Her Cowboy Avenger (8 page)

“So he wasn’t in debt to anybody?” Money could be a strong motive for murder.

“Not that I heard.”

Which didn’t necessarily mean anything. A lot of people kept money matters private. If Weston had been in trouble with someone, it was possible no one knew but him and the other person.

Matt wanted to believe he wasn’t just clutching at straws. He couldn’t quite manage it.

He tried to think of something else he could ask, another possibility he could pursue, but came up empty. Which wasn’t good. Despite what Elena had told him, he’d figured there had to be someone out there who had a known beef with Bobby, maybe one she didn’t know about if they were as estranged as she said. He’d meant what he’d said. Everybody had enemies. Heck, Elena seemed to have nothing but in this town.

Elena...

He frowned as a fresh thought occurred to him. Maybe he was just looking at this all wrong. Bobby Weston may not have had any enemies—though he still doubted that—but maybe this wasn’t about him. Maybe it was about someone who did have plenty of people against her.

Elena.

Bobby Weston might be dead, but she was the one in a lot of trouble. Could all of this somehow be about
her?

“Tell me more about this woman who hired me,” he said to Fuller. “What’s so bad about her?”

A laugh burst out of Fuller’s mouth. “Killing her husband isn’t enough for you?”

“She hasn’t been convicted yet,” Matt pointed out. “She hasn’t even been arrested and it’s been a couple weeks, so there must not be much real evidence against her. But it seems like the whole town’s ready to believe she’s guilty.” He sent a pointed look the bartender’s way, only to get the same stony stare in return. “And you said the deputy never liked her to begin with. She’s got to be a pretty terrible person for everybody to turn on her like that.”

Fuller waved a hand dismissively. “Eh, I never had a problem with her. Her mother took off and her father was a bum, but she was an okay kid. Not popular or anything. Quiet, kept to herself. One of those kids you could tell was dreaming of getting out of here.”

“So why don’t people like her?”

“I think it was mostly marrying Weston that did it. That’s when people started looking at her different, and not in a good way. Before, they ignored her. After, they couldn’t. Weston was too big around here, too much a part of the town. That made her part of the town, and people didn’t like that. She wasn’t in her place. Really it all comes back to the money again. Everybody knew that was why she’d married him. She was dirt poor with a bum for a father, and she ended up hitched to the biggest name in this town. People judged her for that, especially after they saw her and Bobby weren’t really happy. They blamed her for that, for not making him happy. So when he turned up dead, nobody was surprised she killed him. She was in it for the money, and she finally killed him for it.”

Matt let the man’s words sink in. He had to admit it made sense—not her killing Weston, of course, but the reasons for the marriage and why the town had turned on her. He knew more than anybody how much security had meant to her back then. She’d married a guy who could give her that, so if it wasn’t for the money itself, it was for what the money could provide. Why else would she marry him so fast, after only three months? She’d known Matt that long, and sure as hell hadn’t chosen him.

The only other explanation he could think of was that she really had loved Weston—far more than she’d loved Matt, than he’d loved her.

He wasn’t sure which answer he’d like less.

He was crazy about me, and I...was crazy about him.

A sharp pain shafted through him at the idea. Which was just stupid, he thought angrily, trying to shake off the feeling. It was the past. It had been eight years. He was over it, over her. There was no reason it should hurt to know she hadn’t loved him as much as he’d thought he loved her.

But even as he thought it, the burn of that pain he’d felt in response lingered, too sharp to be shaken off that easily. He didn’t even want to think about why that was.

“Hey, don’t take it so hard,” Fuller said, likely misreading whatever was on Matt’s face. “I say go on and work for her. How many people like who they have to work for, you know? Unlike Ben here—” he raised his glass to the bartender “—I don’t begrudge you the work. Times like these, a man’s gotta do what he has to. But don’t get too comfortable, I’ll tell you that. And you might want to get her to pay you up front. Fact is, your new boss is headed to jail. It’s only a matter of time.”

