“Hi, hon.”
Racked with surprise, she dropped both her hands, exposing her well-used breasts to her mother’s startled gaze.
Chapter Ten
Sylvia DeSimone’s blue gaze raked over her daughter’s body, lines of worry etched on her delicate features. “What on earth happened to you? Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine, Ma. How did you get in here?”
“I called your landlord. He let me in.” Her mother rose and touched Annie’s face. “You’ve been bawling. And considering the state of your clothes, you can understand my concern.”
“No concern needed. I wasn’t attacked. Or raped. Or any other horrible thing. I promise.” Though standing with her breasts fully exposed, not to mention commando under her skirt, she understood how anyone would think otherwise. She kissed her mother’s cheek lightly. “I’m fine. Really. Let me go change and I’ll be right with you.”
In her bedroom, Annie chucked the ruined camisole into the wastebasket. One of her favorite blouses. Damn Dallas McCray anyway. It wasn’t enough that he broke her heart. He had to take her clothing as well? She stripped off her skirt and went into the bathroom to clean up and splash some cold water on her face. Then she stepped into some comfortable running shorts and a tank top. Barefoot, she padded back out to her living area where her mother waited.
“Now what is going on, Annalisa?”
“I met a man, is all. I like him a lot. I mean a lot.” She sniffed back a sob. “I thought the feeling was mutual, but it turns out he was just after sex. Just like all the other men in the world.”
“I’m sorry, hon.”
“I’ve lived through worse.”
Sylvia cleared her throat. “I know you have. More than you should ever have had to.”
“Yeah.” Annie didn’t want to rehash old news. “How’s Pop?”
“He’s good. Misses you.”
“I miss both of you too.”
“I knew it’d be hard to have you gone, but in a way, I’m glad you’re out here.” Sylvia lowered her gaze. “I came here to tell you something.”
“Tell me something? There’s such a thing as a phone you know.”
“I didn’t want to tell you this over the phone, Annie.”
“All right.” Annie sat down on the couch next to her mother. “What is it?”
“It’s Riggs. He was granted parole yesterday.”
“Parole? This soon?”
“Apparently he’s been a model prisoner.”
Annie breathed deeply, willing herself to relax. It didn’t work. “So he finally learned how to behave.”
“Evidently. But Annie, there’s no need for you to worry. He can’t leave the state of New Jersey. If he does, he violates his parole and they send him back to the slammer. There’s also the restraining order.”
“Ma, you know as well as I do that a crummy piece of paper will never stop Logan Riggs.”
“I know. But hopefully the threat of being sent back to prison will.”
“I can’t let him run my life. He doesn’t know where I am. Who would think to look in this Podunk place anyway?”
“I can’t help but worry a little, Annie.”
“I know. But don’t. Everything’ll be fine. Now, it’s still early and I haven’t eaten. Can I fix you something?”
“Let’s go out. My treat. What’s good around here?”
“I haven’t the foggiest. The only place I’ve been is the coffee shop and the mechanic. You wouldn’t believe how busy it is for a vet here.”
“Of course it is. This is a ranching town.” Sylvia stood. “You want to change into something more dressy?”
“Heck no. Bakersville’s not that kind of town.” She stood up and grabbed her pocketbook. “Let’s walk down Main Street and see what we can find.”
* * *
The next day, Annie and her mother sat at the Blue Bird Inn perusing the menu for lunch. The Blue Bird was the only business open on Sundays in Bakersville, and Annie had decided to treat her mother to lunch and then drive her to the airport for her five p.m. flight.
Surprisingly, she had enjoyed the short visit with Sylvia. “What looks good, Ma?”
“I should have some of this great Colorado beef I’ve heard about,” Sylvia said, “but it’s too early for a steak.”
“A burger then. Try the Angus.” Annie’s cell phone buzzed against her hip. “Excuse me for a minute, will you? It could be a sick animal.”
“Don’t you get a day off?”
