The Rivals Read Free Page B

until she’d headed off to boarding school in the ninth grade. Since then, Libby had focused on her work.
    She loved taking city folk into the mountains and showing them the savage beauty of the wilderness. She never embarrassed them by exposing their ignorance, just did her best to ensure they enjoyed the pristine wilderness that still existed in so much of Wyoming. She’d established a reputation as someone who was friendly and competent, and her guide services were much in demand.
    It wasn’t a perfect life. But it was satisfying.
    Libby felt her heart clutch. Please God, she prayed, don’t let Kate be pregnant. Anything but that.
    Libby wondered if she ought to call the sheriff’s office to report the accident with Drew but realized if she did they were liable to tie her up filling out forms and answering questions. Instead, she called the local garage that had towed her car in the past.
    â€œHello, Theresa? I need help. A friend of mine went into the Hoback south of Jackson. He’s sitting in his pickup in the middle of the river. He needs a tow.”
    Libby gave Theresa the mile marker where Drew’s truck had gone into the river. “Please hurry,” she said. “Oh, one more thing. I haven’t reported the accident yet.”
    Theresa said her husband Mike would be there as soon as possible. And if the police needed to be called, Mike could call them.
    â€œThank you. Thank you so much,” Libby said. She clicked off her cell phone and hurried through town toward home. Kate’s plane had long since landed. Libby only hoped her daughter had come home and stayed there. She called her home number but got the answering machine. Then she called North. She felt her heart race when he picked up and said, “Hello.”
    â€œNorth, is Kate there with you? Did you pick her up from the airport?”
    â€œShe’s not here, but I found a message on my machine when I got home that she’s in town. Is something wrong?”
    â€œShe probably hitched a ride home with someone, but she’s not answering her cell phone. Will you go by my place and see if she’s there? I’m coming home now. Give me a call to let me know either way.”
    â€œWill do,” North said.
    North’s ranch was north of Jackson, and Libby broke the speed limit again getting there. She hit the brakes hard in front of her cabin. The lights were on inside, and she shoved her way through the door, expecting to see Kate.
    â€œOh. I thought Kate was here,” she said, when North rose from a leather armchair. Her eldest brother was tall, broad-shouldered and lean-hipped. His blue eyes cut at her like two chips of ice, and his mouth was thin, almost cruel.
    â€œThere’s a message from her on your answering machine,” North said, “saying she’s in town and that she needs to talk to you. Nothing else.”
    â€œOh, God,” Libby said.
    â€œWhat’s she doing here, Libby?” North asked. “What’s wrong?”
    Libby clenched her teeth to keep her chin from quivering. “I don’t know. But when she finally shows up, I’m going to give her a good piece of my mind!”
    â€œI’ll start some coffee,” North said.
    An hour later, Libby said, “I can’t sit here doing nothing. I’m going looking for her.”
    â€œI’ll go with you,” North said.
    â€œNo. Please. Stay here. Something terrible must have happened for her to come home like this. She’ll need someone to be here when she shows up.”
    Libby bit her lip to keep from blurting out her fear that Kate might be pregnant. She was terrified, but if she’d learned one thing growing up, it was to hide her fears. She met North’s piercing gaze and realized he wasn’t fooled.
    She wished they were the sort of family that hugged one another, but they never had been, and she didn’t expect North to start now. She needed someone to