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“You decided to hire me the day you saw me at the ranch, didn’t you?”

“That’s when it first occurred to me” She came around to the front of the desk and casually braced herself against it “But you will learn that I never act rashly”

“How long did it take to get that report back on me?” He nodded toward the papers she had consulted “One week? Two?”

“A little less than teeks”

“So how co to offer me the job?”

“Really, Mr Haskell,” she said in a chiding voice “I could hardly come kn

ocking on your door Blue Moon is a very se by the end of the day And if I had called you on the phone, youup the minute you heard my name That wasn’t a risk I wanted to take No, it’s better this way The e employer in the area Anyone would expect you to apply for work here”

Buck read between the lines “In other words, I’ for you”

“Not yet Not until I’m ready to take possession At that point, secrecy will no longer be necessary Will you take the job? I promise you the salary will be more than adequate to meet your needs”

“Oh, I’ht, ma’am,” Buck drawled in answer “To be honest, I’d pay for the chance to see Calder’s face when he finds you’ve got title to that land You just tell me when I start, and I’ll be there, all spit and polished and ready to gloat”

“Not for a while yet I’ll let you know In the meantime,” she reached behind her and picked up a sli, unfastened its flap, and removed a slender stack of crisp new bills from inside it, “here is your first month’s salary in advance”

“You’re paying me in cash?” He took it from her and automatically counted it

“For the ti a connection between us A check you would have to cash somewhere And as I said, this is a small town”

“What about the people here?”

“As EJ Dyson’s daughter, I cole is the only one who knows I’ with you And he won’t breathe a word of it for fear of losing his job” She straightened froain