Dodge the Bullet (4 page)

“What else did you squeeze out of
Kevin?”

“He’s got a girlfriend.”

Sarah gasped. “What? Who is she? Where did
he meet her and…what have they been doing?” The sound of Jenny’s
laughter over the phone made Sarah cringe. It really pissed her off
that Jenny didn’t have children for Sarah to seek revenge upon.

“Just calm down. Her name’s Jessica and they
go to school together. I don’t think they do anything except hang
out during lunch and text.”

Sarah slumped into the nearest barstool and
let her eyes slip closed. Her boys were growing up too fast. “How
long has he had a girlfriend? Since I left?”

“He said it’s been about two weeks and he
knew you’d be surprised. He thought you were too busy with the move
to care about what was going on with him.”

“That’s ridiculous. I’m never too busy for
him. My God, his first girlfriend and I find out through you.”

“It sounds harmless enough so I wouldn’t
worry.”

“That’s great advice from someone who
doesn’t have children. Do you think they’re having sex?”

“They’re in seventh grade, for heaven’s
sake. That won’t happen until at least eighth.”

Sarah wanted to reach through the phone and
strangle her sister. “You can’t possibly be that naïve. Do you have
any idea how many times I’ve found him with his door locked?
Puberty has hit him like a ton of bricks. You wouldn’t believe how
young kids are having sex and doing drugs. I’ve got friends with
older kids and I’ve read a couple of books.” Oh God, she was
totally unprepared to deal with her hormonal teenaged son having a
girlfriend.

“Don’t you think you’re jumping the gun? Two
weeks is a little fast and I doubt they’re doing it in the bathroom
at school. Hell, Kevin may be testing the waters a little bit, but
he’s too afraid of getting in trouble to do anything stupid.
Especially when you’re not here to punish him.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Maybe you don’t know this because you’re
not the oldest, but the whole point in doing stuff to piss your
parents off is for them to be around to get pissed off. Why would
he waste his time screwing up with me?”

Sarah rubbed her temple with her free hand.
“Do me a favor and try to get more information. I don’t know why
he’d confide in you instead of me, but I guess I should be grateful
he’s talking to someone.”

“Like you were hot to talk about boys with
mom and dad? That’s what I was for and Kevin doesn’t have an older
brother to talk to. I’m doing the best I can here, Sarah, but I’m
not going to pry. If he wants to talk, I certainly won’t turn him
away.”

Sarah groaned. How was she going to handle
her boys without Todd? “I appreciate your help with everything, I
really do. You know I have to give you a hard time so you’re sure
it’s me you’re talking to, right?”

“You’ve got good kids, Sarah. Just don’t
freak out. At least the move will bring a swift end to the
girlfriend.”

“Yeah, and give Kevin another reason to be
angry with me. Give them both a kiss for me, will you?”

Sarah hung up the phone and, after a moment
of brooding, returned to the kitchen to make coffee. As it brewed,
she opened the deck doors and stepped out into the cool
morning.

She didn’t blame Kevin for being afraid of
change. Facing the past, facing the future… she was scared to
death. But she couldn’t let the fear take over because then she’d
be sunk. She had to accept the truth: it was up to her to succeed
in Colorado. She really hoped she didn’t screw up.

“Senator, we’ll be arriving in five minutes,” Kimberly Weston
whispered to her boss as he sat next to her in his chauffer driven
Lincoln. He nodded his head without glancing her way or even
pausing in his conversation with a constituent. The warm Colorado
sun felt good on her arm through the darkened glass and she fought
the urge to roll down the window and let the breeze rustle through
her short blond hair.

Kimberly touched her fingers to the back of
her neck where her thick mane used to hang. Although Benji loved to
twist her usually long hair around his fingers, Senator Burwick had
insisted she cut her hair into a more professional pageboy style.
How the length of her hair affected her ability to keep track of
his schedule and generally keep his life in order was beyond
her.

But whatever Benji wanted Benji got.
Kimberly learned that being a young assistant who attracted more
than her share of attention didn’t sit well with the senator’s wife
and some of his supporters. So she got shuffled to the most
prestigious and most expensive stylist in Washington DC for a
makeover that included the shearing of her long hair and a quick
death to her wardrobe of stylish clothes. Kimberly needed her job,
her family needed her to have this job, too much for her to
object.

