Lean, Mean and Lonesome. Annette Broadrick

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      Two

      Rafe studied the woman before him. She no doubt believed what she was saying, but it had no meaning to him. None at all.

      “Dead?”

      He repeated the word as though he’d never heard it before. He shook his head. “He can’t be. I’d know it if something had happened to Dan. He...” His voice trailed away. He knew how stupid that sounded. He, better than most, knew how easily a life could be snuffed out. Rafe wiped a hand across his face, ignoring his exhaustion. “You’d better start at the beginning, Mandy, and fill me in on what the hell’s going on around here.”

      Mandy picked up a glass and absently filled it with water. He thought about asking her for a drink, then decided against it. At the moment he had more important things on his mind. She faced him once again, but her lustrous gray eyes stared past his shoulder and he knew she no longer saw him sitting there.

      While he waited, he looked for the young girl he’d known in the woman standing before him. There were traces of her in the way she stood, the way she moved. He still had the same strong reaction to her, he was sorry to discover.

      Although she was still slender, she’d added curves that would make any man take a second look. Her satiny smooth skin made his palms itch, wanting to touch her cheek. She still wore her reddish-brown hair long. Tousled waves tumbled around her shoulders, unnecessarily reminding him that she’d just come from her warm bed.

      She focused on him once more and swallowed painfully. He found her nervousness around him troubling, but he wasn’t surprised.

      “I haven’t seen Dan in a couple of months. We’ve both been busy, although he usually calls me every week or so. About ten days ago I received a call from Dan’s foreman, Tom Parker. He asked me if I’d seen or spoken to Dan.”

      “Why would he call you?”

      “Because he said he’d checked with everyone else—in—cluding Dan’s business partner—to see why Dan had left without letting anyone know.”

      “You mean he just disappeared?”

      “Tom said he spoke to Dan late one afternoon. He told Dan he needed to talk to him about moving some of the cattle to a different feeding area. Dan told him he had a meeting that night, but would meet with him the next morning. However, the next morning Dan wasn’t to be found.”

      “Does anyone know who he was meeting or where?”

      “Unfortunately, no. I think he must have met someone at the airstrip and left, because his car is still in the garage and Tom found the Jeep parked at the airstrip.”

      “What airstrip?”

      “Dan had one built on the ranch about three years ago. He and his partner were thinking of buying a plane together. According to the partner, they never did, but they rent planes from time to time and use the strip on a regular basis.”

      Rafe shook his head. “This is all a jumble to me. I guess I’m going to have to get some sleep before I can make any sense of it.”

      “I hope sleep helps. It hasn’t helped me, although I have to admit I haven’t been sleeping too well since Tom called me. I came down immediately to see if I could help figure out where he’d gone. I’m so frustrated because outside of Tom and me, no one seems to be concerned—not Dan’s partner nor the sheriffs department. His partner said that Dan would be back in his own good time. I don’t believe that. I don’t believe that Dan would just disappear like that, especially after arranging to meet with Tom. I also think he would have called someone if he ran into some kind of a delay so that we wouldn’t worry.”

      “So do I. Dan is one of the most responsible people I know.”

      “Exactly.” She studied him for a moment. “You’re right, Rafe. You need to get some sleep. You’re out on your feet. Go on to bed. We’ll discuss this in the morning.”

      He knew that she was right. He could feel weariness claim his body now that he’d finally reached his destination. He stood and stepped away from the chair. “He’s been missing this long. I don’t suppose another few hours will matter.”

      She entered the hallway and spoke as she moved away from him. “You can sleep in Dan’s room.”

      Rafe waited until a light turned on in the hall before he turned off the kitchen light. Ranger watched him without blinking.

      “I’m glad you’re watching out for her,” he said in a low voice.

      Ranger didn’t change expression. Rafe got the feeling that Ranger didn’t particularly care what Rafe might think about anything.

      Smart dog.

      Rafe followed Mandy into the hallway.

      “Dan moved into the master bedroom after Mom died,” she said, motioning to the end of the hall.

      Rafe paused beside her. “I was sorry to hear about your mother, Mandy. She was always kind to me. I’ve never forgotten that.”

      “It was quick,” she replied, her gaze on her arms, folded across her chest. “At least she didn’t suffer.”

      “Her heart?”

      “Yes.” She looked up at him. “Dad, on the other hand, lingered months longer than expected with his cancer.”

      He didn’t want to talk about her father, not now, not ever. He stepped past her and entered one of the few rooms in this house he’d never been in before. Mandy followed him into the room and glanced into the adjoining bathroom. “There are plenty of clean towels and things,” she said. “I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

      With that, she quietly left the room, closing the door behind her.

      Only then did Rafe remember that his bag was still hidden outside, but he wasn’t about to go back out there tonight to look for it. He glanced around the large room. A king-size bed was on one wall. Another wall was lined with bookshelves, filled with a mishmash of fiction and nonfiction. He smiled, thinking of Dan and his love of reading.

      His smiled faded when he remembered СКАЧАТЬ