Home on the Ranch: Wyoming Sheriff
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Rebecca Winters
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HarlequinChapter 1
The beautiful Thursday morning beckoned to Jessica Fleming. She walked out the back of the ranch house to the barn with more energy than usual. After deciding to ride bareback, she took her deceased husband’s buckskin for a ride around the fenced-in pasture while her five-year-old son watched. Her own horse she’d had to put down a year ago because of illness.
“Bucky is frisky today, Mom!”
“He sure is. It must be the effect of the sun after yesterday’s rainstorm. I bet he’s hungry. Would you like to help me feed him?”
“No. I’ll put water in the bucket.” He’d taken on that job in addition to filling the hay net in the barn. She left the door open. That way Bucky could come and go from the pasture at will.
Chase’s answer was always the same and discouraged her. He was afraid of horses. Not even her husband, Trent, who’d once been a terrific bull rider, could get him to ride on one. Neither of them could understand his fear, but there it was.
Since her husband’s death two years ago, she’d ridden or exercised Bucky every day in the morning. Chase usually played near the barn.
At Christmas she’d bought Chase a Big League Blaster Gun because he’d begged for it. It had come with twelve foam darts. He’d lost three of them and could shoot it only out here using the fencing for a target. Secretly she’d be glad when he’d lost all the darts.
After a good run, she dismounted. “See you tonight, Bucky.”
She patted his rump and called to Chase. “Want to come and help me clean the garage?”
“I bet there’s a lot of good stuff!”
“I know there is.” It was all getting thrown out.
They worked until lunch, then she drove her son to afternoon kindergarten at Gannett Peak Elementary School in the town of Whitebark, Wyoming.
“See you later, honey.” Once she saw him run onto the playground with the other kids, she returned to the ranch house to finish working on the garage. With summer almost here, she had to make room for Chase’s bike and plastic swimming pool, among other things. She also needed to buy a new car badly and had decided to get a Toyota.
Memorial Day would be on Monday and school would be out for the summer, making it a long weekend. Today was Thursday, her day off from the hair salon her mother owned. Jessica needed to make the most of her free time. Once she’d loaded the boxes of things she’d gone through to discard and take to the dump, she should be back in time to pick up Chase from school.
After Trent’s death, the two-car garage had become a storeroom that needed to be cleaned out completely. Jessica could hardly park their truck inside.
In the beginning she hadn’t been able to throw anything away because most of it had belonged to her mechanic husband. But now it had to be done. Already she’d had a garage sale and had sold his ski equipment, snowshoes and trail bike.
The big items like the truck and Trent’s tools needed to go next. She’d driven over to the auto dealership yesterday where he’d started working soon after graduating from high school. A couple of the guys like Bryan and Eddie who’d been his friends had shown interest in buying both, but were too busy to make an offer right then. She said she’d be back.
Jessica had taken Chase with her. He loved to watch what went on at the shop. Everyone there made a fuss over him that warmed her heart. When her son was born, his hair had come in a light blond like Jessica’s. But in time it had turned dark blond like his dad’s.
Chase had also inherited his father’s lean build and happy smile. All the guys commented on the resemblance. Jessica had hoped to get pregnant again soon so he’d have a brother or sister, but it didn’t happen. After undergoing several tests, she’d learned her body was going through early menopause and she’d never conceive again. That was a revelation she was still dealing with and had made their son Chase a thousand times more precious to both of them.
Remembering her husband caused her to take an extra breath. Keep working, Jessica.
Almost done, she backed up the truck and started loading the last few boxes she’d gone through onto the bed. She couldn’t wait to get busy with the broom. As she looked around, she saw one more carton in the corner partially hidden by the lawn mower and walked over to get it. If it held Christmas decorations, it was in the wrong place. Curious to see what was inside, Jessica opened it.
A gasp escaped her lips when she saw four ball joints. She let go of the box and jumped to her feet as if she’d been burned.
Two years ago Trent had been test-driving her car in the rain in the early hours of the morning and had gone off the road into a ditch. The car had turned over on top of him and he’d been killed. Chase was the only reason she’d managed to get through her grief.
