Peril by Ponytail (A Bad Hair Day Mystery) Read online

  Dalton must have sensed her distress, because he took her hand and squeezed it. “Is that why Raymond and Hugh are at odds with each other?” he asked the veterinarian. “Raymond blames Hugh for the accident that killed his brother?”

  Marla heard his terse tone and felt bad for him. No one wanted to hear about the black deeds of their relatives.

  The vet snorted. “Those two might have forgiven each other and made amends, considering how tight they’d been as kids. But then Raymond did another bad thing. That guy has made plenty of mistakes in his life. Maybe what they say about the ghosts at Craggy Peak is true. The spirits of the dead seek justice by haunting him.”

  “What else did he do?” Dalton said in a resigned tone.

  “Sorry, but that’s not my story to tell. You’ll have to ask your uncle.”

  The door banged open, and a wrangler stuck his head inside. “Have any of you seen Carol?”

  Doc Harrigan shook his head. “No, why?”

  “She went for her usual ride this morning. Her horse has returned with a limp. She wasn’t on it.”

  “Dear God. Has Wayne been informed?”

  “He’s gathering a search party as we speak. Do you want to join the posse, Doc? Carol might be hurt if the horse tossed her.”

  “I should tend to the beast, but maybe I can be of some use.” Dr. Harrigan jerked his thumb at Marla and Dalton. “You guys wanna come along?”

  “I’ll join you.” Dalton stood, and Marla followed suit. “Can you get a horse ready for me?” he asked the wrangler.

  “Yes, sir. Won’t take me but a minute. Meet me in the corral out back.”

  “I can’t go,” Marla said in a disappointed tone. “I’d slow everyone down. I’ll wait for news in the main lobby.”

  Wayne might return to his office eventually, or at least he’d notify one of the other managers when they’d found Carol. Her heart thumped as conjecture flashed ugly images in her mind of possible scenarios. Carol was a seasoned rider who wouldn’t fall from her saddle without reason.

  Outside, the men rode off in a cloud of dust toward the trail Carol normally took each morning. Their group got smaller and turned into specks against the mountainside. Marla recalled a time in the recent past when she’d been warned to vary her morning routine by a killer who’d taken advantage of her habits. With a possible saboteur on the ranch, Marla should have given Carol the same advice.

  Oh, gosh. Standing rooted to the spot, Marla clutched her stomach. What could be the goal of hurting Carol? Was this an indirect way of getting at Raymond?

  The search had brought ranch operations to a halt. From the looks of it, most of the wranglers had ridden away with the posse. Guests were even now congregating in front of the building and wondering why no one was there to greet them.

  She wandered toward the lobby, a fog of dread encasing her. Maybe she should look inside Carol’s office. What if Wayne’s wife had received a note from somebody to meet her at another location? That would throw off the search party when they couldn’t find her.

  Someone seemed to have it in for the whole family. Marla couldn’t discard the notion that it might be Hugh Donovan. What had Raymond done to distance himself further from the man?

  Shrugging away those concerns, she focused on Carol. Maybe her horse had simply stepped on a nail in its path. That could cause a limp. Or its shoe had become loose, not that Marla knew much about horse care. The animal’s sudden stop could have unseated Carol. That was a more logical explanation than paranoia. Or maybe someone hoped to spread the seeds of distrust by causing this incident.

  She only prayed Carol was lying stunned and not seriously hurt.

  Marla entered the brightly lit lobby that smelled like fresh lemon oil and leather polish. A middle-aged couple was checking out, so she waited until Janice was free. The redhead signaled for her to come over.

  “Hi there, hon. Any news on Carol yet?”

  “I was meaning to ask you the same. Will Wayne call in when he’s found her?”

  “I’d hope so. We’re all worried. This is totally unlike her to be missing. I can’t imagine what might have happened.”

  “Well, I can, and none of it is good.” Marla paced back and forth, hands clasped behind her back. “I’ll check her office to see if anyone left her a note. She might have gone to meet somebody, in which case they won’t find her on the usual trail where she rides.”

