A Reunion for the Rancher (Lone Star Cowboy League 1)

by Brenda Minton

  “Ruby, are you okay?”

  Ruby slowed her pace to let the other woman get next to her. “Yes, I’m fine. I just found out something. I need to talk to Lucy.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Byron McKay mentioned a necklace Derek’s girlfriend was wearing. I know where he got it.”

  Amelia linked arms with her. “That’s great. Let me go with you. And maybe afterward you can come down to the house for some iced tea. I think you could use a break.”

  “I could, but I’m not sure I’ll have time, I...” What did she have to do? “That would be nice.”

  She would enjoy sitting on the porch of Amelia’s pretty Victorian home, drinking sweet tea and pretending all was right in the world.

  Instead, she entered the police station, where the officer sitting behind the desk gave her a serious look and then nodded in the direction of Lucy’s office. “She’s back there.”

  “I’ll wait here for you,” Amelia said. She took a seat in one of the old wood chairs lined up against the wall.

  Ruby knocked on the door to Lucy’s office.

  “Come in,” Lucy called out.

  She entered the room expecting her brother to be handcuffed or at least upset. Instead, he smiled up at her as she walked in. And for whatever reason, that upset her. If she was worried, he should be worried.

  “Ruby, have a seat. Are you okay?” Lucy pointed to a nearby chair.

  “I’m good. I just came from the flea market.”

  Derek cleared his throat. “Uh-oh.”

  “You traded Dad’s belt buckle for the necklace. The one Byron is insinuating that you stole. Or bought with money from stolen merchandise.” She rubbed a hand down her face. “Why didn’t you tell the truth? You wouldn’t be here if you’d told the truth.”

  “Ruby, Derek and I have been talking. I know people want to point fingers, but he found some evidence last night that we’ve missed.”

  “That’s why I was out walking the fence lines the other night, Ruby.” He picked up a piece of a taillight. “I’m not guilty and the last thing I want is for you to believe that. Or for this to cause problems between you and Carson. I went looking, thinking I might be able to find something that got overlooked.”

  Lucy took the red plastic from him and put it in a bag. “I’m not sure how my guys overlooked this. And I know that people like Byron will continue to point fingers, but this will help us maybe get a better lead on the truck or the trailer.”

  “Derek is no longer a suspect?”

  Lucy looked from Ruby to her brother and inclined her head. “He’s free to go. Stay away from the McKays and the McKay ranch.”

  Derek stood but his gaze landed on Ruby. “Why aren’t you at the ranch with your students?”

  “None of them showed.” But she didn’t want to talk about that. When Derek tried, she raised her hand. “It isn’t as if I’m making a lot off the riding lessons. I went online last night and applied for some state jobs.”

  “In this state, right?” Derek asked as they walked out. Amelia was still waiting and she stood when she saw them.

  “Not all of them. Sorry, Derek. I will have to go where the job is. And now I’m going to Amelia’s for a glass of iced tea. You can get Gran home from the meeting, right?”

  “Yeah, I’ll get her home from the meeting. And I’m going to have a talk with Carson Thorn,” he mumbled as he walked off.

  “Please don’t,” she called out after him.

  The last thing she needed was her brother inserting himself into her relationship with Carson.

  * * *

  Carson watched out the window of the board room of the league building. Derek came out of the police station first, and he didn’t look like a man in trouble. Ruby came out next, walking next to Amelia Klondike. The two headed on foot in the direction of Amelia’s big house.

  Tom Horton cleared his throat. “We could get back to the meeting if you’re done window shopping?”

  “There’s not much more to say. Lucy left the list. And I don’t see that any of us want to start watching the people who have been given gifts as if they’re criminals. They’re good people who’ve fallen on hard times, and someone met a need for them. That doesn’t make them suspect. Lucy says the same.”

  “What about that Donovan kid?” one of the members asked.

  Iva Donovan thumped her hand on the table. “‘That Donovan kid’ is my grandson. And he isn’t the thief. You all are going to miss the real culprits focusing on everyone else. This is why we have law enforcement, to keep citizens from making a mess of things.”

