High Desert Detective, A Fiona Marlowe Mystery (Fiona Marlowe Mysteries) (35 page)

Opal shook her head. “Tillie, what trouble are you stirring up
now? I don’t know where or how you got in contact with Jake’s ex, a woman he
has tried for years to find. But it seems like you are determined to kill
Jake’s chances of getting this ranch. Why is that?”

“It’s not about Jake. It’s about what is fair to the family. We
are family, Opal.
You and me and Sammie.
If I buy the
ranch it will continue in the family.”

“Not with an outside backer.”

“He’s not outside. He’s family.”

No one spoke. Opal studied Tillie’s face so long her niece turned
away. Opal had heard Sammie’s breathing quicken and knew it was a matter of
time before there was a Sammie eruption.

Finally Opal said, “Who is it?”

Tillie looked like she didn’t want to say.

Opal’s own blood pressure was on the rise, and it did not help
her feeling of malaise. She wondered if Tillie on top of everything was trying
to give her a heart attack. Well, Opal was one determined woman, and she was
determined to see Jake get the ranch, relatives
be
damned.

“I said, who is it?”

“Reese,” Tillie finally said.

Opal thought that one over. “He hasn’t been around for years. We
all thought him dead.”

“He’s very much alive. He’s made himself a big fortune, and he’s
looking for a place to invest. I told him what was going on here, and he’ll top
any offer Jake makes you.”

“As I remember Reese always had some scheme going. He must have
made this big fortune dealing drugs, because he didn’t have a head for much
else.”

Tillie shrugged. “I don’t know or care where or how he got the
money. I want this ranch.”

“Why?” said Opal.

“How can you ask me that? Why? Why? Because I want a nice life
like you always had and not the life I was handed.”

Opal shook her head. “You have now convinced me that you live on
another planet. You don’t know what an honest day’s work is. It is not in your
DNA. I don’t know how that happened because Henry’s people are a decent
hardworking lot. You missed out when the good Lord handed out common sense.”

Tillie said nothing. But she had the audacity to return Opal’s
stern look. She wasn’t going to back down.

As far as Opal was concerned, Tillie had just gone around the
bend. Opal knew what she had to do. She had spent years making tough ranch
decisions. In her book the ranch came over family. She could make this decision
for the ranch.

She said, “Tillie, I’m nobody’s fool. I’m going to do something
that I don’t want to do, but I probably should have done a long time ago.” She
turned to Sammie. “Will you help me stand? I’m not sure I can on my own.”

Sammie took Opal’s arm and helped her to her feet.

“Come, Tillie, I’ll walk you to the door. This is the last time
I’m going to do this.”

Tillie stood with a puzzled look on her face. Opal leaned on
Sammie’s arm, feeling the weight of her illness and the weight of her years
upon her.

“What are you talking about?” Tillie said.

“Come with me, Tillie. Sammie, help me along, won’t you? I feel a
little wobbly.”

The threesome walked to the front door. Opal opened it herself.
“Come, Tillie, follow me.”

Tillie, still looking puzzled, followed Opal with Sammie
supporting her to Tillie’s truck.

“Get in now, Tillie,” Opal said.

Tillie pulled her keys from her back jeans pocket but didn’t make
a move to get in the truck. “What’s this all about? What about the ranch and my
offer.”
 
But it seemed to be dawning on
Tillie what was in the works.

“Get in, Tillie,” Opal said again.

This time Tillie did as commanded, finally intimidated by the
look on Opal’s face.

After she had shut the door and started the truck, Opal said. “Don’t
come back.
Ever.
You have no place here, and I’m
finished with you. I’m cutting you out of the estate. You will get no loan. You
are on your own. If Reese has so much money you can get it from him. You are no
longer any niece of mine.”

Tillie glared down at Opal. “You haven’t heard the last of me.” With
that she put the truck in reverse, backed around and drove away.

Opal and Sammie watched her go till even the dust trail had died
away.

Sammie said, “I’m sorry it had to come to this, Opal. But it was long
overdue. I don’t think any of us should be left anything of your estate. You
should give the money to charity. ”

Opal smiled faintly. She felt oddly exhilarated. “I just may.
Now, Samantha dear, would you please help me to my room? I must lie down before
I fall down, and you might not be able to get me up again if that happens.”

