Jake shook his head. “I don’t know. I passed out. When I opened my eyes you were over me.”
Heath commented on the kicked-up dust from the road. “I’m calling 911.” He wasn’t sure what the sheriff or his deputies could do, but he wanted to send in the report.
Wade helped Jake up. “We’re taking you to Cheyenne. A concussion’s nothing to sneeze at.”
“I’m good.”
“If anything happens to you, and I didn’t do something, Sam would have my head.”
Jake fisted his hands. “We don’t need Sam to learn about this.”
“Sure thing.”
Heath knew that wasn’t going to happen. As the owner, Sam had the right to know that someone was threatening her livelihood. Again.
By the time they got him to the hospital in Cheyenne and got back home, it was almost time to get up. Heath decided he needed his sleep before he did anything else. He crawled into bed for a short nap.
Wade shook his shoulder. “Come on. Get up.”
“Give me another hour.” Somehow Wade never needed sleep as much as he did.
“I want to follow up with the sheriff, but first I want to bring Sam here.”
“She won’t come.”
“It’s not her choice.”
Heath scrambled out of bed. Wade would give him max five minutes before taking off.
* * * *
Sam was putting her breakfast dishes in the sink when she saw Wade pull up. While she’d like nothing better than to lounge around all day making love to them, she had a ranch to run. In fact, they did, too.
She pulled open the door before they reached her stoop. “Hey.”
Wade took her hand and led her inside. “We need to talk.”
She didn’t like the serious tone. Her stomach churned. “What happened?” She looked over at Heath, whose pinched brow turned her heart even heavier.
“Jake’s okay, but we had to take him to the hospital last night.”
Jake. Hospital. Last night. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“We just got back.”
They told her they’d been in Denver visiting their sister and were coming home when they spotted Jake’s truck.
“Did he get a look at his assailant?”
“No, but we’re betting it was the same men who took the cattle before.”
“I need to ask Chad to count the cattle.”
Wade pressed his hands onto her shoulders. “That can wait.”
“What’s more important than figuring out what they stole?”
“Heath and I think someone is out to harm you.”
That made no sense. “No one has come after me personally.”
“I think they want to drive you away. Between the cattle rustling and the fire, maybe they think you’ll quit.”
She’d drawn that conclusion, too. “They won’t succeed.”
Heath took her hand. “We’d feel a lot better if you moved over to our house.” She stiffened. “Just until we get these guys. We just finished speaking with the sheriff. He and his men came out this morning and found some evidence the rustlers left behind.”
“What was it?”
“It was a flashlight they used to hit Jake on the back of the head. He said there were prints on it.”
“Good luck finding the offenders. Their prints might not be in any database. Bottom line, I need my cattle back.”
“He promised to tell anyone planning on buying cattle to be on the lookout for anything that has your brand on it.”
That plan had yet to work. “They’ll probably take the cattle across state lines and we’ll never find them.”
Heath wanted to rub away her frustration. “I know, but this time the sheriff has contacted the surrounding state agencies. Something will turn up.”
“How’s Jake?”
“I called the hospital this morning and spoke with him. He’ll be released soon. Don’t worry.”
She didn’t know what she’d do if she lost him. “I’m glad.”
Wade stepped closer. “Come on, we’ll help you pack.”
She’d been through this before. “I’m not going anywhere. I don’t know how long Jake will be out of commission, so I’ll need to double my efforts.”
Heath rubbed her back. “Darlin’. You know Wade. If you don’t come to us, we’ll have to come to you, and you know how crowded that queen-size bed can be.”
He had a point. “Fine, but I’m spending most of my days here.”
Wade smiled. “That’s all I ask.”
“You don’t need to stay and watch me work. I promise I’ll be over by dinner. Okay?”
“If I can get a kiss, I’ll be on my way.” When she stepped toward him, he looked like he wanted more than a kiss.
She had work to do, but touching Wade and Heath would help her get through what happened. She kissed them both then shooed them out. “I’ll have my cell phone with me. Call if anything comes up.”
As soon as they left, she saddled her horse and went out to find Chad. All of her hands, except Jake, of course, were there. As she ran into each one, she told them of the attack on Jake and the resulting theft. Chad was the last one she located.
“Can you count the head and call me when you know how many have been stolen?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She liked that he treated her with respect. Before she went back to the barn, she surveyed the fence along Harper’s Lane. Sure enough, the thieves had come in the same spot they had before. They’d carefully hidden the plastic tie wraps by painting them gray like the metal fence. “Damn.” She hated that they were that smart.
She called the sheriff’s office and asked to be patched through to Will. He answered a few minutes later.
“Hey, Sam. Sorry to hear about the attack.”
“You have any news?”
She didn’t know why she thought he might be successful this time when he hadn’t found a clue the last two times.
“As a matter of fact, I’m tracking something down as we speak. Can I call you back?”
“What did you find?”
“I might have found your rustlers, but I need a judge to sign the warrant before I can check their trucks.”
