Page 61 of The Cowboy’s Reckoning

“Don’t know. A lady named Lexington got hold of me. I checked her out. She’s legitimate. Offices in Bozeman.”

Jordan thought for a moment. “Would you do me a favor, Jim? Would you call and ask her the name of the potential buyer?”

“Sure. Why?”

“Because something very much like this happened to me with the Willow Creek. I got the offer before probate was done.”

“You think there’s something funny going on?”

“Not necessarily. In your case, it might just be a matter of people checking public records.”

“What about with you?”

“Probably the same, but … if you don’t mind asking.”

“I will. I need to call her anyway.”

Well, shit.

Jordan scuffed the gravel with his boot as he studied the ground. So much for fifty percent down and high interest rates from private money. What the fuck was he going to do now? A purchase using the Willow Creek as collateral would take more time than he had available and he’d lost out on the quick cash deal via Jess Connery. The raw land deal was his only avenue, but it looked like even if that was successful, this other buyer had beaten him to the punch.

Jim Reed’s name appeared on his phone screen less than half an hour later.

“She says she can’t tell me who the buyer is,” Jim said. “Some confidentiality thing.”

Jordan wondered if that was true or if this buyer was enough of a force that real estate brokers did as they were told. He’d text Maya and get her opinion.

“Sorry about that. I don’t have to come to a decision for a few days,” he said.

“I’d appreciate you taking those days, Jim. I’m waiting for an answer from the bank.” Maybe he could match the price if he got a positive answer. But he still felt duty-bound to say, “I don’t want to screw up your sale.”

“Oh, I’ll look out for myself all right.”

Jordan ended the call, then let his head tip back.

He considered calling his brothers, then thought about Hayes, who was rapidly destroying his rodeo wild man reputation by settling down and going to school. Trev wasn’t far behind him. There was a chance, probably a slim one, but a chance all the same that they’d try to talk him out of the scheme unfolding in his head.

Nope. There was only one man to call.

Jordan hoped he didn’t live to regret it.

*

“Why are we doing this again?” Burke asked two hours later as they pulled into Livingston.

“Because I don’t want my brothers to get arrested.”

“Mmm.” Burke accepted the explanation at face value. “So my part is …”

“To look menacing and not get arrested. In other words, don’t help.”

Burke looked baffled at the idea of not helping but nodded.

The chair behind the receptionist’s desk was empty when Jordan and Burke walked into Jess Connery’s offices, but a short redheaded woman bustled out of a back room as soon as the door closed.

“I’m here to see Jess,” Jordan said pleasantly.

“Mr. Connery is in a phone meeting.”