Roping Ray Mccullen

Wind swirled leaves inside the front door, and he realized Scarlet was long gone, so he shut the door. What the hell was he going to do now?

The furnace rumbled, the sound of wood popping in the fireplace, and he strode back to the living room and studied the family picture on the mantel.

The smiling faces mocked him. They looked like the perfect family.

But the picture was a lie.

Joe had another side to him. He’d slept with this woman Barbara and had a son with her.

And Scarlet...she was the wild card. The stranger he’d given a home to make amends for the mess he’d made.

Ray rolled his hands into fists. He had to find out the truth before the reading of the will.

Dammit, Dad, I’m still covering for you, aren’t I?

Yeah, he was. But he hated to destroy his brothers’ worlds if he could protect them. After all, Maddox and Brett had both just married.

Brett had been the womanizer, but he’d sowed his oats, and he wouldn’t be a cheater like his old man.

One reason Ray had never gotten serious with a woman. If his old man hadn’t been able to handle commitment, how could he?

He pulled his phone from his jacket, punched in Bush’s number and left a voice mail.

“This is Ray McCullen. A woman named Scarlet Lovett paid me a visit and claims my father left her some money and land. She also claims my father had another son who is a beneficiary. My brothers don’t know anything about this yet, and I want to be prepared, so I need to talk you to before the reading of the will. Call me as soon as you get this message.”

An image of abandoned children living in a group home taunted him and made his gut squeeze with guilt. If Scarlet’s story was true, he’d be a bastard to contest his father’s wishes.

He grabbed his Stetson and headed outside. He’d drop by that group home and find out for himself.

* * *

SCARLET HELD HERSELF together until she reached the edge of the McCullen ranch, but she was trembling so hard by then she had to pull over. She parked beside a sawtooth oak and studied the sign for Horseshoe Creek, then gazed at the beautiful rolling pastures and the rocky terrain in the distance.

Joe had regaled her with stories about raising cattle and working with his sons on the ranch, and about cattle drives and branding in the spring. He’d had big dreams of expanding the horse side of the operation, but when Ray and Brett left Pistol Whip, he and Maddox couldn’t handle expansion without them.

The sun was setting, painting the ridges of the mountains beyond a golden hue and the sky a radiant red and orange. Cattle grazed in the pasture to the east, and horses galloped near a stable to the west.

She understood why Joe had loved this land.

And why his sons would want to hold on to it.

Tears trickled down her cheeks. Ray and his brothers were still mourning their father.

So was she. But just like the rest of her life, she had to do it alone. She’d kept her distance at the funeral for fear someone would ask about her relationship with Joe. Plus, she’d respected him too much to intrude on his sons’ day.

Maybe she should just disappear from the McCullens’ lives now. Forget the will reading. Not ask for anything.

She had her memories of Joe. That was all she needed.

She started her engine and headed back toward her rental house.

She had survived being abandoned as a child, and now she’d earned her degree in social work and was helping other children like herself. She had a fulfilling job and she was giving back.

Even if she was alone at night, it didn’t matter. There were children who depended on her. She wouldn’t let them down just like Joe hadn’t let her down.

Her stomach twisted. Which meant she couldn’t run from the McCullens.

She needed the money Joe had left her to help The Family Farm.

* * *

RAY STUDIED THE sign for the children’s home—The Family Farm. The house was set back on several acres with room for livestock and stables, but he didn’t see any cattle or horses.

He maneuvered the drive and parked in front of the rustic wooden structure that reminded him more of a fishing lodge than a home for children.

Someone had probably designed it that way. Smart.

A big front porch overlooked the property, the two-story house more welcoming than he’d expected. A van was parked to the side with an emblem of a circle of children holding hands and the name painted on the side. Two other vehicles were parked in the graveled lot. Probably employees.

He climbed out and walked up the steps, then knocked. A pudgy middle-aged woman with a short brown bob answered the door. “Yes?”

“My name is Ray.”

“Faye Gideon,” the woman said with a warm smile. “What can I do for you?”

“May I come in and talk to you?”

A slightly wary expression flickered in her eyes, and she wiped her hands on a kitchen towel. “It’s dinnertime for the kids. What’s this about?”

He didn’t want to divulge that he was a private investigator yet. “I recently met a woman named Scarlet Lovett. She said she grew up here.”

Faye’s eyes widened, but a smile flitted across her face. “Yes, Scarlet. She did live here. Now she’s a social worker and helps place kids in forever homes when she can.” She opened the door and stepped onto the porch. “What did you say your name was?”

“Ray McCullen.”

She pressed her hands to her cheeks. “Oh, my goodness, I thought you looked familiar. You’re one of Joe’s boys, aren’t you?”

Ray swallowed. “Yes, ma’am. You knew my father?”

“Of course!” Faye grinned. “He volunteered here. That’s how he connected with Scarlet. But if you’ve met her, you probably know all of this.”

So Scarlet’s story was true.

“I’m so sorry about your daddy,” Faye said. “We all loved him. He was so wonderful with the children. We used to be in this old house nearer to town, but it was small and run-down, and Joe helped us build this place. Now we have twelve rooms, a big kitchen and land for the children to run and play.”

Ray couldn’t believe what she was saying. This wasn’t the man he remembered from his high school years at home.

“We’re all sad that he passed and will miss him,” Faye said. “Do you want to meet the children? They’ll be thrilled to visit with one of Joe’s sons. He talked about the three of you all the time.”