Chapter 18 BACK IN HOLLOWMERE 2
"May I ask what's going on here?" I interrupted calmly, turning their attention toward me. And just like before, her gaze cut through me like a blade. The hatred in her eyes deepened. Anger. Resentment. And something I couldn't quite place-something colder than hate.
Why was she looking at me like that?
It's not like I was stealing the damn ranch. I was offering to pay for it. Fair and square.
"I apologize for the inconvenience, Mr. Lennox," Mayor Ridge said quickly, stepping in like he was trying to control the chaos. "Please allow me some time to speak with Miss Carter. I'll update you shortly."
But Nancy wasn't done.
"Talk things out?" she repeated, her voice dropping in pitch as a bitter scoff left her lips. She looked at me again-closer now, her eyes seething.
"Look, Mr. Lennox-or whatever the hell your name is-I suggest you fuck off. Stay the hell away from my family and far away from our home." Her words struck like bullets, each one laced with venom, and her stare could've frozen hell over.
"Nancy!" Mayor Ridge called after her, rubbing his temples as frustration seeped through his voice. But she didn't wait. She turned on her heels and stormed out of the building, her anger echoing in her wake. The Mayor followed closely behind, leaving Troy and me standing in the eye of her storm.
Who the hell is she?
Something about that rage wasn't just about the ranch. That kind of anger doesn't come from property disputes alone. That was personal.
"Damn, she's got one hell of a temper," Troy muttered, half in awe, half in disbelief. "But seriously... What's her deal? It's not like we're the first people interested in that ranch. And it's not even doing well. So why act like we're stealing gold?"
"Beats me," I replied, feeling the growing urge to approach her. There was something familiar about her-like I'd seen her before. But then again, it wasn't really my call.
"Are you planning on giving up the ranch because of her?" Troy asked, arching a brow.
"Why should I?" I shot back. "Our plan has always been to buy the ranch and keep it under wraps so the suspect doesn't get wind of it. I need him to remain on that ranch if I'm going to catch him. I have to know what connection he has with the witch."
"It's already obvious, Jaxon. There's no way Mr. Randy isn't related to your family," Troy said firmly. "He has the Lennox eyes-it's a family trait. We just need to figure out if the witch is really his mother, and get him to reveal what he knows. But I doubt he'll trust us once he starts putting the pieces together."
He wasn't wrong.
What was I thinking? That I could quietly buy the house he's living in and expect him not to notice? There's no way this is going to go as smoothly as I had originally planned.
Then it hit me-buying the house could actually drive him away. But maybe a different approach wouldn't. Something like striking a deal... with Miss Carter.
"Troy, I think we've been going about this the wrong way," I said suddenly.
"What do you mean?" Troy asked, confusion etched across his face.
"Even if Miss Carter is fuming just because we're trying to buy off a ranch that's practically dying, I don't think we're the only ones. Something tells me the witch is trying to buy the same property too."
"So what are you getting at?" Troy asked, visibly impatient now.
"I'm going to make a deal with Miss Carter," I said, my voice firm, though the confusion on Troy's face only deepened.
"I don't get it," he said slowly. "How is making a deal with Miss Carter going to help us get the information we need?"
"Think about it-Mr. Randy moved in here a few years after the death of his foster mother, and it's been nearly five years. That's plenty of time to build trust with the Carters. If I promise Miss Carter the safety of her parents' ranch in exchange for information on Randy, she might help us."
Troy just stared at me like I had completely lost it.
"You're serious?" he asked in disbelief. "You really think Miss Carter-just one woman-is going to uncover what a whole network of professionals couldn't?"
"Yes. Because sometimes, people will do things they never thought possible when they're desperate. And she looked desperate," I said calmly. "We are going to buy that ranch no matter what. Because that's going to be the only leverage I'll have over her."
Troy still didn't look convinced.
"I don't think it's a good plan, Jaxon," he said, shaking his head. "We don't even know how close Mr. Randy is to the Carters. And even if they are close, what makes you think Miss Carter would know such personal information about him?"
He leaned forward, voice low and serious. "And let's not forget-there's no way we can hide the fact that you're purchasing the ranch from Randy. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he already knows."
"Why did you say that?" I asked, genuinely confused by what he meant.
"Think about it," Troy said, folding his arms. "I already showed you that photo-Mr. Randy and the witch meeting at a restaurant in Westcliffe. It was as discreet as it could possibly get. And you think she didn't mention the land to him? That's impossible."
He sounded so certain, like he'd already pieced together a puzzle I hadn't even begun.
"Let's not jump to conclusions until we know what kind of relationship they actually have," I said with a sigh, turning and walking over to the tall glass window of Mayor Ridge's office. I stared out silently, watching Miss Carter still fuming as she stood outside.
Her posture was tense, her expression rigid with fury even as she stormed toward a waiting taxi. Mayor Ridge stood beside her, trying to calm her down. But she wasn't having any of it. She got in the car, and within seconds, it sped off.
I couldn't look away.
I just couldn't help but wonder-what exactly was her deal?
"She does have a temper," Troy murmured beside me, announcing his presence like he always does when he wants to be heard.
"I'm paying the Carters a visit," I said without turning.
"I'm sorry, what?" Troy asked, startled. But before I could answer, footsteps echoed behind us. We both turned to see Mayor Ridge walking in, his expression deeply troubled.
"I'm really sorry about her behavior," he said immediately, trying to smooth things over. "She's been through a lot. She was out of town when her parents agreed to sell the ranch, so she's just... reacting emotionally."
Right. Blame the emotional woman. Classic.
"Fix this. And call me once you've secured a date for the final purchase," I said coldly, brushing past him and making my way out of the office.
He's terrible at hiding his greed. Every move, every word, reeked of desperation to close this deal. He's obviously all-in on selling the Carter ranch.
I hate that I have to play this game.
And yet, even after everything, I still don't have the answers I came here for. My mind was spinning, and the frustration in my chest made me feel like I was drowning in a storm of questions with no anchor.
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Nancy's POV
As the taxi pulled up in front of my house, I sat frozen, unable to move. My fingers gripped the handle of my luggage tightly, but my body refused to leave the car. My mind, however, was a chaos I couldn't silence.
I know things haven't been perfect lately-our ranch may be struggling-but my parents? They would never sell this land. Not for any price.
This ranch is their soul. It's where their story began. Where everything started. So how on earth did Mayor Ridge convince them to sell it off like it meant nothing?
I finally paid the driver, murmured a soft thank you, and stepped out, grabbing my bag. The sun had long set, leaving the sky tinged with the last traces of orange and purple that were slowly fading into night. Even the wind felt colder than usual-as if the land itself was mourning.
As I made my way toward the front porch, I saw someone approaching from the other side. Kelvin. He looked surprised, like he hadn't expected to see me there at all.
"Nancy? Is that really you?" he asked, a smile lighting up his face as he hurried toward me.
"Hey, Kelvin," I replied softly. I wanted to smile back, but I couldn't. I was too numb. Too broken.
"You didn't mention you'd be coming back earlier than planned," he said, stopping in front of me with that usual warmth in his eyes.
"Well... it came as a surprise," I answered, struggling to hold back the lump that was climbing up my throat.
"Oh, Nancy," he said, his voice full of concern as he gently pulled me into a hug.
And just like that-whatever strength I had left completely shattered.
Tears, hot and heavy, poured from my eyes as the walls I'd built up since leaving Austin collapsed the moment he held me. All it had taken was hearing that name-Lennox-and everything I'd buried came rushing to the surface.