Chapter Six

For the first time in more than a week, when Elena heard the sound of someone pulling into the driveway, her heart didn’t sink with dread. Instead, she felt a rush of anticipation, the feeling racing through her.

Then she realized the cause, the knowledge turning the small smile that had formed on her lips into a frown.

Matt. She was excited because Matt was back.

She shook herself. Good God, what was she doing?

Her husband had been dead for little more than a week. It hardly mattered that the feelings she’d once had for him had long since died. She had no business feeling this way about anyone right now, certainly not a man who’d suddenly reappeared in her life after eight years.

Nostalgia,
she told herself. What she was experiencing was just the effect of old memories. Which made even less sense considering how everything had ended between them.

The reminder should have been enough to kill the ridiculous emotional response. Still, she had to squelch another little tremor of anticipation as she made her way out of the barn where she’d been giving the horses their feed.

But when she reached the barn door, she saw it wasn’t Matt’s truck sitting in the driveway. Glen Marshall stood on the front porch.

Disappointment welled in her chest, the feeling just as absurd as the excitement she’d felt moments earlier. She tried to shake it off and forced a smile as she made her way up to the house. “Evening, Glen,” she called when she was close enough.

He matched her smile. “Evening, Elena. Is this a good time to stop by?”

His smile was as warm as it had always been, and she felt another twinge of guilt for the disappointment she’d felt when she’d seen it was him. A hearty man in his fifties, Glen was a successful rancher and had been a close friend of the Westons for years. More important, he was just about the only person in the area who didn’t treat her like an outcast. If anything, she should be glad to see his friendly face.

“Of course,” she said, crossing the porch and pushing the door open. “Come on in.”

Pulling his hat from his head, he stepped over the threshold and past her into the house. Elena closed the door behind him and nodded toward the living room. “Have a seat.”

“Thank you.” He took the chair on the far side of the coffee table, Elena taking the one opposite. “I heard you had some trouble in town today,” he said with an almost convincing casualness.

“I’m sure you did. And I bet whoever shared that news with you sounded pretty pleased, didn’t they?”

He had the grace to look away, but she could tell from the way he hesitated before answering that she was right.

“I wanted to make sure you were all right, and also talk to you about something.”

“I’m fine,” she said. “Already got my truck fixed and safely home, good as new. What did you want to talk to me about?”

“I’m sure Bobby probably mentioned that I’d offered to buy the ranch from him recently.”

Elena nodded. “He did.” And had been none too pleased about it. Glen and Big Jim Weston had been good friends ever since they were boys. After Big Jim’s death, Glen had sort of offered himself as a surrogate father to Bobby and his brother Junior, especially when it came to ranching matters. He’d been there to guide Junior, and then Bobby, giving advice when it was asked for and a willing ear when needed. Bobby had taken Glen’s offer as a sign the man didn’t have faith in him and didn’t think he could handle the ranch. Elena wasn’t so sure that wasn’t exactly the case. If anyone besides her had known how much Bobby had been struggling to keep things going around here, it was Glen. The fact that he’d thrown Bobby a lifeline when he needed one so badly probably wasn’t a coincidence.

“I want to make the same offer to you, with the same terms, though I’m certainly open to negotiation.”

The offer was a good one. More than good, really. Certainly more than the ranch would fetch on the open market in this economy. She’d wanted Bobby to take it. Of course, he hadn’t. “I appreciate that. I’ll definitely give it some thought.”

She could tell it wasn’t the answer he’d been looking for and suspected he’d thought she’d say yes right away. “Can I be completely honest with you, Elena?”

“I hope you will be.”

“Look, I don’t think there’s any question a lot of people think you killed Bobby. Not me,” he said quickly, “but a lot of people. And certainly Walt.”

“True enough.”

“Have you thought about hiring a lawyer?”

“Unfortunately, I have,” she admitted. “If Walt and Travis have their way, I’m going to need one sometime soon. I just don’t know how I’m going to pay for one.”

“I figured as much. Which is another reason I thought I should reiterate my offer. If you sell now, you can use the funds from the sale to buy the best lawyer money can buy, not have to worry about that.”

