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“For a little while Then I had soeted, Tell knew soot it”

“Got what?”

“That parcel of Charlene’s land” Dalton reached into his back pocket and pulled out a slip of paper “Got her notarized intent to sell We didn’t get it as cheap as I would’ve liked Five hundred acres with highway access Plus she’s giving us the option of buying some of the corrals and equiper brother, a rin stole over his face “I’ve been takin’ advantage of your workhorse ways as much Brandt has But it’s paid off for all us We’ll own that land free and clear”

“Free and clear? Where’d you get the oin’ with me, I upped my bets and stopped playin’ it safe In the last year and a half I…ah—” he laughed self-consciously, “—been flyin’ to Vegas in addition to hitting all the big tournaments around here And I’ve done well”

Tell frowned “But you didn’t take money out of our joint account”

“Yes I did I took out half over a long weekend Used it as seed money and doubled it in three days So I returned the amble with” Dalton held up his hand “No, I ain’t addicted to gaet us e needed And a way to prove otta know…” How did he say this without getting his brother’s back up? “I never expected that from you”

“Which hy I needed to do it Look, Brandt is the oldest, you’re the sest That’s how everyone sees me” He kicked a clod of dirt “I needed to prove toto the running of the ranch besidesays need”

“Amen to that” Tell elbowed his brother “Ya little lyin’ sack of shit How rinned “Plenty Even after buyin’ the land We’ll bring Brandt in on the plans for the feedlot, but I think we’d better keep it frootta ask if Rory Wetzler has anything to do with your reason to keep it on the do?”

“Partially I just don’t want our cousins to get a ju bit of gossip fro to find another place to live because Gavin got sole custody of Sierra and he’s movin’ to Sundance In the next couple weeks before school starts”

“Holy shit Really? That’s a shocker It’s gotta h”

“We’ll see Gavin ain’t exactly a McKay—in uess Sierra has been runnin’ with a bad crowd and Gavin has had it”

This was the opening Tell had been looking for “Speaking of running with a bad crowd… I heard an interesting rumor about you awhile back”

Dalton looked hi “What did you hear?”