When she came home after two years in college in Denver, she and Reed had grown closer still. Over the years, shed learned about his mothers death, his fathers cruelty and the reasons behind his fraternal twin brother, Caleb, leaving the valley.
Reed had no siblings left at home, and Mandys two brothers did nothing but tease her. Her oldest sister, Abigail, had been a bookworm, while her younger sister, Katrina, had gone away to boarding school when she was only ten. If Mandy could have chosen a brother, it would have been Reed.
This morning, genuinely worried and determined to track him down, shed let herself into the familiar house, listened to his phone messages, hunted her way through his letter mail, even checked his closet before realizing she wouldnt know if some of his clothes were missing or not. She did know his wallet was gone. His watch wasnt lying around and his favorite Stetson wasnt hanging on the peg in the front entry hall.
She had to believe he had left the ranch willingly. The man was built like a mountain. She couldnt imagine anyone forcing him to do anything he didnt want to do.
Still, she was very glad Caleb had shown up when he did. Something definitely wasnt right, and she could use his help to figure out what had happened.
Caleb clunked his briefcase down on the hardwood floor, interrupting her musings as he straightened beside the brown leather couch that sat in front of the picture window.
His gaze pierced hers. Define missing?
Reed left the cemetery after the funeral, Mandy explained, casting her memory back again to the events of last week, hunting for little details she might have missed that would give her a clue to what happened. He drove off in one of the ranch pickup trucks. I assumed he was coming back here.
She focused on the row of pictures along the fireplace mantel, zeroing in on a recent one of Reed at the Lyndon Rodeo. We all came over to the house afterward for refreshments. I didnt see him, but I didnt think that was particularly odd. Hed just lost his father and, you know, he might have wanted to be alone.
From behind her, Calebs voice was cool. Are you trying to tell me Reed was mourning our father?
She turned back to face him while she framed her answer. She couldnt help contrasting the two brothers. They were about as different as two men could get. Theyd both been attractive teenagers whod grown into very handsome men. But where Reed was rugged and rangy, Caleb was much more urbane and refined.
Reed was nearly six-four, deep-chested, bulky in his arms and legs, and about as strong as an ox. His hair was dark, his eyes darker. While Caleb was closer to six-one, broad shouldered, but with leaner muscles, a chiseled chin and bright blue, intelligent, observant eyes. His hair was a lighter brown, his voice bass instead of baritone.
Mandy? Caleb prompted, and there was something about the sound of her name on his lips that made her heart thud an extra beat. Where on earth had that come from?
I doubt he was mourning your father, she acknowledged.
If anything, Reed and Wiltons relationship had deteriorated after Caleb left. Wilton wasnt capable of anything but criticism, no matter how hard Reed worked. And no matter how much Reed accomplished on the ranch, his father wasnt satisfied and told him so on a regular basis.
Intimidated by the man, Mandy had visited the Terrell house only when Wilton was away. Thankfully, he was away quite often. The very definition of a crotchety old man, he seemed to prefer the company of cattle to humans, and he spent many nights in line shacks on the range.
Shed done everything she could to support Reed. When she was sixteen and Reed was twenty, Wilton had ended a particularly hostile argument by whacking Reeds shoulder with a two-by-four. Mandy had impulsively offered to marry Reed so he could move to the neighboring Jacobs ranch.
But hed had laughed at her and tousled her hair, telling her he loved her like a sister, not a wife, and he wouldnt turn his back on his father ever again. And by then, he was big enough to defend himself against Wilton.
He should have left when I did, Caleb broke into her thoughts again, his voice brittle.
You should have stayed, Mandy countered, giving him her unvarnished opinion. If Caleb had been around, it would have been two against one, and Wilton would not have gotten away with so much cruelty.
Calebs eyes crackled like agates. And rewarded him for killing my mother, by breaking my back for him day after day?
Reed saw it differently. Mandy understood just how differently Reed had viewed the situation. And she admired him for it.
The Terrell Cattle Company had been the merging of both Wilton Terrells family holdings and those of his young wife, Sashas. After her death, through thick and thin, Reed had vowed to protect his mothers heritage. He had plans for the ranch, for his future, ways to honor his mothers memory.
Which made his disappearance, particularly now, even more confusing. Where was he?
Reed was a fool, said Caleb.
Mandy found herself taking a step forward, squaring her shoulders, hands curling into fists by her sides, her anger rising in her friends defense. I love Reed.
I thought you said-
Like a brother.
