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“But you did look into the ranch’s finances?”
“Of course. Due diligence. Wouldn’t make an offer without looking closely at all aspects of a business. Though it’s harder with these little mom and pop places — or just mom in this case. Corporations’ required information gives you a place to start. Never the whole story, or the whole truth, but a start. But these little places and all their privacy...” His mouth twisted as if with something sour.
“Uh-huh,” I said with false sympathy. “Private companies, private property.”
He came as close to saying, “Bah,” as I could imagine him getting. “Nothing’s really private. Some measures just make it harder and longer and more costly to find out what I need.”
“You know that Wendy’s uncle left her the ranch?”
“Not directly, he didn’t.” He said it casually, not showing off. “Left it and the rest of his estate — which wasn’t much — to her and her siblings. Thought that would be my way in — they’re businessmen. I could deal with the Barlow brothers.”
His inference being that Wendy was emotional and unreasonable and female in not wanting to sell to him. While he was supremely rational and business-like and male in relentlessly chasing the acquisition of the place where his daughter turned a corner in her life.
Was he so out of touch with himself, his reactions, his emotions that he didn’t recognize why he wanted Elk Rock Ranch?
...Maybe.
Did that make him potentially irrational, even dangerous?
...Maybe.
The door to Keefe’s cabin opened.
****
Sam McCracken came out of Keefe’s cabin with a file box.
“You’re letting him take things?” Randall demanded of Wendy.
“Saves me throwing it out.”
“It belongs to the ranch. If there is a treasure—”
She cursed, but he’d already turned away, heading toward the cabin.
“Dad,” Robin called.
He stopped halfway, staring at Sam.
At the same time Serena stood. “Sam. Please. Just leave it.”
He didn’t, but he altered his path toward her.
Diana and I walked toward the McCrackens.
“...said to go ahead and she’s the owner,” he said.
“I don’t care. It’s—” She broke off, seeing us approach.
This didn’t feel like a time for subtle.
“Did Keefe tell you your trip into a specific area of the ranch wasn’t going to happen?” I asked Sam, deliberately poking.
“What? No. Of course it was going to happen. We were mapping it out the last time I was here. That’s why I need this. We were closer than ever to the treasure.”
Serena emitted a sound. “We don’t need treasure. We—”
“It’s not need. It’s the chase. It’s figuring it out when many others tried and failed.”
