Page 105 of Smokescreen

Olive wanted to deny Wayne’s words, but she couldn’t. He was right. Too often, money was people’s bottom line.

“Cooper, were you the one who knocked me out in the stables?” Olive turned toward the man. “Why would you do that?”

“I’d brought some supplies to the ranch just in case we needed them. I was in the stables stashing some of them when you walked in. I ducked inside Bella’s stall. I couldn’t let you catch me.”

“You left the gasoline there?” Olive asked.

Was that what he’d used to ignite the fire in the forest?

She found that hard to believe, but it was a possibility, she supposed.

Or was there more to this?

“Now, enough talking.” Wayne tossed Cooper some zip ties. “Tie them up to one of the posts.”

Olive took a step back, not liking his tone. “What are you going to do?”

Wayne reached into his back pocket and grabbed something before shoving it toward Reid. “I need you to sign this.”

Reid stared at the paper and pen. “What is it?”

“It’s an agreement that says you’re giving me back the land that was rightfully my family’s. You won’t give me all of it, of course, because that wouldn’t seem realistic. I’ll buy part of it, but I can’t afford it all. Most people can’t.”

“You think I’m going to sign this?” Reid practically snorted. “And then I’m just going to walk away?”

Wayne let out a chuckle. “No. After you sign this there’s going to be a terrible accident, and this barn is going to burn down—with you inside. I only hope the flames don’t spread to the Homestead or any of the other outbuildings here. I’d really hate to see that happen.”

Olive swallowed hard as she imagined that playing out. That was why the gasoline had been in the stall.

They’d needed to stash it somewhere close in case this confrontation ever occurred.

She studied Wayne. His eyes looked crazed, like he’d gone off the deep end.

He really thought this plan was going to work.

She couldn’t let that happen.

CHAPTER 48

“I’m never signing that.” Reid practically spit out the words. “Over my dead body.”

Wayne shifted his arm until the gun was aimed at Olive. “What about now?”

Olive saw Reid’s eyes widen. She gave him a subtle head shake. He remained tense but controlled.

“You wouldn’t do that,” Reid finally said.

“I don’t want to do it. She seems like a perfectly nice woman, though I really couldn’t find very much online about her except the basics.”

So he’d done his research, Olive mused. She shouldn’t be surprised.

“Then maybe this will motivate you,” Wayne said.

He nodded at Cooper. The next moment, the man Reid had considered his best friend reached into a metal bin and pulled something out.

A gas can. They must have placed them in various places on the ranch.

Cooper twisted the cap and then began to slosh liquid all over the barn floor.