What worried him was who his daughterwasinterested in. He knew she’d been seeing someone, so figured she’d brought Donovan Cole home to the ranch as a smokescreen. What did that mean about the man she was hiding from him? Was it serious? Or was there a reason she kept him under wraps? Either way, it scared him because, like her mother, she had terrible taste in men.
If Lolly was surprised when he’d said nothing against Donovan, she didn’t show it, making him wonder if she thought she’d fooled him. But Donovan was managing to keep her homemore, so Malcolm felt he could relax a little. Not that he didn’t keep looking for the man he knew had stolen his daughter’s heart—if not yet her loyalties and her money. The man was out there waiting for something. And that was what made the crime boss worry.
His daughter had always been cagey, even as a child. She liked secrets, liked to think she was a mystery to her father. But she was also smart and had pulled the wool over his eyes a few too many times over the years.
Donovan Cole was another story. Nothing the man did could surprise him, which is why he’d put a tracking device on the man’s sports car. When he’d realized that Donovan had left in the middle of the night and not shown up for breakfast, he called his second-in-command, Luca Havers. Even with the tracking device on Donovan’s car, Malcolm had Luca track him and report back.
“He’s in Dry Gulch, Montana,” Luca told him when he returned a day later.
He could tell that Luca was wondering why the interest in Donovan Cole, let alone Dry Gulch, Montana. Luca had joined the organization young and worked his way up. He was handsome, smart and ambitious, all the things that Malcolm admired—and didn’t trust.
“He’s apparently staying two weeks,” Luca said with a grin, showing off how easily he could get information. Malcolm knew there must be a young woman working behind the desk at the hotel since Luca had a way with women. “His hotel room was paid for in full by a woman named Goldie Shaw. She owns the café.”
He had sent photos earlier, before his return, of Goldie Shaw and the café.
Why would the woman pay for Donovan’s room? There had to be more in it for the man, but what? Malcolm wondered.Thinking of the photos he’d studied earlier, he said, “The café is for sale?”
“The sign only recently went up.”
Still, there had to be more, he told himself. “The bank is right next to the café? Find out everything you can about the bank, especially when and how any large deposits come in and how much security they have.”
“You think Donovan is planning to rob the bank?” Luca asked, sounding skeptical.
Malcolm didn’t bother to answer as he felt a plan coming together. “Get me Arnie.”
“The cook?”
He smiled. “Tell him I have a café for him. Isn’t that what he’s always wanted, his own little place?”
Luca’s expression indicated he clearly questioned what his boss was thinking of doing. “What do you want me to do about Donovan Cole?”
“Nothing. At least not yet. I have something else in mind for you.”
Chapter Five
Just a few blocks from the edge of town, Max was home alone doing his best not to think about Goldie’s dinner at the hotel. The handsome and no doubt charming Donovan was in town having dinner with a pretty young woman, he told himself. It was only one night. Still, it wasn’t like Goldie to be flirting with some stranger at the café—let alone having a late dinner with him at the hotel.
For the first time since their breakup, he realized that Goldie really might move on, have men in her life, maybe even find that special one who could give her what she desired—marriage, a home and family. What if they stayed in Dry Gulch, got married and raised their family here?
The thought had Max walking the floor. He kept thinking about how quickly Goldie had accepted the man’s invitation for dinner. By now she could already be up in the man’s room. That thought threatened to twist his heart into an even tighter knot. What had he been thinking? That he could stay in this town and watch Goldie make a new life for herself?
He jumped at a sound outside his house. When he opened the door, he found his brother, Cordell, standing there with a six-pack of beer and a pitying look. Max didn’t want the beer or the pity, but he couldn’t turn his little brother away because tonight he was grateful for the company.
“Come in,” he said, stepping aside to let him enter. The last thing he wanted to hear about was Goldie’s date and yet hecouldn’t help but imagine the worst. Not that he was about to ask. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Cordell laughed. “What a surprise,” he said as he plopped down in the living room and opened them each a beer. His brother had lived here with him growing up before taking off to find himself. When he’d come back, he’d bought the abandoned hotel, remodeled it and was now turning the property into a destination resort. He’d also reignited his love affair with local attorney Josie Brand. Everyone was waiting for them to announce when they’d be getting married. The whole town and a good part of the county would want to attend.
“You should be happy for Goldie,” Cordell said after taking a sip of his beer.
“Not talking about it,” Max repeated. “How are things going with your big plans?” Cordell thought he could put Dry Gulch on the map with this resort he was working on. Max kept his doubts to himself.
His brother smiled. “Swimmingly.” He laughed. “The pools are being dug. I have a huge work force coming in, so at least one of the pools will be ready for the summer season. Great luck that there was once a hot springs bath outside of town years ago. I’ve been able to tap into the thermal mineral water. It will be a huge draw.”
“I’m proud of you,” Max said, meaning it. He’d been afraid that his brother would never pull his life together. Unlike his older brother, Cordell was doing great. People in town were fixing up their places, excited about Dry Gulch’s future because of his brother. “You’ve done so much for this town in such a short time.”
He told himself that was what he’d hoped to do by being sheriff.
When the conversation lagged, Max had to ask. “This man staying at the hotel, did he mention what he’s doing in Dry Gulch?”
