A/N: Up next is The Big Jackpot. I didn't play with this one too much, just reshuffled it in the lineup since Annie losing Reno gave me the opportunity to play around a little. Thanks to Silenia Natasha for reviewing the last two chapters; I promise things will begin to happen very soon and they will be together this season. As always, I own nothing but my OC. Any comments or suggestions, drop me a review or a PM. Enjoy!
"How is it Candy always ends up doing all the work?" Annie reined the bald-faced bay pinto to a stop next to the water hole and glared at her brothers perched on the edge. Candy offered her a shrug and a grin as he shoveled mud and weeds up onto the bank.
"Just lucky, sweetheart."
"Uh-huh." She thumbed back her hat and leaned against the saddle horn. "Such a shame my brothers are lazy." Joe shot upright, the blade of grass he was chewing on falling from his mouth.
"Says who?"
"Me. Candy did all the work the entire winter." She snorted. "It's no wonder you put on weight." Hoss guffawed and Joe threw him a sideways glare.
"I did not. Hop Sing just used too much starch in the wash water is all."
"Starch ain't got nothing to do with it, little brother." Candy hid a laugh with a cough.
"They'll have to do some work soon enough," he said with a grin. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Why?"
"Come payday, there's gonna be some changes." Annie swallowed hard.
"Like what?" Candy leaned on his shovel and tilted his head.
"Well, I'm going into Virginia City and get myself some new clothes. Not work clothes, either. Hat, pants, shirt, the works. Maybe even boots."
"Oh." Joe shrugged and glanced at Hoss, who made a face.
"Then, I'm gonna get a haircut and a shave. And a four hour bath to get this mud out of my hide," he said with a glare down at the water hole. "And then I am going out."
"High living, huh?" Joe commented.
"Higher than the courthouse flagpole, brother."
"Can't do too much of that on a dollar, which is all you're gonna have after paying for all them new clothes," Hoss said. Joe nudged him and shook his head.
"He ain't even gonna have that. I seem to remember Candy asking Pa for an advance against this month's wages," he said with a cackle. Candy's face twisted and he sighed.
"Forgot about that. Next month."
"Sure, sure." Joe stood. "We'll see you next month." Annie shook her head. She kicked her foot out of the stirrup and planted it right in the middle of her brother's back. Joe yelped and toppled face first into the water hole. Hoss spun around faster than she would have thought possible, a finger raised in the air between them.
"You even think about it and I won't be the only one getting muddy."
"I wouldn't dream of it," she said sweetly as Joe floundered in the water hole, accompanied by Candy's laughter. "All I'd manage to do is break my own foot, so why bother?" She gathered her reins as Joe scrambled up the bank. "Pa wants you to get those horses shod by tonight." She backed the pinto and wheeled him around.
He wasn't as responsive as Reno, and she was convinced there would never be another that good. Even working with the animal all winter hadn't brought him halfway to the grulla's level. Though it wasn't really fair to make comparisons like that; she'd had Reno for fifteen years, expecting anything similar after only six months was crazy.
"Annie! You come back here!" She laughed and urged the pinto faster, the onrushing thunder of hooves warning that Joe was coming up fast. It became a race across the range, the three of them reining down in the yard almost as one. Joe leaped down and inspected his saddle with a grimace. "You're cleaning this up, little sister."
"I didn't make you ride in it when you were covered in mud," she protested with a laugh. Hoss shook his head, rolling his eyes to the sky.
"Lord, there's days I wonder if they's ever gonna grow up." He dismounted and led Chub to the barn. "You're both gonna clean that saddle, so get them ponies cooled out and get to it."
"You pushed me into the mud in the first place." Joe yanked the saddle off Cochise's back, hauled it into the barn, and dumped it on a stand. Annie snickered under her breath and led the pinto to his stall. He'd mutter the whole time he spent cooling Cochise out, and by then, he'd have himself convinced she'd do something to his saddle and insist on cleaning it himself. She shook her head and began to untack the pinto. And he claimed he was older.
"Yippee!" Her head shot up and she latched the pinto's stall door and darted outside. Candy loped into sight, swinging a leather bag and spinning the Honeycomb gelding in circles around the yard. "Woo-hoo!" Joe stepped into his path for some stupid reason and the gelding knocked him out of the way. "Goodbye water hole! Ha, ha! Get the champagne ready, boys!" Her brothers traded glances.
"Sunstroke?" Joe raised his eyebrows. Hoss shook his head.
"Locoweed, maybe."
"Woo-hoo!" Candy slid his horse to a stop and did a backflip over the animal's rump, landing in a heap in the dirt, and she ran. He sat there, laughing, and fumbled with the bag's latch.
"Are you all right?" Had he been in the sun too long? It wasn't that hot, though … and where did he get the bag?
"Never better, sweetheart." He grabbed her arm and held up the bag. "You ever see a whole satchel full of money?" He chuckled. "Oh, wait, yes, you have." The three of them looked at each other as Candy continued to laugh. "Get the champagne ready, boys." Something almost like Joe's cackle escaped and he handed Joe a bill. "Have a sample." He slapped her twin on the back and ran into the house. Joe peered at the bill with eyes as wide as dinner plates.
"That's real money." His face went through several of his usual expressions. "That-that's five hundred dollars." Annie pried the bank note out of his fingers and stared at it, then passed it to Hoss without a word and darted inside.
Candy was in front of her father's desk, the bag open and both of them inspecting neatly bound stacks of bank notes while Erin watched with wide eyes. Her father shook his head. "It's real, all right, Candy. Where did it come from?"
"You remember old Billy Two Biscuit? Apparently, he died and left me his mining claim. Mr. Hornsby with Nevada Mining Incorporated made me an offer I couldn't refuse." Candy gestured at the bag with the stack of bills in his hand. "There's $50,000 in cash in there, plus an equal amount in stocks for the Beulah Land Corporation, plus standard royalties."
"Dollars?" Joe said with a gulp as he closed the door behind him and Hoss. "Well, how do you like that." He chuckled nervously. "Guess you'll be doing some high-living after all." Candy grinned, but didn't say anything. Her heart skipped a beat. Erin left the desk and moved to Hoss' side.
