notions out of his head and just deal with the facts.
“I don’t have any idea why this happened, and apparently the two of you don’t, either. All we can do now is keep our eyes and ears open for anything that seems unusual.”
“If we don’t know what we’re looking for, how will we know when we find it?” Maria asked.
“We might not right away. That’s why we can’t overlook anything. Ask Dolores. See if she has any idea who might have done this.”
Maria stiffened. “Are you sure you don’t suspect my sister?”
“I’m sure Dolores would be happy to see me dead, but she has no reason to kill Broc.”
Uneasy with the tension between Rafe and Maria, Miguel edged toward the door. “Everyone on the ranch will know what happened by this evening. If anyone has heard anything, I will be informed of it by tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Miguel. And thank you for all you did while my father was sick. I know it wasn’t easy.”
“It wasn’t hard because whenever I asked, he would say, ‘Do what Rafe would do.’ After all the years we worked together, I always knew what that would be. You took your work on the ranch very seriously. We’ve all been hoping you would do that again.”
Rafe couldn’t give Miguel the assurances he wanted, so he let him leave without further comment. Maria got to her feet.
“I’d better be going, too. I want to check on Broc before I start Luis on his lessons. When do you want lunch?”
“I don’t. I’m going into town to see what I can find out. Let me know what the doctor says when he finally gets here.”
“Fool! Imbecile! I said shoot the handsome one, not the one with scars on his face.”
“I could see only one side.”
“You should have gotten closer.”
“That ranch is as flat as your hand. There’s nowhere to hide up close and still get away unnoticed.”
“There has to be some place. You didn’t look hard enough.”
“I worked there. I know every inch of it.”
“Then find a better place next time.”
“I can’t risk going back. Rafe is too restless to stay on the ranch. Sooner or later he’ll leave.”
“Then make sure you’re right behind him. I want this over soon.”
“Then I can go back to the woman.”
“You bungled that.”
“It’s hard to make it look like an accident when she hardly ever leaves that house.”
“I’ll think of something. You just concentrate on getting rid of Rafe.”
Maria knocked on Broc’s door.
“Come in if you’re a friend. If not, go bother Rafe.” She was pleased to see him sitting up and looking cheerful. “I hope Luis hasn’t bored you with his stories.”
“Broc says I read very well.” Luis glowed with happiness. “He says I should read for Rafe, that he’d be proud of me.”
“I’m sure he would be. I’ve always been proud of you.”
“You’re my aunt. You’re supposed to be proud of me.”
Maria didn’t like having her approval valued so lightly, but she was rapidly learning that she ranked far behind the glorious man who was his brother. If only Rafe
were
his brother.
“It’s time for your lunch. You can read to Broc again after you’ve done your lessons.”
“Broc said he’d help me.”
“Maybe tomorrow. He needs to rest before the doctor gets here.”
“Why does he need a doctor? Rafe has already fixed him.”
Maria was getting a little tired of Luis thinking Rafe could do everything better than anyone else. “It’s best to let the doctor check Broc to make sure. Now, your lunch is getting cold.”
Luis grimaced. “Yes, ma’am.” He rose and left the room.
“You don’t like him looking up to Rafe, do you?” Broc asked.
The question startled and embarrassed Maria. She hadn’t realized her feelings were so obvious. “I don’t know Rafe as well as you do, or even as well as Rosana and Juan. I had been led to believe—”
“I don’t imagine your sister had much good to say about him. She must have been mad as hell when she read that
“I don’t have any idea why this happened, and apparently the two of you don’t, either. All we can do now is keep our eyes and ears open for anything that seems unusual.”
“If we don’t know what we’re looking for, how will we know when we find it?” Maria asked.
“We might not right away. That’s why we can’t overlook anything. Ask Dolores. See if she has any idea who might have done this.”
Maria stiffened. “Are you sure you don’t suspect my sister?”
“I’m sure Dolores would be happy to see me dead, but she has no reason to kill Broc.”
Uneasy with the tension between Rafe and Maria, Miguel edged toward the door. “Everyone on the ranch will know what happened by this evening. If anyone has heard anything, I will be informed of it by tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Miguel. And thank you for all you did while my father was sick. I know it wasn’t easy.”
“It wasn’t hard because whenever I asked, he would say, ‘Do what Rafe would do.’ After all the years we worked together, I always knew what that would be. You took your work on the ranch very seriously. We’ve all been hoping you would do that again.”
Rafe couldn’t give Miguel the assurances he wanted, so he let him leave without further comment. Maria got to her feet.
“I’d better be going, too. I want to check on Broc before I start Luis on his lessons. When do you want lunch?”
“I don’t. I’m going into town to see what I can find out. Let me know what the doctor says when he finally gets here.”
“Fool! Imbecile! I said shoot the handsome one, not the one with scars on his face.”
“I could see only one side.”
“You should have gotten closer.”
“That ranch is as flat as your hand. There’s nowhere to hide up close and still get away unnoticed.”
“There has to be some place. You didn’t look hard enough.”
“I worked there. I know every inch of it.”
“Then find a better place next time.”
“I can’t risk going back. Rafe is too restless to stay on the ranch. Sooner or later he’ll leave.”
“Then make sure you’re right behind him. I want this over soon.”
“Then I can go back to the woman.”
“You bungled that.”
“It’s hard to make it look like an accident when she hardly ever leaves that house.”
“I’ll think of something. You just concentrate on getting rid of Rafe.”
Maria knocked on Broc’s door.
“Come in if you’re a friend. If not, go bother Rafe.” She was pleased to see him sitting up and looking cheerful. “I hope Luis hasn’t bored you with his stories.”
“Broc says I read very well.” Luis glowed with happiness. “He says I should read for Rafe, that he’d be proud of me.”
“I’m sure he would be. I’ve always been proud of you.”
“You’re my aunt. You’re supposed to be proud of me.”
Maria didn’t like having her approval valued so lightly, but she was rapidly learning that she ranked far behind the glorious man who was his brother. If only Rafe
were
his brother.
“It’s time for your lunch. You can read to Broc again after you’ve done your lessons.”
“Broc said he’d help me.”
“Maybe tomorrow. He needs to rest before the doctor gets here.”
“Why does he need a doctor? Rafe has already fixed him.”
Maria was getting a little tired of Luis thinking Rafe could do everything better than anyone else. “It’s best to let the doctor check Broc to make sure. Now, your lunch is getting cold.”
Luis grimaced. “Yes, ma’am.” He rose and left the room.
“You don’t like him looking up to Rafe, do you?” Broc asked.
The question startled and embarrassed Maria. She hadn’t realized her feelings were so obvious. “I don’t know Rafe as well as you do, or even as well as Rosana and Juan. I had been led to believe—”
“I don’t imagine your sister had much good to say about him. She must have been mad as hell when she read that
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