“Not around here.” She flipped her phone open. “This is Annie.”
“Hey, Dr. Annie. You on your way?”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s Chad McCray. You were coming for lunch today? It’s twelve-thirty so I thought I’d see what’s keeping you.”
Damn. She had come home last night, found her mother, and completely forgotten to cancel her lunch date with Chad and her cooking date with Seraphina.
“I’m so sorry, Chad. When I got home last night, my mother was here for a surprise visit, and I’m afraid I forgot about everything else.”
“Bring her along then.”
“We’re sitting in the Blue Bird. She wants to try Colorado beef.”
“You ordered yet?”
“No. Not yet.”
“Then don’t. I’ve got the best Colorado beef right here. I’ll expect you in half an hour.”
“Uh, Chad, I don’t think—”
“No arguments.” His husky voice was a lot like Dallas’s. “I’ll see you soon.”
Annie rolled her eyes. “I forgot about a lunch date I had.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah.” She sighed. “Well, you wanted Colorado beef. Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
“A ranch.”
“Is this the guy you were telling me about?”
“No. Not exactly.”
“What do you mean not exactly.”
“Actually, it’s his brother.”
“Annalisa, what in God’s name have you gotten yourself into?”
“I don’t know, Ma. I surely don’t know.”
The ride to Chad’s was pleasant, and Annie was able to show her mother some of the most beautiful scenery in the whole United States. When they arrived, Annie was pleasantly surprised to see Zach and Dusty were there along with Sean. The more buffers between her and Chad, the better.
After she had introduced her mother to everyone, Dusty pulled her aside.
“What happened to you last night?” she asked. “You didn’t stay for dinner. I was worried about you. So was Chad.”
“I’m sorry. I should have said goodbye before I left.” But I wasn’t prepared to expose my breasts to half of Bakersville. “It was rude of me. I…er…” Of course, her mother was a perfect excuse. “I got a phone call from my mother. She flew in unannounced to see me. So of course I had to go.”
“I understand. You could have brought her to the party after you picked her up.”
“I didn’t want to impose.”
“You’ll never be an imposition, Annie.”
“That reminds me, actually. My mother’s leaving tonight, and I need to drive her to the airport. Seraphina and I were supposed to get together and cook. Could you let her know I can’t make it?”
“Sure. No problem.” Dusty looked at her quizzically. “Is everything all right? You seem a little…off.”
“I’m okay.”
“Do you want to talk?”
“I can’t leave my mother alone with Chad and Zach.”
“Heck, she’ll be fine. The two of them can make anyone feel welcome.”
“No, it wouldn’t be right.” But Annie did need to talk to someone, and Dusty was her only friend in Bakersville. “Can we talk tonight?”
“Sure. You want to come by after you drop off your mom?”
“Dusty, that’d be great. Thank you.”
“No problem. Now, let’s go have lunch with these handsome men.”
Annie smi
led. Such a sweet girl. Lucky her. She’d snagged the nice brother.
* * *
“What is it?” Dallas asked his ranch foreman, Tuck Taylor.
“I’ve got a few dead cattle here, and several more sick ones. I’ve already asked around. It just started today.”
“Shit. All right, let me have a look.”
The dead cattle carcasses lay in a cluster, close together. The sick ones were frothing at their mouths and twitching. “Look over there, Tuck,” Dallas said, motioning. “A few of them are staggering.”
“That’s how these started, boss.”
“Jesus. What the hell is going on?” He moved toward a dead steer and ran his hands over the flanks. “Wait. This one’s breathing,” he said. “He’s in a coma.” He turned to another. “So’s this one.” One more. “This one’s dead, though.”
“I’m thinking you should call the vet, Dallas.”
Annie? The person he wanted to see most in the world, and the person he didn’t want to see most in the world. The duel inside him was exhausting. Slow, painful torture. “I’ll call Chad. He’ll know what to do.”
