Page 33 of River Legacy (Powder River #5)

He laughed. “What is this? Reverse psychology? You think I’ll feel bad and give you back your ranch?

Think again. I’m fine. I’m better than fine.

I finally have everything I want. Don’t you think I see what you’re doing?

You’re just trying to stir up trouble,” he said, glancing over his shoulder again. “You’re hoping my friends betray me.”

“I’m sorry, but my own son turned on me, so I know it can happen. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Sure, you did,” he said, trying to laugh it off.

“But you’re wrong. I don’t have to listen to any more of this.

” But he didn’t move. He kept standing there as if waiting for her to say something to reassure him because she would see that her words had done their job.

Her heart broke at what she’d done. “You’re just messing with my head. We’re done, Mother.”

Yes, they were. She felt a horrible sense of loss, but she reminded herself that she’d lost her son a long time ago.

Now she was trying to save the rest of her family.

“Goodbye, CJ.” She turned and walked back to her vehicle, forcing herself not to look as broken as she felt.

She had wanted to believe he could change.

She was the fool, and it had nearly cost her family their lives.

She didn’t know how long CJ stood watching her go like the angry boy he’d been, but by the time she slid behind the wheel, he was roaring off down the road as if being chased.

V ictoria left Ryder and his brother alone and went outside the hospital to make the call.

She hadn’t spoken to her father since her call to force Claude to let her out of the car in Powder Crossing.

While she’d left messages, he hadn’t gotten back to her.

She knew he was avoiding her. A part of him still wanted her to believe he wasn’t as bad as she thought.

Which meant he was up to no good and she had a pretty good idea of what it was. He was going to get Stafford Ranch no matter what he had to do. But if there was any chance that she could stop him, she had to take it.

The phone began to ring, and she braced herself. She wasn’t looking forward to this, knowing how badly it could go. Her father had a bad habit of not listening and only hearing what he wanted to.

She felt that Brand might be right. Did her father want the Stafford Ranch badly enough that he would work with a known criminal?

Unfortunately, she feared he would. Having already suspected what CJ Stafford would do to get what he wanted, she thought Wendell Forester might have found the perfect partner.

“Victoria?” her father said, startling her out of her thoughts as he answered the call.

She tried to read meaning into the way he’d said her name.

He was angry at her, that much she knew.

But there was also hope in his voice. She hated to think what he was hoping for.

Where there might have been something between her and Ryder, there wasn’t anymore.

He didn’t trust her, and she couldn’t blame him.

After all, she was her father’s daughter, right?

Now she was ready to do whatever was required to keep her father from getting Stafford Ranch. She felt she owed Ryder that. But she also knew that her father seldom lost. Money and power often won out, she knew so well.

“I’m calling to ask a favor,” she said, getting right to it.

“Really?” He sounded amused, probably because he knew she had nothing to really bargain with. But she was still his daughter, and she wanted to believe he did care about her.

“I want you to leave Ryder’s family alone. You don’t need this ranch. I’m asking you to let it go.”

Silence, then he cleared his voice and asked, “Don’t tell me you’re falling for the cowboy?”

The question surprised her because it hadn’t been about the fake engagement. “What if I am?” she demanded defiantly, angrier at herself than her father. What if she was?

“Oh, Victoria,” he said, sounding sad.

She waited for him to say more. When he didn’t, she felt a lump rise in her throat. “What’s going on, Dad?” She hadn’t called him Dad in years.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but it’s too late. I’ve already purchased the Stafford Ranch.”

C harlotte sat behind the wheel, shaking so hard that she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to drive. Fear that CJ had lied, and that Holden was still in danger, finally made her pull herself together. She called, fearing she was too late.

Holden answered on the first ring. “Lottie, are you all right?”

Her heart lifted as tears burned her eyes. “Where are you? I need to see you.”

“I’m at the ranch.”

“Stay there. Don’t even go outside. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Lottie, you’re scaring me.”

She disconnected. Her hands trembled as she started the engine.

She gripped the wheel, her knuckles white with rage and pain and fear, but mostly heartbreak.

Her son was gone. So was the ranch. She had to accept that.

Now what she had to do was keep her family and the people she loved safe.

She knew they would all want her to have CJ thrown back in jail and void the papers she’d signed.

None of them had seen the look in CJ’s eyes.

But she had. There was no doubt he would do what he said.

He had his so-called friends like him who thumbed their noses at the law and thought vengeance was an honorable pursuit.

CJ would get his revenge against the family he had always believed was against him because that was who he was.

Charlotte couldn’t wait another moment. She had to see Holden.

She needed his help. Putting the SUV into gear, she drove off from the hillside and down to the road that turned into the McKenna Ranch.

She told herself that CJ was smart enough to know that if he hurt Holden before the ink dried on those papers, she would come after him and it wouldn’t be to have him put in jail.

