To Desire a Wilde (3 page)

“Yeah, well, anyway, our little Ellie has grown up and is working for the USDA. And apparently she's the vet they assigned to come and investigate.”

“Wait a minute…back up. Ellie is investigating us?” When his brother stared at him as though he had grown two heads, Shilah realized that he must have lost a thread of their conversation, his mind on Ellie.

“Uh…yeah. We just talked about that. USDA is sending out their own investigator about the report?”

“Yes, I got that part. I missed the part about what Ellie has to do with that. How exactly…when…. did she get involved with the case?”

“Now, that I don't know. But I'm sure Nate will fill us in when he gets back home.” A glance at his watch and Holt cursed. “Damn, I was supposed to leave ten minutes ago to pick up Yaz from town.”

With that he bolted out of the kitchen, leaving Shilah with his thoughts.

Left alone, Shilah thought back to his conversation with Ellie. Each time he'd been set to ask her about what
she'd been doing, somehow the conversation had turned and he'd been doing the talking. A seed of doubt crept into his mind. Had she been so absorbed in him…in the conversation, to distract him away from asking what she was doing at the ranch?

He shook his head. No, not Ellie. Besides, she wouldn't do anything to harm the ranch, he reasoned. She loved it as much as any of them did.

But why hadn't she told him why she was on the ranch? The question nagged at him as he left the house, turning over in his mind Ellie's reason for not mentioning her role with the ranch.

“I
s that you, baby girl?”

No sooner had Ellie walked inside her parents' house, than she heard her mother calling out to her.

With a tired sigh, she placed her bag down on the hallway table and walked farther inside, spying her mother in the kitchen, an apron tied around her ample hips.

“Is Dad home?” she asked.

“No, he got a call from the Petersons. Seems one of their prize goats has gone into a difficult labor,” her mother replied, casually.

Ellie laughed. To any other person that would have seemed like an odd statement, but she'd learned it all in stride, having grown up with a father who not only worked as the veterinarian for the Wilde Ranch, but also served as a veterinarian to farm animals and pets…and
goat farmers. Although many of the local farms and ranches had been sold to major corporations, her father maintained a thriving practice.

She walked into the kitchen, leaned over her mother's shoulder and inhaled.

“Hmm…that smells great, Mom. What are you making?”

“Oh, just a little something I threw together.”

Ellie opened the refrigerator, pulled out a can of cola and grinned at her mother.

“Something you just threw together, huh?” she asked, seeing the small smile playing around the corners of her mother's mouth.

“It's your favorite—pot roast. It's not every day my only child returns home,” she quipped. Although it was said lightly, Ellie frowned. She opened her mouth to remind her mother that she didn't know how long she'd be home, but just as quickly closed it.

That was just it. She herself didn't know how long that would be.

Her return home had come at a time when she was deciding the next course in her career, her life.

Instead of joining her dad in practice after graduating, Ellie had chosen to do an extended study in animal husbandry at an overseas tertiary institution. Although her parents had been proud of her, having been chosen among thousands of applicants, she knew her father had also been disappointed that she hadn't joined him in his practice.

But, as much as she loved her parents, appreciated them, after the accident she'd suffered as a child and the looks of pity she'd come to abhor as she'd grown older,
Ellie knew that she had to leave Lander, the home she'd grown up in.

Even if that had meant leaving her parents, and the community, the only home she known for all of her life.

Completing the extended study, she'd elected to remain for a period of time as an associate professor as well as vet for the small rural community she'd come to love. But, after her last visit home, she'd been struck by how much her parents had aged despite their active lifestyle, and decided it was time to come home.

Not only for her parents, but for herself, as well.

A ghost of a smile graced Ellie's mouth as she watched her mother fussing over the food she'd prepared. Ellie had been home for almost a week, and every day her mother had “thrown together” something special for her for dinner. And breakfast, as well as anytime Ellie walked into the house.

She glanced around the immaculately kept home. Nothing was ever out of place. From the crocheted doilies set on the highly polished kitchen table that her father had made when he'd first married her mother, to the cherrywood floors and every knickknack in between, everything was neat and orderly.

Her mother turned toward her, a small smile on her face, “It's good to have you home, baby. We've missed you.”

A wealth of emotion passed along the older woman's features and Ellie paused before moving toward her mother near the stove.

“Have a seat, Mom. Let me do that,” she said softly. But when she tried taking the plate from her mother's hand, she was gently, but firmly, moved away.

“You go sit down and tell me how your day went. I told you…I enjoy doing this,” her mother replied. Ellie shook her head, but lifted her cola can from the counter and sat at the table. Her glance went over the table set with silverware. In the middle of the table a basket was filled with bread, a large bowl of salad nearby.

“How'd the first day go? Did you get to talk to the boys?” Leandra Crandall asked, as she went about filling two plates before walking to the table and placing them down. Immediately she walked to the refrigerator and removed a pitcher of tea and brought it to the table.

Running a critical eye over the table, making sure she hadn't left anything out, finally Ellie's mother sat down next to her.

Ellie reached over to remove a roll from the basket, her stomach growling. Her mother's sharp tap on the back of her hand and scowl stopped her from taking a healthy bite. Ellie bit her lip to prevent a laugh at the silent admonishment.

