Deadly Desperados (10 page)

“You have a lovely home.”

Mark Nixon was full of suave sophistication as Mary ushered him inside the house an hour before dinner was scheduled. His black hair, graying at the temples, was slicked back, and the Armani suit he wore practically screamed “I’m rich, you should bow down and worship me.”

His wife Nadine was something else entirely. Dennis was right when he said she was younger. She was in her thirties, but if Mandy had to guess she would peg the woman to be pushing forty rather than hugging the line to thirty. Her eyes had that “stretched” look that comes from a few too many nips and tucks, and her forehead refused to move thanks to a bevy of Botox. When you coupled that with a pair of lips that were puffed out thanks to fillers, it was easy to see that Nadine Nixon was a woman fighting time.

“Thank you,” Mary said, offering Mark and Nadine a welcoming smile. “Please come in and have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?”

“I’ll have a martini,” Mark said. “Wait, you probably don’t have gin. This is the country, after all. I’ll take a beer.”

He was trying to appeal to the masses, talking down to Mary like she was a country bumpkin. Mandy immediately didn’t like him.

“We have gin,” Ben said, his face stony.

“Then I would love a martini,” Mark said, unruffled.

“How about you, Nadine?” Mary asked.

“A martini would be great,” Nadine replied, taking a seat next to her husband on the couch. “I can’t tell you how great it is to see the inside of your house. I’ve wanted to for some time. It’s really beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Mary said, moving to the drink cart in the corner of the living room.

“And who might you be?” Mark asked, his eyes fixing on Mandy. Or, to be more precise, his gaze found Mandy’s legs and refused to move.

James fought the urge to pound the man right there and plastered a wide smile on his face. “I’m James,” he said. “I’m friends with Jake. We live in Michigan and the weather has been so cold we decided to come and visit his aunt and uncle to get away from the snow.”

“Oh, is this your first time in Kansas?”

“It is,” James replied.

“And where do you live in Michigan?”

It was a test, but it was one James was prepared for. He didn’t want to give Mark Nixon any reason to be suspicious of him. “We live in Grand Rapids,” he lied smoothly.

“And what do you do?”

“I own a construction business,” James answered. “Jake works for me there.”

Mark reluctantly dragged his attention away from Mandy’s legs and focused on Jake. Since Ally stood next to him, and her skirt was short enough to give any red-blooded man reason to stare, his eyes ultimately landed on her after a brief stopover on Jake’s face. “And is this your first time in Kansas, Jake?”

“I visited here quite often as a kid,” Jake replied, narrowing his eyes. He didn’t like the way Mark fixated on Ally. “I wanted to bring Ally here to meet my aunt and uncle. Since the weather has been so miserable at home, I figured now was as good a time as any.”

“Of course,” Mark said, dragging his eyes to Mary as she moved in front of him and handed him a martini. “Thank you very much.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Mark sipped his martini, shooting Mary an enthusiastic thumbs-up before returning to the conversation. “So, I heard you had a spot of trouble here last night,” he said. “One of your barns burned down, didn’t it?”

“It did,” Ben said, fidgeting in his chair. Jake could tell his uncle was barely containing himself. Ben knew how important it was to feel Mark out before exploding, but he was having a hard time letting his heart and mind compromise. “Luckily we got out there in time. We didn’t lose any animals and the structure and feed inside are covered by insurance.”

“That must be a relief,” Mark said. “I know these farms out here run on tight budgets. Will you have enough money to cover the loss of feed?”

“We’ll manage,” Ben replied dryly.

“I understand you’re a land developer,” James interjected, turning Mark’s attention to him in an effort to let Ben collect himself. He was clearly on the edge. “My understanding is that you’re interested in buying this farm.”

“I am.” Mark didn’t hesitate, or offer up a vague lie or excuse. He was matter-of-fact and straightforward. James could practically smell the smarminess wafting off of him, though. He was trying to appear like he had nothing to hide, which probably meant he was hiding a lot.

“No offense, but you don’t really look like a farmer,” James said. “Why would you want to take over the day-to-day operations of one?”

“I’m glad you asked that question,” Mark said, leaning back on the couch. “It’s a wonderful story, if I do say so myself. You see, when I was a boy, my grandfather had a farm. It was much like this one in scale, but the management of it was obviously different thanks to the advancements in technology.

“While I always dreamed of owning my own farm, I was never cut out for manual labor,” he continued. “With all of the equipment out there these days, I could hire workers and live out my dream on a farm while letting others do the work at the same time.”

