by Lori Wilde
Cowboy Bounty Hunter
Cowboy Confidential, Volume 3
Lori Wilde and Kristin Eckhardt
Published by L&K, 2021.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
COWBOY BOUNTY HUNTER
First edition. July 30, 2021.
Copyright © 2021 Lori Wilde and Kristin Eckhardt.
Written by Lori Wilde and Kristin Eckhardt.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Further Reading: Cowboy Cop
Also By Lori Wilde
Also By Kristin Eckhardt
About the Author
CHAPTER ONE
Sam Holden knew this chance might never come again.
His heart pounded and he stood at the front door of the bunkhouse with a coil of rope gripped in one hand. As a seasoned bounty hunter, he’d faced worse odds, but this time it was personal.
A full moon shone in the big Texas sky, lighting his path as he opened the door and silently crossed the threshold. He took a moment to survey his surroundings, assuring himself he was alone in the dimly lit room. Then his gaze moved to the open wooden staircase next the saddle blanket rack.
Sam moved toward it, timing each step to the bursts of raucous laughter from the floor above. The noise muffled the sound of the creaky plank flooring beneath his cowboy boots. He was halfway up the stairs when he paused again and listened carefully to the voices above him. There were three, maybe four of them up there.
He liked those odds.
Tipping up his black felt cowboy hat, he fixed his gaze on the rectangular opening at the top of the stairs. Then he uncoiled the rope in his hands just far enough to expertly tie a perfect lasso before ascending a few more steps.
Now came the fun part. “You boys gambling up there?” he called out, modulating his deep voice into a perfect imitation of his late grandfather, the toughest man he’d ever known.
The sound of startled gasps and chairs scraping against the hardwood floor was just the signal he needed to rapidly advance on them. The lasso was already whirling in the air when he reached the top of the landing and he watched with satisfaction as it fell perfectly around his prey.
“Gotcha!” Sam shouted, yanking hard on the rope to tighten the lasso around the arms and torso of the man closest to him.
“I’m going to kill you,” Hank Holden roared, struggling against the lasso like a wild stallion.
Sam’s gaze moved to Nick, Cade, and Jack. “What do you say, boys? Here’s our chance to beat up on our big brother.”
“I’m not that dumb.” Nick leaned against the oak frame of a bunk bed as he surveyed the scene. “And Hank looks like he’s fixin’ to break out of that rope soon. So, you’d better run for it, Sam, if you know what’s good for you.”
“And miss out on the poker game?” Sam shook his head. “Not a chance.”
Hank swore a blue streak as he struggled fiercely against the binding rope until it finally loosened enough for him to break free. He stepped over the fallen lasso, his beefy hands curling into fists as he moved toward Sam. “Where’d you learn to imitate Grandpa Henry like that?” Hank growled. “I know you do voices, but that one sounded just like him.”
Sam took a wary step back. “I’ve been working on it for a while now. Just been waiting for the right moment to use it.”
“Well,” Cade mused, “I about jumped out of my skin when I heard Grandpa Henry’s voice. I thought he’d risen from the grave with a hickory switch in his hand.”
Sam chuckled, remembering how their grandpa had carried a switch around the ranch a time or two, although he’d never actually used it on any of them. As young boys, the six Holden brothers had come to live at Elk Creek Ranch with their grandparents after their own parents were killed in a car accident. Henry and Hattie Holden had brought them up well and loved them unconditionally.
Sam and his brothers had always been more afraid of disappointing Grandpa Henry than getting a scolding from him.
“Someday your bag of tricks is going to get you into trouble, Sam,” Jack warned him.
“But today’s not that day,” Sam drawled, imitating Grandpa Henry once more.
Hank uncurled his fists as a smile tugged up one corner of his mouth. “Fine, I’ll let you off the hook. For now.”
“Hank always did go easy on you,” Cade said, walking back to the poker table, “probably cause you’re the runt of the family.”
Sam bristled. Standing at six foot one, he was the shortest of the Holden brothers and they never let him forget it. Hank was the oldest, followed by Nick, Sam, Jack, Cade, and Trace.
Ignoring Cade’s jibe, Sam placed his cowboy hat and roping gloves on an empty bunk, along with the rope. “Did y’all forget to invite Trace to this poker night?”
“Nah, he’s just out on another date,” Jack replied as the rest of them moved to the poker table and sat down. “Our baby brother has become quite the ladies’ man. I guess somebody’s got to take over that role now that Hank’s off the market.”
Sam grabbed an icy beer bottle from the cooler, then settled back in his chair. It had been a long time since he’d enjoyed a poker game with his brothers. His job as a bounty hunter kept him on the road, with only short breaks in between jobs. But he loved that life and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Sam turned to Hank. “I’m surprised to see you and Nick here tonight. Last I heard, you both act like a couple of lovesick bulls around your gals.”
Jack and Cade laughed, while Nick just smiled and shook his head.
“You’d be darn lucky to find a woman as amazing as Rachel,” Hank scoffed, picking up the deck of cards in front of him.
“Or Lucy,” Nick chimed. “Pretty sure a runt like you couldn’t handle her.”