“I appreciate this, Will.”
She disconnected. Even his news didn’t cheer her up. There had to be something she was overlooking. On her way back to the house, she saw Chad again.
“We’re eight head short.”
Christ. These men were willing to assault a good man for eight head of cattle. This was so wrong on many accounts. “Thanks. By the way, I’ll be staying over at the Watson ranch at night. They don’t think it’s safe for me here.”
“Good. Jake mentioned to me on several occasions that he didn’t think a woman should be alone out here.”
Did he now? “You have my number. Use it if you need to.”
He nodded and rode off. Somehow, managing the ranch had become more difficult as the months went by, but she was going to conquer this business one way or another. Whoever was after her wasn’t going to succeed, unless she decided to change things.
She had a lot of work to get done before she went over to the Watson place. She was almost finished packing when someone knocked on her door. Heath or Wade probably decided to see what was taking her so long.
“I’m coming!” She rushed to the door and pulled it open. “Jake!” She pulled him in. “How are you feeling?”
He waved a hand. “It was nothing.” He turned his head to show her where the hospital staff had shaved his head and placed the bandage.
“Ouch.”
He walked into her living room and sat down. “I’m working on a plan to stop these bastards.”
He sounded like Wade and Heath, always ready to be the hero. “The sheriff said he was working on a lead.”
Something indescribable flashed in his eyes. “What was it?”
She saw no reason to mention the warrant. “He didn’t say, but he seemed optimistic he’d ca
tch the thieves.”
He nodded to one of the suitcases she’d put in the entranceway. “You going somewhere?”
“Wade and Heath thought it wise if I stay with them.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“They think I might be in danger.”
“I could sleep on your sofa and protect you.”
She smiled. “That is so sweet of you, but I don’t want to put you in any more danger. You’ve gone over and above the call of duty.”
He stood. “Fine. Let me know what the sheriff finds.”
She attributed his abrupt change of attitude to jealousy. There was nothing she could do about that. “I will. And keep out of danger. No more midnight raids on the rustlers.”
He managed a smile before leaving.
Something about Jake bothered her, but she shrugged it off. Maybe losing the cattle upset him more because he failed to stop them. She finished packing and headed over to the Watson ranch. She probably should have stayed at her parents’ house as it was only slightly farther away, but then her dad would lecture her on how she needed to be tougher around town. He’d probably suggest she invest in microchips for her animals instead of branding. She did plan to as soon as she had enough money.
When she knocked on Wade and Heath’s front door, they met her with a glass of wine. The lights were dimmed and the aroma of something spicy and possibly Italian wafted in from the kitchen.
Heath leaned over and kissed her. “We’re so glad you decided to come.”
She chuckled. “If I hadn’t, I imagine the two of you would have driven over, plucked me from my bed, and carried me here.”
“You got that right. Dinner is almost ready. Take a seat.”
She had been a little late. “Sorry that I took so long.”
“All that matters is that you’re here.”
Heath brought in a wonderful dish of lasagna, fresh grilled portabella mushrooms, and a green salad.
“Wow. You made all this?”
He shrugged. “The lasagna came frozen at the grocery store, but I did grill the mushrooms and toss the salad.”
“I like it.”
They talked about everything but her recent problems, and for that she was thankful. By the time dinner was finished and cleaned up, it was close to eleven. She couldn’t help but yawn. “I’m sorry to eat and hit the hay, but I have a big day tomorrow.”
“We totally understand. Good night.”
She was halfway down the hallway when she realized she had no idea where they intended for her to sleep. She turned around and practically bumped into both of the men.
“We’ve put you in the guest room, but you’re more than welcome to visit me or Heath during the night.”
“Only if I sleepwalk or have nightmares. Thank you for keeping me safe. I appreciate it, but I still don’t think anyone is after me personally.”
“As soon as the rustlers and the arsonist are caught, we’ll release you back into the wild.”
She kissed them each good-night and trotted off to bed. She washed up and crawled under the comforter. To her surprise, she fell asleep right away and woke up refreshed. It was slightly past six when she got up. Maybe she could pay them back by making breakfast. It wasn’t fair for Heath to always be the one to do the work. Now that she had two good arms, she could cook breakfast.
Finding the pots and pans was easy. By the time Wade and Heath rolled in, the coffee was brewed and she had a stack of eggs in the oven keeping warm.
Heath wrapped his arms around her waist. “Thank you for cooking, but you are our guest.”
“You cooked last night. It’s the least I could do.”
She’d just served them the food when her cell phone rang. Caller ID said it was the sheriff. “Hey, Will.”
“We found your rustlers.”
The relief slammed into her. “That’s wonderful. Who are they?”
“A couple of out-of-towners. I think you should come into town and hear what they have to say.”
“What is it?” Her joy evaporated.
“I’ll give you the details when you come in.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Heath reached out and clasped her hand. “What’s wrong?”
She told the about the conversation.
