Home on the Ranch: Wyoming Sheriff

by Rebecca Winters

  “He certainly did,” Jessica agreed, trying to hide her disappointment. “Come on. Let’s get ready for bed. We’re going to go get a new car in the morning.”

  “Hooray. I can’t wait for Holden to see it.”

  Holden... Holden.

  Later, when he had fallen asleep, she turned on the TV in time to hear the ten o’clock news. There’d been a shooting involving a Whitebark cattle ranching family. She shuddered when she learned that it had happened near Wilma’s ranch.

  According to the girlfriend of the suspect, her boyfriend had barricaded himself inside the ranch house with his parents and she’d heard shots. But there were no details yet.

  Jessica couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard of a shooting here in Whitebark. Her thoughts flew to Holden who would be in charge. She shuddered again and turned off the TV to get ready for bed. His could be a fatally dangerous occupation. She didn’t want to think about that or the investigation into Trent’s death tonight. She’d had the most wonderful time last Friday and wanted to savor it.

  * * *

  Holden flew down the highway to the Crosby ranch where a mass of police cars and several ambulances had already assembled. As he got out of his truck, Deputy Larson walked over and apprised him of what was going on.

  “The suspect is barricaded inside and threatening to kill himself if we don’t let his girlfriend go in. She’s being detained while we talk to him. He’s fired three warning shots.”

  “Keep him engaged. Cover me while I go around the back.” Holden took off at a run to where another deputy was stationed at the back porch. With his help, Holden climbed to the second floor and broke a window to get inside. He stole through a bedroom and hall to slip down the stairs.

  From the foyer, he could see two bodies on the floor of the living room. The suspect was stationed at the front window with a rifle. He’d broken the glass.

  Holden crept up behind him and knocked his legs out from under him. His rifle went off as his body buckled to the floor. Holden quickly surprised him with a hammerlock and cuffed him.

  Using his phone, he called for backup. Within seconds three deputies rushed in and the standoff was over. A domestic dispute turned violent had left both of the suspect’s parents dead. Holden arrested the son and he was hauled off to jail in a patrol car. After spending another twenty minutes on location, he left for his ranch and grabbed a bite before going to bed.

  * * *

  On Tuesday, Jessica had become the owner of a brand-new Toyota. With her mother’s help, they’d taken Chase’s car seat to the dealership where it was installed in the back. After hugging her mom, who had to get back to work, Jessica took Chase for a drive. She loved it. So did he.

  They stopped at the Dairy Ann drive-in and went inside for lunch. Then she drove him to his playgroup. “See you after work, honey.”

  On her way back to Style Clips it hit her hard that her old life was gone and a new one had begun. Though she’d sold Trent’s truck to Bryan—who she still couldn’t believe could be responsible for her husband’s death—she didn’t feel any expected pain associated with the loss of it.

  A bright new day had dawned and she knew why as she parked the car behind the shop. Her heart pounded as she realized she and Chase would be spending Friday evening with Holden. Jessica feared she was falling for him. No, that wasn’t exactly true. She had fallen for him.

  What had her mother told her? Every available woman in Whitebark was crazy about him. She closed her eyes for minute. It seemed she’d joined that legion without realizing it.

  She imagined that any of those available women would love to be married to a man like Holden and have children with him. Children they could give him. That was something Jessica couldn’t do, unless as the doctor said, she was one of those rare cases where a miracle happened. How she envied those other women.

  The smile she’d been wearing faded as she locked her new car and went inside the salon to get to work.

  Chapter 7

  Since the previous Friday night, Holden had been working feverishly with a delegation of deputies newly assigned to deal with wild animal control issues. Coyotes were preying on sheep and cattle around the Whitebark community and were becoming a major problem for the ranchers. Through Friday to this Thursday they’d been out on back-to-back patrols to rid the ranches of the predators.

  Near the end of the day on Thursday, Holden returned to headquarters and issued outstanding warrants that needed to be served by the marshal. Following that, he took a four-hour turn patrolling an arterial road that led to the highway where too many speeders caused accidents.

  As he watched for speeders and gave out tickets, his mind was on Jessica. Tomorrow morning he’d dedicate his time to her husband’s case and by the afternoon he’d be with her. It amazed him how much he’d changed since meeting her.

  Every night when he went to bed, he had trouble falling asleep as his mind raced with thoughts of Jessica. He wanted to be with her and Chase whenever possible. But he couldn’t think about spending true quality time with the two of them—like taking them on a trip to Cody—until he’d solved Trent’s murder.

  On Friday morning, he went into the office and first worked through a pile of paperwork relating to the Crosby shootings. With that done he could at last get to work making copies of the Mid-Valley dealership personnel sheets with the employees’ pictures. Holden would need them for identification because he planned to go through the box of surveillance tapes he’d taken from the dealership next.

  After pulling the two tapes he needed, he gathered the papers and walked back to the department’s lab to run the tapes through the scanner. With the picture ID, he could match names and faces.

  The tapes at the dealership had run continually on a time clock. He put in the one that covered the service writer entrance and started watching the May 14 tape from the 6:00 a.m. time stamp.

