when she needed to be. It was the main reason Julie did her best to call when Nora wasn’t working because she always took her calls.
But not this time. This time the phone just rang four or five times and switched to voice mail. Julie gave a quick hearty hello and told Nora she’d be out of touch for a week and not to worry. And then she left cabin eight and went to work.
First, she acquainted herself with the supplies and ran numerous trips between the wagon and the house to ask Rose for last-minute instructions. She found a pot of beans soaking in the wagon so they’d be ready to cook later in the day, and all the usual perishables stuffed into iceboxes. Way back when, cowboys existed on beans and corn bread and whatever they could tote in a wagon—good, substantial food to be sure, but not real fancy. This trip, however, was a vacation as well as a job, and someone spending thousands of dollars expected a delicious meal at the start and finish of
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