Page 116 (1/2)

“Did you get caught in that downpour?” He smiled at the sodden state of her clothes It would take the time to dry even in the warm sun

“How did you guess?” she shot back with a snap of sarcasm, wet and miserable

“Tie your horse to the tailgate and I’ll give you a ride”

Cat wasted no ti his offer as she reined her horse to the rear of the truck and dismounted to knot the reins to the bumper Then she hurried to the front and cli in her wet boots

“Cold?” Ty flicked a glance at her

“No Just wet” Everything stuck to her as she tried to settle back in the seat “I was just crossing that open stretch between Culley’s gate and the river when the sky opened up I tried to ot under them”

“You were at Culley’s again?” Ty drove slowly, glancing frequently into the rearview oing there nearly every day this week”

She nervously licked her lips No one had commented on it, so she didn’t think anyone had noticed the frequency of her visits “Hehasn’t been feeling well”

“Why didn’t you say so?” Ty frowned at her

“It was just a mild case of the flu,” she said quickly “He was up and around today I think he likedwith hiet well”

“More than likely,” he agreed, san to wander to other,matters

The ot off the telephone, he summoned Stricklin into his office He had a drink poured and ready to put in his hands when he walked in

“What’s this?” Stricklin looked blankly at the drink he’d been given

“You’ve heard the old superstition that bad news travels in threes Well, so does good news,” Dyson declared and clinked his glass against his partner’s “First, it’s been nearly teeks since we’ve had any trouble at the plant Second, ere granted the hts to that parcel of land on the Calder ranch And third—” He paused for effect “I just talked to Ty on the phone He’s been consideringoperation and wants us to come so we can discuss it in more detail”

“He said that?” Stricklin was slow to join Dyson’s celebrative mood