His Reluctant Cowboy

by A. D. Ellis

  “I’m grateful I was able to help.” Doctor Litel nodded. “Wes and the others did a good job of catching the signs early, probably made all the difference.”

  Walker and Reid accompanied Doc to his truck.

  “I’ll check in throughout the day and over the next week,” Dr. Litel informed them.

  “Appreciate it.” Walker nodded. “We’ll keep you updated. Won’t let her be alone for the next day or so.”

  Doc Litel waved as he drove off.

  Walker threw an arm around Reid as they walked back to the barn.

  “Wow, this could have ended so much differently,” Reid sighed and snuggled into Walker’s side. “I know the whole thing isn’t over, but I’m so glad she’s going to be okay.”

  “Yeah, me too,” Walker agreed. “Now we just need to get to the bottom of it all before any other animals or people get hurt.”

  “She got up last night,” Wes rubbed Buttercup’s neck. “Figured you could walk her today, see how she does.”

  “Sounds good,” Walker replied. “Take a couple hours off before you work with the new mare. I’ve got Zeke and Dusty running errands today. Reid and I will stick around the barn and keep an eye on things.”

  “Will do, boss.” Wes tipped his hat before leaving the barn.

  “Hey, sweet girl, you ready to take a walk?” Reid let Buttercup nuzzle his chest.

  Walker and Reid led the animal from the barn and began a very slow pace around the ring. Buttercup made no effort to speed up, so the men kept to a slow walk.

  “Sure took a lot out of her,” Walker stated he ran his gaze over the horse, “but looks like she’s up to getting through it. We will all take turns walking her until she’s got her strength up. Maybe keep someone on duty in the barn through the night.”

  “Let her take it slow for a few days. I bet she’s back to herself within a week.” Reid patted Buttercup’s neck.

  Zeke waved from the fence and gave a whistle.

  Walker headed to see what the kid wanted. After a few moments of conversation, Walker returned to Reid and Buttercup.

  “I’m going to ride out to check the western perimeter fence.” Walker adjusted his hat. “Shouldn’t be more than an hour. If there’s damage, I’ll fix it best I can. May have to take more supplies out to finish it tomorrow.”

  “Is there a problem?” Reid frowned.

  “Zeke said a neighbor noticed a breach in the fence.” Walker shrugged.

  “One, it kills me when you say neighbor because the closest people are like ten miles away.” Reid started listing points with his fingers. “Two, who is this neighbor? Three, why can’t he fix it?”

  Walker chuckled. “One, it’s more like two or three miles in any direction for the most part. Two, it’s Old Man Sullivan. Three, again, it’s Old Man Sullivan. He’s not in any position to mend fences. His property is small, and he doesn’t make much of a profit. He can’t hire men to do the work for him, so I help out as much as possible.”

  Reid leaned in and kissed him. “You’re too good.” With one hand holding Buttercup’s reins and the other hand on Walker’s shoulder, Reid continued, “But can’t you send someone else or let me go with you?”

  Walker shook his head. “Not really. I’ve got all the others doing errands or chores. You’re welcome to come with me, but Buttercup is the only horse you’ve ever ridden. You’d be fine on any, you were a quick learner, and the terrain isn’t bad to the west.”

  Reid grimaced. “Well, when you put it that way, I’m just going to have to trust you’ll be okay.”

  Walker laughed. “I see how it is,” he teased as he hooked a thumb in Reid’s beltloop and pulled him close for a kiss. “I won’t be long. Let her walk a couple more laps, then give her plenty of water and food before giving her a good rub down.”

  “I’ll spend some time with Cinnamon, too,” Reid offered. “I can’t wait until that girl is big enough for me to ride.”

  Buttercup neighed and blew a breath against Reid’s back before pushing him gently with her snout.

  Walker and Reid laughed at her clear message.

  “Calm down, baby. You’ll always be my first,” Reid cooed at her neck.

  Walker saddled up one of the other horses and rode off to the west.

  Reid finished up with Buttercup and left her to rest in her stall with fresh water, feed, and hay. He found Cinnamon out in the pasture and whistled for her to come to the fence. The filly’s ears perked, and she pranced toward Reid, flipping her mane and shaking her head.