Cade burst out laughing. “You can barely handle her, Nick. That’s why she’ll make such a great sister-in-law. Rachel, too, if Hank’s smart enough to hang on to her.”
“Don’t worry, Rachel’s not going anywhere,” Hank promised. “But I wonder how smart Sam is for taking on a Cowboy Confidential job?”
“What do you mean?” Sam asked.
Hank slowly shuffled the playing cards in his hands. “Has it ever occurred to you, boys, that this business Grandma Hattie started might be more than just a staffing agency? She was pretty smug the day Nick and Lucy got engaged.”
“What are you saying?” Jack asked with a nervous laugh. “That she’s playing matchmaker too?”
“No way,” Sam exclaimed. “Just cause Hank and Nick both fell in love on the job doesn’t mean Grandma Hattie had a hand in it.”
“Well, she’s two-for-two so far,” Cade quipped. “And you’re next on the chopping block, Sam.”
Before Sam could reply, he heard footsteps on the stairs behind him. They all turned to see Grandma Hattie appear at the top of the stairs. She carried a large bamboo tray in her hands, piled high with food.
“Sorry to interrupt,” she said cheerfully. Her silver hair was twisted into a neat bun, and she wore a cornflower-blue apron over her white cotton blouse and denim jeans. “I know my boys and thought y’all might like a second supper. So, I whipped up a few of your favorites.”
“I’m starving
,” Jack said, jumping to his feet and moving quickly to take the tray from her. “Thanks, Grandma Hattie.”
Sam walked over to give her a warm hug. “I stopped by the house earlier when I first got here, but you weren’t home.”
“I was at my book club meeting in Pine City,” she explained, then placed a gentle hand on his cheek. “You still have that beard and mustache, I see. Makes you look every bit as handsome as your grandfather.”
“That must be why women like me so much,” he teased. “Too bad I’ll never find one who can cook as well as you do.”
Sam glanced over at his brothers and saw them gathering around the food tray on the table. If he didn’t move fast, there’d be nothing left for him.
He took a step toward the table, but Grandma Hattie grasped his arm, holding him back.
“Sam, wait. I need to tell you something.”
He turned around to face her, surprised by the concern he saw shining in her blue eyes. “What is it?”
“I’m sorry you had to come all this way,” she began, smoothing down her apron, “but it turns out this particular Cowboy Confidential job isn’t the right one for you.”
“Oh,” he said, surprised. “Well, I’m sure I can handle it.”
“No, not this one.” Then she smiled and gave him a small push toward the table. “Now, go grab a sandwich before they’re all gone.”
But Sam stood his ground, staring at her. Grandma Hattie had never been afraid to speak her mind, so he found her explanation surprisingly vague. “Why isn’t this job the one for me?”
“Just trust me on this.” She twisted the gold wedding band on her slender finger. “I’m sure I’ll have another job for you soon. Business has really started picking up now that summer’s almost here.”
“Grandma Hattie,” he said slowly. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Oh, Sam,” she said with an exasperated sigh. “I guess you’re just as stubborn as your grandpa, too. It’s my fault, really. Your cousin Katie’s the one who took the phone call. She’s been working part-time for me and is the one who actually talked to the woman.”
“What woman?”
“I don’t know. She wouldn’t give Katie her name, just an email address. She wants us to locate a man she believes to be in the area, and she sent us the entire fee up front. That’s why Katie called you about the job right away. But I just learned the man’s name today.”
His gut twisted and he knew in that instant why his grandmother had been so hesitant to tell him about it. “Is this man named Gilbert Holloway?”
She met his gaze. “Yes.”
A sudden silence fell over the room. He glanced over one shoulder to see his brothers grim-faced as they stared at him.
He took a moment to steady his breathing, then turned back to his grandmother. Taking both of her hands in his, he gave them a gentle squeeze and said firmly, “I’m taking this job.”
She studied his face for a long moment, then finally nodded. “Okay, Sam. You do what you need to do.”
“Sam, don’t be stupid,” Hank warned. “You know what happened the last time...”
“Holloway’s mine,” Sam snapped, cutting him off. “I’ve been scouring the entire state of Texas for him these past three years.” He sucked in a deep breath. “But now he’s invading my territory. And I’m not about to let him slither away again.”
#
Gracie Delacroix knew a snake when she saw one.
Raised on a Texas horse ranch, she’d come across her share of rattlesnakes, coral snakes, and rat snakes as a child. She’d even encountered a copperhead snake once, near a woodpile, on the same day her mother and stepfather had dumped fifteen-year-old Gracie on her aunt’s doorstep. Fortunately, she’d survived both events and learned to keep an eye out for menacing reptiles.
But here in Pine City, Texas, the two-legged snake she saw walking through the door of her aunt’s antique shop was one of the worst. Gracie quickened her steps and jaywalked across the street, ignoring the loud blast of a car horn, and making a beeline for the nineteenth-century stone building.
By the time she walked inside the shop, Merle Fry was pointing one thick, stubby finger right in her aunt’s face.
