“Mark,” Layla said and paused to gulp in a breath of fresh air.
“Layla.” Mark reached out a hand to her. She took it and hastily mounted the porch steps to stand next to him. “What’s wrong, Layla? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this agitated.” He looked from Layla to her father to Eliza. Unshed tears were apparent in Eliza’s eyes, but her mouth was set in a grim line. “Did something happen at the store?” Layla didn’t answer, but Eliza shook her head dejectedly. “Is it Jack?” His mind raced as he stared at Eliza. “I don’t think I’ve seen Jack this morning.” Mark tried to recall what he was doing before he visited with Trudie. Billy came to find him on Layla’s behalf, and when he’d asked after Jack, Billy wasn’t sure.
Mark frowned. “What’s happened? Where’s Jack?”
Eliza stepped forward on wobbly knees and trembled, but Layla squeezed her friend’s shoulder as if to reassure her before looking at Mark. “I need to tell you something about Jack,” Layla said in a small voice. “Eliza just shared the news with us, and we came home at once to tell you.”
Mark was overcome with concern as he stared at Layla.
“Eliza told my father and me that Jack has been selling information to George Winn.” Layla sucked in a deep breath, and frown lines appeared on her forehead. She grabbed Mark’s hand, and he could feel just how tense she was because of her tight grip. “For the last few months, he has been giving Mr. Winn information about you and your business.”
“But—” Mark spluttered. “I’ve never—I mean—I don’t.” Though it was unlike Mark to be at a loss for words, he couldn’t help himself; he didn’t know what to say. He’d gone from thinking that Jack might be sick or injured to learning that one of the people he trusted most had betrayed him. A muscle in Mark’s jaw stiffened as he clenched his teeth.
“Mark,” Layla said slowly, her hand resting on his forearm. “Are you all right?”
Mark stared at Layla’s touch before gazing back up at her. He tried to see her sweet face, but his anger clouded his vision. “No,” Mark said tersely. “I am not all right.”
“What can I do?” Layla asked. “How can I help you?” The tenderness was unmistakable in her voice, but it didn’t touch him. His thoughts spiraled out of control and his rage simmered.
Mark shook his head. “I’ve been so distracted by this mess with Trudie that I completely forgot about my business matters. I knew that someone was working against me, but I didn’t—” He pounded his fist against the porch railing. “I didn’t expect it to be Jack.”
Layla opened her mouth to speak, but Mark waved his hand. “Take care of the baby. I’ve got business to handle,” Mark said as he stepped off the porch. Layla’s hand on his arm jerked away as he stormed out of her reach. He marched toward the stables and didn’t look back at the group that was undoubtedly staring after him.
Mark pumped his arms as he ran, and he picked up speed. The sand softened beneath his heavy strides as he raced to where he guessed Jack might be this morning. “Jack!” Mark roared as he reached the stables. A few of the horses knickered in response to his shouting. Mark bellowed his name again, not caring how others reacted. His temper was ignited, and he could barely see straight as he shook with fury.
“Hey, Boss,” Billy asked, rushing out from one of the horse stalls with a pitchfork in his hands but set it aside when Mark got closer. “Everything all right?”
“I’m looking for Jack,” Mark replied coolly. His dark eyes floated around the building. He wasn’t sure if Jack was hiding intentionally or not, but he thought there was no way anyone, including Jack, could have missed Mark shouting his name.
Billy glanced over his shoulder and made a bemused face. “I can’t say I’ve seen him. I know we talked about it earlier, but I just can’t recollect where—”
“Thank you, Billy. Get back to work.” Mark strode right past Billy and came out into the horse corral. “Jack!” Mark yelled. Even though he had done his best to communicate with Billy civilly, his anger bubbled under the surface. His right eye twitched as he considered what he might say when he eventually found Jack.
“Right here, Boss,” Jack said, and Mark whirled on his heel as Jack emerged from the horse barn. “I thought I heard you calling my name, so I …” Jack immediately hung his head.
Mark closed the distance between them with giant steps, and Jack jumped back in shock. Mark ground his back teeth together and lowered his voice to a growl. “Jack … do you have something to say to me?”
“I—uh … yeah,” Jack answered timidly. He fidgeted with his white hat and scratched at that thick blond hair underneath. The gesture that Mark had always thought made Jack seem very young, as he wasn’t big enough for his hat, now seemed calculated and phony. If Jack was old enough to betray Mark, he was old enough to wear his hat like a man. Mark crossed his arms over his chest and stared Jack down furiously.
“Then speak,” Mark ordered tersely. He tipped his head slightly in annoyance at Jack’s hesitancy. “I saidspeak.” Only a few inches away from Jack’s face, he saw terror flash in the young man’s eyes.
“I’ve been working with George Winn,” Jack rushed quickly, clearly frightened by Mark’s imposing presence. “He approached me a few months back. He asked me if I wouldn’t mind telling him some things about your farm. I didn’t think much of it at first. He’s your neighbor, and I thought he was just interested in what you were planning to do with the land that touches his.”
Mark nodded brusquely, which encouraged Jack to keep talking.
“After that first talk with Mr. Winn, like I said, I didn’t think much about it, but a few days later, he wanted to talk again, and this time, he offered me some money for my troubles. I know I should’ve backed away from him. I know I shouldn’t have told him about the land you wanted to buy next door so you could plant those fruit trees, but I couldn’t help myself. I saw that money, and I thought of all the things Eliza and I could do with it.” Jack gulped loudly; his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down with the effort. He took off his white hat and fiddled with the edges of it nervously.
“I didn’t set out to hurt you or this ranch, Mr. Flint. I promise you that. I just told Mr. Winn about plans you’d made and orders you’d sent.”
“Orders? What kinds of orders?” Mark asked. The day, not too long ago, when he’d found Jack near the cow barn holding a grubby piece of paper flashed in his mind. Jack let Mark believe it was a love letter from his wife, but now Mark suspected otherwise. “So, it was you, Jack,” Mark said scathingly, realization dawning on him. “Youwrote the letter to Mr. Calhoun telling him I didn’t need that farm equipment anymore.Youcanceled my order.”
“I—uh—” Jack stuttered, and he stared at the ground.
“You didn’t just give Mr. Winn information—you actively tried to destroy my business,” Mark shouted accusingly. He sneered in Jack’s face as he was utterly disgusted by this person he had once trusted.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Jack said quickly. “I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I’m real sorry, Mr. Flint. I love working here, and I respect you and—”
Mark cut him off. “You don’t work here anymore.”