“Wow, that was a well-rehearsed answer,” Mandy muttered so only James could hear.

James slipped his hand around Mandy’s waist and tugged her to the arm of the chair he sat on. He thoughtfully rubbed her back as he considered his next question.

“Did you know Charlie Dawkins?”

“I know Mr. Dawkins.”

James frowned. Mark used the present tense when referring to the man. He either didn’t know Charlie was dead, or he was trying to give the appearance that was the case. For some reason, James was convinced it was the latter. He was starting to get why Ben so vehemently disliked Mark Nixon.

“Did you hear he died?” Jake asked, his gaze trained on Mark to await his response.

Mark jerked forward, his eyes widening to almost comical proportions. “No. I hadn’t heard a thing about that. That’s terrible. How did it happen?”

“He was shot in the back of the head,” Ben interjected. “Some … piece of filth … walked right up behind him and pulled the trigger while Charlie was unaware anything was going on.”

“That’s insane,” Mark said, bucking for an Oscar with his feigned surprise. “Why would anyone do such a thing?”

Ben opened his mouth to answer, but Jake wisely cut him off before he could say something they would all regret. “The police think it might’ve been a drifter,” Jake lied. “They can’t think of any other motive that makes any sense.”

“Well, there is a lot of open country out here,” Mark said. “Wow. That’s a tragedy.”

“Especially since he was engaged and looking forward to a wedding,” Mary said.

“That’s definitely terrible,” Nadine said, sitting ramrod straight on the couch with her hands clasped in her lap. She was just about as uncomfortable as one person could be in a social setting.

“I understand you were interested in Charlie’s farm, too,” James pressed.

“I’m not sure what you’re insinuating,” Mark replied. “I’ve been sending out feelers regarding various farms in this area. In an ideal world, I’d like to buy a few of them.”

“Or four of them,” Nadine muttered. Her voice was so low James had to strain to hear her, and he wasn’t sure she said what he thought he said.

“Did you say he wants to buy four of them?” Mandy asked, earning a gentle squeeze of appreciation on her hip from James. “What would you possibly do with four farms?”

Mark chuckled, although his demeanor marginally slipped. “My wife is exaggerating,” he said. “We have looked at four farms in the area – including this one – but I would prefer two, not four.”

“I still don’t understand why you would want more than one farm,” Mandy said. “That’s like eight thousand acres of land to cultivate and keep up. Even if you don’t do any of the manual labor, that’s a lot of coordinating to keep track of.”

“I suppose,” Mark conceded. “My philosophy is that bigger is always better.”

“Mine, too,” Ally chimed in, earning a pointed frown from Jake and a stifled giggle from Mandy.

Mark shot Ally a charming grin and wink. “I like you.”

“Everyone does,” Ally replied.

Even James had to smirk this time. Even though he was enjoying the way Ally toyed with Mark, he wanted to get the conversation back on track. “What are you going to do now that the Dawkins farm is out of play?”

Mark’s expression turned from predatory to puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Before Mark’s arrival, James and Jake concocted a story just to test his reaction. It was time to see if their plan would work out to their liking.

“Well, Charlie had a deal with Ben to give him the first right of refusal for his property in the event he moved or died,” James explained. “Even though you want the property, Ben is the one who is probably going to take it over.”

“That’s right,” Ben said, engaging in the lie. “I’ll be the one with two farms.”

Mark was clearly taken aback, the news causing him to rethink his position. “I understand that you do very well with your plot of land, Ben, but do you have the money to take over a second farm? That doesn’t seem likely to me.”

“We have family money,” Jake interjected. “Uncle Ben wouldn’t actually be taking over the Dawkins farm. I would do it. I’ve always loved this community, and to be able to get a piece of land so close to my uncle would be a dream come true. I’m definitely considering it.”

Mark balked. “But … you live in Michigan,” he said, turning to Ally. “My dear, do you really want to move to Kansas? I would think you’d be much happier in a more metropolitan area.”

“Oh, no,” Ally lied, her smile bright and eyes sparkling. “I’ve been learning how to cook and I love animals. When I was a kid, I was obsessed with
Little House on the Prairie
. If Jake buys the farm and we move here, I would literally get to be just like Laura Ingalls.”

James had to press his lips together to keep from laughing at the horrified expression on Mark’s face.