  “Hey girl, hey there pretty girl,” Reid murmured as the horse nuzzled his hand. “Want to go walk?” He unlatched the gate. Reid held onto Cinnamon’s halter until they reached the ring and he could put a lead on her.

  Twenty minutes later, Cinnamon’s feistiness was waning, and Reid debated whether to return her to the pasture or the stable. Leaving the ring, Cinnamon turned to the pasture, so the decision was made.

  Reid followed the filly into the pasture and patted her. “Okay girl, I’ll come visit again tomorrow.”

  As he unhooked the lead, he heard a deafening crack split the air and echoed across the ranch.

  Cinnamon bolted.

  Reid flinched. Turning to the west where the sound seemed to originate, Reid’s stomach sank. “Fuck, that was a gunshot, wasn’t it?” he asked the emptiness around him as he steadied himself against the fence.

  A million thoughts raced through his head. Is there a four-wheeler available? How much time would it take to go look? But if there’s no vehicle available, that’s just a waste of time. Should I walk toward the shot? Wait for Wes or Zeke or somebody? Saddle up another horse?

  Oh hell, no. I can’t ride another horse.

  At that moment, thundering hooves sounded behind him, and Reid fearfully ducked his head to protect himself from what he knew was a charging horse.

  But the sound stopped right at his back and only the heavy breathing of the animal was heard. Reid turned slowly and came face-to-face with the giant Beauty. She nudged him with her nose, pressing against his chest as she pawed the ground and whinnied.

  “Seriously?” Reid sighed. “Okay, let’s go.” He had to extend his arm to take hold of Beauty’s halter, but the horse took the lead and headed to the stable.

  When they entered the darkness of the barn, Reid’s eyes struggled to adjust, but he immediately recognized the voice.

  “That sounded like a gun shot,” Norma stated. “I rushed down here as quickly as I could.”

  “Walker went to check the west perimeter fence,” Reid informed her. “This beast basically came to me and demanded I ride her out to see what happened. Can you help me saddle her up?”

  Within five minutes, Norma and Reid had Beauty ready to ride.

  Norma slid a step stool next to the massive animal and held the reins as Reid climbed on. Beauty stood stock still as if she knew the importance of being calm and gentle at a scary and unsure moment.

  “You head on out, I’ll call some of the others and tell them what happened. They won’t be far behind.” Norma patted Reid’s leg and Beauty’s neck. “God speed.” She turned and headed to the barn office.

  Reid clicked his tongue and signaled Beauty gently with his boots as Walker had shown him, and the horse left the barn.

  Beauty moved quickly from a trot to a canter to a smooth gallop as Reid’s head and heart imagined the unimaginable that lay before him.

  “Whoa,” Reid pulled back on Beauty’s reins as they came close to the west end fence. “Shit, he could be anywhere,” Reid whispered to the wide-open quietness and patted Beauty’s neck. “You were amazing, girl. Smoothest ride ever. Don’t tell Buttercup I said that. I’ll deny it.”

  “If you’re done chatting with the horse, I’d take a little help over here,” Walker’s voice sounded at Reid’s back.

  Whipping his head around and turning Beauty, Reid moved toward a large rock and found Walker sitting in the shade of the boulder with a handkerchief held against
the back of this head.

  “Shit!” Reid slid from the saddle. “Were you shot?”

  “No,” Walker answered. “The gunshot scared the shit out of Rascal. He reared up and threw me. I think I busted my head on a rock. Definitely gonna have some bruises on my back, felt like I landed on a gravel road.”

  “Let me see your head,” Reid commanded.

  Walker removed the cloth and winced. “Careful, it hurts like hell.”

  “There’s a lot of blood.” Reid took the handkerchief and whistled.

  “Head wounds bleed a lot.”

  “Did you pass out?” Reid feathered a touch across Walker’s head.

  “No, I got Rascal tied up and then came here to sit in the shade.” Walker shook his head. “My phone must have fallen off my holder. Figured if someone didn’t show up pretty soon I’d pull myself up and look for it.”

  “Sorry it took me so long,” Reid apologized and stood to help Walker stand. “Careful. Are you dizzy?”

