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“Today’s milk will be aerated by the walk”
She smiled “I’m not sure it works that way I swear, Athena needs a hobby”
“Too bad you can’t teach her to read”
“I’d worry if she learned, she would take over the world”
“You should put the goats with the llamas If they really will protect the herd, then the lla out Or at least alert you if Athena makes a run for it”
“I could try I haven’t wanted to put theet attached”
Because one way or another, this arrangeoats hurt bya friend
Dante would say she was taking her goat responsibilities too seriously A feeeks ago, Rafe would have agreed Now he knew that Heidi was sensitive to those she considered to be on the outside Those who didn’t belong
They walked down the h the trees The branches overhead were thick enough to block direct sunlight The terees cooler, and leaves and pine needles crunched underfoot
Just when Rafe was sure she was lost, they stepped into a clearing and a whole other world
The sound of large construction equipment echoed off the trees and the side of the mountain Frouess about eighty or ninety acres had been cleared The ht now just poured foundation and steel beams—but he could see what it would be Several stories, with a view of the mountains
When he’d heard about the casino, he’d had Dante pull information and had studied it on his cos hadn’t prepared him for the sheer size of the project
“Impressive, don’t you think?” She pointed to the far end “That’s one of the parking lots There will be ais the casino and resort I’ about At least a couple hundred, maybe more”
She kept talking, explaining the layout and how the design had kept old-growth trees to line a walking path That there would be a spa and several restaurants
A pretty blonde woman with short hair and a ready smile joined them
“You and your bad goats,” she said with a laugh “What’s up with Athena?”
“I know” Heidi gave her a quick hug “She’d ride a et a license Nevada, this is Rafe Stryker Rafe, Nevada Janack”
He shook hands with the wons on the sides of the construction trailers “Any relation?”
“I married into the family Tucker’s around here somewhere Come on I’ll introduce you”
Rafe illingly He wanted to know a lot more about the project He and Dante hadn’t talked about as going on here since Rafe had first discovered the casino Now that he saw the scope of the project, he was reminded of the possibilities
RAFE HELD THE PHONE to his ear with his left hand andyou’ve pulled on the casino project Not just the plans, which you sent me”
He waited while Dante typed in his computer “Got it,” his friend said
“The guy in charge, Tucker Janack, says there will be over three hundred hotel roo to be an outletthat”
“Too small for Janack?” Dante asked
“Probably Depending on ti and events They could have upward of five hundred employees there No way Fool’s Gold has that kind of labor force just sitting around Whichpeople in Lots of people”
“They’re going to have to live somewhere”
“Exactly” Rafe pressed a few keys on his computer “You have it?”
“Right in front of me”
Rafe stared at the outline of the Castle Ranch Done to scale, it showed the main house, the barn and the fence line The main road was to the south, and several smaller roads provided natural boundaries
Assu a standard lot size of five thousand square feet, aa few acres around the ranch buildings for his h room for a hundred homes With plenty left over for future development
“You doing the math?” Rafe asked
“It’s a sweet, sweet nuuy You’re talking serious profit levels”
“Tellfancy We’ll add the ”
“With e to work for the casino, they’ll be desperate to buy That means motivated buyers”
Rafe wrote frantically “We can arrange our own financing Give people a break for going with our lender and et the town to agree”
“I’ve done some preliminary research The town is business-friendly Theeasy to ith No crazy zoning require up to their standards and not playing fast and loose with the rules, they’ll o smoothly for us”
“Good” Rafe wasn’t interested in building crap, he just didn’t want to waste profit when he didn’t have to “To think this all started because my mother wanted to buy back this daest projects of the year”
“As long as the judge rules in our favor”
“She will Heidi won’t be able to come up with the money”
“Plus, we can show that our plan helps the co to find herself out on the street”
Dante chuckled, but Rafe didn’t join in While he still wanted to win, he found it difficult to ioats Where would she go?
He told himself it wasn’t his problem, but wasn’t sure he believed the words Not anymore
“We could give her a couple of acres For the goats”
Dante laughed “Good one, Rafe Like you’ve ever given anyone anything”
His partner was still laughing when he hung up Rafe set down his phone and stared out theProfit over anything—he’d long believed that Money was the only way out, the only way up He’d been poor, and it sucked
In high school, his English teacher had made them all read Gone with the Wind and then watch the hed when Scarlett O’Hara had held up the wizened turnips, declaring that, as God was her witness, she would never be hungry again He hadn’t found the words funny He’d lived them
He’d taken the charity baskets the town had given, vowing that when he grew up, he would be the richest e of him That he would alin
Dante was right Giving away a few acres for Heidi and her goats ot the ranch, she would be out, and he would have it all
HEIDI WAITED ANXIOUSLY while Cameron McKenzie listened to Persephone’s heartbeat He’d already exanant tummy He removed the stethoscope from his ears
“She’s fine”
Heidi released the breath she’d been holding “You’re sure? I can’t believe how far she walked today All the way to the construction site and back”
“Goats walk They like it She’s a healthy girl” Caoat Persephone nuzzled his hand