Born to Be a Cowboy Read online

  Before she could issue a protest he added, “There’s safety in numbers. I think we’re dealing with a coward who doesn’t want to have a fight on his hands. He’s hoping to silence any protest by sneaking around to eliminate those who get in his way. That’s how he torched the motel. It’s how he messed with my brakes.” He touched a hand to her cheek. “Just promise you won’t be alone.”

  She sighed, and he could see how much it cost her to give a nod of her head. “I promise.”

  “Thank you, Jessie.”

  “Finn…”

  She looked so serious.

  “You know you had an angel on your shoulder yesterday.”

  “Is that what you think?”

  She nodded. “That’s what my aunt always said whenever something disastrous turned out all right. And it’s true. How else can you explain the fact that you walked away from that nightmare completely unharmed?”

  He squeezed her hand before heading for the doorway. “Time for me to shower and head to town. I’ll call with any news.”

  Finn held the phone between his shoulder and ear as he spoke with Basil while making notes on his computer. “I’ve been thinking about something that I’d almost forgotten to mention to you.” He described his visit to the county offices. “When I asked about someone named Wayne Stone or Rogers Sutter, I had the sense that some of the employees there knew more than they admitted to. They didn’t really say anything, but it’s just a feeling I had. I thought I could see signs of recognition in some of their eyes. You mentioned our guy could have a snitch on his payroll. Could it be someone with access to county records?”

  Basil’s tone was thoughtful. “That’s a possibility, Finn. It could also be how this guy found your client’s aunt. Having someone in county records who knows which ranches in the area are failing and which are showing a profit would be a real benefit to him. Especially if his snitch could also supply some personal information. A lonely, grieving widow, for instance. Or even better, a woman who has never married, with little or no family who could lay claim to her estate.”

  “Yeah.” Finn felt a sudden tingle of memory. “Here’s something else I almost forgot. That same day, after lunch with a buddy, I had the feeling that I was being watched or followed. But I didn’t spot anyone or anything out of place. At the time I let it go. Now, after that incident on the highway, I’m having second thoughts. Maybe somebody wanted to know what kind of vehicle I drive. Or record the license number. Or am I letting my imagination get the best of me?”

  “That’s not such a stretch, Finn.” Basil’s tone lowered as he considered. “Why don’t I head on over to the county offices and do a little sniffing around? Maybe I’ll manage to find a skunk in the bushes.”

  That had Finn smiling for the first time in an hour. “Great. Thanks, Basil. I’d say this skunk will give off a real odor. Keep in touch.”

  “You can count on it.”

  When he set aside his phone, Finn made several more notes on his computer before sitting back to stare into space.

  There was something he was forgetting. Something hovering on the edge of his mind, tantalizingly close, that he couldn’t quite bring into focus. He decided that work was the best way to keep moving forward. Maybe poring over mundane documents would help him relax and allow his brain to focus on the missing pieces of this puzzle.

  On the drive back to the ranch, Finn couldn’t keep from testing the brakes several times, especially whenever he came up over a rise in the road. Just thinking about what nearly happened had his teeth clenching.

  “You had an angel on your shoulder.”

  Jessie had been so somber. So serious. They never talked about what she would do if her aunt didn’t survive. But knowing what the stranger was capable of, Jessie had to be keeping a lot of terrifying thoughts to herself. Could her belief in angels keep her steady when her world was collapsing?

  Finn hoped so. She was so sweet and good, and so strong in the face of all this turmoil in her life.

  When he’d first met her, he’d thought she was fragile. Now he was learning that there was nothing weak or delicate about her. She’d been through a lot in her life, and she was still standing strong.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Jessie sat at Mac’s desk, her fingers tapping the keys of the computer as she recorded the expenses in a neat column. She was grateful for the opportunity to lose herself in this familiar routine. It was her escape from the dark, ominous thoughts that fought to push their way forward.

  She paused, staring into space. Dear, sweet Aunt Nola was so much more to her than a beloved aunt. Throughout her life, Nola had been mother, father, protector, and mentor to a frightened, lonely little girl missing her parents. It was Nola who had insisted a grown-up Jessie go away to college and break the bonds of dependency, despite her own protests. Jessie claimed that all she’d ever wanted was to be a rancher like her aunt. But Nola insisted that she first had to taste the world beyond the ranch. To spread her wings and fly. And the experience had opened Jessie’s eyes to so much she hadn’t known. College had introduced her to not only science and math, but also the arts, politics, and young people who had never been on a ranch. Some of them, though very different in background and temperament, had become her friends.

  As a girl she’d always loved the challenge of math. But she never would have known how much it satisfied her if she hadn’t been encouraged to take advanced classes that forced her to grow and stretch and learn. And when the job offer had come from such a prestigious firm, it had been Nola who had insisted she give it a try.

  The ranch will always be here, darling Jessie. After all, it’s your inheritance. Your legacy. But think how much that fine education will enhance your skill as a rancher someday.

  But it means leaving you alone again, Aunt Nola. I’ve been gone four years now. I miss you. I miss us.

