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Later Jessy couldn’t help noticing the way Laredo lounged by the cabinets, not joining them at the table. After she brought Chase up to date on Cat’s reaction to the note, Jessy switched to the incident after church that continued to nag at her.
“Do you remember George Seymour?” she asked Chase.
“Seymour,” he thoughtfully repeated the name. “A rancher, on the heavyset side,” he said with a slow nod. “He has a small spread southeast of Blue Moon, doesn’t he?”
“Yes, the Rafter J,” she said, supplying the ranch’s brand.
“What about him?”
Jessy told him about her brief meeting with the rancher after church, and the comments Seymour had made. “Maybe it doesn’t mean anything,” she admitted. “But it sounds like you might have done some discreet checking into Monte’s business practices. Maybe that’s the connection with the banker in Fort Worth. I wish now that I had thought to ask George if he had given you Brewster’s name. Maybe I should call George and ask.” Jessy hesitated, recalling, “Although Monte did see me talking to Seymour.”
“Did Markham ask about him?” The question came from Laredo.
“No, not a thing. As a matter of fact, other than making an offhand comment—wasn’t that George Seymour—he never really said anything.” An absent frown clouded her expression. “You would think that if he was worried about whether George had said something to me he would have tried to find out.”
“You would think so,” Chase agreed. “But he also might be smarter than that. Questions might arouse your suspicions, while a lack of interest in what was said wouldn’t.”
“Do you realize how devious that sounds, Duke?” Hattie declared.
“I’m only trying to think the way Markham might,” Chase countered, matter-of-fact in his pronouncement.
“But you don’t know that Markham has done anything wrong,” Hattie said in a kind of protest, then went still for a split second. “Or do you?”
Jessy immediately picked up on the thought. “Do you remember something about Monte?”
“I know there is something. I get flickers of it, but nothing definite enough that I can actually say I remember anything specific. Yet I have this certainty in my gut that Markham is involved.”
“How frustrating,” Hattie murmured in empathy.
Jessy felt it, too. “So,” she said, releasing a sighing breath, “what do you think? Should I call Seymour and see if I can find out what information he gave you?”
“I don’t think so.” Chase was slow in his answer, mulling over their options. “There’s always a chance George might mention your call to someone else and word of it would get back to Markham. I don’t want Markham to start wondering whether you are a threat to him. Call Brewster and run Markham’s name past him, find out if he has had any dealings with him.”
“But Brewster will want to know why. What do I tell him?” Jessy frowned, uncertain of her approach.
“Make up something,” Chase replied. “Or use the feedlot lease as a reason.”
Laredo straightened from the cabinet. “Maybe I should make the call. Making up convincing stories isn’t exactly Jessy’s forte. And Brewster might be more forthcoming talking to another man. No offense, Jessy, but it can work that way.”
“None taken,” she replied. “You are more than welcome to talk to him.”
“Better make the call from The Homestead,” Chase instructed. “There will be less chance of a bystander catching part of your conversation.”
Laredo nodded and glanced at Jessy. “Is there a problem if I come by tomorrow morning, say, between nine and ten?”
“Make it closer to nine. I told Jaspar I would swing by the east camp tomorrow morning.”
“I’ll be there right at nine,” Laredo stated.
“In the meantime, Jessy,” Chase began, “I think you need to have a private talk with Cat and make peace with her. Explain that there is nothing you can do about the current lease, but if she still feels strongly about it, you won’t renew it under any circumstances. If she challenges you about Laredo, simply tell her that without cattle in the feedlot, you won’t have any work for him so you’ll have to lay him off. With any luck Cat will be satisfied with that—and hopefully she’ll call Logan off.”
Nodding in agreement, Jessy said, “I’ll run by the Circle Six and talk to her before I pick up the twins. Anything else?”
“I don’t think so,” Chase said. “If there is, Laredo can tell you about it tomorrow.”
“If I’m going to stop at Cat’s I’d better be going, then.” She pushed out of the chair.
“Let Laredo know what she says,” Chase told her.
