The Cattleman

by Angi Morgan

  “From what Pete tells me, you should know. Isn’t he an old boyfriend?” Andrea asked.

  Boyfriend? That must be a bit awkward for Nick. And a small detail Kate and Juliet had left out of their proposition. The awkward conversation was definitely revealing.

  “I’ve known him since we were children. Nick was never my boyfriend, no matter how much everyone believes it.” Her eyes looked only into the mirror, connecting with Beth’s a second time. “Should you talk about this with the guys? You can call as soon as we get to Alpine.”

  “His parents assured me he rides off for two or three days at a time and that he should be back tomorrow.” He’d better be back tomorrow. Her agency had extended her involvement, but only for a few weeks, whether part of a task force or not.

  “You can help him with that, right? Help with the running away?” Kate hinted at Nick’s PTSD symptoms. “With you at the ranch, he has a reason not to run into the mountains when he’s upset.”

  Kate looked and sounded genuinely concerned for Nick’s well-being. Andrea looked confused by the conversation. And Beth found herself unable or unwilling to lie or evade.

  “Well, I might actually be what he’s upset about this time. He left right after I told him your idea for my cover.”

  “He didn’t like the idea? I thought you guys were...well, you know,” Kate hedged.

  “Sleeping together.” Andrea didn’t mince words. “What was Kate’s idea?”

  “We’re keeping it professional, thank you.” Or would they? Could she keep straight when they were supposed to like each other and when they weren’t? Could Nick do that?

  “Seriously, what was Kate’s idea?” Andrea asked again.

  Ignore. She could ignore this topic. She didn’t have to confirm or deny anything.

  “That she’s his former college girlfriend here for an extended stay,” Kate answered. She looked to Beth. “I still think you need to tell Cord about this development.”

  “I promise if Nick’s not back tomorrow, one of the hands will help me find him.” Beth wished she could speak with confidence. But she had none.

  “I’d pay to see you back on a horse.”

  “Come on, Andrea. Let it go.” Kate quirked a well-shaped eyebrow that reflected in the mirror. “Finding him is easier said than done. Even I couldn’t find him if he doesn’t want to be found.”

  Kate had been born in Marfa and knew the area like the back of her hand. If she couldn’t find Nick, what chance did Beth have? And Andrea was correct. There was no way she could get on a horse. But she certainly could try.

  Andrea peeked around the headrest. “I’m done razzing you, Beth. I honestly wish you luck finding the smugglers in those mountains. No offense.”

  “Juliet said I need a new wardrobe. I hope you know where to go, Kate.” Beth nodded and the subject was officially changed.

  “We’re headed straight there.”

  Beth had less certainty she could accomplish her mission. Mucking stalls and feeding animals was building her cover, but it wasn’t teaching her the essentials she’d need to track down a stash of guns or drugs. She had to accomplish that in less than two weeks or she wouldn’t be returning as an agent—to the Chicago office or any DEA office, for that matter.

  She heard her chipped nails clicking against the hard plastic of the door and immediately clasped her hands. The nervous habit irritated her when it occurred. She absolutely hated the way they looked and felt after all the barn work. “Do either of you have a favorite salon? My nails need some help.”

  Andrea and Kate looked at each other and both of them said, “Okay.” Did they think she was crazy for wanting nice nails? Then they giggled like teenagers and held up their polished tips.

  “Call and see if Sonya can get her in this afternoon,” Kate said. “You’ll love her. She’s the best in Alpine.” Even with the thought of her nails looking their best again, her mood turned sour. It seemed there was one thing—or man—who could dampen her beautiful day. The missing Nick Burke.

  Chapter Four

  Nick had successfully avoided seeing Beth for two days. After the ejection ultimatum from his mother, and confirmation of it from his father, he’d taken her suitcases into the guest room. Then he’d put his gear into saddlebags and hightailed it into the mountains to look for wayward heifers.

