So, after a brief lunch and a conversation with Nate about Aly wanting them to come up to the ranch for dinner, Sam situated herself back at her computer for the afternoon and lost herself in trying to unearth anything there was to unearth about Gerald Arthur Harrington.
She hadn’t found much on the man.He was the most typical rancher stock around these parts.Not much of a digital footprint—which made sense since he’d died in the nineties.She’d need a trip to the library to find some old news articles about him or his family, so that’d be tomorrow’s job.She sent his information off to a genealogist she sometimes worked with who might be able to give her a clear picture of the history ofhisfamily—not just Glenda’s.
It didn’t feel like a lead or even progress, but it was something.
On a frustrated sigh, she looked up from her computer when the bell on the door sounded.She was surprised it looked like it was already getting dark out—and even more surprised when she glanced at the time on her computer and it was nearly five.When she was supposed to quit for the day and head up to the Bennet Ranch.
She’d really been in the zone.So she tried to shake the cobwebs away and focus on the here and now.
She smiled at the woman.“Welcome to Honor’s Edge.Can I help you with something?”
The woman wrinkled her nose, like Sam had said something distasteful.Which was an odd reaction when this lady had walked in here of her own accord.
“I was looking for—” Everything in the woman’s demeanor changed.“Oh, Nate!I was looking for you.”
Sam looked back at the entrance from the backroom where Nate had just walked in.He stopped abruptly at the sight of the blonde.Sam couldn’t even begin to read his expression because it went very,veryblank.
“Mrs.Hyatt.I didn’t know you were coming by,” he said, very flatly.
Sam’s eyebrows rose.Thiswas Mrs.Hyatt?Sam had never seen her in person because Nate had taken that first consultation and the case, and Mrs.Hyatt had always wanted to meet in Livingston.But Sam had created a kind of image in her mind of what a scorned wife might look like.
It wasn’t… this.
This woman was tall, lithe, blonde.Built.Hair and makeup done justso.Sam wouldn’t have been able to guess an age because the woman seemed almost… ageless.
Itwasn’ta competition, so itshouldn’tmatter.But Sam suddenly felt very tiny and frumpy in a way she hadn’t thought much about since she’d been a teenager worried over every silly thing.
Particularly when Mrs.Hyatt all but rushed over to Nate and looked imploringly up at him with tears in her pretty blue eyes.
“I’ve thought a lot about what you said about it not being a good idea for me to come with you to get the pictures of Michael.But I wanted to talk to you more about the possibility.”Mrs.Hyatt reached out and put her hand on Nate’s elbow like it belonged there.
Nate stood still as a statue, that blank look on his face Sam didn’t see often these days, so rigid Samwantedto be amused.She really did.
But she couldn’t muster it.
Especially when the woman glanced over at Sam, who found herself standing for some reason she couldn’t fathom.
It was a kind of down-the-nose dismissal.“I don’t suppose we could have some privacy,” Mrs.Hyatt said, looking at Sam a bit like Sam assumed this woman would look at thehelp.
Sam found herself momentarily speechless.Privacy.This washeroffice,herbuilding,hercompany, and this woman had the gall to ask for some privacy while trying to pawherboyfriend.
“I’m sorry, Mrs.Hyatt,” Nate said, formal but firm.“Sam and I have dinner plans.Why don’t you call back in the morning, and we’ll set up a meeting that works for both of us?”
Mrs.Hyatt pouted.“I thought we’d agree that you’d call me Jules.”
“And I thought we’d agreed that it goes against our policy at Honor’s Edge for you to accompany me on any excursion to investigate your husband.If you want that, you’re going to have to hire someone else.”
“Oh, don’t overreact, Nate.”She sighed gustily.“Fine, I’ll call in the morning.”
Temper flashed in his eyes, but eitherJulesdidn’t see it or didn’t care.She was stillpouting, and Sam still found herself watching the whole displayspeechless.
Particularly when Mrs.Hyatt turned away from Nate, gave Sam another once-over, then walked—no,sauntered—out of the front door.
“You ready to go?”Nate asked gruffly.
Sam still found she couldn’t quite form words, because… well,everythingabout this case suddenly made sense.Why the woman was insisting on accompanying Nate.Why she was a problem.Why she made Nate edgy and pissed off.
Mrs.Hyatt washitting on him.