* * *
“I’ve never had a better steak, Mr. McCray,” Sylvia DeSimone said, wiping her mouth on her napkin. “And I love this western hospitality. People aren’t nearly this friendly in Jersey, are they, hon?”
Annie laughed. “Only if they owe you money. Of course they avoid you like the plague in that case, but they’re pretty friendly when they run into you.”
Beethoven interrupted their meal. Chad pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and looked at it. “Dallas,” he said. “The fool can wait.”
“It might be important, Chad,” Dusty said.
“On a Sunday afternoon? There’s no such thing.”
“There goes mine,” Zach said, reaching for his cell. “Dallas. I wonder what’s going on?”
“Who cares?” Chad said.
“I tend to agree.” Zach ignored the call.
“Unreal,” Annie said, as her phone vibrated against her hip. She recognized Dallas’s cell phone number. “You’re never going to guess.”
“Dallas,” Chad and Zach said in unison.
“I have to take it. He might have a sick animal.” Why else would he be calling her? “I’m sorry. Will you excuse me?”
“Sure, Dr. Annie,” Chad said. “Tell him to go jump in the lake for me, will you?”
“Gladly,” Annie said under her breath as she walked into the kitchen. “This is Annie.”
“Hey, Annie, I’m real sorry to bother you.”
“What do you want, Dallas?”
“It’s…well, I’ve got some dead steers, and some more real sick ones. Hell, we can afford to lose a few, but disposal of the bodies is expensive, and a pain.”
“Cut the crap,” Annie said. “I’ll be right there. Tell me this, though. Why’d you call Zach and Chad before you called me? I’m the goddamned vet, Dallas.”
“How do you know… Don’t tell me. Your lunch date with Chad.” Dallas’s husky voice turned icy.
“Yeah. I’m here at his place. Dusty and Zach are here too. Chad and Zach chose to ignore your call.”
“Annie, I—”
“Oh, never mind. I’m losing focus. Your animals are more important than this stupid conversation. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She ended the call before he could say anything more.
She walked back into the dining room. “I have to go,” she said. “Dallas has some dead cattle and some sick ones. It doesn’t sound too good.” She sighed. “Ma, I don’t know how long this’ll take. Thankfully my vet bag’s in the car, but—”
“Don’t worry, hon. I’ll just call a cab. That’s how I got to your place yesterday.”
“That must have been a hell of an expensive fare,” Annie said.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry. This is your job, Annie.”
“I’ll take you, Mrs. DeSimone,” Zach said. “Chad and Dusty should go with Annie. They’re good with animals. That leaves me and the critter as your escorts.”
“Oh, I couldn’t impose.”
“It’s not an imposition. You’re great company.” Zach flashed a winning smile. “You don’t mind, do you, darlin?” He nodded to Dusty.
“It’s a perfect plan,” Dusty agreed. “Let’s go see to the cattle.”
“I’m sorry about this, Ma.” Annie bent to kiss her mother’s cheek. “I’m so glad you came. Next time for longer, okay?”
“And for a more pleasant reason, I hope,” Sylvia said. “Okay, if you don’t mind taking me, Mr. McCray, I’d appreciate it.”
“Not at all. And call me Zach.”
“Okay.” She stood and embraced Annie. “I love you, hon. Go do your job.”
After Annie had transferred her mother’s carry-on to Zach’s pickup, she and Dusty followed Chad’s truck to Dallas’s cattle barn. Dallas and several other men were huddled around a convulsing steer. Annie grabbed her bag and headed toward them, Chad and Dusty close behind. She touched Dallas’s upper arm gently.
When he turned, the look of anguish on his handsome face startled Annie. Here was a man who truly cared about his animals and hated to see them suffer. It took every ounce of self-control she possessed not to throw herself into his arms.
Instead, she told them all to move back so she could have a look. Dallas didn’t bother introducing her to his ranch hands, and she wasn’t interested in their names at the present. Not when a creature was suffering.