“Oops, sorry, Mom,” she mumbled, and bowed her head as her mother said grace.

Once her mother had blessed the food to her satisfaction, she turned to Ellie, raising a brow.

“What?” Ellie asked, swallowing down a sigh. If her mother didn't just let her eat, she would scream.

“Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Did you get to talk to the boys?” Leandra asked.

“If by boys, you mean Nate or Holt, the answer would be no.”

“And what about Shilah?” her mother replied, as she began to eat.

“No,” Ellie replied shortly, after a brief pause. When
her mother stared at her she felt like a deer caught in the headlights.

“What, Ma?” she asked, around a bite of food.

She felt as she had as a child whenever her parents caught her telling a lie. She felt the tips of her ears burn, something that happened whenever she hedged on the truth.

“Hmm,” was her mother's noncommittal reply, and Ellie's ears burned even hotter.

After a few moments of silence, Ellie reluctantly spoke. “Okay, so I did run into Shilah. But we didn't get a chance to talk about the ranch, at least not about my involvement with the USDA.”

“Oh, really? So, if you didn't talk about the ranch, what did you talk about?” her mother asked, a gleam in her eye. Ellie quickly picked up her glass of tea and took a deep drink.

“Oh, nothing important. Mainly just caught up. It's been a while since we've seen each other,” she said with a shrug, forcing a lightness to her expression she was anything but feeling.

“He didn't bring up the troubles going on at the ranch?” her mother probed.

Ellie inhaled a deep breath, thoughtfully chewing. At that point she would give every one of her advanced degrees to make her mother just drop the subjects of both the Wilde Ranch and Shilah.

“No. Like I said, we just caught up on old times. Hmm, Ma, did you put cinnamon in these rolls? I really have missed your cooking,” she said, smiling.

Although her enthusiastic reaction to her mother's rolls was feigned, she mentally held her breath, hoping
her mother would at least take the hint that Ellie didn't want to discuss the ranch.

“Hey, thanks again for setting up my office for me, you and dad did a great job.”

“Do you really like it? I didn't go overboard with all your plaques? As soon as it was official, I couldn't wait to get may hands on it and decorate,” Leandra said, a smile splitting across her face. Ellie let out a long breath, relieved that she'd managed to shift the topic away from Shilah.

When she'd accepted the job offer from Jasper and Brant, a subcontractor to the USDA, along with it she was offered an office in town, set up with facilities for her to do rudimentary tests on the ranch's equipment. She'd declined, choosing instead to work out of her father's office.

Still active, her mother continued to serve as her father's assistant at his clinic. Her barely lined face belied her age, yet she, as well as Ellie's father, was in her mid-seventies.

Ellie thought back to her decision to return home, a decision she'd made well before accepting the offer to work for the USDA. She knew that, although she wasn't sure how long she'd stay here at home, she'd made the right choice.

“Do you think the boys will be okay?” her mother asked. She was pulling Ellie out of her thoughts and managing to drag the subject back to the very one Ellie was determined not to talk about.

She glanced over at her mother and saw her shifting the food around her plate with her fork, a frown marring her otherwise smooth forehead. Ellie placed her fork down and sighed.

“I'm sure they will, Mom. But you know I can't discuss the case.”

She knew that her mother wanted the best for the men, for their ranch, their shared history stretching back to the days when Ellie's father and Jed Wilde had been young men. They'd both set out to accomplish goals with odds stacked against them. But Ellie couldn't discuss the case with her mother, or anyone else, outside of her direct supervisor.

Ellie didn't want to chance any sort of taint on her investigation, and the best way to do that was to keep the topic away from her involvement.

Her mother reached over and patted Ellie's hand, nodding her head in understanding.

“You don't have to say another word, baby girl. I understand. I'm sure everything will work out in the end. It always does.”

“I'm sure it will, Mom.”

As the two women silently finished their meal, Ellie's thoughts turned to the investigation, and she silently prayed that her mother's wish—a wish she shared—would prove true and her investigation would lead to clearing the ranch.

“S
o, that about sums it up. With this information at least we know where we stand.” Nate paused and glanced around the room. “We have an idea of what we're up against and a plan to beat it.”

Althea, who stood close to Nate as he briefed the family, leaned over and grasped his hand in hers, squeezing it, giving him an intimate look. Shilah saw his brother immediately turn her way, the hard look on his face gentling, as he pulled her tighter against him before he turned back to face the family.

“The accusations aren't founded on anything more than rumor and hearsay. Good thing for us that's all they've got going right now. Whoever the hell is behind this—”

“As though we don't know who the hell
that
is,” Holt broke in, disgusted, pacing the length of the living room. “We all know Rolling Hills is behind this.”

Nate ran a hand through his short, thick hair and sighed. “Yeah, well, the truth is the USDA knows, as well. There was a leak within Rolling Hills that linked them with the allegations against us. None of that really matters now. USDA has no choice but to investigate all rumors—”

“Then why don't they go to the source? Stop with all the accusations against us. They know it's all bullshit, anyway—”

“Because they have to investigate, Holt. They don't…can't take accusations of mad cow lightly. It's something they have no choice but to investigate, no matter what their relationship is with us,” Shilah interjected. “Look, from what you've told us it seems pretty clear what our course of action is. We sit back, participate in this investigation and let the truth speak for itself. We'll be cleared and this will be over.”