  No more than I miss you, darling Jessie. You’re the light of my life. You always were. You always will be. But I want you to grow and live and taste all the things I never tried. And when I grow too old to handle all this, I’ll be comforted by the knowledge that I gave you wings. Remember, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll always be here. This land of my father, and this grand home he built, is the great love of my life. And I want it all to be yours when I’m gone.

  Jessie felt the tracks of hot tears flowing down her cheeks. Surprised, she wiped them away with her thumbs and sat back as the knowledge filled her like sunlight on a dark day.

  Nola had to be alive.

  She knew it in the deepest recesses of her heart. If her aunt was dead, she would have felt it as surely as if a knife had pierced her own heart.

  Her aunt was being held somewhere against her will, until this madman could secure the rights to everything. The ranch. The herds. The house and all its possessions. And Nola’s money.

  The bank accounts! The thought slammed into her like a fist.

  Of course. Why hadn’t she remembered this earlier?

  Jessie picked up her phone to call Finn. Before it could ring, she heard the crunch of a truck’s wheels on the driveway and flew to the door.

  “Finn.” She dashed into his arms as he strode up the porch steps, nearly taking them both down in her haste.

  “Well.” With a rogue’s grin he wrapped her close in his arms, loving the feel of her plastered against him. “Now that’s what I call a warm welcome.”

  “No. It’s not about…” She stopped, caught her breath, and tried again. “I mean, of course I’m happy to see you but…”

  His smile did the strangest things to her heart. “Same goes, Jessie.”

  She pushed a little away, trying to get her bearings. “But I just thought of something important. I was about to call you when you drove up.”

  He continued holding her, reluctant to break this unexpected rush of heat. “Whatever it is, you’re a whole lot happier than you were this morning.”

  “Yes. That’s just it. I was feeling sorry for myself, and suddenly I rea
lized that Aunt Nola can’t be dead.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Because I’d know it here.” She put her hand over her heart. “She’s always been the most important person in my life. Don’t you see? If she died, I would feel it.”

  His look softened to concern. “Jessie, a lot of people lose loved ones without ever…”

  “No. I understand that. I know what you’re trying to say. But I’d know if she was no longer alive. Don’t ask me why, but I just know.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “There’s more, Finn. I just remembered the most important thing. My aunt’s bank accounts have my name on them, too. Aunt Nola wanted me to be able to access her money without having to jump through any hoops in the event she was incapable of taking care of herself.”

  Seeing the way Finn’s eyes narrowed, her smile faded. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

  He nodded. “A very good thing. That means this guy can’t seal the deal until he can get hold of her money. But it also means you’re in even more danger than I thought. Don’t you see?”

  She swallowed. “Yes. I guess you’re right. When he finds out that there’s a second name on her accounts, he’ll be furious.”

  “And twice as dangerous. Now he won’t just want you out of the way. He’ll want to find a way to force you to go with him to the bank before he disposes of both you and your aunt. That means we all have to take extra precautions to see that you’re never alone.”

  “I understand. But still…” She tucked her arm through his as they walked into the house. “Finn, he needs to keep Aunt Nola alive until he can get everything to avoid probate, which can take months or years. That means it isn’t too late. We need to find my aunt while she’s still alive.”

  He nodded. “That’s the plan. I want you to contact your local bank in Arvid and let them know that you want to be notified about anyone asking about your aunt’s finances. I’m thinking that would have been one of his first steps after securing her name on the marriage certificate. In the meantime, I’m hoping the local police can come up with something we missed on our last visit to her ranch.” As he tossed aside his attaché case, he turned to her. “Were there any special places your aunt loved to visit? A private, secluded spot she might have revealed to a new husband? The perfect place to keep her against her will without being found?”

  Jessie gave a slow shake of her head. “There are none that I can think of. But maybe this cowboy has a place where he can hold her without raising suspicion.” She clenched a fist. “If only we could find out who he really is and where he came from.”

  “I’m working on it.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Do you have any leads?”

  “Not yet. But Basil was following up on something we talked about this morning. I should hear from him as soon as he has anything concrete.”

  “Oh, Finn.” She pressed his hand between both of hers. “We have to find Aunt Nola. And soon.”

  “I know.” He looked up as Zachariah stepped into the kitchen.

  The two men exchanged a look before the old lawyer deftly began charming Jessie with a story about Finn and his brothers when they’d first arrived at the ranch.

  Finn took that moment to slip upstairs and change. By the time he’d returned, dressed in faded denims and a plaid shirt, Jessie was sharing a laugh with Zachariah, Mac, and Penny.

  She looked up as Finn stepped into the kitchen. “I find it hard to reconcile the man you’ve become with the hot-tempered delinquent who, along with Ben and Sam, created so much chaos when you first arrived here.”

  Finn chuckled. “We didn’t so much arrive as storm the gates. In fact, when we broke into Mac’s home, we were bent on stealing as much food and warm clothes as we could carry.”

  “Speaking of food…” Penny turned from the stove. “Dinner’s ready.”

  Finn tipped up a longneck and took a long drink. “I think you’d better hold off for a few more minutes.”

