Born to Be a Cowboy Page 12

  Beyond that, he didn’t want to overthink the situation. Besides, he didn’t know the first thing about love.

  He closed his eyes, willing his mind to stop. But it was impossible, with Jessie asleep just out of reach.

  And so he lay, fighting the jumbled images, the demons, that teased and taunted and drove him nearly mad with a hunger that couldn’t be satisfied.

  By morning the rain had blown over, and the hillsides had turned green overnight. Tiny shoots had broken through the warm, moist earth, with promises of wildflowers and lush range grass.

  Just seeing the sunlight breaking through the last of the clouds seemed to give the wranglers a much-needed lift. As the first group finished their breakfast, they were replaced by a second wave of cowboys returning from night duty, riding the perimeter of the herd.

  After changing into dry clothes they filled their plates with thick slices of ham, fried chicken, mounds of scrambled eggs, and Texas toast, and washed it down with gallons of coffee.

  While they were eating, Otis returned, parked the ranch truck, and made his way to the cabin, where he accepted a plate from Penny with a smile of thanks.

  Mac glanced around. “Where’s our wrangler?”

  “Doc gave him a hundred stitches or more. He said the cut was long and deep, and looked more like a knife wound than a tear by barbed wire. But just in case, he gave him a tetanus shot and said he can’t do any heavy lifting until that cut has time to mend, or else he’ll just tear it open and risk infection.”

  Sam frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that, but what good is a wrangler who can’t do any heavy lifting?”

  “That’s what Sawyer said. So he decided to head on home to River Bend and recover. He said we can mail his final paycheck here.” He handed Mac a slip of paper.

  Mac studied the post office address before handing it over to Jessie. “As long as you and Penny are heading back to the ranch today, you may as well put this on my desk and make a note of how many hours Clint Sawyer worked. I’ll mail his check when I get back to the ranch.”

  She nodded and tucked the scrawled note in her shirt pocket.

  An hour later Mac and Otis and Roscoe were saddling their mounts for another day with the herd.

  Sam gave a resigned sigh as he kissed his wife and headed toward the horses in the corral. Over his shoulder he called, “If I’m not back at the ranch by the end of the week, you’ll know we’ve had a banner year for calves.”

  “As much as I’ll miss you, I’m hoping for that banner year.”

  He shot Penny a grin. “Me too, babe. Me too. But not as much as I’m hoping to get back to you as soon as possible.”

  Finn loaded his ATV into the back of the truck before climbing up to the driver’s side.

  He turned to Jessie and Penny. “Got everything?”

  “I hope so.” Penny gave an anxious glance at the steep, narrow trail, where the runoff of snow from the higher elevations still formed overflowing streams on either side. “I wouldn’t want to have to turn around in this mess when we’re halfway down this mountain.”

  Finn chuckled. “Be warned. If you forgot anything, you’ll have to do without it until the next time you drive up here.”

  “I just hope the ground has time to dry out before I make this trip again.” Penny crossed her fingers.

  The two women fastened their seat belts as they began the challenging descent.

  When they were finally down the hill and at the ranch, they all breathed a sigh of relief before they unloaded the truck and hauled the empty containers into the kitchen. Afterward they were only too happy to head upstairs for warm showers and fresh clothes, before tackling another round of chores.

  In his room, Finn checked his cell phone, noting the calls he’d missed while up in the hills, where there was sporadic phone service.

  The first call he returned was to his investigator, Basil Caldwell.

  “Yeah, Basil? What’ve you got?”

  He listened, then said, “I’ll be in Haller Creek in an hour.”

  After a quick shower and shave, he dressed for work and headed downstairs.

  In the kitchen, Penny and Jessie were seated at the table, sipping hot tea.

  Seeing Finn’s buckskin jacket, Jessie’s eyes widened. “You’re going to your office?”

  He nodded. “I was hoping to give you two a hand with the chores. If I can’t make it home for supper, I’ll call.” He paused a beat before glancing from Jessie to Penny. “You’ll stay close?”

