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They both looked worried as they came in the door, so she didn’t hold them in suspense any longer. “I remember what I saw the day CJ shot me. I know now why he did it.”
She offered them seats and coffee, carrying her mug over to the couch and pulling her feet up under her as she first updated Pickett on what he’d missed with CJ and the Lees brothers, and her fight with her brother making her question even more whether or not he can walk. Then she told them about the women she remembered seeing the day she was shot.
“Human trafficking?” Duffy asked. “In the Powder River Basin?” She could tell that he didn’t want to believe it any more than she did.
“It makes sense. They needed people to work the meth lab,” Pickett said. “I don’t know why we didn’t think of that before.”
“I guess because we thought it was a small operation,” Oakley said. “They burned it all down before the sheriff could investigate so we had no idea how many people were working there or how big their operation was. There was an airstrip. I remember seeing a small plane sitting there.”
“Big enough to fly the women in and out?” Duffy asked.
She shook her head, remembering what she’d been told. Cooper McKenna had been driving toward his ranch as she’d come flying out of the woods on her horse and landed on the road. He’d called 911 and saved her life.
“I don’t know if it was the plane that Cooper said flew over while he was waiting for the ambulance the day I was shot. Tilly told me that she and Cooper tracked it down. It was flown by Howie Gunderson, an employee of CH4. Another gas company employee was in the plane that day. Tick Whitaker, a geologist who works for the CH4.”
Pickett met her gaze. “You realize what you’re saying? If it was the same plane, then the gas company employees knew about the meth lab and the human trafficking—and were more than likely involved.”
“But they weren’t the only ones there that day. I saw CJ and he saw me. That’s when he jumped on his horse and came after me.”
“What made you even know to go back through that ravine over the mountain to the old Smith homestead that day?” Duffy asked.
“That I can’t remember,” she admitted. “Maybe I followed CJ.” She shook her head. “I’ve always been suspicious of why he seemed to have more money than the rest of us. I just assumed he was getting it from Mother.”
“Have you told the sheriff?” Pickett asked.
“I can’t yet. Once I do, it will be my word against CJ’s. With my earlier memory loss, it wouldn’t hold up as evidence. The sheriff wouldn’t even be able to prove that CJ had a connection to the meth lab operation. I saw him there, but that’s not enough. Maybe worse, my mother will kick me off the ranch and I need to be able to come and go there as long as I can. After hearing CJ with the Lees brothers, I think he is getting back into business with them at a new location. I need to find it, to have evidence to finally put them all out of business. Meanwhile, I need to make sure CJ doesn’t drill on the ranch.”
“That’s an awful lot to put on yourself,” Pickett said. “It sounds way too dangerous and if you’re convinced CJ is lying about his ability to walk, you’re really not safe out there on the ranch.”
“CJ’s in this up to his neck,” she said. “I can’t leave the ranch until I get proof. CJ can’t keep up this pretense much longer.”
Pickett swore and Duffy said, “Pickett’s right. You can’t stay on that ranch. It’s too dangerous.”
“CJ shot you. He could have killed you. If you’re right, he was trying to,” Pickett said. “Those bruises on your neck should convince you that your brother isn’t going to stop.”
Oakley touched her neck before she pulled her sweater collar up. Of course Pickett would have noticed them. “I was trying to push him so he told me the truth about that day. But now that I’ve remembered, I won’t confront him again.”
Pickett shook his head. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“What?” Duffy asked.
“If she backs off, he might get suspicious that she’s remembered, which she has,” the ranch hand continued. “She needs to be less confrontational, that’s for sure. But if she is going to keep going out to the ranch, then she has to make him believe that she hasn’t remembered.” He met her gaze. “Can you do that?”
She smiled, glad at least Pickett understood that she couldn’t stop now. She had to remain on the ranch.
“Tell us what we can do,” Pickett said.
“I need your help to find the location of the new meth lab,” she said. “If they haven’t got it going yet, they will soon. We need proof. We also need to make sure that CJ and his buddies can’t hurt anyone else.”
“Are you sure you shouldn’t go to the sheriff, let him handle this?” Duffy said.
“I can’t let CJ know that I’ve remembered,” she said. “If Stuart starts questioning him...”
“She’s right,” Pickett said. “Let me try to find where they might be setting up again and then we’ll go to the sheriff and let him take it from there.”
Oakley smiled over at him. Pickett, while clearly concerned, seemed to know that she was going ahead with her plan—with or without them.
Duffy swore. “I don’t like it. What the hell is wrong with your brother?”
