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“I thought your dog was named Shadow,” Myrna said.
It still surprised me what people around here knew about me — and everyone else. I suppose knowing my dog’s name, though, wasn’t unexpected. Especially not since he’d appeared in a couple of the specials we’d done for KWMT-TV.
“He is. Suzie Q belonged to Keefer Dobey. She’s been left alone in the world. She could maybe stay at the dude ranch, if the new owner agreed.” I made that sound doubtful. “But even if she did, she wouldn’t have anyone to look after her.”
Or for her to look after.
I saw they understood that part, too, when they exchanged a look.
And she’d keep looking for someone who never came.
I didn’t intend to bring that parallel to their attention.
“I hoped you might find it in your hearts to open your home to her.”
I let her leash drop.
With exquisite timing, Suzie Q walked across the space to the spot where the front corners of their two chairs nearly met. She looked at each of them.
Myrna’s hand trembled as she reached out to pet Suzie Q’s head.
The dog licked her hand, turned partly around, sat on Myrna’s feet, then rested her head on Roger Senior’s knee.
Deal sealed.
****
Wendy had gone to one of her brothers, but the ranch didn’t.
She had a will from several years ago, which left equal shares of the ranch to Brenda Mankin and Keefer Dobey. Since he predeceased Wendy, everything went to Brenda.
Considering the financial issues Wendy had faced, what with needing to sell her second place in Arizona and otherwise tightening her belt — by Barlow standards — that might not sound like the best deal for Brenda.
Speculation rose quickly that she would sell to Randall Kenyon.
Consternation rose even faster.
The tenor of the mildest comments was it was nice he wanted this for his daughter and maybe she really liked it here in Cottonwood County but, surely, he’d be a better fit in Jackson. The more astringent comments... Well, I hoped those didn’t reach Randall.
Not out of concern for his tender feelings, but because he seemed the type to stick it out whether he wanted to or not, whether Robin wanted him to or not, just because he’d faced opposition.
But then Penny told me something surprising — okay, told might be misleading. She didn’t come right out and say it, and her references to her and she could have connected as readily to the Queen of Sheba as to Brenda. But I’m pretty sure she meant Brenda Mankin.
Driving toward the ranch to check that out, I had a call from Scott Hoole in Cooke City.
He wanted to know more about how and why his friend died.
At the end, he sighed deeply.
“If Wendy had been better at reading people, she wouldn’t have killed him, because she would have recognized Keefe never would have done anything to change Elk Rock Ranch. He could have inherited the entire thing and he would have left her not only in charge, but as owner.”
“I’ve heard a rumor that the changes at Elk Rock might not be as extreme as some worried. I’m headed that way now.”
He chuckled. “Don’t let me hold you up.”
****
“It’s all mine,” was how Brenda greeted me, her grin even bigger than the wrinkles.
