Wagonload Of Trouble Read online

  He heard another generator fire up and walked to the front of the tent. Suddenly a thought sparked in his mind. Where there was a generator, there had to be power. All he needed now was a power strip.

  ❧

  Bethany finished her walk around the perimeter of the camp, satisfied that everything looked in order. The scent of pine mixed with the fragrance of hamburgers cooking over an open flame on the grill her dad had made years ago.

  Squeals and shouts of people at play echoed across the green valley. She stopped to watch the teens and their parents splashing in the cool water of the lake. If only she could recapture the joy of her youth, a time when worries and concerns didn’t weigh her down.

  “Here I go, ready or not.” A husky boy took a running start and jumped off the end of the dock onto the colorful water blob. A skinny boy with lily-white skin flew high into the air, arms swirling, and landed in the lake with a splash. Bethany smiled, remembering the fun she’d had after they’d first installed the giant inflatable pillow.

  Evan Parker’s niece was next in line to jump on the blob. Taylor said something to the girl behind her and then ran hard, jumping into the air with a shrill squeal and onto the blob. The heavyset boy didn’t go up into the air nearly as much as the skinny boy had, but his smile showed he still enjoyed the ride.

  Behind the lake, the sun was already heading downward, its light soon to be blocked out by the tall mountains. She turned to leave and saw Mr. Parker tiptoeing his way, barefoot, over the rocky ground. His pants were rolled up, and Bethany sucked in her top lip to keep from grinning at his pale legs. She lifted her gaze to his as if drawn by an unknown source, and her heart skipped a beat at the vividness of his eyes. They were as blue as the sky, and at this elevation, the sky was even bluer than in the low country.

  He spied her, waved, and jostled toward her, backpack in hand. “Hey, I was looking for you. Is there someplace I could charge the batteries for my laptop? I used up the juice on all three of the ones I brought with me.”

  Bethany resisted the urge to sigh and shake her head. The deadline the man said he was working toward must be really important for him to feel the need to use his vacation time. “I would imagine there’s an outlet in the cookhouse that might be free.”

  “Great!”

  She glanced down at his pale feet. “You really shouldn’t be going barefoot. You might cut yourself on a rock.”

  He grinned, sending tingles dancing in her stomach. “I thought I might go walk around in the water.”

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Without indicating for him to follow, she moseyed over to the canteen and cookhouse and entered through the back door. The sweet odor of cooling baked beans circulated around the smell of a freshly baked cake. Jenny Campbell, the trail cook, looked up from the bowl of coleslaw she was stirring and smiled.

  “How’s everything going, Jenny?” Bethany asked. Evan Parker padded in behind her.

  “Good. The cake just needs to cool some, and then I can frost it. Everything else is ready if you want to ring the bell.”

  “Jim has a mess of burgers ready.” Bethany glanced around the small kitchen and spied a power strip on the counter where the mixer and the light were still plugged in. She looked over her shoulder. “Looks like you’re in luck.”

  Evan Parker must have spied the power strip, too, because his face lit up like a kid seeing his first Christmas tree. Bethany sucked in a breath at the difference it made. He was a handsome man when he wasn’t scowling and his head wasn’t buried in his laptop. His tan proved he spent time outdoors, even if his legs hadn’t seen the light of day for a long while. Wide shoulders tapered down to a narrow waist. She forced herself to quit staring.

  Jenny lifted both brows and gave her a knowing smile. Heat charged to Bethany’s cheeks. She searched for something to do and grabbed the stack of Styrofoam plates and napkins and hurried toward the door.

  “Um. . .you don’t mind if I used your power strip for a while, do you, ma’am?” Evan’s voice sounded behind her.

  “No, I’m nearly done. All I’ll need is a plug-in for the mixer.”

  “Great. Thanks. I’ll just plug in my charger and get out of your way.” He rustled through his pack, pulled out a charger with a battery attached, and plugged it into the strip. “I’ll come back later and swap out the battery for another one.”