"Why is Little Joe covered in mud?" she whispered. Hoss chuckled and patted her hand.
"Tell you later." She nodded slowly and glanced at Annie with a knowing look and a twinkle in her eyes.
"Did Mr. Hornsby tell you anything about this land corporation?" Her father asked. Candy shrugged.
"Just that the stock certificates were in the bag and they are."
"Oh, I just wondered. Hadn't heard of them."
"I'll find out and let you know." Silence fell and they all looked at each other uneasily. Annie bit her lip. She knew what he was going to do, they all knew it, but none of them wanted to be the first to acknowledge it. He sighed.
"I just want to say that every moment I've spent here has been a pleasure. Even cleaning water holes." His throat worked. "I don't know how to say it, but I'm in your debt."
"No." Her father waved it off, but Candy shook his head.
"Without you, I'd have been dead at Olympus, or one of a dozen other towns. If any of you ever need anything, just whistle and I'll come running." Her father stood and shook his hand.
"Thank you, Candy." Their foreman worked his hat in his hands and swallowed hard.
"I'm gonna have a party, a big party. Think you could spare Annie to help me plan it?"
"Of course." Candy grinned.
"Come on, sweetheart, let's go." He slapped his hat on his head and started for the door. Joe's mouth opened and closed as he blinked furiously.
"What about us?" Annie rolled her eyes, collected the bag off the center table, and joined Candy at the door. He looked back with dancing eyes and a teasing smirk.
"She didn't make me clean the water hole." He took the bag and slipped out the door. "Later." She snickered and ran for the barn, saddling the bay pinto in record time, then they both rode out towards Virginia City. "Yes, sir. A party to begin with … some nice clothes … maybe even get me one of those fancy pocket watches like your Pa has. Beyond that … what do you do with that kind of money anyhow?"
"Whatever you want." He threw her a sideways look, his gaze dropping to the pinto, then rising back to her face.
"I guess so." He chuckled. "I never thought I'd have this kind of problem. Kind of a nice one to have, huh?" A sour taste filled her mouth.
"Maybe. But then you've got the people who will flock to you because they want a piece of it for themselves." Candy laughed out loud and she turned her head. "What's so funny?" He gave her a conspiratorial grin.
"Won't it be fun to see Mrs. Smith fall all over herself to be nice to me?" The old dragon would be at the front of the pack. Annie laughed with him as they turned off the private road and picked up the main trail into town.
"Extry! Read all about it! Cowboy inherits silver fortune!" A newsboy darted along the street as they rode up to the hotel. Annie rolled her eyes. So it began. "Hey, that's him!" She glanced over her shoulder with narrowed eyes at the small crowd already making its way towards them. The newsboy rushed up, talking a mile a minute. "Is it true? Did an Indian give you a million dollars?"
"Not a million, but …"
"Let me see that paper." Annie passed the boy a coin and unfolded the page. Her eyebrows rose. '"A fortune estimated at one millions dollars,'" she quoted. Movement to her right caught her attention. One of Mrs. Smith's high-nosed friends pushed her way through the crowd with her daughter in tow.
"Mr. Canaday, I'm Harriet Caster. We've never really met." Because he wasn't worth your attention until he was suddenly rich. Annie seethed inside, her gaze locked on a very nervous looking Ruth Caster. The other girl swallowed hard.
"We did once," Candy corrected.
"Oh, well. This is my daughter, Ruth. We're having an open house Sunday afternoon at two. Just good friends, good talk, good food. We'd be delighted if you could attend." The woman smiled at him like she couldn't imagine he'd refuse. Annie wished he would just to spite her.
"Well, I'd …" He glanced at her for help, but the woman was already gushing again.
"Good, good. We'll see you then." She pulled Ruth along with her and the two vanished down the street, quickly replaced by Mrs. Smith's ingratiating husband. He grabbed Candy's hand and shook it.
"Wanna be among the first. Long had the feeling you'd be a man of importance." Oh, indeed? Apparently he never told his wife. "H. Parker Smith, Mr. Canaday." He puffed out his chest. "Spent my life in the world of finance, and it would be a pleasure to serve as your investment counselor."
"Well …"
"My card, sir." Annie stepped forward.
"Gentlemen, please. Mr. Canaday has a lot of business to discuss, and he needs some time to take it all in." She smiled sweetly and pushed her way through the crowd and into the hotel, tugging Candy along in her wake. The desk clerk saw them coming and brandished a key that she snatched on the way past.
"Presidential suite," he called after them, and she hurried up the stairs, the crowd following along like a pack of slobbering wolves. She got the door unlocked and Candy hurried inside. Annie smiled sweetly at the clamoring men nearest the door, even as she shut it in their faces. She shook her head as she turned around, finding Candy exploring the suite.
"What do you think?"
"It'll do. Might build myself a new one, though."
"A hotel?"
"Nah, a house. Gonna do some entertaining, remember?"
"Oh, yes, Harriet Caster's tea party for starters. I'm sure Mrs. Smith will be so annoyed." Candy chuckled and set his bag on the closest table. "I didn't know you'd met her before."
"Hmm?" Candy looked up from the stock certificate he'd pulled out of the bag. "Forty miles of fine print on these things. You remember, it was the 4th of July parade last year." He squinted at the certificate. "I told her she was standing on my foot." Annie smothered a snort.
"Mr. Canaday!" She glanced at the door. "Mr. Canaday, it's the hotel manager!" Candy shrugged. Annie sighed and opened the door, scrambling to keep the rest of the horde from slipping inside with the man carting his loaded silver tray. He set it on the parlor table and rubbed his hands together. "Compliments of the management."
"Oh." Candy looked around. "Uh, we're kind of busy right now."
"Of course." The man came close to bowing and Annie rolled her eyes. "I just wanted to assure you that myself and the staff are at your disposal, we'll do anything at all to make your stay worthwhile and enjoyable." She caught the man by the arm and hauled him to the door. "Special food and special –" She pushed him out the door and fought to get it locked.
