Page 1 of Murder at Rescue Ridge

1

Asiren pierced the air. Nikki Guidry checked the rearview. An SUV with flashing lights came roaring toward her from behind. Her gaze immediately shifted to the dashboard to check her speed. Going fifty-seven in a fifty-five didn’t qualify as speeding in her book.

After slowing down, she pulled onto the shoulder and studied the SUV gunning toward her. No way was the deputy pulling her over while going this rate of speed. What were the odds the vehicle was heading to the Sturgess ranch?

Her stomach dropped.

Her small sport utility leaned and groaned as the larger SUV whooshed past. She navigated back onto the farm road as the SUV disappeared around curves and sped up. Not thirty seconds later, another siren whirred from behind. Past the S-curve, she had trouble seeing anything. Rather than pull over and risk being hit, she smashed the gas pedal. Once she was on a long stretch of road, she moved over again.

An ambulance came into view before barreling past her.

Rather than follow, she grabbed her cell phone and made a call to her father. As the Sturgess family’s lawyer, Harrison Guidry would know what was going on and if she needed to be concerned. Nikki impatiently tapped her finger on the steering wheelas she willed him to answer. The two of them weren’t close. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen his face in person. The answer came to her: eighteen, college move-in day. He’d met her in Austin and taken her out to lunch. His advice? Try not to get pregnant.“Having a baby before age thirty-five will ruin your future in law. No one will take a mother seriously.”Her mother had been right about Harrison turning out to be a disappointment.

Even though he’d been an absentee father, she had never been able to cut him out of her life or give up the hope he might change one day. The few times she’d visited him for a long weekend as a young teenager, he’d driven to this ranch and then told her to go have fun while he’d spent the day in Beaumont Sturgess’s office. After giving her father a piece of her mind and walking out on that lunch when she was eighteen, she’d been able to count on one thing from the man. Harrison always took her calls or got back to her as soon as he was able.

There had been no holiday visits, no presents in the mail. Harrison Guidry had been an occasional voice on the phone to her, but only after she’d reached the age that her mother decided Nikki could handle disappointment. Eileen Alastor, formerly Eileen Guidry, had experienced more than her fair share while she’d been married to the man. More letdowns than any one person should have to endure.

Looking back, Nikki’s insistence on visiting the man that handful of times had been her form of teen rebellion against an overprotective mother.

Harrison Guidry didn’t pick up.

Nikki ended the call and set the phone in the cupholder in case her father called back right away. If there was an emergency at the Sturgess ranch, he might be in the thick of the action.

Tamping down panic, she guided her vehicle back onto the farm road and toward her destination. Accidents probably happened on or around ranches all the time. Plus, she didn’t have confirmation there was anything to be concerned about.

A vivid memory stirred of her trying to kiss one of the Sturgess boys. He had been three years older than her. In her teenage brain, she’d thought the best way to get her father’s attention was for him to catch her smooching in the barn. Conrad Sturgess had flatly rejected her overly eager attempt at seduction.

The memory caused her cheeks to heat and the corners of her lips to upturn into a small smile. She probably shouldn’t be amused and embarrassed in equal measure, but Conrad Sturgess had been a complete and total hottie in her book, based on the diary she’d boxed up over Christmas break. With any luck, Conrad would be long gone from the ranch by now. A small voice in the back of her mind picked that moment to point out the fact most ranch operations were handed down from generation to generation. She was aware of Beaumont’s death a few months ago, early December if memory served.

Under normal circumstances, it would be sad to lose a family member during the holiday season. Nikki had a feeling there had been no love lost based on her limited experience with the family.

Again, maybe things had changed. That happened, right?

Based on the recent argument she’d had with her own father, which was the reason for the personal visit, she doubted it. On this visit, she would decide whether or not to allow an adult adoption to go through with her stepfather. Heath Alastor, the man who’d raised her, had asked if she wanted to make it official and take his name.

Nikki had a decision to make. Her biological father might pick up her calls now, but he never initiated a conversation. When he did pick up or return a call, he always sounded bothered and in a hurry. He often listened for a few minutes before making an excuse to end the call.

She sighed. Did families have to be so complicated?

Another question emerged. Should she continue to waste time on a father who did little to nothing to engage in a relationship?

Sirens that had been growing louder suddenly stopped.

Pulling onto Sturgess property meant coming face-to-face with the massive tumbled-stone house and her father.

The commotion was at the barn behind the home. Should she park and head there instead of going straight to the main house? A flurry of activity in the barn made the decision for her.

After parking and checking her phone, she walked toward the barn. The back door of the main house opened almost immediately, and a tall female deputy with dark hair tied back in a ponytail came walking toward her.

“Excuse me,” the deputy said, “are you Nikki Guidry?”

Nikki stopped. “Yes.”

“You’re going to want to come into the house with me instead,” Deputy Combs said after identifying herself.

“I’m here to see Harrison Guidry,” Nikki said, still trying to mentally process the scene.

“I know,” Deputy Combs said, offering a sympathetic look. The look caused more panic to knot in Nikki’s chest to the point that taking in air hurt.

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