One Tough Texan. Barb Han

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СКАЧАТЬ was eating at his conscience, especially as he moved through the rounds. Then there was the woman sleeping in the motel room twenty minutes away. “I haven’t had my morning coffee yet. I don’t mean to be a jerk.”

      “You’re fine. Besides, the Nelson widow can have that effect on people,” he teased, lightening the mood. “What’s she donating this year?”

      “A bronze statue called Horse and Rider. It’s actually nice,” Joshua said, thinking that an expensive piece of art like that needed to be out of the back of his Jeep before someone figured it was there and helped themselves to it.

      “Sounds heavy,” Ryder joked. “And classy.”

      “Should help with our fund-raising goal this year at the silent auction.” He had no idea what that ultimate number was but he was sure a few of his brothers did, and rightfully so. They seemed like naturals when it came to stepping in for their parents.

      “We ever going to talk about what’s really been bugging you, because I know it’s not the Nelson widow?” Leave it to Ryder to come right out with something on his mind. Then again, his twin would be the first to pick up on his underlying mood.

      “It’s just not the same without them at the ranch,” Joshua said quietly, referring to their parents and that was 100 percent the truth. It was hard to think about being home without them there. And yet, that wasn’t what was really bothering him. He hoped his brother would buy the excuse or give him a pass without digging further.

      “I miss them, too.” Ryder’s tone said he was giving Joshua a pass. This conversation wasn’t finished but would be saved for a later time.

      “How’s everything going this morning?” Joshua asked, ready to change the subject.

      “Fine. Dallas and Tyler are out checking fences. Austin and Tyler are in the office today. Austin said something about being up to his neck in financials and Tyler is negotiating next year’s supplier contracts. Are you coming in today? Uncle Ezra called last night and requested a family meeting,” Ryder said.

      “What’s that about?” Joshua asked, distracted. He didn’t feel good about leaving Alice alone. He checked his watch, 5:40. It’d been less than twelve hours since their first encounter with The Ghost. Perez could be anywhere. Based on his reputation he was most likely searching for Joshua, not Alice. Joshua still didn’t like it. He scanned the parking lot aware that he had to watch his back a little more carefully until this whole situation blew over.

      “I’m guessing he’s fighting with Aunt Bea again and wants us on his side,” Ryder said.

      “Maybe he has another ‘opportunity’ for the family to invest in,” Joshua quipped.

      “Yea, like his others have been so successful.” Ryder laughed.

      Joshua tucked his free hand inside the front pocket of his jeans, staving off the morning chill. “What time’s the meeting?”

      “Said he’ll come around suppertime. Think you can make it or do you need me to cover and then fill you in later?” Ryder asked.

      “I’ll do my best to be there. Can I text you later when I know for sure?” Joshua had missed three of the last four family meetings and he was starting to feel guilty. No matter what else he decided he would always need to be involved in the family business on some level. As for his life, he needed to set his priorities and work from there.

      “Of course. I better get back to it. These cows don’t clean up after themselves,” Ryder said.

      Joshua resisted making a snappy comeback as he ended the call. His next was to his friend, Sheriff Tommy Johnson.

      “We got trouble in town,” Joshua said after exchanging greetings.

      “What happened?” Tommy asked, sounding half asleep.

      “Did I wake you?” His friend was normally up and running by now.

      “Not really. I’ve been working a case and didn’t get much sleep last night. What’s going on?” Tommy didn’t say it but Joshua knew that his friend was staying up late working on his parents’ case. He’d been poring over the guest list at the art auction the night before their deaths.

      “Marco Perez was sighted last night at the gas station off Highway 287 near Harlan and he may be coming to Bluff next,” Joshua said.

      “What makes you think he’ll come here?” Tommy asked.

      “Me.”

      “Okay, back up and tell me everything.” Tommy sounded wide awake now as ruffling noises came through the line.

      Joshua relayed the details from last night up to the point of Alice taking him to her motel room. Even though it felt like he was betraying her, Tommy needed to know about any threats to the area. Joshua couldn’t have innocent people being caught in the crossfire if Perez was on a hunting mission—the prey he was after might be Joshua. “Can you check out Alice Green? She’s tracking these guys and she’s a cop out of Tucson.”

      “Green. Got it,” Tommy said. “I’ll run her through the system.”

      “Would you mind keeping this quiet instead? Do you know anyone out west you could contact and ask unofficially?” Joshua didn’t want to alert her boss to her whereabouts.

      “I can’t think of anyone offhand but I’ll ask my deputies and see what we can come up with,” Tommy replied after a thoughtful few seconds of silence.

      “I’ll owe you one.” Joshua figured that line pretty much covered his morning, and his life ever since he’d clocked out the last time with Denver PD and returned to the ranch. He loved the land, there was no question about that, but living the life of a rancher was for his father, his brothers, not him. So, his twin had been doing nothing but covering for him. And Joshua couldn’t keep up the charade much longer.

      * * *

      A SUDDEN NOISE woke Alice with a start. Heart thumping, she shot up and fumbled around for her Glock. The room was cast in darkness. Her heart raced at the sound of the door closing and the snick of the lock.

      “It’s just me,” the familiar voice, the cowboy, said as a reading light clicked on. “And I brought coffee.”

      Alice sank onto the bed, trying to shake the feeling of heavy limbs that came with suddenly waking in the middle of a deep sleep. “Coffee sounds like heaven right now.”

      “How do you take yours?” he asked.

      “Black works for me.”

      He handed over a cup and the warmth was amazing against her cold fingers.

      “Okay if I turn on another light?” he asked.

      “Sure.” She took a sip, enjoying the dark roast taste and the burn in her throat.

      “Mind if I join you?” He motioned toward the foot of the bed.

      “Not at all.” It was nice to have company for a change. She’d basically spent the past three weeks alone aside from being kidnapped, stabbed and burned. In all fairness, the burn was an accident. She missed СКАЧАТЬ