"He can't take a hint, can he?"
"Guess not." Candy was studying the stock certificate again. "Beulah Land Corporation. They sell land."
"Never would have guessed." She inspected the contents of the tray and selected a biscuit. Candy rolled his eyes.
"Ranches and farms in Beulah Valley, wherever that is." She paused mid-chew, a red flag going up.
"It doesn't say where?"
"In Nevada." Candy turned the certificate over and checked the back. "Here, you've got more experience with stocks, maybe you can find something." She took the certificate and looked it over while Candy selected a shiny red apple and rubbed it on his sleeve. Knocking came at the door, then it flew open.
"I locked that," she protested, as a crowd swarmed into the room. Annie took one look at the gleam in the leaders' eyes and ducked out of the way. They smelled money, and lots of it. Speaking of which … she scooted over to the table where Candy had left the bag and tucked it close to her side, watching the situation half in amusement.
"Solid gold watches," someone called. Another man rambled about the quality of his suits. A third hawked his handmade boots. Weren't they all hand made, though? She snorted softly and sat down, slipping the bag under the table while she nibbled her biscuit.
A slender redhead waltzed into the room, glanced at her, then sauntered over to Candy, who did a double-take when he noticed her and smiled. Annie saw red, fighting the urge to pitch an apple at the woman's head. He was a free man and it wouldn't be polite …
Candy looked about half dazed when the crowd finally left the room. He tugged his vest back on and set to work retying his bandanna. "I think I did buy a suit," he muttered half to himself, and she snorted.
"I heard him talking about six."
"Oh." He shrugged. "A man can use six suits, I guess." She nodded slowly. "That jewelry fella had some good-looking watches." He glanced at her, then did a double-take. "The money … where's the money?!" He leaped for the door and she whistled.
"Looking for this?" She plucked the bag off the floor and held it out. "Put it in the bank. Now."
"Yeah. Then we'll go have a cold beer, what do you say?"
"Joe's gonna be mad we didn't invite him."
"He'll get over it." Candy's grin threatened to split his face. "Come on, sweetheart." They left the hotel, and after a quick stop at the bank, ended up in the Silver Dollar, once again surrounded by people who suddenly decided Candy was worth speaking to. He managed to get the bartender's attention and order a couple of beers without too much trouble. Annie sat in her chair, tapping her nails on the green felt, watching everyone fall over themselves to make sure Candy knew their name. Her chest tightened. Maybe now he'd fully understand …
"Here you go, Candy." The bartender deposited two fancy bottles and two strange looking mugs – since when did the Silver Dollar have steins? – on the table. Annie reached out and picked up a bottle.
"What's this?"
"Imported beer, came from Europe straight around the Horn. Finest around. Of course, it costs a little more, but with Candy a millionaire now, he can afford it."
"I'm not a millionaire," he protested sheepishly and the bartender grinned.
"Still the same Candy. You haven't changed a bit." He hurried away and Annie studied the stein, tipping the silver lid back and peering inside. She glanced up and Candy shrugged. He opened the bottles and filled their mugs.
"So, what do you know about planning parties?"
"Probably not as much as you're hoping." She took a drink, then stared at the contents of the stein with skepticism. She set it down and pushed it to the middle of the table. "I avoided any reason for dressing up –"
"Canaday?" A man approached their table and just stood there. Candy glanced up.
"Howdy."
"Name's Jim Hare." He held out his hand and Candy shook it. "I own the Rocker H. Ranch."
"We know the brand," Annie said slowly, something about his tone she didn't like.
"I've been building it for over ten years. Fighting Paiutes, nesters, rustlers. Got a fair spread now and getting' bigger all the time."
"If I'm in the market for a ranch, I'll look you up."
"What's this Beulah Land Company?" Hare ignored his comment and unfolded a newspaper that he tossed on the table. "Says you're a major stockholder."
"Yeah," Candy said slowly. "That just happened, I haven't really gotten into it yet." They traded glances and Annie raised a brow.
"I have a brother in New York, he's got a wife and five kids. They're doing fine, but he decided he wants to come West. He sold his business and bought two hundred acres of this Beulah Valley. Orchard land, with grass, water, roads, bridges. Now, where is Beulah Valley? I've been in Nevada for twenty years and I've never heard of it."
"I'll find out. Come by the hotel tomorrow and I'll tell you all about it." Hare scowled and stalked out of the saloon. Annie shrugged and sat back in her chair.
"He's not going to wait long for an answer."
"No." Candy glanced over his shoulder. "He's not. So, we'll need a band –"
"Here you are, Mr. Canaday. Finest watches in the world." The jeweler opened his leather case on the table. "Solid gold nugget chains." Candy's eyes lit up and he plucked a gold watch out of the case and opened the face. He glanced up and she shrugged.
"Your money." Candy grinned and carefully inspected the rest of the watches. He went back to the first one he'd picked up and studied it again.
"I'll take this one."
"Excellent choice." The jeweler accepted the handful of bills Candy fished out of his vest pocket, gathered his watch case, and left. A wide grin on his face, Candy rubbed his new watch on his shirt to polish it, then tucked it carefully into his vest and picked up his beer.
"Here's to the biggest party Virginia City's ever seen." Annie raised a brow and he heaved a sigh. "All right. After we go see about this land company. Let's go."
"Bartender said it was down this way." They stopped at the door and Annie looked up. "Brand new sign, too." They went inside and found Jim Hare looming over the desk of a nervous-looking clerk.
"Mr. Perry knows, but he isn't here." Hare straightened and looked back at them over his shoulder before turning his attention back to the clerk.
"When will Mr. Perry be here?"
"Tomorrow. He said he'd be here all day tomorrow."
"So will I." Hare turned, glaring at Candy as he passed them. "You'd better have some answers, too."
"Oh, you're Mr. Canaday!" The clerk brightened. "All that money, it must be wonderful."
"As soon as I find out, I'll let you know. Right now, I'd like to know where Beulah Valley is."
