said, “since I’m the thinker of the family, I’ve been thinking. And I think it’s time we got you out of the house.”
Sam glared at him. “Thank you, Sophocles, for that bit of news I can’t use.”
“Dude, this lawsuit has sucked you dry.”
“You have a solution?” Sam shrugged. “I’m not giving up on Rancho Diablo, no matter what barrel Bode Jenkins thinks he’s got us over.”
“Yeah.” Rafe considered his brother. “Nothing seems to be working, does it? Aunt Fiona’s Plan has gone off the rails. We’ve had weddings and babies out the wazoo around here, and our brothers have populated a small town all by themselves, and still we can’t convince the courts that we should have our own zip code free of Jenkins.”
“Do you mind, Hippocrates? Can I get back to this?” Sam waved some documents.
Rafe grunted. “I’m just saying maybe you ought to get some fresh air. Or get lucky, alternatively, if that’s in the range of your possibilities.”
Sam laughed, and it wasn’t a pretty sound. “And when, pray tell, was the last time a woman opened her door for you, Einstein?”
Rafe couldn’t brag. It would make Sam feel bad. He probably felt that they were brothers in bachelorhood. Of the six Callahan boys, only Sam, Rafe and Jonas were unmarried. No woman was going to throw her cap at Jonas, because he was about as much fun as a wart. Sam had an easygoing style, when he let himself hang loose, which wasn’t often.
Of the three of them would-be champions to Fiona’s Plan to get all the Callahans married—and then award Rancho Diablo to the brother with the largest family—Rafe figured he had the best chance. I have the highest IQ, I have the best hair, I fly the family plane and girls love geeky guys like me. “If you knew anything at all about Hippocrates, brother, you would know that he believed the body must be treated as a whole and not just a series of parts. Therefore, with your mind in overload over Rancho Diablo’s attempt to free itself from Bode Jenkins, you’re under too much stress. We’ve got to find you a woman.”
“Excuse me,” Sam said, “but I didn’t hear you tell me when you last saw a woman naked and welcoming you.”
Rafe didn’t reply. He didn’t want Sam to feel bad, and he would never let the cat out of the bag about the judge. Especially since Sam was pitting his wits against Julie’s father.
“That’s what I thought, genius.” Sam went back to glaring at the mountain of paper in front of him.
“Never say I didn’t try to help,” Rafe stated, and leaned back to continue studying ranch paperwork.
The bunkhouse door blew open with the speed of a rocket, crashing against the wall. Rafe’s jaw sagged as Bode Jenkins barreled into the room.
The old rancher was holding a rifle in his hands, pointing it at him.
“Jesus, Bode,” Sam said. “Put that popgun down before someone gets hurt.”
“I’m going to kill him,” Bode said, glaring at Rafe. “You dirty, thieving dog!”
“Are you talking to me?” Rafe stood, pushing Sam behind him. “What the hell, Bode?”
Fiona burst in behind their neighbor and faced him, before kicking him a smart one on the shin. “Bode, give me that gun, and cool your head. Whatever’s gotten up your nose now, it isn’t worth doing time in jail.”
Burke appeared and snatched the gun from Bode, who seemed to give it up without much fight. All the other Callahans filed in, glaring at the rancher, then glancing around the room to make certain everyone was in one piece.
“Do you mind telling us what’s going on?” Jonas demanded.
“I’ll tell you,” Bode said, his voice quavering. The man’s face was red, pinched with fury as he glared at Rafe.
“No, you won’t.” Julie winked and shoved a few Callahans out of the way so she could reach her father. “Dad, you’re going to give yourself a heart attack. Calm down.”
Rafe blinked at Julie, who was stunning in a summery sundress and sandals, with her inky hair swept up in a ponytail. There was just something about her that hit him like a fist to the solar plexus every time he saw her. He liked her in her judge’s robe, he liked her in a dress, and he loved her naked in the moonlight.
But something had her wound up tight. More than the court case. “What’s up?” he asked her. “What’s got Bode steamed this time?”
That got Julie’s laserlike attention. She practically stabbed him with her eyes as she sent him a particularly poisonous glare. “Now is not a good time for you to be speaking disrespectfully to my father. I just saved you from being shot, Mr. Callahan, so if you don’t mind, zip your lips.”
Well, wasn’t that a big dose of judgelike attitude? He grinned at Julie. She liked him, he could tell. No woman was that starchy around a man unless he rattled her love cage. He couldn’t wipe the smile off his face.
“Bode, the next time you come running onto our property like a madman—and may I remind you this is not the first time you’ve acted crazy…” Fiona began.
Bode pinwheeled his arms with frustration. “You Callahans make me crazy. Why can’t you just git? This is my land, my property, but you’re like fleas. You multiply like fleas—”
His face turned redder, as if he’d just thought of something horrific. He glared at all of them, reserving his most potent fury for Rafe. “You—”
“Dad,” Julie said, “we’re leaving right now. Come on. There’s nothing here we want.”
Rafe watched her go, tugging her protesting father along with her. Of course there was plenty here Bode wanted. He wanted the ranch, he wanted their home, he wanted the Diablos and the rumored silver mine—
Bode whirled, punching his finger toward Rafe as he escaped his daughter’s clutches. “You’re not winning,” he told him. “You haven’t won.”
Julie dragged her dad from the bunkhouse.
“Damn,” Rafe said, “I believe Bode’s finally gone over the edge.” He sank onto the leather sofa. His brothers and Fiona and Burke gathered around. “I thought he had a caretaker over there to keep an eye on him.”
“Seton’s busy, I think,” Fiona said. “She’s been over here helping Sabrina with some things for me.” Their aunt shrugged. “Seton does have time off, and she chooses to be here with her sister. That has nothing to do with Bode’s visit, because he seemed mostly upset with you.” Fiona looked at Rafe. “Didn’t he say he was going to kill you?”
Rafe shrugged in turn. “I took that ‘you’ in the global sense, as in all of us. I don’t think he meant me personally. If he wants to kill anyone, it would probably be Sam, who is beating him all to hell in court.”
“Oh.” Fiona nodded.
“I swear,” Rafe said. “I didn’t do anything to the old man. We all agreed we’d abide by the law, and the decision of the courts,
