Honest Horseman (River's End Ranch Book 5)

by Cindy Caldwell

  “And you’re saying that’s all there is to Belinda. That the woman you love is just that?”

  “What do you mean,” he said. He reached into a barrel and pulled out a handful of carrots and fed them one at a time to Belle, who’d stuck her head out of her stall at the sound of his voice.

  “Well, take Belle for instance. You’ve had her—how long?” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the wall, clicking her boots together as more mud fell.

  “Long time. You know that.”

  “All right. And you trust her, right?”

  He shot her a glance as he gave Belle another carrot. “Of course I do. With my life.”

  “Would you say you love her?”

  “Okay, what are you getting at? Just cut to the chase.”

  Dani laughed and threw a clod of dirt at Wyatt, hitting him right on his head.

  “I guess you’re dense enough that I have to spell it out for you. I remember a couple times, specifically, that Belle bucked you and you landed right on your backside, a couple of times right in the lake if I remember correctly.”

  “Good memory, and I’m glad you get so much pleasure from it.”

  “Right. So why did she do that?”

  “You know. She saw a snake and didn’t know what to do. She was frightened.”

  “Mm-hmm,” Dani said softly. “And the other time?”

  “Same thing. She saw a badger for the first time, and when it hissed at her, she got scared and didn’t know what to do. She reared and I took a dive.”

  “Right. And you still love her, correct?”

  “Well, yes, of course I do. She just didn’t know what to—”

  He turned toward his sister, whose eyes were twinkling as she waited for his response.

  “If you’re implying it’s the same with Belinda, I hardly think they’re comparable.”

  “Why not? She was young and didn’t know what to do, either, and was protecting someone who’d been put in her care. A kid at the time.”

  He patted Belle on her nose and crossed over to Dani, sitting on the barrel beside her. “And what about now? She’s all grown up and should have known better.”

  “Wyatt, you said yourself last time that you were going to turn him in, no ifs, ands or buts. Why wouldn’t she hesitate to tell you right off the bat until she could figure it out? You were just getting to know each other again. She wasn’t any more sure what you’d do than you were sure what she’d do. If that makes sense,” she said as she looked up to her hairline and grabbed another glob of mud.

  Wyatt rubbed the stubble on his chin and narrowed his eyes at his sister.

  “All I’m saying is are you sure what you’re seeing is true? Maybe you should go with open eyes. We could head over to the airport and see what happens.”

  His heart pulled in two, he hopped up from the barrel and paced.

  “Besides, she might need your help,” his sister said as she stood from her own barrel and wiped more mud from her bottom.

  He weighed his options as he paced. He was still disappointed and furious with her that she hadn’t trusted him, but what had he done to expect that she should? Sure, he’d helped her down the mountain and treated her wound, but he hadn’t really even let her explain about the first time. Not completely, anyway. And today, he’d lit into her about what she’d done now, not trusting him yet again. No wonder she didn’t after that display.

  And now, just thinking of her dealing with all this on her own tugged at his heart. He wasn’t sure what she was going to do, but he knew that he wanted her in his life, and she was a good person. He turned to Belle and patted her nose. “I supposed she’s just gotten herself in another fix. Kind of like Belle and the badger.”

  “That’s it, Wyatt. Why not give her some backup? See if that changes anything. People sometimes behave differently when they think someone’s got their back.”

  A pang of guilt shot through him that he hadn’t given her that before. Hadn’t even let her explain, certainly hadn’t extended much compassion. He’d immediately assumed that it would be just like the first time, and she’d leave him again. By choice. Maybe he could change that if they hurried.

  “All right. I’ll get my keys and we can head to the hospital. Hopefully, we won’t be too late.”

  Dani laughed and rested her hand on his arm. “I knew you’d come around.”

  “You did?”

  “I did. So much that the helicopter just dropped me off and I need a ride to the hospital. I knew you’d come through. For Belinda and for me, too.”

  He shook his head, wondering what he’d ever done to earn such confidence from his sister. As he grabbed the keys to his truck and they hopped in, he hoped that he could earn the same from Belinda.

