Page 25 of A Mile of Ocean (Pelican Pointe #19)

T hey watched Duchess ride out the stable door ten minutes later and head south. Cecil texted Trent that he had hidden the tracking device in Zorro’s saddlebag as instructed.

Sitting atop Phoenix, Trent studied his mobile device, where the AirTag was set to find the precise location. “Could she be going to Turtle Ridge?”

“That’s certainly ballsy,” Tate commented, sitting astride Mermaid.

“Yeah, but it would be the last place she’d expect anyone to be watching.”

“Returning to the crime scene,” Savannah noted, riding Giselle. “That is bold, even if it is her land.”

“We need to get out ahead of her,” Trent said, kicking Phoenix into a run. “I’ll approach from the east and hide in the woods.”

“You’re not going without me,” Tate blurted out as she pushed Mermaid into a gallop. “As long as it’s close enough to capture the meeting on video. I want to hear everything they’re saying to each other.”

“You’re capturing what could turn into a murder,” Trent advised. “Duchess still has Beckett’s handgun. We’re trying to prevent anyone else from dying.”

Although Savannah couldn’t keep up, she and Giselle trailed after them, glancing around as Birk and Beckett closed in from the outer fringes of the west border.

Lucien and Brogan had left earlier, stationing themselves at their familiar patrol checkpoint where they could watch for anyone approaching from the south.

Trent galloped through the woods, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he kept his eyes fixed on Duchess from a distance. He searched for the perfect vantage point, deciding on a cluster of thick bushes where the rabbits liked to hide.

After dismounting, he tied Phoenix’s reins to a tree trunk before navigating his way through the sagebrush, where he hunkered down, his eyes fixed across the clearing. This was the same spot where his grandfather liked to watch the sunset with his wife.

Tate noticed the same thing as she tied her horse to the same tree and took a position to his right. She took out her phone, ready to video the meeting.

Trent could feel the tension as he spotted Duchess, who had now stopped her momentum and seemed to be waiting for someone to join her.

As she kept checking her watch, Trent kept checking his phone for any updates. When Lucien spotted a man walking from the southern perimeter carrying a .22, the text popped up on Trent’s device.

“Your mystery man is armed and heading your way,” Lucien texted.

“Get ready,” Trent whispered to Tate.

Through the lens of her camera phone, Tate zoomed in on the man as he approached Duchess. Intent on capturing every word exchanged between the two, she initially had trouble holding the phone steady. Eventually, she managed to frame the video, zooming in on a short, chunky man who wore a brown jacket over an ugly tan button-down western shirt, a skull bolo tie draped around his neck, and black jeans. He wore a black Stetson with a gaudy snakeskin band.

While the fifty-something man was on foot, Duchess never dismounted from Zorro. As the man drew closer, she removed the Winchester from its scabbard and placed it across her saddle horn.

“Hey, it’s me,” the man said, waving his arm in greeting. “I parked the truck at the old farmhouse off the main road like you said. I brought the .22 just like you told me. What happens next? I thought we were about ready to wrap this up. What else do you need from me?”

“It’s unfortunate, Chester, but what I need from you now is to die. It’s the last thing I’ll ever ask you to do,” Duchess said as she raised the Winchester and pulled the trigger. But nothing happened. She cocked it and tried again. Still nothing. She tossed it to the ground and took out the handgun.

“Drop the gun, Mrs. Callum,” Beckett shouted as he grabbed the reins of her horse, knocking his weapon out of her hand. The gun went flying onto the grass.

Birk approached Chester from behind, holding his 9mm. “Throw down the rifle. Now!” Birk said to Chester. “You’re toast. It’s over. You’re both going to jail for a long time for murdering Barrett and Slade.”

“What? Not me. I didn’t kill anybody,” Chester protested. “I was in Wyoming when she killed her old man. I can prove it. I wasn’t in California then. I didn’t arrive until the next day. She called me that night to help her out. Check my phone. My job was to make a few pipe bombs and set off a few explosions for distractions. That’s it. That’s all I did.”

“Shut up, you stupid fool,” Duchess shouted. “They still think it’s Bohannon behind all this. They have no evidence to prove otherwise.”

