Page 45 of Hiding in Montana

She set the wine bottle aside and was standing next to Clint as she pointed to the columns.

“Business partner is where I started. Not that I know if Matthew even has a partner. I added in a loan shark. Maybe he has a gambling problem I never knew about. He does love horse racing. Next, I thought about someone who jacks cars to sell parts on the black market. He sells boats, so maybe it’s a possibility. The only other choice is someone has been blackmailing him and this has nothing to do with missing money, but coming after his wife was another way to put pressure on him.”

He held his arm out away from his body, a space where she fit perfectly. “You’re not married to him anymore.”

She stepped into the crook of his arm. “I know that. He knows that. But whoever this is might not know that we’re no longer married and I’ve found happiness with you.” She tipped her head back, inviting him to kiss her.After he thoroughly kissed her, she said, “But there is one thing I need your help with.”

“Anything. Name it.”

“Don’t get upset when I have to spend time with my ex-husband. All I want to do is get this behind us so that we can start our future.”

“I thought we already were?” He lifted her so her feet no longer touched the floor and twirled her around the room, all the while kissing her mouth, neck, and any other exposed skin he could find.

She was laughing and kissing him until he set her down. “You’re right, but I’d like to have Matthew go home and leave us alone.”

“How about we agree that I’m around when you and your ex are brainstorming. Who knows? Maybe an outsider’s point of view could help speed things up.” He nibbled behind her ear and she laughed softly as her insides turned to melted butter.

“I’d never turn down your help as long as you promise to not get jealous if he uses an old pet name or something.”

He splayed a hand over his chest. “He let you go, and we found each other. There is not a jealous bone in my body. However, he needs to respect where you are in life now, and if he doesn’t, well then, I’ll explain how things are. Trust me, he’ll get the point.”

He ran a hand down her back and frowned as he looked around the room. “Darlin’, where’s your holster?”

“I locked it up when I got home.” She knew where Clint was going with his question. It hadn’t dawned on her until now. Technically, she had protection close by, but if that hadn’t been Matthew on her doorstep, it could have been anyone and with her gun locked in the safe, she was unprotected. She placed a hand on his chest and could feel his heart thumping. “If I’m alone, I’ll have it on me.”

“Just until this is resolved. No sense taking any more chances.” He took her hand and kissed the palm, sending another round of shivers down her back, but they were most definitely pleasant.

The timer when off on the stove. In a deep, husky voice, he asked, “Can dinner wait?”

22

The next morning, Clint rode out across the pasture. He had stopped to see Polly in the garden before he headed out, and he was excited to see she was harvesting zucchinis today. With any luck, maybe there would be a bread coming out of either the dining hall, Mary’s, or even Polly’s kitchen. If it came right down to it, he’d whip up one. Most of them were going to pickles according to Quinn and those, too, would be tasty come next winter.

He thought about Matthew’s visit to Polly last night and something didn’t sit right. Not that he was a big mystery book reader, but he believed if a thug had been paid to do a job, they didn’t make a mistake and then walk away. Unless Polly was right—maybe it was about scaring her.

He rubbed his hand over his chin. With the streetlight illuminating her porch, whoever it was would have seen it wasn’t a woman who came out the door. Unless they mistook him for the ex. They were a similar height and body type. He nudged the horse into a trot and headed to ride the fence line. It was a job he liked to do periodically. It gave him time to think.

A few hours later, Clint still felt like some bit of information was just out of his reach. But he did not know what it might be. He kept coming back to the same conclusion that either they were trying to shoot the ex or it was a simple warning. Headed back to the ranch, he moved in the direction of the construction site. Maybe he’d talk to Jessie, the supervisor, to see if there was anyone who hadn’t shown up the last few days. How was it that the shooter had known where to find Polly?

Clint took Blaze to a watering trough and looped the bridle around a hitching post. He’d only be a few minutes, and then he’d take his horse back to the paddock.

In the midday sun, most of the crew were reclining and having lunch under the trees that dotted the jobsite. He spotted Jesse next to a pickup truck, talking to a worker. He lifted his hand in greeting as Clint made his way across the dirt.

Jesse extended his hand. “Clint, this is a surprise. I haven’t seen you since we were down at The Lucky Bucket a few months back. I heard you're dating that pretty gardener, Polly.”

“I am.” Clint liked a man with a hearty handshake and since he and Jesse went back quite a few years, he didn’t mind the question about his dating status with Polly. “Good to see you.”

He gestured to the jobsite. “The framing’s going up fast.”

Jesse’s gaze looked over the entire site, beaming. Could he see it completed? Is that what made him smile? “We’ve got a good crew that works well together. So that helps.”

Just the opening Clint needed. “Has this group been together long?”

“It’s our fifth major job. My talent pool ranges from experienced to master artisan.” He sounded like a dad talking about his son hitting a home run in minor league. Pride was in his voice and on his face.

“No one new for this job?” Clint hoped he sounded casual, but Jesse gave him a sharp look.

“What’s going on?” He leaned against the truck fender. “You seem pretty interested to know about the men.”

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