Chapter 24. “So what are we going to do?” Ethan asked lazily as he lounged in the chair

“So what are we going to do?” Ethan asked lazily as he lounged in the chair. Telford regarded him with interest.

“What do you want out of this, Drummond?”

Ethan looked up and sported a thoughtful pose. After a second, he answered. “Money, pure and simple. I don’t want land. I don’t want cattle. I just want money.” He yawned.

“And it doesn’t matter that you’re ruining Mrs. Redmond’s life and that of her son? What about Tess? I thought you…”

Ethan snorted. “We both know what she likes, Mr. Telford.”

Telford watched him, then laughed. “You have a wonderfully twisted sense of having no conscience. I like that. We’ll get along just fine.” He walked over to the window and looked out at the sleepy town. It was well after midnight and not a soul in sight.

“I hate that Rawlins family. They’ve been a thorn in my side for over fifty years. I thought for sure when Stephen Rawlins died and Jed had a heart attack, they’d be through. But no, Tess comes back from her decadent life in California with her ideas from all her queer friends. God, I hate her!”

Ethan watched him carefully. “Did you really have something to do with Stephen’s death?” he asked, completely intrigued.

Telford smiled evilly and liked the look on Drummond’s face. He was eager. “Now that is an ugly rumor, young man.”

“There’s been talk that you had something to do with it, Mr. Telford. I don’t care,” Ethan said with a noncommittal shrug. He watched Telford move about his office as he always did. If there were any documents, he’d have to keep them close by and locked up. It wouldn’t be easy. It took Ethan over a year just to get into Telford’s good graces and into his office.

“Every ranch owner and farmer who didn’t have the guts to make it work needed someone to blame for their failure. Look at this recession, my boy. Those fools kept holding on to the land when money made the difference. When the banks started folding and they all lost their farms and their ranches, who had the money? Not the bank. I did. I was smart and shrewd. They were small and stupid, so naturally, I looked like the bad guy.”

“What did you do?” Ethan watched the egomaniac sit behind his desk. He took out a long key and opened the bottom drawer. Ethan stood and walked over to the window and absently looked out. He glanced down and watched as Telford took a long pouch out of the drawer and unzipped it. He took out a small worn ledger, placed the stack of money into the pouch, replaced the ledger, and zipped it up. He then locked the drawer, placing the key in his vest pocket. Why would he keep money in a drawer and not in the bank vault? Ethan thought.

“I did what any other bank did that owned a mortgage,wasn’t getting paid, and had no hopes of getting paid. I foreclosed and took the property fully within the law,” he said and gave Drummond a challenging look.

“I agree with you. Don’t worry, I admire your business ethic. I’m learning more from you than any college course I took,” Ethan said, which was true. There weren’t many courses on Embezzlement 101, which is what Ethan now was sure Warren Telford was doing. “I would like to know how you got away with Stephen Rawlins, though.”

Telford let out a self-satisfying laugh. “So would everyone else, I’m sure. Let me tell you one major rule, Drummond.”

Ethan leaned in for the words of wisdom that he hoped would hang this old murderer. “I’m all ears, sir.” Ethan leaned against the desk as if settling in for a good story.

“Always have someone in your back pocket,” Telford said as he lit up another cigar. He watched Ethan’s questioning look and puffed at his cigar. He then sat back like a preening cat.

“Sheriff Hayward,” Ethan whispered in astonishment.

“You’re a very clever young man. We’ll get along just fine. And we’ll make millions,” Telford assured him. “I have Pat right where I want him. Back about eight years ago, he got some girl pregnant, a minor. She was fifteen, I think. He needed money for an abortion. I gave it to him, and I’ve had him ever since. The girl died…” he finished with a shrug.

Ethan listened, tasting the bile in the back of his throat. Taking a deep breath, he shrugged, as well, and stood. “That’s unbelievable,” Ethan said evenly.

“That’s enough for one night. Why don’t you go get some sleep? Now Bob Nelson and Gary Whiting are the only ranchers I can get on my side. They’ll be in town later today around four. Be here…” he said, dismissing Ethan, who nodded and walked out.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-16