It was late and everyone was starting to feel the stress from the long day. Tension was thick in the large family room where they'd gathered to discuss the additional information Nate and Althea had brought back with them.

Although the couple had returned home from Cheyenne several nights ago, this was the first time everyone had managed to get together in one place. Despite their exhaustion from the busy day, all duties had been completed or temporarily shelved in order to deal with the immediacy of their situation.

Nate had been in contact with a friend who worked for the USDA, and several months ago Nate had been told that a slaughterhouse the ranch used had been accused of selling sick cattle. Without the ranchers' knowledge, the slaughterhouse had been investigated thoroughly,
but no animals, including those that came from Wilde Ranch, had shown evidence of the fatal disease.

The matter had been dropped, only to resurface last month when several children had gotten sick from meat, thought to be infected with mad cow, they'd eaten at a fast-food restaurant.

Just the mention of mad cow, particularly after a devastating outbreak that had occurred several years ago, made the USDA know it would be a public-relations nightmare if the rumor leaked to the press.

From his friend, Nate had also learned that the allegation had been lodged directly against Wilde Ranch. Although the slaughterhouse they used had been cleared earlier, because of the fear of public outcry the decision had been made to investigate the meat coming from their ranch, pending an investigation.

“Let's just be damn glad they didn't quarantine us,” Shilah said, his tone grim.

“Exactly,” Nate replied, his tone just as somber. “All they have is a rumor and a helluva lot of speculation—”

“A damn lie, that's what it is,” Holt barked, and Nate nodded his head.

“Yeah, a lie, but a lie that could have gone a long way toward shutting us down. At least we're given the time to prove our innocence and that a lie is all this is.” He paused and took a deep breath. “And that's where Ellie fits in,” he said. And at mention of her name, Shilah raised his eyes, narrowed them.

“She's working as a subcontractor. She'll be at the ranch, observing the animals for usual signs of the disease, as well as taking blood samples.”

“And how did she become involved?”

“This I don't know. I'm only glad that she is, not
because I expect any favors, but because she is someone we know, someone we trust. Someone we know isn't in Rolling Hills's back pocket,” Nate replied.

He went on to inform them that she would be on the ranch over the next several weeks, and that she
would
have their full cooperation.

“But…despite the fact that we consider her like family, we need to keep it business. Not interfere—no taint of interference can be on this investigation. This has to be legit, up front. This is the only way to squash all the bullshit rumors.”

After speaking, he glanced over at each of them, waiting for everyone's consent. When his glance landed on Shilah, he saw his brother frown, a look crossing his face, before his gaze moved on.

Shilah pushed off the wall he'd been leaning against, feeling his body tense.

“We have to clear our ranch. Our name,” he finished, encompassing everyone in his statement.

Shilah's glance slid around the room, going to each face. Tension and underlying fear was thick, palpable in the room. Yet, a steely look of determination was on both of his brothers' faces, as well. The Wilde brothers wouldn't go down easily.

“I guess you're right. Ellie's investigation will not turn up one damn thing wrong with our processing of the animals, or the animals themselves,” Holt said, walking over to Yasmine, looping his arm casually around her shoulders.

“I've asked her to come tomorrow and speak to the men. Explain what she's doing here, and what her role is. I've also told the men to give her their full support. Anything she asks for, any help she needs is to be given.
And of course we'll do the same,” Nate finished, and everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

The birds chimed from the antique grandfather clock that stood in the corner of the room, indicating it was now past midnight.

Nate glanced toward the clock before rising, lifting Althea's hand and facing his brothers. “That's it, fam,” he started. “We go on with running the ranch, doing what we do—”

“And doing it damn good,” Holt interjected, a grin on his tired face.

“That's the only way we Wildes know how to do it,” Shilah agreed, and the brothers all shared a look.

As they all began to disperse, Nate called out to him, asking to have a word with him before he left. Nate waited until they were alone before he began to speak.

“Shilah, we need to discuss something.” Nate approached, a worried frown pulling his brows together. Something told Shilah the discussion centered around Ellie.

Although carefully keeping his expression neutral, Shilah wracked his brain wondering how…
if
his brother had somehow found out about his involvement with Ellie.

He mentally cursed. Hell, talk about jumping the damn gun. He'd only had a one-hour conversation with her and here he was thinking, if only in his mind, that they were involved.

Nate stopped in front of him, crossing his arms over his chest, and stared at Shilah. With his brows together, the expression on his set face confirmed to Shilah that somehow his brother had figured out there was something going on between him and Ellie.

Even though Shilah himself hadn't figured out exactly what that was, he was damned if he was going to allow anyone to stop him from finding out.

Shilah pushed away from the wall, feeling the muscles in his neck, his entire body, tense as he faced his brother.

“Listen, we need to talk about Ellie.”

Even if that meant going against his entire family.