As Garrett drove back to the ranch to confront Grace about her connection to Wolfpack, he couldn’t help but think of the old saying attributed to P. T. Barnum. If there was truly a sucker born every minute, then he was the biggest one on the face of the earth. What Grace had to gain by sabotaging their pipeline though was anybody’s guess, but he didn’t have her devious mind.
By all accounts, a deal between the Permian and the Panhandle was a win-win. She and her husband would make money on the investment, and the Kohl family would get wealthy too. Although she’d been missing around there for a while, Garrett knew that his dad wouldn’t cut her out of any financial windfall or inheritance from the ranch. It’s just the kind of man he was.
As they got closer to the house, Garrett could see that the lights were on out at the barn. Although he knew the conversation would be explosive, he hoped to get everything out in the open. The funny thing was that his anger over the whole ordeal had less to do with the damage to their property, and more to do with the heartbreak. He’d lost Grace all over again.
Garrett turned to Kai, noticing that he looked a lot less clenched now that the Order was off the hook. “Might want to stay here. Have a feeling this is about to get ugly.”
“Happy to sit tight.” Kai looked like a prisoner on death row getting a stay of execution. “Sounds like a family affair. Don’t want any part of what I suspect is about to go down.”
Garrett put the truck in park and hopped out fuming mad. With a well-rehearsed tongue-lashing for his sister playing out in his mind, he marched to the barn. He had just walked inside when he was stopped in his tracks by Butch’s startling words.
“Asadi is still gone.”
Garrett’s anger was overcome by anxiety. “What do you mean, still gone? What happened?”
“He’s helping Savanah put the horses in the barn.”
“But he left hours ago,” Garrett protested. “What’s taking so long?”
“Don’t know for sure. Think they were having trouble getting them corralled.”
Despite the falling-out between Asadi and Savanah, Garrett knew that neither of them would hesitate to help the other in a crisis. “Think I should go out there and help?”
Grace stepped through a side door with a bucket of feed. Apparently, she’d been eavesdropping around the corner.
“Everything’s okay, Garrett. Looks like they just didn’t want to give up because of the storm. Just taking longer than they thought.”
The logic was sound. Both Asadi and Savanah were tenacious as they come. Neither would rest until the job was done.
Garrett calmed a little. “Wind probably has the horses stirred up.”
“Lacey said that too.” Grace moved closer and then stopped a few feet away. “She went out to let them know it was okay to come on in. Vicky’s going to have her men take care of it.”
Lacey being out there gave Garrett an immediate sense of relief. “Her men?”
Grace looked up in the air as if thinking hard. “A guy named Ray, and a . . .”
Garrett filled in the blank. “Bo?”
Grace pointed her index finger at Garrett. “Yep, that’s it. Said they were out running an errand but would take care of the horses as soon as they got back to the ranch.”
The fact that Ray and Bo were on the task gave Garrett an extra dose of confidence. But until Asadi was accounted for, he couldn’t relax. “Think they need an extra set of hands?”
“Can go out if you want,” Grace said, “but it sounded like they had it all under control.”
Butch took a couple of steps forward. “Maybe we should head out there, just to be safe.”
Going out there to help his son immediately would’ve been a no-brainer for Garrett on any other day. But the revelation about his sister’s husband had to be addressed. “Yeah, I’ll go too.” He turned to Grace. “First, I need to talk to you about something. Something that can’t wait.”
Grace stammered a little, sounding nervous. “About what?”
“I’m talking about that Dodge Ram that tried to run me down when we were all out at the pipeline earlier. That’s as good as any place to start.”
“What about it?” Butch asked. “You get Sheriff Crowley to run the plates?”
“Damn sure did.” Garrett kept his glare on Grace. “Got something you want to tell me?”
The look on her face morphed from worried to offended. “How on earth would I know anything about that?”
Garrett followed up with a clear demand. “That’s what you’re about to explain to us. No more games. No more lies. Truth time. Who tried to run me over out there?”
Grace pointed to the door where his truck was parked. “Why don’t you ask your friend? The one who seems to be around every time something bad happens.”
“Because as you already know,” Garrett countered, “that truck nearly ran over him too.”
Grace put her hands on her hips. “Then maybe it was one of his cronies.”
“It wasn’t,” Garrett fired back. “Got any other theories?”
“Well, you’re pretty quick to jump on the side of a group of people who attacked you.” Before Garrett could counter, Grace spouted with venom, “Twice I might add. And by the way, I’m the one who drove into that encampment to save you. Remember?”
“That’s right,” Butch snapped. “Why are you badgering her? She’s your sister.”
Garrett broke his focus on Grace and turned to his dad. “I’m badgering her because she’s keeping a secret from us. A big one.”
“What secret?” Butch tilted his head at his daughter. “She was right about them carnies. You looking to point a finger, then look no further than them. They’re the ones making trouble. All Grace has done is offer us up a good deal.”
