Page 26 of Rancher’s Strength (Flying Diamond 5, #4)

Chapter Twenty-Two

LEXIE

“ I t’s so nice to see there’s a lawyer in this backwater town.” The man’s voice shattered the quiet oasis I’d managed to find this morning.

“Good morning. How can I help you?”

“Are you here alone?” His beady eyes bore into me, and my skin crawled.

“No, I’m not. My receptionist is in the back.” Smiling tightly, I held back a flinch as he looked around.

“She must be extremely quiet.”

“How can I help you today?”

“I have a request for you; now, it might sound kind of odd, but I’m looking for the person who owns these land locations.” He reached inside his well-tailored suit and pulled out a piece of paper. Unfolding it, I stared at the list of numbers.

“May I ask why you’re interested in them?

” I lifted my eyes from the page to the stranger.

He didn’t fit in here. Nobody wore a suit, ever.

Not even on their wedding day. My father didn’t wear one unless he had to actually go to court, and then it was just a western suit jacket with his best pair of black wranglers and cleanest boots.

“I’m interested in talking to the owner about purchasing the land.”

“Well, I can tell you that these parcels of land aren’t for sale.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“I know the former owner, and in the condition of the sale to the current owner, there was a clause that they can’t be sold to anyone other than the original family. So, I’m sorry you’ve wasted your time stopping in today.” I smiled sweetly but didn’t miss the flash of anger shoot through his eyes.

“Don’t you go blabbing about this conversation. Confidentiality and all.”

“Confidentiality only applies to paying clients, and you, sir, are no client of mine. And you never will be. Please see yourself out.”

“You might not want to be here too late at night. This building’s old and doesn’t look safe—faulty wiring and such. I’d also hate to see anything happen to the lovely woman who lives here.” His eyes scanned the old building, and a cold chill ran through my body.

“Are you threatening me? Because I will have you know I’ve faced down far more powerful men than you and survived.

Plus, I don’t really think my friends will take too kindly to that threat.

” Taking a step toward him, I crossed my arms over my chest. “They aren’t the kind of men that take threats to a woman lightly.

” My voice was low, menacing, and much more forceful than I felt right at the moment.

“No, of course I wouldn’t threaten you.” He held his hands up and backed away from me. Before he said another word, he turned and left the office. Glancing out the window, I grabbed the keys off the desk and left the office.

“Well, look at you.” A woman’s voice chimed from behind me. I turned and smiled at Mrs. Patterson, my twelfth-grade history teacher. “I heard you were back in town. I’m sorry to hear about your friends.” Her eyes grew misty as she reached out to hug me.

“Thank you. It’s really good to be back.”

“I hear you and Ryder moved into your parents’ old place,” she said when she let me go, and we continued to walk down the street together.

“I’m so glad it has a family in it again.

That big old house used to be the envy of the county.

Oh, I know everyone thinks the Miller mansion is the goal, but that wraparound porch and the view from your place made many hearts pitter-patter over the years. ”

I couldn’t help but smile. I’d always known the house I grew up in had been the talk of the county.

When my great-grandfather built it, nobody around had a house that large, and it had been his intention to fill it with kids.

But my great-grandmother died in childbirth with their second baby, and he didn’t remarry or have any more children.

When my grandfather and grandmother married, they decided on only two children, and it seemed that had been passed on to my parents.

“Yeah, we figured it would be the easiest place to raise Ruby and Sawyer. It’s close enough to the ranch for Ryder to be home for supper, even when he’s busy, and has enough room for the kids to be content.”

“Well, it’s a beautiful spot to raise a family.” She beamed. “If you need anything, you let me know. I need to duck into the pharmacy.” She pointed to the building we’d stopped at.

“I will thank you. It was wonderful to see you.”

“Don’t be a stranger. You are always welcome to take your mom’s place in the book club.” She grinned as I nodded, while she pushed the door to the store open.

The book club was a cover for late-night gossip sessions with some of the local women in the community.

Lydia and I used to be jealous of Mom’s nights out, and it might be fun to catch up with all the ladies.

With a quick glance at my watch, I needed to get to the county building before they closed for lunch.

