Revenge on the Ranch, page 2
He also had wonderfully broad shoulders, slim hips and long legs. Physically he was the whole package. But as far as she knew, he hadn’t dated anyone since his father’s murder. And in a small town like Coyote Creek, where gossip ran rampant, she would have known.
She’d always hoped he would ask her out. He was friendly when they ran into each other in town, but he never seemed to see her as a woman to potentially date. Still, since his father’s death, Carrie hadn’t been able to get him out of her head, especially since he’d left the hospital pretty banged up.
She turned onto the two-lane road that would take her out to the King place. She rolled down her window and breathed in the outside air. It smelled like rich earth and sweet grass and cattle.
This was ranching country, and Big John King had left behind an empire. The Kings were one of the most successful operations in the state. With Big John dead, the bulk of the responsibility for the ranching would now fall on Johnny and Luke.
She wasn’t sure what role the younger brother, Caleb, or their sister, Ashley, would have in the day-to-day running of the ranch. From the gossip she’d heard around town, Caleb was a self-proclaimed artist who drank too much. She knew Ashley owned a store in town, Bling and Things, that sold items for the home and a few nice clothes.
As she turned onto the long driveway that would eventually lead to Luke’s home, her stomach clenched with nervous energy. She told herself all she wanted to do was check in with him and see how he was doing physically.
But the truth of the matter was she just wanted to see him, and she was hoping he might suddenly see her as a potential woman to date. She knew it was probably a stupid idea, but she was doing it anyway.
She drove past the big King family house. It was a huge, rambling ranch. She had never been inside it before, but she’d heard it was absolutely beautiful. She couldn’t help but think about poor Margaret King, who had not only recently gone through a bout with breast cancer but had then lost her husband in an instant to violence. The rumor in town was that she was absolutely broken.
All the King children lived on the ranch except Ashley, who had an apartment above her store. She’d had a house in town, but about a month ago she had sold it and made the move to her store.
The next house she passed was Johnny’s. Although it was smaller than the big house, it was an attractive place. Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel as once again an attack of nerves fluttered through her.
Finally, she came to Luke’s house. Tucked in among tall trees and with a pond nearby, the place looked like an enchanted cabin in the woods. Two wooden chairs with bright red pillows sat on one side of the covered porch, with a small table in between them.
She pulled up in front of it and parked. She’d worn jeans and a sleeveless pink blouse, knowing that it was a good color on her. She’d left her long hair loose and flowing around her shoulders. She’d also applied a little more makeup than she usually wore on a workday.
She turned off her engine and sat for just a few moments. She drew deep breaths in an effort to calm her nerves and then got out. It was two o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon. For all she knew, Luke was someplace on the ranch working—something the doctor had specifically told him not to do for at least a week to ten days.
Drawing another deep breath, she walked up to the front door and knocked. After a moment the door opened and Luke looked at her in surprise. “Carrie, what are you doing here?”
“I just thought I’d come by and see how you were getting along,” she replied. Clad in a pair of worn jeans and with a white T-shirt stretching taut across his broad shoulders, he looked positively hunky. Even the purple bruise darkening his lower jaw couldn’t detract from his handsomeness.
“Come on in,” he said and opened the door wider to allow her entry.
As she swept past him, she caught the scent of minty soap mingling with a woodsy cologne emanating from him. It was definitely a pleasant scent. Once they were both inside, he gestured her toward a brown leather sofa, and he sat in a brown recliner facing her. Decorated in rich earth tones, the living room felt warm and inviting. There was a fireplace on one wall, and she could easily envision it filled with burning logs to warm a wintry night.
“Your home is really nice,” she said.
“Thanks. I like it here.”
“So, how are you feeling?” she asked.
“I’m feeling just fine.”
She eyed him dubiously. “Luke, I know all the injuries you suffered. There’s no way you’re feeling just fine after two days.”
He offered her a rueful grin. “Okay, I’m still hurting a bit, but I’ll live.”
Oh Lordy, when he smiled like that, he caused a warmth to pool in her lower belly. “Have you had any nausea or vomiting since you’ve been home?” she asked, momentarily putting on her nurse’s hat.
“No, nothing like that. My only complaint is that I’m still pretty sore, especially in my ribs.”
“Then you need to listen to your body and take it easy,” she replied. “You went through a trauma, being beaten up like that, and the doctor told you not to do anything strenuous for at least a week.”
“Trust me, I know, and I haven’t done anything since I’ve been home. Uh...can I get you something to drink? Maybe a soda or some tea?” he asked.
“No, thanks, I’m fine.”
For the next few minutes, they visited about the weather and things that were happening in town. The conversation flowed surprisingly easily, even though on some level she couldn’t quite believe she was actually sitting in Luke King’s living room and talking to him.
“I should get out of here and let you rest. I really just wanted to stop by and see if you were doing okay,” she said after about half an hour of visiting. She certainly didn’t want to overstay her welcome.
His features pulled into a frown. “I won’t be okay until the man who murdered my father is behind bars.”
