Page 2 of Savage Secrets

Meadow moved toward one of the guys, her fiancé Colton. He stepped toward Opal, the serious expression in his eyesreminding her of her loss all over again. From now on, people would look at her that way, until time smoothed out the pain.

“Opal, meet Ross and Boone Wynton from WEST Protection. They’ve been helping us with matters on the Gracey Ranch for a while.”

She shifted her attention to the men.

Ross gave her a gentle nod in greeting. “Miss Vale, I just wanted to let you know that we are going to personally investigate your father’s death.”

“Thank you.” Her lips were too dry. She took a sip of the warm, sweet tea.

Boone thumbed the brim of his hat. “Our condolences on your loss. We’ll be in touch with Colton and the others on the Gracey Ranch.”

She offered him a small nod in response. Colton led them back out. Suddenly, everyone seemed to leave at the same time. Her neighbors from town and coworkers came to say a few words to her in sympathy before leaving too.

Feeling exhausted and like she could hardly keep her eyes open, she noticed a man enter her living room. Something about the look of him made her stomach grip with nerves.

“Hi, Opal.”

She stared at him. “Do I know you?”

“No, but your father did. My name is Eli Feldman.”

Suddenly, Zach appeared in the opening between the kitchen and living room. Seeing that he hadn’t entered because he needed a break from the tea party with Rainie, Opal held up a hand to let him know she could handle this.

“Feldman. The investor who offered my father money for this ranch,” she said to the man.

He offered her a smile that wasn’t quite genuine. “That was me, yes. Since I assume the Springvale Ranch is now inyour hands, I wanted to extend the offer to you. Officially. Personally.”

His smile widened across his teeth until she could see his canines.

Zach still lingered in the doorway. Opal met his gaze, silently letting him know she could handle the investor.

She set her tea on a side table. “I’m listening, Mr. Feldman. What kind of designs do you have on my father’s ranch?”

* * * * *

Feldman was as slimy as they came. Zach had crossed paths with him a couple of times now, and both of those times he got a bad feeling. The hair on his nape prickled, letting him know danger was near.

He always listened to that warning. But Opal had waved him off.

Of course, he had no experience negotiating with bigwig investors. He was a ranch hand, and everyone knew it. What could he possibly add to the discussion?

At the kitchen table, Rainie sat with a bunch of crayons spread out in front of her, a pink one gripped in her small hand. She scribbled in the face of a princess in the coloring book, making the character look like she’d been badly sunburned.

Rainie turned her big brown eyes on him. “You color the prince.”

Inwardly, he groaned and plopped into the chair. She rolled a blue crayon his way. “The prince wears a blue coat.”

He picked up the crayon and started scribbling in the sleeve of the coat. He wasn’t much more skilled than the three-year-old.

He trained his hearing on the conversation taking place in the living room, able to clearly make out Feldman’s voice and Opal’s too.

“It’s a fair price I’m offering for the land. You know the house needs a new roof, and the barn isn’t structurally sound.”

Opal’s tone pitched higher. “I’m not in the market to sell at this time. I told you already, Mr. Feldman.”

The crayon snapped in Zach’s hand. Rainie blinked up at him in surprise.

“Stay here, sweetie.” He shoved to his feet and strode to the living room. This time he wouldn’t allow Opal to wave him off. He intended to see Feldman out the door.

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