  The two women shared a smile before Jessie batted her lashes and said, “Yes, sir. I wouldn’t dream of leaving the safety of my guardian, sir.”

  “Good girl.” Finn was laughing as he strode out the door to go meet Basil.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jessie sat at Mac’s desk in the parlor entering figures in his ledger in her neat, orderly fashion.

  Every once in a while she would pause and sit back with a smile, reliving the previous day. It should have been a disaster. Heavy rains washing out the trail. The truck buried in mud. She and Penny trudging in ankle-deep muck, their hair plastered to their necks, wondering if they would ever be able to feel their cold toes again. And then along came Finn on his ATV, and the entire day seemed like a party. Riding behind him, sandwiched between Penny’s arms and Finn’s broad back. Feeding the wranglers, and watching the loving interaction between Penny and Sam. Even the kitchen duty and cleanup had been fun, thanks to Sam and Finn and their endless teasing. And sleeping in a bunk above Finn, warm and snug and content.

  Heaven.

  The only thing better would have been sharing his bed.

  She forced herself back to the task at hand and flipped through the ledger searching for the hours Clint Sawyer had put in.

  When she came to his name and read the notation alongside it, she realized he was one of the new hires flagged by Finn for questionable employment, since his Social Security number didn’t compute. Clint Sawyer had been employed less than a week.

  She tallied his hours and the pay due him before marking it in the ledger and leaving a note for Mac.

  She found herself hoping Sawyer was able to mend quickly and find work soon. The money he had coming from the Monroe ranch would hardly pay the bills.

  The ringing of her cell phone interrupted her thoughts.

  Seeing Finn’s name on the caller ID had her smiling.

  “Hey, cowboy. I hope you’re calling with good news. Or did you just want to tell me you miss me?”

  Her eyes went wide before she managed to say, “Oh, Finn. Do you think this could be connected to my aunt’s situation?”

  She listened again before nodding. “I’ll be ready.”

  She closed Mac’s ledgers and flew to the kitchen to share her news with Penny.

  “Now tell me everything Basil said.” Jessie settled herself into Finn’s truck and buckled her seat belt before turning to him.

  His eyes were hidden behind mirrored sunglasses as he headed away from the ranch toward the distant highway.

  “One of the avenues Basil has been pursuing is the deaths of women ranchers living alone. In each case, he followed up to see if any of them had married recently before their deaths. He’s found several. All the deaths have been declared by the authorities to be of natural causes. No suspicion of foul play recorded.”

  “But why are we driving to this particular town? I’ve never heard of Harmony, Montana.”

  “Neither have I. I looked it up. A small ranching community, much like Haller Creek. It’s a bit of a drive. We won’t get back until well after midnight. But I think it’s worth looking into. A widow named Evelyn Troop died there shortly after marrying one of her wranglers. After the marriage her longtime employees were terminated.” Finn turned to Jessie. “Sound familiar?”

  She nodded, too stunned to speak.

  “There’s more. Her new husband hasn’t been seen since. But her estate was declared legally his, and since there is no family to protest, the fears of h
er longtime ranch foreman have gone ignored.”

  Seeing Jessie’s hands clasped tightly in her lap, Finn reached over and placed his hand over hers. “It could be a coincidence. But I have a feeling about this, Jessie.”

  A lone tear squeezed from the corner of her eye. “I pray you’re right, Finn. With each day that passes, my fears for my aunt grow. We have to find her before…”

  “I know. But hold on. Basil’s still chasing every lead he finds.”

  “I’m so grateful. To him and to you.”

  He gave her a gentle smile. “Just doing our best, ma’am.”

  She managed a smile. “Fingers crossed that we find some answers in Harmony.”

  “Chad Hill?” Finn approached the bewhiskered cowboy working in a cavernous barn.

  “That’s me.” The man leaned on his pitchfork. “Are you Finn Monroe, the fellow who called me?”

  “I am. And this is Jessica Blair.”

  “Ms. Blair.” The old man whipped off a work glove to offer a handshake.

