The Arizona Lawman

“I happened to be well acquainted with Ray Maddox, the man who used to live here,” he informed her. “And since he passed away, there’s been no talk of this place being put on the real-estate market.”

“You’ve made the wrong assumption, Deputy Hollister. I didn’t buy this place. It was willed to me by Ray Maddox.”

This news caused his eyes to widen with surprise then narrow to two skeptical slits. “Willed? Are you a relative?”

“No. Not that I’m aware of,” she said bluntly. “In fact, I don’t think I ever met Mr. Maddox.”

He folded a pair of strong-looking arms across his broad chest and suddenly Tessa was wondering if Orin had been right. Maybe it had been foolish of her to make the trip down here alone. This man looked like it wouldn’t bother him one iota to arrest her.

“I’ve heard plenty of cock-’n’-bull stories in my line of work, but this beats them all. Ray Maddox was hardly a fool. He was the sheriff of Yavapai County for more than twenty years. He wouldn’t just will his property to a total stranger.”

Tessa opened the truck for a second time and collected a large manila envelope from the console. Lifting her chin to a challenging angle, she handed the legal documents to him. “Since you have the idea I’m some sort of criminal, I think you should look at this.”

His stern expression was all-professional as he made a quick scan of the papers and then carefully inserted them back into the envelope. “I’m sorry, Ms. Parker. It’s my job to be cautious. And I think you’ll agree this is a rather odd occurrence.”

An ache had developed in the middle of her forehead and as he continued to watch her closely, she tried to rub it away with the tips of her fingers.

“I can’t deny that.” She turned her gaze to the front of the house and suddenly felt herself close to tears. “The attorney handling Mr. Maddox’s estate informed me that his client had been a sheriff and a well-known figure in the area.”

“That’s right. A beloved figure. He retired about five years ago.”

“It’s all so incredible,” she said in a thoughtful daze.

After a long stretch of silence he asked, “Were you—planning on staying here tonight?”

She wiped a hand through her straight brown hair before she nodded. “Yes, I am,” she answered then took a shaky step toward the house. “I’m sorry. I need to sit down.”

Recognizing she was teetering on her feet, he leaped forward and wrapped a supporting hand around her elbow.

“Here. Let me help you to the steps.”

He guided her over to a set of wide stone steps built into a mortar-and-stone retaining wall.

Once she was sitting, the deputy took a seat on the same step, careful to keep a respectable distance between them.

He said, “I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to stay here alone tonight, Ms. Parker.”

“Why? Is this a high crime area?”

“Crimes are rarely committed around here. I’m speaking now of your emotional condition.”

Tessa straightened her spine. She might appear fragile to this man, but she prided herself in being tough and capable.

“I’ll be fine, Deputy Hollister. I’ve been driving since early this morning. Nearly seven hundred miles, to be exact. I’m tired and haven’t had much to eat today. And then seeing this place—I’m sure you can understand it’s all a bit overwhelming.”

“That’s why staying in a hotel in Wickenburg and having a nice meal would be a better option for you tonight. I’m not even sure if the utilities are still turned on in the house.”

He must be thinking she was too stupid to plan ahead. Or perhaps he thought she was the impulsive sort who didn’t think five minutes ahead of her. Either way, she wished he’d simply go. Just looking at his broad shoulders and rugged face was playing havoc with her senses.

“Everything is on and ready to go,” she said. “All I need to do is carry in my bags. And I can certainly manage that task.”

“If you insist on staying, I’ll carry your bags for you,” he told her. “In a few minutes. After you’ve gathered yourself.”

How was she supposed to compose herself with him sitting a few inches away looking like he’d just stepped off the screen of a gritty Western movie? With amber-brown eyes fringed with black lashes, lips that squared at the corners and dared a woman to kiss them, he certainly had the appearance of a tough leading man.

Looking away, she swallowed and wondered what had happened to the breeze she’d felt earlier. All of a sudden the heat index felt worse than triple digit.

“Do you always patrol this area?” she asked while wondering what her chances had been of meeting this man.

“I don’t exactly patrol it,” he answered. “I was on my way home. I live with the rest of my family about five miles from here on Three Rivers Ranch”

Surprise tugged her gaze back to his face. “Family? You have a wife and children?”

A shuttered look wiped all expression from his face. “No. I’m not a family man. I meant my mother and siblings. I have three brothers and two sisters.”

“And you all live together.”

“That’s right. My family has owned Three Rivers for a hundred and forty-five years. We wouldn’t know how to live anywhere else.”

She wasn’t sure if the last was said in jest or if he was serious. Even though Joseph Hollister’s face was very easy on the eyes, it was difficult to read. So far she got the impression he was a very sober young man.

Her curiosity pricked, she asked, “Oh. Does your ranch boundary touch mine?”

“Only for a short distance. On the east side. You see, our ranch covers about seventy thousand acres.”

A number that made her one thousand acres seem minuscule, Tessa thought. “I see. So that makes us neighbors.”

His thick, dark brows lifted ever so slightly. “So it seems. That is, if you’re planning on sticking around.”

She drew in a long breath and let it out. “I’ve not made any definite plans yet. This inheritance has all happened so suddenly and—unexpectedly.”

“Well, I’m sure you have a family back in Nevada to consider first.”

Except for the Calhouns, she’d been without a family ever since her mother had died. But she was far too emotionally weary to go into that part of her life now. Especially with this Arizona lawman.

“I do have people back there. But no husband or children. I’m only twenty-four,” she said, as if that explained everything.

Up until now, the sporadic sound of a two-way radio could be heard through the open window of his SUV, but he’d basically ignored the crackly exchange. However, his trained ear must have caught something in the dispatcher’s words that called for his attention because he suddenly rose to his feet.

“Sorry,” he said. “I need to answer that call.”

He quickly strode off to the vehicle and Tessa used the moment to climb the remaining steps and cross a small yard with fresh-cut grass and a bed full of yellow and purple irises. At the front door, she fished a key from the pocket on her jeans and let herself into the house.

A small entryway with two long windows and a lone potted cactus led into a spacious living room furnished with a mixture of comfortable furniture, a TV and several table lamps. Paintings and enlarged photos of area landscapes decorated the cream-colored walls, while rugs woven in colorful southwestern designs were scattered over the hardwood floor. Along the front wall, heavy beige drapes covered the windows and blocked out most of the waning sunlight.

Everything about the room felt warm and welcoming, as if it had been waiting for her to walk in and make herself at home. The odd sensation left goose bumps on her arms and she tried to rub them away as she walked over to a big brown recliner. The soft leather was slightly faded on the headrest and she wondered if this had been the retired sheriff’s favorite chair. Had he sat here watching TV or reading? Or simply dreaming about life?

Oh, God, why did it matter so much to her? Why did questions about her mysterious benefactor keep pushing and prodding her?