  Hugging the plates and napkins to her chest, Bethany waited at the door to make sure he didn’t get in Jenny’s way. Mealtimes observed a strict schedule.

  He walked toward Bethany and grinned. “Thanks for allowing me to use your power.”

  She stepped outside, and he caught the screen door and closed it without letting it bang. She walked toward the picnic tables that sat between the tents and the lake, circling the campfire where Jim cooked the burgers.

  “Can I carry that for you?” Evan glanced sideways at her.

  She shook her head, pleased that he’d offered. “It’s not heavy. If you’re going in the water, you’d probably better do it now. We’ll be eating soon, and the temperature will cool down fast once the sun sets.”

  “Yeah, I suppose I should check on Taylor.” He looked toward the lake then back at her. “I can’t imagine being able to enjoy such a view every day. Have you lived here long?”

  “All my life. My great-grandparents bought the place and ran cattle. Not long after my dad took over the ranch, people started learning about the awesome beauty up here, and my parents decided to branch out. They started inviting city folks to visit.”

  “That must have been hard on you. To have to share your family and home with so many strangers.” He stared at her, as if looking into her soul.

  Bethany swallowed and broke the connection. As she’d grown older, she’d tried to be friendly and yet distance herself from their guests. As a teen, she’d longed for a close friend, but every time she got to know a girl and made a connection, her new friend would leave and go home. Maybe they’d write for a while, but usually by the time school started, the girls would quit contacting her. Losing a friend hurt more than not having one at all.

  Most visitors talked about the view, the animals, or the ranch, but no man had ever considered how living in such an isolated place had affected her. His gaze was clear and curious.

  “Sorry—didn’t mean to venture into taboo territory.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at the lake.

  “It’s all right. I’m just not used to people asking me personal questions. Sharing the summers with others is all I can ever remember. I loved going on the trail rides as a kid and riding my horse.”

  “Do I sense a but coming?”

  She shrugged one shoulder, not sure why she was confessing to this stranger. “I guess I got tired of it as I grew older.”

  “Yeah, I’ve seen that with Taylor. She used to be happy playing board games or going to the park, but she seems to change every time I see her. She’s not a little girl anymore, and I don’t know this stranger who’s inhabited her body.”

  Bethany peered sideways. Light brown stubble enhanced his jawline, making him look more manly. For some odd reason, she wanted to offer him encouragement. “It won’t always be like that. Give her a few years, and she’ll get her feet back on solid ground. I know I did.”

  He turned toward her and smiled. “Thanks. I needed to hear that.”

  “Maybe this time together will help your relationship with her.”

  Jim clanged the old-fashioned triangle, signaling that the burgers were ready. “Guess I’d better go help.”

  “Yeah, and I think I’d better get some shoes on before I cut my feet to shreds.”

  She smiled. “See you at dinner, tenderfoot.”

  His return grin warmed her as she hurried back to the kitchen for the pot of baked beans. Jenny was coming out the door with her arms filled with a huge bowl of coleslaw and bags of buns.

  “Did you have a nice chat?” The cook waggled her brows.

  Bethany rolled her e
yes. “I was just being friendly to a guest.”

  “Uh-huh.” Jenny pushed past her, chuckling.

  Bethany grabbed the pot of beans and stood in the quiet of the small kitchen for a moment. Why was she attracted to Evan Parker? He was nothing like the few outgoing guys she’d dated in college. Outside, she set the beans on the serving table and went to pass out plates to help keep things moving quickly. Dripping teens lined up with their parents and took a plate and bun as fast as she could pass them out. They slathered on mayonnaise, ketchup, or mustard and then helped themselves to an array of garnishes.

  “Mmm, sure smells good.” One of the fathers smiled at Bethany and took a plate.

  Three adolescents plopped down at the table nearest her and bit into their burgers. She liked to watch people’s expressions as they tasted the homegrown beef for the first time. Her father prided himself on his quality cattle. But instead of eye-closing delight, all three faces scrunched up. The two boys leaned sideways and spat out their bites, while the girl swallowed hers then chased it with half a can of pop.