The police investigation had determined that a loose ball joint had been the reason for the accident. The whole wheel had fallen off because the tie rod, steering rod and the axle had snapped, as well.
When she’d told Trent her car was having problems, he’d gone out to take a look. After checking it, he told her he was going to replace all four ball joints to keep her safe and would do it after work. Around seven that evening she drove the truck to the dealership with Chase to take her husband a hamburger and fries for dinner while he worked.
They waited for Trent, who finally lowered the car from the lift and drove it out to the enclosed parking area. He was going to leave it there overnight and take it for a test run in the morning. She remembered him putting some things in the back of the truck before he closed up and they went home.
Was this the box he’d brought with them that night along with his tools?
She knelt down and examined the ball joints. All four were worn and loose. These had to be the ones he’d taken off her car. There’d be no reason for them to be in the garage otherwise. It meant he’d used the four new ball joints from this box he’d purchased from the dealership’s parts department to put on her car.
But if Trent had installed all four new ones, why did the police say that her car had a loose ball joint and it had caused the fatal crash that had left her traumatized, and Chase without a father? It didn’t make sense when she was staring at the four worn ones he’d removed. Or had this box been sitting in the garage a lot longer than two years ago...?
While she was trying to figure it out, a feeling of unease enveloped her. She knew something wasn’t right. By this time it was getting too late to go to the dump, but it didn’t matter. She left the box in the garage.
After closing the tailgate, she climbed in the truck and used the remote to close the garage door before she took off. Once she’d picked up Chase from school, she drove to Style Clips. All the way there, her heart pounded unmercifully with her thoughts growing darker by the second.
She gave her mom a quick phone call to let her know that she was coming. After letting herself in the back door of the four-chair shop with her key, she unlocked another door and hurried up the stairs to the apartment above. Chase led the way.
“Nana?”
“Mom?”
“Well, hi!” A smile broke out on her mother’s face. She’d just turned fifty-two, but didn’t look it. “Don’t those new jeans and emoji shirt look adorable on you!”
“Hi, Nana!” Chase’s brown eyes lit up and he ran to her.
She gave him a kiss. “Come in the kitchen and tell me about school. I just made some doughnuts for the party at the church on Saturday. Ray’s taking me. But you can put some sprinkles on top of the icing and have one.”
“Yum!”
Jessica went to the fridge to pour him a glass of milk, then put the carton away. Chase scrambled over to the kitchen table where a batch of doughnuts was waiting for toppings. Her mother put one on a plate for him, then walked over to the counter. She shot her a glance out of eyes as green as Jessica’s.
“What’s going on?” she asked in a low voice. “I thought this was your day to finish cleaning the garage and didn’t expect to see you. I can tell something’s wrong.”
“It’s about Trent’s accident.”
Her mother frowned. “What do you mean?”
While Chase was still occupied, Jessica told her about the box of four worn ball joints she’d found in a corner of the garage.
“The night before the accident, I was there in the bay when Trent changed all of them and drove my car out to the lot for the night. He’d said he would take a test run in the morning like he always did.
“As you know, I watched him finish up. If he hadn’t done the whole job, he would have told me. But the police said it was a loose ball joint that caused the car to overturn. When I questioned the investigating officer about what they’d found, he said I must have misunderstood because Trent obviously hadn’t changed all of them.
“I was so devastated he’d been killed, I wasn’t thinking clearly and decided that had to have been the case. For two years I haven’t thought about it. But just now I found a box with four worn, loose ball joints. Those have to be the ones he took off and brought home. So how do you explain that?”
“I don’t know, honey. For one thing, why didn’t he just throw them away at work?”
“Trent often brought stuff home with the idea of using it. In fact, you should see the boxes of junk I’m taking to the dump.”
Her mother’s happy expression had turned to one of alarm. “Have you told anyone else about this?” she asked in a quiet voice.
“No. I came straight here.”
“Where’s the box?”
“I left it in the garage. Mom—I don’t like what I’m thinking.”