The steer’s legs were twitching slightly, and his mouth was covered in slimy froth. He was clearly fighting for every breath. “Dallas,” she said, without looking up, “you need to have your men remove all the healthy cattle from this ranging site. Any that are staggering or look otherwise ill, leave here.”
“Yeah, yeah, okay. Tuck, take care of that will you please?”
“Sure thing. You all heard the boss,” the man called Tuck said, “let’s get these head moving.”
“There’s not much I can do for him right now,” Annie said. “My best bet is to look at a dead one.”
“Okay, okay.” Dallas led her to a carcass. Chad and Dusty followed.
Annie had a hunch. She didn’t like it, but she had to check it out. She pulled a scalpel out of her bag.
“What are you going to do, Annie?” Dusty asked.
“I’m going to cut him open.”
“Why?”
“I need to see his blood.”
She put on a pair of rubber gloves and made a small incision on the steer’s neck, near the carotid artery. She inserted her fingers into the incision. The blood against the white rubber was a bright reddish orange.
“Damn,” Dallas said. “That’s not normal, is it?”
“No, bro,” Chad said. “It’s not. Annie, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“If you’re thinking cyanide poisoning, then yeah.” She stripped off the gloves and put on a clean pair. “You got any enemies, Dallas?”
Chapter Eleven
Dallas stood, mouth agape.
“I’ll need to run some tests, but I’m pretty sure these cattle have been poisoned.”
“How?” Dallas asked.
“Any number of ways. Sometimes from the grass they eat.”
“Cattle have been eating this grass for decades,” Dallas said.
“True, but you’re coming out of a drought,” Annie said.
“So?”
“So, Dallas,” Chad said, “drought puts stress on the plants, particularly sorghum grass, which produces cyanide. This is re-growth, too.”
“Which increases the risk,” Annie said. “We’ll need to test these grasses, but honestly, I don’t think that’s the problem.”
“Why?” Chad asked.
“You’ve been coming out of a drought for several years,” Annie said. “If these grasses were producing cyanide, you would have seen evidence of it before now.”
“Makes sense,” Chad agreed.
“What else do you fee
d them?” Annie asked.
“We use a special mixture of corn and other grains that Chad came up with,” Dallas said. “He just mixed up a new batch a few days ago.”
“Yep, I sure did,” Chad said.
“Is it possible that someone could have poisoned the grain?” Annie asked.
“No,” Dallas said. “Absolutely not. All my men have been with me for years.”
“Hmm.” Annie looked around at the dying animals. “When were they last fed the grain?”
“This morning.”
“What time this morning?”
“I don’t know. We don’t keep to an exact schedule.”
“A steer can die within minutes if he eats a lethal dose,” Annie said. “It’s taking these guys longer, if the grain is the culprit.”
“Can you treat the ones that haven’t died?”
“I’m afraid it’s too late for some of them. The ones that are staggering along, though, we can drench in sodium thiosulphate. They should recover. I have enough for about ten head in my bag. I’ll have to return to town for more, and I’ll order a huge supply first thing in the morning. You may need it if we can’t find the source of the cyanide.”
“You really think it’s the grain, Annie?” Dusty asked.
“Seems more likely than the grass, even considering the drought. I’ll take a sample with me and have it analyzed. In the meantime, Dallas, don’t feed them any more of the grain. Let them live on the grass for a few days. If more get sick, we’ll know it’s the grass and not the grain.”
She pulled some packages out of her bag and handed them to Chad. “Sixty grams of this in six hundred milliliters of water. Give it to any that are staggering and looking ill. Don’t bother with the ones who are already comatose. It’s too late.”
Annie pulled a syringe out of her bag and took a sample of the dead steer’s blood. She petted him gently on his bristly head. “I’m sure sorry, fella,” she said under her breath.
Dallas knelt down beside her.
“You love them all, don’t you?”
She nodded, unable to speak for a minute. She hated suffering, especially of innocents. To her, animals were as innocent as newborn babies.
Teasing Annie: The Temptation Saga: Book Two Page 9