  “I have to agree with Iva,” Lynette Fields spoke up. She glanced at her watch. “I have to run. Is there a reason Ben Stillwater didn’t show up to this meeting?”

  Carson shook his head. “Not that I know of. I’ll give him a call.”

  “They haven’t had any things taken, have they?” Byron McKay spoke up, and he’d been pretty quiet for the most part.

  “No, Byron. So I think we ought to go get Ben right now and arrest him.” With that, Carson got up and walked out.

  His phone rang as he was heading for his truck. He thought about not answering. He’d like to catch up with Ruby and talk things out. Instead, he glanced at the caller ID and saw that it was Ben.

  “Where are you?”

  Ben laughed, but it was shaky and not exactly filled with humor. “Well, I’m at home and I’ve got a problem.”

  “You’re the thief. We figured as much.”

  There was a long pause that took Carson by surprise. He counted on Ben for one thing, his ability to never take anything too seriously.

  “Ben?”

  “Carson, are you on your way to your place?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Care if I come over? I could use a level head about now and I’m pretty sure mine doesn’t count.”

  “You driving or riding?”

  “Riding. I need fresh air and a few minutes to think.”

  Carson opened the door to his truck. “Care to tell me what’s going on?”

  “Might as well.” There was another long pause. “Carson, someone left a baby on my doorstep. Knocked and just left it there.”

  “A baby...” Carson thought about it for a second. “A baby kitten. Or a puppy.”

  No one in their right mind would leave a human baby with Ben Stillwater. He could handle a puppy, a kitten, even a calf or a foal. But a human being?

  “A baby, Carson. A living, breathing, human being. Mamie says it looks like a Stillwater.”

  Mamie Stillwater, Ben’s grandmother, ought to know a thing or two about babies, especially ones that looked like Stillwaters. “Okay, a baby. But where did it come from and have you called Lucy?”

  “I don’t know where it came from and no, I haven’t called Lucy. She isn’t a huge fan of mine and she’s not going to be impressed by a baby with a note that says, ‘Your baby, your turn.’”

  Carson whistled. “Buddy, your chickens have come home to—”

  “Not in the mood, Carson. Just be at your place when I get there.”

  “I’ll be waiting. Text me a picture of the little Ben.”

  “How do you know it isn’t a little Grady?”

  He counted back. It had been a few months since any of them had seen Grady, who was now stationed in Afghanistan. “I guess it could be.”

  “Yeah, it could.”

  “If it’s yours, do you have any idea who it might belong to?” Carson started his truck and backed out of the parking space.

  “Yeah, I have ideas. I’ll see you at your place.”

  Carson tossed his phone on the seat and headed home. He drove past the Donovan place, but he didn’t stop. Later. He’d talk to Ruby later. He’d ask her about the Realtor he’d seen at their house. He’d tell her they could learn to work things out instead of walking away every time things got a little difficult.

  He pulled up to his place and parked out front instead of in the garage. He
figured he had about fifteen minutes before Ben showed up. He’d grab a cup of coffee, eat a piece of the pie Bobbi Ann left the night before and then head out to the barn. Because the stable was where he and Ben always had their heart-to-heart man talks. That’s what Mamie Stillwater called them. And she laughed because she’d always said they weren’t men until they had more than two whiskers on their chins.

  Ben didn’t show up in fifteen minutes. Or in thirty. Carson groomed his gelding. He cleaned a couple of stalls. He found one of the hands that was still working and told him to go home.

  And then he headed for the house. As he headed up the steps to the front door, Lucy pulled up. He waited on the porch for her.

  From the serious frown on her face, this wasn’t a social call. Great, now he was a suspect? He walked down off the steps and met her in the yard.

  “Lucy, what’s up?”

  “Carson, it’s about Ben.”

  “Yeah, I know about the baby. I told him to call you.”