  “We’ve been in town, talking to the sheriff and the town doctor. And now we were hoping you wouldn’t mind telling us what you told the authorities about your former employer.”

  The wrangler nodded and set aside his pitchfork. “Let’s talk outside.”

  They followed him out the door and took a seat on a wooden bench beside a corral teeming with horses.

  “I worked for the Troops for twenty-three years. The last ten or so years I reported to Evelyn Troop after her husband, Oren, died. Mrs. Troop was no spring chicken. I guess none of us ever thought she’d marry again, but…” He shrugged. “It was quite a surprise when she up and married this new hire, Wyatt Seabold. He’d only been working with us about a month. The first time I introduced him to Mrs. Troop, she didn’t even seem to notice him. A few weeks later, they’re husband and wife.” He gave a slow shake of his head. “How can a man sweet-talk a woman like that into marriage?”

  At those words, Jessie glanced over at Finn, her eyes wide with questions.

  “I mean…” Chad went on, needing to explain. “She hardly ever went into town. I know she never spent a Friday night at the bar, ’cause I’d have seen here there. She was just a simple, sweet, stay-at-home widow. And Wyatt seemed to spend all his time with the cattle. How did he find time to court her?”

  “Did you see her after their marriage?” Finn asked.

  “Not once. Wyatt said they were on their honeymoon and would be back later. The next thing I knew, Ms. Troop was dead and my entire crew of wranglers was fired. None of it added up, so I went to the authorities with my suspicions.”

  “Did they investigate?”

  “They did.” He shrugged. “They said she died of natural causes. A heart attack, they said. Evelyn’s heart was weak, and her physician attested to that fact. They told me I had nothing but a suspicious mind. And it isn’t as though her ranch has been abandoned. There’s still a crew of wranglers keeping things moving along smoothly, and they say her new husband keeps in touch and handles all the bills and such. Still…” Another shrug. “What do I know? The sheriff here in town echoed what her doctor said. Death by natural causes. No proof of any foul play. Still…” He chose his words carefully. “I have a bad feeling about it. It just didn’t seem at all like Evelyn to up and marry so fast. And then to die…” His words trailed off.

  “Have you ever been back to the Troop ranch?”

  He met Finn’s direct look. “I couldn’t if I wanted to. The new wranglers were given orders to keep away any intruders and just do their jobs. At least that’s the word around town.” He stood suddenly, too agitated to sit. “I’m sure the authorities know what they’re talking about. I’m just being jealous of somebody taking over my job. But I liked Oren Troop. A straight shooter. So was Evelyn. And I can’t help thinking none of it adds up.” He looked away. “I’m one of the lucky ones. I got this new job right away. But some of my crew weren’t so lucky. A lot of them had to head on up to Canada looking for work. I just don’t think it’s what Evelyn would have wanted.”

  He glanced at the storm clouds rolling in, darkening the sky. “I’d better get back to my chores.”

  Finn and Jessie got to their feet and offered handshakes.

  “I appreciate your time, Mr. Hill.”

  “Call me Chad.”

  Finn handed the cowboy a card. “This is my number, Chad. If you think of anything at all, give me a call.”

  The wrangler tucked it in his shirt pocket and walked with them as far as the door of the barn.

  He stood watching as they made their way to their waiting truck.

  As they drove away from the ranch, Finn glanced at the sky, growing darker by the minute as lightning flashed, followed by a loud rumble of thunder.

  He fiddled with the radio and heard the severe storm warning being announced.

  Jessie bit her lip. “Think we can make it back home before it hits?”

  Finn shook his head. “Not a chance.” He handed her his phone. “See if there’s a motel nearby. The way those winds are rattling the windows, we need to find shelter, and fast.”

  Jessie scrolled through Finn’s phone, checking for motels, and came up empty. Suddenly she paused.

  “Here’s a ranch that offers a bed and breakfast.”

  “How far?”

  She studied the map. “Maybe half an hour.”

  He frowned. “I’m not sure we can outrun the storm, but we can try.”