“You’re not the only one. You need to go to the police and talk to the investigating officer.”
“I don’t remember who it was.”
“Ask to speak to the police chief first.”
“I will, but I’m doing a color on Rachel Bates in the morning. Her appointments are set in stone. Following her, Seth Lunt will be in for a haircut.” She’d appreciated that three of the guys from the dealership had come in from time to time for a trim, but only Seth came anymore.
Lines had marred her mother’s features. “I’ll take over for you. Tell the chief what you’ve discovered. Show him the box. I’d like an explanation myself. Bring Chase over here on your way. I’ll put him to work sweeping the floor of the shop until you get back. He loves that job.”
“You think there’s something wrong, too.”
“Yes, however I suppose there could be a logical explanation we haven’t thought of.”
Jessica nodded. “Maybe Trent decided not to replace one of them after all, but then why would he say that he did?”
Her mom looked as perplexed as she felt. “Did you actually watch him replace every one of them?”
“No. I was watching Chase and he kept wanting to run around. But we were right there the whole time. I’m just not sure of anything now. What if someone tampered with my car after Trent put it out in the lot?”
They stared at each other as unspoken messages flashed between them. “You need to look into it immediately.”
“I agree.” Out of earshot of Chase, she called the police station and asked to speak to the police chief to make an appointment.
“Sorry. Sheriff Granger won’t be back until Tuesday. Come in to the station then.”
“All right. Thank you.” She hung up disappointed, but there wasn’t anything else to do. She turned to her mother and hugged her hard. “The sheriff won’t be in until Tuesday so I’ll have to wait. Thank you for encouraging me and letting me know I’m not crazy. Thank you for everything. I love you.”
The first year after Trent’s death had come close to destroying her. She had adored her husband and her anguish over knowing she could never have another baby made her feel as if she’d suffered two deaths. Her specialist did say that in some cases, an early menopause diagnosis didn’t mean never. Conception could happen, but it was in the almost miraculous category.
This last year had been a little better and Chase was her everything. She was starting to see light at the end of the tunnel, but the sight of those ball joints had thrown her back to the past in a horrible way.
“Mom?” came her son’s voice.
She turned to him. His mouth was covered in icing and sprinkles. “I sprinkled some doughnuts for you and Nana.”
“Thank you, darling.”
Early Friday morning, Riverside Cemetery in Cody, Wyoming, was already filling with flowers for Memorial Day on Monday, but the main press of visitors wouldn’t be felt until the actual day.
Thirty-year-old Holden Granger had been vacationing in Cody with his parents and siblings for the last week. He’d been born and raised here where he’d imagined living for the rest of his life. But when his wife, Cynthia, had died of lymphoma three years ago, his entire world had changed forever.
He’d come to the cemetery at ten to place a potted red rose tree on Cynthia’s grave beneath the headstone.
Beloved Wife.
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal.
Love leaves a memory no one can steal.
After burying her, his pain had been so great, he couldn’t imagine being alive another day. Yet after this long without her, he’d learned that time was helping him to move on.
The town of Cody represented the past and his work as a police officer. This was where he’d met Cynthia and would always treasure the memories of her. But to his surprise he found himself actually looking forward to the drive back to Whitebark, Wyoming, where he now lived. Until Tuesday he would follow up on some chores he’d been putting off.
He thought back to the six months after her death. His police chief had suggested he apply for the police chief job in Whitebark. The chief thought a change of location might help him throw off his depression. Holden looked into it and learned that the Whitebark chief had resigned because of bad health. There was a vacancy and Holden had the credentials they were looking for. Once hired, he’d sold the house and relocated. Though he missed his family, he hadn’t been sorry or looked back.
Holden kissed two fingers and pressed them to the top of the granite headstone before walking to his dark blue Subaru Outback under a semicloudy sky. He’d been away from work a week and wondered what messes had piled up in his absence.
Having said his goodbyes last night to the family that included two married sisters and brothers-in-law, plus a niece and nephew, he took off for his five-hour drive back to the Wind River Mountains.