The wool in her skirt that rubbed beneath
the lining itched like hell. It took every effort to recall the
focusing lessons she’d learned in Miss Margaret’s School of
Etiquette, another DC institution, not to rip the skirt up and itch
away like a dog with fleas. The shrill tone of Benji’s voice
brought Kimberly back to attention.

“Damn, if that man weren’t worth millions
I’d never have to listen to his drivel again.”

Benji placed his now free hand on Kimberly’s
upper thigh while she echoed a similar thought about not having to
put up with the Senator’s increasing sexual advances, only in her
head of course. She glued the familiar sympathetic smile on her
face--another learned habit from Miss Margaret. She’d initially
found all the things she’d learned at etiquette class insulting,
and implementing them on a day-to-day basis exhausting. But her
reactions were becoming more rote now and, as much as she hated to
admit, rather helpful in a number of situations.

###

When his cell phone rang, Senator Burwick
watched his assistant reached to get it, undaunted by the fact that
he’d placed the phone directly on his crotch. He took advantage of
every opportunity to make Kimberly touch him whenever possible.
Having the phone vibrate on his crotch and watching her cup it with
her delicate fingers was one of the few pleasures of his day. He
knew he was crossing a line with her, and he knew if her daddy were
alive and saw the way he treated her he’d put a boot in his
ass.

Danny Weston hadn’t done a whole lot with
his short life since graduating from Hailey high school where he
and Benji had been inseparable. But he’d certainly produced one
hell of a looker in his youngest daughter. Thanks to those
etiquette classes, she didn’t even put up a protest or flinch
anymore when his hand casually touched her breast or rubbed her
behind. Benji’s daughter was just a year older than Kimberly, but
he didn’t think there was anything wrong with showing the girl how
things worked in the big city.

His long time assistant Meryl was getting
ready to retire when Danny’s widow had called asking to take him up
on his offer. He’d initially regretted his off the cuff condolence
that Mary Beth Weston had taken as a genuine offer of help. She’d
asked him to hire her daughter, Kimberly, fresh from two years at
Junior college with an associate’s degree in bookkeeping that
seemed to be the equivalent of lip pouting and gum smacking.
Fortunately for Mrs. Weston, the good Senator had a soft spot for
grieving daughters with perky breasts and a nice, tight ass. With a
little grooming she’d turned out to be a real asset in the last few
months.

“Senator, its Tommy Thornton from Hailey
returning your call,” Kimberly said softly while cupping her hand
over the mouthpiece.

Benji’s jaw clenched as he reached for the
phone. He couldn’t believe the dimwitted Thornton had hooked the
widow Woodward up with A.J. Dodge. The man had been a thorn in
Benji’s side for years, and now he was butting his nose into
something that didn’t concern him. Dodge’s involvement could ruin
his carefully laid plans. Benji had already counted on Mrs.
Woodward being ready to sell.

###

“Senator Burwick,” Tommy said with
exaggerated enthusiasm. Speaking with the Senator made his
indigestion kick into high gear. “I’m assuming you called about
Mrs. Woodward?”

“You know I am, Thornton. How’s she getting
along down there?”

“Well, Sir, it’s only been a few days, but
she seems to be adjusting just fine. She’s a real nice lady and the
town has kind of taken her under their wing since word of her
husband’s death got around.”

“Good. Ranching is no business for a single
woman, Thornton. Her husband and I were close friends and I kind of
promised him I’d look out for her. You be sure to call me first if
she’s having any trouble at all.”

Tommy wondered how Senator Burwick would
have promised Mr. Woodward he’d look out for Sarah when her husband
had died unexpectedly in a plane crash, but dismissed the thought
when he heard an impatient cough on the other end of the line.
“I’ve got someone taking real good care of her, Senator. Don’t you
worry.”

“Really? Anyone I know?”

“A.J. Dodge. His family’s been in the
business a long time. He’ll make sure she doesn’t make any
mistakes.”

“You’re not talking about the A.J. Dodge who
was run out of town a few years back? Because if he’s the same man,
I’d have a real problem with a hoodlum like him helping poor Mrs.
Woodward, no matter how long he’s been in the business.”

