Count This Cowboy In (30 page)

"
Nothing.  Did you hear anything yet?"

"
No, not yet.  Sam, Ms. Andrews will probably call you, not me, but if I do hear anything I'll let you know right away."  He took her in his arms and said, "Honey, you need to relax.  It could be weeks yet before we hear anything."

"
Weeks?"

"
You heard what they said.  Her trial's not for six weeks yet and it could be delayed beyond that.  She'll probably take some time to think about the offer."

"
But what's there to think about?  If she has a chance at five years she should jump on it."

"
I think it's a good deal for her, too, but remember, if she jumps on this chance, she'll also be jumping into prison and I don't imagine she's real anxious to do that."

"
Then the bitch shouldn't have killed my father."

"
Samantha Louise Simmerly!"  Before she even realized what she'd said, he had her turned sideways and landed five solid swats on her jean-covered butt.  "You know that language will never be accepted."

She turned around to stare at him, with her hands on her hips.  She opened her mouth, then saw his expression.  She closed her mouth and her shoulders slumped. 
"I'm sorry, Trevor."

He pulled his hot
headed, but adorable little lady in against him for a hug and kiss.  Still holding her to his chest, he said, "I know, Sweetie.  I know how anxious you are.  But why?  Why is it so important to you?  Do you hope she takes the plea deal so you don't have to testify, or what?"

"
No.  I really hope she takes the deal because I want to hear a confession.  I think you're right.  If I hear that, then I'll be able to rid myself of any doubt.  I want so badly to believe my dad still loved me and wanted me to have the ranch, and I do believe it, mostly, but I keep hearing her denying it.  I think it's important that I hear her confess it." 

He held her for several minutes before they went to have lunch.

It was a full week and two more quick attitude reminders later that Sam got the phone call she'd been waiting for.  Ms. Andrews called to say she'd accepted the plea deal.  She wanted to have her appear in court in two days, on Friday, if they could be there then.  She quickly said, "I'll have to call Trevor to be sure, but I think we can be there.  I'll call him and call you right back."

Trevor was repairing a line shack when he got a call from Sam.  He
'd barely answered when she said, "Trevor, she's taking it, she's taking it!  Can we be there on Friday for her to plead guilty?"

He was as relieved as she sounded. 
"Honey, we'll be there whenever they want to do it.  We can go down tomorrow and be there anytime they want to do it on Friday."

"
Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I love you.  See you at noon.  I've got to call her back and tell her we'll be there."  The line went dead and Trevor had to laugh.  He was extremely relieved, as well.  Listening to June confess Friday would not be easy, but he hoped it helped Sam put all doubts behind her once and for all.

They sat in court two days later and listened to June as she did in fact confess
to everything.  To Trevor's surprise, she even admitted that their chance meeting wasn't by chance at all.  She had heard about the owner of this big ranch that had lost his wife.  She figured if he had a big ranch he had big money.  She did some snooping and found out he only had one child and she was off at college, so she figured she had to work fast while the kid was still gone.  She said it quickly became quite clear real early on just how fast she'd have to work because he truly loved his daughter and was extremely proud of her.  He definitely meant for her to inherit the ranch, so she knew she was going to have to somehow trick him into signing a new will.

Trevor tightened his hold on Sam, who had silent tears streaming down her face.

She said she found a young attorney, Matt Kline, that she knew was having money problems and that's who she bribed.  It was up to him to make sure he was the one going to the ranch to get the will signed.  She explained how he had accomplished that.  He had a friend make a call pretending to be a client they had, saying he needed a contract the next day.  That kept his boss busy all day, so he sent the younger Matt Kline out to get the signature.  Everything else had been pretty much as they thought, with her stealing her sister's medicine to give to him.  She admitted everything.

After her confession
, Judge Nelson asked her how she wished to plead and she quietly said, "Guilty."  The judge accepted her plea, found her guilty and sentenced her to ten years in prison, suspended five of them, but to be followed by five years probation.  They put handcuffs on her and led her away. 

Hers was the last case before lunch, so the courtroom was empty after she left.  Trevor turned
Sam's head gently to look at him and asked, "Are you okay after hearing her confession?"

Sam swiped at the tears coming from her eyes and said,
"Yes.  Thank you for suggesting the judge makes her do that, Trevor.  I somehow feel freer now."

"
You are free now, Honey.  You're free to love your father again, completely.  He loved you and was tricked, plain and simple.  And now your stepmother is going to pay for it."

Sam smiled for the first time. 
"Yeah, he did love me, for real, didn't he?  And he did want me to have the ranch."

Trevor hugged her tight. 
"He most definitely did.  And I think he's very proud of you right now for not letting her get away with it."

They had lunch, then Trevor asked,
"Sam, how about showing me this ranch you grew up on now?"

She smiled and said,
"I'd love to.  I really want to drive by and see it again."

Trevor was elated to hear that.  Sam had gotten the assurance of her father
's love that she needed.  He helped her in their SUV, got in behind the wheel and asked, "Which way?"

She talked excitedly the whole way there, telling him story after story.  He could see the enthusiasm in her now that had been missing.  When they got to the ranch Trevor pulled into a lane off to the other side of the road so they could look at it.  She was showing him things that had changed and things that looked different.
She pointed out the little building she and her dad built for her as a playhouse when she was little.  But she confessed she didn't use it much as a playhouse, but pretended it was her barn, on her own ranch.