The heavy wooden door creaked as I opened it, and I was immediately hit by the familiar musty smell of the building.

Marble floors stretched before me, and my heels clicked as I walked into the rotunda.

Looking up into the stained-glass dome, I couldn’t help but smile.

I used to sneak away from Dad’s office and lie in the middle of the floor staring up at the beautiful colors, and the floral details that circled around the top of the dome.

“Alexandra Saffort, you’re too old to be lying on the floor, so don’t even think about it,” an older woman’s voice said from my left, and I couldn’t stop the smile that crossed my face.

“I’m pretty sure people wouldn’t just step over me anymore.” I laughed.

“They’d call the Sheriff and tell him you’d lost your mind.” Her voice was light and teasing, but she probably wasn’t wrong. “What can I do for you?”

“Mrs. Kell, I need one of the big land location maps of the county for my office.” The woman turned and walked into the large office behind her.

Half of the building was the county office, and the other half was the local library.

That was the real reason I’d spent so much time here as a child.

I probably read every book on the shelves.

Some weren’t approved by my mother, and I had to hide them, but I still managed to get through them.

“You’re the second person asking for one today.

I can go months without someone needing one of those maps.

Especially since most of it just says Flying Diamond 5 on it.

” She shook her head and opened the big filing cabinet behind the counter.

“I’m sure glad you decided to come home and practice law.

It will be nice not having to drive to the city for everything.

” She flipped through the files and pulled out a large piece of paper.

“Who else was in here asking for one?”

“Oh, that husband of Violet Powers. Well, I guess she’s not a Powers anymore, but why split hairs.

That man gives me the creeps.” She shook her head, placed the paper in front of me, and rolled up the map.

“I just can’t imagine why they want to hang around here.

She has nothing to do with Nash’s girls, and she hates Fred, which baffles me.

She’s the one who left—if anyone deserves to be hated, it’s her.

And that husband walks around town like he’s king ding-a-ling.

I’d like to run him over with my car one of these days.

” She shook her head and wrapped the elastic around the tube.

“He doesn’t seem to be very well liked, that’s for sure.”

“That’s the understatement of the year. We all think he was behind the abduction of Griff’s stepson.

” She leaned over the counter and made a beckoning motion with her finger.

“He was behind Griff’s barn burning down too.

Almost lost that man.” Her words were whispered, but they were also matter-of-fact.

Ryder hadn’t said much about Griff’s troubles, but I’d pieced enough together to know the barn was new and that Griff had significant scarring on part of his arm, neck, and the side of his face.

“How much do I owe you?” I questioned as I pulled my dry wallet out.

“For you, nothing. You’ve brightened an old woman’s day. But if I find you lying on that floor, I’ll make you pay fifty dollars.”

“I promise I won’t take up my regular position today. Thank you.” I smiled at the woman, and she waved as I headed out the door.

“So, Desmond Tucker, what are you up to?” I asked myself as I headed back to the office. Unlocking the door, I peered inside before I committed to going in. I would need to have Ryder set up security tomorrow.

“Are you all right?” a man’s voice asked from behind me. I jumped ten feet in the air as I screamed, dropping the map. It made a hollow ping-pong sound as it bounced off the floor. I turned around and was relieved to see Fred Powers.

“Are you trying to kill me, Fred?” I yelled as I put my hand over my pounding heart.

“No, not today. I brought you lunch.” He held up a paper bag with Steam’n Sugar’s logo on it. “Saw Tucker over here and wanted to make sure you were okay.” His eyes were locked on me, and I was pretty sure there was no way I could brush off the fact that I was jumpy.

“Wait, did Ryder tell you to spy on me?”

“No, he asked if I’d keep an eye on you until he got the security cameras set up.” He closed the door behind him as we finally crossed the threshold of the building. “So, what’s up? What’s with the fact I nearly had to peel you off the ceiling?”

I bent down and picked up the map. “Desmond came in here asking for information—about my land.” I unrolled the elastic from the tube of paper and moved to the bulletin board in the conference room. As I was stabbing push pins into each corner, Fred walked up behind me and stared over my shoulder.

