Loe raamatut: «The Arizona Lawman»

Chapter One

The hot May sun was slipping behind a ridge of jagged mountains as Tessa steered her white Ford truck off the road and stared up at the sign arched over a wide cattle guard. Bar X Ranch.

This was it. Her ranch. Her property.

Even though she was seeing it with her own eyes, she was still struggling to wrap her mind around the idea that it all belonged to her. It seemed impossible that a bank in Prescott had an account in her name holding an amount of money that would take a person like her years and years to earn. Everything about the situation was still all so confusing and incredible.

Fighting back a wave of emotional tears, Tessa put the truck into motion and drove through the entrance of the ranch.

A half mile later, after she’d driven through a spectacular view of rock formations and fields of Joshua trees, she parked the truck in front of a rambling house painted pale green and trimmed with a darker shade of green. The structure was shaded by several ancient cottonwoods, while a huge bougainvillea covered in vivid purple blooms sheltered one side of a small porch. Nearby, beneath a set of paned windows, bushes of red and white roses grew thick and climbed along the dark green shutters.

She’d not expected to find anything so beautiful or charming. For a moment, after she’d climbed from the truck, all she could do was stand and stare and wonder about the people who’d lived behind those walls.

The sound of an approaching vehicle pulled Tessa out of her swirling thoughts. She turned to see a beige SUV with emergency lights on the top and a sheriff’s emblem painted on the side. Now what? Had someone reported her as trespassing?

Curious, she stood watching as a man stepped out on the driver’s side. He was dressed in blue jeans and boots, with a black cowboy hat and a khaki shirt. The long sleeves were decorated with official-looking emblems, while a badge was pinned to the front left pocket. Even from a distance, she could tell he was young but older than her. His tall, muscular body appeared to be in perfect condition and his quick steps were rapidly closing the space of ground between them.

“Hello,” she said once he was within earshot. “Can I help you?”

He came to a stop a few steps in front of her and, with the back of his forearm, pushed the brim of his cowboy hat back off his forehead.

“I’m Joseph Hollister. Deputy Sheriff of Yavapai County,” he said to identify himself. “I saw your vehicle turn into the entrance of this property. Since your truck is carrying Nevada plates, I figured you might not be aware this ranch is currently unoccupied.”

Was he naturally a suspicious man, she wondered, or was he simply a very dedicated lawman? Either way, he was definitely something to look at. His thick, coffee-colored hair was just long enough to curl around his ears, while his deeply tanned complexion told her he spent long hours in the Arizona sun. He had a square jaw, the type that looked as though it could take several punches and never flinch. However, all this was just a gorgeous backdrop to his eyes. Even from a distance, she could see the brown orbs were full of golden flecks, a color that reminded her of dark, potent whiskey.

“I’m Tessa Parker,” she told him. “And, yes, I’m from Nevada. Between Carson City and Reno, to be exact. And, yes, I know the ranch house is currently vacant.”

His razor-sharp gaze slid over her as though he was sizing up her honesty.

Tessa tried not to bristle. After all, the man didn’t know the first thing about her. And he was a deputy sheriff.

“The Bar X is obviously a long distance from Carson City. So what brings you all the way down here, Ms. Parker?”

She straightened her shoulders. “I’m here to see my new property. Is that some sort of crime?”

Tessa didn’t know why the tart question had popped out of her. It wasn’t like her to be testy with anyone. Particularly a law official. But the suspicious look in his eyes was setting her on edge.

“No. No crime at all. If it is your property. Do you have your identification with you?”

If a flying saucer suddenly landed next to them, the situation wouldn’t be any more bizarre, Tessa thought.

“I have more than my identification,” she crisply informed him. “I have all sorts of legal papers with me—if you’d care to see them.”

“That isn’t necessary,” he said. “Your driver’s license will be sufficient.”

Turning back to the truck, Tessa fished the plastic-coated card from her purse and handed it to him. As she watched him scan the information, she noticed his hands were big and brown, the backs lightly sprinkled with dark hair. There was no sign of a wedding band on his left hand. But that didn’t surprise Tessa at all. He didn’t have the softer attitude that most married men possessed.

He suddenly glanced up at her and Tessa’s breath caught as his brown eyes looked directly into hers.

“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?

Her fingers were trailing thoughtfully over the worn headrest when Deputy Hollister stepped into the room.

His boots thumped against the hardwood floor and from the corner of her eye, Tessa watched him move around the shadowy space, his keen gaze surveying the surroundings as though it were a crime scene.

“Everything looks just like it did when Ray was here. I imagine Sam has been keeping it all cleaned and dusted. That’s Samuel Leman,” he explained. “He’s worked for Ray for more years than I can remember.”

Tessa had imagined she’d be exploring the house on her own. The last thing she’d been expecting was to have a sexy deputy give her a guided tour. Especially one that appeared to have been well acquainted with the late sheriff.

“I see. Does Samuel live here on the property?”

His gaze landed on her and, without even realizing what she was doing, she pulled her hands away from the recliner and stuffed them into the back pockets of her jeans.

“No. After Ray died, he moved to a little house about three or four miles from here. You passed it on the way. A peach-colored stucco with a bunch of goats out back.”