"Well, I don't know, I just started working here. But Mr. Perry did say it was to the east."
"So's New York," Annie said dryly. "I've ridden all over the eastern part of this state and I've never heard of any Beulah Valley."
"How far east?" Candy asked. The clerk shrugged.
"He didn't tell me."
"Of course he didn't," she muttered, and thumbed back her hat. "Maybe we can find out at the courthouse."
"Not today." Candy held up his new watch. "They're closed. Let's go back and finish that seasick beer."
"Seasick is right. But after that I need to get back to the ranch. We'll all ride in tomorrow morning and track down this mysterious valley."
"Sounds like a plan, sweetheart."
"Is he still in there?" Joe scraped a hand over his head. "He's gonna grow fins at this rate." Annie shrugged from her spot on the settee.
"I seem to recall he said something about a four hour bath and he's only half done." Joe's face tried on several of his usual expressions.
"I thought we were going to figure out where this blasted valley is, not wait around on him to turn into a fish before breakfast." She snickered and Joe scoffed in annoyance. "Even you don't take this long."
"I'm not trying to irritate you at the moment."
"Can you two keep it down?" Hoss rubbed his stomach. "We didn't eat nothing fore we left and I'm plumb starved." Joe rolled his eyes.
"Erin brought you half a pound of bacon and half a dozen eggs."
"You ought to know that ain't but a snack for a man my size. I was expecting breakfast as soon as we got here, else I would have asked her for something more substantial."
"All right. All right." Joe threw his hands in the air. He turned and threw the bedroom door open, Hoss on his heels. "Are you finished splashing around? Hoss is about to shrivel up and blow away." A soft chuckle sounded.
"You should listen to your sister more often, Joe. I heard her remind you about my four hour bath – you do remember that water hole, don't you?"
"I'm not likely to forget."
"Go round up double order of everything, boss." Annie frowned at the strange voice, then a Chinese man scurried out of the bedroom, casting glances back over his shoulder at Hoss, and left the suite.
"Who was that?" Joe poked his head out the door. Candy sighed.
"Ah Yee. I hired him this morning. I needed someone to fetch and carry."
"Oh." She bit her lip to hide the growing smirk. "Well, have him fetch your pants before Hoss turns into a pile of dust."
"No need. Breakfast is on its way up."
"Must be nice to be rich."
"Um-hm," Hoss agreed, and Annie snorted.
"What are you two grumbling about? You're just as rich as he is." Probably richer when it came right down to it, Candy only had the royalties from one mining claim after all. "Hop Sing does all the fetching and carrying you can think up." The door swung open and Ah Yee returned with a massive tray loaded down with food that he set on the biggest parlor table and a leather mail sack.
"Breakfast here, boss, and mail."
"Be right out, Ah Yee. Make sure Annie gets whatever she wants before Hoss gets near that food." Joe cackled and Hoss grumbled under his breath.
"Candy, you ought to know better than that."
"I know food tends to disappear around you, old buddy. Hand me my vest, will you?" Minutes later, Candy and her brothers joined her at the breakfast table.
"It's about time," Hoss said, already scooping up a portion for himself. "I was about to shrivel up and blow away." Annie ate quickly and turned her attention to the mail bag Candy had opened, having eaten his breakfast just as fast.
"What's this?"
"Letters from everyone I supposedly know," Candy remarked, eyes scanning a letter. "They all want money."
"Of course, they do." She picked up an envelope and opened it. A snort escaped. "Here's an old friend, wants to borrow $10,000."
"Who is it?"
"Someone named Billy Martingale. He assures you he'll pay it back, at $2 a week." Candy snorted and she crumpled the letter and tossed it over her shoulder.
"Here's one from a girl I went to school with …" His grin faded. "In a town I was never in." That letter joined the first one in the floor. Joe opened one and his eyebrows rose.
"You didn't go to school with this girl, but you know her real well. You ever hear of a Sally Simpson?" He questioned, half a cackle building in his throat. Candy frowned.
"No."
"You're going to." Joe handed over the letter. "Show that to your lawyer." He giggled and reached for another letter. Candy ripped open the one he was holding and grinned.
"Here's a little girl who wants to marry me." A sudden shaft of pain lanced through Annie's chest and she grabbed her water glass. "If I send $3,000, I don't have to come to the wedding." He tossed it over his shoulder and Joe cackled.
"I don't blame her." Heavy pounding on the door startled Ah Yee, who hurried over.
"Go away please, nobody home." It obviously didn't deter whoever was on the other side, as the pounding came again. Ah Yee repeated his message and the stranger announced himself.
"Mr. Canaday, Atworth Perry with Beulah Land Development, I must speak with you." Candy jumped like he'd been stung and tossed the letters aside.
"Let him in." Ah Yee opened the door, and a slimy-looking man slipped inside. Annie leaned back in her chair, arms folded. There was something about him she didn't like already. Candy stood and made his way over to the newcomer. "Mr. Perry?"
"Yes. Mr. Canaday?" They shook hands. "I was sorry to have missed you yesterday, I always like to know our stockholders, particularly when their holdings entitle them to a seat on the board."
"What?"
"The board of directors." The man whipped off his hat and preened. "Your 5,000 shares entitle you handsomely." Her brothers traded amused glances and her eyes narrowed. "May I change my mind and have a cup of coffee?"
"Board of directors," Candy mused with a sideways glance at her. "Oh? Coffee, yes. Sit down and I'll get it for you. How do you take it?"
"Just black, please."
"Ain't that something?" Hoss mused through a mouthful of pancakes. "Yesterday, the only seat he had was on board a horse."
"That's how you succeed though," Joe said. "Hard work and a fella comin' along handin' you a satchel full of money."
"You shall not go unrewarded my friends," Candy said as he returned with Perry's coffee. The man dug something out of his pocket.
"I brought a little booklet that you might study at your leisure. Tells you all about the corporation."
"Oh, thank you." Candy flipped it open.
"We're always on the lookout for capable young men, you know. Have you ever built a bridge, or a road, maybe dug a well?"