  Chapter 20

  Wyatt searched the parking lot for Belinda’s Fish and Game truck and found it, parked next to one that looked exactly the same. Dani had said Belinda had called her boss and let him know they had a potential suspect, and he’d arranged to meet them at the hospital, too. He wondered if Belinda would be surprised to see Wyatt here, and he had no idea what her plans were with Hank. Even after all he’d said to her, he wouldn’t be surprised if she let Hank off the hook again. He’d been pretty harsh, and his heart tugged at the memory of the hurt in her eyes at his words, but like she’d said, Hank was family.

  He slammed his truck into park and Dani lurched forward, bracing herself against the dashboard. She looked up to the roof of the hospital and pointed. Wyatt leaned forward and looked up, out the windshield.

  “Just in time,” she said as the search and rescue helicopter landed with a gentle bounce.

  He slammed the door shut and followed Dani up some side stairs he hadn’t even known were there. He dodged the mud that fell in clumps off her uniform as she pushed the doors open and headed out onto the concrete roof.

  A team in scrubs waited outside of rotor range as Dani’s guys unloaded three gurneys from the chopper and the blades slowed to a stop. “Nice job, Sam,” she said as she tipped her hat at her second, a burly guy Wyatt had seen in the restaurant a few times talking with Dani. He nodded and stepped back as Dani turned to Belinda and a gray-haired man Wyatt assumed was her boss.

  “Hey, Belinda,” Dani said as she nodded. She extended her hand to the man. “Dani Weston, sir. Search and Rescue. Thanks for meeting us here.”

  “Thanks for calling and letting me know,” he said as he gave her hand a shake. “Belinda, here, called too. Said you have some suspects for us.”

  “Suspects?”

  Wyatt recognized Hank’s voice in an instant, even after all these years. It hadn’t gotten any less squirrely and Wyatt’s hands clenched at his sides. It was all he could do not to punch him, but it was Belinda’s business now, not his, and he stood back.

  “Yes, suspects,” Belinda said, her voice cold.

  “Suspects for what, Belinda?” Hank asked, a wide grin spreading across his face. “We were just having a little fun.”

  Wyatt watched as the blood drained from Belinda’s face.

  “A little fun? You caused a mudslide,” she said. “You could have been killed. And all for poaching.”

  “This is the man you told me about, Belinda?” her boss said as he stepped forward.

  “Yes, it is. Sir, this is my brother, Hank Archer.”

  The man’s eyebrows rose as he looked from Hank to Belinda. “Your brother?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And he and his friends are your suspects?”

  Belinda took in a deep breath. “Yes, sir, they are.”

  Hank squirmed on his gurney. “You don’t have any evidence.”

  Wyatt cleared his throat and reached in his pocket for the baggy that held Hank’s knife. He waited to see what she’d do, and he held it up as she turned toward him and their eyes met. She didn’t hesitate for even a second as she walked over to where he stood and reached for the bag, mouthing, “Thank you,” to him.

  She tu
rned and held the bag out to her boss. “Here’s the evidence you’ll need to connect him to the fox poaching on River’s End Ranch property. And Wyatt’s sister says we’ll find more at the slide site, once they can clear the mud. Done deal.”

  Her boss nodded and reached for the bag. “Thank you, Warden,” he said as he placed it in the pocket inside his jacket and patted it. “Got it.” He smiled at her and reached for his tool belt, taking out handcuffs as Hank leaned up on his elbows, his hand reaching out toward Belinda.

  Belinda hardened her eyes as her boss tightened cuffs around Hank’s wrists and took a step back.

  Hank’s eyebrows rose and he looked pleadingly at Belinda. “Sis, you’re not going to let them do this, are you? I’m your brother. I didn’t do anything.”

  She hooked her thumbs in her tool belt and her eyes hardened. She looked down at her boots for a moment. “Just like last time, Hank? When I believed you?” she hissed in his ear as she leaned over the stretcher now that his hands were cuffed. “I went to bat for you.”