  On horseback. A sure place Beth Conrad wouldn’t follow. It hadn’t stopped her from calling or texting, though, so he’d shut off his phone. He’d slept under the stars to clear his head. A fat lot of good that had done him. Every time he looked up at the night sky he remembered making love to Beth. At least the nightmares had been replaced with sensual dreams.

  The woman had a kiss that lasted all night long. Just the memory of it got his blood pumping. He didn’t know which nightmare was worse—a faceless man with a gun or a beautiful face with a shapely body. One he’d never be able to confront and the other even living with her, he’d never confront honestly.

  No matter how confusing, the open air had been good. He hadn’t seen signs of any smugglers or the heifers. He’d checked all the box canyons, the cabin and had just ridden randomly to any place smugglers could be squatting on his land.

  Not again. He wouldn’t allow the Mexican cartel or anyone else to operate from his ranch.

  That was a laugh. He couldn’t monitor thousands of acres on his own. Maybe not, but he could slow them down by finding the person helping them on this side of the border. And that started by cooperating with McCrea’s task force...and Beth.

  He’d watched the sun rise over his land, replacing the darkness. By the time it warmed his face on the second morning, he’d come to the conclusion it was better to cooperate or capitulate. He’d thought long and hard about his parents. His dad’s cancer and remission should have been enough stress for them both. Add Nick’s recovery from getting shot. Yeah, that was a lot for his mom to take on.

  Until Beth’s arrival at the house, he hadn’t thought twice about how his actions were affecting his mother. If Beth wanted to help him through a couple of nightmares, then he could talk about it for his mom’s sake. If Beth wanted to fake an engagement with him, then he’d take as much as she wanted to share.

  What was he fighting? The magnetism that was full-blown between them from day one? Or that McCrea had mentioned he’d been there to track smugglers not a beautiful woman?

  That’s exactly what he was fighting. He’d rescued her from a runaway horse instead of tracking the smugglers. She’d fallen into his arms and then into a cistern of water.

  Stuck together, neither of them had held back. Then on their way home, McCrea’s words echoed in his head. Had it been real attraction or defiance against a man who rubbed him the wrong way. He couldn’t have a conversation with Beth without a major disagreement. They just didn’t get along...except in each other’s arms.

  Whatever. He didn’t have to agree with her in order to make his mom feel better.

  His quarter horse tossed his head and whinnied. Nick reined to a stop and patted the animal’s neck, keeping him quiet. He could hear movement up ahead on the trail. Which was it this time—those two-year-old heifers or drug smugglers?

  He jumped to the ground, pulled his rifle and led his horse up an incline. Better to be overly cautious than dead. He’d given his word to his parents that he’d report criminal activity and not try to confront the criminals on his own.

  No cell reception. Not until he reached the next ridge. He’d been out here so much he didn’t need to check. Whoever was approaching, Nick was on his own. He secured the reins to a sturdy bush, got a good handhold and pulled himself to the top of a boulder.

  One man dressed in an army jacket and blue ball cap was casually riding a black horse up the trail. Nick cursed and hated the circumstances that made him assume the man worked for the cartel. But if the guy didn’t, he was trespassing.

  Wait. Weapons. Lots of them.

  No question. They were back. Probably using the same box canyo
n as always, moving in after he’d ridden past earlier. He was a good half day’s ride from the ranch and wouldn’t be able to get anyone here in time. But he’d call McCrea and keep his word to his parents.

  Right after he extracted some information from the guy riding toward him.

  His body tensed with anticipation, waiting. Having been shot in the back, he’d never faced his opponent. He hadn’t been needed to testify. Kate’s testimony had put Mac Caudwell in prison. The cartel had snuffed out his life after only a few days.

  Mac had never said why he’d been ordered to pull the trigger. Nick hadn’t faced him, but he faced not knowing the reason every day. It drove him to the mountains too often to look for an answer that would probably never come.

  This time his opponent had a face. This time the fear wore a blue ball cap and was nearly under the boulder. Nick had jumped onto the back of a horse once when he was younger. He hadn’t been able to sit comfortably for a week. It was a good twelve feet to the rocky path below.

