Harts Of The Rodeo 3 - Duke - Deputy Cowboy

by Roz Denny Fox

  “Aw!” Luke slumped in his seat. “I want you to watch me. And Duke’s gonna ride a bull. So is his b-brother. His cousin Colt rides buckin’ horses l-like my d-dad. Bobby said everybody goes, ’cause the rodeo is cool, Mom.”

  “Lucas,” Angie said, “many rodeo animals are ill-treated. There are plenty of careers more worth thinking are cool.” She decided it was probably best to not make an issue out of his mentioning his father.

  Luke’s lip stuck out stubbornly.

  As Angie was thinking about phoning Pam Marshall, she walked up without her twins. “Hi, Angie. I came to ask if Monday morning I can pick Luke up here before driving the kids to Thunder Ranch? I’m paying my neighbor to sell my birdhouses in my booth, to give me a break.”

  “That’s fine with me. Thanks for chauffeuring. By the way, I told Luke I’d ask if you plan to take your boys to the midway. Luke is dying to go, but this being my first time selling at the fair, I need all the hours here I can get.”

  “Would Monday evening work for you? Gary took the boys to Ryegate to visit his mother who is just home from the hospital today. Tomorrow is church.”

  “Any time it’s convenient for you. I’ve been busier than I thought. I’m not complaining. Only I assumed I’d have a bit more free time.”

  “Our fair and rodeo are gaining popularity. I read they expect double the crowd over last year. Well, I have to run. Truthfully, I spotted a copper necklace across the way at Cheyenne Sundell’s booth, but I waffled over buying it. Now I want it, and I’m afraid if I don’t hurry back it’ll be gone.”

  They parted and Angie resumed a brisk business all afternoon. Tired as she felt at the close of the day, she knew she had to bake for half the night to keep ahead of sales. Not that it was a bad thing. Selling out every day would be terrific.

  On arriving home she found the bag Dylan had left at her door. While supper cooked, she called to thank him. His cell was busy, so she left a message. “Dylan, it’s kind of you to bring me all of this material, but I’m swamped at the moment and won’t have a chance to delve into it for a few days. How about if I give you a call when I do? I’m going to the shop tonight to bake. The ovens there are bigger and I have more room to spread cookies out to cool.”

  * * *

  DUKE WAS SORRY HE MISSED Angie’s call. By the time he had a minute to phone her back, there was no answer. He decided to skip his supper break and run by her shop.

  Pulling in next to her vehicle, he could see her inside. He found the front door locked, which was good. He rapped on the glass, and Lucas came running.

  “Duke, hi. How did’ya know we were here? Can Zorro come in and play?”

  “Uh, it’s up to your mother.”

  Angie came to the door of the kitchen. “Hi, Dylan. What are you doing here?” She had an oven mitt on one hand and a large spatula in the other.

  “I got your message and came by to see if I could help mix or bake or something for an hour.”

  “Really?” She was plainly surprised.

  “Oh, man!” Luke complained, kicking at a chair leg that sat in the space where Ruby used to serve coffee and doughnuts.

  Duke glanced at the boy and remembered what it was like having his dad busy all the time. “I see you were reading.”

  Angie saw Zorro stick his nose in the door. “Luke, if you two sit right where you are on the floor you can read the new book we bought you to Zorro.”

  “He’ll like it,” the boy said, running to get the book. “It’s about a dog that rides ferry boats in— Where is that state, Mom?”

  “Washington State,” she said.

  Boy and dog plopped down next to each other, and Duke smiled.

  “I have to hire helpers to work here, but I haven’t had time to interview,” Angie said.

  Duke rolled up his sleeves. “What can I do?”

  “If you’re serious, you can grate apples and carrots.”

  “I am. You have flour on your nose,” he said, brushing it off, then bending to kiss where he’d brushed.

  “Dylan.” Angie ducked away. “We can’t get involved,” she said in hushed tones.

  “Why not?” He stepped around her, washed his hands at the sink, then picked up the large grater and dipped into the bowl of peeled apples.

