Dangerous Refuge Read Online Free PDF

but well in control of himself.
    Like he’d been at his brother’s graveside.
    Just because your father walked away from his heritage doesn’t mean you have to be stupid. Cities will kill you, boy. That was all Lorne had said, and it had been more than enough.
    “This letter is pretty clear to me,” Tanner said. “And it looks like his handwriting.”
    “Unsigned, it won’t be admissible. Perhaps as an indicator of intent, but it’s not a legal document and as such can’t automatically replace the witnessed, verbal agreement that Lorne previously had with the Conservancy.”
    “Interesting,” Tanner said. “Neither verbal nor written is definitive, so they’re both discarded and the state gets the ranch?”
    “The judge will probably rule in a few weeks. Until then . . .”
    “Which way is the judge likely to rule?”
    “Nothing’s sure. Depends which judge is assigned. Some will rubber-stamp this for the citizens’ benefit and a couple will let the two parties fight it out. How much money do you want to spend to hold on to the ranch?”
    “Doesn’t matter. I’ll bet that the Conservancy has deeper pockets than an honest L.A. cop.”
    The lawyer frowned. “Unless you want to simply surrender your claim to the land and the water and lease rights, I’d advise you to stay here and look after your interests as best you can. The personal effects from the house are yours, no question. The truck, too. But without the land, I doubt you want the livestock, much less poor old Dingo.”
    “Did the dog die?”
    “Warren is a good vet. He’ll pull him through just in time to be put down at the pound.”
    Tanner shook his head. “Who do I talk to at the Conservancy?” Besides the woman I pissed off last night. Nice going, Mr. Charm.
    “I can’t advise that you talk to them. Not without someone looking after your interests.”
    “I’m a big boy. I’ll look out for my own rights,” Tanner said. “I’m betting the Conservancy is in the phone book.”
    “There’s more of Lorne in you than just his big bones and eye color,” the lawyer said ruefully. “Shaye Townsend is the Conservancy’s liaison with the ranchers. I understand she works all over the state and even on the California side of things, talking to ranchers about the Conservancy and what it could do for them.”
    Tanner tried not to wince at the name. “What’s she like?”
    “She’s smart and knows about the problems of small ranchers and modern economics. She’s become friends with a lot of old families. Being easy on the eyes doesn’t hurt. She’s been working with Lorne for some time.”
    “He could be a tough man to warm up to.”
    “Hard as flint,” Millerton agreed. “Honest, too, maybe to a fault. Not everyone liked Lorne, but they respected him. All the poker boys placed bets as to when he’d kick her pretty ass off his ranch for good. Nobody figured it would be that night, though.”
    “Maybe they weren’t getting all the, uh, benefits Lorne did.”
    The lawyer shook his head. “It’s not a secret that Lorne used to visit the ‘ranches’ at the far north end of the valley. But that was business, too. Whatever Shaye used on him, it wasn’t sex.”
    “Anything else I should know?”
    “The scavengers had been at your uncle’s body,” Millerton said. “When Shaye found him, it couldn’t have been pretty. Deputy August said she didn’t come apart, but she was really pale. Right now she’s trying to keep it together for Lorne’s memorial tonight, the one the Conservancy is giving in his honor.”
    Tanner thought of all the opportunities he and Lorne had had to reach out to each other in the past. Neither one had. Stiff necks ran in the family.
    He also thought about what kind of grit it must have taken for Shaye to come back to the ranch after finding Lorne there, particularly for a woman who wasn’t used to tripping over bodies as part of her job.
    “Is there any kind of dollar value attached to the