  “It isn’t about the baby. Carson, Ben is in the Little Horn hospital, unconscious. He was riding, probably too—” She broke off and he thought he saw a glimmer of tears in her eyes. She took in a deep breath. “He’s unconscious. One of his hands found him on the ground, the horse a short distance away.”

  She glanced away, the breeze blowing her hair around her face. “It doesn’t look good. We’re going to try to reach Grady.”

  “He’s going to be fine, Lucy.”

  She put a hand on his arm. “He’s always fine, isn’t he?”

  “Yeah, he is. Did he say anything? Or was he awake at all?”

  “The man who found him said he was conscious at first and then he couldn’t wake him up. He didn’t move him, thought it best to wait for the ambulance. It wasn’t easy to get to him.”

  “I’m going over there.”

  Lucy nodded and her hand slipped from his arm. “Mamie is going to need some help.”

  “I’ll make sure things get taken care of.”

  He headed to his truck as she got in her car and turned around. He couldn’t wrap his mind around it. Ben was about the best rider around. He’d had some crashes over the years, a broken bone or two, but nothing like this.

  When he pulled up to the Stillwater place it looked like the whole town was there. He hurried up the steps and didn’t bother knocking. He met Tyler Grainger inside the front door.

  “Tyler, how is he?”

  Tyler shook his head. “Hasn’t regained consciousness since the first, when they found him.”

  “Mamie?”

  Tyler indicated with a nod that she was in the living room. “She’s strong as ever. I made her let me check her vitals. She’s getting ready to head to the hospital, but they have to find someone to take care of that baby.”

  “How is the baby?”

  “I’m going to check him before I leave.”

  Carson and Tyler walked into the living room together. Lucy had arrived and she was sitting with Mamie.

  “He must have had a momma who loves him,” Mamie said, holding a blanket in her hands. She lifted the quilt. “It says Cody. That was my late husband, the twins’ grandfather’s, name. I’m just not sure what to do.”

  Lucy reached for Mamie’s hand. “We’ll all be here to help you. And we’ll figure out who his father is.”

  Carson looked away from Mamie as Eva Brooks entered the room with the baby in her arms. She didn’t look like the most comfortable female holding that fussing baby against her shoulder, a bottle in her hand. Carson’s attention shifted to Tyler Grainger. He’d stood and was heading Eva’s way. To examine the baby, of course. Maybe to rescue the poor little guy. As Eva handed over the baby in what had to be the most awkward pass ever, Tyler laughed a little and leaned close to Ben’s cousin.

  “I’m going to need to go to the hospital.” Mamie stood. “And of course we’ll need a nanny for that little mite. A baby can be a real handful, and I’m not as young as I used to be. Ben is just going to have to get himself better and get home to take care of this mess.”

  “He will, Mamie, he will.” Lucy hugged Mamie. “Let me drive you to the hospital.”

  Carson helped the older woman out to Lucy’s car, leaving Tyler and Eva to handle little Cody, or Ben Junior, until something else could be figured out. After Mamie was situated, Lucy shook her head.

  “Identical twin brothers. A DNA test isn’t going to solve this. But I don’t think that matters right now. We have to pray Ben gets better soon.”

  And then she was gone, lights flashing as she went down the driveway.

  Carson headed out to the barn to make sure the hands who were on site knew what needed to be done until Ben could get home.

  Ben would get home. He said a prayer as he walked, Ben’s dog chasing along behind him.

  He was about ready for at least one day to go right. He thought about Ruby and how much better this day would be if he had her to sit down and talk to. If he had her to hold on to.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Nothing felt right that evening. Sitting at the table with Brandon and Jenna should have felt right. They were a family, having dinner the way families do. Carson pushed back his plate and rubbed a hand down his face. He was bone tired.

  “Go talk to her.”

  He looked up at his sister’s words. “What?”

  “Ruby. Go talk to her. You’ve been pacing around here like a lion with a thorn in his paw. Go to Ruby. Get this mess straightened out. Act like adults and work—”

  He raised a hand. “You do not get to give me relationship advice.”