  “You know why. I’m just having a hard time getting used to the fact you and your whole family are profiting from rodeo.”

  He felt a zap of disappointment. Rodeo was a huge part of his life. He wanted her to like it. “I’ll get you and Luke tickets to sit with Aunt Sarah and my family. Maybe you’ll change your mind.”

  “Doubtful. Don’t waste your money. I’m not planning to go at all.”

  He grabbed two carrots and grated them into a large bowl. “You can’t mean you’ll skip watching Luke. He’d be really hurt,” he said softly so the boy in the next room wouldn’t hear.

  She glanced up from bagging cookies and stared at him. “I should have never signed him up in the first place. All right. I’ll arrange to attend his event. But if one pony gets mistreated, that’s the end of it.”

  It wasn’t much, but it was something. Duke worked his hour feeling as if there was wiggle room to change her mind.

  “Time to head back on patrol at the midway,” he said, passing her a full bowl.

  She tried to take it out of his hands, but he tugged on it until she was near enough so he could kiss her again. He took his time, and felt his heart start to speed when she didn’t pull back instantly, and in fact she kissed him back.

  When she finally broke the connection, Duke stepped to the door. “Don’t stay here too late. I’ll try to get those tickets tomorrow.” He stopped to ruffle Luke’s hair.

  “You’re doing much better at reading, kid.”

  The boy grinned happily and gave Zorro a last hug.

  Duke whistled on his way out, satisfied he’d left Angie speechless for once.

  The midway kept him hopping until midnight, and the bars did a brisk business with liquor flowing until 2:00 a.m.

  Dead on his feet at the end of his lengthy shift, he listened again to Angie’s message on his cell phone, just to hear her voice before he slept.

  The next day was Sunday. He’d see her at church.

  That was his hope until he played a message from Dinah he’d missed that came in on his answering machine. “Duke, I need you to cover my shift Sunday morning. I got a call from a secondhand farm implement dealer in Grass Range. He may have the Jenkinses’ stolen milking machine, of all things. I collected a brochure on the machine from Mr. Jenkins, and I’m meeting the shop owner at nine. This could be the break we need.”

  “Dang, Zorro. I’ll have to take Angie the rodeo tickets later.” He knew he should cross his fingers that Dinah had luck in Grass Range. But he didn’t want Angie to have time to think about refusing the tickets.

  His Sunday passed in a flurry of activity. Several times that morning Duke headed out to check out the fairgrounds. Minor incidents at the midway kept diverting him. Thankfully none were too serious.

  Dinah made it back later than she hoped, so Duke pulled double duty.

  “Hey,” he said, meeting her coming into the office as he was about to go to the diner for supper. “Tell me it was our missing milking machine and you can close this case.”

  She tossed her keys on top of her desk and unclipped the belt that held her handgun, nightstick and handcuffs. Flinging herself into her chair, she blew out a disgusted breath. �
��It was the right machine, but our burglars pulled a fast one. They hired a kid to go in and sell it and other items from the Jenkins farm. I tracked down the kid, a local teen. Our thieves paid him twenty-five bucks to do their dirty work.”

  “Did he describe the guys who hired him?”

  “The boy is mentally challenged. The store owner said he came in with the items and a note indicating a relative needed cash to pay a doctor bill. After the transaction, the owner’s wife, who’d seen your last flyer, had her husband call the boy’s family. There were no relatives in dire straits.”

  Duke lifted his hat and rubbed the back of his neck. “What kind of creeps steal from nice old folks, then compound their dirty deed by using a handicapped kid?”

  “Somebody I hope we find and prosecute,” Dinah said. “And if they’ve hurt Midnight, I’ll personally make it my mission to see the book is thrown at them. My new concern is that we’re dealing with people without a conscience.”

  “That makes it more urgent to run them down and find Midnight. Aunt Sarah is afraid he’s gone for good. I still have faith he’ll turn up.”

  “I wish Ace had insured him,” Dinah said. “Flynn told me it was too costly. Ace elected to wait until Midnight produced a string of foals.”