Holden had never thought he could love that range as much as the Absarokas outside Cody. How wrong he’d been once the friends he’d made in the Whitebark fire department took him camping and introduced him to some of their favorite spots!
For the first time in a week he turned on the radio to listen to the Hunt Talk call-in show covering the western half of the state.
After two stops in Thermopolis and Lander for food, he reached Whitebark at five in the afternoon. Before going to his ranch, he pulled into the back of the Sublette County sheriff’s office near the county courthouse. Walt Emerson had been acting as undersheriff while Granger had been out of town.
In an election held several months after Holden had been made police chief, he’d been voted in as sheriff to replace the one who’d passed away unexpectedly. He’d inherited a department that covered the whole county where he maintained a staff of thirty-four sworn officers.
The extra responsibility kept him so busy he didn’t have much time to think about the absence of a special woman in his life. He dated on occasion, but none of the relationships had grown serious.
Holden entered the building through the back door. He waved to Jenny in the dispatch room, then walked down the hall to his office. Walt sat at the desk in front of the computer. The forty-five-year-old man looked up. “Hey—are you ever a sight for sore eyes!”
“What’s the matter?”
“You might as well ask me what isn’t wrong!”
Holden grinned. “I believe you’re on duty until I come in on Tuesday morning.”
“Don’t remind me. Thank heaven you’re back in case an emergency comes up I can’t solve.”
“That’ll be the day. I thought I’d see how things are going before I head to my ranch and work on some projects I’ve been putting off since I moved here.”
“Just don’t forget the new members of TTSAR will be meeting with you on Tuesday morning.” The Tip Top Search and Rescue volunteer unit for the county needed staffing from time to time. “You’ll also need to choose the new engraver for the Ranch Watch program.”
“I tapped Rex Lewis for that job two weeks ago.” To pinpoint the ranches and farms from where machinery was stolen, the owners’ names were engraved on it to identify specific locations of theft.
“Three days ago Rex fell off a ladder fixing his barn roof and broke his elbow.”
Holden shook his head. Great. “Okay, I’ll check in on him.” He sorted through the paperwork in the inbox on the desk.
“Also, just so you know, the detention center is at capacity. We can’t handle any more than fifty inmates.”
“I’ll phone Rand over at the marshal’s office to figure it out. Anything else?”
Walt frowned. “Jan Allred’s son Mike has been on a hunger strike. His mother is frantic and has called here three times looking for you. You remember she works in the bakery at Loft’s supermarket.”
He nodded. “On Tuesday I’ll have a talk with Lieutenant Fogarty over at the jail. After he gives me his view of the situation, I’ll get in touch with her. Is that everything?”
The older man laughed. “Are you sure you want to know?”
“Maybe not.”
“How was your vacation?”
“Good. I helped my dad do a lot of fencing.”
“In other words, you’re ready for a real vacation.”
To his mind, a real vacation included being with his wife, but that wasn’t possible and hadn’t been for three years. “It was great to see my folks and family, but honestly I’m glad to be back.” He was grateful to have a reason to get up every morning, including exercising his horse.
“Then go on home and enjoy your last few days of freedom.”
“Thanks, Walt.”
Holden left the office, nodded to the staff on duty and left for his ranch. Before moving here he’d bought the place close to the south end of town with a house and barn. After trailing his horse to Whitebark, he’d intended to put in crops of alfalfa and hay, maybe even some cattle one day. So far he’d done none of it. His life was too crazy to be the rancher he’d assumed he’d be. Maybe when he retired...
While he’d been gone this last week, Drake Simpson, the nineteen-year-old son of Hank and Allie Simpson, his neighbors to the south, took care of Blackie. The Simpsons ran a small miniature horse farm on their ranch. Drake usually came by five times a week to feed and exercise his horse, depending on Holden’s schedule.
All looked well as he checked on his gelding before going in the house. No sooner had he entered the front door than his cell rang. He checked the caller ID and smiled to see his friend’s name. Porter Ewing worked for the forest service after transferring in from the Adirondacks. He was a part-time firefighter and like Holden, he was single.