“Wouldn’t you miss your family?” Nadine asked, although James had no idea if she was trying to take the onus of the conversation off of her husband or if she was genuinely curious.

“They would visit,” Ally replied. “I would visit them, too. Ben and Mary are Jake’s family, though. I feel like they’re my family now. I would love to move out here. I’ve always wanted a pony to call my very own.”

“I’ll give you one as a housewarming present,” Ben offered, clearly enjoying the game.

“I don’t understand,” Mark said. “I … why did you invite me out here?”

“We just want to get to know you,” Mary answered smoothly. “If you do buy one of the farms in the area, we’ll be neighbors. We love spending time with our neighbors.”

“In fact, we’re having a special bonfire for all the workers and our guests tonight,” Ben said, slapping his knee. “I think that would be a great way for you to get to know us and get a good feeling for the area in case you really do move here.”

“I … but your barn just burned down,” Mark said. “You can’t possibly want to throw a party.”

This was also part of the plan. James instructed Ben to act as if the loss of the barn was actually welcome.

“We were going to replace that thing in three months anyway,” Ben replied. “Now the insurance is going to pay for all the upgrades we need. We didn’t lose any animals so, well, I’m fine with it burning down. I think God must’ve sent that storm.”

James internally cringed. That might be laying it on a little bit too thick.

“I … .” Mark was at a loss for words.

“I insist that you stay for the bonfire tonight,” Ben said, hopping to his feet. “If you’re worried about getting that fancy suit dirty, I have an extra pair of work overalls in the garage.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“Well, that’s your choice,” Ben said. “I think you should definitely stay, though. It would be the neighborly thing to do.”

“Okay.” Mark looked bewildered, but he didn’t want to lose the upper hand he was convinced he had. “We would love to attend a bonfire with you this evening.”

Nadine was flabbergasted. “We would?”

“Of course we would,” Mark said, shooting her a dark look. “It sounds delightful.”

Jake and James exchanged amused glances. Something finally was going their way. Now they just had to get Mark and Nadine to separate and then loosen up. They were bound to get some answers once that happened.

“I want a s’more.”

James sighed and shifted his gaze from the bag of marshmallows Jake held to his wife. The bonfire party was just getting underway, and while Mark and Nadine skirted the cavorting workers and attempted to pretend they were having a good time, James could tell they were uncomfortable.

He wanted to wait them out a bit longer before separating them, so he decided now was the perfect time to stuff Mandy’s face with marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. She was – per usual – impatient.

“You see me getting the marshmallows, right?”

Mandy scowled. “Yes.”

“What do you think I’m going to do with them?”

“I thought maybe you wanted to play a kinky game like the time we bought that marshmallow fluff and … .”

Jake cleared his throat. “You two see me standing right here, don’t you?”

“You’re hard to miss,” Mandy shot back as James grinned.

“I don’t need to hear the marshmallow fluff story,” Jake explained. “You’re going to give me nightmares.”

“It’s not like the marshmallow fluff was on an armadillo,” Mandy said, tugging on James’ sleeve. “I really want a s’more.”

“You’re like a whiny kid at a campout,” James muttered. “I will make you a s’more if you do me a favor.”

Mandy waited.

“Go over there and talk to Mark and Nadine,” James instructed. “I want them to feel uncomfortable – but like we’re trying to make them comfortable. Do you think you can do that?”

“I think I was born to do that.”

James dropped a quick kiss on Mandy’s mouth. “I love you, baby. If he tries to touch you when no one is looking … .”

“I’ll kick him in the nuts and call for you,” Mandy finished. “I know the drill.”

“Before you go, where is Ally?” Jake asked, straightening so he could survey the area. Ben managed to enlist almost thirty workers for the bonfire and Ally was lost in a see of gregarious faces.

Mandy pointed to a spot over his shoulder. “She’s learning how to line dance from several of the guys. They love her in that skirt.”

Jake scowled. “Oh, man. Are they hitting on her?”

“It’s just dancing,” Mandy replied. “It’s harmless. She’s having a good time and Mark keeps staring at her legs when her skirt twirls up. Isn’t that what you guys had in mind when you asked us to dress this way?”

“I have something a little different in mind for when we’re done here,” James said. “Although … yeah … Mark does seem fixated on Ally. He seems perfectly fine to let his attention flit between the two of you when you’re around, though.”

“I think I might’ve just been insulted,” Mandy mused.

“Never, baby,” James said, swatting her butt playfully. “I’m just saying he doesn’t seem to have a type. Any woman who is not his wife appears to be fine.”