  Walker steadied himself against the rock and held his head. “Little bit, mostly just throbbing where it’s bleeding.”

  Reid glanced around. “Let’s wrap your head first. Think you can ride back?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine.” Walker frowned as he glanced between Beauty and Reid. “Damn, I either hit my head a lot harder than I thought and I’m imagining things, or you really do love me.”

  Reid snorted. “I didn’t really have a choice. Beauty pretty much charged me and demanded I ride her out here. Norma helped me saddle her up.”

  “Wow,” Walker crooned. “Great ride, right?” He smirked.

  “Amazing ride, barely felt it, like her legs were floating over the ground.” Reid shook his head and adjusted his hat as he watched the beast of a horse graze a few feet away.

  “I told you,” Walker teased.

  “I know, I know,” Reid agreed, “but I’ll tell you like I told Beauty, don’t mention this to Buttercup. She can’t know I cheated on her.”

  Walker chuckled and winced again. “Damn, that hurts. You got your phone?”

  Reid nodded.

  “Call Doc and see if she can come out and check my head. See if I need stitches.” Walker ripped first one sleeve then another from his shirt. “Here, use this to tie that hanky to my head to slow the bleeding.”

  Reid took the cloth, made the call, and then gingerly affixed the cloth to Walker’s head.

  “I think we should both ride Beauty,” Walker declared. “That way if I get woozy, I won’t fall from Rascal, and you can hold me on.”

  “Good idea,” Reid looked toward Rascal. “Leave him or lead him back?”

  “Any other time, I’d leave him and let someone come out and get him.” Walker frowned. “But I don’t know if that gunshot was random or a warning or meant to spook the horse, so I don’t want to leave him out here.”

  “Completely agree.” Reid thumbed his phone screen. “I’m texting Wes and Norma to make sure the police know about this.”

  Reid collected Rascal from his place on the fence and brought him to the rock.

  “You want to get on first or me?” Reid pointed to Beauty.

  “I’ll get on first, and then you climb on behind me.” Walker mounted Beauty and groaned at the exertion. “Fuck, that hurts.”

  “Dude, this is like the tallest horse I’ve ever seen,” Reid grumbled as he stared up at Walker.

  “Get your foot in the stirrup and then mount up. I’ll grab your arm and help.”

  Within an hour, thanks to needing to go slowly and also lead Rascal, the quartet arrived back at the ranch. Wes and a few other ranch hands met Walker and Reid and took the horses while Doc immediately ushered Walker into the house. Reid paced as Doc patched up Walker and Norma made sure there was food for at least two football teams.

  Two hours later, the horses were safely away for the night with an extra watch patrolling the ranch. Walker’s head was patched up. Showers were taken and dinner was eaten.

  “Dude, I’m so damn tired, I think I could sleep for a year,” Walker moaned as he settled into bed, gasping as his wound hit the pillow.

  “Well, Rip Van Winkle, you’re going to hate me by morning,” Reid teased.

  Walker cocked a brow.

  “Doc says I have to wake you every hour because you have a concussion.”

  Walker frowned. “Why didn’t she tell me that?”

  “Probably because she knew you’d pout and throw a hissy.”

  Walker started to answer, likely to argue, but he stopped. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” He pulled back the covers and patted the bed. “Let’s get comfy and sleep an hour at a time.”

  “Ohhhh, sounds so romantic,” Reid cooed.

  18

  “Walker, Reid, nice to see you,” Officer Toweler spoke to the men as he shook their hands. “Wanted to come by and update you on what we know.”

  “Down,” Walker commanded. He tried to stop the dogs from prancing around their visitor, but his head hurt too much to bend over.

  “Have a seat,” Walker offered. “Norma will bring coffee.”

  “No need to go to any trouble for me,” the officer waved off the suggestion. He smiled as Donald jumped on his lap followed by Louise. The other three wiggled all over Toweler’s boots.

  “She likely started the coffee the moment she saw your car pull in,” Reid said. “And I’d guess she’ll have some sort of sweet to go with it. Trying to stop Norma from providing hospitality is like trying to stop the sun from rising.” Reid sat and patted the cushion next to him and got Huey’s attention. The dog darted from the officer to Reid’s side.