"All three," Candy said easily and Perry brightened.
"All three?"
"You ought to see him clean a waterhole," Joe said with a smirk. Annie rolled her eyes.
"You're hired."
"No." Candy reclaimed his seat at the table. "Talk to me in a year or two."
"Maybe I should have phrased that differently." Perry took a drink of his coffee. "I'm offering you a position as vice president." Silence filled the room. "In charge of field operations." Candy sighed.
"I'm retired." Perry shrugged.
"Loafing gets to be pretty hard work. I think you'll find that out in a day or two."
"Mm-mm. No, knowing him, I don't think so." Joe didn't look up from the letter he was reading. "And since you found Mr. Perry, we need to be getting back to the ranch before Pa thinks we retired." Her brother stood up and headed for the door. Annie stood slowly and paused beside Perry.
"Beulah Valley … where is it?" The man looked up at her with an oily smile.
"It's right beside Heaven, little lady."
"I've lived my whole life in Nevada and never heard of it." She gave him a tight smile and headed for the door.
"Well, one of these days I'll take you out and show you," Perry stammered, then turned back to Candy. "Since your friends are leaving, how about we go down and take a look at your new office?"
"I never said I was gonna take that job."
"You said you'd think about it. Might as well take a look at your office." Annie glanced back over her shoulder, glaring at Perry. The man swallowed hard and gave her a wide berth on the way to the door. He kept glancing over his shoulder as they made their way downstairs and she gave him a feral smile each time.
Outside, Candy was swarmed by people clamoring for his attention and Annie shook her head slowly. None of them would care if he hadn't become instantly rich. Harriet Caster pushed her daughter into the middle of the circle and started talking about a horse they wanted to buy. Perry preened. "Nice to know our new vice president is connected to so many important people. I'll be down at the office." He strutted away and a bitter taste filled her mouth.
She was going to knock that idiot flat on his ass.
Annie stormed to the hitch rail and grabbed the pinto's reins, swung into the saddle, and wheeled him around. Joe and Hoss could go home if they wanted to, but she was going digging. Someone had to know where Beulah Valley was and she was going to find them.
"Not that one either?" The old clerk sighed and pushed the heavy volume back into place on his shelf. "I do apologize, Ms. Cartwright. You might try over to Carson City at the title office." She sighed and rubbed at her eyes.
"No time today, Horace, but thanks for the tip." She picked up her hat and pushed back the chair. "Have a nice evening."
"You, too." She headed outside and leaned against the hitch rail. The pinto nosed her shoulder and she rubbed his neck. "It's out there somewhere, I know it is. We'll find it tomorrow." The records had to be in Carson, it was the only place left she hadn't checked. "Come on, let's go home." She mounted up and rode back to the Ponderosa.
Joe met her in the barn, one eyebrow raised. "You too, huh?" She nodded. "Find anything?"
"Not yet. The last fella I talked to suggested I try the title office at Carson City. Candy find out where it is, by any chance?"
"Not that I've heard. Last I saw, he was too busy being important."
"Can you really blame him?" she asked quietly, and Joe scraped a hand through his hair.
"I guess not. He'll be fine, he always is. We'll track down that blasted valley tomorrow."
"Was that a buggy?" Ben frowned and set down his coffee cup. He pushed his chair back and headed for the front door. "Now who could that be?" Just as he reached it, someone knocked, and he quickly opened it to reveal a grinning Candy. "Oh, care for some coffee? Your friend is welcome, too."
"No, thank you. I just stopped by to deliver something." Her father glanced over Candy's shoulder and his eyebrows rose into his hairline, but he didn't say a word. "Sweetheart, you mind coming over here for a minute?" That grin was about to split his face. She tossed her napkin on the table, more interested in who this friend was than anything else. He stopped her before the door. "No peeking." He covered her eyes and guided her out the door. "I promise I won't run you into the hitch rail."
"You better not."
"Cross my heart." He chuckled, then stopped walking. "Okay, turn just a hair to your right. Perfect." He let his hands fall and her jaw dropped. Standing in front of her was the most beautiful blue roan stallion she'd ever seen in her life, tacked up in a fancy silver saddle and headstall, one rein looped over the hitch rail. Black tipped ears flickered and delicate nostrils flared wide.
"Candy … you … what … what is this?"
"He's yours, sweetheart." He gave her a gentle push and she brushed a trembling hand over the animal's velvety muzzle. "I know he'll never be Reno," he continued softly, "but he's as close as I could find. I've worked a lot of ranches in my day, and I remember horses. I sent a wire to an old fella I worked for down in Texas, describing Reno and asking if he had anything similar. Winchester was eventually gonna be his new herd stud, but I convinced him otherwise. He called him Blue but you can change it if you want."
"Candy … I don't know what to say." She half turned, one hand still stroking the blue-black face. "Thank you!" She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed until he laughed. "But why?" He shrugged.
"Call it a birthday present if you want, I know it's early, but what does that matter?" She hugged him again and turned back to the horse. She stroked his gleaming neck, muscles rippling under a coat like blued steel. A pang of regret shot through her chest, but it faded sooner than it used to. "Go on, take him for a ride."
"Candy, you didn't have to do this," Ben said, shaking his head in amazement.
"I wanted to." Candy gestured at the buggy. "In case you hadn't noticed, I brought something for all of you, too." Annie glanced over and spied four silver mounted saddles perched on the buggy seats, but it was the redhead in a red and white calico dress that held her attention. Her chest tightened and she turned away to run her fingers through Blue's silky mane. Candy was his own man, he could do whatever he wanted.
"Candy, thank you, but those are much too fine for working stock men," her father protested. Candy shrugged.
"They're Sunday saddles." He grinned again and retreated to the buggy. "I've got to get back to town."
"Hey," Joe called. "You find out where Beulah Valley is?"
"Not yet. I took the job, though, so I'll find it soon." He hopped back in the buggy and turned the horses. "Enjoy, sweetheart." Joe stared after him, his jaw clenched. Ben frowned.
"What?"
