"Things will work out. You wait and see. Caleb, you take care of my girl and I'll get that lasagna baking. There's nothing like comfort food during times of stress."
"Of course I will," Caleb promised, putting his arms around Connie.
"Thanks, Martha," Connie sniffled. "You always know what to say."
"Hush now, there's nothing to thank me for. I'll see you shortly."
"What am I going to do?" Connie whimpered, staring up at Caleb as Martha left. "How will I survive? I'll lose my ranch."
"You don't know that. We'll talk this through when we get back from the barn, but you can't go down there in your socks. Where are your boots?"
"My bedroom's down the hall. Will you come with me?"
"You're invitin' me into your bedroom? Why would I say no?"
"How can you joke at a time like this?"
"Who's jokin'?"
A half-smiled curled the edges of her lips.
"Just remember, miracles come in all shapes and sizes," he said softly. "Get your boots on, grab a jacket and let's go."
A ripple of hope tingled through her body, and she leaned against him as they walked down the hall and into her bedroom. As she changed her clothes, though still coming to grips with the shocking news, the shaking had passed. Stopping to pick up the tray from her office, they headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. Martha immediately dropped what she was doing to hurry over and give her another hug.
"Everything will work out just fine. You wait and see. Remember that awful divorce from Max?"
"I'd rather not."
"But you got through that! You'll get through this too, and your father will help."
"I know, but this is just so…"
"Come on," Caleb said briskly, not wanting her to sink back into dark thoughts. "We need to bring the horses in."
"Yes, you do. They'll be wondering where you are," Martha agreed. "And they'll be wanting their dinner."
"Especially Checkers," Connie remarked. "He can be very demanding."
"I wonder where he gets that from," Caleb quipped as he opened the kitchen door.
Stepping past him into the chilly dusk, Connie shot him a look, and she couldn't hide another smile as they started across the lawn.
"Wow. It really is getting colder," she remarked. "Fall happens so quickly."
"Yep. Overnight it seems, but this fresh air will help clear your head."
"It already has. Sorry. I didn't mean to fall apart like that."
"You don't need to apologize. Anyone would fall apart hearin' news like that."
"It was such a shock, but Caleb, what you said about miracles. I got the feeling you weren't just making an idle comment, or was I imagining things?"
"Considerin' how shook up you were, I'm surprised you caught that."
"You have an idea?"
"Do you still have the emails Jerry sent you?"
"I deleted a lot of them, but I probably missed a few."
"What about the statements from the firm? You must have them, even if they are doctored."
"I have all of them. Why?"
"I'm gonna tell you about a friend of mine, but you can't share this with anyone. Not even Martha."
"Okay."
"You have to promise me. Not a word."
"Good grief. Yes, I swear. I won't tell a soul."
"I have a friend who's a hacker, but he's no ordinary hacker. He's a crazy ass hacker. He's off the charts."
"Really? How do you know him?"
"When I have an inklin' to add to my toy box, I go into town and visit a particular store."
"I'm loving this already."
"He manages the place. Anyway, he's a biker, and kind of an oddball, but he's solid, and Connie, he's an absolute genius."
"No kidding. Huh. How did you become friends?"
"I went in there one day wearin' my hat and boots, and he asked me if I rode. Long story short, he said he loved horses, but was too scared to get on. You talk about a surprise. This guy is tough, and I mean, tough, but that sums him up in a nutshell. You think one thing about him, and he'll be the exact opposite. He was so eager I invited him to visit the barn. He jumped at the invitation, and I managed to get him in the saddle. He was quakin', but wearin' a smile that took over his whole face. He started comin' out every weekend and we ended up becomin' close friends. Connie, if anyone can help, Spike can, and if I ask, he will."
"That's great, but I'm not sure I understand how."
"With just an email address, he can find out things about a person you wouldn't believe. I'm tellin' you Connie, this guy is freaky, but what he does is illegal. I mean, jail time. That's why you can't stay anything."
