Last Stand Ranch by Jenna Night Page B

got to be making Dad crazy by now. He loves the stuff.”
    Olivia fumbled for the door handle. Elijah came around the truck, opened the door for her and helped her out.
    Behind them, Claudia had already gotten out of her car.
    â€œHey, Aunt Claudia,” Elijah’s mom called out.
    Claudia walked by them, giving Olivia a light pat as she passed by, and then continuing up the steps to greet Julie Morales with a hug.
    â€œYour mom’s pretty,” Olivia said. “She doesn’t look a thing like you.”
    â€œGood thing for her.” Elijah quickly gathered up Olivia’s hospital paperwork and prescriptions from the front seat. He was trying to appear calm. The reality was that he was worried. The shooter had managed to come down from the backcountry yesterday without attracting anyone’s attention and without leaving a readable trail.
    â€œWelcome to the casa,” Elijah said, gesturing up the steps to the house.
    â€œOlivia, honey, come meet Julie.” Claudia waved Olivia over when she reached the porch.
    Olivia offered Julie a shy smile.
    â€œWelcome to our home.” The slight breeze buffeted her long mahogany hair. She had a fluid, free-spirited air about her appearance and movements. In that respect Elijah was nothing like his mom.
    â€œYour aunt told us about you as soon as she found out you were coming for a visit.” Julie glanced at Claudia and they shared a smile. “I’m so sorry about what’s happened since your arrival.” Her smile faded as she looked at Olivia’s injured shoulder.
    â€œSpeaking of that, let’s get inside.” Elijah looked around at the trees and buildings on the property. There were all kinds of places where a shooter could hide.
    â€œThanks for welcoming me into your home,” Olivia said to Julie as Elijah ushered the ladies inside. “I used to work in a safe house. I never dreamed one day I would need one.”

SIX
    T he first thing Olivia noticed in the Morales home was the delicious aroma. The smell of simmering chili verde was rich and comforting. The second thing she noticed was how different the interior was from Claudia’s fussy, lacy home.
    She stepped through the front door onto a cobalt-blue-and-sunflower-yellow-patterned tile floor. A few feet out, steps led down to a thickly carpeted living room with two oxblood-colored leather sofas positioned opposite each other. Oversize chairs and low, heavy tables were positioned around the room. There was also a massive stone fireplace.
    Directly in front of her, three tinted picture windows offered views of a wide veranda attached to the house, and hills and ranch buildings in the distance.
    â€œDon’t worry,” Elijah said from beside her. “We tinted the larger windows to prevent any bad guys from taking an easy shot at us while we’re inside the house. Mom still wanted curtains because she thinks they make the house feel cozier. If the shooter’s out there, he can’t see in.”
    â€œThanks for that,” Olivia muttered.
    He gave her a questioning look.
    â€œFor a few seconds there, I almost forgot my troubles.”
    â€œI hope you don’t mind eating buffet-style,” Julie called out from the kitchen.
    With Elijah gesturing for her to walk ahead of him, Olivia followed the voice to a kitchen with a breakfast nook at one end. Windows showed more of the ranch, including several motorcycles parked outside.
    Claudia was already in the kitchen. So were three other people Olivia hadn’t seen before.
    â€œWe can’t always eat at the same time around here,” Julie said, “so I’m in the habit of cooking something and then letting everybody plate it up themselves. Usually we eat in the living room. It’s good to sink down onto a sofa and put your feet up at the end of the day. It might not be the most proper way to have dinner, but it’s our way.”
    â€œSounds wonderful to