Page 55 of Silent Deception
The Four Aces lawyer had arrived just as Ryan walked into the office at ten o’clock. He’d made small talk for the past half hour, keeping Ryan from tackling the hunting lease advertisements that needed to be faxed to the Dallas and San Antonio newspapers by noon, but the genial old guy was hard to ignore.
Perhaps it was for the best, because the only thing on his mind had been Kristin.
He’d spent too many years thinking about her after they broke up, and even after the hurt had faded, he’d thought about her too often. At the oddest moments, he’d see her smile, hear her laughter. And he’d remember the powerful physical attraction between them, though they’d never gone beyond making out.
He didn’t want to hurt her. Didn’t want to lead her on...and he also didn’t want to face the coming years with her memory fresh in his mind.
Leland chuckled. “You look like you’re a thousand miles away. How’s your brother?”
“He took a fall in the chute with the bull on top of him.”
“Is he hurt?”
“No casts, no stitches, but he’s going to be feeling that fall for a long time. Hold on just a minute.” Ryan proofread a hard copy of the ad, turned to the computer to make some minor changes and printed off a final copy. He ran it through the fax machine before turning back to Leland. “Dad isn’t here, if you were looking for him. He’s in San Antonio.”
Leland shrugged. “Guess I should’ve called, but this is my day to be in the Homestead office, and Clint is usually around. How are things going?”
“It’s all just as complex as you’d said it would be. I’m making some headway, though. The computer I ordered arrived last week, along with updated business software, so bringing this place into the twenty-first century and keeping up with the bills takes most of my time.”
“And the older books? Seen any sign of that missing money?”
“There hasn’t been much time yet. This place is like the Aegean stable of mythology. As fast as I work, there’s more coming in.”
Leland nodded in sympathy. “We did make it through taxes the past couple years, and the ranch hasn’t been audited so far. Maybe you’re better off moving ahead for now.”
“That’s your legal opinion?” Ryan frowned. “Given the fines and interest that could accrue?”
“It’s not ideal, but just getting this business organized and back on its feet will be an accomplishment. An awful lot was left undone over the past few years.”
Ryan studied him. “You’re probably right.”
“Have you found anything suspicious—any evidence Nate left behind?” Lines creased Leland’s brow. “I expected a cowboy like him would leave a paper trail a mile wide, but he was one crafty dude.”
“Must’ve been,” Ryan said mildly.
Leland lingered for a while, discussing investments and accounts, then clapped Ryan affectionately on the back. “I’d better get to town. Tell your dad I stopped by.”
Ryan watched him drive away before turning to the computer. But until he finally closed down the current month’s file in the accounting program, he couldn’t shake one thought.
Were there secrets somewhere in all of those old invoices? Could there be a clear trail leading to the true culprit?
Everyone was convinced Nate had embezzled all the money, but the errors hadn’t started with him.
Ryan had gone through just some of the files so far, and had come up with one error after another. Carefully altered records. Invoices that didn’t match the canceled checks.
And all of them were dated before Nate was hired.
* * * *
AFTER RYAN AND GARRETTleft at dawn, Kristin spent the rest of the morning trying to avoid dwelling on the night before.You’re pathetic,she muttered to herself as she scrubbed the kitchen floor by hand, then flew into a frenzy dusting every nook and cranny.Pathetic, pathetic, pathetic.
She could only imagine what Ryan thought of her now. She’d only wanted to give him comfort, words of healing. But instead, she’d come off like some naïve Pollyanna who thought she could fix everything with a bit of advice.
With a snort, she headed for the upstairs bedrooms. She hadn’t just wanted to give him emotional support. She’d wanted him to hold her in his arms. But it was a blessing that it hadn’t happened. It would have been an all-too vivid reminder of everything she’d lost when they’d broken up.
If she could do one thing over, she’d go back in time and fight harder to keep him. Clint had been a terrifying, powerful figure to her as a shy young college girl. His threats had rung true.
With her adult perspective, she realized that she and Ryan could have stood up to him, and found a way to be together. But her life had gone on, and so had his. Second chances didn’t come along often, and she already knew this brief intersection of her life with Ryan’s was a very temporary thing.
