“I wish I could believe that,” Tory said.
“But you can’t? Why not?”
“Think about it,” Tory said with a sigh. “His brother was murdered for what he knew, Trask was beaten up the night before last and someone shot at him on Devil’s Ridge.” Her voice trembled slightly and she took a long swallow of coffee. “I think I have a reason to be worried.” She glanced nervously out the window before taking a seat at the table. “If I don’t hear from him this morning, I’m calling Paul Barnett.”
“Maybe Trask’s with Neva,” Keith said as gently as he could.
Tory felt the sting of Keith’s remark and she paled slightly. “He wasn’t with Neva,” she whispered. “Neva called here last night. She’s worried, too.”
“Look, Tory,” Keith cajoled. “A United States senator doesn’t just vanish off the face of the earth. He’ll be back flashing that politician’s smile of his. The man’s a survivor, for crying out loud.”
Tory didn’t answer. She swirled the coffee in her mug and silently prayed that this time Keith was right.
The sound of Rex’s pickup caught her attention. Still wrapped in her own worried thoughts, Tory poured the foreman a cup of coffee without really thinking about it. By the time that Rex came in through the back door, she had already added a teaspoon of sugar to the cup.
“’Mornin’,” Rex greeted, noting the lines of worry disturbing the smooth skin of Tory’s brow.
“How about some breakfast?” Tory asked.
Rex eyed the muffins and the sliced fruit on the table. “Looks good, but no thanks.” He patted his flat abdomen. “Already ate with Belinda.” He paused for a moment and shook his head. “I just wanted to let you know that I fixed the combine late yesterday afternoon and that I’m planning to cut the yearling calves from the herd today. There’s a rancher who lives in Sisters and he’s interested in about thirty head. He’ll be here around eleven.” Rex pushed the brim of his hat farther up on his forehead as he accepted the cup of coffee Tory offered. He warmed his gnarled fingers around the ceramic mug. “He might want to look at the horses, too.”
Tory managed a smile. “Good. You can show him the mares and the foals as well as the yearlings.”
Keith didn’t bother to hide his surprise. He frowned, causing a deep groove in his forehead between his eyebrows. “You plan on selling some of the mares?”
“Maybe. If the price is right.”
Her brother leaned back in his chair and his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Because you know that once this scandal hits the papers no one, even if his life depends on it, will buy a Quarter Horse from the Lazy W.”
“That’s exaggerating a little, I think. But the note from the bank is due soon and we’ll need all the cash we can get.”
“Don’t remind me.”
“I’ll try not.”
“Okay,” Rex said, noticing the simmering hostility between brother and sister. “I’ll show the man from Sisters around, see if I can get him interested in any of the horses.”
“I thought you wanted to keep the mares another year at least and wait until the foals were born,” Keith persisted.
Tory pursed her lips and shook her head. “I think we’d better go with the bird in the hand theory.” She leveled her concerned eyes at Rex. “If the buyer wants any of the mares, they’re for sale.”
“What about stallions?” Rex asked.
Tory clenched her teeth. “They’re for sale, too. For the right price.”
“Even Governor?” Rex asked.
“All of them,” Tory whispered.
“Tory, I can’t let you do this—” Keith began to interrupt and looked as if he wanted to say more, but Tory cut him off.
“I don’t think we’ve got a choice. I have a meeting with the bank scheduled for the end of next week, and for once I’d like to show that the Lazy W has a positive cash flow. You were right when you first told me we’d have to sell—it just took a while for it to sink in. Selling some of the cattle and a few horses might get us out of the red for the month of June. Even if it’s only one month, it would say a lot and help me convince the loan officer to lend us more operating capital.”
“Hmph! How was I to know you’d listen to me for once?” Keith replied. Then, not having an argument against her logic, but worried just the same, Keith set down his empty coffee cup, got up from the table and explained that he would be working with some of the men who were cutting hay.
Rex and Keith walked out of the house together. Tory was left alone with the dirty dishes as well as her worries about what may have happened to Trask.
* * *