It didn’t take him long to point out the location on the map while I was searching for it. Most the land was owned by the Diamond, but there was a section that wasn’t. As I leaned in, I finally saw the names on the four quarters: Alexandra and Ryder Saffort.

“I thought the five bought out everything mom and dad had?” Turning, I looked at Fred, who just smiled.

“Ryder bought that section on his own. He wanted you to have something to come back to if you ever needed it.” Fred shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on his feet.

Suddenly, it made more sense that Kipp and Griff didn’t push back when Ryder kicked them out the day of the wedding.

He’d said my land, not our land, and if it had been theirs, they wouldn’t have had to leave.

“You’ve never noticed before?” he asked innocently, and I shook my head.

We had old maps in Bozeman, and like Mrs. Kell had said, it was just expected that the Diamond owned everything else.

“Well, you know they never change names on the home quarter. Everyone those five have ever bought out still keeps those, along with any land that has their outbuildings, in their names.” Fred pointed all over the map where people who’d sold to the Five still had property in their names.

“But they own the land. I’ve drawn up all the paperwork. See, where the Dicksons live, I know the home quarter deed traded hands.” It was the most recent purchase they’d made.

“Right, but when the guys buy people out, it’s not because they just woke up one day and wanted the land.

They buy out people who are about to lose everything.

So, when they have to save people from ruin, they make sure there’s a little dignity left and never kick anyone out of their home.

If those people are willing to keep an eye on the cattle, they are welcome to stay and keep their herds on the land, too.

” Fred’s chest puffed out with pride. Even during the despair of his divorce, he’d been so proud of Nash and the life he’d managed to build for himself.

“I didn’t know that,” I mumbled as I stared at the map. These men I’d spent so many years among all had hearts of gold. Each one of them would do whatever they could for their neighbors, and my heart swelled with pride to know that I was a small part of it.

“Even after all these years, they can still surprise you.” He moved to the table and sat, apparently not needing to return to the coffee shop. “So, what do you think his game is?”

I followed him and took a seat across from him, sliding the bag of food closer to me. “I don’t know. You’d think Tucker would know that section belongs to one of the five. It’s not hard to figure out who they are. I think he was rattling my chain, feeling me out to see where my alliances are.”

“Did it work?”

“Did you almost send me through the roof when you walked in?”

“True.” Fred nodded, chuckling. “So, who else will he go after?”

“Maggie and Kane,” I said as I turned to look at the map. They were the last people not bought out by the guys, and aside from my section of land, they were the easiest way to cause trouble. “Maggie won’t ever sell the land. It’s been in her family longer than you or the Millers have been here.”

“That’s true, but what if there was a way to bring her in, and she wouldn’t lose the land?”

Quickly, I reached into the bag and pulled out the sandwich Fred had brought over for me. Taking a bite of the delicious food, I almost moaned. Fred’s was hands down the best coffee house I’d been to, and my office being across the street was going to be dangerous.

I mulled over scenarios in my head. Nothing makes sense right now. Mid-bite, I stopped and looked at the man across from me. “They have to make her a partner,” I said with a mouth full of food.

Fred nodded, sliding the napkin toward me as he reached across the table and stole one of my potato chips.

“It doesn’t have to be on everything.” Setting the delicious BLT sandwich down, I grabbed the napkin and wiped my mouth.

“It can just be on that land. Maggie could have the backing and security that comes with the Five, and she’d still have control of the land.

Hell, the map doesn’t even have to change.

” I jumped up from my chair and returned to where I’d pinned the map.

“A little scare and a good sandwich might be all the stuff good lawyers need.” Fred chuckled as he stood and left the conference room.

“Thanks, Fred,” I replied as I followed him out. “I need to call a meeting, I guess.”

“Sooner than later, if I know anything about my ex-wife’s new husband.”

“I’ll go now.” I nodded. “Thanks, Fred.” I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him.

“Any time. I’ll bring you lunch tomorrow. Any requests?” I shook my head, and he pulled the office door open and headed across the street, waving at someone out of my view. Fred Powers was a wonderful man, and I was more than happy to see that the town recognized it again.