Page 57 of Waiting in Wyoming

They walked back to Heather’s room—and Mac went right in as if it was where he belonged.

He dropped his mother off at his cousin’s and ran in to check on his father. His dad was a confirmed night owl, and was still awake. Of course, he was—he was waiting for his wife like Brandt had known he would be. His parents loved each other completely. Brandt gave him an update, then he was on his way back to the woman where he belonged.

He slipped his key into the door and stepped in.

And there she was. Right on the couch. She looked at him and held out her hand.

To him.

She had been waiting for him. Forhim.

Brandt would never forget how that felt.

46

Dale had justabout everything in place. Barratt’s little jaunt back to his home state had made it too easy. Worked in Dale’s favor; and Dale wasn’t a fool.

Time was running out. Especially with half those idiots being killed or arrested in Texas just days ago.

Kelby’s man who did odds and ends—Will—had come in handy. Of course, the screwup was responsible for Brandt Barratt’s beating in the first place. That kid was damned good at getting behind locked doors. Everything was planted right where Dale wanted it.

All he needed to do now was make it believable for the cops to want to search good old Morris Preston’spreviousproperties. That was all.

And thanks to Michelle’s creativity, Brandt Barratt’s name was going to be right there mixed in the center. Tying him to everything that had happened in Texas and Masterson County.

Damned fool made the perfect fall guy.

Dale knew exactly what he needed to do to make everything look just the way he wanted.

“You look satisfied with yourself,” Michelle said, coming in the office door. Dale checked the clock—it was well past when he normally went to bed. “I was worried.”

She wore nothing but her nightgown and the matching robe. Dale studied her for a long moment. He had always loved his wife; his body tightened with desire. It had been several weeks—they had been so busy and worried, honestly.

But tonight…

“I was just about to come to bed. I was hoping you were still awake.” He stood and pulled her close. “I am…cleaning up a few loose ends.”

“I’ve been watching the situation in Texas. We are going to have to completely cut ties. That means…abandoning Steven.” And that hurt her to even consider.

“I am working on cutting those ties, cleaning up those messes. Steven won’t know, darling. We both know that. He’ll have round-the-clock care, but we won’t jeopardize what we have built here. Think of Sierra and Jonathan. We’ll discuss it more. In the morning.” He brushed a kiss along her neck. “Latein the morning.”

He led his wife back to bed. And showed her exactly how much she meant to him.

47

The waitressin the Masterson Diner had been really pretty, Sonny thought, when he was driving through Masterson again. Katie was doing better. She wasn’t as fussy and she was sleeping now. Gave him time to think. To remember the last time he’d been through Masterson.

He’d really liked it here.

He’d driven around Masterson, where he could get his rig, anyway. He didn’t have a load right now—his latest run had just required him unhitching and leaving the entire cargo at an old barn fifty miles north of the town. He’d done just that, though no one had been there to meet him. He’d just backed the load into the barn and left, just as instructed.

It had been an easy run, no denying that.

It had given him some extra cash, and some extra time. They’d told him to stick close. They’d have another run for him soon. This time toward Washington and California. Sonny hadn’t ever been that way before. He was interested in seeing that part of the country, but he’d heard it was really expensive to live there.

He wanted someplace more affordable. With a cute school, agoodone. Not like Boethe Elementary where he’d had to go as a kid. Someplace Katie would have fun and learn lots of stuff. She was going to do better in school that Sonny had. He was going to make sure of it.

He could have done better. If he hadn’t been such an asshole back then. Or if his mom had cared about him and his two brothers having a future or something. She would have pushed them a little more. Or even cared. She hadn’t even cared if they went to school, just that they didn’t cause her any problems.