  “Good point, although I’d expect she would have told one of us if she was deviating from her routine. She’s careful that way.”

  “Do you mind if I take a look? We shouldn’t discount any possibilities.”

  “Sure, go ahead.” Janice gestured toward the staff door.

  It didn’t take Marla long to riffle through the papers on Carol’s desk. She saw nothing that might be a summons or urgent note. As the financial officer for the resort, Carol had printouts of spreadsheets as well as handwritten ledgers scattered about every available surface. She must follow her own system of organization.

  Opening drawers, Marla searched for anything unusual but came up empty. Other than the clutter, it appeared to be a typical office. No doubt Carol could find exactly what she needed amid the piles of papers. Marla liked that Carol’s home might be neat and tidy, but here she had few reservations about cutting loose.

  “I got nothing,” she told Janice a few minutes later.

  “Do you want some coffee? We have a break room in the back.”

  “No, thanks. I’m wired enough already.” Marla waited until Janice checked out a family of four, who were so enthused about the place that they reserved a date for next year. “Has Carol been behaving any differently lately? Do you think she had something on her mind that might have bothered her?”

  “No, she seemed perfectly chipper yesterday. You stopped by in the afternoon to talk to her. How did she appear to you?”

  “I didn’t detect any problems.” Marla sank into an empty seat beside Janice, the lone receptionist on duty. If one of the managers normally worked alongside her, likely he had joined the search party. This moment of privacy might not be repeated.

  “How much do you know about the relationship between Raymond’s family and the Donovans?”

  Janice’s astonished gaze met hers. “The Donovans? Surely you don’t think Hugh had something to do with Carol’s disappearance?”

  “Why not? I’ve heard there is bad blood between him and Raymond.”

  Perhaps Carol had taken it upon herself to visit Hugh Donovan and ask if he’d been responsible for the explosion at the ghost town and the incidents on the ranch. She might be more rational about it than Wayne, whose father had been personally involved with the Donovan clan. But then what? Hugh had done something to Carol?

  Or maybe she’d run across the saboteur during her ride. Could the same person be causing trouble in both locations, or was there more than one mole involved, assuming these weren’t random incidents? And if so, whose payroll was backing them?

  Janice studied her pink-painted fingernails. “Look, hon, I’ve been working here for a long time, and I don’t stick my nose into the family’s personal affairs.”

  “It’s not so personal when guests at the ranch could get hurt or when the bottom line at the resort gets affected, as might happen in the near future. What do you know about Raymond and Hugh?”

  A mobile radio on the front desk crackled with static. Were they missing important transmissions from the search team? Marla wanted to hear what the redhead had to say, but it was more important to learn if Carol had been found. Nobody appeared to be using cell phones. The trails must not be within service range.

  “Mind you, I don’t know if this is true or not,” Janice said, lowering her voice, “but Raymond knew Hugh’s wife from high school. Word on the street has it that the two of them got reacquainted after Hugh’s son left home.”

  “What?” Having expected Janice to mention Raymond’s sad history with his dead brother, the woman’s proclamation startled
her. Hugh’s wife and son? What did they have to do with anything?

  “I’ve got her,” Wayne’s voice burst from the radio. “She’s just off the trail, half-hidden under some bushes.” He rattled off the location.

  Marla sat upright, instantly alert.

  “Looks like she hit her head on a rock when she fell,” Wayne said in a grim tone. “We’ll need a stretcher.”

  “The sheriff is on his way,” someone else replied. “He had to deal with a car accident on the other side of town. I’ll call for an ambulance.”

  “Don’t move her,” Dalton’s voice sounded in the background. “They’ll need to assess the extent of her injury. Doc Harrigan, are you there? Can you take a look until the paramedics get here?”

  Although Dalton had been trained in emergency procedures, he probably figured the vet knew how to treat injuries better, even on a human. Marla clenched her hands in her lap, breathless to hear more.

  “She’s not coming around.” Panic laced Wayne’s tone. “Carol! Can you hear me?”

