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As he lifted the lid, he tried to remember the last time he’d looked inside. They were old photographs back before everyone used their cell phones and hardly ever had their photos printed.
But Leann had gotten a Polaroid instant camera for her birthday before he met her. Everywhere they went she would ask people to take a photo of them. She loved it when he took photos of her with her camera. So it wasn’t surprising to see a snapshot of her mugging a face at him right on top of the pile.
There were more of the two of them, so many that he couldn’t tell if some were missing. Leann had liked to take photos. Her apartment had framed ones that she’d taken before moving to Powder Crossing. He thought of the photograph in Abigail’s rented house—the only personal thing in the entire place. Also, the only photograph in the home of a woman who said she was a photographer. She’d said the framed photo on her wall had been taken by a friend. Leann? He felt his chest compact, his breathing suddenly ragged.
He knew without any evidence that Abigail had found these. Why had he kept photos of Leann after she’d broken up with him and immediately gone to Cooper? That old resentment and feeling of betrayal clutched at his chest. He hadn’t loved Leann. He knew that now. But it didn’t make it hurt any less.
His first instinct was to destroy the photos now, but he stopped himself. The photos weren’t incriminating. Leann was just someone he’d dated. There’d been no harm in keeping them, especially since everyone in town knew he had been with Leann before she’d moved on to his best friend.
After slamming the lid back on, he returned the box to the drawer, covering it with one of the old T-shirts. He closed the drawer, fighting to convince himself that there had been nothing to find—not in Leann’s file, not in his house. So why couldn’t he stop shaking inside?
Because he didn’t like being lied to; worse, being drugged and duped. From the moment he’d met Abigail, he’d warned himself to stay clear of her. Why hadn’t he listened? Now he knew she wasn’t who she was pretending to be. But what was she looking for? And why? What had really brought her to Powder Crossing, Montana? All his instincts told him the answer. Leann.
He had to find out what her connection was to Leann Hayes. Meanwhile, he couldn’t let her know that he was on to her. He pulled out his phone as he reached his patrol SUV, gave himself a minute before he called her.
“Hey, you should have awakened me this morning,” he said.
There was that moment of hesitation in her voice before she caught herself. Had she feared that he would realize he’d been drugged and call her on it? “You were sleeping so soundly I couldn’t bear to wake you. I got called in early for work.” Another lie.
“I have a big day as well. Just wanted to say thanks for the dinner. I’m so sorry I fell asleep. I thought we were going to...get together last night.”
“So did I. But clearly, you were exhausted.”
“I was and I’m not going to have gas station tacos at lunch anymore. They didn’t agree with me.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I hope it wasn’t something I cooked.” She must think him a complete fool, but for now he would let her.
“Not a chance,” he said more jovially than he felt, given the sour taste in his mouth. “Got to go. Just wanted to hear your voice. Have a good day.”
“You, too.”
He disconnected, his pulse thundering in his ears. Abigail Creed had no idea who she was dealing with. But then again, neither did he.
CHAPTER EIGHT
OAKLEYANDHERsister rented the two-bedroom furnished apartment over the general store. She could tell that Tilly was heartbroken at the thought of never being allowed on the Stafford Ranch again. It had been her life—much more than it had ever been Oakley’s.
“Is that Cooper calling again?” she asked when her sister’s phone rang again. “You need to talk to him. I’m sure he’s worried.”
“It’s embarrassing to have a mother like her.”
“She definitely wears her bitterness on her sleeve. Answer the phone. I need to get going. For the time being, let Mother believe you’re staying here alone. I need to be able to come and go at the house—at least for a while.”
“Oakley, what are you planning?” her sister called after her.
“Call if you need me,” she hollered back and rushed out. Not even Duffy and Pickett knew what she had planned. She’d kind of hoped that she might hear from Pickett this morning. She knew it was wishful thinking. Nothing had really happened between them. So why did she feel that it had changed things between them?
As she headed back to the ranch, she passed her mother’s SUV. She saw no recognition, as if Charlotte Stafford was in her own world. It gave her pause as she wondered where her mother was off to. Oakley couldn’t imagine her leaving CJ unless it was very important. The staff was at the ranch if CJ needed something. Also, their brothers, Brand and Ryder, were somewhere on the ranch, but with their mother home again, Oakley was sure everyone was keeping his distance from the house.
Which meant CJ was alone.
She drove down the county road toward the ranch, anxious to have that long delayed talk with her oldest brother when their mother wasn’t there to protect him.
THEMOMENTCOOPERheard that Charlotte and CJ were back, he’d wanted Tilly not to change her mind about coming with him to Oregon.
“I need to get this over with,” her fiancé had argued. “Mother wants to see me so she knows about the engagement. I’m sorry about the trip.”
He’d gone on to Oregon alone to pick up the bull, hating that she would have to face her mother alone. He’d tried to reach her repeatedly this morning. His calls went straight to voice mail. He couldn’t help being worried. They both knew Charlotte wasn’t going to be happy about the engagement.