He clicked On. “Hey, Porter—what’s up?”
“We just pulled into the station after coming back from a fire over at Roper’s Discount Mattress. Cole and I saw your Subaru headed for the office. Welcome back!”
“It’s good to be home. How’s it going?”
“Don’t ask. Want to grab a bite at Angelino’s later? Wyatt will be coming with a couple of the guys.”
“Sounds great. Give me an hour and I’ll meet you there.”
“You’re on! See you soon.”
On Memorial Day morning, Jessica reached for her cell phone to call her mother. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, honey. Are you ready?”
“We are. I want to know how the church party went on Saturday night. Did you go with Ray?”
“It was fun. I had a nice time with him.”
“Good.” Ray Marsden was a widower who went to their church. Jessica had a feeling he was interested in her mom. “On my way over to the shop, I’m planning to buy some flowers at the florist to put on all the graves.”
“Thank you for doing that. By the time you get here, I’ll be ready. I’ve been packing us a picnic to enjoy while we’re over there.”
“Great. I’ll be on my way as soon as I take care of Bucky.”
Later, when she parked the truck behind a row of cars at the cemetery, crowds of people were already visiting the graves and it made their progress slow. She carried the box of potted flowers. Her mom trailed behind with the picnic basket.
Chase looked up at her. “How come you bought so many plants, Mom?”
“Because we have to decorate my grandparents’ grave, plus the graves of your father’s parents and uncle and aunt.”
“And Dad’s!”
“His most of all, darling.”
They reached the first set of graves where Trent’s family was buried. She put the box down. “I bought yellow, lavender and white mums. Choose which ones you want to put on the two headstones.”
Her son pulled out the lavender potted flowers and carefully placed them at the base of each.
“That’s perfect, Chase! Now let’s go to my grandparents’ graves.” She picked up the box and they walked the short distance. “Do you know who they are?”
“Yup! My great-grandparents.”
She put down the box to hug him. “That’s right. They’re the Harrisons and have just one headstone.”
“Can I put yellow flowers on their grave, Nana?”
“I wish you would. Yellow was my mother’s favorite color. Go ahead and do it.”
He reached in the box and walked it over to the headstone. Jessica shared a soulful glance with her mother. Chase was so adorable. After he placed a pot of flowers, he came running to her. “Now can we go to Daddy’s grave?”
She’d been waiting for him to ask. “Yes.”
They walked the short distance. “I saved the white flowers for him.”
“Is that your favorite color, darling?”
“Yes. My teacher at Sunday school says everyone in heaven wears white.”
With that comment, tears pricked Jessica’s eyes. “She’s right.”
“There’s Daddy’s grave!” He pulled out the last of the potted flowers and put them at the base of his father’s headstone. Maybe Trent was watching. Jessica hoped so. Then Chase did something that surprised her and sat down on the grass next to it. “Can we have our picnic right here?”
“Of course we can,” her mother answered for her and sat down by him.
Jessica pulled out her phone and took a picture. Then she, too, sank down under the sunny sky and they ate the fried chicken and potato salad.
“Mmm. This is good, Nana.”
“It was your father’s favorite meal when he came to my house with your mom.”
After a moment of silence, Chase said, “I wish my daddy didn’t have to die.” His brown eyes had teared up.
“I know how you feel,” Jessica murmured. “My daddy died when I was twelve. We’ll always miss them, won’t we?”
He nodded his dark blond head. “Where’s his grave?”
“In Riverside, California, with his parents’. That’s why Nana and I fly there every year and put flowers on their graves.”
“Oh.” Chase finished a roll and got to his feet. “Can I go look around at the flags?”
“For a few minutes, but don’t go far.”
“I won’t.” He walked off. Jessica kept her eyes on him.
Tuesday was finally here. Jessica hadn’t slept well and was anxious to talk to the sheriff. She exercised Bucky, then showered and washed her hair. With the help of the dryer and brush, she styled her blond hair into a neck-length bob. After looking in the closet, she pulled out a summery skirt and blouse to put on.