"Beulah Valley." Joe shook his head. "If it's so wonderful, how come no one's heard of it? Annie was all over this part of the state yesterday and didn't find a thing. Come on, let's get to Carson." A grin touched his mouth. "You can try out that new horse while we're at it."
"He's a grand one, to be sure." Erin walked over with a carrot in her hand and the stallion pricked his ears. "He has the look of eagles." For a second, her smile dimmed, then it was back. "I'm sure Reno wouldn't mind."
"No," Annie said, her voice thick. "He wouldn't." Unlike Cochise, Reno had never been a jealous animal. She circled the stallion, noting the rippling muscles and stocky, compact frame so like her little mustang it brought tears to her eyes. "Candy wasn't joking when he said he remembered horses."
"No, he certainly wasn't, little sister," Hoss rumbled, and patted the stallion's hip. "What would you say old Candy paid for this horse, little brother – three hundred?" Joe whistled softly.
"At least." His eyes lit up. "Race you?" They laughed and scrambled to the barn to saddle up while she cooed softly to the stallion and combed his mane. She couldn't wait to let him stretch his legs on the way to Carson City. Those hindquarters promised speed and endurance in spades. "Time's a wasting, little sister, let's go!" She swung into the fancy saddle and wheeled Blue, the stallion whipping around as agilely as a cat. She gave him his head and the race was on, the four of them pounding side by side across the range.
It was quickly apparent that Blue was easily Reno's equal, and Annie relished the feel of a great horse again. She had nothing against the pinto, good as he was, he just wasn't the same caliber of animal. If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine time had slid back and it was Reno tearing along at full speed.
The ride to Carson didn't last nearly long enough. All too soon, they were reining up in front of the title office. She rubbed Blue's neck and scratched under his mane. Candy couldn't have picked a better horse. Joe dismounted and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Now we can't be having this, little sister." His eyes twinkled. "Cochise is the best horse in the state and we all know it."
"Not anymore." Annie swung down. "Let's go find that valley." She gave Blue another pat on the nose and headed inside. They owed it to Candy.
"I do hereby sell for one dollar …" Erin's brow furrowed. "Hoss, why did all these people sell entire ranches for one dollar?"
"The dollar made it legal," Joe said as he flipped several pages in the thick volume he was reading. Hoss frowned.
"Is your name Hoss, little brother? Now, Joe is right, but it also meant the seller didn't have to tell you what you was buying neither."
"Oh. So there was probably something wrong with the property?"
"Could have been." Hoss shook his head and closed the volume he had, shoving it aside and picking up another. "There sure is enough of them, ain't there?"
"You can say that again." Annie flipped another page and squinted at the faded writing. "There's no reference to a Beulah Valley anywhere in here. I don't think it exists."
"Probably just a new name," Joe mused as he kept scanning entries. "We just need to find something transferring a large tract of land to this Atworth Perry."
"I don't think he exists neither," Hoss said. Annie turned a page, then another, and froze.
"Atworth Perry." The rest of them glanced up. "I do hereby sell for the sum of one dollar … section 21, 22, 24, 26, 27, and a whole lot more. Township 12."
"That's it." Joe jumped up. "Let's take a look at that map." They left the table and Joe ran a finger over the neatly labeled map. "Section 21 and 22 …" Annie followed his finger and her heart sank into the pit of her stomach.
"Don't bother. We've been there." His hand fell and he sighed.
"We sure have. Let's go." The four of them rushed from the title office and mounted up. Erin nibbled on her bottom lip.
"Should I go back to the ranch? If it's as bad as your faces are saying, Candy may not want anyone else present when he finds out whatever's going on."
"He wouldn't mind, darling, you're family. But if you'd rather not …" Hoss trailed off. "Actually, it might be better if we all go back to the house." He threw a pointed glance at Annie and Joe hummed agreement.
"Yeah, I see your point, big brother." They turned their horses towards home, and Annie nudged Blue into a ground-eating lope for Virginia City.
She paused at the livery to collect the Honeycomb gelding and led him up the street to the hotel. Candy was standing on the porch with Ruth Caster. He threw her a smile, but started to walk back inside with Ruth. "Candy, you mind coming for a ride?"
"Now?" He looked around. "I'd love to, sweetheart, but I kind of already have plans."
"There's something you need to see."
"But –"
"Candy," Ruth interrupted. "It sounds important, you should go."
"Yeah." He touched her cheek. "But I'll be back." Annie's chest tightened and she looked away. Candy jumped over the porch rail and mounted up. She turned Blue and loped out of town, not stopping until they'd reached the edge of section 22. She turned the stallion and waited for Candy to take in the desolate view, nothing but rock and scrub visible as far as the eye could see.
"All right, sweetheart, what are we looking at? I know it has to be important or you wouldn't have hauled me out here."
"This is Beulah Valley," she said shortly. "Perry bought 15,000 acres of this paradise for Beulah Corporation." She turned to face him. "It used to be called Starvation Flats." Candy jerked like he'd been stung and stared out over the wasteland again, his face falling.
"Are you sure?"
"We looked it up." She thumbed back her hat. "I wish we were wrong, but we're not." She sighed. "What are you going to do about it?"
"Me? What can I do?" Her head whipped around and she wheeled Blue.
"You're a stockholder and vice president." He said nothing for a long minute, staring out at Perry's fraudulent paradise. Then, he turned back, eyes diamond hard, and backed the Honeycomb gelding, putting the animal into a gallop back towards town. "For a second there, I wondered," she muttered, and turned Blue to follow Candy. He made a beeline back to the Beulah Land Corporation office and darted inside like his tail was on fire. Annie tied Blue at the hitch rail, pausing to stroke his face on her way by, and walked inside smack into the middle of a very heated discussion.
"Beulah Valley's a lot closer to hell than it is to heaven." Candy leaned on Perry's desk, the man himself perched smugly on his chair, a book in his hands. "Even the lizards can't live out there, there's nothing but sand, alkali, and rocks. You couldn't grow anything but a dust storm on that land!" Perry gave him a condescending smile that slipped a notch when his gaze landed on her. Oh, he knew she'd tracked down the truth, and he didn't like it.
