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Buck nodded in remembrance. “My father wrote a while back that Ty had gotten a divorce. I never thought I would see the day when a Calder would get a divorce. A Calder believes when you give your word, you keep it, come heaven or hell.” This time he was the one to measure her with a look. “You two seemed friendly enough when I saw you together a month ago at headquarters.”
“Ty and I have an unusual relationship that suits us both. Do sit down, Mr. Haskell.” She took a seat in one of the chairs, moving with the fluid grace of a model. Women with her beauty and poise, Buck had only seen in films. He had never met one face to face. She glanced up at him, that knowing look in her eyes somehow mocking him. “You are interested in going to work, aren’t you?”
“I’m interested.” He lowered himself into the other chair and ran his gaze around the office. “Your daddy used to own this before he died, didn’t he?”
“Among other things.”
“I expect you’re in charge now.”
“Not really.” She sat back in the chair, openly studying him. “I went over your application. I knew sooner or later you would come here seeking employment, but quite frankly, I was surprised to learn you had applied for the custodian job.”
“At my age, fresh out of prison, jobs of any kind are hard to come by. It’s not like I can pick and choose what I want to do.”
“Then you should be pleased to learn that I have a position that should suit you perfectly.” Her manner was one of absolute confidence that he would accept it.
But Buck was too canny, and too wary. There was something here that didn’t smell right. “I get the feeling that the job you’re offering me isn’t here with Dy-Corp.”
“I was told you were intelligent. I’m glad to see that’s true.” She smiled, and there was something catlike about it, a little too smooth and a little too secretive. It reinforced the feeling that there was a lot more behind this than she had told him thus far. “As a matter of fact, you will be working directly for me.”
“Maybe I’m just naturally suspicious,” Buck said. “But I can’t help wondering what kind of job a woman like you would have in mind for an ex-convict.”
“Nothing illegal, if that’s what you are thinking.”
“It crossed my mind,” he admitted. “I’ve got my father living with me now. And if I got into any kind of trouble that would send me back to prison, Calder isn’t about to let him come back to the Triple C to live out whatever time he has left.”
“I understand your concern. Having recently lost my own father, I find it very admirable. But to be quite frank, Mr. Haskell, if you go back to prison, it will be for something you did of your own volition, not at any direction from me.”
Buck nodded, taking her statement at face value for the time being. “All right, but you still haven’t told me what kind of work you want me to do?”
“You would be a caretaker of sorts,” she replied smoothly. “I have recently acquired some property in the area. Obviously I won’t be living on it all the time, so I will need someone to look after it for me. You see, the work won’t be strenuous at all, and should provide you ample time to see to your father’s daily needs.”
“Now, that’s interesting.” He thoughtfully dipped his chin and gazed at the intricate pattern of the Oriental rug on the floor, disconnected bits of information beginning to click together in his mind. “There’s been some talk that Calder had to yank all his cattle off the Wolf Meadow range. Title to that ten thousand acres has been a problem to him. He’s been fighting with the government over it for years. Now he just lost the grazing rights to it.” Smiling, Buck cocked his head and regarded her with amusement. “That wouldn’t be because you just bought it, would it?”
“I never said that, Mr. Haskell.” But the gleam of approval and amusement in her eyes was all the confirmation Buck needed.
“You aren’t as friendly with the Calders as you lead people to believe, are you? Why else would you be wanting to hire me?” It was a rhetorical question. He had his answers about her motives; she was out for revenge. “Do you know how mad Calder is going to be when he finds out?” Buck wondered. “That land is almost sacred to him.”
Unmoved, she replied, “I’ll make them like it. You’ll see.”
“And what am I? The final tweak of the man’s nose?” He grinned crookedly.
“Does that bother you?”
“Nope.” He buried his hands deeper in his jacket pockets, and laughed under his breath. “But it sure as hell will bother Chase.”
“And that pleases you, doesn’t it?”
“I didn’t say that, ma’am.” The wide smile remained etched on his face.
“The words weren’t necessary. We both know you hold a grudge against Chase Calder for sending you to prison, not once, but twice.”
Still smiling, he gazed once again at the rug. “That was a long time ago.”
“Not so long ago that you have forgotten, though.” She pushed out of her chair and crossed to the side of the desk, turned a sheet of paper toward her, and scanned its contents. “At your first trial on robbery and assault charges, it was essentially Chase’s testimony that convicted you. With that on your record, when you were found guilty of attempted murder, the judge threw the book at you. Calder made sure of it.”
“Like I said, that was a long time ago.” But his smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“And you were much too greedy,” she declared. “I think you should know, Mr. Haskell, that I have run a very thorough check on you. There is very little about you that I don’t already know—your likes and dislikes, the books you checked out of the prison library, the educational courses you took, which prisoners you associated with, and which ones you didn’t. In your day, you were one of the best in the saddle, a top hand with rope, an expert on cattle, and a competent boss of the men beneath you. Currently I can itemize the contents of the house you are renting, and tell you to the penny how much money you bring in each month. I know where you applied for a job and where you didn’t. I must admit I was surprised it took you so long to make an application here.”
