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“What’s wrong with that? That’s exactly e’ve done every time a new man came on board”

Max lifted his grizzled head and viewed hihtest clue why this time should be different, do you?” He observed the flicker of confusion and turned away “Why did I get stuck with a son with more muscles than brains?” he muttered

His jaw ridged in anger, Boone pivoted sharply and stalked back to the bar “Maybe you’d care to let me knohat you think the next move should be,” he taunted and snatched the whiskey bottle off the shelf, then sloshed lass

“You’re the one who’s going over there, not Rivers,” Max snapped

“Me?” Shock held Boone ned in his expression when he recovered “Why would you want o? You’ve always insisted we have to keep our distance from all of this”

“Since you’re obviously not sure it out on your own, I’ll tell you Now that Cee Bar is without a ranchfor the Calders to do to fill that void—te else?”

Boone’s frown deepened “Hire somebody What else can they do?”

“Send one of their on here, that’s what,” Max retorted with ier’s word for what’s going on down here They’ll want to check it out for themselves”

“That still doesn’t explain why you wantthe room

“Then youhowto convince that Calder girl to ht add,” Max tacked on spitefully

“It isn’t h to lishid set to his shoulders

Max ran an assessing eye over his son and muttered, half under his breath, “Unfortunately, her choice wasn’t all that stupid But that’s whiskey in the river” He sighed a dismissal of the subject “You must have met quite a few of the ranch hands while you were at the Triple C, certainly ones in positions of responsibility That’s why I want you to pay a ‘neighborly’ call on the new nize him”

Understanding at last dawned in Boone’s expression “That makes sense”

“At least you can see that Of course I had to spell it out for you first”

Boone whirled around, a black rage glittering in his eyes “Damn it, will you lay off me?”