“Well, now Senator, Dodge wasn’t run out of
town. He left on his own. I happen to know for sure he wasn’t
responsible for what happened to that poor girl.” Tommy hadn’t had
to defend Dodge in a long time and he’d forgotten how frustrating
it could be convincing someone of his innocence, especially since
Dodge never bothered to defend himself to anyone.

“Thornton, I don’t want someone with a
questionable background anywhere near Mrs. Woodward. You be sure to
tell Dodge thanks but no thanks and let me worry about helping Mrs.
Woodward.”

“But…”

“No buts, Thornton. Just keep Dodge away
from Mrs. Woodward and that ranch. Do you understand me?”

Tommy sighed and held up his middle finger
to the base of the phone sitting on his desk. A grown man shouldn’t
have to put up with that kind of talk from anyone. “I understand,
Senator.”

“Good. Keep me posted.”

###

When he hung up the phone, Benji looked at
Kimberly. “Get me Fred Saxton on the phone.”

Damn Dodge for messing up an already messed
up situation. Saxton was getting antsy. He’d promised him the
Woodward ranch months ago and had yet to deliver. When every other
door had slammed in his face and he seemed to run out of
possibilities for water near Cooper, he’d thought of the Woodward
place. With Todd Woodward six feet under and his widow as the sole
owner, he thought buying the ranch out from under her would be no
big deal. But every time he’d gotten in touch with her about
selling the ranch, she’d been too busy grieving or doing whatever
rich widows do to give him the time of day.

He’d been about to put on the full court
press before she realized the gold mine she was sitting on when
he’d learned that she intended to move to the ranch full-time. His
first reaction had been to laugh, but damn if she didn’t up and do
move to Hailey and now he was in a real pickle. But Benji was used
to having to do things the hard way. He didn’t get to be a United
States senator without a few tricks up his sleeve. He’d come up
with something to get her to sell.

Mrs. Woodward didn’t know one end of a cow
from the other, as far as his background check on her could
surmise. So he’d let her struggle with ranching for a few months
and then be there with his checkbook open when she came to the
obvious conclusion ranching wasn’t the way to move on with her
life.

But he needed her to fail soon. The last
election had cost him most of his daddy’s fortune and Benji was
running on empty until his development with Sarah started to pay
off. But it wasn’t going to pay off until it got off the ground,
which is why he had to get Dodge away from Mrs. Woodward.

Kimberly passed him the phone. “Saxton
here.”

“Fred, how are you?”

“Well now, Senator, I’d be doing a hell of a
lot better if you called to tell me you’ve got that ranch under
contract like you promised. The State’s coming down on my ass about
the water. I can’t even get the permit to start on the
clubhouse.”

“You let me worry about the State. I’ll make
a few calls to get them off your back.”

“What’ll get them off my back is having a
property with enough water to supplement the whole development.
What’s the latest on the Woodward place?”

“Unfortunately, there’s been a snag. Seems
Mrs. Woodward intends to move to Hailey and ranch the land.”

In the moment of silence that followed,
Benji could feel beads of perspiration form on his brow. He wiped
them away with his clammy hand. “Burwick, you told me you’d take
care of this. I can’t sell the home sites without the clubhouse and
equestrian center at least partially under construction. We made a
deal. I never would have wasted my money on dry pasture land if you
hadn’t assured me you could get your hands on plenty of water.”

Benji noticed Saxton’s Midwestern accent
grew stronger as his anger intensified. He was pretty damn angry.
“I’ve got a plan, but it’s going to take some time.”

“Time’s what we don’t have. I need results
from you, Burwick, and I need them now.”

“Thanks for coming over on such short notice,” Sarah said to Dodge
as he entered the cabin that evening. He immediately took off his
old Stetson and looked around before handing her a heavy package.
“What’s this?”

“Steaks from my cows.” He glanced around her
home. The place wasn’t very big, but it sure was nice, with a
potato rock fireplace between a set of French doors that led to the
deck. The den had tan walls, a new leather couch and a couple of
mismatched chairs. The adjoining kitchen’s granite countertops and
new appliances made the whole place a lot nicer than any other
cabin he’d ever been in.