Page 16 of Present Danger (Rocky Mountain Courage 1)

NINE

After leaving Jack at Pauline’s, deep in the thick of Jim’s murder case, Terra had struggled to focus on her own investigations for the forest service. She’d gone into the national forest supervisor’s office in Goode’s Pass to get on top of the reports and paperwork that seemed to grow exponentially.

She didn’t like to spend a lot of time in the office and preferred the outdoors. She hadn’t imagined she would spend so much time at a desk, but that was the nature of the beast when working for the federal government in any capacity.

That’s why, Jim’s murder aside, Terra had enjoyed being outdoors yesterday even if it had to be with Jack.

Elbow on the desk, she rubbed her temple. He’d been serious and focused on the investigation, but at the end of the day, he’d started digging into personal matters. And for that reason, she should be relieved she wouldn’t be working with him. But every part of her wanted to be included in the search for Jim’s killer.

Who would have thought sitting at a desk would leave her so exhausted when the biggest muscle she had used was her brain? She could literally sleep for a week, but she’d only get further behind. She’d made no real headway on the timber theft case she was working.

But in all honesty, she wasn’t truly focusing.

Her mind kept returning to Jim’s body.

To Pauline’s tears.

And to Jack’s face when he’d first emerged from the forest after descending that cliff. His expressions throughout the rest of the day. And especially the look he’d given her when he found her talking to Pauline this morning as though she had taken on his investigation.

At five-thirty, Terra ended the tedious workday and stuffed paperwork back into drawers, giving her desk the appearance of belonging to a special agent on top of her game. Then she made the forty-five-minute drive to Gramps’s ranch where she was staying for the time being.

She parked her forest service–issued vehicle along the circular drive in front of her grandfather’s home. Robert Vandine’s sprawling ranch house had been built in the middle of the almost ten thousand–acre ranch, though most of the acreage had been sold off over the years. Stone Wolf Ranch spread out in a small valley on the leeward side, or the eastern base, of Stone Wolf Mountain, which cast a rain shadow over the ranch that had been passed down through the family over the decades. The wealthy, especially movie stars, bought up the property in Montana and drove up real estate prices and taxes.

Terra climbed out of her vehicle and strolled to the house that had gone through several renovation projects when Nanna—her grandmother, Alvine Vandine—was alive. Now the home seemed much too big for one aging man.

His friends had been trying to talk him into running for office again. Terra wasn’t sure that was a good idea, but she wouldn’t interfere. Gramps had his finger in many pies—the local airport, grain storage, construction— and he still held on to a working farm, growing wheat and corn. He hired seasonal workers to drive the combines and take care of the harvest.

A horse’s whinny drifted across the wind. Oh yeah, and Gramps had built a nice stable to house his horses.

When she’d exited the NPS and moved back home from Colorado, she’d rented an apartment in Goode’s Pass near the office. She was close to family, but not too close. But she’d assured Gramps she would stay at the house since Owen had returned from the military hospital in Germany where he had spent months in rehab learning to use his prosthetic leg. He’d been through a lot, and it could take time for him to get settled.

Except getting accustomed to Owen being around again and knowing how to act around him left her unsettled.

As she approached her grandfather’s home, she sucked in the fresh air and dragged herself up to the porch. She opened the door and the aroma of grilled steak wafted over her. Her stomach rumbled as she made her way to the kitchen.

“Terr!” Owen grabbed her in a side hug.

Okay, so he was in a better-than-usual mood.

She winced. “You don’t know your own strength.”

He released her. “I thought you weren’t coming back today.”

“Are you saying you didn’t want to see me?”

“Of course not. I’m glad you’re here.”

“I’m staying for a while, you know that. Though I do need to check in on my cat once in a while.” She hadn’t realized she would be gone too much to care for a pet, even a cat, and was grateful for her neighbor Allie, who would probably end up keeping the cat. She couldn’t bring Sudoku here because Owen was allergic. That’s all he needed.

“You don’t need to stay on account of me.”

“Owen, please, I want to. It’s been so long. I want to be here with you and Gramps.”

Maybe she should move back in. There was plenty of room. Gramps hadn’t liked that she’d rented her own place when she’d come back to the area a few months ago.

Owen pulled out a head of lettuce.

She dropped her bag on the counter. “I’ll let Gramps know I’m here. Are you making a salad?”