“I’m Officer Caleb Samuel. I happen to know Katie Dobbs purchased this property from your client. All paperwork was in order and the deed was filed at the town hall. It’s a solid sale as far as the real estate lawyer in town is concerned.
“We’ll see about that.”
“No,” Caleb said, shaking his head. “It’s a done deal. When deals are made around here, it’s done. Finished. We don’t go for people pulling fast ones on our residents.”
“Is that what you think this is?”
“I know it is. The word has it Callahan’s soon-to-be ex-wife realized this property was in his name and had control over selling it without her blessing. It’s also well-known through friends of hers in LA that she’s trying to snatch every last nickel from him in the divorce,” Caleb said as he watched Darren’s face turned from smug to skeptical and then to actually being impressed. “Callahan’s wife was pretty angry with him because she thought he should have been able to get a better deal instead of liquidating quickly so she wouldn’t touch his other ventures. Does that sound about right?”
Darren chuckled smugly. “I don’t discuss my clients with strangers.”
Caleb made a face. “But we’re not strangers. We just shook each other’s hands and introduced ourselves. If you own property around these parts that goes a long way to making you part of Sweet. Your client may have owned this property for years, but the real estate transaction made with Katie Dobbs was legal. All you’re trying to do now is run up the clock and make it so that she can’t pay her bills. But don’t you worry. She has enough financing to not only fight you, but also win and do the work she plans on the property. And she plans on telling the judge that when she meets with him.”
“Is that right?”
Caleb nodded. “Quite honestly, I really don’t care what you feel about this property because as of Monday morning this is going to be seen before a judge. And that judge is going to see that the real estate transaction you made here in Sweet is a hundred percent legal. Then I’ll be back here to make sure that you’re not on this property.”
Caleb turned and walked back to the truck.
“Aren’t you going to help me?”
“Now why would I do that?”
“You said you had a rope.”
“I do. But that’s my problem. Your problem is cleaning up the mess you made here and staying off this land until the cease and desist order is resolved. Otherwise, I’ll be back here to arrest you. I’m sure one of Jamison’s crew will be out here soon enough to drag your vehicle out of the snow. Hopefully before Monday morning.”
Caleb didn’t bother looking at the man’s face as he got into the truck and he started up the engine. However, he did get on the radio to dispatch and talked to Harper Madison
“Dispatch, this is Officer Samuel.”
“Caleb,” Harper said dryly through the radio. “I know you’re not supposed to be on duty out in the field.”
Caleb pulled out of the parking lot and headed back towards the station. “Do you know if Jamison’s crew is still out by the ski lodge?”
“He just pulled the last car into the shop. Hell of a wreck but no one was killed. Just a few scratches.”
“Good to know. If you can send one of the boys down to the old chapel, there’s a Porsche that needs attention.”
“What’s that? A Porsche?”
“Yeah. Someone stuck out at the chapel would like to get out of town as soon as possible.” He heard Harper’s laughter before he replaced the mouthpiece to the radio console. The sooner Darren Littleton left Sweet, the better it would be for all of them.
* * *
Katie pulled into the driveway of the Lone Creek Ranch and drove slowly down the plowed driveway until she reached an open area with a ranch house in the stable were situated. It was a familiar drive. She remembered doing it almost every day after school for some time when she used to take riding lessons.
Trip had been a good riding instructor. Despite her parents not owning enough land to have horses, they never discouraged Katie’s love of animals and horses and paid the extra that she couldn’t afford out of her allowance in order for her to have riding lessons. Later on, she would come here with Julie Samuel and they would ride together. Trip didn’t mind letting them go off on the ranch trails on their own because by then they both were schooled enough to know what they were doing.
She parked her car next to Kas’s rented vehicle. The one thing Katie always loved about her brother was no matter how successful he got or how much money he made, he still appreciated a practical truck when he came home to visit. Four-wheel-drive was necessary in these parts during the cold and snowy Montana winters. But today the sun was out and it was shining bright. The temperature was high enough that some of the snow from last night’s storm was already melting, making the ground soft and the smell of earth pronounced as she climbed out of her car.
Tabby had mentioned wanting to take Tenterhook out for some exercise. She’d been spending all her time down at the ranch. Her horse had been injured before Christmas. For a while they weren’t sure what the horse’s chances were of making it. The jury was still out on whether or not Tenterhook would ever compete again in barrel racing competitions. But he didn’t have to be put down and that had been Tabby’s biggest worry since his injury.
Katie took the path to the stable as she’d done many times in her youth, intending to search for Kas and Tabby to talk about the phone call she’d gotten earlier in the day from Henry Callahan’s lawyer. She opened the door to the horse barn, and then closed it behind her.
