Peril by Ponytail (A Bad Hair Day Mystery) (11 page)

“What happened?” Dalton asked, his expression grim.

Raymond glared at him as though he should have prevented the collapse. “Looks like we hit a cache of old dynamite left over from the mining days while we were working on this building’s foundation. It’s always been a possibility with all the tunnels underlying the town.”

“You can’t be too careful around here with our history,” Beresby said, approaching with a shake of his head. “It was only a matter of time before you came upon some blasting caps or dynamite waiting to blow.”

“Was it? Maybe we dug too deep and hit a mine shaft, or maybe somebody planted this stuff here and wanted us to believe so.”

“We’ll be able to tell if any modern materials were used to set off the explosion. Consider your site shut down for now.”

Raymond stamped his booted foot. “This delay is going to cost me.”

Marla was taken aback by his seeming lack of concern for the workers who’d been killed. “I hope you have insurance,” she murmured, wondering what hospital the injured would be taken to in the area. During the mining camp’s heyday, there had been one nearby.

“We have workmen’s compensation, liability, the whole bit. Not to worry there. These boys will be well looked after until they’re on their feet, and I’ll take care of the families for the ones we lost. My gut tells me this wasn’t an accident. We’ve had our heavy equipment out here and haven’t hit a time bomb like this before now.”

Beresby, having waved off his deputy, hooked his thumbs into his belt. “As I said, these hills can be hazardous. You never know what will turn up. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go see how the rescue operation is coming along.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Marla said softly to Raymond after the sheriff left.

His eyes glittered in the late afternoon rays. “Thanks. I’m glad you two are here. Son, you have to get to the bottom of this,” he told Dalton. “Someone’s out to get me. They want me to fail so I’ll have to sell my properties. That’s never going to happen.”

“Do you have any evidence to support your theory?” her husband inquired in the noncommittal tone he used to interview suspects.

“No, whoever is doing this is careful to cover his tracks.”

Like you?
What if he’d planted the explosive himself? It would throw suspicion off him, if the sheriff harbored any notions that Raymond might be involved in Garrett Long’s death.

The sheriff must know more about their relationship. Did the two men only go riding together? Or were they friends who confided in each other? Had Raymond told Garrett why he felt such animosity toward Hugh Donovan?

Perhaps the reverse had happened. Garrett told Raymond about a problem he’d encountered at work. Now Garrett was dead. Perhaps the murderer had set his sights on Raymond next to eliminate the threat of exposure.

Or not. Dalton had suggested maybe his uncle and Garrett had come across something related to criminal activity on a riding trail and hadn’t realized its significance.

Confused, she scrubbed a hand over her face. Clearly the attacks on Raymond’s project were escalating from mischievous incidents to lethal levels. She’d like to meet Hugh Donovan in person to assess his involvement. Raymond was quick to blame the guy for reasons yet unknown.

Rescue workers lifted an injured man in a sling out of the pit. Raymond wandered off to confer with his foreman.

“You look upset,” Dalton said. “We should return to the ranch.”

“I could use a drink at the Jail House. Let’s eat in the dining room tonight. It’ll give us a chance to talk in private.”
And out of earshot of your relatives.

“That wrangler, Jesse, knows something about Garrett Long’s death. While you’re getting refreshed, I’ll see if he’s around to answer some questions,” Dalton said on the drive back to the ranch. “Let’s meet at the bar around five and hang out there until dinner.”

Feeling she should touch base with Carol, Marla washed and changed and then headed over to the reception building. Janice, on duty at the front desk, waved her on back.

Marla knocked on Carol’s half-open office door before proceeding inside. The blonde’s face split into a grin at Marla’s appearance.

“Hi, I don’t want to bother you, but I thought I should let you know that we’ll be eating dinner at the ranch again tonight. There’s a venom talk we might attend afterward,” she said for an excuse.

“Sure, Marla. You’re always welcome at our house. I fix dinner for an army since you never know who’ll drop by. Wayne’s dad gets lonely sometimes, and Annie likes a home cooked meal. So I prepare for company. Please, have a seat.”

Carol appeared unruffled considering how her father-in-law might have been blown up that afternoon. Maybe she didn’t know? Best to ease into the topic then.

