“Oh, thanks. What are you doing there?”
“Looking for you. I was worried. You said you’d call me today, and when you didn’t, I feared the worst.”
“I’m sorry, baby. I’ve been kind of stuck in my own head. Things are still a little fuzzy.”
I could understand that, given recent events. “It’s okay. I’m just glad you’re all right.”
“I’m fine. Talon and I have been doing some research, and I wanted to tell you that you were right about your hunch. About Anna Shane.”
Anna Shane? I searched my memory. Right. Ryan’s ex-girlfriend. “Oh?”
“We found some documents. Apparently my deranged mother didn’t think Anna was good enough for me and got my father—or rather, the Steel Family Trust, which none of us knew existed—to purchase their ranch. I had no idea we owned the Shane ranch. None of us did.”
“Wow. Interesting.” My mind reeled. He’d said the Shanes moved only recently, which would have been after Brad Steel’s death. Was Wendy Madigan somehow involved with the Steels’ money?
“That’s not all. It was conveyed by quitclaim deed so there wasn’t any record of money exchanging hands. But they obviously got enough to relocate to Hawaii and live happily ever after.”
If they were still alive. I hated the words as soon as I thought them.
And then I recalled some other words.
Stay the fuck away from my son, bitch.
Wendy’s words to me, more than once.
Was I in danger from Wendy Madigan?
Not going there. She might be crazy, but she was locked up. She was no danger to me or to anyone. If I could believe anything in this mess, I could believe that.
“I’m thinking your mother doesn’t think anyone is good enough for you, Ryan.”
“You are.”
“Not according to her.”
“Has she said something to you?”
I was done lying to—or rather, keeping information from—him. “She texted me from the number of a female orderly at lockup. Told me to stay away from you. Then, when Melanie and I went to see her, she told me again. Of course, that was after she denied sending me the text and told me how happy she was for us.”
“She’s nuts.”
“For sure.”
“You want to come over? Help us keep looking through this stuff? I’m not going to be home for a while.”
“Uh…yeah. I guess.”
“Great. Grab my phone, will you? It’s in the kitchen.”
I let Ricky back in and fed him, grabbed Ryan’s phone, and was on my way.
* * *
When I got to Talon’s home, Jade and Marjorie were also there. The five of us were in the basement going through old boxes. Ryan had hardly said hello to me, let alone hugged or kissed me. I chalked it up to how involved he was in this process. Sounded good, anyway.
I was at a disadvantage in that I didn’t know what I was looking for, but when I voiced the concern, the others told me not to worry.
“None of us know exactly what we’re looking for,” Marjorie said. “Just tell us if you find anything that might be suspicious.”