"You're partly right." He jerked his thumb at flowerpot on his windowsill. "The proof is in that pot. That's soil from Beulah Valley," he said slowly, as though explaining something obvious to a child. "Add some fertilizer and water, that makes all the difference."
"But there's no water out there," she explained, just as slowly, and Perry scowled.
"Death Valley is a garden spot compared to what you're selling," Candy hissed.
"It's a perfectly legal operation, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We have not, and will not, break any laws."
"You told Jim Hare's brother he was buying orchard land," Candy protested. "That's gotta be fraud."
"It is," Annie said, a sour taste backing up in her throat. "If that's how he phrased it on the paperwork." Candy half turned.
"What do you mean?"
"I see your friend already knows, but you might as well sit down, Mr. Canaday, and learn some of the facts about corporate life."
"I'm listening." She was surprised he didn't break his jaw. Perry smirked and ran his hand over the gleaming leather book.
"We don't sell land to individuals, only to the Beulah Land Development Company, which is a separate entity, a sales organization with offices in the major cities back east." Candy shoved off the desk and prowled the room like a caged wolf.
"And they do the selling and tell the lies." Perry shrugged.
"Salesmen do … exaggerate. If Mr. Hare reads his contract, he'll find out he got exactly what he paid for: two hundred acres of land."
"What about the roads, the good grass, the water?" Candy slung the booklet Perry had given him on the desk.
"Roads will be built, wells will be dug. All part of our arrangement with Beulah land Development Cor –"
"When do you start?" If he was annoyed at the interruption, it didn't show.
"We're in the planning stage right now. As soon as our plans are completed, we'll start assembling equipment and the crews –"
"When?" Perry shook his head with an amused smirk.
"That's kind of hard to say. Our vice president in charge of field operations has been much too busy to talk about it."
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"I'm supposed to dig the wells and find the water?"
"That's right."
"But there's nothing out there," Annie broke in. Candy stormed away from the desk and Perry smirked again.
"It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, been that way since the dawn of time. The Romans even had a phrase for it: caveat emptor, let the buyer beware. Your lovely friend here could tell you all about it, I'm sure. I doubt old Ben Cartwright got to where he is by playing nice."
"Pa would never cheat a man."
"There's got to be a way to stop you." Candy snatched the booklet from Perry's hand and grabbed his hat. Annie turned for the door.
"Before you go bucking and kicking and spending a lot of time and money on expensive lawyers, you'd better stop and think about the stock that you own. Could make you a very rich man, great fortunes are started this way." She looked back over her shoulder, found Candy looking at her with tortured eyes. "And remember, it's perfectly legal." His jaw firmed and he stormed past her, the door slamming in his wake. Perry scoffed and got up to water his plant. Annie took one step closer and he glanced up. "Is there something you would care to add?"
"You don't know who you've just crossed." Calmly, she opened the door and left, finally catching up to Candy in the front room of his hotel suite. "Hop Sing, what brought you to town?"
"Mistah Candy get cheated!" Their cook thrust a stack of bills in her face. "Ah Yee double bills at every merchant! This one he multiply ten times! I fire!" Candy flung his hat on the sofa and raked a hand through his hair.
"Thanks, Hop Sing." Vindicated, their cook went back into the other room and Candy sighed. "I need a drink." He stalked over to the decanter on the side table and poured a glass. "You want one?"
"No, thanks. What now?"
"You heard him." Candy threw back the whiskey in one gulp. "The law can't touch it."
"There's a way, they always make some little mistake."
"And by the time we find it – if we find it – he's already sold all of that desert, and we're too late." He stared off into the distance. "And if I do nothing, I could be as rich as your pa." What? Annie stiffened. He couldn't be serious.
"He sells 15,000 acres of wasteland, a lot of people are going to get hurt."
"What can I do, sweetheart? The contract is for land only, none of the promised improvements. He'll say if a salesman back east stretched the truth how is it his fault?" Her heart cracked and she turned away. "Wait, where are you going?" She glanced back and met his haunted eyes with her own diamond hard gaze. She said nothing as she slipped out the door and stalked downstairs. She snatched Blue's reins from the hitch rail and mounted up, wheeling the stallion and exploding into a full gallop from a standstill. People on the street jumped out of her way, whispers flying in her wake, but she paid no attention to any of it.
How could he even think of standing aside? How could the same man who gave her such a wonderful gift ignore Perry's actions? She knew money could change people, but she'd never thought Candy would be one of them. What could possibly make him do that? How could he live with himself if he did nothing?
The ride home passed in a blur, she could have ridden straight into Lake Tahoe for all she knew. She took her time cooling Blue out until she was sure she wouldn't explode when they asked her what had happened. Blue nickered softly and she threw her arms around his neck, inhaling the comforting scent of horse.
How?
When she walked into the house, all of them were at the table, and going by the dismayed look on Hoss' face, they were waiting supper on her. Ben raised an eyebrow and she shook her head. Hoss. Joe, and Erin traded glances. "Perry says it's legal, the law can't touch him, and Candy isn't going to do anything about it," she said simply, sat down, and began to fill her plate, her movements jerky. Joe scooted his chair a few inches farther away from her and she raised an eyebrow. He shrugged and made a face.
"You've got that look again," he muttered, and focused on his plate. Annie pressed her lips together and said nothing, concentrating on her food. They were almost finished when someone knocked at the door. She was closest, but since she had a pretty good idea who was on the other side, she wasn't going anywhere. Ben glanced between the four of them and sighed, then jerked his chin at Hoss. Her brother hid a smile and went to answer the door.
"Candy."
"Can I come in?"
"Sure." Boots rang on the floor and the weight of eyes landed on her. Ben glanced up from his plate.
"There's plenty left, sit down." She peered sideways out of the corner of her eye in time to see him swallow hard. He turned his hat over in his hands.
"I need your help." Ben nodded at the empty chair.
"Sit down. Have something to eat and tell us about it." His throat worked and he took his usual chair in silence. Which put him right beside her. Candy darted a quick glance at her face and swallowed again.