Trent and Tate appeared out of their hiding place, with Tate still filming. “Did you notice this guy’s fancy western boots? Maybe he does a lot of line dancing when he’s not blowing stuff up.”

“What are you doing?” Duchess shouted in Tate’s direction. “Stop that! Put your phone down.”

“Bohannon’s dead,” Trent informed her. “He’s been dead for three weeks. But you already knew that. We know you had him killed, and you’re going down for it.”

Her eyes darted around, trying to formulate an escape plan, right before she kicked Beckett in the head with her boot, knocking him to the ground. She kicked Zorro in the flank to get him moving.

But Zorro pinned his ears back, clamped his tail down, and reared up as high as he could, hooves kicking in the air like angry fists. As if possessed, Barrett’s spirited horse caught Duchess by surprise as she tumbled backward out of the saddle, head over heels, landing on her neck with a loud crack. She twitched for a moment and then went still.

Trent rushed over to calm Zorro while Beckett bent down and used his index and middle fingers to feel for a pulse at her neck.

He shook his head. “Nothing. She’s dead. Must’ve broken her neck in the fall.”

Chester’s eyes were huge as he kept protesting his innocence. “I don’t understand!” he cried. “I didn’t do anything! You have to believe me! I’m Chester de Haviland, her cousin. She asked me if I knew anyone who would kill Barrett and that guy in Stillwater. I told her I didn’t. I swear it. She must’ve found someone on her own.”

Birk stepped in as he took possession of the rifle. “It’s okay, Chester. It’s over now. But you do realize you were caught holding the murder weapon?”

In response, Chester put his hands in the air. “I’ll cooperate. I’ll tell you everything. She told me to get rid of it. I hid it on that old farm next door that the city owns.”

“You mean Cleef Atkins’ old place?” Trent asked, still trying to calm down an agitated Zorro by walking the horse in a circle. “I never would’ve thought to look there. It’s just over the southern edge of the property. You can see it from the ridge line.”

Brent came striding up with Theo and Trish. He pointed at Chester. “Cuff this guy, will you? Get him out of here.”

As Theo and Trish led Chester away, Brent glanced at Birk, Beckett, Lucien, and Brogan. “I see all the familiar faces. Why do you guys always show up at my crime scenes?”

Birk started to say something, but Beckett elbowed him in the ribs.

“Just lucky, I guess,” Lucien stated with a grin.

“We’re being neighborly,” Brogan said with a shrug. “That’s what neighbors do. We help each other out during rough patches.”

“Yes, well, you guys did good. You kept your cool and played it smart. Although your main suspect is dead,” Brent pointed out, glancing down at Duchess.

“We have the cousin who wants to tell his side of the story,” Brogan added. “That’s something different.”

Brent nodded. “I suppose it is. He’ll soon learn the hard way that accessory to murder —in this case, accessory after the fact, harboring or concealing — isn’t worth risking three years of his life in prison.”

Tate nodded, still shaken from the dramatic turn of events. “At least we know now that Duchess murdered Granddad. We had no idea it would turn out this way.”

“No one could’ve predicted this. But we’ll know who to call if we ever need sharpshooters again—which I hope we don’t ,” Trent added, shaking hands with his neighbors who came to their rescue. “Thanks, guys. If any of you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask.”

“No problem,” Birk stated. “We were happy to help. Sorry it turned out to be your grandmother.”

“You think you know someone, right?” Brent prompted. “Anyway, the medical examiner should be here shortly. In the meantime, I’ll need that video sent to me as soon as possible. We don’t want to jeopardize the case against Chester de Haviland by leaking it on social media.”

“I would never do that,” Savannah said, running up to Brent, still recording everything, long after Tate had stopped. “I got it all as a backup just in case. I’ll upload it to Eastlyn. She gave me her email address.”

“I see that. Thanks,” Brent said. “You probably have enough footage to convict Duchess twice over. Did you see she fell off that horse?”

Savannah nodded, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. “Yes, but I still can’t believe it. I won’t believe we actually pulled it off until I watch the replay.”

Trent gazed at the lovely redhead. “Considering how it unfolded, witnessing it once in real time was sufficient for me.”

Suddenly, a loud whooshing sound echoed through the clearing as a flock of birds took flight from the nearby patch of sagebrush. Savannah stumbled back, tripped over a rock, and watched her mobile device go flying.