Yes, she vaguely recalled the place.

“Most folks around here assumed Ray left his place to Sam,” he continued. “After all, he was the one who hung around and took care of him after his lungs quit working.”

Was this man implying she didn’t deserve the place? The notion disturbed her on many levels.

Moving away from the chair, she started toward a wide, arched opening. “Look, Deputy Hollister, you can be frank with me. I’m quite certain that you, and everyone else who knew Ray Maddox, isn’t going to understand his last wishes. How could they? I don’t understand them myself. And I’m certainly not thinking I deserved everything the man had worked for in his life. But that’s the way he wanted it. Not me.”

The deputy followed her into a breezeway and Tessa paused, uncertain as to which direction she wanted to go first. Certainly not to the bedrooms. Not with this man right on her heels.

He said, “I didn’t mean to sound like I’m accusing you, Ms. Parker. Or that I thought you were undeserving. It’s just that Sam was such a loyal employee for many long years.”

She let out a long breath. “Then I can only hope that Mr. Maddox left his employee something. As for me—” She broke off and lifted her hands in a helpless gesture. “I have just as many questions about all of this as you probably do.”

He opened his mouth as though to say something but must have decided against it. After a pause, he gestured to a pair of swinging doors off to their left.

“The kitchen is over there. The bedrooms and a study are to the right.”

Tessa headed to the kitchen and since he’d taken it upon himself to join her, she decided Deputy Hollister clearly wasn’t in a hurry to get home. Or perhaps he felt it was his duty to make sure she was safe and sound before he left the premises.

“This is beautiful.” She walked over to the left side of the room where a large bay window created a breakfast nook. Beyond the paned glass was an incredible view of distant jagged mountains and rocky bluffs. Closer to the ranch house, the desert slopes were filled with sage, saguaro and blooming yucca.

Another wave of emotion caused her voice to quaver. “Is this my land?”

“Most of it. Your boundary stops before it reaches the mountains. The most productive grazing area runs to the east toward Three Rivers,” he explained. “Before Ray became ill, he ran about fifty to a hundred head of cattle. After it became impossible for him to care for the herd, he sold out. I can tell you, giving up his cattle and horses hurt him about as much as the lung disease.”

“I believe that. I live on a large ranch in Nevada. I see firsthand how much the livestock means to everyone who cares for them.”

She glanced over her shoulder to see he was studying her with an air of faint surprise.

“So you’re used to living in the country.”

“Absolutely. This place is closer to a town than what I’m accustomed to.” She turned and walked over to a long row of varnished pine cabinets. Another wide window sat over a double porcelain sink. After turning on the water to make sure it was in working order, she gazed out at the small backyard shaded by two huge Joshua trees. It was a cozy area with a small rock patio furnished with a pair of red motel chairs and a tiny white table for drinks.

“It’s fifteen miles from here to town,” he informed her.

The skeptical sound in his voice put a faint smile on her face. “Yes, I know. The Silver Horn is double that amount of miles from Carson City.”

“The Silver Horn,” he repeated thoughtfully. “I think I’ve heard of that ranch.”

“The Calhouns own it. Bart and Orin Calhoun.”

“I’m not familiar with—uh—” Deep thought put a crease between his brows and then he snapped his fingers with recognition. “Now I remember. My brother Holt purchased a broodmare from that ranch about four years ago. She’s been a dandy.”

“The Calhouns are known more for their quality horses than anything,” she told him.

He walked toward her and Tessa found herself backing up until her hips bumped into the cabinets.

“But your name isn’t Calhoun,” he pointed out.

“No. It isn’t.” As far as she was concerned, she didn’t have to explain anything else to this man. She rubbed her palms down the front of her jeans. “Uh, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go get my things.”

“I’ll help you.”

Tessa let out a silent groan. Was the man never going to leave? Aloud she said, “Thanks. I do have several bags.”

What are you so antsy about, Tessa? A normal woman would be enjoying the company of a good-looking man. And Joseph Hollister definitely fits that description. What are you afraid of? That you might actually allow yourself to be attracted to the deputy?

Trying to ignore the taunting voice in her head, she walked past him and out of the kitchen.

* * *

As Joseph followed Tessa Parker out to her truck, he mentally cursed himself. What the hell was he doing? He’d already investigated the situation and made certain no one was going to vandalize his late friend’s home. He’d checked this woman’s credentials and everything appeared accurate. She had a legitimate reason for being on the Bar X Ranch, so why was he still hanging around when he should’ve left a half hour ago? Because she looked like a walking dream?

Her slim, angular face was dominated by startling blue eyes, prominent cheekbones and a soft, wide mouth. Straight, caramel-brown hair hung nearly to her waist and though she was far more slender than his usual taste in women, she was nicely curved in all the right places. Her creamy skin was smooth and soft, like she’d been living in a tropical climate rather than the dry west. Furthermore, she carried herself with class and grace.

Yeah, all those things were pleasant to a man’s eyes, he conceded. But in Tessa Parker’s case, it had been the vulnerable wobble in her voice and the emotions flickering in her eyes that had tugged at something inside him. Even if she did have a family back in Nevada, she seemed to be very alone. And that notion bothered Joseph far too much.