She couldn’t argue with him. The longer the threat of an arrest loomed over her head, she’d wondered how she was going to pay for an attorney should the time come. And even without lawyer fees to pay, she could use the money. Even so...

“Thank you for your concern, but I think it’s too early to consider making any kind of deal. I haven’t even had a chance to deal with Bobby’s will.”

“I understand that. So I thought I’d let you know I would be willing to make an advance payment once the papers are signed. You could use the money right away.”

The new twist drew her up short and actually made her consider it for a moment. He was certainly being more than generous. But even if she was ready to make a deal, she couldn’t even afford a lawyer to handle that for her.

“I really do appreciate the offer, Glen, but I have to admit I feel a little like I’d be taking advantage of you. We both know the land’s not worth as much as you’re proposing.”

“It is to me,” he said. “The Westons have always meant a great deal to me, and I’d hate to see the land they worked for generations sold to just anybody.”

It was the same thing he’d told Bobby, and she knew it was true. “I understand, but with everything that’s going on right now, I’m really not ready to face selling the ranch at the moment. But if and when the time comes I can sell, you can be sure I’ll think of you first.”

Again, she got the sense he was disappointed. She was almost afraid he would try to pressure her further, but instead he simply nodded. “I appreciate that.”

She did her best not to let her relief show that he was letting the subject go for now. She knew his intentions were good, and she would certainly be hard-pressed to find a better offer, but this was the last thing she wanted to think about today.

The sound of a vehicle approaching outside met her ears. This time there was no rush of anticipation. There was no telling who it might be.

Glen glanced at her. “Expecting company?”

“It might be the new hand I hired to help out around here. He should be getting back from town.”

She saw Glen’s eyebrows rise in surprise. Before he could say anything, she quickly rose to her feet. He followed suit a moment later.

Together they walked to the front door, reaching the porch in time to see Matt climbing out of his truck.

“I didn’t know you were looking for new hands, Elena,” Glen said, in a tone she couldn’t quite read.

“I wasn’t,” she said. “I needed to, but obviously I’ve had other things on my mind.”

Before he closed the truck door, Matt’s attention zeroed in on her and Glen. As he made his way to the porch, his gaze shifted from her to Glen and back. She read the question in his eyes, as though seeking a signal from her whether the man was friend or foe.

“Glen, this is Matt Alvarez,” she said easily. “Matt, Glen Marshall, a good friend of my husband’s family.”

Glen shot her a quick look. “
Your
family, Elena.”

She forced a small smile. “Of course.” Glen might consider her a Weston, but if so, he was likely the only one around here who ever had.

“Well, I should be going,” Glen said. “But again, think about my offer. I don’t think you’ll get a better one.”

“I will,” she promised again.

With a nod to Matt, Glen headed back to his truck. Matt and Elena watched him go in silence.

“Everything go okay in town?” she asked when Glen began to back out of the driveway.

“No problems. What offer?”

“To buy the ranch,” she explained. “It was a standing offer he had with Bobby. He wanted me to know it’s still on the table.” She shook her head. “Not that it matters at the moment. I’m in no position to sell anyway. I haven’t even been able to talk to Bobby’s lawyer about his will.”

“Why not?”

“Mostly because his lawyer seems to be avoiding me,” she acknowledged with more than a little irritation. “Not that I’m surprised.”

“What do you mean?”

“Jack Landry is the executor of Bobby’s estate, not to mention the only lawyer in town. He also happens to be Bobby’s cousin.”

“I thought Bobby was the last of the Westons.”

“He is. Jack’s not a Weston. His mother and Bobby’s were sisters.”

“So he’s probably not happy about the idea of you inheriting.”

“Nope. I made a couple calls to his office, and was told he wasn’t available. I left messages both times, and he hasn’t returned them. With everything else that’s been going on, I haven’t had time to follow up further yet. And to be honest, I started to worry how bad it would look if it seemed like I was too eager to see what I’d inherited from Bobby. Everybody already thinks I killed him. I didn’t want to give them any more reason to think so at the moment.”