Seventeen

Jake heard about the scene with Tillie from Samantha after dinner.
The boys had left to finish up the chores, and he sat with Fiona and Sammie at
the dining table over coffee. He had finished the machinery repair, keeping
Fiona close by his side. He was uneasy about Tillie and what she would do. When
he heard about the confrontation with Opal, he knew he had to take precautions.
Tillie was one of the people, apparently along with Reese, behind trying to
scare them from the ranch. He didn’t have the evidence to pin anything on her.
But maybe he could catch her in the act. He wasn’t exactly sure what act that
would be. As for his ex-wife reappearing and coming after him, he wished she would.
Maybe then he could find his little girl, and he said as much to Fiona and
Sammie.

“Opal doesn’t need this,” he said. “Not now. Not ever.”

“I agree,” said Sammie. “I’ll go over to Tillie’s tomorrow to
talk some sense into her, though it has never worked before.”

Jake shook his head. “Don’t go. Nothing you can do now is going
to change her. It might be dangerous for you. I’m not sure what Tillie’s next
move is, but I have a feeling it might involve fire again.”

“What will she do this time?” asked Fiona.

She sat beside Jake their elbows touching. That small connection
comforted Jake.

“I think she’ll set a range fire.”

Sammie and Fiona looked at him wide-eyed.

“She wouldn’t do that,” said Fiona.

Sammie said, “I think she would. The Tillie I saw today was more
desperate than she has ever been.
Much more desperate.
I saw Rosemary and Esme in town today while I was waiting for Opal. They said
they’d been over to Tillie and Howie’s ranch, and it is more run down than
ever. They aren’t taking care of it. Rosemary said there wasn’t a cow on the
place.”

Jake said, “It is unfortunate for them, but I am glad Opal said
what she did.”

“Where do you think she is going to set this range fire?” Sammie
asked.

Jake rubbed his chin. “The driest part of the ranch is up on that
windy ridge. Set a fire up there and with a good westerly wind, it will sweep
down the ridge toward the ranch buildings. I’ll clear a fire break around that
side of the buildings. That should protect the house and out buildings. I’ll
clear a break on the west side of the pivots also. If things get bad, I can
turn on the irrigation pivots so the alfalfa doesn’t burn although that will ruin
the alfalfa that is down. That’s a chance I’ll have to take if it comes to
that. If the fire is too hot, it will burn everything. If the wind
changes,
and they set a fire on a different side, we are out
of luck, dry as it is.”

Fiona slid her hand through his arm. “Do you really think it will
come to this?”

Jake shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’m going to be prepared.” He
rose. “I’m going out and get the boys working on the fire break. They aren’t
going to like working all night but I have this feeling that she’ll make her
next move pretty soon. I’d like you ladies each to pack an emergency bag with
things you might need if we have to leave in a hurry. Sammie, can you pack one
for Opal? She’s going to need her medications. Where’s Olympia? Does anyone
know?”

“She’s writing in her room,” said Fiona. “She’s been at it all
day. When she gets like this she doesn’t stop.”

“Tell her to be ready. Park the rigs to the front of the house so
they don’t get trapped in the back.” He looked around. “There’s a fire safe in
the office. We’ll put important papers we don’t take with us in there. Opal can
help with that.”

He pulled Fiona into a one arm hug and kissed her. “Take this
seriously,” he said. “People have been known to set fires around here. There
might be more cattle stealing, although I have a theory about that.”

“What?” said Fiona, pulling back to look at him.

“I think the rustlers were using Lovejoy’s ranch to launder cows,
so to speak. I think the new equipment in there was some they might have
stolen. When we showed up and the old man put the house up for sale, they
cleared out. So the question is where did they go? Maybe Reese could tell us.”

Sammie said, “I’ll see what I can find out about Reese by making
a few discreet inquiries with my relations. I thought he was long gone, so it
was a surprise when his name came up. I’ll call Doc. He’s a good place to
start. Jake, you don’t think the cattle rustling is over?”

“Not over, just on hold till they find a new base of operation.
But if I’m right that they were using Lovejoy’s place that was pretty clever
operating right under everyone’s noses.” He turned to Fiona. “Keep in touch
with me by phone. If either of you sees or hears anything that isn’t quite
right, call me immediately, okay?”