Like he said, he could kill from there. He wanted the money from the sale of the ranch. Until he realized he wanted more, everyone should be safe—as long as she could convince everyone not to do anything that would make CJ change his mind.

She made one call on the way into town. “I thought you’d like to know that Treyton McKenna shot Brand,” she told the sheriff when he answered.

“CJ was behind it, but I need you to do me a favor. I don’t want either of them taken in for questioning yet.

But if you just wanted to pay Treyton a visit, that would be good. ”

“What are you up to, Charlotte?” Stuart asked suspiciously.

“My son CJ just stole my ranch and sold it to Wendell Forester, but I need him free just a little longer. I’m trying to keep my family safe. I need you to trust me. It will all make sense soon, I hope.”

“Charlotte, I hope you know what you’re doing,” the sheriff said.

“Me too, Stuart. Just be careful. CJ is more dangerous than he’s ever been.”

Ahead, she saw the turnoff to the ranch and slowed, her heart in her throat. As she pulled up in front of the McKenna Ranch house, Holden came rushing out. He had her vehicle door open and was taking her in his arms almost before she could turn off the engine.

“We need to get inside,” she said as she reached up to touch his cheek. He must have seen the fear in her gaze and felt it in her trembling body because he quickly ushered them into the house and called Elaine to get them all something to drink.

Once in his office, Charlotte downed her shot of bourbon and told them what had happened. Just as she’d expected, Holden was furious and wanted to call the sheriff to pick up CJ and put him back behind bars.

“I already spoke with the sheriff,” Charlotte told him. “He knows that Treyton is the one who shot Brand and had someone start the fire out at Oakley’s house. I’m sorry, Holden.”

He shook his head and shot to his feet. “I want to take care of both of them before they do any more damage.”

“Holden, you heard what she just told you,” Elaine said, trying to help calm him down. Charlotte was so thankful that the two of them had been secret friends all these years. Elaine was the voice of reason to Charlotte’s destructive temper.

“What would you have me do?” he demanded. “CJ can’t be trusted not to go back on his word. Lottie, CJ stole your ranch, and my son helped him.”

“We have to keep everyone from going after CJ or Treyton. He’s already made a deal with Wendell Forester to buy the ranch. Once he gets the money, maybe he really will leave the country as he said.”

Holden scoffed. “You don’t believe that any more than I do.”

“No,” she said. “But he has to believe that I do. The money won’t be enough for him.

Would you come with me to tell Ryder? Brand will have to be told too.

He’s still in the hospital. Then you’ll need to tell Cooper and Tilly and Oakley and Pickett.

They have to trust that I know what I’m doing. You have to trust me too.”

She could see that even Holden was skeptical. If he ever knew what she’d done... She pushed the thought away. Her whole life she’d done what had to be done no matter how objectionable. She’d hoped that she’d put that behind her. Holden would figure it out. She just hoped he would forgive her.

“You have a plan to get your ranch back?” Elaine asked.

Charlotte shook her head. “It’s gone. Wendell will drill methane wells, take whatever treasures there are from the land, and then he’ll sell it.”

“And I’ll buy it back for you,” Holden said.

She smiled at him, thankful for him. “We’ll see. What matters to me is our families and the people we care about. We have to keep them safe from CJ.”

“There’s only one way they’ll be safe from CJ,” Holden said angrily.

Charlotte knew he wasn’t talking about having her son thrown back in jail, but Elaine didn’t.

“He can get to everyone from jail or prison,” Elaine said. “Brand got shot and Oakley’s new house could have burned down. CJ had an alibi for both. He’s not doing his own dirty work. He has people to do that, so he can hurt people even if behind bars. He told Charlotte as much, and I believe him.”

He cursed under his breath. “Lottie, I’ve known you my whole life. This isn’t like you to just accept this situation without a fight. I don’t understand how he could get you to sign those papers.”

“I already knew that he was behind the so-called accidents with Brand and Oakley,” she said and raised her gaze to lock with his. “CJ told me that he had someone ready to kill you if he didn’t call them within a few minutes.”

“You thought it was Treyton,” Holden said with a curse.

“I don’t know if it was him, but he’s involved,” she said. “I hate to be the one to tell you that.”

“Oh, Lottie,” he said and reached for her hand and squeezed it. “I have known for a long time now that Treyton is involved in illegal activities. I’ve suspected he and your son have been working together. They need to be stopped.”

She could see how badly he wanted to take care of Treyton and CJ himself. “Right now, it’s just the loss of the ranch. I can live with that. The other... I can’t. I don’t think you can either.”

He nodded and rose. “Then, we better start telling the family before they hear about it from someone else. I always worried that our rivalry might end in a war that could get our kids killed.”

“That’s why we have to keep that from happening. That means not telling them the truth. They have to believe that I sold the ranch.”

Holden shook his head. “Your sons may never forgive you.”

“That’s a chance I’ll have to take. If they knew that CJ blackmailed me...” She didn’t have to finish. Both Elaine and Holden knew what would happen.