Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Trev joined him on the sidewalk that led to the Feed Store Church. They were picking up a shipment of organic feed. One for the ranch and another they would deliver out at the sanctuary. Trev seemed real high on Nell and Henry’s newest venture. He’d said something about every creature deserving a second chance. “This is about Kingman?”
“It’s about something Shane claims he saw and then something he heard,” Bay admitted. “Shane watches a lot of TV. And he reads a lot of fiction. Sometimes I think he should be a writer.”
Trev’s expression went serious. “What does he think he saw?”
He shouldn’t have said a word, but Trev was starting to be a man he looked up to, and he could use some advice. “He saw some metal when he was unloading something and thought it might be guns.”
“We all have guns on a ranch. They’re necessary,” Trev pointed out.
“Not like rifles or even pistols. I think Shane got it in his head that maybe Kingman was running guns.” He waved the thought off. “I shouldn’t have said anything but last night I mentioned I thought he made up the story to get us out of there. He wasn’t happy on that ranch. I wasn’t either, but I can ride things out in a way Shane can’t.”
When times got tough, he sank into his work. It was why he drew so much when he was out at the Kingman Ranch.
Trev’s head shook. “Shane has ridden out things in a way most people can’t. He chooses not to now that he’s an adult and he can decide what he will and won’t put up with.”
“I didn’t realize you knew that much about our childhood.” It made Bay a bit antsy.
“I don’t bring men into my home who I don’t vet. Well, I didn’t vet you at all. My partners use a firm in Dallas. I’m sorry if it makes you uncomfortable, but I have a file on you both. My process is to interview potential employees and then have McKay-Taggart run a trace on them. You did what you could for your brother, you know.”
Sometimes he didn’t. Sometimes he remembered all the times he sat at the dinner table while Shane was stuck in their room. He’d done his best to steal and hide food to supplement what his mother would give Shane, but there were nights his brother went to sleep hungry. Damn it. It didn’t matter whether or not he lied. He owed it to Shane to leave when he wanted to.
And if Shane wanted to let Brooke go? What the hell would he do?
“Did I? Sometimes I wonder.” He needed to man up and talk to his brother about what went down the night before. He needed to figure out if he was pissed at him for calling him a liar or if he was worried about what Bay had said about how he felt for Brooke.
He’d been so damn sure they were on the same page.
“You were a kid and she was your mom. You did what you could. You need to let that go, but what you shouldn’t underestimate is what Kale Kingman is capable of. You don’t get that much money and power without being willing to play dirty.”
Trev was being hypocritical. “I don’t think you would say the same of Stef Talbot.”
Trev’s head shook. “Stef inherited that money. He didn’t make it himself. And I would bet he would tell you his father was pretty ruthless when he was younger. Also, it’s not the same. Kale Kingman runs a good portion of Wyoming. He’s not happy simply having his ranch. He wants power, and to get that he needs way more money than a ranch can provide. I’ve always wondered where he got it.”
Well, that was a reaction he hadn’t expected. “I don’t want you to think we know anything for certain, Trev. We know Shane thinks he saw something and then he overheard the foreman and one of the veteran guys talking about taking care of the newbies.”
“There have been several accidents on Kingman Ranch,” Trev mused. “And I happen to know Kingman likes to hire people without ties to family. That would make them easier to handle if he needed to.”
“I don’t know exactly what they said.” Because he hadn’t really listened to his brother that night and then they’d come to Bliss and put it behind them, but one way or another it looked like it was coming back to bite them in the ass. “I find it hard to believe they were going to kill us.”
Trev held up a hand. “Well, it seems I have more of an imagination than you do. I think I’d like to talk to Shane.”
Maybe Trev taking him seriously would help. Though it still might be a problem. “If he’ll talk. I said some things last night that he’s mad about.”