Why hadn’t Kitty told him that her parents rejected his offer? And they weren’t even going to bother with a counter offer? Landon resisted the urge to grit his teeth. Couldn’t the Bentons just be reasonable?
Dewayne shook his head. “All these years, you’ve put sweat and blood into your ranch to make a living—helped Cal with his too—and the Benton’s just swoop in like vultures to take it away.”
This commentary wasn’t helping.
Dewayne’s tongue moved around his mouth like it was in search of more tobacco. “Everybody knows Cal meant to sell you Coyote Glen when he retired, and he would’ve asked less than you offered the Bentons. That’s a fact.”
True enough. Things hadn’t turned out that way, though. “Well,” Landon said. He meant to add, “Life takes unexpected turns,” but at the moment, he couldn’t bring himself to be that philosophical. When had Kitty planned on telling him the news?
“I could make sure you get the land.” Dewayne’s gaze flicked back to the house. “Wouldn’t take much for Coyote Glen to dip into the red for three months. I could nudge it in that direction. It’d only cost you a tenth of what the Benton’s turned their nose up at.”
Landon almost wasn’t sure he’d heard right. “You’re talking about sabotaging the ranch?”
He’d spoken too loudly. Dewayne lifted a hand to shush him. “You’ll get what’s rightfully yours, and I’ll get some compensation. That’s all I’m asking for. My price is more than fair.”
“No.” Landon answered before he could let himself consider the offer. Cheating like that was wrong, illegal, disloyal to Kitty, and insulting to him. What sort of person did Dewayne think he was?
“A hundred and fifty thousand then,” Dewayne said, undeterred. “It’s as low as I’ll go.”
“You just proved how low you’ll go. I suggest you go pack your things. I doubt Miss Benton will want you to stay on after I tell her about your offer.”
Dewayne’s expression flashed disbelief, anger, and then a leering understanding. “She’s got you wrapped around her finger good and tight, hasn’t she? Guess I know what you were really doing over here late last night.”
Landon took a step forward, the sort of step that was a warning in and of itself. “Watch your mouth.”
Dewayne shook his head at Landon like he was a thing to pity. “I just wonder what sort of tricks she performs to make a man willingly give up his land. But then she must know plenty. She’s been a slut since she was fifteen—”
He didn’t finish because Landon swung and hit him across the cheek. Even that had been a warning. Landon hadn’t hit him nearly as hard as he’d wanted to. Dewayne staggered, regained his balance, and put his hands up in case Landon came at him again.
Landon pointed in the direction of the foreman’s house. “Pack your things. You’re leaving.”
Dewayne swore and spit at Landon’s feet. “Fine. I’ll send movers for my stuff.” He stalked off, cursing, to the side of the barn where his Chevy was parked.
Landon shook his hands and took slow breaths to calm himself. Didn’t work.
Dewayne’s Chevy lurched backward, then sped off toward the gate, churning up clouds of dirt as he went. Good riddance.
Landon strode to the house to break the news to Kitty. They had a number of things to discuss.
Chapter Seventeen
Kate woketo the sound of the doorbell. She pulled herself out of bed, ran a hand through her tangled hair, and answered the door.
Landon stood on the porch holding a foal halter.
It wasn’t until she stepped outside that she realized something was wrong. Tension ran through Landon. It was in his stance, the curve of his fingers, and the firm line of his lips.
“What’s wrong?” Her heart sank. “Is it Daisy?” She took a step toward the stables, already making bargains with God. Let it be something fixable. Don’t let her be dead.
“No, Daisy is fine. It’s Dewayne. You’re going to have to find a different foreman.” Landon hung the halter on the doorknob. “I know a few people who’d fit the bill. If you’d like, I can ask around.”
“What happened to Dewayne?” She imagined the worst. He’d been trampled, gored by a bull—she was about to start bargaining with God again.
“He said if I paid him a hundred and fifty thousand, he’d sabotage Coyote Glen. I told him to leave. You can’t have a man like that working for you.”
Processing this statement took Kate a moment. The person in charge of overseeing the ranch had offered to sabotage it?Shock and then fury hit her like physical things, sharp as a slap.Dewayne had been her grandfather’s friend. Hadn’t that meant anything to the man? All of the time she’d worked with Dewayne, he’d acted like he was on her side, but for a price he was willing to take everything away from her. He was an awful, terrible person.
“I’m going to call him and fire him.” She patted her pants pocket, searching for her phone. Not there. She’d left it on her nightstand. “He’s going to explain himself.”