Whirlwind by Janet Dailey

Author:Janet Dailey [Dailey, Janet]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2020-05-06T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

THE SUN ROSE OVER THE AJO MOUNTAINS, ITS LIGHT FLOWING LIKE slow water over the yellow hills of the Tohono O’odham reservation and up over the rocky bank of land that marked the boundary of the Alamo Canyon Ranch.

Riding fence along the upper pasture, Lexie felt the heat as the sky brightened to the glossy hue of polished turquoise. The rains had moved on, leaving days of muggy heat that parched the ground and sapped the energy from humans and animals alike.

Two days had passed since her visit to Rianne’s parents and her e-mail to Shane. She’d heard nothing back, not even an acknowledgment that he’d gotten her message. She was trying not to worry, but that was a losing battle. She’d lain awake most of last night, wondering why she hadn’t heard from him. Was he just putting her off, or had something gone wrong?

A collared lizard, sunning on a rock, flicked its tail and vanished as Lexie approached. She paused a moment, resting the mare and taking a moment to look out over the ranch. From here she could see the house and outbuildings, the pastures, and the road to Aaron’s property in the near distance. The two boys were working in the pasture with the younger bulls, giving them water and unloading feed from the four-wheeler ATV. All peaceful, she told herself, or so it appeared.

To the south, the road to the pass zigzagged up the long, steep slope. A moving vehicle had just emerged over the pass. Shading her eyes against the glare, Lexie saw that it was an older, dark blue pickup. She couldn’t see the driver, but it had to be a stranger. No one she knew owned a truck like that one.

Turning back the way she’d come, she trotted the mare back along the fence line. The truck was coming down the road now, moving a little too fast. She had yet to identify the driver.

Nudging the mare, she reached the yard and dismounted as the blue pickup pulled in and stopped. The driver’s side door opened. Shane climbed out.

Lexie couldn’t help staring at him. His unshaven face wore a haunted expression, eyes bloodshot and framed by shadows.

“What is it?” She dropped the reins and hurried toward him.

“I need to tell you something, Lexie.” The words came out low and raw. “Where can we talk?”

The sight of him and the tone of his voice terrified Lexie. But for his sake, she willed herself to stay calm. “I need to put the mare away. Come to the stable with me. We’ll have the place to ourselves right now.”

He walked beside her as she led the mare to the stable. His mouth was a thin, hard line, as if he were biting back emotion. Inside the cool shadows of the stable, she dropped the reins and turned toward him. “Tell me,” she said. “What would make you drive all this way?”

“I came to tell you in person. I didn’t want you to get this in an e-mail or hear it on the news.

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