Page 15 of Dark Side of the River

“The craft would have flown in and out of here yesterday, but if you weren’t around...” Tilly said.

“It’s in the far hangar,” Bob said. “But I didn’t hear anything about it being for sale. If you’ll excuse me. It’s been a long day, and I’m anxious to see how my mother is.” He stepped past, going to the car and climbing in the passenger side.

“I’m in the market for a plane?” Cooper said.

“I could have said the pilot and his passenger might know something about my sister’s shooting, but he didn’t seem anxious to give us any information as it was,” she said as they turned to watch the SUV kick up dust into the late-June morning.

“I get the feeling he thinks we’re interested in his mother’s ranch,” Cooper said. “Apparently our parents have a reputation for buying up any land that comes on the market even before people like his mother dies.”

“That could be it,” she said. “But in case you are unaware, the methane drilling has split this community as well as families. Everyone around here has an opinion about methane as well as those making a living drilling for it.”

Tilly headed for her pickup and he followed, wondering what a CH4 plane was doing flying over the McKenna Ranch yesterday at the same time Oakley was shot. As far as he knew, his father was still standing firm against anyone drilling for methane on the McKenna Ranch. Maybe more to the point, did the plane and its occupants have anything to do with why a Stafford was trespassing on the McKenna Ranch? Or why she was shot?

“Your sister ever mention how she felt about the methane debate?” he asked as he slid into the passenger truck seat again. She gave him that look. “Come on—you have to be asking yourself the same thing. If you want to find the person who shot her, then we’re going to have to talk about our families.”

She had started the engine but didn’t shift the pickup into gear. Nor did she look at him. He figured she was preparing for a fight. He thought it wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility that he’d be walking back to the rodeo grounds where he’d left his pickup.

“You sure you want to go there?” Tilly asked as she looked over at him. He gave her what he hoped was a think-we-have-to shrug. She took a deep breath and let it out before she said, “Oakley was opposed to the drilling. She tried to stop my mother. I’m not sure that they’ve spoken since.”

Cooper nodded. “Interesting, but it doesn’t explain what she was doing on the McKenna Ranch, though.”

“Maybe it does,” she said as she turned to him. “I happened to see your brother Treyton talking to one of the higher-ups from CH4 one night outside the Buffalo Bar in Miles City. Don’t ask. It was a friend’s bachelorette party. But I wasn’t so drunk that I missed the handshake between your brother and the gas company bigwig. They definitely looked as if they were making a deal.”

CHAPTER FIVE

AFTERADAYof butting heads with members of both the McKenna and the Stafford families, Stuart couldn’t wait to go off the clock for a few hours.

He’d done everything he could on the investigation, including leaving a dozen or more 270 rifles his deputies had picked up in their search of the two ranches at the lab for ballistic tests. He hated to think about the angry phone calls he’d gotten on taking the rifles—even for a short time. He just wanted a quiet evening at home with a beer, a movie and the woman he’d wanted for a very long time.

“How about we just stay in tonight and watch a movie?” he asked Tilly when he called. A week ago, they had talked about going into Miles City to see a band they liked there.

“Maybe another night. I’m sure you’ve had a horrible day too.” She sounded wrung out. He knew the feeling.

“Seeing you would make my day better.” No response. “Does this have anything to do with Cooper?”

“What?”

Stu knew at once that he’d stepped in it. “Sorry, I was just looking forward to being with you and having a normal evening together. I’m making popcorn.” He could hear by her silence that she was still upset, but thinking about his offer. “I even bought your favorite wine.”

“I do need to talk to you.” She sighed. “I’m on my way, but I’m not staying long.”

She needed to talk to him? He didn’t like the sound of that. He hated how jealous he’d been earlier. Tilly and Cooper had always had an adversarial relationship, fiercely competitive. If he hadn’t seen the two of them together that one time... He’d never been able to get it out of his mind. They’d been standing outside the barn at the fair in the semidarkness. Cooper had her backed up to the wall, one palm pressed against the wood next to her head, the other tilting her face up to his.

It was the look that passed between them before they realized he was standing there. Tilly shrugged off Cooper’s hand and pushed past him, saying, “That really doesn’t work on me, McKenna.” Cooper had chuckled, the moment passing.

But Stuart knew what he’d seen. There was something between the two of them, always had been, looking back. A denied passion that manifested itself as they tried to outdo each other competitively. It was why when he’d heard his friend was back in town, he’d felt his heart drop. Stuart had only been dating Tilly for a few weeks. He needed more time. More time without Cooper around.

Now, as he opened the door to her, he saw that Tilly was still upset. Of course she was. Her sister had been shot, was lying in the hospital, still in serious condition. He pulled her in for a hug, and she came willingly enough but was the first to break contact. He tried not to read anything into that as he led her into the kitchen, where he’d just finished making a big bowl of popcorn.

“Help yourself,” he said, handing her a bowl. “I found a movie I thought you might like.”

She put her bowl down on the counter without touching the popcorn. “I need to ask you about the plane Cooper saw after Oakley was shot.”

Talking shop was the last thing he had wanted to do. But he could understand that it was probably the only thing Tilly had on her mind right now. He leaned back against the counter. “I have one of my deputies checking on it. Why?”

“Cooper and I went out to the airstrip. We talked to a pilot there. He said it belongs to CH4, that coalbed methane gas development group, the same one that has been drilling on my family’s ranch.”

She and Cooper? He knew he shouldn’t have been surprised. “So?”

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