“We went into town today. I met Annie for lunch and saw her clinic. She’s doing a great job there from what I can tell. Her services seem to fill a need in the community.”

Carol smiled with pride. “She loves her work. It’s too bad Raymond doesn’t respect her choice. He won’t quit nagging her to take an interest in the family business.”

“It doesn’t bother you that she’s alone?”

“Single and unattached, yes. A successful nutritional counselor? I’m happy she’s found her calling. I just worry about her being without a partner for the rest of her life.”

“She’s young yet. Is she interested in finding someone?”

“I think so, but there aren’t many eligible prospects in a town this size.”

“At least she’s a safe distance from Raymond’s properties, considering what happened today at the ghost town.”

Carol’s brow scrunched. “What do you mean?”

“A piece of construction machinery hit a cache of dynamite from back in the mining era. The explosives went off and collapsed a wall.”

“No! Was anyone hurt?”

Marla laid her purse in her lap. Maybe she and Dalton should have stayed on site and offered to help? Nah, they’d have only gotten in the way.

“A couple of workers were killed and others injured. Wayne’s dad is okay, although shaken.”

“Thank goodness. I’ll bet he’s more upset about this roadblock in his master plan than anything else.”

How well you know your father-in-law.
“Raymond doesn’t believe it was an accident.”

“Don’t tell me. He blames Hugh Donovan.” Carol stood and paced. “Hugh is a handy scapegoat for Wayne’s dad and vice versa. Whenever something goes wrong, the other one is at fault. I wish they’d clear the air already.”

“What happened to make them hate each other so much?”

“Raymond won’t talk about it. I’m not sure how far it dates back, either. I’d rather not pry, but the past can lead to tension when things are left unresolved.”

Amen to that.
Marla had experienced her own share of past haunts. She could only move on once she’d shed the guilt.

“I’m glad you and Wayne came to our wedding. It meant a lot to Dalton.”

“And we’re glad you guys reached out to us. Wayne always felt bad he’d never had the chance to know his aunt. Since Raymond doesn’t talk about her, the only way he learned anything was from Doc Harrigan.”

“Who’s that?” Marla’s glance rose to study a colorful figurine of Kokopelli, the fertility deity revered by Native Americans. She’d seen similar ones in the gift shops in town. Kokopelli was depicted hunched over and playing a flute. Rather a bizarre figure in her opinion, he had feathers or protrusions coming from his head. Besides enhancing fertility, he was associated with changing winter into spring and bringing rain to the land. She should pick up a statue to bring home as a memento of their trip.

“Doctor Harrigan is our vet. Or rather, he’s semi-retired, and his son has taken over the practice. Doc senior knows Raymond longer than anybody.”

“Have you ever asked him what went down so many years ago?”

“I didn’t want to stir a hornets’ nest. Wayne should be the one to ask, but I think he’s afraid to unravel his father’s dark secrets. He’d get Doc senior to talk about Kate, though. Said there was a sad light in the vet’s eyes whenever he mentioned her.”

“Does he have an office in town?” Marla put this visit on her priority list.

“Yes, but you can catch him in the morning at the ranch. He comes by with his son twice a week to check our horses and deal with any non-emergency problems. He’ll be over by the corrals around eight tomorrow. If you’re up earlier and are comfortable on a horse, maybe you’d like to join me on my morning ride. I saddle up every morning at seven.”

“I’ll wait until I take a few more lessons, thanks. Would you mind if I spoke to the vet? Dalton and I would like to understand these tangled family relationships.”

“It’s fine with me. Maybe I should have prompted Wayne to dig deeper, but I didn’t want to upset him. You might have better luck.”

Marla’s curiosity intensified about what skeletons hid in Raymond’s proverbial closet. So she made it her business to meet the veterinarian the next morning after breakfast. Dalton accompanied her, hoping to interview Jesse Parker. The wrangler hadn’t been available when Dalton sought him out the evening before.

As they approached the main corral, Marla scanned the fenced enclosure. The horses available for riding that day stood around while wranglers scurried back and forth tending to their chores. Jesse’s tall figure wasn’t among them. Birds twittered while she wondered where to find the animal doctor. An occasional horse snorted, and the wranglers bantered with each other as they went about their daily routine. She sniffed in the cool morning air, wrinkling her nose at the smells of hay and manure.

“Can I help you?” said a gruff voice from the rear.