“You’d better be careful, cowgirl,” Trent teased, offering her his hand and helping her to her feet. “I wouldn’t want you to break anything important.”

He tilted his head, noticing how her red mane glistened in the sunlight, with strands slipping out of their clasp. He spotted clumps of dead grass and twigs caught in her hair, and he started to pick them out, one by one.

Savannah tried to fix her hair before dusting herself off and picking up her mobile phone. “I suppose I became too caught up in the moment. I keep returning to the same thing in my head. I moved here to search for Owen, who turned out to be a murder victim. I had no idea that when I took the job at school and agreed to help with 4-H, it would lead me here to the ranch. I had no idea I’d become entangled in another murder right after everything else had happened.”

Trent draped an arm over Savannah’s shoulder. “But this time, you became crucial in helping us find the killer. I hope you’ll stick around because we aren’t all crazy.”

“You bet I will. Do I still have a summer job helping Tate teach the kids how to ride? Is that still an option?”

“Oh, yeah. That, and much more.” He tilted her chin to meet his mouth and kissed her with all the emotions he felt at that moment. “If you stay, I promise to show you the Callums aren’t all like Duchess.”

“Is that what you want? Do you want me to stay?”

“More than anything.”

“I need to return home eventually. Obviously, I’m not moving in, especially if I want to teach my kids how to ride here.”

“But you don’t need to leave tonight. Stay with me. After weeks of waiting, we can finally have that dinner I promised under the stars, without worrying about anything blowing up.”

“Thanks. But I might forego dinner under the stars and opt for a nice, normal home-cooked dining experience, especially if the food’s hot.”

He laughed. “Deal. I’ll cook for you myself. However, I need to have a serious discussion with my crew right now and inform them about everything that’s happened.”

“Understood. I will upload my video to Eastlyn and meet you at your place around five-thirty. How does that sound?”

“More than I could hope for.”

Changes at the Rio Verde Ranch were unavoidable after such a shocking event. While some aspects could be repaired, others would always be a solemn reminder of the past. Trent recognized he needed to lead his crew with a renewed purpose while emphasizing what would stay the same.

He and Tate recognized the need to adapt and move forward, not only for themselves but also for their loyal employees.

After explaining the financial shenanigans and how the money had been drained from the business accounts, Trent and Tate presented a plan for the future.

“We’ll know more tomorrow when we meet with the lawyer,” Trent explained. “Kinsey should have some idea on how to rebound from this.”

“Does that mean we don’t get the ten acres Duchess promised us?” Monty wanted to know.

“You still get what was promised,” Trent assured them. “Ten acres each at Turtle Ridge. But our job right now is to ensure the ranch exists for everyone in the long run. ”

“I can’t believe she wanted to ruin everything we worked so hard for,” Cecil declared. “She stabbed us all in the back. Why? Because the Triple C became more important to her and more successful. Are we merging with that other ranch?”

“We’re not merging with the Triple C,” Tate answered. “Trent and I have no desire to run a cattle empire. And that’s one more reason we need to see the lawyer.”

“We also have a three-million-dollar offer to sell it back to the Bohannons,” Trent added. “But that was twenty-three years ago, and now the beef empire is valued much higher than that. I’m not sure the Bohannons could afford the going rate. I share this information because we have other options for raising capital. No one is being booted out of their jobs. There’s no reason to panic. Tate and I will make this work, no matter what. If we need to sell our own cattle to raise money to keep the ranch going, that’s what we’ll do.”

“I’ll even forget about the Painted Hearts Foundation if that’s what it takes to keep us going,” Tate promised. “There should be money in that trust and the trust left to us by our parents if Duchess didn’t steal those too.”

Woody shook his head. “She was always difficult to work for, difficult to please. But I never in a million years thought she would murder Barrett.”

“Do we know how she did it?” Blake asked. “I thought the shot came from some distance away at a northerly angle. Weren’t they sitting on their horses, side by side, when it happened?”

Tate shifted her feet and looked at Blake. “That’s what Duchess wanted us to believe. It was her story to tell. But we later learned from Dolly what happened that Friday night. It seems the two had been arguing off and on all day. Granddad left first in a huff to ride to Turtle Ridge to watch the sunset and maybe give him some time to cool off. We think that’s when Duchess got the idea to kill him. She grabbed her .22 and rode out behind him. When she got to within range, she pulled the trigger. There was never a third-party shooter.”