Trevor laughed as he said,
"You were a little cowgirl even back then, weren't you?" 

They were so engrossed in their conversation that neither of them noticed the pickup pull in behind them.  When the man knocked on Trevor
's window they both jumped.  Trevor rolled down his window and the man asked, "Can I help you?  Are you looking for someone?"

Trevor said,
"I'm sorry, sir, we aren't here to cause any harm.  I'm Trevor Nottingham and this is Samantha Simmerly.  We just came from ––"

"
Simmerly?"

Trevor answered,
"Yes, sir."

"
As in Hank Simmerly?"

"
That was my dad," Sam announced proudly.

"
Is what I've been reading in the papers true, that that lady he married slipped him some drugs and he didn't know what he was doing when he gave her the ranch?"

Trevor quickly answered,
"Yes, it is.  We just came from court, where she confessed it all."

The man looked at Sam and said,
"I'm real sorry about your dad, miss.  I have heard a lot about him since we bought this place and it's been nothing but good."

"
Thank you," Sam told him, beaming.  "He was a good man."

"
I probably don't have any business asking this, but are you going to be trying to get the ranch back, if she had no business selling it?"

Sam quickly assured him,
"No.  No, you bought it fair and square.  If you ever decide to sell it I wouldn't mind having a chance at buying it back, but no, it's your ranch now.  I just came by to look at it one more time."

Trevor added,
"She has a lot of memories here.  She came to visit those memories one last time."

The man held out his hand and said,
"I'm sorry.  I'm John Appleby.  My wife and I bought this ranch from the lady that I guess was your stepmother.  I'm sure you've got memories of this ranch that my wife and I would love to hear.  Why don't you come up and tell us about some of them?"

"
Seriously?  You wouldn't mind if I look a little closer one last time?"

"
I'm sure you can fill me in on why some things are the way they are.  Come on in."

Trevor told him,
"Thank you.  We'll follow you."

They spent the rest of the afternoon and evening visiting with John and Jean Appleby.  Jean wouldn
't hear of them not staying for supper with them.  They were both learning a lot about their ranch, which was helpful.  Once June inherited the ranch the hands all left, so there was no one to show them the inside workings.  Sam was providing helpful information for them, while recalling many fond memories.

Sam felt good as they went back to their motel that evening. 
"Trevor, I feel a lot better after meeting John and Jean.  They truly love the ranch, don't they?"

"
They sure seem to."

"
I'm glad the ranch has some good owners again.  They're keeping it up, too.  It looks good."

"
I noticed that, too."

When they got back they had a message from Karen Andrews, asking if they could stop
by her office in the morning before they left to go home.  She had something for them.

Trevor locked
Sam's motel room door and tucked her into bed that night.  He would have loved to crawl into her bed with her, but he was determined to do this right, even if it killed him.  And looking down at her, he was afraid it might.  Sam was a special lady, though and she deserved to be treated special.  So as hard as it was, he gave her one last kiss and went to his adjoining room for the night.

After breakfast the next morning they stopped in to see Ms. Andrews. 
"I have something for you, Sam.  Since she was found guilty, her assets that have been frozen are now yours.  The amount of restitution she was ordered to pay back will be reduced by this much, but she'll still owe a substantial amount.  I have an accounting here for you and a certified check for the cash she still had in her accounts.  I also have the deed to her condo, which you can keep as a vacation home, or sell.  We're still searching to see if she has other accounts and we'll let you know if we find anything.  It will be turned over to you, as well, if we find any."

Trevor asked,
"Why are you still looking; do you expect to find something else?"

"
Frankly, yes, we're hoping we do.  Once you account for the cash on hand and the condo and the vehicle, there's almost four million dollars missing."

Sam and Trevor looked at each other, both shocked.  Trevor asked,
"There's four million unaccounted for?"

"
Almost that much, yes.  I know she did some traveling, but I can't think she spent that much traveling, so we're still hoping to find some somewhere.  If we find any we'll let you know.  Her condo has been appraised at $975,000, just so you have an idea of its value.  If you decide to sell it you'll probably want to get another appraisal, but that gives you something to go on.  Here's your certified check for almost six million dollars."

Sam
's mouth dropped open.  Ms. Andrews was concerned.  "Sam, were you expecting more?"

"
No.  No, I wasn't really expecting anything.  I mean, I guess I knew I'd get something, but I was so worried about her giving a confession that I never even thought of the money."  She looked down at the check, then over at Trevor, who was smiling at her.

Trevor thanked her again for all her help
and they left. 

On the drive home they talked about what had happened.  Sam said,
"I just wish Clay could have been here in court to see how it ended.  He did all the work, it's a shame he couldn't be here."

"
I agree," Trevor said, "although I doubt he's complaining too much, working in Hawaii for a month."

"
Yeah, probably not," Sam agreed, laughing.  "We'll fill him in on everything he missed."

They stopped for supper on the way home at a restaurant Trevor knew Sam would like.  Just as he thought, she loved it.  It was a good place for her to relax after the day she
'd had.  When the band started a slow song, Trevor stood and reached for her hand.  "I love you, Sam.  May I have this dance?"

They spent the next hour dancing, enjoying the music
and relaxing after a rough day.

They made it home late that night and he walked her back to the
guesthouse and told her good night.