Marla spun to view an older guy wearing a brown cowboy hat, a tweed sport coat over a tan dress shirt, jeans, and ankle-high boots. He had a goatee that matched his silver hair. Her gaze dropped to the black leather satchel in his hand.

“We’re looking for the vet,” she said, forgetting her husband’s goal for the moment. “Would that be you, by any chance?”

“You guessed right, young lady. I’m Doc Harrigan, as they call me around here.”

“We’re Marla and Dalton Vail from Florida. Dalton is Wayne’s cousin. We’re on our honeymoon and are staying at the ranch, thanks to Wayne’s invitation.”

“I recall hearing mention of relatives from the east coast.”

Marla glanced over his shoulder. No one was on the path behind him. “Don’t you normally work with your son?”

“He’s busy with a mare about to birth on another ranch.”

“Do you have a minute to talk to us? I understand you’ve known the family for a long time, and we’re interested in the history.”

He frowned at them. “I suppose I could spare a few minutes before they call me inside. Shall we get more comfortable?” Without waiting for an answer, he twisted the door knob leading into the Riders Entrance and entered. Fortunately, no one else was present.

After she and Dalton took seats on the leather sofa, Marla spoke. Dalton appeared to be comfortable letting her lead the conversation. Maybe he didn’t care to be seen as spying on his uncle.

“Did you know Raymond and Kate when they grew up here?”

A distant look came into the vet’s eyes. “Oh, yes. They were an active pair of kids. Feisty as ever, they kept their mom busy. A ranch is a good place to raise children. They learn to be closer to the earth and to appreciate nature. There’s none of them fancy trappings you get in cities.”

“I imagine they learned to ride very early.” Marla’s gaze flitted to the artifacts decorating the room. She liked the feathery dream catcher on the wall.

“Those kids knew how to fit a saddle before they could read. They were taught the dangers of the desert as well. Raymond, being the eldest, should have known better.”

Marla nudged Dalton so he would remain silent. She played along, pretending she knew what Doc Harrigan meant.

“You’re absolutely right. Were you around when it happened, then?”

“Yep. My daddy ran the practice then. We’re a generational family. Always loved horses along with farm animals. They’ve been helping mankind long before we white folks settled these hills.”

“Can you tell us your version of what went down? Raymond isn’t very forthcoming, and we’d like to know the truth. Carol is the one who suggested we see you for more information.”

“Is she?” His fingers tapped the handle of the satchel in his lap. He sat in an armchair opposite them. “I imagine that son of hers is getting near their age.”

“Brian is nine years old. Both of her kids are adorable.”

“It wasn’t so with Hannah and Sean’s brood. Raymond had a touch of the devil in him. Or maybe it was Hugh’s influence like they said. Either way, Raymond had it in for his younger sibling. It didn’t help that the kid was smart as all get out and topped his grades in school.”

“So Kate had been a top student?”

He stared at her. “I’m not talking about Kate. Harold, or Harry as they called him, never took to the ranch like they did. He was into books and math. It was almost freakish how he could do calculations in his head.”

“So you’re saying that my mother and Uncle Ray had a younger brother?” Dalton enunciated each word as though he couldn’t believe what he’d heard.

The vet grinned at him. “I gather you have a bit of him inside yourself. Must have passed down from Hannah’s side of the family. You like calculating who committed a crime, don’t you, detective? Oh yes, I’ve heard a few things here and there.”

“So Harry was a math whiz,” Marla gathered. “What of it?”

“His siblings teased him unmercifully. Raymond couldn’t understand why Harry didn’t love ranching as much as him, and Kate was every bit the cowgirl in those early days. She hopped on a horse like she was a natural. I’ll bet you wouldn’t know it now. How is your mother doing, son? We miss her around here.”

“She’s great. My parents are looking for a condo to move to Florida so they can be closer to us. Dad has retired, so there’s nothing keeping them in Maine. Most of their friends have moved away.”

“Did Kate ever mention her childhood here?”

“Mom said she’d been raised on a ranch, but she and her mother had moved east to Boston to be near my great-grandmother. I assumed my grandfather must have died, and she never indicated otherwise. It wasn’t until Marla and I were planning our wedding that I asked about that side of the family. I hadn’t even known Mom had a brother.”