Yeah? Caleb scoffed, blue eyes glaring right back at her. Why dont you tell me what thats like?
His mocking tone was at odds with the trace of hurt that flashed through his eyes, and her anger immediately dissipated.
Why did you come? she found herself asking.
Did she dare hope Caleb had reconciliation on his mind? Shed be thrilled to see the two brothers bury the hatchet. She knew that, deep down, Reed missed his brother, and she had to believe Caleb missed Reed.
Suddenly, she remembered one of the letters shed sorted this morning. Her heart lifted, and her chest hummed with excitement. That had to be the answer. He was expecting you.
What?
She pivoted on her heel and headed for the kitchen, bee-lining to the pile of correspondence that hadnt yielded a single clue to Reeds whereabouts.
Calebs footfalls sounded in the hallway behind her as she entered the bright, butter-yellow kitchen, with its gleaming redwood cabinets and granite countertops.
Here it is. She extracted a white envelope with Calebs name scrawled across the front. It hadnt made sense to her at the time, but Reed must have known his brother would be here. Maybe this was the clue she needed.
She strode back across the big, bright kitchen and handed the envelope to Caleb. Open it, she demanded impatiently.
Caleb frowned. I didnt tell him I was coming. The messages had been a cryptic call me, we need to talk. He hadnt doubted for a second Reed would understand.
Then why did he leave you a letter? It was sitting on the island when I got here this morning. She pointed out the spot with her finger.
Caleb heaved a deep breath, hooking his thumb beneath the end of the flap and tearing open the flimsy paper.
He extracted a single, folded sheet and dropped the envelope onto the countertop next to the telephone. He unfolded the paper, staring at it for a brief moment.
Then he uttered a sharp, foul cussword.
Mandy startled, not at the word, but at the tone. Unable to control her curiosity, she looked around the paper, her head next to Calebs shoulder and read Reeds large, bold handwriting. The message said: Choke on it.
She blinked and glanced up at Caleb. I dont understand. What does it mean?
It means my brothers temper hasnt changed one bit in the past ten years.
Do you know where he went? The cryptic message didnt help Mandy, but maybe Caleb understood.
Caleb growled at the paper. You stupid, stupid idiot.
What? Mandy demanded.
He crumpled the paper into a tight ball, emitting a cold laugh. He doesnt trust me. He actually thinks Id screw my own brother.
Screw him how? Shed been telling herself Reed was off on his own somewhere, reconciling what had to be conflicting emotions about losing such a difficult father. But now Caleb had her worried.
He stared down at her, blue eyes rock-hard, jaw set in an implacable line. She could almost see the debate going on inside his head.
Finally, he made a decision and spoke. Wilton Terrell, in his infinite wisdom, has left his entire estate, including the Terrell Cattle Company, to his sonCaleb.
Mandy braced herself on the edge of the island, her breath hitching inside her chest. He left it to you?
He left it to me.
A thousand emotions burst through her. This was colossally unfair. It was ridiculously and maliciously, reprehensibly Reed had given his blood, sweat and tears to this place, and now Caleb was simply going to ride in and take over?
Her voice was breathless with disgust. How could you?
How could I- He gave a snort of derision. Wilton did it.
But youre the one who benefited.
Im here to give it back, Mandy. But thank you for the faith in my character. Your low opinion of me is matched only by my idiot brothers.
Youre going to give it back? She couldnt keep the skepticism from her tone. Caleb was simply going to walk away from a ranch worth tens of millions of dollars?
I live in Chicago now. Why in the hell would I want to come back to a place I hated, that holds nothing but bitter memories? And hes my brother. We hate each other, but we dont hate each other.
Judging by his affronted expression and the passion in his tone, Caleb truly was going to do the honorable thing. But Reed must have been as skeptical as Mandy. The anger in the note was plain as day, and hed obviously hightailed it out of there before he had to watch his brother come in and take over.
Fresh worry percolated to life inside her. We have to find him. We have to explain and bring him home.
Hes not a lost puppy.
Hes your brother.
Caleb seemed singularly unmoved. What exactly does that mean?
His brothers house was the last place Caleb wanted to be. He didnt want to eat in this kitchen or sit in that living room, and he definitely had no desire to go upstairs and sleep in his old bedroom.
Hed had enough déjà vu already.
The kitchen might as well have been frozen in time. A spider plant sat in the middle of the island, serving utensils upside down in a white container next to the stove, a bulletin board above the phone, a fruit bowl under the light switch and the coffeemaker beneath the built-in microwave.