A slightly bored sigh came from Jake. “Okay, Grandma, where to next?”
“I think it might be time we flew home. What do you think?”
“Yes!” he cried with a fist pump for emphasis.
In the Homestead’s kitchen, Cat gave the simmering cranberries a testing stir. Satisfied that they were thoroughly cooked, she picked up the sauce pan and started to pour them into a cut-glass serving bowl. With the first splash of the ruby-red fruit, the timer went off with a strident buzz.
“The pies must be done,” she muttered, half in irritation.
“I’ll take them out,” Sloan volunteered and retrieved a pair of oven mitts from the counter.
“You are a jewel,” Cat declared in appreciation. “Do you realize that once those pies are out of the oven, we’re finished? The sauce is done, and all three casseroles are in the refrigerator, ready to be baked tomorrow. If you hadn’t pitched in to help, I would still be at it this afternoon.”
“The thanks go to Jessy for taking Jake with her.” Sloan checked the centers of both pumpkin pies for doneness. “One of these might need another five minutes.”
“That one pie tin was deeper than the other so I filled it fuller,” Cat recalled and set the empty saucepan in the sink. Before she could carry the bowl of cranberries to the refrigerator, the telephone rang. Aware that Sloan was in the midst of transferring a hot pie to its cooling rack, Cat said, “My hands are free. I’ll answer it.” She picked up the kitchen’s cordless extension. “Triple C ranch, the Calder residence.”
“I’d like to speak to Chase Calder. Is he in?” The voice on the other end was a warm baritone, very male and very compelling.
And not one Cat recognized, which only piqued her curiosity about its owner. “May I ask who’s calling?”
“Wade Rogers.”
The name wasn’t one she was familiar with either. To her regret he didn’t volunteer any further information. “Is this regarding business?” she guessed, certain a voice like that could sell anybody anything.
There was a definite hesitation before he answered. “It’s personal,” he replied evenly, effectively blocking any further questions.
“Just a moment, and I’ll see if he’s available.”
“Thank you.”
Keeping the telephone to her ear, Cat exited the kitchen and made her way to the den. Chase was behind the desk, rocked back in his chair and idly staring out the window.
She paused in the doorway. “You have a phone call, Dad. A Mr. Wade Rogers.”
“Rogers?” he repeated with a slight frown.
“Yes. Wade Rogers. He said it was personal.”
“Rogers.” This time the name was said with recognition. “Of course.” He rocked the chair forward and picked up the desk extension. “This is Chase Calder.”
“Mr. Calder. This is Wade Rogers. I hope I’m not calling at a bad time.”
“Not at all,” Chase assured him and slid a glance at Cat, who remained in the doorway, the kitchen extension still held to her ear. “You can hang up the extension now, Cat. And close the doors when you leave.”
Startled by that unexpected request, Cat was slow to react. When Chase continued to look at her—without resuming his conversation with Wade Rogers, she belatedly punched the button, breaking the connection on her phone, and moved to close the den’s double doors.
Chase nodded his thanks and said into the phone, “I just spoke to your father the other day. I’m glad to say he sounded well.”
As she drew the doors together, the front door opened and the silence in the house was shattered by Jake’s voice shouting, “Mom! Mom, we’re back! Where are you?”
Suddenly Chase’s request no longer seemed so unusual to Cat as she guessed that he had probably seen Jessy drive up out front and knew Jake would come bursting into the Homestead, shouting the news of his arrival. And lately Chase sometimes had difficulty hearing if there was too much background noise.
With the doors closed, Cat crossed to the entry. “Your mother’s in the kitchen,” she told Jake as Jessy and Laredo walked in. “You’re back early. I thought you’d be longer at Wolf Meadow.”
“It didn’t take as long as I thought either,” Jessy admitted and started across the hall. “Is Chase in the den?”
“Yes, but he’s on the phone right now,” Cat replied, then added, “Somebody called Wade Rogers. Does that name mean anything to you?”