"I've been trying to figure out a way to stop Perry, with no luck." She and her brothers exchanged glances. Erin touched Hoss' hand. Ben cut off another bite.
"The Beulah Land Corporation sells only to corporations outside the state. Is that the trouble?"
"Yes. And they don't make any promises they can't keep. Other corporations do that." Her pa nodded at the bowl of dumplings.
"Hop Sing outdid himself, have some dumplings. Hop Sing, bring another plate." He watched as Candy filled his plate. "You know, there's actually a very simple way to bring Perry down." Candy's head jerked up.
"How?"
"They just need to sell land to an individual in the state of Nevada." Candy slumped in his chair.
"Perry would never do that."
"Who said it had to be Perry? You're the vice president, can't you sell land on your own?" She asked with a sly smile, and Ben nodded slowly.
"She's right, Candy. We can stop him, if you really want to."
"Yes."
"All right. I'll buy two hundred acres of this wonderful Beulah Valley. Hoss, saddle my horse, I'm going into town, and sending a wire to Mr. Thurston, the state land commissioner. He'll help us fix Atworth Perry."
"He ought to be showing his slimy hide any minute now." Annie peered through the gap in the door. "Mr. Thurston just went inside." Perry struck her as the type to know what was going on and when. Especially since the land commissioner's return wire indicated he was already well-acquainted with Atworth Perry. "He's going to rub it in our faces that we can't stop him." Or so he thought. Footsteps echoed on the stairs and Perry appeared on the landing, a leather case tucked under his arm and a slimy smile on his face. He breezed right into Candy's room without bothering to knock and Joe whistled softly.
"Not short on nerve, is he?"
"He thinks he's holding all aces."
"Not for long," Hoss rumbled. "Let's go." The three of them slipped out of the adjacent hotel room, drew their guns, and waited. It wasn't long before raised voices filtered through the door.
"I'm not going to jail!" The door opened and Perry darted into the hall, a tiny pistol in his hand. They met him with a wall of armed Cartwrights and the oily sneer slipped off his face. He raised his hands and fumbled for the doorknob. They marched him back inside to the delight of George Thurston. Hoss shrugged.
"We just happened to be passing by and seen this feller backing out with a gun in his hand."
"I see. And how long were you just passing by?"
"Ever since you came in," Annie replied, fighting a smirk of her own. She holstered her pistol and shook her head. "One of these days someone is going to surprise me and actually believe it when I tell him he doesn't know who he's messing with." Perry smothered a growl and shook his head in disgust. Thurston chuckled.
"Well, if you all could escort us down to the sheriff, I have a feeling he's going to want to talk to Mr. Perry here." He couldn't seem to stop grinning. "I almost can't believe I finally got him."
"There you are, my friend." Candy refilled someone's glass. He turned and stopped her pa and George Thurston. "More champagne?"
"Oh, no, thank you, Candy, not right now. There are some reporters waiting downstairs to talk to George and me about the Beulah Land Development Corporation."
"The rise and decline," George added with a satisfied smile. Candy grinned and held up the champagne bottle.
"Hurry back, there's plenty more of this." Ben slapped him on the back and he and George left. Candy made his way to Ruth and Harriet to refill their glasses and Annie's grip tightened on her glass. It didn't help that the redhead, whose name she'd learned was Melody, was floating around either.
"I think it was just wonderful giving all that money away," Ruth said, peering up at Candy through her lashes.
"I couldn't let those people who'd bought part of that wasteland lose everything." Joe caught his arm as he hurried past.
"Hey, stop popping around like a bug in a bottle and enjoy your party."
"I will in a minute." Annie rolled her eyes and plucked the bottle from his hands and set it on the table.
"Now." She tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and smiled, her heart skipping a beat over how close they were. "I'm proud of you for helping all those families."
"Like you said, I was the vice president." He shrugged. "Standard royalties may not be the same as fifty thousand in cash, but it adds up over time. If the claim actually pans out. Besides, I already bought what was important."
"Like your watch."
"That, too." He tugged it out of his vest pocket and checked the time. "But I was actually talking about Blue." His smile slipped a notch. "I still feel partly responsible for Reno –"
"It wasn't your fault."
"If you say so, sweetheart." He drew in a breath. "I'm just glad you like him. Rudy thought I was crazy sending a wire that long over a horse," he said on a laugh.
"I say you are," Joe muttered, and Hoss elbowed him in the ribs. Erin laughed and sipped at her champagne.
"It takes one to know one, or so I've heard," she said with a grin and Joe sputtered a moment accompanied by their laughter.
"That's right, go ahead and laugh now. It's crazy to spend that much on a horse, no matter how good."
"You spent two hundred on that Appaloosa you gave to Jocova," Candy said without missing a beat. "So, what does that make you?" Joe sputtered again and shook his head.
"Give him a little money and see how ungrateful he is? Without that horse, you'd have been hung my friend." Annie drove an elbow into his ribs and he yelped. "What was that for?"
"I'm your sister, I don't need a reason," she retorted and Candy laughed.
"She's got you there, Joe. More champagne?"
"Oh, no." Her brother turned to Melody and smiled. "I was hoping this pretty lady would honor me with a dance and I'd rather not step on her toes."
"Of course." Melody set her glass on the table and the two of them headed downstairs to join the crowd already dancing in the hotel ballroom. Hoss took one look at Erin and set his glass down, too.
"Wait up, little brother, we're gonna join you." They left, and she was alone with Candy. He chuckled nervously and looked around.
"This ain't your brother's wedding, but … I'm not as poor as I –" Hope soared, only to be shot to earth when Ruth scurried over, clutching at Candy's arm.
"You promised me a dance, remember?"
"Yeah, I did." He looked back to Annie and forced a smile. "I'll be back in a few minutes, I promise." She forced a smile of her own and waved him on, picking up her glass and downing a large swallow.
She was a Cartwright, she could have anything she wanted. She turned, watching them wander downstairs. Except the only thing that really mattered.