  Norma bustled into the living room. “Morning, Mark. I hope you’ve brought good news. I have coffee and cinnamon rolls.”

  “Morning, and that sounds wonderful.” Officer Toweler nodded. “Thank you.”

  Norma sat the tray on the coffee table before taking a seat.

  Around a mouth full of pastry Toweler said, “I think the extra patrols have likely kept more incidences from happening. My officers heard a bit of chatter about someone who may have a hand in all of it.” Toweler took a sip of coffee. “They caught up with him just on the outskirts of town at a rundown campsite. We’ve taken him in because he was found with drugs, and he admitted to doing some of the things out here on the ranch. The fireworks during the party, the gun shot that spooked Walker’s horse, he swears he wouldn’t kill an animal and hasn’t admitted to the cattle deaths or the poisoning.”

  “Who is he? Who is he working for?” Walker demanded.

  “Trey Cox.” Toweler shrugged. “We can’t find any connection between him and Alexander at this point. Cox swears he was doing odd jobs for someone in the next town over in exchange for drugs and money.”

  “Find that person and I bet you find a connection to my father,” Reid grumbled. “Or at least it will be one step closer to finding the connection to him.”

  “We’re on it.” Toweler nodded. “My men are getting more information from Cox and looking for his contact. At this point, we have every reason to suspect Alexander is behind this whole thing. He’s got motive, he’s got the history of some unsavory actions, he’s got the money and the connections to make it happen. But, we need strong evidence against him before we just go in guns blazing. Without evidence, he’ll lawyer up and never have to answer for any of it.”

  “Even with evidence, he’s going to lawyer up,” Reid interrupted.

  “But with evidence, we can at least charge him, right?” Walker asked.

  “Exactly,” Toweler answered. “I wish I had more to tell you, but for now I’ll thank you kindly for the coffee and treat and be on my way. I’ll update you when we have more information.”

  After a hug for Norma, Officer Toweler followed Walker and Reid outside.

  A few more pleasantries were exchanged before the officer drove off.

  Walker and Reid headed toward the barn and met Zeke on the way.

  “Morning,” Zeke mumbled.
/>   “What’s up?” Walker asked, frowning.

  “Shay has a doctor appointment. Wes wants to do a date and overnight after, but Shay is insistent that I not be used as a babysitter.” Zeke crossed his arms over his chest.

  “She doesn’t trust you with Elise?” Reid asked with eyebrows raised.

  “Nah, she trusts me fine, she just has this thing about not using me as a babysitter, like taking advantage of me. I told her I don’t care, but she’s adamant,” Zeke grumped.

  “I think we can help,” Walker offered with a wink.

  “Yeah?” Zeke brightened.

  “I’ll pull the boss card. Tell them they have to take the night off. Reid and I will watch Elise. You’ll be there to help if needed, but the two of us will be the babysitters.” Walker smiled broadly.

  “That may work.” Zeke nodded. “Elise wants pizza, you guys okay with that? She also loves to watch Disney movies on repeat and sing the songs,” he warned.

  “Pizza and singing? Throw in dancing and I’m in my own personal heaven.” Reid pretended to swoon. “I’m in.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll talk to Wes and make it happen.” Walker slapped Zeke on the back. “Guess we’ll see you tonight.”

  Zeke smiled and waved as he walked off, clearly happier than before.

  “He’s a good kid,” Walker pondered aloud.

  “Yeah, he is,” Reid agreed. “Can I just say how excited I am for babysitting? Pizza, singing, and you know I’m going to teach Elise to dance. Maybe we bring the duck dogs with us? It’s like a big ol’ slumber party.”

  Walker groaned. “I hope I have the energy for what I just signed us up for.”

  “No worries, Cowboy, we’ve got this,” Reid quipped and kissed Walker on the cheek. “Come on, let’s go tell Wes the plan.”

  “What the hell have you done?” Reid growled into the phone as way of greeting.

  “Afternoon, son. Nice to hear your voice,” Jack Alexander crooned.

  “Fuck off,” Reid snapped. “You’re fucking with lives here. Is a piece of land really worth killing animals and putting people in danger?”