  At Penny’s arched brow, he grinned. “I suspect Ben and Becca will be rolling up any minute now. They seem to never miss one of your meals if they can help it.”

  The words were no sooner out of his mouth than they heard the sound of wheels crunching on gravel and a series of quick barks as Archie leapt from the SUV.

  The others were sharing a conspiratorial smile as Ben and Becca stepped into the mudroom. Archie bounded into the kitchen and began wriggling around Jessie, hoping for his treat.

  He wasn’t disappointed.

  Finn handed his brother a cold bottle before winking at Penny. “Now dinner’s ready.”

  Amid much laughter, they gathered around the table.

  After dinner and kitchen duty, the family ambled out to the big porch to watch a glorious sunset.

  Penny stood on the porch steps, a hand shading the last of the sun’s blinding rays from her eyes. “I know Sam is up in the hills watching this same sunset.” She turned. “I love that we can be miles apart and still share the same view of the heavens. Knowing that, it doesn’t feel as though he’s so far away from me.”

  Mac and Zachariah settled into the big log chairs softened with red-checked cushions.

  Mac nodded. “I know what you mean, Penny. I often find myself watching a sunset, or the moon rising, and hope Mary Pat is safely at someone’s ranch, watching the same thing.”

  Zachariah sent his old friend a smile. “Mary Patricia will be back soon, Mackenzie. That fine woman knows her way around this state.”

  Ben and Becca sat close together on the log swing, and moved even closer to make room for Finn and Jessie.

  Jessie leaned her head back to stare up as stars began winking in the sky. “Oh, this is nice. What a great spot to unwind.”

  “Yeah.” Finn chuckled. “It’s a whole lot nicer since Becca brought us all this furniture. Before that, we just sat on the steps, or on overturned buckets or bales of straw.”

  Jessie looked over. “Becca, where did you get all this?”

  “An elderly rancher and his son make it. It’s been their hobby during the winter months. They’d been giving it away to friends until I convinced them to let me try to sell some of their furniture at my garden shop. It’s become my best-selling item. When I saw how empty this porch was, I decided it would make the perfect gift for Ben’s family, to thank them for all they’d done for me.”

  “That doesn’t come close to what you’ve done for me, Becca.” Ben and his wife exchanged loving looks before he patted the sturdy log arm of the swing. “And look how well it ages. I expect it will be here for our grandchildren.”

  Becca squeezed his hand. “That’s the plan.”

  Their smiles would rival the sun.

  A short time later Ben whistled for Archie before getting to his feet. “We need to head home. I’m on night duty.”

  As soon as the dog appeared out of the darkness, Ben and Becca called their good nights and left for town.

  As darkness began settling over the countryside, Mac retreated to the parlor and Zachariah retired to his room and his shelves of legal journals.

  Penny paused in the doorway. “I’ll be hauling supplies up to the wranglers tomorrow, Jessie. Still want to lend a hand?”

  Jessie nodded. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

  When they were alone, Jessie turned to Finn. “Your family is so sweet and loving.” She paused a beat before adding, “I know they’re trying to distract me by talking about anything except my aunt. And I love them for it.”

  His lips curved. “And here they all thought they were being so clever.”

  “They were. It was nice to hear about something other than my troubles. And it worked. For a while I was able to forget.” She sighed. “You’re so lucky to have them.”

  “I know.” His arm was around her shoulders. His fingers played with the ends of her hair. “We’re both lucky to have people who matter to us.”

  “I love watching Ben and Becca together. The big, bad sheriff who goes all mushy whene
ver he looks at his wife.”

  Finn laughed. “Yeah. She’s always had that effect on him. When we first came to Haller Creek, my big brother took one look at Becca Henderson and was hooked.”

  “That’s sweet.”

  “That’s not what her father thought. Hank Henderson was bound and determined to keep his daughter from marrying the guy he called the town’s hell-raiser.”

  “Now that’s just mean.”

  Finn gave a shake of his head. “When you get to know Hank, you’ll understand. He’s a straight-arrow, by-the-book guy who figured only a saint was good enough for his daughter. But now, he and Ben have found common ground.”

  “Because of Becca?”

  “Because of Ben. He may be a tough cop, but he’s got a heart of gold. He was willing to overlook everything Hank ever said or did, so Becca would never have to choose between her father and her husband.”

  “Smart man.”

  “Yeah.” Finn felt a surge of pride. “That’s my brother.”

  He stood and took her hand. “If you’re heading to the hills tomorrow, you’d better get a good night’s sleep. You could find yourself slogging through snowdrifts or mud holes.”

  “I remember springtime with the herds in Arvid. I always loved calving season. But thanks for the warning. I guess I’ll remember to wear work boots from the mudroom instead of the fancy new boots I bought in town.”

  He shot her an admiring look. “I’m sure you’ll manage to make them look sleek and sophisticated.”

  “Yeah. Right.” She gave a soft laugh as they made their way inside and up the stairs.

  At her door she paused and turned to him. “Have you heard from your detective?”

  “Not yet. He won’t call until he has something concrete.”

  “What about the Arvid police? Have they found anything?”