Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch - B.J. Daniels [50]
"Yes, and they have decided they want the money, which means I have no choice but to sell," Dana said. "I'm fighting to hang on to the house and a little land. That is what has been holding things up."
"Dana, I am so sorry."
She turned away. "Please, I hate talking about this." She remembered something he'd said and frowned as she turned to face him again. "You don't really think someone in my family had anything to do with Ginger's death, do you?"
He had on his cop face again, giving nothing away. "Anyone who had contact with Ginger or access to the ranch is a suspect."
She let out a surprised breath. "So I'm a suspect, too."
He sighed. "Dana, I've been thinking about what happened at the ranch last night. Is there anyone who might want to hurt you?"
She laughed. "What were we just talking about? I'm holding up the sale of the ranch and my three siblings are all chomping at the bit to get their hands on the money from the property."
"You seriously believe one of them would try to hurt you?" he asked.
"You know them." Her gaze locked with his. "There is little they wouldn't do to hurt me. Have done to hurt me."
"I have to ask you this," he said. "Last night, did you see the person who attacked me?"
"Why are you asking me this now?"
"I need to know if the reason you fired that shotgun in the air last night was to help someone in your family get away."
She stared at him, anger rising in her. "How can you ask me that?"
"Dana—" He reached for her, but she stepped back.
"You broke my heart." The words were out, surprising her as much as they did him. They had nothing to do with what he'd accused her of. They were also words she never thought she would admit to him of all people.
"I'll never forgive myself for letting it happen."
"Good." She started to step past him, but he grabbed her wrist.
"I made the worse mistake of my life that night," he said quickly.
Wouldn't Stacy love to hear that?
"You were everything to me."
"Apparently not," she snapped, trying to pull free. But his grip was firm, his fingers warm and strong.
"I truly don't remember that night," he said, his voice low and filled with emotion. "The last thing I remember is having a drink at the bar—"
"I told you I don't want to talk about this," she said.
"You have never let me tell you what happened. At least what I remember."
"Finding you in my sister's bed was sufficient enough."
"Dana, I've thought about this for five years, thought of little else. One drink and then nothing. I remember nothing."
"Well, that's your story, isn't it? That lets you off the hook."
"Dammit, why do you think I came back? Because of you and to prove that nothing happened that night."
"I thought you don't remember."
"I don't. I couldn't be sure before but I got a note from someone in the canyon that said I was set up that night."
"Who?"
"It was anonymous, but Dana, I believe I was set up. Otherwise, why can't I remember that night? What I've never been able to understand is why? All I knew for sure is that your sister had to be in on it. But after what Lanny said earlier…Your sister couldn't have acted alone. Someone helped her."
Dana didn't move. Didn't breathe. All she could do was stare at him, remembering what she'd overheard Lanny tell him. That Stacy had used Hud to force Emery into giving her a divorce. Emery had been thirty years Stacy's senior, an older man with money. That was until he hooked up with Stacy. Stacy got her divorce five years ago—and took half of Emery's assets and his home.
What if Stacy had done it not to hurt Dana but for her own selfish reasons?
"Dana, if I was as drunk as everyone at the bar said I was, then believe me, I didn't sleep with your sister," Hud said. "I swear to you. I had one drink at the bar, then the rest of the night is a total blank. What does that sound like to you?"
That he'd been drugged.
"How was it that you showed up at Stacy's house so early the next morning?" he asked.
She swallowed, remembering the strange phone call, the strange voice. Do you know