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Stu shook his head, thinking of the deputies who would be continuing looking for the remains in the morning out on the ranch near the reservoir. “We don’t even know that he’s dead. He could have ditched the truck wanting to make it look like he was dead.”
“Why would he do that? He told people at the bar that he had a woman in his life.”
“People say all kinds of things, especially when they are trying to cover up what is really going on,” the sheriff said. “I especially wouldn’t believe everything the PI had to say. Maybe Rory had planned to run away with some mystery woman, but when it came down to it, didn’t have the guts to go through with it. Or maybe he made the story up.”
“And then drove his pickup into a reservoir?”
Stu shrugged. “Could have thought the truck would be found sooner and the woman would think he was dead—if there was a woman.” He could see that Duffy was having trouble with that explanation. “Or maybe she picked him up and they left in her rig and for whatever reason, he didn’t want to leave a trail. Who knows what demons might have been chasing him? According to CH4 records of employment, he hadn’t been in the area long.”
“If he left with her, then you’re assuming the mystery woman wasn’t Leann, then?”
“Murdock is the only one who thinks Leann Hayes was the woman. Who the hell knows if there even was one? Rory could have been lying.” People lied for a variety of reasons. Stu knew that better than anyone.
Duffy seemed to give that some thought. “What if Leann’s case is reopened?”
He knew what the young McKenna was asking. “I wouldn’t think it would be the best thing for your brother. Right now Leann’s case is closed. She committed suicide.”
“You really think Rory Eastwood is alive.”
“I hope we find him alive because he’ll have to pay the county for the costs to search the reservoir for his body, not to mention the cost of dragging the truck from the water and storing it after forensics is through.” He rose from his chair.
“Unless his body turns up,” Duffy said, not taking the hint.
“I’m glad you stopped by. I’ve been wanting to ask you about the vandalisms of gas company equipment. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
Duffy shook his head and rose but made no move toward the door. “So Cooper doesn’t have anything to worry about.”
“I wouldn’t say that. He’s been pretty insistent about reopening Leann’s case. Once he hears the rumors circulating about Rory Eastwood and his pickup being found in the reservoir... Best thing he could do is let it go. Maybe you’ll have more luck convincing him of that than I have.”
Duffy put on his Stetson and opened the office door. He turned back before stepping out. “I would think you wouldn’t want that case reopened, either, since you had been involved with Leann, too.” With that, he left, leaving Stu to curse himself for ever getting involved with the woman—and worse, believing he loved her before losing her to his best friend.
CHARLOTTEHADJUSThelped CJ into his bed to rest when she got the call. He swore that his fight with Oakley hadn’t injured him more. But she could see a change in him that worried her. He was so angry, so frustrated by everything that had happened. She felt it as well as she closed his door, afraid he’d hurt himself worse and cursing Oakley for picking yet another fight with her brother. “Hello?”
“Mrs. Stafford?” She recognized the voice at once.
“Bob.” She knew Bob Turner would be calling. “Is Inez...?”
“She died in her sleep last night.”
Last night? And he was just now calling? That definitely didn’t bode well. “Just say it,” she snapped, no longer having the patience to play this game with him. “But if you tell me that you sold the ranch to Holden—”
“I followed my mother’s wishes. The ranch has been put into a conservation easement. It was Mother’s desire to protect the land she loved. She wanted to preserve it for future generations by protecting the agricultural and forestry elements as well as the water quality. That is one reason she would have never sold it to you.”
“When did she decide this?” Charlotte demanded.
“After you tried so hard to buy the ranch,” her son said, an edge to his voice. “She didn’t want to see coalbed methane wells on her land. In order to prevent you from ever getting your hands on the property, she did what she thought was best.”
Charlotte laughed. “Clearly, she didn’t care about you and your family. I suspect you could have used the money from the sale.”
“She thought some things were more important than money.” He disconnected before she could tell him what she thought of that.
With a curse, she reminded herself that at least Holden hadn’t gotten it. They had both needed that land; Holden for the water, she for spite and other personal reasons. They’d both lost.
But her loss could be worse, she reminded herself. She cursed Bob Turner. He’d left her with few options now. As long as Inez had been alive, Charlotte hadn’t worried about the ranch since no one was working it. Now, though, she couldn’t trust who might be able to gain access to the place—and what they might discover if they looked hard enough.
DUFFYWASWAITINGfor Oakley behind an old barn on one of the abandoned homesteads. The land had been bought by an out-of-state conglomerate as a tax write-off. As far as he knew, no one had ever even seen the place in person. It made for a good meeting spot, away from town in the foothills of the mountains. From here he could see the river that wound through the basin.
As far as rivers went, the Powder wasn’t much to look at. The shallow water meandered 375 miles from northeastern Wyoming through southeastern Montana to dump into the Yellowstone. Many claimed that the Powder River was a mile wide, an inch deep and ran uphill.