With her makeup done, she fed Chase and took him to her mom’s. She’d packed his lunch and his favorite bag of building blocks. When she got there, Millie, one of the hairdressers, was already at work washing Lily Owens’s hair. The beautiful onetime Olympic alpine skier was working with her parents breeding horses these days.
They all chatted for a minute. After going upstairs with Chase, she promised him she’d be back soon to take him home. Then she left the salon and headed for the complex to the sheriff’s office. Once she’d parked at the rear of the building, she entered and spoke to a Deputy Sykes at the front desk.
“I was told to come in so I could speak to Chief Granger.”
“Just a moment.”
While she waited, she asked him if he could look up her husband’s case in the files and find out the name of the investigating officer.
She had to wait a half hour before she was told the officer had retired and moved out of state. She would have to take up the matter with the chief.
To her relief, she didn’t have to wait long before he said, “Mrs. Fleming? I checked with the sheriff. He can see you in ten minutes, but it will have to be short because of his loaded schedule.”
Thank goodness. “I appreciate him fitting me in at all.”
“Wait here. I’ll let you know when you can go in.”
The more Jessica thought about what she’d discovered, the more she was convinced a crime had been committed. But against whom? Her or Trent? Or was it sheer vandalism?
“Mrs. Fleming?” Jessica jumped. She’d been so deep in thought, she hadn’t been aware of time passing. “You can go in now. It’s the door at the end of the hall on the right around the corner.”
“Thank you, Deputy.”
The busy office hummed with activity. She walked down the hall and knocked on the door.
“Come in,” sounded a deep male voice.
When she opened the door, her gaze traveled to the brown-haired sheriff who stood up and walked around his desk to shake her hand. She felt the warmth of it permeate her insides. He was probably in his early thirties.
Not only was he tall and well built, he was one of the most ruggedly handsome men she’d ever seen in her life. After she’d met and fallen in love with Trent, she really hadn’t noticed other men. Since his death, life had passed in a kind of dull, painful blur...until now.
“Mrs. Fleming?”
“Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Sheriff Granger.”
“I’m happy to do it. Please, sit down.”
She sat on one of the chairs near his desk before he took his place behind it. Like the deputies she’d seen in the building, he wore a tan shirt and black pants, nothing exceptional. But on him, they looked good. His silvery-gray eyes had a luminous quality that rivaled the silver badge worn on his pocket.
Though she realized he’d been the police chief at the time of Trent’s death, she’d never met him. But his name had come up in the news and during the election that had put him in as sheriff.
“Tell me what has brought you to my office.”
Not wanting to waste his time, she quickly related everything she’d told her mother on Thursday. By the time she’d finished, his dark brows had formed a bar above his incredible gray eyes. He sat forward in his swivel chair.
“Was anyone else in the bay or still on the premises while you were there waiting for him?”
“I didn’t see another soul.”
“Okay. Where is the box of ball joints now?”
“In my garage. I was planning to take it to the dump along with some other boxes.”
“Tell you what. I’ve got appointments all day. Why don’t I come by your house this evening to have a look when it’s convenient for you. I believe you mentioned you have a son.”
“Yes. Chase is five and goes to kindergarten, except that he’s out now for the summer.”
He smiled, turning her heart over. What on earth was the matter with her? “That’s a great age. When does he go to bed?”
“Seven thirty.”
“Then if it’s all right with you, I’ll drop by about quarter to eight. Give me your phone number and I’ll text you when I arrive so I won’t wake him. I have a lot of questions,” he explained, “and we’ll be able to talk at length.”
Surprised at his thoughtfulness and willingness to act so quickly, she obliged him. “You don’t know what this means to me. Thank you so much.” She got up from the chair. “Last night I couldn’t sleep. If someone tampered with the car during that night and I can prove it, then I can’t help but wonder if the culprit had wanted to injure Trent...or if I was the target, assuming that person knew it was my car.”
The sheriff got to his feet and walked her to the door. “It’s too soon to know anything yet, Mrs. Fleming, but I’ll get back to you.”
“Thank you so much, Sheriff.”
