“Maybe that’s because you’ve led everyone to believe that you never wanted to see him again. After all, he did—”
“Betray me?”
“Whatever you want to call it.” Anna hesitated a moment, biting her lips as if contemplating the worth of her words. “Look, Tory. After the trial, you were pretty messed up, bitter. It’s no wonder people want to protect you from that kind of hurt again.”
“I’m a grown woman.”
“And now you’ve changed your mind about Trask?”
Tory shook her head and deep lines of worry were etched across her brow. “It’s just that—”
“You just can’t resist the guy.”
“Anna!”
“Oh, don’t look so shocked, Tory. In my business it’s best to say the truth straight out. You know that I always liked Trask, but that was before he nearly destroyed my best friend.”
“I wasn’t destroyed.”
“Close enough. And now, just when it looks like you’re back on your feet again, he comes waltzing back to Sinclair, stirring up the proverbial hornet’s nest, digging up dead corpses and not giving a damn about who gets hurt, including you and Neva. It tends to make my blood boil a bit.”
“So you don’t think I should see him.”
Anna smiled cynically. She stopped to lean against the fence and gaze at the network of paddocks comprising the central core of the Lazy W. “Unfortunately what I think isn’t worth a damn, unless it’s about your livestock. I’m not exactly the best person to give advice about relationships, considering the fact that I’ve been divorced for almost a year myself.” She hit the top rail of the fence with new resolve. “Anyway, you didn’t ask me here to talk about Trask, and I’ve got work to do.”
“Can’t you stay for a cup of coffee?” Anna was one of Tory’s closest friends; one of the few people in Sinclair who had stood by Tory and her father during Calvin’s trial.
Anna squinted at the sun and cocked her wrist to check her watch. “I wish I could, but I’m late as it is.” She started walking to her van before turning and facing Tory. Concern darkened her brown eyes. “What’s this I hear about a calf being shot out here?”
“So that’s going around town, too.”
Anna nodded and shrugged. “Face it, girl. Right now, with McFadden back in town, you’re big news in Sinclair.”
“Great,” Tory replied sarcastically.
“So, what happened with the calf?”
“I wish I knew. One of Len Ross’s hands saw the hole in the fence and discovered the calf. We don’t know why it was shot or who did it.”
“Kids, maybe?”
Tory lifted her shoulders. “Maybe,” she said without conviction. “I called the sheriff and a deputy came out. He was going to see if any of the other ranchers had a similar problem.”
“I hope not,” Anna said, her dark eyes hardening. “I don’t have much use for people who go around destroying animals.”
“Neither do I.”
Anna shook off her worried thoughts and climbed into the van. The window was rolled down and she cast Tory one last smile. “You take care of yourself, okay?”
“I will.”
“I’ll be back tomorrow to see how old Governor’s doing.”
“And maybe then you’ll have time for a cup of coffee.”
“And serious conversation,” Anna said with mock gravity. “Plan on it.”
“I will!”