  “Wayne, you’d better come see this,” said another guy. “There’s a wire tied to this tree.”

  “I can’t leave my wife.”

  “If it’s evidence, don’t touch anything,” Dalton cautioned. “The sheriff will need to investigate. Wayne, the doc and I are heading your way.”

  Static cracked the air and the radio cut off, leaving a heavy silence.

  Marla stood, too agitated to sit. How bad was Carol’s injury? Had she truly hit her head on a rock when she’d tumbled from her horse? What did the guy mean by a wire?

  She fought an urge to run outside. It wouldn’t help, as she couldn’t see the posse in the distance. Best remain here until one of the managers returned.

  Then again, some of the wranglers might ride back first. They had duties to their guests. Wayne could handle things along with Dalton and Doc Harrigan, plus the sheriff was due to arrive. She should go wait over by the corral for news.

  Or not. She mashed her lips in frustration. What could she do from this end to help? Man the front desk along with Janice? Answer phones?

  If Carol was going to be indisposed for a while, she could offer to manage the books. She owned a salon and possessed business skills. But the job might occupy her for several days, depending on Carol’s condition, and that wouldn’t be fair to Dalton on their honeymoon.

  Well, guess what? He was already involved in an investigation of sorts. It wasn’t in their natures to sit idly by while things happened around them.

  “What do you suppose they meant by a wire?” Janice asked with a wide-eyed gaze like an elk in headlights.

  “It appears Carol’s accident wasn’t random.”

  Janice gave a furtive glance toward the front door. “But why target Carol? She’s a sweetheart. Everyone loves her and Wayne.”

  “So I gather.” Marla voiced her thoughts aloud. “Maybe the intent had been to hurt Raymond through her.”

  Janice gasped. “You mean, to threaten the ones he loves the most?”

  “That’s what I’m thinking.”

  “You’re saying someone laid a trap to trip her horse? And then she hit her head on a rock when she fell? That part must have been an accident.”

  “It sounds like that’s what happened.” Or else somebody beaned her and made it look that way. “Look, can I help you with anything? I feel so useless just waiting around until the men get back.”

  “Sure, if you wouldn’t mind. You can answer the phone if I’m busy with a guest.” As she spoke, a party of eight entered the lobby to sign up for various activities.

  Janice got occupied with them and then with a foursome wanting to check out, while Marla fielded a call about a leaky bathroom faucet and a closet door that got stuck. Janice told her how to notify maintenance, and she took care of the problems.

  Once free, Janice grabbed the radio. “I can’t stand this silence. I have to find out what’s going on.” She pushed a button. “Can anyone hear me? This is Jan at the front desk.”

  “Dalton,” Marla called in the background. “Are you there?” She could try his cell phone, but this seemed quicker.

  More static sounded, and then a voice answered. “Kevin Franks here.”

  “Who’s that?” she whispered to Carol.

  “Kevin Franks is one of the wranglers. He must have ridden out with the boys,” Janice explained in a hushed tone. “Kevin, what’s going on? Is Carol responsive yet?”

  “Yes, ma’am. She’s awake but a bit confused. They’re taking her to the hospital. We’re riding back now. Wayne is bringing his horse in, and then he’ll follow her there in his car.”

  Marla snatched her purse and rose. “I’ll go outside to wait for them.” She hesitated a moment before patting Janice on the shoulder. “Everything will be okay, you’ll see. We’ll help out if Wayne needs us. Will you be all right by yourself?”

  Janice gave a wan smile. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for keeping me company.”

  Marla rushed out the door and hurried down the winding path toward the corrals.

  A cloud of dust mushroomed from the direction of the hills where the men had gone. That must be their posse returning. From far away, a siren pierced the crisp morning air. Marla shivered under her sweater. Somehow a beautiful morning had turned ugly. Poor Wayne. At least she and Dalton were there to offer support.

  Wayne dismounted along with the rest of the guys, including Dalton. The wrangler, Jesse, was present, too. He must have ridden in from one of the distant paddocks.