“Luke, I’m so sorry for your loss,” she replied with all the compassion she had for him and his family. “I can’t imagine the pain you’ve all been in.”
“Thanks. I think he was murdered over a stupid mayoral seat. I think he was murdered because Wayne Bridges wanted him out of the way before the election. If he hadn’t been killed, Dad would have definitely become the next mayor, and that was something Wayne wanted desperately.” He frowned. “Sorry, I shouldn’t be talking about all this with you.”
“Luke, you can talk to me about anything at all. I consider this conversation and any other ones we might have between us to be confidential, and I would never betray your confidence.”
His blue eyes gazed into hers intently for several long minutes. “Do you know Peter Jeffries?”
“I know him as a nasty man who is usually drunk and obnoxious at the Red Barn,” she replied. “Why?”
He held her gaze once again for several long moments before replying. “I believe he’s the man who shot my father. I think Wayne hired him to do the job.” He swiped a hand down his face. “God, I’ve never said that aloud to anyone.”
Carrie slowly digested what he had just told her. “So, did you fight with him? Is that what happened to you?”
“Him and four other men. I knew the men sometimes partied in Wayne’s barn after spending the evening at the Red Barn. So, for the last two weekends, I’ve been eavesdropping outside Wayne’s barn door to see if Peter would get drunk enough to admit to the other men that he pulled the trigger. That night they caught me outside their barn.”
“Oh, Luke, they could have killed you,” Carrie replied fervently.
He sat up straighter in the chair. “I don’t care,” he said roughly. “I need to get the proof that will put my father’s killer in prison. It’s been a little over two months, and Lane hasn’t done anything. He has absolutely no clues at all. This is something I need to do. I know sooner or later Peter will get drunk enough to boast about what he did. I just need to be there when he does.”
He slumped back, as if exhausted by his short diatribe. Carrie’s mind continued to whirl with everything he’d said. “You know, Peter drinks at the Red Barn almost every night of the week.”
“Yeah, but I can’t exactly sit next to him every time he’s there. I would be really conspicuous.”
“Maybe you wouldn’t be as conspicuous if you were on a date,” she replied. She was probably being stupid in offering what she was about to offer. He’d probably laugh in her face, but that didn’t stop her from voicing what she was thinking.
“Luke, I’m starting a two-week vacation tomorrow. I would be available to go with you to the Red Barn anytime Peter is there. We could pretend we’re dating, and we could try to sit as close to Peter as possible.”
He didn’t laugh at her. Instead, he straightened up once again and eyed her with interest. “That just might work,” he said slowly. “Nobody would look sideways at us if we were on a date. Are you sure you really want to do this for me?”
“If it helps put a murderer behind bars, then absolutely, I’m in,” she replied.
“I should probably tell you something else. It might be possible another person is responsible for my father’s death.” His forehead creased in another deep frown. “It’s slightly possible my brother Caleb shot my father.”
Carrie couldn’t help the gasp of shock that escaped her. “What makes you think that?” she finally asked.
“He and Dad had a big fight the night before, and I don’t know how much you listen to gossip, but Caleb isn’t always in a rational frame of mind.” The words seemed to come out of him slowly...painfully.
Once again, he stared at her in open speculation. “Maybe while we’re pretending to date, you could hang out around here and see if you can get close to Caleb, maybe get him to confide in you.”
“I guess I could try to do that,” she replied. “I’ll do whatever I can to help you, Luke.”
“Why? Why would you agree to any of this?”
The question caught her by surprise. She couldn’t very well tell him she was agreeing because she had a wild crush on him and this would be a way to spend time with him.
“I’m a nurse, Luke. I like to help people out, and it sounds like you need help,” she finally replied.
“I don’t know why I told you all this.”
“Maybe it was a burden you needed to share and I just happened to come along at the right time.”
“You’re very easy to talk to, Carrie.” He smiled at her once again, and again that flutter of sweet heat swept through her.
“Thanks, Luke,” she replied. “And now I’d better get out of here and let you rest.” She stood from the sofa, and at the same time he rose from his chair to walk her to the door.
“So, how about you come by here tomorrow right after dinner, say, around six? You can hang out here for a while and then we can head to the Red Barn,” he said. His eyes held a brightness they hadn’t had when she’d first arrived.
“I can do that,” she agreed.
When they reached his front door, he held out a hand to her. She reached out her hand, and he clasped it tightly. “Then we’re partners, right?” he asked.
“Definitely,” she replied.
“And we can’t tell anyone about the true intent of us being together,” he added.
“That will be our secret. I told you that you can trust me, Luke.”
Once again, his gaze held hers for several long moments. “I... I’ve needed somebody I can talk to...somebody to be on my side.”
“I’m on your side, Luke, and hopefully we can get the creep who killed your father behind bars,” she replied.
It was only a few minutes later, when she was on the drive back to her own place, that she thought about what she’d just agreed to. She must have been out of her mind to agree to this scheme. It could be a dangerous mission they’d set forward for themselves.
But she wasn’t sorry. She had just set in motion a plan to spend lots of time with Luke. She was just hoping that in the process, he would not only see her as a partner in crime solving, but maybe also as a desirable woman he needed in his life.