"Should I get involved?"
"The best thing to do is ask him, but we have to do that in person. He's paranoid about talking on phones, and from what he's told me we all have reason to be. I spoke to him just the other day. He's dyin' to visit. When he gets here we'll tell him what's happened."
"And his name is Spike?"
"That's the name he goes by."
"When you said miracles can happen, I wasn't expecting to hear about a biker called Spike, who owns an adult toy store, and is some kind of hacker genius. You can't make this stuff up."
As they approached the paddocks, the horses were already waiting at the fence.
"Checkers, you're such a love," she murmured, lifting his halter from its stand and opening the gate. "Are you ready for your hay?"
"I think he's wondering where his carrot is," Caleb commented, watching the beautiful black and white paint rub his head against her.
"Shoot. We forgot to bring them. Sorry, Checkers. Will you forgive me?"
"As soon as he gets one!"
"That's probably true," Connie said with a smile, then dropping her voice, she added, "Caleb, how can I ever thank you for all this?"
"I haven't done anything."
"Are you kidding? You've done everything. What was it you said? The best gift is how we treat each other. You've made me believe everything will work out. And I don't just mean because of your friend Spike."
"We might find ourselves in a battle, but we'll win."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Look at what happened at Dream Horse Ranch. For ages people thought Heath Boyd was Keith Parker. They had no idea he was the son of an oil tycoon forced to lead a double life. Like I told you, I knew him ages ago. When I ran into him, he about had a heart attack. I was happy to keep his secret, but I'm sure he had many days when he thought he'd never have a relationship, or be at peace with his father. Now look! He's married to Carly, and he and his dad are workin' together."
"I can't imagine how it must have been for him."
"Hell. That's what I'm guessin'. But it worked out, and things will for you too. Hey, did I say somethin' to upset you? You're lookin' teary again."
"Where would I be right now if you weren't here? I wouldn't be able to cope."
"But I am," he said, putting his arm around her shoulder. "You're not facin' this alone, and I'm not goin' anywhere."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
While Caleb and Connie brought in the horses, and the ominous clouds loomed over the mountains, miles away Jerry Goldstein sipped a martini as he lounged on the patio of his magnificent ocean-view home. Moving his eyes from the picturesque sunset, he glanced down at the bronze-skinned woman devouring his cock. The Caymans had been his favorite getaway for years, and now, thanks to trusting clients like Connie Masters, he was living the good life, though for a while things had been touch-and-go. His brilliant scheme had almost blown up. He'd been forced to make last minute adjustments.
Once married to Connie, he planned for her to sign complex documents she wouldn't understand, designed to disguise ownership of her estate over to him, including the ranch. She would have been none the wiser until he'd disappeared and she'd been served an eviction notice. When she'd had a hissy fit and called off the wedding he'd been furious.
Experience, however, h
ad taught him to have a Plan B.
But he'd run into trouble.
Not expecting Connie to remove him from her accounts so quickly, he'd returned to the office after business hours to transfer the remainder of her funds into his accounts in the Caymans and Belize. Surprised to find David Hansen still working, Jerry had moved quickly to his desk and powered up his computer, only to discover his password no longer worked.
David had walked in and confronted him.
Five minutes later, with the threat of harm to his wife and new-born baby, David had logged Jerry into Connie's accounts.
But David had done some something stupid.
He'd tried to wrestle Jerry out of the chair.
Jerry had a gun.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The delicious aroma of Italian spices filled the air. Martha's lasagna sat in the center of the dining table, along with toasted bread sprinkled with parmesan cheese. The wine had been poured, and Connie's upbeat demeanor took Martha by surprise.
"I'm convinced my money will be recovered, and Jerry will be caught," she exclaimed. "Maybe that's just wishful thinking, but people leave cyber footprints. From what I've heard, if you do anything on the internet you can be found. Besides, I wasn't the only victim. I'm sure the company will move heaven and earth to find him."
