Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch - B.J. Daniels [22]
The difference was the judge had been in a position to make his threats come true. There had been talk that Judge Randolph was determined to see Marshal Brick Savage fired.
If the judge hadn't met such an untimely demise, who knows what would have happened, Hud thought as he pulled back onto the highway, the snow falling now in a dizzying white blur.
He hadn't been looking forward to going back to the cabin he'd rented near Big Sky. The cabin was small with just the bare essentials—exactly what he'd thought he wanted.
Except tonight he had too much on his mind to go back there yet. He turned around and headed for Bozeman. He wouldn't be able to sleep until he looked at the case file on Judge Raymond Randolph's robbery-murder.
He thought again about the anonymous note he'd received. Someone had wanted him back here. Someone with an agenda of their own?
As he drove down the canyon, the snow falling in a blinding wall of white, he feared he was being manipulated—just as he'd been five years ago.
Chapter Five
Dana brushed snow from her coat as she pushed open the door to the Corral Bar. The scent of beer and smoke hit her as she stepped in, pulled off her hat and, shaking the snow from it, looked around the bar for her father.
It was early. The place was relatively empty, only a few locals at the bar and a half-dozen others in booths eating the burgers the Corral was famous for.
A country-western song played on the jukebox, competing with the hum of conversation. The bartender was busy talking with a couple at this end of the bar.
Dana spotted her father and uncle at the far end on adjacent stools. They each had two beers in front of them and hadn't seemed to notice her come in. That was because they had their heads together in deep conversation.
As she approached, she saw her father look up and catch her reflection in the mirror. He sat up straighter, pulling back but mouthing something to Harlan as if warning him of her approach. Uncle Harlan turned on his stool to flash her a smile, both men appearing nervous. Clearly she had interrupted something.
"Dana," Harlan said, sounding surprised. "Haven't seen you for a while." Like his brother, he was a big man with a head of dark hair peppered with gray.
"Uncle Harlan." She patted his arm as she passed, her gaze on her father.
While Angus Cardwell resembled his brother, he'd definitely gotten the looks in the family. He'd been a devastatingly handsome young man and Dana could see why her mother had fallen for him.
Angus was still handsome and would have been quite the catch in the canyon if it wasn't for his love of alcohol. Thanks to the healthy settlement he'd received from Dana's mother in the divorce, he didn't have to work.
"How's my baby girl?" Angus asked, and leaned over to kiss her cheek. She smelled the familiar scent of beer on his breath. "Happy birthday."
Dana had always been his baby girl and still was—even at thirty-one. "Fine. Thank you."
"Is there someplace we could talk for a minute?" she asked. Angus shot a look at Harlan.
"We could probably step into the back room," her father said. "I'm sure Bob wouldn't mind." Bob owned the place and since Angus was probably the most regular of the regulars who frequented the bar, Bob probably wouldn't mind.
"Guess I'll tag along," Uncle Harlan said, already sliding off his stool.
The back room was part office, part spare room. It had a small desk and an office chair along with a threadbare overstuffed chair and a sofa that looked like it might pull out into a bed. The room smelled of stale cigarette smoke and beer.
"So what's up?" Angus asked. Both he and Harlan had brought along their beers.
She studied them for a moment, then said, "I'm sure you've heard about what happened at the ranch today." She could see by their expressions that they had.
"Hell of a thing," Angus said.
Harlan nodded in agreement and tipped his beer bottle to his lips.
"Any idea how the bones got into our well?" she asked, wondering