Page 39 of Dark Side of the River

She didn’t rise to the bait. “It seemed suspicious the way he left, as if he didn’t want us seeing him there. You know who his visitor was?”

He looked down at the paper in his hand for a moment as if making up his mind. “Jason Murdock from Billings.” He looked up as he said it. “That mean anything to you?”

She shook her head. “Maybe it wasn’t important, but thank you for checking.” Whoever the man was, she had the feeling that he hadn’t wanted them to know that he had dealings with Howie and CH4. Why else sneak away like he had?

“He’s a private detective.” Stuart rose. “I need to get over and see your sister.”

“I should take her phone to her.”

“Actually, I’ll do that,” the sheriff said. “There might be evidence on it that will be helpful in solving this case.”

COOPERFOUNDPICKETTand some of the other ranch hands mending fence out in the south forty. He’d saddled up and ridden out after Deacon had told him where he might find the man. But first the ranch manager had to ask about Holly Jo’s horseback lesson.

“I taught her the basics, but she’s not ready to ride yet. She thinks she is, but she’s wrong,” Cooper said. “I’ll work with her again tomorrow in the corral.”

“That is one stubborn girl,” Deacon said. “Better keep a close eye on her.”

He wanted to say, “Tell that to my father.” The ranch was huge. If the girl wanted to get lost on it, she wouldn’t have to go far. He hoped she was smarter than that, but while he’d teach her to ride, he wasn’t babysitting her.

“Pickett,” Cooper called out now as he rode down the fence line to where the crew was stretching barbed wire. “Need to talk to you a minute.”

All of the ranch hands stopped working as Cooper dismounted and led his horse some distance from the others. Pickett followed.

“What you need, boss?”

“It’s Cooper, and I just need to ask you a couple of questions.” He pulled off his hat, scrubbed at the back of his neck. The day was hot, the sun glaring in a sky of such deep blue that it hurt to look at it. “Awful hot out here for the end of June.”

“You rode all the way out here to talk about the weather?” Pickett chuckled.

He looked back at the others. “Do you know anything about a group called Dirty Business?” He’d been watching the ranch hand’s face out of the corner of his eye and didn’t miss his reaction. Now he looked directly at him. “Is Oakley in the group?”

He’d caught Pickett flat-footed, and it showed on the man’s usual quick-to-smile face. “Your answer has nothing to do with your job.”

Pickett nodded and seemed to give the question some thought. “I might know something.”

“There’s a meeting tonight. Where exactly?” He waited, watching the man struggle. “This also is between just the two of us.” He could see Pickett caught between two alliances, maybe more, depending on how close he was to Oakley. Fraternizing with the enemy was definitely frowned upon—on both sides of the barbed-wire fence.

“Down at Bowman’s abandoned barn.” It was quite a few miles from town. “You planning to come alone?” Pickett asked.

“I’ll probably be bringing Tilly Stafford. That okay with you?” He didn’t need the man’s permission. What he needed was for Pickett not to warn the other members and cancel the meeting.

“’Spect that would be all right.”

“Suppose you heard that Oakley regained consciousness. Seems she’s going to recover just fine.” He saw the man’s relief, more relief than he would expect if they were only vigilantes against methane gas drilling. He wondered what Tilly would make of it. Guess he’d have to ask her and let her take it from there, since Cooper had no intention of asking the ranch hand about his love life.

“She saw who shot her?” Pickett asked.

“Not that I’ve heard. Thanks for your help. Appreciate it,” he told the ranch hand as Pickett walked back toward the others. He knew the men would quiz him, curious about their conversation. “And if you see Holly Jo wandering too far from the ranch house, would you let me know?” he called after him.

Pickett turned, smiled. “You bet I will. Already heard she might give us a run for our money.”

When Cooper got back to the ranch, he put his horse away and called Tilly. He’d thought about going to this clandestine meeting alone, but Oakley was her sister. If they were going to get any insight into who shot her, he figured people would be more forthcoming with Tilly there. And there was no way Tilly wouldn’t want to go.

At least that was what he told himself as she answered the phone. “I know where the meeting is tonight.” His throat went dry. He couldn’t let her go alone, and he couldn’t betray Pickett by sending the sheriff. “You wanna go?”

“You know I do,” she said. He tried not to read too much into her tone, but if he had to guess, she sounded pleased. “I’ve got news as well. Meet in town?”

“No, I think we should meet behind the old gas station on the way out of town. I’ll tell you why when I see you. Eight forty-five?”

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