Cowboy For Keeps. Brenda Mott

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ imagined. Must be the macho territorial thing again. “No, but he’s on his way over.”

      “You called him about the poachers?”

      “No.” She drew the word out into two syllables. “Small town—news spreads fast. Remember?”

      “He doesn’t need to poke around in this,” Cade said. “The BLM—”

      “What did you want me to do, Cade? Ground him?”

      He merely grunted. “Sam Grainger’s up in De Beque today, meeting with a couple of agents from the Grand Junction office.” Sam had gone to high school with Cade. “So I thought I’d drive out to your place and take a look around for him. My dad’s coming with me. I figured we’d take the back road and come in on the side of your property closest to the river. Maybe drive down near the canyon?”

      “Fine by me. Who am I to interfere with what Sam wants you to do?”

      “Well, it’s your property,” he grumbled. “Just thought I’d make a courtesy phone call.”

      “I’m taking Austin out there on horseback,” Reno said. “I figured we’d get a better look around that way.”

      “Suit yourself. Guess I’ll see you out there, then.”

      “Okay. Bye.” She hung up the phone, then glared at it.

      Great. Just what she needed. Cade poking around on her ranch. Of course, she’d known that was bound to happen. Even if he didn’t have official jurisdiction here, the BLM was a federal agency, and like any other brotherhood of the law. That didn’t make having him around any easier. Suddenly Reno was glad Austin was coming out. He could act as a buffer between her and Cade.

      At a knock on the kitchen’s outside door, she hurried to let Austin in. “Morning, Sheriff. I’ve got your coffee waiting.”

      “Appreciate it.” He smiled broadly at her, removing his hat. “And if you don’t mind my saying so, Reno, you’re looking lovely this morning. I’d say red’s your color.” He indicated the bright crimson, sleeveless Western shirt she wore.

      “Thanks,” Reno said, pleased. She knew Austin liked her in red.

      But then, so had Cade.

      Reno shook off the thought. She barely had time for one man in her life, much less two.

      And she sure didn’t need Cade messing with her head again.

      CHAPTER THREE

      “ARE YOU SURE you’ll be okay here, Dad?” Now that they were at Wild Horse Ranch, his father looked frail, if happy, sitting in the truck, his portable oxygen tank resting on the floorboards.

      “Of course I will, son.” Matthew relaxed in the luxurious, upholstered seat of the Chevy pickup, leaning back against the headrest. “Don’t start sounding like your mother.” He smiled.

      “I shouldn’t be long,” Cade said, strapping on his shoulder holster. The semiautomatic .45 pistol inside was loaded with nine rounds, and he had an extra clip in his pocket. “The keys are in the ignition, if you decide to turn on the air.” They’d parked in the shade of a canyon, and the morning was cool. “Here’s my cell phone if you need it. The reception up here can be sketchy, but—”

      “Damn it, go on.” Matt waved him away. “I know how to work a cell phone.”

      “All right.” Cade climbed out of the truck.

      The sound of flowing water grew louder as he hiked closer to the Roaring Fork. There was a spot downstream a short way where the river pooled into a watering hole. According to Sam, the mustangs frequented the place, along with deer and elk. Picking his way through the sagebrush and scrub oak, Cade soon found it.

      Sure enough, hoofprints lined the water’s edge. Fresh manure indicated the mustangs had watered here as recently as this morning, which surprised him, considering the scare the poachers had given the herd the night before. Apparently, the horses’ habits were deeply ingrained, and that could prove to be both good and bad. It would allow him to keep watch over them, but give the poachers equal opportunity to come back and find the mustangs easily.

      Cade took his digital camera out of his denim jacket. It was a nice one, and he shot both stills and video footage of the watering hole. Then he moved through the brush, winding his way down the canyon toward the spot where he and Reno had run across the poachers. He found an area where ATV tracks crisscrossed through the mud, and saw shattered headlight glass on the ground in a couple of places.

      He recalled the shots Reno had exchanged with the poachers. He hadn’t thought to berate her last night, but she was going to get herself hurt if she wasn’t careful. After taking pictures of the broken glass, Cade gingerly picked it all up and wrapped it inside his bandanna-style handkerchief. It wouldn’t do to leave the glass for the mustangs—or any other animal—to step on. He’d show the digital pictures and the glass to Sam.

      So intent was he on what he was doing, it took Cade a moment to notice the hoofbeats coming his way. Mustangs? His heart jumped, until he heard the unmistakable sound of a horseshoe striking against rock. A moment later, Reno rode into view on the same blue roan he’d seen last night—when she’d stared at him as though she’d seen a ghost. Cade could hardly blame her. He supposed in some ways that’s exactly what he was to her. Had his actions all those years ago haunted her the way they’d haunted him?

      Still, he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her. Until he saw Sheriff Pritchard riding behind her on a big sorrel horse. Cade’s smile turned into a scowl.

      “Morning, Cade,” Reno said, not meeting his eyes.

      “Look what the cat dragged back to town,” Austin said. “It’s been a while, Lantana.”

      “That it has.” Cade narrowed his eyes. “There wasn’t any need for you to ride all the way out here. Sam’s got this investigation under control.”

      “Well, Sam’s not here, and seeing as how I’m the sheriff of this county, I’d say it’s my sworn duty to uphold the law under all circumstances, including this one.” Austin’s pale blue eyes stared back at him.

      As cocky as Cade remembered.

      “Would you two knock it off,” Reno said. “Find anything interesting, Cade?”

      “Tire tracks from the ATVs. Looks like there were three or four of them.”

      “I know I shot out the headlights on two,” Reno stated.

      Cade started to tell her why that hadn’t been a good idea, then decided not to get into it in front of the sheriff.

      “I did not just hear that,” Austin said. “Reno, you can’t be out here shooting at people, even if they are trespassing.”

      “They shot at me first. Besides,” Reno said, “I didn’t shoot at people. I shot their lights. They need to stay off my property. Don’t they know about Colorado’s Make My Day law? Some property owners would shoot a trespasser pretty quick in these parts.”

      Austin looked as if he was going to argue СКАЧАТЬ