“Yeah, about that deal,” Garrett countered, turning from Butch to Grace. “What pipeline company will get that contract once we sign your offer?”
“No idea.” Grace shrugged. “Would be a bid process for it just like any other project.”
Butch interjected, his focus on Garrett. “What are you getting at, son?”
“What I’m getting at is that there’s more to the story here. And I want Grace to fill us in.”
Grace glanced at the door, looking as if she wanted to bolt. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Let me help you then.” Garrett smiled, knowing he was getting closer to the truth. “Tell me what Wolfpack Midstream has to do with all this.”
“Nothing.” Grace kept her gaze averted. “Just another pipeline company.”
“No, it’s not.” Garrett wagged his finger at her. “Because your husband is the chairman of the board. And the truck that nearly ran me down is registered to that company.”
Butch turned to his daughter. “That true?”
Grace didn’t answer. She just stood there staring daggers at Garrett.
After a few awkward seconds of silence, Garrett continued. “Meanwhile, Grace, you’re up here whispering in Vicky’s ear about a secretive LNG agreement on the Texas Gulf Coast.”
“So, what if I am?” Grace asked defiantly. “And that’s not a secret. The news just hasn’t gone public yet. There’s no crime in being quick on the draw when a major opportunity comes your way. It’s called good business.”
The truth of the matter was that Garrett hadn’t seen anything about the deal itself that sent up red flags. But with billions of dollars up for grabs, it could bring out the worst in people. He didn’t think his sister would actually put a hit out on him over money, but her husband was as ruthless as they come. Who knows what he is cooking up with his investors?
“Grace, I’ve been doubtful from the get-go that anyone in the Permian Basin is jumping up and down to spread the wealth on this Trans-Palisade deal. And I can’t help but think that maybe some folks down there would just as soon take us offline than share in the reward.”
“Take you offline?” Grace marched forward, fuming mad. “You can’t be serious. You really believe I would be a part of something like that? That I’d come after my own flesh and blood?”
“Not sure what to believe.” Garrett shrugged. “But I know something’s not adding up.”
Grace leaned in and got in his face. “You must think the absolute worst of me to level an accusation like this.”
Butch eased up and gently pulled her back. “Easy there, sweetie. Tempers are running hot.” He shot a stern look at Garrett. “Now look, there’s obviously some questions that need to be answered here, but you’re taking a mighty big leap with that kind of claim.”
Garrett couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. He had basically just accused his sister of attempted murder. But something was going on, and she needed to start talking. Although Butch still had the temperament of a rabid wolverine, he had softened in his old age on matters of the heart. If the old man had learned anything, it was that family mattered most.
Now that he had his daughter back, Butch would not let her go without a fight. For once in his life, he played the part of the peacemaker. “Best way to cool down is to get everything out on the table. Just like your mother used to do.”
Before either Garrett or Grace could argue, Butch spoke to them in his dad voice, which was how he spoke to the horses. It was lower and softer, and always had a calming effect. “Both of you go to the house. We’re going to settle this right now.”
After delivering a cup of hot chocolate to Kai, who’d opted to sit in the living room and watch television, Garrett returned to the kitchen and sat down at the table where his father and sister were blowing on their steaming cups. He took a sip and then looked to his sister, whose eyes were red from a good cry in Butch’s arms. It was clear she had something to confess.
“Well, Grace,” Garrett began, “I hate to rush this, but since we haven’t heard anything from Lacey or Asadi, I’m a little eager to get over to the Mescalero and help. But before I do, you need to tell me what’s going on. The fact that your husband is connected to Wolfpack isn’t just a coincidence. Someone’s coming after me from that company and I want to know why.”
Grace nodded, seeming to understand. “Okay, look, the deal I proposed to Vicky is the exact same one I proposed to you. I swear it. What I didn’t mention is Ryland’s involvement.”
Garrett didn’t know much about Grace’s husband, Ryland Hobbs, beyond the fact that he was extremely wealthy. She was his second wife, and they had tied the knot after a shockingly quick courtship. None of the Kohls had been invited to the private ceremony, held at an exclusive Caribbean resort. And their noticeable exclusion hadn’t helped to strengthen family ties.
“What about Ryland?” Butch looked concerned. “What’s going on with him?”
“Well, we’re getting a divorce,” she admitted. “And it’s messy. Real messy.”
“Messy how?” Butch asked.
“It’s been bad for a while. I put up with it for years but just couldn’t take it anymore.”
“Put up with what exactly?” Garrett could feel his pulse race at the thought of abuse. “He didn’t get out of line, did he?”
Grace threw up a hand. “No, nothing like that. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He showed no emotion at all. Ryland basically just checked out of the marriage. He’d leave for days. Weeks at a time. Go on a hunting trip or gambling in Vegas and never even call. I wanted to work it out, but eventually got served with divorce papers. He didn’t even have the guts to face me himself.”