  After handing their horses over to the employees, Wayne and Dalton stood aside in deep conversation. Dalton’s brow creased in that way he had when displeased. What were they discussing? His face brightened when he spotted Marla, and he waved her over.

  “How’s Carol?” she asked first thing.

  Wayne replied, his tone somber. “The paramedics say she might have to stay overnight at the hospital for observation. I’m heading over there to be with her.”

  “You said something on the radio about a wire?”

  “The sheriff is handling that aspect. We found one end of a trip wire tied to a tree. It must have been strung across the trail. Her horse wouldn’t have seen it. That would account for his limp. The Doc can tend to him now.”

  “If they were going fast, Carol would have been thrown when the horse stopped abruptly,” Marla guessed.

  “She might have held her seat unless someone tampered with her saddle.”

  Marla exchanged a knowing glance with Dalton. Whoever had done it knew Carol’s daily habits. That implicated someone close enough to observe her.

  Guests stepped forward as wranglers called their names and apologized for the delay. Horses snorted in the background, while birds twittered against a clear blue sky. It would have been a perfect morning except for this happenstance.

  “Hey, Jesse,” Wayne hollered.

  The wrangler stood conferring with a couple of the other guys. He glanced up at Wayne’s summons, said something in parting, and sauntered over.

  “Yeah, boss?”

  “I want you to supervise a full inspection of our equipment. A wedding party is due to arrive in two weeks, and we don’t want anything bad happening to them. Understand?”

  “I’ve got it covered, don’t worry.”

  “I’ll help you,” offered another fellow who aimed their way. He had a lean frame, a mustache and beard with dark brown sideburns, and a loping gait.

  Dalton introduced Marla to Kevin Franks, the wrangler she’d heard on the radio.

  “Jesse’s in charge,” Wayne said in an insistent tone. “He’ll let you know if he needs a hand. I’ll check in with you later,” he told the younger man.

  Doc Harrigan strode by after settling his horse. His face haggard, he carried his satchel and nodded a greeting on his way past. This morning’s disruption must have set him off schedule, but thankfully he had been around to offer his expertise. She wondered what he’d find upon his examination of Carol’s mo
unt.

  Marla and Dalton accompanied their cousin to the parking lot where he kept his car.

  “You’re making a mistake,” Dalton said to him. “Jesse could be involved, and you’re letting him conduct the inspection?”

  “Despite what you think, I believe in Jesse. He’s been outstanding at his job from the start. I can’t see him risking it for a family feud between us and Hugh Donovan.”

  “You still blame the man, even for this?”

  “My father is right. Who else would want to cause us grief? If you ask me, he’s after our land. We’ve had offers on both this resort property and the ghost town.”

  “It could be someone else who has you and Raymond in their sights.”

  “I don’t think so. Carol had better pull through this, or Donovan will get his due.”

  Dalton placed a hand on his arm. “Wayne, don’t be rash. You have no evidence to prove your theories.”

  “We’ll have it soon, if the sheriff does his job properly.” He shook off Dalton’s hand and stormed away. A moment later, his car careened from the parking lot and headed into town.

  Marla hooked her arm into Dalton’s and led him toward their room. “What now? You’ve had your morning ride. Let’s do something relaxing to get our minds off these problems.”

  “I’m not in the mood. Carol could have been killed. She might still have complications.”

  “I know.” Marla worried about her, too, but she wouldn’t let it bring them down. “It’s not right for Wayne or Raymond to blame this Donovan guy without proof. He’s doing the same thing to them, claiming they’re responsible for spoiling his grazing land.”

  “We should talk to the guy.”

  “No, we shouldn’t. It’s our honeymoon.”

  Dalton’s jaw clenched, and his eyes took on a determined glare. “Wayne asked for my help. We have more questions than we have answers. That doesn’t sit well with me.”

  Marla realized she wouldn’t be able to raise his spirits until they talked this out. Once he was in investigative mode, he became focused on one goal, like her poodle when he stalked a squirrel. She needed to act as his sounding board to calm him.

  “Let’s go sit on that patio behind the conference center. No one should be there this early. We can compare notes.”