B.J. Daniels - Rescue at Cardwell Ranch

He had racked his brain, trying to remember where she said she had a showing today. Something about a listing in Big Sky. A former restaurant. He’d quickly checked to see what commercial restaurant space was under the multiple listings at Big Sky and laughed out loud when he’d found the restaurant with ease.

It didn’t take much to find out what time she was showing the place. He’d called the office, changed his voice and pretended to be the person she was showing the restaurant to. Within minutes, he’d found out that McKenzie would be at the restaurant this afternoon at two to meet the Cardwells.

For a few minutes after he’d hung up, he’d tried to talk himself out of driving up to Big Sky. The last thing he needed was for her to call the police before she heard him out. It appalled him that she thought she could just fire him and he’d go away. Well, she was dead wrong about that.

Unfortunately, the forty-mile drive had taken longer than he’d expected. Summer traffic. He’d forgotten about the damned tourists so he hadn’t been able to beat McKenzie to the restaurant—which had been his intent.

Fifty minutes later, he’d parked next to a small grocery in a space where he had a good view of the restaurant with the M.K. Realty sign out front. He’d arrived in time to see two men pull up in an SUV only moments after McKenzie.

He’d been forced to wait, telling himself it might work out better. He would grab her after her showing. He could get a lay of the land before he did anything stupid. More stupid, he thought, thinking of Cynthia, the receptionist. She wasn’t even that cute.

While he had no patience for waiting, he was surprised when the showing only took a matter of minutes. He had to laugh. Boy, had that not gone well. And now McKenzie had just lost her best salesman. She would definitely regret firing him, probably already did.

He saw his chance when the two men McKenzie had shown the property to got into their SUV and drove away. The restaurant location was somewhat secluded, separated from the other businesses by pine trees.

Once he got her alone, she’d be forced to listen to what he had to say.

As he started his vehicle, planning to park behind her car so she couldn’t get away, he saw her looking around. Was she worried he might show up? Or was she looking for the man who’d attacked her last night? Her gaze skimmed over him in his vehicle where he still sat, motor running. He looked away, glad he’d driven his silver SUV that looked like everyone else’s around here.

When he’d dared take a peek again, she was headed for her car. He couldn’t let her just drive away. His best chance of talking to her was here rather than back in Bozeman.

Gus shifted the SUV into gear. He told himself all he wanted to do was tell her what he thought of her firing him, of accusing him of attacking her, of treating him like an employee rather than appreciating what he did for M.K. Realty.

He just needed to have his say. He wasn’t stupid enough to touch her. Or threaten her. He had the right to have the last word. She couldn’t just get rid of him in such a humiliating way and think he was going to let it pass.

But as he’d started to drive up the road to the empty restaurant, another vehicle pulled in and parked next to her car. Annoyed, he saw that he would have to wait again. He hadn’t come all this way to give up. He killed his engine with a curse. If he couldn’t get to her now, then soon. She would hear him out, one way or another.

* * *

MCKENZIE HATED THE scared feeling she had as she hurried to her car. Her gaze took in the activity lower on the hillside. She told herself she’d just imagined someone watching her. Down the road, there were families in vans with laughing and screaming children, older people trying to park in front of one of the small businesses that dotted the meadow, a young couple heading into the grocery store.

Everywhere she looked there were people busy with their own lives. It was June in Montana, a time when in Big Sky, it seemed everyone was on vacation. No one had any reason to be watching her.

Still, she gripped her keys in her fist until her hand ached as she neared her car. She wanted to run but she was afraid that like a mad dog, the person watching her would give chase. She couldn’t see anyone watching her and yet the hair rose on the back of her neck. The afternoon sun had sunk behind Lone Mountain. Shadows moved on the restless breeze through the pines next to the building.

Fear was making her paranoid, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that the man from last night hadn’t left town. Nor had he forgotten about her.

She reached the car, opened the door and climbed in, fumbling in a panic to get the door locked. The moment she did, she realized she hadn’t looked in the backseat. Her gaze shot to the rearview mirror. She swiveled around. The backseat was empty.

Hot tears burned down her cheeks. She began to shake uncontrollably.

At the sound of a vehicle approaching, she brushed at her tears and tried to pull herself together. She was trying to put the key into the ignition, when the tap on her side window made her jump.

Her head swung around and she found herself looking up at Hayes Cardwell. She cursed herself. He would see that she’d been crying. She felt a wave of embarrassment and anger at herself.

“Are you all right?” Hayes mouthed.

She lowered the window a few inches. “I—”

“I know. That’s why I came back. There’s something I need to tell you.”

“If it’s about the restaurant space—”

“The police called me and asked me again if I would mind if they told you that I was the man who found you last night at the grocery store.”

She felt her eyes widen in alarm. “You—” The brown eyes. A flicker of memory. You’re safe now.

“I can’t imagine what you’re going through, that’s all I wanted to say. I was worried about you. But I didn’t want you thinking...”

She nodded, unable to speak around the lump in her throat. He’d seen her reaction to him. It was the reason he’d decided to tell her. He didn’t want her thinking he was the one who’d hurt her. Her eyes burned again with tears.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.