Page 69 of River Wild

“No, because we care about you and hate what you went through. We just want to keep you safe.”

He’d dropped Holly Jo off at the house and gone home to his cabin down by the stables. He’d found Oakley sleeping soundly and crawled into bed next to her.

This morning, while she was still asleep, he’d slipped out to walk up to the main ranch house. He found Elaine in the kitchen, baking apple turnovers. The smell of cinnamon and apples drew him right to her.

“They’re not quite ready,” she said when she saw him. “I just put them in the oven.” She glanced at the clock, then at him, as if realizing he hadn’t come for breakfast. “What’s wrong?”

He pulled up a chair and tried to keep his voice calm as he told her about the phone call from Holly Jo and how he’d picked her up and gotten her home.

“That little bastard didn’t bring her home?” Elaine said angrily as she joined him. “I’d like to get my hands on his scrawny neck.” She stopped speaking, her eyes welling. “Is she all right?”

He nodded. “Still, someone needs to talk to her about—”

“If you say birds and bees—”

“She needs to know that no all boys are jerks. I think she’d done with Buck, I certainly hope so. She told me she just wants to be a normal teenager. But someone needs to warn her about boys.”

“Poor baby. Of course someone should talk to her.” The housekeeper shook her head and sighed. “Certainly not Holden. I’ll do it.” The timer went off on the oven. “You should stay for breakfast.”

Pickett rose, shaking his head. “But I would love to take a couple of those back to my cabin. Oakley could use one.” Elaine didn’t ask why, and he was grateful for that and pretty sure she probably already knew that they were trying for a baby without much success.

“Let me wrap up some for you to take. Then I’ll go up and see how Holly Jo is this morning. I don’t know what Holden was thinking. He isn’t equipped to raise another daughter. He’d be the first to tell you that he wasn’t all that equipped to raise the first one.”

Taking the wrapped hot turnovers she handed him, Pickett smiled. “Thanks. I’m glad Holly Jo has you. Holden too.”

She scoffed at that, but smiled as she took off her apron and headed for the back stairs.

EARLHALLLOOKEDsurprised to see the sheriff again so soon. His appearance had changed drastically since the last time Stuart had been there. He was recently shaved, hair trimmed, and he was fully dressed, including boots on his feet. No black crocodile. Not buckaroos either.

From what Stuart could see of the house behind Hall, the place was neat and clean. “If you have a moment, I’d like a few words with you. Mind if I come in?”

Hall glanced over his shoulder, then hesitated for a few moments before he said, “Sure, Sheriff,” and pushed the door open for him to enter.

Plastic covered the living room couch, and a plastic runner ran up the hallway over the carpet. He heard the rattle of pots and pans coming from the kitchen and headed in that direction.

“The wife’s making breakfast,” Earl said behind him, sounding as if he’d prefer to talk to Stuart alone, which made the sheriff even more curious.

He wasn’t sure who he’d thought he’d find in the kitchen. The last time he’d been here, he’d gotten the feeling that Iris might not ever be coming back. But he’d also suspected thatsomeonehad been here and peeked out the window.

A small, thin woman with a plain face and a turned-down mouth was standing at the stove.

“Iris,” Stuart said, and took off his hat. “I’d like to talk to you and Earl if you have a few minutes.”

She looked past him to where Earl was standing, still in the kitchen doorway as if afraid to enter the kitchen.

“Mind if we sit at the kitchen table?” the sheriff asked. “I don’t want to keep you from your breakfast.” He didn’t wait for an answer, just moved to the table and pulled out one of the chairs to sit. Neither Iris nor Earl joined him, though.

He crossed his legs to balance his Stetson on his knee, the tension in the room making him a little nervous—also a little suspicious. “I’m sure you’ve heard about that woman who was murdered and dumped in the river.”

A look passed between Iris and her husband before she said, “Horrible thing to happen.”

“How was Fargo, Iris?” he asked, startling her. She appeared confused. “Last time I was here, Earl said you were in Fargo visiting a sister? Or one of the girls? Sorry, I can’t remember.”

“Sister,” she said, her mouth tightening into a straight line. This time she didn’t look at Earl.

“Earl, I can make this quick. I’m going to need you to remove your shirt.”

Iris grabbed hold of the kitchen counter and looked down at the floor without a word, but from her expression, he thought he knew what he was going to find.

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