Brock rubbed his still-injured arm. “The same woman who shot me offered to drive me to therapy. Can you believe that?”

“I have no idea how a sociopath thinks,” Trent added. “She also offered to teach children how to ride this summer.”

“Maybe she became desperate when Barrett learned about her involvement in the Triple C,” Toby remarked. “I noticed she acted a bit strange on patrol.”

Trent nodded. “That’s putting it mildly. Tate and I hoped that laying all our cards on the table like this would help ease some of the anxiety you all are experiencing right now. If you still have questions, we can discuss them over dinner. Dolly wants everyone in the dining room for supper at six-thirty, and she’s not taking no for an answer.”

“Maybe things will be better without Duchess,” Cecil proposed.

Tate grinned. “We hope so, too.”

After an exhausting day, Trent and Savannah finally had time alone that evening. As they walked to his bungalow through the garden, Trent realized his life would never return to how it had been. Yet, looking into Savannah’s eyes, he knew that was a good thing because he saw the same strength and resilience that had reassured him on that very first night she arrived after losing his grandfather.

They spoke softly of hopes and dreams, of new beginnings. And when she fell asleep in his arms, he felt her heartbeat against his chest, a steady rhythm that comforted him during this difficult time. He held her close, surrounded by the scent of her familiar fragrance and the warmth of her body.

As he lay wide awake, his thoughts drifted to the future. He realized it was time to let go of the past and embrace what lay ahead. The pain of losing Barrett, the betrayal of Duchess, and the financial mess they now faced were all obstacles that threatened to tear apart the ranch and the people who called it home. But amidst it all, he had found a love he knew could withstand any storm.

How strange life had worked out.

He contemplated how he would rebuild the ranch, envisioning it as a business stronghold and a showcase for rebuilding trust. He needed to show the town that the Callum family was more than just a name; it symbolized a legacy of hard work and perseverance that he was determined to uphold.

When he heard a clatter from the living room, he gently moved over to the side of the bed without waking Savannah to check out the noise.

He grabbed a pair of jeans, pulled them on, and picked up his Sig Sauer from the nightstand. Barefoot, he made his way to the living room, only to see the ghostly Scott lurking in the corner.

“What the hell are you doing? You scared the crap out of me.”

“We should talk.”

“Now? Savannah’s in the other room. What if she wakes up and thinks I’m out here talking to myself? I’m trying to convince her that the Callums aren’t deranged.”

“Okay. So you listen. I’ll do the talking. You should give the Bohannons back the Triple C.”

“That’s the plan to sell it to them for the original three million. That’s a bargain. I planned to have Kinsey approach the family back in Stillwater. I don’t want anything to do with it.”

“No. Give them back the property that Duchess took. Give it back clean and simple without conditions. It wasn’t hers to inherit.”

Trent cocked a brow. “So, she did something to the old man to make it hers. I knew it. Fine. Suits me. I have zero interest in keeping it. But in case you haven’t noticed, Rio Verde could use the influx of cash.”

“That’s why you need access to all her overseas accounts.”

“How many accounts?”

“Ten in total. More than enough to keep Rio Verde in the black. The information is taped to the underside of the top drawer of her dresser. You’ll need the passcodes and account numbers. There’s a list.”

“How do you know stuff like that?”

“Don’t ask. You would’ve found it eventually.”

“Not me. Tate probably would have, though. What else?”

“Don’t let Duchess stain what you’ve done here. Barrett died knowing that was a distinct possibility. Don’t let Duchess ruin the ranch’s reputation. Giving back what rightfully belonged to the Bohannons from the start is the honorable thing to do. Not only will the gesture remove all the hard feelings built over the last fifty years, but it also shows that Callums keep their word.”

“Consider it done. Anything else?”

“I’d be grateful if you could teach Hutton and little Scotty how to ride.”

“Nick and Jordan’s kids? Sure. Will Nick and Jordan want that?”

Scott grinned. “Tell them I suggested it. Trust me. They won’t think you’ve lost your mind.”