“We’re coming with you. Let’s go.”
They had work to do and didn’t need to be bothered with her. “I can go alone.”
Wade pushed back his chair. “This isn’t an option.”
She knew when to fight and when to give in. “Suit yourself.”
They drove into Intrigue together, but she wasn’t much in the mood to talk. Her mind swirled with a lot of questions. Were these the same men who shot her? Why were they targeting her?
When they entered the department, the receptionist told them to go down the hall. The sheriff’s office was last door on the right.
She’d been here before, but never in this capacity. Will was seated when they came in. He didn’t even blink at the fact both Wade and Heath were with her. He motioned they take a seat.
“I have some disturbing news.”
Her pulse raced. “What is it?”
Chapter Twelve
Will looked down at his notes. “I’m going to tell you what the two men told me. I’m in the process of corroborating their story now. They said that your foreman, Jake Hansen, hired them to steal your cattle.”
She almost laughed. “That’s ridiculous. What proof do they have?”
He slid a photo over to her. “Apparently, they didn’t trust him, and one of their friends took this shot as proof.” It showed Jake accepting money from them.
“All this shows is that he knew them.”
“Apparently, he had these men steal the cattle from you, knowing they’d get little to no interference from you. He got half the proceeds.”
Her stomach flipped over many times and bile rose in her throat. She shook her head. “Jake got injured the last time. You’re telling me that was planned?”
“No. Jake was trying to stop them.”
“You see? How does that make him guilty?”
Heath leaned forward. “Will, these are serious accusations that even I find hard to believe. How are you going to prove Jake is behind all this? It’s basically their word against Jake’s.”
Will put the photo back in the folder. “I know. We’re doing a check on his finances now to see if his account got some infusion of cash around the same time the animals were taken.” He turned to her. “Sam, did you have other thefts besides the ones you reported?”
“Not that I’m aware of, but I only learned about the thefts because the number of cattle reported went down.” Her mind spun. Had the stealing been going on longer than she’d realized? “Other than needing money, why would he do this to me? I truly thought he liked and respected me.”
Wade leaned back in his chair. “He does. That’s why it makes perfect sense. I should have seen it earlier.”
“You’re the one who’s not making sense.”
“I don’t know what they call it, but it’s the I want to be a hero to win the girl syndrome.”
“Huh?” Now wasn’t the time for him to be funny.
“Do you remember the first time Jake found out we were staying at your house after you got shot?”
“He got mad.”
“Yes. How would Will have responded if he’d come and learned we were going to protect you?”
She didn’t have to think twice. “He would have been happy that he didn’t have to send someone out to keep watch.”
“Yes. Don’t you see? Jake was jealous of us.”
She glanced between all three men whose gaze was focused on her. “I believe that’s true, especially when I think about everything he’s said since I got injured. But you’re basically accusing him of paying someone to steal my cattle so he could capture them and be the hero?”
“Precisely,” Wade said. “When you didn’t let him take care of you afte
r you got shot, he set a fire in the barn. He wanted to put it out then rush in and tell you how he saved all the horses.”
Oh, shit. “But the smoke got to him before he could save anything.”
“Right.”
The pattern fit. “That’s why when I got shot, he told me he was sorry. It was like that wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“No one could have known you’d be coming down Harper’s Lane so late at night.”
“It was my dad’s birthday party and we stayed up to celebrate.”
The pieces fell into place. Maybe that was why nothing like this had ever happened to a man’s ranch.
Wade leaned forward. “When the fire starting backfired, he had the rustlers steal your cattle again. Only this time, he tried to stop them. For him, it was time to be the hero.”
But he failed. She looked up at Will. “Jake is at my ranch now.”
“We’re bringing him in for questioning.”
Her head spun. “I need to use the bathroom.” She got up and rushed down the hallway. She managed not to throw up, but her stomach wanted to heave. She splashed water on her face, which somewhat helped calm her.
What had she done wrong? She never showed any interest in Jake. If she had, would he have acted differently? It was too late now to second-guess herself.
She walked back to Will’s office, trying to pull herself together. Wade and Heath were shaking the sheriff’s hand.
Will looked upset that he’d had to deliver such bad news. “I’m very sorry. I’ll let you know if we have to charge Jake. If he did hire the men to steal the cattle, he’ll be responsible for your shooting, too.”
Could this get any worse?
The ride home was solemn. She was now one man short. Chad was young, but she trusted him to lead the other men. If she ever had to start again, she’d only hire women. In fact, she should consider starting again. If only she could figure out how to run a ranch with no cattle.
Even though the threat to her life and her ranch was gone, the men tried to convince her to stay the day.
She wasn’t in the mood. “I really need to regroup. I’m sorry.”
“We understand. Let us know if we can do anything.” Heath gave her a comforting hug good-bye.
Wade brought out her suitcases. “Don’t be a stranger.” He winked, which brought out a smile.
Monroe, Melody Snow - Leather and Lace [The Callens 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Page 11