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.Believe me, they are forces tobe reckoned with.""Those are Reed and Ash's parents and the owners of the Bar B and thatchopper the sheriff used?""Jeff's, also--he's Ash's brother-in-law.There're always rumorscimulating about them, stories about their past.One thing is clearfrom the history of the family--few buck the Bartlets and Jeff Hall."Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html"Sometimes money has a way of transcending and destroying a close-knitcommunity.""Oh, the Bartlets have more money in the bank than Miey're certainly aswealthy as Bedford, and they're the biggest landowners in Montana.What's more, they're cash rich."Max mulled over what she'd told him and filed itaway.He realized he and Doug had been lured too quickly into workingfor Bedford.They should have checked out the local feelings andviewpoints first.He saw the lodge come into sight and was antsy toget to Doug for some answers.As she pulled to a stop in back of the lodge and they were walkingtoward the kitchen door, he stopped her."Tell me.If the Bartletsare so powerful and your families are so close, why don't you just askthem to either give you the teaching position or vote you in?"She looked as if he'd sprouted horns."Have it handed to me, you mean?Never! I don't want anything given to me I didn't earn."Her statement said more about her character than any investigationcould.He suddenly felt the weight of what he wanted on his shoulders.How, he wondered as he slid down into the black hole of his own doing,was he going to explain everything and make her understand?Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlCHAPTER TENJD MET THEM at the kitchen door.His inner alarm for detecting troublehad been going off all morning.One look at Nicky's face and he knewhe was right."What's happened?"Nicole joined Penny, Reed and Ash at the kitchen table while Max tookup a position behind her.She sneaked a potato chip from Reed's plate,then quickly filled them in on their encounter with Bedford's men.Wide-eyed with excitement, Ash asked, "Was my dad with Uncle Jeff?."The question set off a lively argument between the brothers, and JD andPenny demanded more answers from Nicole.Max felt it was as good atime as any to slip away.He touched Nicole's shoulder and whispered,"I have a couple of things I need to take care of.I'll be back in alittle while." She was so wrapped up in relating what had happenedthat she absently acknowledged Max's departure with a wave of herhand.But a minute later, she suddenly stopped talking, pushed the chair awayand stood."I've got to go call Charlie and tell him before Jeffdoes."Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlAs soon as Max reached his bedroom, he locked the door, then picked uphis cellular phone from the bedside table.He dialed Doug and wassurprised whenhis partner answered on the second ring."Why the hell haven't youcalled me back?" Max demanded.At the same time Doug said, "Where the hell have you been?""I've been right here," Max growled."Where have you been?""Let's don't play this again, Max.I tried to call you all dayyesterday, half the night and this morning.You never answered."Max realized he'd turned the cell phone off and apologized."It'sgotten complicated here.""Well, if it's complicated there, it's downright chaotic here.Matt,Sandra was adopted.""I'm not surprised.Are you? We kind of figured that's what it had tobe." At the moment he was more concerned about filling Doug in on whathe'd found out about Bedford.But his partner was wound up tight andwasn't about to let him get a word in.The phone began to crackle andbuzz.Doug's voice started sounding like he had the hiccups, thenGenerated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlfaded out all together.Then, abruptly, it blared back."Helen said she never told us because she stopped thinking of Sandra asbeing adopted when she was a baby.As far as she was concerned, Sandrawas her daughter.When I asked her if there was another baby,if Sandra had a sister, a twin, the old gal was positive therewasn't."The phone hissed in Max's ear."I thought.Can you hear me, Max?""Barely," Max said."But go on, anyway.""I thought, for reasons known only to her--you: ":''know, maybe guilt--she was lying, and so I kep pressing her.Remind menever to even hint that Hel,en'S a liar.I don't remember ever being told what dark place to putmy questions.But I'd piqued her interest, I had to fill her in aboutNicole--everything from the same birthdays to the identicalbirthmarks."She was shocked, Max, flabbergasted.Then something really strangeGenerated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.htmlhappened.Her vehement denials drastically changed and she startedasking more questions about Nicole, wanting to know all about her.Then just as fast as they came, her questions dried up.She got realquiet and couldn't get me off the phone fast enough.Said she wasgoing to make a personal visit to the law firm and the attorney whohandled the adoption for them.From what little she was willing totell me, the lawyer was an old personal friend of Helen's husband.Shesaid she'd get back to me, but Max--" ""That's all great, Doug," Max interrupted."If you hear from hertoday, let me know what she has to say.Otherwise, I'll be back at theranch tomorrow.But listen, we've got a problem." He filled him in onwhat had happened on the mountain and Bedford's men."I'm working outa plan, but we'll never pull it off if the Dawsons ever find out we'reworking for Bedford."He could hear Doug talking, but the volume kept cutting in and out, andhe couldn't make out what was being said any longer."Doug.Doug.We'll be back at the ranch around noon.I'll.fill you in then." Heturned off the phone and tossed it into his duffel bag.Then hedecided to spend some time getting his gear together [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]