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Diana Palmer Christmas Collection: The Rancher / Christmas Cowboy / A Man of Means / True Blue / Carrera's Bride / Will of Steel / Winter Roses

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2018
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“Excuse me?” Maddie inquired.

He grinned. “Wait and see, honey.” He bent and kissed the tip of her nose.

Odalie laughed softly. “One fried developer, coming right up,” she teased, and it was obvious that she wasn’t jealous of Maddie at all.

There was a tap at the door and the developer walked right in. He was so intent on his contracts that he must not have noticed the other car in the driveway. “Miss Lane, I’ve brought the paper…work—” He stopped dead when he saw her companions.

“You can take your paperwork and shove it,” Cort said pleasantly. He tilted his Stetson over one eye and put both hands on his narrow hips. “Or you can argue. Personally, I’d love it if you argued.”

“She said she wanted to sell,” the developer shot back. But he didn’t move a step closer.

“She changed her mind,” Cort replied.

“You changed it for her,” the developer snarled. “Well, she can just change it right back. Things happen sometimes when people don’t make the right decisions.”

“You mean diseases can be planted in cattle?” Odalie asked sweetly.

The older man gave her a wary look. “What do you mean?”

“Maddie told us how you threatened her,” Cort said evenly.

Lawson hesitated. “You can’t prove that.”

Cort smiled. “I don’t have to.” He pulled out a DVD in a plastic sleeve and held it up. “You’re very trusting, Lawson. I mean, you knew there was surveillance equipment all over the ranch, but you didn’t guess the house and porch were wired as well?”

Lawson looked a lot less confident. “You’re bluffing.”

Cort didn’t look like he was bluffing. “My dad has a call in to the district attorney up in Billings, Montana. I believe you’re facing indictment there for the destruction of a purebred herd of Herefords because of suspected anthrax?”

“They can’t prove that!”

“I’m afraid they can,” Cort replied. “There are two witnesses, one of whom used to work with you,” he added easily. “He’s willing to testify to save his butt.” He held up the DVD. “This may not be admissible in court, but it will certainly help to encourage charges against you here for the loss of Miss Lane’s purebred stock.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” the developer said harshly.

“I would dare,” Cort replied.

The developer gripped his briefcase tighter. “On second thought,” he said, looking around with disdain, “I’ve decided I don’t want this property. It’s not good enough for the sort of development I have in mind, and the location is terrible for business. Sorry,” he spat at Maddie. “I guess you’ll have to manage some other way to pay your medical bills.”

“Speaking of medical bills,” Cort said angrily, and stepped forward.

“Now, Cort,” Maddie exclaimed.

The developer turned and almost ran out of the house to his car. He fumbled to start it and managed to get it in gear just before Cort got to him. He sped out the driveway, fishtailing all the way.

Cort was almost bent over double laughing when he went back into the house. He stopped when three wide-eyed females gaped at him worriedly.

“Oh, I wasn’t going to kill him,” he said, still laughing. “But I didn’t mind letting him think I might. What do you want to bet that he’s out of town by tonight and can’t be reached by telephone?”

“I wouldn’t bet against that,” Odalie agreed.

“Me, neither,” Sadie said.

“Dad said that Lawson’s in more trouble than he can manage up in Billings already. I don’t expect he’ll wait around for more charges to be filed here.”

“Are you going to turn that DVD over to the district attorney?” she asked, nodding toward the jacketed disc.

He glanced at her. “And give up my best performance of ‘Recuerdos de la Alhambra?’ he exclaimed. “I’ll never get this good a recording again!”

Maddie’s eyes brightened. “You were bluffing!”

“For all I was worth.” He chuckled.

“Cort, you’re wonderful!”

He pursed his lips. “Am I, now?”

“We could take a vote,” Odalie suggested. “You’ve got mine.”

“And mine!” Sadie agreed. “Oh, Maddie, you’ll have a way to make a living now,” she exclaimed, indicating the little fairy. “You won’t have to sell our ranch!”

“No, but we still have the problem of running it,” Maddie said heavily. “If I’m going to be spending my life sculpting, and thanks to you two, I probably will—” she grinned “—who’s going to manage the ranch?”

“I think we can work something out about that,” Cort told her, and his dark eyes were flashing with amusement. “We’ll talk about it later.”

“Okay,” she said. “Maybe Ben could manage it?”

Cort nodded. “He’s a good man, with a good business head. We’ll see.”

We’ll see? She stared at him as if she’d never seen him before. It was an odd statement. But before she could question it, Sadie went into the kitchen.

“Who wants chocolate pound cake?” she asked.

Three hands went up, and all discussion about the ranch went away.

Maddie wanted to know all about the doll collector. He was a man in his fifties, very distinguished and he had a collection that was famous all over the world.

“There are magazines devoted to collectors,” Odalie said excitedly. “They showcased his collection last year. I met him when we were at the Met last year during opera season. We spoke and he said that he loved small, very intricate work. When I saw your sculptures, I remembered him. I looked him up on his website and phoned him. He said he was always looking for new talent, but he wanted to see what you could do. So I asked him for a photo of someone he’d like made into a sculpture and he faxed me the one I gave you.”

“I will never be able to repay you for this,” Maddie said fervently.

“Maddie, you already have, over and over,” Odalie said softly. “Most especially with that little fairy statue that looks just like me.” She shook her head. “I’ve never owned anything so beautiful.”

“Thanks.”

“Besides, you’re my best friend,” Odalie said with a gamine grin. “I have to take care of you.”

Maddie felt all warm inside. “I’ll take care of you, if you ever need me to,” she promised.
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