Page 10 of One in a Million
“How would you like to work for me, Roper?”
“Doing what? All I know is horses.”
Roper had underestimated her. She was smart, determined, unpredictable, and already moving her plan ahead. He needed to catch up—fast. And for that, he needed to know what she wanted.
“Lay your cards on the table. Then ask me again,” he said. “Keep in mind that if I don’t like your offer, I won’t have to say yes.”
“Understood. But I’m betting you’ll be interested.”
“I’ll be the judge of that. Just talk.”
“All right. Feel free to ask questions.” She paused, gazing at the stars through the swaying willows that etched a pattern across the dusty windshield. Her fingers wore no rings—not even a wedding band. Had she been wearing one that morning when he’d brought her the news about Frank? But why should it matter?
“You just offered me a job,” he said. “Tell me more.”
She took a deep breath. Her tongue moistened her lower lip before she spoke. “After what happened this morning, you can imagine that the Culhane Ranch has become a war zone. It’s me versus Frank’s kids. And his ex, Madeleine, will soon be showing up to fight for her babies.”
“That’s no surprise. But I don’t see how I could be much help to you.”
“Let me explain. You and Frank must’ve spent a lot of time together, working with the horses. Did he ever mention that his divorce settlement gave Madeleine fifty percent interest in the ranch?”
Roper hid his surprise. He had never met Madeleine Culhane or even seen her photograph. He’d assumed that she might have lost out to Lila in the youth and glamour department; but at least, she’d been smart enough to hire a good lawyer. “Frank never talked to me about his personal life,” he said. “It was always the horses, the competition, the scores, the breeding, the stud fees. He didn’t seem to care about much else.”
“You’ve got that right,” she said. “Their settlement gave him the ranch’s physical assets, including the land, the house and outbuildings, and the horses. Madeleine took her share in cash, oil stocks, and income from the beef cattle—set up under separate management, to be run by Darrin. In the event of her death, her estate would go directly to her children—not to Frank.”
“What about Frank’s share—and yours?”
“He had the papers drawn up before our wedding. Frank’s fifty percent was to go to me, and then to any children we might have. But now there’s only me—” Her jaw tightened. “I was so naïve—to assume that I could trust the bastard to keep his word.”
“Go on.” Roper was still scrambling to put the pieces together. He’d also begun to wonder why she was telling him the story.
The sound that stirred in her throat was something between an ironic chuckle and a sob. “I’d always wanted children. Frank knew that, and he’d said it wouldn’t be a problem. When, after a couple years, nothing happened, I began to worry. Frank had already fathered two children. And I—” It was as if she’d started to say something else but changed her mind. “What if the problem was with me? What if I couldn’t give my husband more children?
“Jasmine and Darrin insist that since we had no children, it would be wrong to let the ranch pass out of the Culhane family bloodline,” she said. “But Frank and I were legally married for eleven years. As his widow, I should be entitled to his share of the estate. They’re already trying to force me out of our house. But as John Paul Jones famously said, ‘I have not yet begun to fight.’ ”
“If you’re gearing up to fight, it’s not my help you need,” Roper said. “It’s a good lawyer—or at least a better lawyer than Darrin.”
“Godzilla would be a better lawyer than Darrin. Don’t worry, I’m already making calls.”
“You strike me as a lady who can fight her own battles,” Roper said. “It’s the horses I’m concerned about. Who’s taking care of them?”
“The grooms and assistant trainers—the ones who haven’t quit—are feeding and watering them. But nobody’s taking charge. Darrin doesn’t care about them except for the money they could bring at auction. Even Jasmine—she talks a big line about preserving her dad’s legacy. But now that he’s gone, she doesn’t want to ruin her manicure mucking out that stable.”
“And you? What’s your stake in this—apart from the house and the money?”
Roper’s question was meant to catch her off guard, maybe trip her into betraying her real intent. But her answer came readily, almost as if she’d rehearsed it.
“Now that Frank’s gone, I’m probably the only family member who cares about giving those horses the program they deserve. If they aren’t fit to compete, they’ll be worthless in the arena. We’ll lose our investment, our reputation, and our clientele.”
A passionate note had crept into her voice. She sounded sincere. But that didn’t mean she was on the level. It didn’t mean she wasn’t out to use him.
“You surprise me, Lila,” he said. “I didn’t know you were a horsewoman.”
“I’m not a great rider. But I love everything about those horses—watching them grow and learn, praising them when they give their all, cheering them when they win. For me, it’s more about the thrill than the money.”
Roper raised a cynical eyebrow. “Now, that’s news to me. Most trainers and owners I’ve known were all about the money, including Frank.”
“Stop patronizing me. I kept Frank’s accounts after we were married. I know as well as you do how much it costs to run a high-class horse business and what happens if the money doesn’t come in. Why do you think I offered you a job tonight?”