Justice at Cardwell Ranch

“Probably more smoothly without you around,” she joked.

He must have heard something in her voice. “But?”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” she assured him. “But you might want to give Dana a heads-up.”

“Dana already knows. Stacy’s at the house right now.”

“Stacy?”

“Who were you talking about?” Hud asked.

“Jordan.”

She heard Hud swear under his breath.

“I saw him earlier on the ranch, actually at the family cemetery,” Liza said.

“What’s he doing in the canyon?”

“He didn’t say, but I found out where he’s staying. He’s rented a cabin past Buck’s T-4.” Buck’s T-4 was a local landmark bar and hotel. “I’m hanging out, watching to see what he’s up to.”

“Probably not the best way to spend taxpayers’ dollars, but I appreciate it. As far as I know, he hasn’t contacted Dana.”

“Let me know if he does. In the meantime, I’ll stick around here for a while.”

“You really need to get a life, deputy,” Hud said. “Thanks. Let me know if you need help.”

“So Stacy’s here, too?”

“We haven’t heard from any of them in six years and now two of them are in the canyon? This doesn’t bode well.”

That had been her thought exactly.

“I don’t want them upsetting Dana,” he said. “All we need is for Clay to show up next. This couldn’t come at a worse time. I’m worried enough about Dana and the babies. I have a bad feeling this could have something to do with that developer who’s been after Dana to sell some of the ranch.”

“The timing does make you wonder,” Liza said.

“I’m going back to the ranch now.”

“You stick close to Dana. I’ll let you know if Jordan heads for the ranch.” Hanging up, Liza settled in again. She knew it could be a while. Jordan might be in for the night.

The canyon got dark quickly this time of year. With the dark that settled over it like a cloak came a drop in temperature. She could hear the river, smell the rich scent of fall. A breeze stirred the nearby pines, making the branches sway and sigh. A couple of stars popped out above the canyon walls.

The door of the cabin opened. Jordan stepped out and headed for his rented SUV parked outside. He was dressed in a warm coat, gloves and a hat, all in a dark color. He definitely didn’t look like a man going out for dinner—or even to visit his sister. He glanced around as if he thought someone might be watching him before climbing into his rental.

Liza felt her heart kick up a beat as she slunk down in the pickup seat and waited. A few moments later she heard the SUV pull out. She started the truck, and sitting up, followed at a distance.

To her relief, he didn’t turn down Highway 191 in the direction of the Cardwell Ranch—and his sister’s house. Instead, he headed north toward Big Sky proper, making her think she might be wrong. Maybe he was merely going out to find a place to have dinner.

He drove on past the lighted buildings that made up the Meadow Village, heading west toward Mountain Village. There was little traffic this time of year. She let another vehicle get between them, all the time keeping Jordan’s taillights in sight.

Just when she started speculating on where he might be headed, he turned off on the road to Ousel Falls. They passed a few commercial buildings, a small housing complex and then the road cut through the pines as it climbed toward the falls.

Liza pulled over, letting him get farther ahead. Had he spotted the tail? She waited as long as she dared before she drove on up the road. Her headlights cut a gold swath through the darkness. Dense pines lined both sides of the mountain road. There was no traffic at all up this way. She worried he had spotted her following him and was now leading her on a wild-goose chase.

She hadn’t gone far when her headlights picked up the parking lot for the falls. Jordan’s rental was parked in the empty lot. She couldn’t tell if he was still in the vehicle. Grabbing her baseball cap off the seat, she covered her dark hair as she drove on past.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw that the SUV was empty. Past it near the trailhead, she glimpsed the beam of a flashlight bobbing as it headed down the trail.

A few hundred yards up the road Liza found a place to pull over. She grabbed her own flashlight from under the seat, checked to make sure the batteries were still working and got out of the truck.

It was a short hike back to the trailhead. From there the path dropped to the creek before rising again as it twisted its way through the thick forest.

The trail was wide and paved and she found, once her eyes adjusted, that she didn’t need to use her flashlight if she was careful. Enough starlight bled down through the pine boughs that she could see far enough ahead—and she knew the trail well.

There was no sign of Jordan, though. She’d reached the creek and bridge, quickly crossed it, and had started up the winding track when she caught a glimpse of light above her on the footpath.

She stopped to listen, afraid he might have heard her behind him. But there was only the sound of the creek and moan of the pines in the breeze. Somewhere in the distance an owl hooted. She moved again, hurrying now.

Once the pathway topped out, she should be able to see Jordan’s light ahead of her, though she couldn’t imagine what he was doing hiking to the falls tonight.

There was always a good chance of running into a moose or a wolf or worse this time of a year, a hungry grizzly foraging for food before hibernation.

The trail topped out. She stopped to catch her breath and listen for Jordan. Ahead she could make out the solid rock area at the base of the waterfall. A few more steps and she could feel the mist coming off the cascading water. From here, the walkway carved a crooked path up through the pines to the top of the falls.

There was no sign of any light ahead and the only thing she could hear was rushing water. Where was Jordan? She moved on, convinced he was still ahead of her. Something rustled in the trees off to her right. A limb cracked somewhere ahead in the pines.

She stopped and drew her weapon. Someone was out there.

The report of the rifle shot felt so close it made the hair stand up on her neck. The sound ricocheted off the rock cliff and reverberated through her. Liza dove to the ground. A second shot echoed through the trees.

Weapon drawn, she scrambled up the hill and almost tripped over the body Jordan Cardwell was standing over.

Chapter Three

“You have a baby?” Dana said, still shocked when Stacy came back downstairs carrying a pink bundle. “I’m just having a hard time imagining you as a mother.”

“You think you’re the only one with a maternal instinct?” Stacy sounded hurt.

“I guess I never thought you wanted a baby.”

Stacy gave a little shrug. “People change.”

Did they? Dana wondered as she studied her sister.

“Want to see her?” Stacy asked.

Dana nodded and her sister carefully transferred the bundle into her arms. Dana saw that it wasn’t a blanket at all that the baby was wrapped in, but a cute pink quilt. Parting the edges, she peered in at the baby. A green-eyed knockout stared back at her.