Deliverance at Cardwell Ranch

“Sorry.”

“What about the space?” Hayes asked.

“Looks good to me.” He saw them share a glance at each other before they laughed and, almost in unison, said, “Same ol’ Austin.”

He didn’t take offense. It was actually good to see his brothers. There was no mistaking they were related either since they’d all inherited the Cardwell dark good looks. A curse and a blessing. When they were teens they used to argue over who was the ugliest. He smiled at the memory.

“Okay, we’re opening a Texas Boys Barbecue in Big Sky,” he said to them. “So buy me some lunch. I’m starved.”

They went to a small sandwich shop in the shadow of Lone Mountain in what was called Mountain Village. As hungry as he was, Austin still had trouble getting down even half of a sandwich and a bowl of soup.

During lunch, his brothers talked enthusiastically about the January 1 opening. They planned two grand openings, one on January 1 and another on July 4, since Big Sky had two distinct tourist seasons.

Apparently the entire canyon was excited about the Cardwell brothers’ brand of barbecue. His brothers Tag, Hayes and Jackson now had all made their homes in Montana. Only he and Laramie still lived in Texas, but Laramie would be flying back up for the grand opening whenever that schedule was confirmed. None of them asked if Austin would be coming back for that one. They knew him too well.

Austin only half listened, too anxious for a call from the marshal. When his cell phone finally did ring, he quickly excused himself and went out to the closed-in deck. It was freezing out here, but he didn’t want his brothers to hear. He could actually see his breath. He’d never admit it, but he couldn’t imagine why they would want to live here, as cold and nasty as winter was. Sure, it was beautiful, but he’d take Texas and the heat any day.

“I just left her hospital room,” the marshal said without preamble the moment Austin answered.

“So what do you think?”

“Apparently she has some loss of memory because of the concussion she suffered, according to her husband, which could explain some of your misgivings.”

“Did you see the bruises on her arms?”

The marshal sighed. “I did. Her husband said they’d had a disagreement before she took off. He said he’d grabbed her a little too hard, trying to keep her from leaving, afraid in her state what might happen to her. As it was, she ended up in a car wreck.”

“What does she say?”

“She doesn’t seem to recall the twenty-four hours before ending up upside down in her car in the middle of the highway—and even that is fuzzy.”

“You think she’s lying?” Austin asked, hearing something in the marshal’s voice.

Hud took his time in answering. “I think she might remember more than she’s letting on. I had some misgivings as well until Marc Stewart showed me a photograph of the four of them on his cell phone.”

“Four of them?”

“Rebecca and her sister, a woman named Gillian Cooper, Marc and the baby. In the photo, the woman in the hospital is holding the baby and Marc is standing next to her, his arm around her and her sister.”

Austin sighed. Gillian Cooper. Her sister. That could explain the watch. Maybe her sister had lent it to her. Or even given it to her.

“The doctor is releasing her tomorrow. I asked her if she wanted to return home with her husband.”

Austin figured he already knew the answer. “She said yes.”

“I also asked him to step out of the room. I then asked her if she was afraid of him. She said she wasn’t.”

So that was that, Austin thought. “Thanks for going by the hospital for me.”

“You realize there is nothing we can do if she doesn’t want to leave him,” Hud said.

Austin knew that from experience, even though he’d never understood why a woman stayed in an abusive marriage. Disconnecting, he went back into the restaurant, where his brothers were debating promotion for the new restaurant. He was in no mood for this.

“I really should get going,” he said, not that he really had anywhere to go, though he’d agreed to stay until the opening.

Christmas was only a few days away, he realized. Normally, he didn’t do much for Christmas. Since he didn’t have his own family, he always volunteered to work.

“Where are you going?” Tag asked.

“I’ve got some Christmas shopping to do.” That, at least, was true.

“Dana is planning for us all to be together on Christmas,” Tag said as if he needed reminding. “She has all kinds of plans.”

Jackson laughed. “She wants us all to try skiing or snowboarding.”

“There’s a sledding party planned on Christmas Eve behind the house on the ranch and, of course, ice skating on an inlet of the Gallatin River,” Hayes said with a laugh when he saw Austin’s expression. “You really have to experience a Montana Christmas.”

He tried to smile. Anything to make up for missing the wedding so everyone would quit bringing it up. “I can’t wait.”

They all laughed since they knew he was lying. He wasn’t ready for a Montana Christmas. He’d already been freezing his butt off and figured he’d more than experienced Montana after crashing in a ditch and almost getting killed by a woman with a tire iron. However, never let it be said he was a Scrooge. He’d go Christmas shopping. He would be merry and bright. It was only for a few days.

“You know what your problem is, Austin?” his brother Jackson said as they walked out to their vehicles.

Austin shook his head although he knew what was coming. He’d already had this discussion with Tanya in Houston.

“You can’t commit to anything,” Jackson said. “When we decided to open more Texas Boys Barbecues in Texas—”

“Yes, I’ve been told I have a problem with commitment,” he interrupted as he looked toward Lone Mountain. The peak was almost completely obscured by the falling snow. Huge lacy flakes drifted down around them. Texas barbecue in Montana? He’d thought his brothers had surely lost their minds when they had suggested it. Now he was all the more convinced.

But they’d been right about the other restaurants they’d opened across Texas. He wasn’t going to stand in their way now. But he also couldn’t get all that excited about it.

“Can you at least commit to this promotion schedule we have mapped out?” Hayes asked.

“Do what you think is best,” he said, opening the SUV door. “I’ll go along with whatever y’all decide.” His brothers didn’t look thrilled with his answer. “Isn’t that what you wanted me to say?”

“We were hoping for some enthusiasm, something,” Jackson said and frowned. “You seem to have lost interest in the business.”

“It’s not that.” It wasn’t. It was his life. At thirty-two, he was successful, a healthy, wealthy American male who could do anything he wanted. Most men his age would have given anything to be in his boots.

“He needs a woman,” Tag said and grinned.

“That’s all I need,” Austin said sarcastically under his breath and thought of Rebecca and the way she’d reacted to her husband. What kind of woman left her husband and child just before Christmas?

A terrified one, he thought. “I have to go.”

“Where did you say you were going?” Hayes asked before Austin could close his SUV door.

“There’s something I need to do.”