Both women nodded their heads, and he strode away into the dusk.

* * * * *

Fiona looked at Sammie.

“I’m scared,” said Sammie. “Are you scared?”

“I think I am, but let’s get busy and do what Jake asks. That
will take our minds off our fears. If nothing comes of it all the better, but
at least we will be ready in case of any emergency. I’ll talk to Olympia.”

“I’ll see if Opal is awake. I’ll help her.”

“Right.
Let’s try not to sound too
alarming.”

Fiona hurried down the hall toward Olympia’s room. Was Jake being
too hasty? She thought not. After the confrontation with Tillie up on the ridge
and then hearing about Tillie resurfacing again this afternoon, she was of the
same opinion as Jake. Tillie was going to stop at nothing to get them off the
ranch. She wondered about Reese. He was on the list of suspects. They might not
have to look for him. He might show his hand now that Tillie had exposed him.

Olympia’s door was closed. Fiona tapped lightly. When Olympia
didn’t answer, she knocked louder and eased open the door. Olympia was frenetically
typing away at her computer. It looked like she hadn’t moved from the spot
since Fiona left her that morning. Her hair stood at odd angles from her head
like she had been pulling on it. Her glasses were askew, and remnants of food,
candy wrappers, and coffee cups littered the table top where she had parked her
computer.

She looked up. “What?”

Fiona walked over to the table and leaned over to see what she
was writing.

Olympia covered the screen. “Don’t look. I never let anyone see
my first draft. Now what is it?”

“You’ve been holed up in here all day.”

“No, I haven’t. I’ve left to find sustenance.”

“I can see that. However, we have an emergency.” Fiona quickly
ran through the day’s events before Olympia had a chance to shut her up.

Olympia frowned. “I did say if it involved fire you could bother
me.” She hurriedly typed in something then smiled up at Fiona. “I was just
making a plot note to myself. This new development will make an excellent plot point
for my story.”

As gently as possible, Fiona said, “You need to be ready to leave
in about five minutes, if Jake sounds the retreat. I don’t mean to alarm you,
but that is the sad fact. We don’t know what will happen, but we need to be
ready. This is a precaution, nothing may come of it.”

Olympia cast a quick glance around the room. “I can throw all of
my clothes in the suitcase in five minutes, grab my computer and be off.”

“Where is your Range Rover parked?”

Olympia frowned. “I forgot about it. Paul dropped me off and took
it to Nevada.”

“You’re a trusting soul.”

“It won’t be the first mistake in my life if he doesn’t return
for me. But I think he will.” She smiled. “I think he kind of likes me. Now I
know you are in crisis mode. You get ready. I’ll be working here. Just sound
the alarm if I have to leave. Give me those five minutes. Will I fit in your truck?”

“You will. We can throw everything in the bed of the truck and be
gone. I’ll keep you apprised. Are you going to work through the night?”

“Sometimes I do. I don’t know. It will depend upon how long the
muse stays with me.” She turned back to the computer.

“You’re going to go blind.”

“I haven’t yet.
But what a way to go.”
And she began typing again.

Fiona smiled and shook her head. Olympia was one of a kind.
 
As she left, she said, “I’m going to leave
the door open so we can check on you without disturbing you, okay?”

Olympia barely nodded. She was lost in her story again.

Fiona’s next stop was the guest room she was using. She didn’t
have much to pack either. She had hardly unpacked. Her attire since she arrived
had been mostly jeans or sweats. She quickly figured out what she would do and
arranged her roll-on suitcase on the bed. All she had to do was pull her
hanging clothes from the closet, gather her toiletries and bag them. Her
computer was already in its case. She gazed at the bed. She had been looking
forward to another night with Jake in his big bed, but it didn’t look like that
would happen. One could always hope.

She looked out the window at the darkening sky, and the soothing
colors of the sunset. She couldn’t deny her heart. She was in love with Jake.
She didn’t know when it had happened, but last night had clinched the deal.
With his body he had shown her how much he cared for her. Surprising herself,
she had done the same. There was no lingering doubt in her mind. What Lauren
had said didn’t ring true. What Tillie had said about Jake’s ex-wife going
after him didn’t either.