  Hank’s eyes widened. “I didn’t do it then, either,” he said as his voice turned to a whine.

  She stood and stiffened, recoiling at his words.

  “Stop it, Hank. Stop. It’s time to grow up.”

  The men and women in scrubs looked to Belinda and she nodded. They unlocked the gurneys of Hank and his friends, moving them toward the elevator that would take them down into the hospital.

  She watched as they moved away, her face a mask as Hank continued to call her name. As soon the elevator doors closed behind them, her head dropped into her palms and Wyatt crossed the distance between them in two long strides. He took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair as her shoulders shook, and he struggled against the urge to gather her in his arms.

  Her boss looked at Dani, eyebrows raised, and she winked at him. He nodded and tipped his hat, smiling. “You did a brave thing, Belinda,” he said as he crossed the helipad and stood in front of her. She lifted her head and looked him in the eye.

  “Thank you, sir,” she said as she wiped her tears with her sleeve.

  “I’ll meet you downstairs.” He nodded to Dani and said, “Thank you,” before he headed to the elevators.

  “Just doing our job,” Dani said as she saluted and smiled, her crew waiting for her in the helicopter. She signaled to the pilot to start the engine, and leaned out the door as the helicopter slowly lifted off the concrete. “See you at home, you two,” she shouted before they were across the side of the hospital roof and heading back toward the west ridge of River’s End Ranch.

  Wyatt reached up and rested his hands on Belinda’s shoulders, his chin on top of her head as they watched the helicopter disappear in the distance. She turned and buried her face in his coat, tears flowing freely now.

  He held her tightly until her sobs subsided, stroking her hair. “You did the right thing, Belle,” he said softly when she’d caught her breath.

  “I know, Wyatt,” she said as she lifted her head and looked up into his eyes before taking a step back. “I’m just so very sorry that I didn’t believe you the first time. I mean, there was a part of me that did believe you, but he was my little brother and I didn’t know what to do. I thought I did the right thing, sending him away.”

  She glanced at the elevator doors and dropped her head into her hands, the tears flowing again.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out his grandfather’s handkerchief. He lifted her chin, dabbing at her eyes. “He was young. I don’t blame you for trying to help. And it would have helped, likely, if he was a different kind of person. But why’d you disappear? I would have understood.”

  She shook her head. “No, you wouldn’t have. You remember our last conversation? You were going to turn him in, no matter what. I don’t blame you for that, either. You’re the most honest person I’ve ever known, and I couldn’t ask you to compromise yourself, your integrity. I just couldn’t. So when I did what I did, sending him to Arizona, I just couldn’t face you. Thought it was best, and you wouldn’t want to be with someone like me, anyway.”

  He gasped and took a step back. “How could you believe that? I loved you, Belle, with all my heart. We could have done it together.”

  She looked up, her eyes wide. “Oh, no, don’t say that.”

  He stepped forward and reached for her, gathering her in his arms. “It’s true. I guess it wouldn’t appear that way after what I said earlier. I guess I don’t blame you for not coming to me first, but I would have done anything to help, anything not to be without you. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved. I would have done anything. We could have figured it out together.”

  She flung her arms around his neck. “Wyatt,” she said quietly, nestling her head in the crook of his neck. “So many years wasted. We could have been together.”

  Warm tears tickled his neck as she dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief. He shook his head slowly. Yes, all those years wasted. He stroked her hair softly and pulled her back, looking her square in the eye.

  “So what do you say we tackle this one together? No more years wasted. Not a one.”

  She smiled slowly, her green eyes sparkling through her tears. “Not a one,” she said as he leaned in, her warm lips meeting his as he vowed not to lose any more time with her, his Belle. Not even a second.

  Chapter 21

  Wyatt fumbled the velvet ring box as he closed the drawer of his nightstand. He caught it before it hit the floor, and he wiped it on his pants, inspecting it to make sure there wasn’t any remaining dust spots. It had been in his drawer a long time and he hadn’t even looked at it in years. He couldn’t.