  Bethany’s heart lurched. What in the world could have caused such a reaction?

  Glancing around at the others who’d gotten their burgers, she watched for their reactions. Every one was the same. Disgust. Revulsion.

  She strode over to the table with the three teens, and they all stared wide-eyed at her. “What’s wrong with the meat?”

  The girl grabbed her can of root beer and took another drink. Bethany shifted her gaze to the biggest of the boys. He guzzled his drink and fanned his mouth. “It’s too hot. Blazing hot.”

  “Yeah,” the other boy said. “I guess we just aren’t used to eating things as spicy as you guys out here do.”

  “They’re not supposed to be hot at all. Not spicy hot, anyway. Let me see what I can find out.”

  She marched over to Big Jim, noticing more and more people were shoving aside their hamburgers. She didn’t need this trouble.

  “Stop serving the meat.”

  Both Jim and the next kids in line stared at her as if she’d gone crazy. She grabbed a plate and took a patty right off the grill. She sniffed it, savoring the beefy fragrance, then pinched off a small piece and put it in her mouth. Blazing fire ignited her senses and set her tongue burning. She leaned sideways and discreetly spit the half-chewed bite into her hand and dropped it on the ground. Her eyes watered, and she raced toward the drink table and grabbed a bottle of water. Her nose ran, and she sniffed as the fire in her mouth lessened.

  Jim stomped his way toward her, the metal spatula still in his hand. “What’s wrong?”

  She held up her index finger and took another swig. “The meat is burning hot.”

  He shook his head. “Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you take one right off the fire and cram it into your mouth.”

  “No, I mean it’s loaded with hot sauce or cayenne pepper or something.”

  Jim’s fuzzy gray brows dipped. “How is that possible?”

  Bethany shook her head. “I don’t know, but we have to do something fast. Look around you.”

  Not a soul was eating a burger, but they were scarfing down the baked beans and slaw.

  “What do you want to do?” Jim crossed his arms over his massive chest.

  “Can you run back to the ranch ASAP and have Polly fix up a bunch of sandwiches? The last thing we need is all these people leaving early and demanding a refund.”

  He nodded and marched back to the grill. “Folks,” his deep voice boomed around the camp. “Let me have your attention. I apologize for the meat being so hot. Someone goofed somewhere. If you can hold out for a while longer, we’ll have some sandwiches for you guys. There’ll be a couple of cowboys singing ’round the fire in an hour. We hope you will join us.”

  Groans and grumbles sounded all around. Jim removed the remaining half-cooked patties from the grill and dumped them back on the baking sheet with the rest of the raw burgers. He carried the pan to the kitchen then made a beeline for the Jeep. Bethany appreciated his making the announcement, although she should have done it. One round-faced boy piled his empty plate with sliced dill pickles and sat back down, while most of the people finished their side dishes. Some were leaving the tables and heading for their tents. It was best they shed their wet clothes before the temperature dropped, anyway.

  Jenny hurried her way toward Bethany, her long brown braids bouncing on her chest and her eyes snapping. “I didn’t do it. Just so you know. I never put hot sauce in the ground beef—at least not unless I’m making chili. Too many of the city folks can’t tolerate it. I can’t imagine what happened.”

  Bethany stared at the peaceful lake. The surface, no longer broken by rowdy kids, rippled gently from the light wind. “I don’t understand how a mistake like this could have happened. Did Polly help with the meat this time?”

  Jenny nodded. “Yes. Polly ground the meat in the ranch kitchen and shaped them into patties then stuck them in the freezer. I suppose she might have left the meat unattended at some point, since she sometimes had to help at the front desk when your dad was gone. I didn’t even season it until we got here. Just added salt, pepper, and a little garlic. I’ll go check the containers to make sure that I didn’t get the wrong condiments in them somehow.”

  Bethany shook her head. It made no sense, but she had to get to the bottom of this. They needed this trip to be perfect so these folks would return someday and recommend Moose Valley Ranch to their friends. With the ranch’s finances being stretched tight, they couldn’t afford another mistake like this one.