  “Hindsight’s always twenty-twenty. But it’s the horse they want back, not the money. Hey, I left you names of drunks I issued warnings to. Catch them again and you can throw their hineys in jail overnight. That’s what I told them.”

  “I don’t recognize any of these names. Are cowboys showing up early for the rodeo?”

  “Yep, and now the midway and both saloons are all yours, boss. I was going to go eat, but I think I’ll head home and hit the sack. In the morning I’m with the wild-pony racers again.”

  “Does Angie appreciate all you’re doing?”

  He paused with a hand on the door. “No. She doesn’t like rodeos and wishes she hadn’t let Luke participate.”

  “Wow. Is that why she’s never been overly social? Now, don’t hop all over me for saying that. Ask our friends. Most of our crowd would ask, Angie who?”

  “Give her a break. She came to a new town, pregnant and unmarried. She had a kid to raise, a ranch to run and her grandpa got sick. Did anyone we know offer to help her out?”

  “I can see this gets you all worked up, Duke. Go on home. Our job will only get hotter the more cowboys roll in. Oh, one more question.... Is Angie afraid Luke’s daddy will show up at our rodeo?”

  “Dammit, Dinah, you know more about her than you let on.”

  “Just asking—if he pops in will she welcome him back? I’m worried about you getting in too deep and maybe getting your heart broken.”

  “No.” Duke started to say more, but in deference to not gossiping about Angie, he yanked open the door and stalked out. “Just...no!” he reiterated before slamming it hard.

  He went home and thought long and hard about calling Angie before he went to bed. In the end, he didn’t want to risk a conversation on a topic bound to upset her. He had to believe she’d meant it when she’d said Luke’s father was out of her life for good.

  * * *

  PAM BROUGHT THE THREE BOYS to Thunder Ranch for their lesson. “I’ll be back in two hours to collect them,” she called before Duke had a chance to ask where Angie was this morning.

  The boys performed a bit better and were superexcited. “We’re going to the fair tonight,” Bobby announced as they ended the session.

  “All of you?” Duke’s gaze strayed to Luke.

  “Yes, our mom is taking us. I can’t wait to ride on the Ferris wheel,” Bobby exclaimed.

  “Your mom isn’t going?” Duke pressed Luke.

  “She’s t-too busy.”

  “I know,” Duke said. “I wondered if she’d set up her online business using the stuff I left her.”

  Luke shrugged and darted off as Pam pulled in and honked. But he turned back and dug in his pocket. “Mom got a cell phone,” he said, only stuttering as he added, “H-here’s the n-number.” He left the paper with Duke and raced back to the SUV before Duke could jot it down and return the paper.

  Besides, Tommy Marshall yelled for Luke to hurry.

  Duke stared at the number even as dust from Pam’s departure blew over him. He wondered why Angie hadn’t felt the need to inform him she’d gotten a cell phone?

  He didn’t have long to waste worrying. His day as deputy began with Dinah leaving him a note saying he needed to check all of the permits posted for the midway rides. Apparently a city council member said the number of permits issued didn’t match the number of rides the fair crew had set up.

  It was late by the time Duke figured out the councilman was wrong. He called for a to-go meal from the Number 1 Diner and ran past to pick it up. As he paid at the register, he noticed his dad seated at a back table with the woman Duke remembered seeing as she got off a bus a few weeks ago. Her name was Jordan and she was Sierra Byrne’s aunt. Duke would have gone over to say hello, but something in the way the couple laughed together, their heads nearly touching, gave him pause. That and he’d left Zorro in the office.

  Back at the office, he fed Zorro and ate his meal while sorting through new warrants. Some were for deadbeat cowboy dads who might turn up to ride in the rodeo. Duke wondered how a man could bail out on support payments for his children. He had to hand it to Colt for meeting his obligations when it wasn’t always easy.

  Suddenly he looked up and realized Zorro was whining. Duke rolled back in his chair about the time Zorro barked several times and leaped at the window, rattling the vertical miniblinds.