"I'm sure you're right," Martha said optimistically. "Don't forget, you still need to call your parents."
"I will, tomorrow. In the meantime I have that engagement ring. It has to be worth enough to keep this place running for a few months."
"Odd he left that behind," Caleb remarked. "That diamond is huge."
"He must have had his reasons," Martha said thoughtfully. "Maybe the ring was stolen. I wouldn't put it past him."
"I was about to say exactly the same thing," Caleb agreed. "If he's a thief, he's a thief. You'd better check that out before you try to sell it, Connie."
"How do I find out if a ring has been stolen?"
"Good question. There's probably a registry of some kind," Caleb suggested, then pausing, he added, "I have a friend who might know. I was gonna call him tonight anyway. Martha, you should know I was tellin' Connie earlier he might be able to help us. I've been promising him a ride on Neon, and given the circumstances I'm gonna ask him to come right away."
"What does this friend of yours like to eat? It will be nice to have some visitors," Martha said enthusiastically. "I do enjoy cooking for new people."
"He's a bit different," Caleb warned. "He's got an edge to him, and he rides a Harley."
"What's a Harley?"
"A Harley Davidson. That's a motorbike."
"Just as long as he rides it quietly," Martha said firmly. "We don't want him scaring the horses."
"I'll make sure of it. Try not to judge the book by its cover. Once you get to know him, you'll love him."
"I'm sure I will, especially if he can help Connie."
"I'm looking forward to meeting him. He sounds like a character," Connie remarked. "Martha, this lasagne is delicious."
"I had to have that second helpin'," Caleb said with a groan, "but now I'll be lucky if I can get out of this chair."
"Does Neon need a blanket?" Connie asked. "I checked the weather right before we sat down and it says the temperature will drop into the forties tonight. I definitely want to put one on Checkers."
"Neon could use a sheet, and I'd like to take a walk, but Martha, I wanna help you clean up."
"That's my job, and forgive me, but I don't like people messing around in my kitchen. When you get back I'll have the coffee ready, and a surprise."
"I bet I can guess," Connie said with a grateful smile, rising to her feet and walking around the table to hug her. "Thanks for everything."
"I hope it helped."
"It did, heaps."
"Do you have a flashlight handy?" Caleb asked.
"By the side door. Let's go out that way."
"Thanks for a great meal, Martha. I haven't had a home-cooked dinner like that in forever."
"You'll have plenty more. Go on now, take care of your horses."
Martha began clearing the table, and walking down the hall, Caleb grabbed his jacket, Connie her coat and the flashlight, but as they walked outside, the sky was clear, and an almost full moon glowed across the grounds.
"Where are the clouds?" Connie muttered. "That is really weird."
"Sure is. I would've put money on rain tonight. That's why the air is so cold. No cloud cover, except for those wispy bits. Sure is pretty. I'm gonna call Spike when we get to the barn. I didn't wanna talk to him in your house. Jerry spent a lot of time there, and he's a bad guy."
"What are you saying? You don't think he might have planted a listening device, do you? Would it matter if he had? He's obviously long gone."
"He may have vanished, but he could be livin' around the corner for all we know," Caleb remarked as they entered the barn aisle.
"I just felt a chill. You're right, but in my head he's sitting on a beach somewhere in the Bahamas. He loves the tropics."
"Good to know. You go ahead and blanket Checkers while I make the call."
"What about Neon?"
"His blue sheet is hangin' in the dryin' room."
As Connie wandered down the aisle, the horses put their heads over their doors looking for treats. Grabbing a handful of carrots she was happy to oblige. Caleb watched for a moment, admiring the way she talked to them, then sitting on a bale of hay, he pulled out his phone.
"Hey, Spike, this is Caleb."
"Hey, Caleb. When am I going to see that new ranch you're at?"
"How about tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow? Why the urgency?"
"The weather's changin'. I'd like to take you on a trail ride while I can, and I have a friend who needs your help."