  Four

  “You girls quiet down over there.”

  Charley Perry’s deep voice seemed out of place with his short stature, but Evan long ago learned not to judge a book by its cover. Giggles sounded from the far side of the curtain.

  “You ’bout ready for lights-out?” Charley slipped on his flannel green plaid pajama shirt and tucked it into the bottoms. “Being out in the wilderness sure can wear a body out.”

  “I hear you.” Evan grabbed his cell. “Just let me make one quick phone call, and then I’ll be ready.”

  “Good luck with that. I tried earlier but couldn’t get a signal up here.” Charley yawned and scratched his belly then plopped down onto his cot.

  Dressed in a long-sleeved gray pullover and comfortable navy sweatpants, Evan stood on the top step and flipped open his phone. The message Searching for Service shone on the screen. After a moment he lifted the phone higher in the air. “C’mon. C’mon.”

  The No Service message flashed. “Great.”

  “What’s so important that you’ve gotta call tonight?” Charley asked from inside the tent.

  Evan flipped the phone shut and then opened it again. Still no luck. “I’m working on a project and need to make regular reports. Too bad they don’t have Internet service here, or I could just e-mail them. I think I’ll try getting away from the tent.”

  He slipped on his socks and shoes. Using his phone for a flashlight, he followed the path to the picnic tables. When the light on the display screen dimmed, he snapped the phone shut and climbed onto one of the picnic tables. He tried again, and this time when the Roaming sign came on, he punched in the project manager’s number. The phone was quiet for a moment; then he got a busy signal. He looked at the screen and realized the call had disconnected.

  Sighing, he closed the phone and shoved it into his pocket. The picnic table creaked under his weight. A short distance away, soft lights flickered behind the canvas walls of the tents, reminding him of the ceramic Christmas village his sister set up every holiday season. Pine trees rose up black against the sky, illuminated by the moon just rising. He lifted his face to the sky and sucked in a breath at the myriad stars shining like diamonds against black velvet. “You sure made some majestic places, Lord.”

  He felt torn between wanting to spend this time with Taylor and being faithful to the company that contracted him as a video game developer. Trying to do both wasn’t w
orking too well. After dinner he’d worked another hour and a half outside the cook shed while he still had daylight. The singing cowboys around the campfire and the dirty looks Taylor cast his way had finally pulled him from his work.

  Evan heaved a sigh. He didn’t like disappointing family. Maybe he should forget his work and try harder to join in the activities. He’d just have to put in extra hours when he got home to make up for it. With his eyes on the sky, he spent the next few minutes in prayer. Somehow he needed to find some answers.

  Evan yawned and started to jump off the picnic table, but a noise halted his steps. Big Jim had warned them all about venturing away from the group during the day or straying from camp at night. Bears inhabited the area, as well as mountain lions, but Evan never thought they’d stray into the camp with so many people around. His heart pounded. Could he outrun a bear to his tent? But then what good would a bit of canvas do in deterring a determined beast—and he couldn’t very well lead it straight to his niece. Swallowing hard, he strained to hear the creature again.

  Soft whispers and giggles sounded to his right, and he spun around. The table creaked again beneath his weight.

  “What was that?” a shaky female voice called out.

  “I don’t know. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea.”

  Evan recognized the male voice as belonging to one of the boys who rode in his wagon. So, he’d interrupted a little romantic tryst. He couldn’t help grinning as his heart slowed back to a normal pace. After so long outside, Evan’s eyes had become accustomed to the dark, but he barely made out the shape of a boy and girl standing a dozen feet away. He considered growling and sending the kids screaming back to their tents, but that would be too mean.

  “Shh. I heard something again,” the girl whispered.

  Evan bounced on the table, making it squeak. The girl let out a yelp and took off running with the boy close on her heels. He chuckled and stepped down to the bench seat and onto the ground. Nope, no bear this time, but as he neared his tent, he couldn’t help thinking again how that flimsy canvas wouldn’t keep out a determined bear if it wanted in.