Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch Read Online Free PDF

according to Bonnie, be entertained by Andy, one of the wranglers, who played guitar and sang.
    “It’s so lovely here,” I said.
    “Peaceful,” Seth said. He drew a deep breath.
    I shivered and verbally expressed the chill I suddenly felt.
    “Time to get back to the cabins,” Seth said. “No sense catchin’ a cold first day here.”
    “It is chilly,” I said, “but there’s something else.”
    “Which is?” he asked as we retraced our steps toward the lodge.
    “The Morrison family. Do you get the feeling that all isn’t well among them?”
    “Strange bunch, I agree. Not an especially happy group.”
    “The mother, Evelyn, is a cold woman.”
    “That she is. Seems to run the family with an iron fist.”
    “The kids seem nice.”
    “The girl, maybe. The boy looks like he’s brimmin’ over with anger.”
    We crossed the grassy area, causing us to pass other cabins. As we did, voices from one—angry voices—spilled through the slightly open window.
    “She’ll be here tomorrow,” a man said. I recognized the voice as belonging to Craig Morrison, the older son. Seth and I paused.
    “What was so important that she had to stay in Denver an extra day?”
    “You know Veronica, Mother. She always has to be different.”
    “I don’t like it, Craig.”
    “You don’t like her, Mother.”
    “What’s to like? How you could have married her is beyond me. You barely knew her.”
    “You know damn well why I married her. It seemed like a good idea at the time, for me and for you.”
    “It was a mistake. I’ve never trusted her.”
    “I’ll keep tabs on her, make sure nothing goes wrong.”
    Seth tugged on my sleeve. I nodded. We were eavesdropping, not an especially noble activity. But as we started to leave, Evelyn Morrison said, “Tell me more about this Molloy.”
    “I don’t know, Mother. I just have this feeling I’ve met him, or at least know something about him. I have a call in to Rick Swales. I’ll know more when he gets back to me.”
    Seth and I said good night in front of his cabin.
    “Seems the Morrisons have more on their minds than a relaxing week at a dude ranch,” Seth said.
    “My thoughts exactly. Well, it’s none of our business. All that’s on my mind is a relaxing week at the Powderhorn Ranch. Good night, Seth. Sleep tight.”
    “You, too, Jessica. Morning will be here before we know it.”

Chapter Four
    I was up at dawn and took a brisk walk around the property. It had rained hard during the night; the grass and dirt trails were wet. The wranglers were already at work in the stables, grooming the horses, putting out their feed, cleaning mud from their hooves, and performing the seemingly hundred other chores that go with being a wrangler.
    I showered and dressed for the day, then whiled away the time till breakfast on the porch, reading the book I’d started on the flight to Denver, a sweater wrapped tightly around me to ward off the morning chill. I hadn’t felt the altitude yesterday, but by the time I returned from my walk, I’d decided to add vitamin E to the breakfast menu.
    Craig Morrison jogged past and returned my greeting with a cursory nod. Members of the ranch’s staff pleasantly went about their duties, waving when they spotted me, stopping to chat now and then when passing my cabin. Before I knew it, it was seven-thirty, and Jim was ringing the bell announcing it was time for a half hour of coffee before breakfast.
    “All set for a nice ride this morning?” Bonnie asked as we sat down for blueberry pancakes, sausage links, and cherry rings. Bonnie and Jim serve dessert at every meal, breakfast no exception. Everyone was there, except for the Molloys.
    “She looks like she eats only one meal a week,” Chris Morrison said of Geraldine Molloy, laughing.
    “Not good to skip breakfast,” Seth offered, “especially with a strenuous day ahead.”
    “We’ll have a half-hour lesson in the corral,” Jim said. “Then we’ll head off. One of the