True to form, Aunt Jolene was unflappable. Barely over five feet tall, the fifty-two-year-old woman stood toe-to-toe with the barrel-chested land developer as he spewed his venom.
“I’ve given you chance after chance to let me buy you out of this place, Jolene,” he said. “But you keep turning me down. I’m not a man who’s used to a woman telling him no.”
“Then you’d better get used to it,” Aunt Jolene said with a sassy wag of her blond ponytail. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”
It took every ounce of willpower for Gracie to hold her tongue. Aunt Jolene had taught her a long time ago that she preferred fighting her own battles, even against slimy snakes like Merle Fry. She’d also taught Gracie to stand up for herself.
But Gracie had learned the hard way that sometimes the snakes win. Like when her odious stepfather had convinced her mother to leave Gracie behind in Texas when they’d moved to Europe.
Her mother had married her stepfather when Gracie was just four years old. Listening to Merle’s tirade reminded her of him. He used to bellow too, but the worst fight she’d ever heard between ‘Papa’ and her mother was when she was a teenager. He’d made it clear that he was tired of having Gracie around. Worn down, her mother had finally given in to his demand to abandon her own daughter.
“I can’t make it on my own without him, Gracie.” Those had been the tearful words her mother had spoken while packing up fifteen-year-old Gracie’s bedroom. “It’s really for the best, sweetie. Aunt Jolene will take wonderful care of you, and this way you’ll get to finish high school in Texas. And Papa promised to pay all of your college expenses, too. Won’t that be wonderful?”
Gracie had never asked her stepfather for anything, much less a free ride to college. And once she had earned her degree in marketing and started her own business, she’d paid him back every red cent, with interest.
Despite Gracie’s devastation at being left behind, her mother’s words had turned out to be true. Because living with Aunt Jolene had been one of the best things that had ever happened to her. Her aunt’s cottage-style home had been full of laughter and love and new adventures.
The only downside to the arrangement had been switching to a new high school after her freshman year. Aunt Jolene lived in the small town of Hay Springs, Texas, located about thirty miles west of Pine City. Most of Gracie’s classmates at Hay Springs High had known each other since preschool and weren’t looking for any new friends.
Except for Gilbert Holloway.
He’d been the new kid at school too, a skinny computer nerd whose family had recently moved to town. As sophomores, she and Gilbert had bonded over their love of board games, classic movies, and exploring empty, old farmhouses. While their classmates were partying in cow pastures, Gilbert and Gracie would sort through piles of VHS tapes for their Friday night movie marathons.
He’d tried to kiss her once, but it was so awkward that they’d both started laughing and agreed that they were better off as friends.
The sudden roar of Merle’s cantankerous voice broke through Gracie’s reverie.
“You’ll be out of here right quick once the debt collectors come calling.” Merle’s grizzled face was now beet red as he glowered at her aunt. “I’ve heard you’ve been racking up unpaid bills all over town, so maybe you’d better start packing.”
“I’d rather take out the trash,” she said, grabbing a broom and sweeping it toward him with fierce, brisk strokes that created a cloud of dust. Soon, his gray alligator-skin boots were covered with a fine powder of dust and debris.
“You’re plum crazy!” Merle exclaimed, quickly backtracking until he almost fell over the threshold before making his way out the front door.
Jolene slammed the door behind him, then took a deep breath. “Whe
w, he was full of hot air today. Everything’s fine here, Gracie. Don’t you worry.”
Gracie wished that were true, but she’d recently discovered that her aunt’s beloved antique business was hanging by a thread. Jolene had a loyal clientele in Pine City, but so many folks bought their furniture and antiques online these days that her customer base had slowly dwindled.
Which was ironic in a way because Jolene’s Antique Emporium had launched Gracie’s career. She’d spent hours here working at the shop when she was in high school, then again after earning her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas. Working with Jolene’s clients had led Gracie to start her own business as an image consultant, specializing in turning around struggling businesses.
Now Gracie wanted to give back to her aunt, but her repeated offers of financial help were refused. She just wished Aunt Jolene’s stubborn pride wouldn’t stand in the way of saving her business. “I really hate the way Merle speaks to you.”
Jolene waved a dismissive hand in the air. “Oh, that’s nothing new. He’s been wanting to turn this property into a parking garage for as long as I can remember, but I refuse to sell it to him.”
“Is he right about the debt collectors?”
Jolene walked to the front counter and set the broom down. “Like I said, you don’t need to worry about any of that. You’ve got your own business to run. In fact, I just read another glowing article about you in the Pine City Herald. It said you upscaled a struggling restaurant in Austin and now it’s one of the hottest spots in town.”
Gracie nodded. “That was a fun project. And the head bartender taught me her secret mojito recipe. I’ll invite you over for dinner sometime soon so I can make one for you.”
Aunt Jolene beamed at her. “You’re setting the world on fire, girl, just like I always knew you would.”
“Thanks to everything you’ve done for me,” Gracie told her. “That’s a debt I can never repay, but I’d like to try. I wish you would let me give you some money for the shop. We can call it a loan if you’d like. I have more than enough.”