Peril by Ponytail (A Bad Hair Day Mystery) (5 page)

“So tell me, where do you live, Annie?” Marla picked up a dessert plate and carried it into the dining room, while the younger woman did the same.

Annie placed her plates on the table where the men sat chatting. “I rent an apartment in town. I love having my own place, and it isn’t too far from Dad’s house if he needs me.”

“You’re welcome to move in with me and save money,” Raymond’s voice boomed.

“No, thanks. You should build yourself a casita on the ranch like you’ve been saying. That house is too big for you all by yourself.”

“It is not. I manage just fine. Wayne wouldn’t want me underfoot, plus I’m closer to Craggy Peak from town.”

“How old is your father?” Marla asked in an undertone on their way back to the kitchen.

“Would you believe he’s seventy-three? I hope I’m in as good shape when I reach his age.”

“How did he get interested in renovating the ghost town?”

“The rundown buildings became an eyesore to the area. There was talk about tearing them down. Garrett tried to get an historical preservation society started, but he couldn’t rouse enough interest.”

“Garrett Long, the forest ranger?”

“That’s right. He was a history buff and loved to talk about the region’s rich past.”

“Really? I thought Garrett and your Dad went riding together, and that’s how he was acquainted with the family.”

“That, too. Anyway, Garrett convinced Dad that saving the town would be a worthwhile venture. So Dad bought the property and started the project. Carol ran the figures and said the additional income, once the attraction was up and running, would help their bottom line.”

“How did your father finance the title purchase and initial construction costs?”

Annie’s lips tightened. “I assume he used his savings. Anyway, the project gives him a purpose, and I have to admit I like the idea. I’ll help him find merchants once the place is ready.”

“What do you mean?” Marla pictured a dead town with tumbleweeds rolling through and empty saloon doors swinging in the wind. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen a single tumbleweed in the Arizona landscape.

“He wants to model it after Tombstone, the historic site of the battle at the O.K. Corral. Besides a recreation of the gunfight, the town has quaint shops and restaurants. It attracts quite a crowd.”

“Oh, I see.” That wasn’t her impression of a ghost town at all, but then her notion came from the handful of western movies she’d seen. The genre didn’t hold much appeal for her.

“If you and Dalton find the time, you should take a ride to Tombstone. You’d want to stay overnight as it’s a long drive from here. Otherwise, you’ll have to come back for another visit to see the rest of the state.” She grinned broadly, making Marla smile in response.

“So are there any ghosts associated with Raymond’s project, or is it called a ghost town because everyone deserted it?”

“Ask Dad to tell you the stories. They’re fun if nothing else.” In the kitchen, she picked up another couple of dessert plates and walked them over to the children. “Here you go, kids. Don’t spill anything.”

Marla stood by awkwardly, wondering if she should offer to help Carol, who was scrubbing pots. But Annie returned to resume their conversation.

“I love those kids. They’re like my own for now.”

“Any boyfriends on the horizon?” Marla asked with a glance in Carol’s direction. Carol had her back turned to them, but Marla bet she was listening.

“Nuh-uh. Anyway, I hope Dad learns what happened to that worker who went missing. It’s put a cog in his wheel. His work force is a superstitious bunch.”

“So I’ve heard. They believe the man saw a ghost on the hillside and followed it?”

“He might have followed someone, but I doubt it was an apparition.”

“Did you learn why your mother and uncle aren’t speaking?” Marla asked Dalton on the drive back to the ranch. The headlights of their black Toyota RAV4 lit the winding road ahead, while stars sprinkled the sky. Accustomed to the city glow of suburbia, she marveled at the view.

“Uncle Ray didn’t say anything on the subject. He’s more concerned about this other rancher—Hugh Donovan—as the source of his current troubles.”

“Do you think he’s right?”

Dalton’s jaw clenched as he focused forward. “Wayne seems inclined to agree with him.”

“And what about Raymond’s relationship with the dead forest ranger? I sensed something more than he let on.”

“That’s the sheriff’s business. As far as we know, the man’s death was an accident. It’s a loss for Uncle Ray because they’d been friends.”