Chapter Two
It was one of the longest days of Luke’s life. He wasn’t used to just sitting around his house and doing nothing, but he was taking the doctor’s orders seriously, because his body told him he needed to take it easy. Another couple of days and he should be ready to get back to work on the ranch...at least, that’s what he hoped.
Today the hours couldn’t move fast enough until the time Carrie would arrive. He still couldn’t quite believe she was really into the plan they’d come up with. He was definitely eager to see if it worked the way he wanted.
He’d never really noticed Carrie before. Oh, he’d run into her at different places in town, but he’d never really noticed her like he had when she’d stopped by yesterday. He wasn’t sure why.
She’d looked so pretty, with her dark hair loose around her shoulders and wearing a pink blouse and jeans that revealed a slender waist, slim hips and medium-size breasts. She had a heart-shaped face with beautiful violet-blue eyes and lush lips that looked very kissable.
He wondered if he would have found her as attractive if she hadn’t offered to help him expose his father’s murderer. Still, it didn’t matter if he found her wildly attractive or not—there was absolutely no room in his heart for anything resembling romance.
The only thing that burned in his heart was the absolute need for revenge. He had to catch his father’s killer to somehow prove to Big John that he’d been worthy of his love. But that wasn’t a thought he explored too deeply. He just wanted his father’s killer behind bars.
It was a few minutes after four when a knock fell on his door. He answered to see his brother Johnny and his fiancée, Chelsea Black, standing on his porch. It hadn’t been that long ago that Chelsea’s best friend had tried to kill her. Thankfully she hadn’t succeeded, and Chelsea was safe and sound today, with her “friend” awaiting trial for attempted murder.
“Hey, we were just going to the big house for dinner and were wondering if you were coming, too,” Johnny now said.
Since their father’s death, whenever possible the siblings tried to eat dinner with their mother. But lately Luke hadn’t been going. It ticked him off too badly to sit and eat at the long dining table, staring at the empty chair where his father used to sit.
“Luke, come with us,” Chelsea urged. “It’s been a while since you’ve eaten with all of us, and it would make your mom happy if you came.”
Chelsea’s mother, Stella Black, owned the ranch next to the Kings’. Chelsea had always seemed like a younger sister to Luke, and very soon she was going to officially be his sister-in-law. She already lived with Johnny, and they had loved each other forever. They were engaged but hadn’t set a wedding date yet.
When John King had been murdered, Chelsea’s mother had thrown her hat into the mayoral ring, running on the same platform Luke’s father had run on. Last week Stella had won the election and was now the newly elected mayor of the small town of Coyote Creek.
“Tell her I’m sorry, but I can’t tonight,” Luke said. “I have a guest coming by soon, and she and I have plans to hang out together.”
One of Johnny’s dark brows rose. “She? She who?”
“Carrie Carlson,” Luke replied. “She came out here yesterday to see how I was getting along, and one thing led to another and I asked her to come hang out and then later to go to the Red Barn with me.”
“From what I hear, she’s a nice person,” Johnny said.
“Yes, she is,” Chelsea added. “She’s come into Ashley’s store before. Just don’t go breaking her heart.”
“That’s certainly not my intention,” Luke replied with a dry laugh.
“That’s never your intention, but you’ve left a trail of broken hearts behind you,” Chelsea said chidingly.
Luke wanted to tell them it wasn’t like that between him and Carrie. They were merely partners, not potential lovers, but he couldn’t very well say that and keep his cover. Johnny would give him absolute hell if he knew what Luke was doing, and Luke wasn’t in the head space to hear another lecture from his older brother.
“Anyway, tell Mom I said hi and I’ll see her sometime tomorrow,” Luke said.
He breathed a sigh of relief when they left. He didn’t appreciate Chelsea making it sound like he broke hearts on purpose. He never intentionally meant to hurt any woman. He usually went out with a woman several times, and if no real spark happened with her, he then moved on. What else was he supposed to do? But all that was in his past now. He would be “dating” Carrie now, but it was only for pretend. This evening, with Carrie’s help, he would truly begin his quest to get his father’s murderer once and for all.
At five, Luke took a hot shower, wincing as the water sprayed against his bruised ribs. After showering he changed into a clean pair of jeans and a royal blue polo shirt. He slapped on some cologne and then stared at himself in the mirror over the sink.
The bruise on his chin was beginning to turn an ugly light purple and yellow, but at least that meant it was healing. Still, it ticked him off every time he saw it. It had been such an unfair fight. He turned away from the mirror and returned to his recliner to wait for Carrie.
At precisely six o’clock a knock sounded on the door. Luke got up to answer, but before he did, a wave of nervousness tightened his gut. Was this a stupid idea? The last thing he wanted to do was put Carrie in any kind of danger. But what kind of danger could occur with them just having a drink at the Red Barn?
Before he could change his mind, he opened the door. “Hi, Carrie.” She looked pretty in tight jeans and a purple blouse that hugged her body and turned her blue eyes to a deep, beautiful violet.