  At two minutes after 8:00 a.m., the bay door opened and three figures appeared in dealership uniforms. Two stood farther away so he couldn’t identify their faces. The other one walked to the work counter. He had long hair. Only one of the employees had shoulder-length hair like that, proving Seth Lunt had been on duty.

  Holden watched the entire tape. By 5:15 p.m., there was no more activity and the bay door was closed.

  Without wasting a minute, Holden fed the other tape into the scanner covering the employees’ back exit and watched while it covered the entire day of May 14. One mechanic he identified as Bryan left the place at two o’clock in the afternoon. No more people went out until five. Little by little everyone who left by the back exit had gone by 8:30 p.m.

  The lighting wasn’t as good that late, but so far he hadn’t seen a sign of Seth. He might have gone out the front door. Holden kept watching. Someone else left at ten thirty. As far as he could tell it was the general manager’s son. But he could see only his back and head in silhouette.

  He kept running the tape. At 2:10 a.m. on May 15 another figure left out the back exit. All he could see was the back of a man with long hair.

  Seth!

  The culprit had hidden out somewhere in the building and waited until he knew no one would ever see him. If he carried tools, Holden couldn’t tell. He was incredulous to think this evidence still existed! There was no more activity that day until 9:30 a.m. when one of the mechanics went out.

  Holden quickly ran the other tape through for May 15, watching for the dealership to open again. At 8:00 a.m. he saw the bay door lift and two people appeared. One of the figures was Eddie, the other Seth. He’d returned to the scene of the crime as if he’d done nothing!

  The fact that he’d been on the premises and had gone out the door during the night was crucial evidence. Since Gil would report for work on the following Monday morning, Holden marked the places on both tapes and left him a note to enlarge these parts. He asked him to make paper copies
and bring them to Holden’s office the second he was finished. This was top priority.

  By three in the afternoon, he’d gone home to shower and change. Earlier, he’d phoned Drake and asked him to have Sparky saddled in case Chase was willing to get up on him and ride around. They’d be there in about an hour.

  Like déjà vu, Chase was waiting for him when he pulled around the rear of the Fleming ranch later that day with the trailer.

  “Holden—” He came running to him.

  In that moment, Holden knew he loved the boy and swept him up in his arms. Chase had worked his way into his heart. “Are you ready to go for a pony back ride?”

  “Yup. I promised Mom I would.”

  Jessica emerged from the barn with Bucky. When their eyes met, it felt like all the wind had been knocked out of him.

  “Hi.” He tipped his hat.

  “Hi, stranger,” she answered with an enticing smile on her lips. She looked amazing in her cowboy hat and Western vest with fringe. He hadn’t seen her since Monday night.

  “It has been a long time.” Much too long.

  There was so much to tell her, but it would have to wait until they could be alone later.

  She walked her horse into the trailer while he opened the door for Chase to climb in the truck. The first thing he said when they left for the Simpson’s ranch took Holden by surprise.

  “Joey’s mom told us her neighbors got killed. Did their son really shoot them?”

  The news of the shooting had impacted the whole town. He exchanged a concerned glance with Jessica. “I’m afraid so.”

  “Did you put him in jail?”

  Holden’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “Several police officers took him away.”

  “Was he crazy?”

  “No, just very, very unhappy.”

  “Oh. Is that why people kill people?”

  The subject was touching on something too painful for Jessica. For Holden, too. “I think that’s the reason most of the time, but let’s not worry about him. How do you like your new car?”

  “I love it! Wait till you see it. Mom? Can we take Holden for a ride in it?”

  She flashed Holden a smile. “Only if he doesn’t mind me driving.”

  “She’s a good driver, Holden!” Chase said.

  He laughed. “I believe it after the way I’ve seen her ride Bucky. He’s a high-spirited horse. Not everyone could handle him the way she does.”

  “So you’ve noticed,” she said under her breath.

  “I notice a lot more than you think I do,” he came back in an aside. His comment brought a flush to her cheeks.

  “Hey—there’s Drake and Sparky! Where’s Chocolate Chip?”

  “Probably in the barn eating with the other miniature horses.”

  They alighted from the truck and walked inside the larger corral, greeting Drake who steadied Sparky. Holden could tell Chase was nervous, but he didn’t shy away.

  “Do you want to get on him?”

  Chase nodded.

  “Then up you go.” Holden lowered him into the saddle and put the reins in his hands.

  Jessica smiled up at her son. “How does it feel?”

  “It’s different than riding with Holden. Sparky isn’t as tall.”

  “No, honey. He’s your size.”

  “Holden? Will you walk around with us?”

  “I’m right here. Hold the reins, but not too tightly.”

  “Giddyup, Sparky.”

  With a pat on the pony’s rump, it started to walk. Holden stayed right next to him. The pony knew where to go and just started making wide circles around the corral.

  “You’re doing great!” Jessica called out.

  “It’s fun!”

  Holden’s throat swelled with pride that Chase was conquering his fear. After three times around he said, “Do you feel like going on a ride with your mother and me?”

  “Okay. Can we take Sparky in your trailer?”

