Page 12 of Smokescreen

Was the sender keeping an eye on her? Did he know Olive was in Wyoming? Or were those details insignificant?

Stepping outside into the cool mid-April day, Olive and Reid began walking around the ranch.

“I could give you a ride in the side-by-side, but it’s a beautiful day out.” Reid nodded up at the sweeping blue sky overhead. “I thought you might want to stretch your legs and breathe some of the freshest air you can experience.”

“Stretching my legs sounds amazing. And who can turn down fresh air, especially on a sixty-degree day?”

Olive glanced around the property once more in awe. Craggy mountains stood tall around them, yet the valley where this ranch was located was green and fertile. A river cut through the center of the pasture in the distance with several small creeks running into it. The water source created the perfect pastures for cattle to graze.

The Homestead—that was what they called the massive estate house—was ten thousand square feet and contained every luxury imaginable. Olive only knew that because the home had been featured in a cover story inWyoming Todaymagazine. The sprawling, log-cabin-style home—more of a lodge, really—was a thing of beauty.

“This your first time in Wyoming?” Reid asked.

“As a matter of fact, yes. It is. It’s unbelievably gorgeous here.”

“I agree. It’s like a slice of heaven on earth.”

Olive wondered for a moment if he actually believed in heaven. She wondered as well if she believed in heaven. She wasn’t sure anymore.

“This place has been in my family’s name for more than one hundred fifty years.” Reid strolled along the property, his hands in the pockets of his jeans, casual and laid-back. “My great-great-great-grandparents were one of the original settlers in this area.”

“That’s quite a legacy.”

“It is.”

It definitely seemed like a slower pace of life here. What would that be like? The busier she was, the less time she had to think about her grief. Eight years had dimmed the pain some, but it always lingered just out of sight, waiting to pop up like a game of Whac-A-Mole.

He paused and pointed to some buildings behind the Homestead. “Over there, we have the bunkhouse where the ranch hands stay. We also have the stables, a pole barn where we store equipment, and a feed shed where all the food for the animals is stored.”

“Is that all?” Her voice contained a playful tone.

Reid smiled. “We have a couple of older, smaller log homes on a different part of the property, but I don’t usually show people those. They’re not in use anymore.”

“Noted.” She drew in a long, deep breath of fresh air. “I’m sure that over the years people have tried to buy this place from your family.”

“More than I can count—although it’s usually just parts of the property, not everything in its entirety.”

“I suppose any of those people could be guilty of trying to drive you away. I’d like a list of them.”

“I’ll get them to you. But what I don’t quite understand is why someone would want all this property or would try to shut this ranch down. Even if I were to sell it to someone, the taxes on this place alone are six figures. Most people couldn’t handle the upkeep—physically or financially.”

Six figures in taxes? That sounded overwhelming. “Do you have any theories?”

He sighed. “I’m not sure it’s realistic to think that housing developments could be built here and turn a profit. Sure, more people are realizing the beauty of the state and moving here. But our isolated location and harsh winters aren’t for everyone. Plus, there aren’t enough businesses to support the employment that would be needed.”

“What does the temperature get down to here in the winter?”

“It averages twenty-eight degrees in the winter months, with lows of around five to ten degrees. And we can have up to thirty inches of snow.”

Olive shivered at the thought. She preferred warmer weather, but Wyoming could be a nice place to have as a summer home.

She mentally laughed at herself. She would never have a job that would pay her enough to afford that.

“So do you have any other theories?” she asked.

Even though they were just acting, and no one else was around, Olive kept her arm tucked into Reid’s. They needed to sell their relationship, and the small details counted. The detailsalwayscounted. Details were where most people working undercover failed.

“That’s what we need to figure out,” Reid finally said.

---