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Jessy recalled Laredo’s insinuations that Markham was interested in her. “Coming from a bachelor, it sounds like it’s time you started looking for a wife,” she remarked.
“That is much easier said than done,” Monte declared, turning thoughtful. “It is amazing how much we change as we grow older. When I was younger, a woman’s looks—the physical attraction aspect—counted for a great deal. Now I find it’s more important to actually like her—to enjoy her company. I would much rather have the warmth of that relationship than the fire of some grand passion. Yet I have discovered it is easier to find someone you love than it is to find someone you like.” A rueful smile tugged at his mouth. “I expect I sound very dull.”
“Not at all.” But Jessy couldn’t help thinking that no more than a couple weeks ago she would have said that it described their relationship perfectly. She had liked being with him. More importantly, he had been good with the children, showing unbounded patience with their endless questions. Now she wondered if that patience had been sincere or merely an attempt to ingratiate himself.
“You would be surprised by the number of women who have their feelings hurt by such talk. But you are different, Jessy.” He gave her a long, deep look that was meant to say so much more than words could.
She suddenly felt chilled. “No, I’m not,” Jessy replied, determined to deflect his attention. “You just haven’t met the right woman. I’ll see what I can do to change that. Here,”—she stood up and began gathering the dishes—“I’ll help you put all this away.”
“There’s no rush, surely,” Monte said in mild protest.
“I wish there weren’t, but I have some phone calls to make. Right before you came, I talked to Cat. She’s worried that she hasn’t seen her uncle in nearly two days.”
“Is that unusual?”
“A little. Enough that Cat’s worried. I promised I would alert everyone on the Triple C to watch for him. Now I’ve passed the word to you, too.”
“Actually I did see O’Rourke. Yesterday morning, it was.”
“Where?” Jessy instantly gave him her full attention.
“In Blue Moon. I stopped at Fedderson’s for some petrol and he was there. He seemed fine,” Monte added. “Although with a gentlemen of his years, I expect health is always an issue.”
“Yes, but Culley is a tough old guy.” Jessy went back to scraping any remaining bits of food from the plates into an empty container. “People have tried to kill him off before, and he survived.”
Monte reacted with surprise. “You surely don’t suspect there is foul play involved in his disappearance, do you? I assumed you thought he might have had a heart attack. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to hurt a harmless old man like that.”
“Neither do I. Actually it never crossed my mind that someone would,” she admitted. “I suppose I mentioned it simply to point out his resilience.”
“Sorry, I seemed to have placed a literal interpretation on your previous remark.” Monte set the hamper out. “I should think it’s much more likely that he had a heart attack or took a fall.”
“Probably. But I can’t imagine that old brown horse he rides ever trying to throw him.”
“As rough as some of this country is, it may have been the horse that took the fall and pitched him. Or his horse may have gone lame, and that is the cause for his delay in returning home.”
“It’s possible,” Jessy agreed.
A breeze sprang up, rustling through the leaves of the cottonwoods and whipping at the ends of the tablecloth. A corner flipped dangerously close to one of the votive candles.
When Jessy leaned over to blow it out, Laura said, “Put the candle by me so I can see my dolly better.”
Jessy suddenly noticed the premature darkness that had nothing to do with the cool shade of trees. To the west, black clouds had blocked out the setting sun. From within them came flashes of lightning. She studied the clouds for a moment, watching them build and expand.
“We have a storm coming. And it’s traveling fast by the looks of it.” When she turned back to the picnic table, she caught sight of Laredo’s pickup parked by the barn. In that instant she knew he was somewhere close by, watching, but she didn’t attempt to locate him.
Chapter Seventeen
Despite the dusty film on the barn window’s gl
ass, Laredo had a good view of the picnic site by the river. Taking no chances that he might be seen, he stood to one side of the frame and watched the family-like scene.
He couldn’t honestly say that he was there because he anticipated Markham would make some move against Jessy. While there was a remote possibility of it, he told himself that he merely wanted to learn what Markham had to say. But the twistings of resentment and envy he felt inside seemed to make a mockery of that idea. It did no good to remind himself he had no claim on Jessy. The building tension within him remained rough and raw.
There was a slight lessening of it when he observed them stowing the picnic items back in the hamper. Laredo stayed by the window until he was certain they were bound for The Homestead. Then he made his way out of the barn to his truck. He raised the hood and pretended to tinker with the motor, all the while watching to see if Markham went inside. But Jessy said her good-byes on the steps, surrounded by the twins.
The breeze stiffened, bringing the smell of rain to him. A distant rumble of thunder was lost in the growl of the Range Rover’s powerful engine turning over. Laredo left the pickup’s hood up until Markham drove out on the ranch lane. He lowered the hood, double-checked the latch, and took a step toward The Homestead. But then he thought better of it. He wanted to talk to Jessy alone, without any interruptions from the twins, which meant waiting until they were in bed.
Briefly Laredo considered making the trip to the line shack and returning later in the evening. But if he did that, he would be driving into the teeth of the approaching storm. Common sense told him to wait until after the storm had passed.