  She grinned. “Well, I do know what it takes to make a marriage fall apart. Selfishness, not talking, spending too much time apart.”

  “Like I said, not a marriage expert.”

  “We’ve both failed, big brother. But you have a chance to make this right. It isn’t your fault or Ruby’s that your family did everything they could to tear the two of you apart.”

  He stood, still amazed at how interfering his family could be. Even today. Interfering. “I’m going.”

  “To Ruby’s?” Brandon looked up. “Can I go?”

  Jenna pointed to his plate. “You have green beans to eat. Uncle Carson has crow to eat.”

  “Crow?” Brandon made a disgusted face. “That’s gross.”

  Carson mouthed “thank you” to his sister and headed for the front door. But first he made a pit stop in his office. A man had to go into battle armed and ready.

  When he got to the Donovan place he saw lights on in the barn and Ruby’s silhouette moving inside the old building. He pulled his truck out there and stopped. Ruby moved to see who had shown up. She waved and went back to work.

  “How is Ben? Any news?” she asked when he walked into the barn.

  “Nothing new. I called on my way over. He’s still unconscious.”

  “I’m sorry. Really sorry. Gran and I prayed for him. We’re praying for a miracle.” She brushed long strokes across the horse’s back. “What about the baby? Have they called family services? As relatives they can get a kinship placement.”

  “I think Lucy called it in.”

  “Good. If they need help, let me know.”

  “I will.” He reached for her hand and the brush she kept sliding across the same spot on the horse’s back, making the animal twitch. “Stop.”

  He took the brush and tossed it in the bucket. “Stop brushing the horse. Stop talking about other people. Stop running from us.”

  “I’m not running. I’m just...” She shook her head. “I’m tired.”

  “Me, too.” He untied the horse and led him to a stall. “I’m tired of being alone. I’m tired of not having you next to me.”

  “Carson—”

  He placed a finger on her lips and she quieted.

  “Today a good friend of mine got hurt. He’s in a hospital in critical condition. And when I found out, I wanted you. I wanted to talk to you and lean on you.”

  “I’m sorry
I wasn’t there.” She came to him then, wrapping her arms around him. “I’m sorry.”

  Her head was against his chest and her arms were tight around his waist. Man, she felt so good there against his heart. He held on to her. He kissed the top of her head and she looked up. He wanted to kiss her. He briefly touched his lips to hers. Just briefly.

  “Why are you here?” she asked.

  “To tell you I’m sorry. For what my dad did. For what Jenna did. For not coming after you years ago and asking what happened. And I’m sorry that I let you leave the other night because we should have talked then. We have a bad habit, you and I, of not talking things out.”

  “What is there to say?”

  “There’s a lot to say, Ruby. We could start with sorry. We could start by saying we won’t always agree. Sometimes we’ll have differences of opinion. We might even get mad at each other. But walking away? That’s never going to happen again.”

  “We live such different lives,” she started. “I’m not even sure if we can stay here. Iva needs more care and this place is costing me rather than supporting us.”

  “And again, we should talk about those things. Not run from them.”

  She kissed his shoulder and nodded. “You’re right.”

  “Are you sniffing me?” He smiled as he asked.

  “Yeah, I am. Because when I’m here close to you, and I smell your scent, I feel like I’m home.”

  “You are home.” He held her tight and it was hard to breathe, hard to find the words. Because with Ruby in his arms, it was like coming home in the best possible way.

  “Derek sold our dad’s championship buckle. That’s how he paid for Alyssa’s necklace. That buckle. I’ve told him for years that he had to get rid of it, stop pretending that it meant everything. It was a possession, nothing more.”

  “And he finally found something that meant more.” Carson whispered against her hair, her sweet scented hair. “I know how he feels.”

  “So what do we do now?” Ruby asked. “Carson Thorn, I’m Ruby Donovan. My brother is a suspect in the local ranch thefts. We’re broke. As much as we don’t seem to belong in each other’s lives, you will always be the Thorn that I hope God doesn’t remove from my side.”