“Sean and Nathan have got everything under control.” He nodded at the people behind her. “Looks like we’re moving, Mrs. Stanley.”
Doris glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “So we are. I hope you had a good time in Buffalo.”
Before he could reply, Doris turned and joined the line of people leaving the plane.
He took his hat out of the locker, letting the people seated beside her out of their seats before he moved. He needed to put as much distance between Doris and Ashley as possible.
“Watch out for Mrs. Stanley,” he whispered.
Ashley pulled her baseball cap lower. “Was she on this flight?”
“She was sitting in front of us.”
“Did she recognize me?”
“I don’t think so. She would have said something if she did.” He touched the edge of her black wig. “Even I’d have to look twice to recognize you.”
“That was the idea,” Ashley whispered. “We need to move.”
Matthew blinked, then grabbed his backpack.
Ashley followed on his heels, keeping behind him even when they walked into the terminal.
He swerved to the right, away from where his brother was standing. Doris was close to Sean, waiting for her luggage.
Sean frowned and followed him to the far side of the room. His eyes widened when Ashley looked at him.
“Hi, Sean.” She held out her hand.
Matthew wasn’t sure whether her handshake was a peace offering or a reflex action, but either way, his brother didn’t look happy.
Sean shook her hand in double-quick time. “You made it.”
“We did. Thank you for letting me stay on the ranch.”
His brother swallowed the words that Matthew knew he wanted to say. “You’re welcome.”
He handed Sean his backpack. “Ashley needs to get out of here before someone recognizes her. Take her to the truck. I’ll be there as soon as her luggage arrives.”
Sean looked around the terminal. “Half the people here will know her.” His gaze landed on Ashley. “Pull your cap low and follow me.”
She picked up her carry-on and nodded.
As much as his brother didn’t want her staying with them, he still walked close to Ashley and made sure no one stopped them on their way out of the terminal.
Matthew took a deep breath. He didn’t know what would happen over the next few days, but it had to be better than worrying if Ashley was okay.
***
Ashley opened her eyes, blinking the last of her dream away. A rooster screeched his early morning welcome and sunlight peeked through a gap in the curtains.
She was still finding it hard to believe she was in Montana. It had been pitch-black when they’d driven to Matthew and Sean’s home, but the difference between here and New York had been as obvious as the rooster still cock-a-doodle-doing from somewhere on the ranch.
She’d forgotten how clean the air smelled, how warm the evenings could be, even at the beginning of summer. On the way to the ranch, she told Sean about the story she was writing. He hadn’t said much, but that probably had more to do with her unexpected arrival. The Gray family were close, and she knew she’d hurt more than Matthew when she’d left.
With one last glance at the curtains, she pushed off her blankets and quickly changed into her jeans and a sweatshirt. Matthew and Sean would already be out on the ranch. If she was going to discover where the missing money had gone, she needed to do it fast. The sooner she had answers, the sooner she could return to New York.
On her way downstairs she heard a noise coming from the kitchen. Matthew was speaking to someone, telling them they didn’t need to come to the ranch.
