Shifting Calder Wind (Calder Saga 7)

“Something I found in the desk,” Jessy replied.

Confident that Cat’s natural curiosity would force her to follow, Jessy moved toward the den. She walked directly to the desk, opened a side drawer and removed the handwritten note from its keeping place. She wasn’t at all surprised to see Tara had come along with Cat. She had expected it.

“Here.” She held out the note to Cat. “I ran across this the other day when I was looking through one of the drawers. It may not change your opinion, but it reassured me about the decision I made to lease the feedlot.”

Clearly skeptical and a little wary, Cat took the paper from her and unfolded it. Tara inched in closer to peer over her shoulder.

“I think you’ll agree that is your father’s handwriting,” Jessy added for good measure.

After skimming the note, Tara moved a step away from Cat. “Exactly what are you trying to suggest, Jessy?” she challenged, clearly unimpressed by what she had read. “It’s nothing but disjointed scribblings.”

Jessy waited a beat, but Cat made no comment and continued to study the notations. “I’m not attempting to suggest anything. It’s what the note suggests—that Chase appeared to be considering operating the feedlot. It looks like he might even have been thinking about leasing it, thus enabling him to receive a return and eliminate any risk. Which is the same decision I made.”

“And you managed to interpret all that from those few scratchings,” Tara mocked. “Isn’t it possible someone was trying to sell him on the idea, and he idly made notes of the conversation with no intention of doing anything at all?”

“Of course, it’s possible.” The suggestion immediately prompted Jessy to think about Monte and the vague suspicions both Chase and Laredo had voiced about him. It made her wonder if Monte had raised the possibility to Chase of leasing the lot and been turned down flat.

She felt sure that Chase would have said something to her at the time if Monte had. But it was also possible he wouldn’t.

“I wouldn’t pay any attention to that note if I were you, Cat,” Tara declared, positively gloating over the concession she had obtained from Jessy. “It means absolutely nothing. You might as well tear it up and throw it away.”

“No, I think I’ll keep it.” Cat refolded the note, still deep in thought, then glanced at Jessy. “Do you mind?”

“No, you can have it.” Jessy knew she hadn’t convinced Cat of anything, but she had made her wonder. That, in itself, was a victory of sorts. “Tara is right, though. It only means what we want it to mean. I know how I read it. You made me doubt the

other day that I had made the best decision for the Triple C. I’m convinced now that my reasoning was sound. I know you see it as a betrayal, but to me, it was strictly a business decision. And this is a business, Cat. Your father taught me that.”

“So you told me,” Cat replied.

The coolness was still there, but it didn’t seem to have that combative edge. Jessy thought there was a distinct possibility they had arrived at an undeclared cease-fire. Time, that was all she hoped to gain, sufficient time for Chase to recover his memory, identify his killer, and take over the reins of the Triple C once more.

“Here you are, Jessy. I should have known you would be in the den.” Monte halted a foot inside the room, hesitating at the sight of Cat and Tara. “Am I interrupting something?”

“Not at all,” Tara declared with a regal lift of her head. “We were just leaving, weren’t we, Cat?”

Cat’s only response was a nod and an exiting turn. Tara walked with her, then paused to lay a hand on Monte’s arm. “We must get together sometime soon. Perhaps for dinner at Dunshill one evening next week?”

“Perhaps,” Monte replied, committing himself to nothing.

Tara didn’t press for a more definite answer, threw a brief look at Jessy that was full of veiled warning, and went after Cat.

“Am I wrong, or are you having some in-law problems?” Monte ventured then hastened to add, “I wouldn’t have said anything, but the atmosphere in here was electric. It stopped me the moment I walked in.”

“It usually is, whenever Tara and I are in the same room.” Jessy could have let the subject drop with that, but there was still that question in her mind as to whether Monte had talked to Chase about leasing the feedlot. “In this case, Cat was questioning whether we should have signed the lease agreement with you. Needless to say, Tara took an opposing view.”

“What a surprise,” Monte murmured in a dry voice.

“Exactly.” Her smile was wide with amusement. Then she cocked her head questioningly. “By any chance, did you ever talk to Chase about leasing the feedlot?”

“No, of course not.” He reacted with surprise. “I intended to, but I never quite got around to it. Why would you ask?” he added with a slightly puzzled frown.

“I ran across some notations Chase had made.” She gestured toward the desk. “It looked like he might have been weighing the pros and cons of either leasing it or starting it up himself.”

“Really.” His expression was one of curious interest.

“Naturally I thought you had been talking to him.”

“Of course you would.” Monte was quick to agree. “It’s the logical assumption. But, on my oath”—he automatically raised his right hand—“I never said a word to him about it.”