Garrett felt bad for Grace, but her story wasn’t unique. And it still didn’t explain what it had to do with him nearly getting mowed over by a pickup. Things had gotten ugly for a reason. “Was he having an affair?”
She shrugged. “There were rumors, but nothing more than that. I think he just got tired of me. Treated me like a ghost, hoping I would just leave on my own accord, I guess.”
Butch, still looking dumbfounded, turned from Garrett to Grace. “Sorry to hear all this, but I’m still not sure what all this has to do with us or the pipeline.”
Grace looked a little embarrassed. “Well, when we got married, I signed a prenuptial agreement. A solid one. Basically, said that if the marriage didn’t work out for any reason, I wouldn’t get a cent.”
“Don’t tell Bridger,” Butch scolded. “Your lawyer brother might drop dead on the spot.”
“Well, I know that now. But Ryland was charming, and I was an idiot in love. Never thought it would end. And at the time I was making good money on my own. Figured I could always just go back to work if it came to that.”
Garrett remembered that Grace had made a good living in the oil and gas business. She’d been rising in the ranks at a midsize exploration company before getting married. “Why can’t you just go back to what you were doing before? You’re bound to have a ton of contacts.”
“Ah . . .” Grace held up a finger. “Because Ryland is a very powerful man in Midland-Odessa. Vindictive. Nobody wants to cross him. He put out the word that I was not to be hired.”
“Damn petty,” Butch spat. “Especially after what he did to you.”
“Petty, I’ve learned over the years, is Ryland’s middle name.”
“Sounds like you’re the victim,” Garrett interjected. “Why would he come after you?”
Grace looked ashamed again. “So . . . I might’ve found a way to get back at him.”
Okay, now they were getting somewhere. Garrett braced for impact. “What did you do?”
Grace looked down at her mug of hot chocolate as she spoke. “Ryland’s bank was in line to finance the pipeline between here and the Permian. It’d be the biggest deal he’d ever done. Would take his operation to the next level.”
Garrett filled in the rest. “But you found an alternative.”
Grace looked up at him. “Vicky and a few others around here that I know from the old days have the means to bankroll it. This multibillion-dollar deal would put the Texas Panhandle back on the map. Would give those operators down in Midland-Odessa a run for their money.”
Now it all came together for Garrett. The explosions weren’t about the environment. They were about greed and vengeance. Grace’s soon-to-be ex-husband and his Permian Basin cohorts were sending a clear and distinct message to the Kohls and the Kaisers. Stay the hell off our turf.
It was true that the Permian Basin was the powerhouse region of Texas oil and gas. And apparently, they aimed to keep it that way. But Garrett’s competitors, three hundred miles to the south, were going about it the wrong way. All it did was make him want it even more. He was just about launch into about a million more questions when the cell phone buzzed in his front pocket.
Garrett held up a finger to Grace when he saw it was Sheriff Crowley calling. “Hold on a second. I need to take this.” He stepped into the hallway, made a beeline to his room, and shut the door. “What you got for me, Ted?”
Crowley spoke on the other end, a little delight in his voice, “Well, I got your man here. Thought you might want to stop by and say hello.”
The mysterious answer threw Garrett off a little. “You mean Dodge Ram? That man?”
“That’s the one,” Crowley confirmed.
“Great. I’ll be up at the jail as soon as I can get there.”
Crowley chuckled. “Oh, you won’t find him there.”
Garrett paused for a moment, unsure if he really wanted the answer. “Where is he?”
“We’re out on your place at a drill site location.” There was a momentary pause from Crowley. “Sign says . . . Erickson 45H. Derrick is still up but nobody’s out here.”
“Be there in ten minutes.” Before Garrett hung up, he had to ask, “Why’s he not in jail?”
“Thought it might be better we ask a few questions . . . unencumbered.”
Garrett knew that was code for without a lawyer. “Who all is we?”
“Smitty and Bo are here too. Asking a few questions for Vicky about the compressor station. So far, this guy’s playing dumb. But the angrier Bo gets, the more likely our boy will talk.”
Uh-oh. Garrett figured he’d better get there before it got out of hand. He wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on too, but at the end of the day, he was still a federal officer, even if he was on leave. Despite the attempt on his life, he wasn’t above the law. At least not yet.
“Don’t let Bo do anything crazy,” Garrett cautioned. “I’ll be right there.”
“I’ll do my best, but he looks a bit unhinged. You know how he gets. Of course, he lives a little on the disturbed side. So, who really knows?”
The thought of what that behemoth psycho was capable of pushed Garrett into high gear. He ended the call, beckoned for Kai to follow, and raced to the door. It might not be entirely legal, but he wanted some answers. And it looked like they’d caught the man who had them.