Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch - B.J. Daniels [72]
The doorbell rang. She opened the door and blinked in surprise. "Mrs. Randolph?" The bruise on the older woman's face was darker than it had been earlier in the day. She had what appeared to be that same shoe box under one arm and her hat was askew.
Kitty Randolph smiled. "Hello, dear. I'm sorry to drop by unannounced like this." She looked past Dana. "Did I catch you at a bad time? I was hoping to talk to you. Alone, if possible?"
"Of course, come in."
"You're sure it's not a bad time?" Kitty asked, her gaze going again past Dana into the house.
"Not at all. I was just doing some cleaning myself."
The older woman turned and stuck out one leg to show off her blue slacks. "That thread you sold me was the perfect color blue, don't you think?"
Dana admired the recently hemmed slacks, telling herself this couldn't possibly be the reason Kitty had driven all the way out here. It was probably the upcoming fund-raiser. Dana groaned at the thought. The fund-raiser was weeks away. Was she going to find Kitty on her doorstep every day until it was over?
"Can I take your coat?" Dana asked, wondering what was in the worn-looking shoe box. Probably old apron patterns. Or recipes.
"The judge always liked me in blue," Kitty said as if she hadn't heard Dana. "That was until his tastes changed to red."
Dana smiled, remembering the red-and-gold master bedroom—and the bright red high-heeled shoe Kitty had tossed back into the closet earlier at her house.
"Would you like something to drink?" Dana asked. "I could put on some coffee. Or would you prefer tea?" She hoped Hud showed up soon, as he'd promised earlier. He might be the only way she could get rid of the woman.
"Neither, thank you. I couldn't help thinking about your visit to my house today," she said, glancing toward the kitchen again. "Sometimes I am so forgetful. You did say you're alone, didn't you?"
"Yes." Was it possible Kitty Randolph had forgotten that Stacy had visited her last night? "Did you remember something about Stacy?"
"Stacy, interesting woman." Her twinkling blue eyes settled on Dana's face. "How could two sisters be so different? You're so much like your mother and your sister is…" She raised a disapproving brow. "She's an alley cat like your father. But then some women are born to it."
Dana frowned and almost found herself defending her sister. Instead she studied the older woman, noticing that Kitty seemed…different somehow. Oddly animated. She'd always been a soft-spoken, refined woman who'd obviously come from old wealth. She'd never heard Kitty talk like this.
"This must all be very upsetting for you," Dana said. Ginger Adams's body being found in the well had dredged up the judge's murder. Of course Kitty would be distraught.
"Yes, dear, I can't tell you how upsetting it's been." Kitty stepped over to one of the old photographs on the wall and Dana noticed with a start that it was of the old homestead up on the hillside.
"Did I ever tell you that the judge's family were well drillers?" Kitty asked.
"I didn't know that."
Kitty turned and smiled, "The judge's father drilled most every well around here. Including the one up at your family's old homestead."
* * *
THE RADIO SQUAWKED as Hud neared Big Sky—and the Cardwell Ranch.
"I've got Jordan Cardwell here, sir," Deputy Norm Turner said. "He insists on talking to you for his one phone call."
Hud breathed a sigh of relief that Jordan was behind bars. Now at least Dana should be safe. "Put him on."
"Is this about the other night, that thing with the doll and the well?" Jordan demanded.
"You mean, where you tried to kill me?" Hud said.
"I'm telling you the same thing I told Dana, I had nothing to do with it."
"You lied about when you flew in, you lied about your relationship with Ginger Adams, and you expect me to believe you? Save your breath, your fingerprints were found on both the doll—and the box of chocolates."
"I did fly in the day before, the instant I heard about the bones in the well, and I knew Ginger," Jordan said. "I probably touched the stupid doll when I