  Now, though, he sat on the side of his bed and inspected the box. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it, in fact, the whole way back from Riston. He’d left a little before Belinda as she’d needed to de-brief her boss, but they’d arranged to meet at the restaurant and he glanced at the clock.

  He’d showered and changed, and tried to get the crazy thoughts out of his head, but no matter what he did—even with shampoo stinging his eyes—he couldn’t get the feeling of Belle in his arms out of his mind. With all that had happened in such a short time, he couldn’t believe that it felt like she’d never been gone, but it did. And he’d told her he hadn’t wanted to spend one more second apart, and he meant it.

  He opened the box and walked over to his bedroom window, holding it up to the fading sunlight streaming through. The diamond sparkled, still as shiny as the day he’d bought it for her all those years ago. He hadn’t had the chance to give it to her then and was never quite sure why he hadn’t gotten rid of it, but now he was glad he hadn’t. He’d need it tonight.

  He grabbed his coat and threw on his hat, whistling while he walked toward the restaurant. He laughed as he approached Jaclyn’s house. He’d never dreamed she’d be right—about so many things.

  He tipped his hat as he spotted her out in her garden. “Howdy, Jaclyn. Might fine evening, isn’t it?”

  She looked up from her flowerbed as she shooed the rabbits back. He’d never quite understood how she kept them from the garden, but her flowers never seemed any worse for them running amok.

  She stood and stretched, her hands on her lower back. “You’re all smiles, Wyatt,” she said as she crossed over to the picket fence.

  Wyatt stopped, his hands in his pockets as he rocked back on his boots, heel to toe. “Am I, now?”

  She cocked her head and looked him up and down. “And dressed mighty fine.” She sniffed in his direction. “And is that cologne?”

  Heat crept up Wyatt’s neck as he looked at the ground, and he couldn’t wipe the grin from his face. “Yes, ma’am, it is. I have an engagement with a special friend.”

  “An engagement, you say?” Jaclyn said, laughing at his slip of the tongue.

  “I mean—I meant a date. I have a date.”

  “Ah,” she said slowly as she winked at him. “A date. I see.”

  “I don’t imagine
I need to tell you who it’s with, and I just want to say thank you for talking some sense into me.”

  “No, I’ve been informed,” she said as she nodded her head in the direction of her house. “They know everything, you know.”

  Wyatt smiled and nodded. He had never been too sure about Jaclyn and those fairies she always talked about but hey, if they’d helped, he was grateful.

  “Best be on my way. Don’t want to keep her waiting,” he said as he tipped his hat at her and headed to the restaurant.

  “Good luck,” she said as she waved and winked before he turned away.

  Luck? Would he need it? His stomach tightened at the thought. He hadn’t even considered he might need luck. He’d just assumed she’d say yes, and that she was as happy as he was that they could start over.

  His palms broke into a sweat and he tugged at his collar. It was all he could do to put one boot in front of the other. He hopped up the steps of the restaurant, his boots thudding on the wooden planks, head down, and he stopped abruptly as he saw a pair of familiar boots, deep blue with gold inlaid all the way up to a gorgeous set of legs that he hadn’t seen in a while—they’d been dressed in a warden’s uniform.

  His voice caught in his throat as he looked up into a pair of the most gorgeous green eyes he’d ever seen—even more so because they belonged to the woman he loved.

  Her deep, chestnut hair tumbled over her shoulders, and she smiled the brightest smile he’d ever seen. His chest tightened and he pulled her to him, her lips soft and warm as he leaned in and kissed her.

  “What was that for?” she said as her cheeks flushed and she lifted her dark lashes and met his gaze.

  “Oh, just because,” he said slowly as he grazed finger over her cheek.

  His hand tightened on the velvet box and he knew he’d better spit it out. Jaclyn’s good luck wish had made him nervous, and he wanted to hear that yes. Badly. And soon. Like now.

  He took his hat off and threw it on the porch of the restaurant. He looked up at Belinda as her eyebrows shot up and her hand fell to her chest.