  A half hour later they sped along a dirt road until they came to a sprawling ranch in the middle of rolling meadows. The hills surrounding it were black with cattle.

  With rain pelting the windshield, Finn left Jessie in the truck and raced inside to see about rooms. Minutes later a rancher climbed into a truck and Finn returned to put his own truck in gear.

  Jessie’s face fell. “No rooms?”

  “They don’t rent rooms in their home.” Before she could say a word he shot her a grin. “But they have a guest cabin.”

  As they followed the owner’s truck, a bolt of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a jolt of thunder that shook the ground.

  Jessie grabbed Finn’s arm and held on.

  He looked over. “You afraid of storms?”

  She gave him a look of absolute panic. Her voice trembled. “Of course not.”

  “So, you just wanted to get closer.” He struggled to hold back the grin that teased his lips as they followed a narrow dirt trail for half a mile before coming to a halt in front of a small, neat cabin.

  The owner was already inside.

  Finn and Jessie made a mad dash through the torrent of rain. Once inside they watched as the owner coaxed a cheery fire to kindling.

  Turning, he pointed to a huge basket on the kitchen table. “My wife always sends along supplies. There’s coffee and cocoa, bread, cheese, eggs, bacon, and fruit.”

  A series of lightning flashes nearly blinded them, followed by a cannon of thunder.

  Jessie latched on to Finn’s arm.

  The ranch owner studied the deer-in-headlights look in Jessie’s big eyes and gave her a reassuring smile. “And for newlyweds, we always add a little extra.” With a smile he pointed to the bottle of Champagne and two flutes. “If you folks need anything, just phone us. The number’s here. Welcome to our honeymoon cottage.” He placed a note on the table, tipped his hat, and was gone.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Honeymoon cottage? Newlyweds?” When the door closed behind the rancher, Jessie gaped at Finn. “You told him we were married?”

  “All I said was I had the most beautiful woman in the world in my truck who was terrified of storms and in need of shelter.”

  “Really?” The words she’d been about to hurl at him were suddenly forgotten. “You called me beautiful?”

  “You can’t blame a guy for telling the truth.” Finn was grinning. “And he and his wife probably figured any cowboy with a beautiful woman for company would be a fool not to be married to her.”
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  “Still, you didn’t bother to ask for two rooms?”

  “I asked if he had any rooms available.” Finn’s smile grew. “The way you were shaking in your boots, I’d have been grateful if he’d offered a stall in his barn. When he said all they have is the honeymoon cabin, I took it without question. And honestly, I can’t see you being alone here while this storm is raging, although if you say the word, I’d be happy to sleep in my truck.”

  “Don’t you dare.” She reached out to grab his arm. “I was just thinking about your insistence on protecting our lawyer-client relationship.”

  He absorbed the warmth of her touch. “I thought about it. For a second. Then decided your comfort was more important than my scruples.”

  “Gee. Thanks, Counselor.” Her teasing tone softened. “But you’re absolutely right. I’d be terrified alone.” Jessie looked around the tidy cabin, the sound of the rain drumming on the roof, barely muted by the hiss and snap of the fire. “I’m not complaining, Finn. Really. I’m so grateful to have a snug, warm shelter. And this is so much more than I’d hoped for.”

  “Good. I’m glad you approve.” He shook the rain from his parka and hung it by the door before crossing to the fire. “Why don’t you sit over here and I’ll get the coffee brewing.”

  “Oh.” She kicked off her wet shoes and settled into a cushioned rocker before draping an afghan over her lap and letting her head fall back with a sigh of relief. “Thanks. This is heavenly.”

  Less than a minute later there was another flash of lightning followed by a boom of thunder so loud, it jolted the little cabin as though it had taken a direct hit.

  Jessie was out of her chair and across the room, both arms wrapped around Finn’s waist, her face pressed to his back.

  For long moments he closed his hands over hers, enjoying the press of her body to his. Then, feeling the tremors that rocketed through her, he turned and gathered her into his arms. “Try to think of this as just a lot of noise.”