“Annie would like to see her father move to the ranch. He’s in his seventies and living alone in his house. He’d have his meals provided for him there.”

“He gets around fine on his own. Besides, she doesn’t live that far from him if he should need her.” He spared Marla a glance. “You and Annie hit it off quite well.”

A smile played around her mouth. “I like Annie. She’s independent and business oriented, like me. I promised to stop by her clinic, and while I’m in town, I can buy a pair of boots and a few other things we need. Let’s check the activities scheduled for the next few days to see when we can fit in the time.”

They did so after showering and getting ready for bed. Marla sorted through the papers Dalton had dumped on the dinette table and found the agenda for the week.

“Forget horseback rides for me until I get properly outfitted, but you can go if you want. For tomorrow, different riding sessions begin at nine. Then we can choose from a nature walk, a more strenuous hike, or a tennis mixer. After lunch, the ranch offers fishing at a lake, a lecture about venom, or a demonstration on horsemanship.”

“I’d rather take a ride to Craggy Peak. Aren’t you curious to see Uncle Ray’s ghost town? We can relax here later in the day.”

Dalton, wearing a towel wrapped around his waist and nothing more, approached in a manner that let her know what was on his mind. Her interest flared, but she tamped it down until they covered an important topic.

“I wish you’d told me your reasons for coming here before you accepted Wayne’s invitation.”

He halted and frowned at her. “How so?”

“You could have said he was having problems and needed your help. I would have understood your choice better.”

“Does it matter?”

“It matters to me. I was hurt that you made the decision alone. It’s true I agreed with your arrangements, but Arizona wouldn’t have been my prime choice for a honeymoon. You know how I’ve always dreamed of going to Tahiti. That island might be out of our budget, but an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean would have served the same purpose.”

“You should have said something sooner.” Consternation lit his features, but she held firm to her stance. They had to clear the air on this now, so it didn’t happen again.

“You’re right, I should have expressed how I felt,” she said. “However, I knew it was important for you to be with your family.”

“We could have made plans to come out here some other time. Our honeymoon should be special to both of us.” He stepped forward and put his hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize how you felt earlier.”

“Hereafter, please ask me before making plans that affect us both. It’s not the only time this has happened.”

“Guilty as charged.”

His look of chagrin softened her heart. “I know you want to help your cousin get to the bottom of his problems, and I’ll admit that he has me curious, too. However, this
is
our honeymoon, and it’s likely to be the only time off we have together for quite a while.”

“Oh, don’t worry. My focus is entirely on you.” His hot gaze perused her body in its see-through nightie, while his muscular chest mere inches away stirred her more intimate regions.

“Stop that. We need to finish this discussion.” The heat from his skin raised her temperature as he edged closer. “You’re seducing me. That’s not fair.”

“I promise to consult you about our plans from now on. I get it. It’s true I tend to take charge, but I have to remember two of us are involved now. Can you forgive me?”

Meeting his gaze, she noted the sincerity in his smoky gray eyes, and her resistance melted. He closed the distance between them and lowered his head. His kiss dissolved any remaining dregs of anger as their celebration began in earnest.

Monday morning, they arose early to partake of the breakfast buffet and to explore the grounds. Marla admired the various relics decorating the landscape. The dusty ore car, wheel contraption, and broken-down wooden cart added to the ambiance as much as the cacti.

Horses whinnied in the near distance while an earthy scent entered her nose. She paused beside a set of bleachers overlooking the arena for rodeos and other demos. “When do you want to go to Craggy Peak?” She glanced at her watch. “It’s too early yet. Your uncle might not be there. We should wait until after lunch.”

Dalton gazed at a densely-branched cholla plant amid a bed of reddish dirt. “In that case, do you feel up to a round of tennis, or would you rather go on the nature walk?”

“Let’s take the hike if it goes into the forest. Maybe we’ll find the spot where the ranger fell off the ledge. You can head to the lobby to sign us up. I’ll meet you after I change into sneakers.”

With a bounce in her step, Marla turned toward their hacienda located at the summit of the hill. That gave them a grand view, but it was a trek to access the public areas.