  “What is it, boy?” Duke pulled aside the blind as the dog yipped and thumped his tail excitedly. It was dusk and it took time for Duke’s eyes to adjust. Once they did, he was surprised to see Luke Barrington trudging down the sidewalk. He wore dark jeans, a navy sweatshirt and carried a backpack. Luke stopped on the sidewalk next to the sign for the bus stop, and seemed to be squinting up at it.

  Duke’s heart ticked up in anticipation of seeing Angie as he leaned into the glass. Across the street customers entered the diner, but this side of the street was empty except for Luke.

  Because Zorro bounced against the door, Duke opened it. His pet shot out, but Duke followed more slowly. By the time he reached Luke, the boy had flung his arms around Zorro. In the faint light shed by a streetlamp, Duke saw streaks of old tears on Luke’s freckled cheeks.

  “Hey, little guy, where are you headed?”

  “T-Texas,” the boy stuttered.

  “Uh, Texas is a far piece from here. Let’s sit a minute and talk this over.” Duke gestured to a bench under the sign.

  Luke’s fingers curled into Zorro’s thick fur. “ ’Kay,” he said, but tugged the dog along to where he could perch on the very edge of the bench and still keep one hand on the shepherd. Stuttering more, Luke finally got out that he was running away.

  Duke didn’t sit, but propped one boot on the bench. “Your mom’s gonna be sad, Lucas. Is she in town? Maybe at the feed store or the Western-wear shop?”

  “At the fair. She’s prob’ly at her booth s-selling horse treats.”

  “Does she know you’re off to Texas?”

  Luke shook his head. “I’m spo’sed to be with Bobby and T-Tommy and their mom,” he stammered. “Mrs. Marshall took us to the rides. Tommy called me a baby ’cause I didn’t want to ride on the Twister. Then he said my dad never ever wanted me ’cause I’m such a loser. And that’s why my mom moved t
o M-Montana. Tommy said everybody at school kn-knows. So, I’m gonna find my dad and prove Tommy’s lying.”

  It took the boy so long to get that entire block of information out, Duke began to get more worried. By now Pam would be frantic, and Angie, as well.

  “Since Texas is a long trek, what do you say I buy you a hamburger and milkshake to tide you over? The diner’s right across the street.”

  “I am h-hungry. Bobby said we couldn’t eat b’fore the rides, or else we’d puke.”

  Duke rubbed a thumb down the center of his forehead, and thought, Bless Bobby. “Tell you what, pardner, let me grab my wallet and lock the sheriff’s office. You sit right here and hang on to Zorro.”

  Luke bobbed his head and tightened his grip on the dog who acted happy to have a human attached.

  Rushing into the office, Duke fumbled in his wallet for Angie’s cell number that thankfully Lucas had given him that morning. He punched it in and impatiently waited for a connection. “Angie, it’s Duke.”

  “Sorry, I can’t talk. I’m at the fairgrounds searching for Lucas. Pam took the boys on rides, and something happened. Luke should have come back to my booth, but he didn’t.” She sounded close to tears and Duke’s heart wrenched.

  “He’s here, Angie. In town. He’s sitting outside my office with Zorro. We can talk later about why he took off, but the upshot is I promised to take him to the Number 1 Diner for a burger and shake. Can you come there?”

  “In town? He walked all that way? Oh, my God. Why would he do that? He’s normally a responsible kid. Never mind. Of course I’ll come right away.”

  “Tommy told Luke his dad didn’t want him,” Duke said. “Luke decided to go to Texas to find his father and learn the truth. Maybe it’s time you level with him about his dad. I don’t want to interfere, Angie, but he’s hurting.”

  Duke wasn’t sure she hadn’t hung up, when she said, “It’s nothing I wanted to talk to him about until he was older. I suppose that was wrong.” She sighed. “I’ll be there as soon as I find Pam and let her know Luke’s okay. Goodness, Tommy is already in trouble. I don’t think Pam will let him be in the pony race, and Luke will be disappointed about that, too. Or maybe not if he was running away. What a mess, Dylan. But thank you.”