  “How about it, Drake?”

  “No problem.”

  “I’ll stay in the stall with him,” Jessica offered.

  She walked Sparky inside the trailer to the stall next to Bucky. Holden helped her tie him. They stood close together. He could see a little nerve throbbing at the base of her throat. “See you shortly.”

  “This is so exciting, Holden.” In the dim light of the trailer, her green eyes dazzled him. “I never thought this day would come.”

  “Chase is a brave boy.”

  “With an incredible mentor.”

  The tension between them was so thick, he came close to lowering his mouth to hers. But remembering that Chase was waiting outside the trailer, he turned on his heel and got out of there fast.

  In five minutes, they’d reached his ranch. Chase went into the barn and watched Holden saddle Blackie. When they came out again, Jessica was there astride Bucky, holding the lead on Sparky.

  Once again, Holden lifted Chase onto the pony and put the reins in his hands. Then he mounted Blackie and the three of them started walking with Chase riding between them.

  “Hey—Sparky knows where to go!”

  Holden grinned at Jessica. “He feels safe and is following us.”

  This time they went twice as far as before and talked about Chase’s father. “My dad used to be a bull rider. We have a lot of pictures.”

  “He was one of the best, honey,” Jessica said.

  Chase’s head swerved to Holden. “Did you ride in the rodeo?”

  “Yes, but I just had fun with my brother doing tie-down roping. We weren’t professionals like your father. I saw a picture of him in a high school yearbook your mother’s friend showed me. He was a real pro.”

  “Maybe one day I’ll be in the rodeo, too.”

  “With the way you’re handling Sparky, I wouldn’t be at all surprised.”

  They headed back to the Simpson’s ranch and returned the pony to Drake. Holden thanked him before they drove to the Fleming ranch for dinner.

  Jessica had said she was making fajitas, but she’d prepared a bunch more delicious items including the best guacamole dip and sopapillas he’d ever tasted. After dinner they went for a short ride in the new car.

  It was a novel experience letting her chauffer him around. “This is a great car you bought. Who chose the color? You or Chase?”

  “We both agreed that we liked silver the best, didn’t we, Chase? So the choice was easy.”

  “I like your taste.”

  Afterward they came back and played Go Fish. Finally, Jessica said it was time for Chase’s bath and bed.

  “Do I have to?”

  Jessica gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You do.”

  He got up and hugged Holden.

  “I’ll be back,” Jessica murmured.

  While they were gone Holden returned some calls until she reappeared.

  He hung up and eyed her intently. “Let’s talk. I’ve got a theory and want you to hear me out.”

  “Can I get you something to eat or drink first?”

  “After that terrific meal, I couldn’t eat a thing, but thank you.”

  She sat down on the end of the couch while he drew up a chair near her. He leaned forward with his hands clasped between his knees and told her what he’d discovered on the surveillance tapes.

  Jessica let out a cry. “You saw him sneak out of the dealership in the middle of the night.”

  He nodded. “I’ll show you photographs if you want. If I’m right and Seth has had a thing for you since high school, then it makes sense that he’s been stalking you, coming to your shop for a hair trim.”

  A moan escaped her lips. “This is so horrible.”

  He reached out to squeeze her hand, wanting to do much more, but this wasn’t the time. “I can only imagine what
you’re going through. No one wants this to go away more than I do. The problem is, without proof he tampered with the car, this is still just a theory. We both know everyone is suspect, but for the time being, Seth is the leading person of interest.”

  Jessica nodded.

  “In my mind it doesn’t make sense that Seth has been in and out of jobs until you look at his choices of places to work. Each one has been at a dealership. I’ve thought all along that whoever did this was patient and calculating. Seth fits the profile of eventually being hired on at Mid-Valley. That brought him close to Trent and, indirectly, to you.

  “I agree. I’m scared, Holden.”

  “I know you are, and I can’t blame you for worrying about the next time he comes to the salon. I’m doing everything possible to close in on this investigation. Just be aware that Seth most likely wants a relationship with you. The more I learn about him, the more I’m worried about your safety.”

  She sat forward. “Much as I hate to admit it, I know you’re on to something vital. In hindsight I can see that he’s been interested in me since the funeral.”

  “When did he first come to the salon?”

  “Maybe a month after the funeral he and the guys called to make appointments for haircuts. Eddie and Bryan eventually stopped coming in, but as I told you, Seth has remained a loyal client and always asks about Chase.”

  Holden nodded. “It still doesn’t make him guilty without solid proof.”

  She stood up. “I’ve been going over it in my mind. Since you told me he’d been married and that his first wife divorced him, it’s clear he’s had a lot of rejections that must have started back in high school or even before. Maybe he’d hoped to be voted king of the dance. Then there was the disappointment of being unable to compete in the pro rodeo. That’s probably when he got started on drugs.”

  “Maybe,” Holden muttered. “Or maybe he had a bad family life. It’s all theory.” He got to his feet. “I wish I could stay longer, but I was on the phone a few minutes ago and have to get to the jail pronto. I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll talk more. Thanks again for a wonderful dinner.”