“Now I know I’ve been insulted.”

“I’ll make sure to kiss your bruised ego when we get back to the cabin tonight,” James promised.

“How come you’re not over there learning how to line dance?” Jake asked, a pained expression on his face as he watched one of the workers move in closer to Ally. “I would feel better if both of you were … dancing.”

Mandy patted his arm sympathetically. “I have no rhythm,” she explained. “Ally looks good dancing. I look like I’m having a seizure.”

James snorted. “Baby, I think you’re exaggerating,” he said. “I happen to love dancing with you.”

“You hate it and I make you do it,” Mandy countered. “We both know it. There’s no reason to lie. That’s also a different kind of dancing. Slow songs don’t require rhythm. All I have to do is cuddle close to you and let you sway with me in your arms.

“What Ally is doing is different,” she continued, her gaze hopping to her best friend, who was surprisingly agile in her boots. “I really wish I had rhythm sometimes.”

“Baby, you don’t need rhythm,” James said, squeezing her rounded rear to offer comfort. “You have my heart. Rhythm is … obsolete.”

Mandy giggled. “You’re going to get really lucky tonight.”

“I am really lucky every night we’re together,” James countered. “Now go over there and see how uncomfortable you can make them while I fix you a s’more. I’ll come and save you in a few minutes.”

“SO,
are you having fun?” Mandy sidled up to Mark, forcing him to drag his eyes away from Ally’s legs as she kicked around to the beat of some country song.

“It’s a beautiful evening,” Mark said, causing Mandy to internally smirk. He was smarmy and smug – a combination she loathed.

“It is,” Mandy agreed. “I’m not used to being on such open property. I love looking at the stars, though.”

“You don’t see those in … where did you say you were from again?”

Mandy recognized the question for what it was: a test. “Grand Rapids,” she replied. “It’s not a huge city, but there are enough lights that it can seriously cut down on the stargazing.”

“Yes, and who doesn’t love sitting in a field staring at stars?” Nadine asked, wrinkling her nose. Mark shot her a quelling look and Nadine immediately reined in her disdain. “I’m sorry. I’m just … tired. I’m going to go a bit closer to the fire, if you don’t mind? I could use some warming up.”

“Go ahead,” Mandy said, smiling broadly. James wanted the two of them separated so they would be easier to question. “I’ll make sure your husband isn’t lonely.”

“Oh, my husband is never lonely.”

Mandy didn’t miss the pointed jab, but she opted to ignore it. Once Nadine left, the blonde turned what she hoped was a flirty-looking smile on Mark. “Your wife doesn’t seem to like the country.”

“She’ll live,” Mark said dryly. “I’m not sure my wife likes much of anything these days. She’s not like you.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean she’s not adventurous,” Mark said. “You have that air of youth around you that makes people see possibility. All my wife has floating around her is a bad attitude and poise. She manages to get by thanks to the poise.”

“Still, if she’s not going to be happy out here, why do you want to move out here so badly?”

“I already told you.”

“Yes, but you don’t seem like the farm type no matter what you say,” Mandy pressed. “You talk a good game, but I think you want something else.”

Mark offered Mandy an indulgent smile. It was almost as if she was a child sneaking candy out of his pocket. “And what do you think I’m doing out here?”

Mandy shrugged. “Right now I think you’re trying to figure out how you’re going to get the Dawkins farm even though Ben has the right of first refusal.”

Mark’s smile never faltered, but the flash in his eyes told Mandy she’d hit the nail on the head. “Does your husband let you walk around talking about things you don’t understand?”

The shift in Mark’s demeanor shouldn’t have surprised Mandy, but it was so quick she couldn’t help but jolt. “My husband is the type of man who believes everyone should express what they’re feeling whenever the mood strikes,” she replied. “He doesn’t really try to shut me up.”

“Maybe he should.”

“Maybe who should what?” James asked, appearing at Mandy’s side and sliding a plate with a s’more on it in front of her. “As requested, wife, one s’more with all the fixings. I expect some profound rewarding for that there dessert sandwich when we go to bed tonight.”

Mandy smiled. “Oh, you have no idea how profound I’m going to be tonight.” She shoveled the s’more into her mouth, taking a huge bite and causing James’ heart to swim with love as he watched her. There was very little about her he didn’t find cute. Right now she was downright adorable.

“So, what were you guys talking about?” James asked, reluctantly dragging his eyes away from Mandy’s mouth as she licked the marshmallow from her lips.