"I.T. or physical."
"I.T. I'm handlin' the other."
"Hah. Cool."
"Can you make it? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."
"I'll have to check with Caine, but I doubt there'll be a problem. How long will it take me to get there?"
"Only about an hour, but that's if you're a normal person driving a car, not a lunatic on a Harley."
"Don't know anyone who fits that description," he said with a laugh. "Should I bring my equipment?"
"If you wouldn't mind. You're welcome to stay. There's plenty of room here, and a fantastic cook."
"Sounds great. I'll call Caine right now. He just got back from his honeymoon. He owes me some hours."
"Tell him I said hi. Any time he and his wife wanna get outta the city, let him know they're welcome. What's her name again?"
"Taylor. I'll call you right back."
"Thanks, Spike."
"What did he say?" Connie asked, strolling up and sitting next to him.
"He's checkin' to make sure he can get away from the store, but I'm pretty sure he'll be here. He got that this is urgent."
"He's willing to drop everything? That's really kind of him."
"You know how Martha loves cookin'. That's how Spike feels about what he does. It gives him a buzz, and he's as loyal a friend as you could ever want."
"Not meaning to change the subject," she said softly, lowering her voice, "but I remember sitting on a bale of hay just like this four weeks ago."
"Yeah, you looked gorgeous," he murmured, wiping a stray hair from her face. "I still don't know how I managed to walk away. I wanted to kiss you so bad, it was killin' me."
"I felt the same, but kissing you then—it wouldn't have been right, but…is there any reason you can't kiss me now?"
The soft amber of the barn light bathed her in a golden halo. She looked like an angel.
"Damn, girl, nothin' could stop me."
As he pressed his lips against hers, she circled her arms around his neck and slipped her tongue into his mouth. His fingers unbuttoned her coat, and as his hand began kneading her breasts over her thin sweater, she let out a muffled moan.
"Connie," h
e purred, moving his lips to her neck. "I wanna take off your clothes and make love to you right here, right now."
"Nothing would—"
But his ringing phone cut her off. Letting out a heavy sigh, he sat back, pulled it from his pocket, and stared at the screen.
"Spike."
"It had better be! Anyone else and there'd be no way I'd let you answer it."
"Oh, yeah?" he said, raising his eyebrows as he accepted the call. "Hey, Spike."
"I'm good to go. I'll leave here around ten. Text me the address."
"Fantastic. Thanks! See you then."
"Yes, you will."
"He's coming?" Connie declared as Caleb ended the call.
"Yep. He'll be here around eleven. We should set him up in the cabin. If he wants to work through the night he'll be able to."
"I'll make sure Martha changes the sheets and gives it a tidy up."
"I'd better hide my box of toys. The question is, where?"
"Probably in your truck."
"Good idea. Hmmm. I'm gonna be sleepin' next to you tonight. I might grab a couple of things before I stash it. I'm glad I didn't show up for dinner with my overnight bag. I'll have somewhere to hide them."
"Oh, my gosh. Did you have to say that?"
"Now you have something to think about," he said with a devilish grin. "Connie, before you go—what's the story with you and Martha? You two seem real close."
"We are. When mom and dad were separated, I went to live with mom. She was a realtor and always busy. Martha was the one who took care of me. She was with us for years. When mom moved back to Texas we begged her to come with us. She was thrilled. When I got this place, mom and dad didn't want me living alone, and I knew I wouldn't be able to take care of everything by myself. Martha joining me was a no-brainer, and she wanted to."
"What about her family?"
"She has no children. Her husband died young. Car accident. Tragic. That's why she was looking for a job. She didn't need the money, but at the time she couldn't sit around all day and do nothing. She told me later being a nanny and housekeeper was exactly what she wanted to do. I loved her from the moment she walked in the door. She's such a nurturing spirit. She really is my second mother."
To Kiss A Cowboy (Hunks and Horses Book 1) Page 8