Along the way, she glanced at a sign marked Laundry and the path beyond. That alleyway might provide a shortcut. She followed the narrow path edged between two concrete walls. An employee parking lot ahead and to the right served as a storage depot, judging from the stacks of plastic crates and folding chairs piled there.

The path veered left toward an upper level. As she passed the laundry room, a crash sounded from the interior, followed by a curse in Spanish. Did someone need help? Marla wondered if these facilities were for staff or for guests.

As she stepped inside, she glimpsed a woman in a uniform bent over a collection of broken pottery shards on the floor. The employee straightened at Marla’s entry and swiped her eyes. Had she been crying? She wore her raven hair in a long braid down her back.

“Are you okay? I heard a crash outside.”

“Thank you, I am fine,
señora.
I am clumsy and knocked over a bowl,” the woman said in a heavy Hispanic accent.

“I can help you. Is there a broom around?” A quick sweep of the premises revealed a row of washers and dryers and ironing facilities. “I’m Marla Vail, by the way.”

“I am Juanita, a housekeeper.” The young woman was attractive despite her sad dark eyes. At a long counter against one wall, she retrieved a basket. Together, she and Marla recovered the pottery pieces and set them in the woven container. Packets of detergent, evidently the bowl’s contents, lay scattered on the ground. They picked those up, too.

“Thank you,” Juanita said when they had finished the cleanup. She gave a heavy sigh and rolled her shoulders as though her burden was too heavy to bear.

“You seem upset,” Marla said. Maybe she should mention her relation to the ranch manager. If it was an employment problem, she could offer to intervene on the woman’s behalf, depending on the situation.

Juanita chewed on her lower lip. “I worry about my boyfriend. He has heard some bad news about a man he knew.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. That can be troubling.” Maybe she should leave, but the housekeeper looked as though she wanted to talk. So Marla waited with a sympathetic look on her face.

Juanita hesitated. “The person is dead.”

Marla gave her a startled glance. That wasn’t what she’d expected to hear. A memory surfaced of the wrangler she and Dalton had met recently. He’d been disturbed by news of the forest ranger’s death.

“Is your friend’s name Jesse, by any chance?”

“
Si,
it is him. Please, do not tell anyone what I say.” Juanita aimed a furtive glance toward the door. “We have been seeing each other for a little over a year. I want to tell others, but Jesse says no. He is not ready.”

“Some men take longer.” Marla wanted to question her about Jesse’s acquaintance with the dead guy but didn’t dare appear too interested.

Juanita emptied a dryer of linens and took the bundle over to a folding table. “I have said too much. I should get back to work.”

“And I need to go.” Marla took out a business card and wrote her room number on the back. “Here, if you need a friend, please come by. I’m always willing to listen.”

By the time Marla reached her lodging, Dalton had returned. She tossed her purse on the counter, eager to tell him what she’d just learned.

“Where were you? I got here ahead of you and you left before me.”

“I made a detour. Did you sign us up for anything?”

“Yes, the tour leaves at ten. We’ll be back by twelve-thirty in time for lunch. Afterwards, we can drive over to Craggy Peak.”

“Sounds like a plan.” She proceeded to change into sneakers, while Dalton donned a baseball cap and sunglasses. Since it was already heating up outside, she’d leave her sweater behind. “By the way, I was passing by the laundry room when I heard a crash inside. A housekeeper had dropped a pottery bowl that smashed on the ground. I helped her pick up the pieces since she seemed upset, and we got to chatting.”

“Naturally,” Dalton said in a wry tone.

“Juanita’s boyfriend is the wrangler, Jesse. She said Jesse knew Garrett Long and was disturbed by his death. I wasn’t able to question her further as she clammed up at that point, and I didn’t want to appear too nosy.”

“So that confirms what we’ve already suspected. Jesse and the deceased were acquainted, and it goes beyond Jesse saddling Garrett’s horse when he went riding with Uncle Ray.”

“I wish I could have learned more. The tragic loss of a guest, even a friend of the owner, isn’t enough reason to go stomping off the way Jesse did yesterday.”

“Maybe this housekeeper will tell you more if you run into her again.”

Aware they couldn’t solve anything at the moment, she gestured to him. “Let’s go.”