“Oh, your wife was just telling me how much she enjoyed the stars out here,” Mark said, his fake smile firmly in place. “I told her that was exactly why I wanted to move to a farm.”

“Is that so?”

Mandy nodded. “Yeah, and then he told me that you should tell me to shut up more often because I have a big mouth and ask questions about things that are none of my business.”

James narrowed his eyes. “Is that so?”

“I don’t think I used those exact words,” Mark hedged, shifting from one foot to the other. “I … your wife simply irritated me when she told me I don’t look like a farmer.”

“You
don’t
look like a farmer,” James pointed out.

“That doesn’t mean I don’t belong here,” Mark clarified. “I don’t think how a man dresses is representative of who he is. Just because I like suits, that doesn’t mean I don’t like farms, too.”

“I don’t think anyone was insinuating anything of the sort,” James said.

“Your wife was.”

“My wife has a keen mind and likes to ask questions,” James countered. “She can’t help herself. In fact, it’s something we have in common. Speaking of that, tell me a little bit about what you do. I’m very interested in land development down the road and I’d like to pick your brain for how the game is played.”

“I … .” Mark was caught. He knew it. He couldn’t bow out without causing suspicion, so he gave in. “Sure. What do you want to know?”

“YOUR
girlfriend likes to be the center of attention, doesn’t she?”

Jake glanced up, surprised to find Nadine loitering in the open spot next to him. He hadn’t felt her approach.

“Ally has a way of sucking all of the energy out of a space and forcing everyone’s attention on her,” Jake replied, smiling softly as he watched Ally attempt to learn a complicated step – with mixed results.

“You seem fond of her.”

“I am,” Jake said, shaking himself out of his reverie and turning back to Nadine. This was an opportunity to feel her out, and he didn’t want to lose it no matter how much he was enjoying watching Ally entertain the masses. “You don’t seem like you’re having much fun.”

“I don’t know why you would say that,” Nadine countered. “I happen to love standing in a field and swatting bugs all night. I have a feeling I’m really going to enjoy smelling like burned … wood … when I get home. I’ll have to throw this suit out.”

Jake pursed his lips. This was definitely not the sort of woman who enjoyed the outdoors. “If you don’t like campfires … and you have a thing about bugs … how do you think you’re going to survive life on a farm?”

“I guess I’ll have to convince my husband to hire someone to swat the mosquitoes for me,” Nadine suggested. “I have a feeling she’ll look a lot like Ally … or maybe even Mandy.”

Jake watched as Nadine focused on Mark and James. “You know, it’s probably none of my business, but your husband has cultivated quite the reputation around town as something of a ladies’ man.” It was a calculated risk, but something told Jake Nadine wanted to badmouth her husband – so he led her to the preferred outcome without preamble. “If he’s chasing women all over town, why are you still with him?”

If Nadine was insulted, she didn’t let on. “He’s rich.”

“So all you care about is the money?”

“You’re young and you’ve still got that naïve glow that accompanies youth,” Nadine replied. “I’m not stupid. I know what … and who … my husband is. I know he would much rather spend his time with women like Ally … and Mandy, although her husband seems a little possessive and I would be careful if I was in Mark’s shoes on that front.

“I don’t really care what Mark wants … or who he humps when I’m not looking,” she continued. “I care about living the best life I can possibly live … for me. You might look at Ally and see some shiny plaything to waste a few years with. I don’t have years to waste.”

Jake frowned. “I love Ally. She’s my future.”

“She’s not going to remain your future if you move her out to this godforsaken place and plant her on a farm,” Nadine shot back. “Women like Ally don’t belong out here. She’s putting on a good show now, but she can’t look at this place and see her future. Trust me.”

For some reason, Jake felt sympathy for the woman. She was so unhappy he could practically feel it wafting off of her. “There’s more to life than money, Nadine. If you want to be happy … .”

“Money makes me happy,” Nadine said, cutting him off. “One day you’ll realize that this idealized life you have planned for yourself isn’t going to happen. It was a hard blow for me to absorb, too. When you realize it, though, you’ll also come to understand that love isn’t what makes the world go round. Money is.”

“I can live without money,” Jake countered. “I can’t live without Ally.”

“We’ll see,” Nadine said, forcing a smile as she moved around the bonfire. “I used to think like you at one time, Jake. Life proved to me that it was a mistake. It will do the same to you. Have a nice night.”