Her expression showed signs of panic. Her skin even lost a little color.
“How long do you plan on staying in town, Mr. Graham?”
Now he knew why she acted this way. She wanted to get out of town as fast as she could. Well, he had other plans, and he hoped she would have the patience to stay with him throughout the process. After all, he needed time to work up to the questions about the murder. He didn’t want to scare her away, either. Now that he found her, he wasn’t going to let her out of his sight.
If he could help it, anyway.
“I have arranged to meet Clark Turner tomorrow afternoon. In fact, if you’d like to join me, I’ll be happy to have you.” This wasn’t a lie. Denton’s cousin had already made arrangements with his employer, Dallas Remington, for Denton to come to the ranch as a prospective buyer.
Her eyes widened. “For your meeting?”
“Yes. I’ll be riding out to Blue Creek Ranch.” He pointed in the direction. “It’s not far from here, and it’s a pleasant drive.” He patted her hand, still resting on his arm. “You can visit with Clark Turner’s wife, Pearl.”
“Well, um... I suppose. If you don’t mind me coming.”
“Not at all. Having your company will make the journey more pleasurable.”
Her cheeks grew red, and she smiled shyly. “Then, I shall join you, Mr. Graham.”
“Wonderful, but I must insist that you call me by my given name, Denton.”
“Then I will, Denton. And you must call me Courtney.”
He smiled, relieved she believed his story so far. In his line of work, telling the truth was difficult to do, even though sometimes he wished he didn’t have to deceive so many people.
“What a lovely name for a lovely woman.”
Her cheeks flamed red again. He thought it looked adorable. Of course, he should really deter his thoughts away from how pretty she was. He couldn’t allow that to distract him. He had a role to play, just as she did. With any luck, he’d get answers from her soon.
Within the next few days, he’d either catch a murderer or rule her out. Deep down inside, he hoped he would be able to rule her out. He wouldn’t mind getting to know the real Courtney Mills a little better.
* * * *
COURTNEY TRIED HARDnot to stare at the incredibly handsome man next to her, but she found it nearly impossible. Denton was so confident, and the way he spoke and carried himself let her know he was a true gentleman. She tried to imagine what his older brother would look like. She wondered if Timothy would have silver streaks in his dark hair by now, but Denton’s thick head of hair didn’t show any signs of aging. The man’s body was robust, and she hoped Timothy was built the same way.
She had realized that by getting to know Denton, she could get to know Timothy better. Perhaps meeting the brother first was the perfect way to start this relationship.
“Denton, tell me about Timothy’s children.”
He turned them down another street, but this one wasn’t as busy. He didn’t want people to recognize him, not that they would, but he needed to be cautious. He glanced her way. “What have you heard?”
She shrugged. “The preacher that had helped me sign up to be a mail-order bride just mentioned that the prospective grooms had children. I suspect Timothy has children, which is why he’s looking for a wife.”
Denton nodded. “He has two little girls with black curly hair.”
She smiled, already preparing for her role as their mother. “How old are they?”
“Five and three,” he answered quickly, thinking of his nieces from his only sister.
“What are their names?”
“Joanna and Emily.”
“I bet they are adorable.”
His heart swelled with pride as an image of their faces popped into his head. “They are.” He hoped when he finally settled down to start a family, he would have girls who looked like Joanna and Emily. He wouldn’t mind a few boys, too.
“How long has their mother been dead?” Courtney blinked with quizzical eyes.