  This is gonna hurt.

  He jumped, hitting the trespasser square in the shoulders and taking him to the ground. The horse bolted. The other guy took the brunt of the landing, sparing Nick’s limbs, but it didn’t slow either man down. He flipped to his back, sending Nick rolling, and was quickly on top of him cursing in Spanish.

  “Who do you work for?” Nick grunted out between a punch to his side and a kick to his thigh. He managed to shove the attacker and scramble to his knees.

  “No habla ingles,” the man gritted out after Nick landed a right to his jaw.

  “That’s funny.” They rolled, exchanging places again. “You sound more Texan than I do.”

  The man smiled wide, swinging and missing. Now on his back, Nick bent a leg and kicked out with his boot. He tried to stand but the man jerked him back by the collar, pulling Nick hard enough to send him headfirst over the edge of the path.

  The back of his skull smashed into a rock or tree root as he alternately rolled and slid. He dragged his body to a stop in time to see the man on horseback ready to bolt, no doubt back to his compadres. On Nick’s horse.

  “See you later, gringo.” His yellowed teeth showed lots of ugly as he dropped Nick’s cell off the cliff and left him on foot.

  Nick relaxed and took some deep breaths. Not only would he have a hell of a headache, he’d also never live it down if he walked all the way back to the ranch. He’d be teased from now till he was gray and rocking on his porch. Especially by Beth.

  No phone. Alone. On foot. He could still find out where the bastards were and what they had with them this time. He was a determined tracker and wouldn’t give up until he found them.

  Ironically, the man who’d shot him in the back and nearly killed him was the same man who had taught him how to track as a teenager. The same man who had betrayed them all and claimed he wasn’t the only ranch hand working for the cartel.

  Could Beth’s secondhand knowledge help him learn to trust again? He doubted it. But if she could get the nightmares to stop so his mom wasn’t frightened any longer, that would be enough reason to help her learn to ride a horse.

  On the plus side, if Beth wanted to pretend to be romantically involved... Holding a good-looking woman in his arms wasn’t a bad thing. Might be nice. Having one who knew and believed in the no-strings attached clause was even better. Hell, he could pretend to be working on his next broken heart just as much as she could.

  His back was stiffer from sleeping on the hard ground than after the bullet last year. Almost a full year. He shook off the building dread.

  The trail wasn’t difficult to follow. It led straight to the canyon. He shimmied on his belly until he got to the rim, keeping hidden behind scrub. He spotted his stallion off in the far corner. And there they were.

  They hadn’t bothered camouflaging anything. Three men, one wearing a blue ball cap, stood around a couple of ATVs with small satchels attached.

  Money this time? Had to be since there wasn’t much cargo. Money would be used to purchase guns that would be sent back to Mexico. Two men guarded an ancient-looking helicopter, rifles pointed to the edge of the cliffs, waiting and ready to open fire.

  They used the helicopter to fly low through the mountains, loaded the money onto the ATVs and met up with someone else who got on the highway and away from their county as fast as possible. The rest of the distribution process wasn’t complicated. They found legit citizens who still had relatives in Mexico, threaten them with harm until they bought the guns and gave them back.

  Nick had done his research. It seemed an endless cycle that no one could stop. Too big to tackle. He wanted to charge down the cliff and attack. Then what? He needed his horse and wouldn’t be in this situation if he’d kept his word to his parents.

  He sat tight until both the ATVs started and took off. Minutes later, the chopper warmed up and did the same. Time for Nick to go.

  Those men had rifles and could pick him off if they caught him in the open. He scrambled under the brush, praying his luck would improve and the chopper would head the opposite direction. When he couldn’t hear the echoes any longer, he zigzagged down the path and retrieved his horse.

  “At least I’m not walking, but we still have a long way to go, pal.”

  He didn’t know how the law would get rid of any part of this operation. But he did know he had to try harder to help. There were two things he could do. The first was to get home and teach Beth to ride. The second was to have Beth teach him to fight more effectively. He’d seen her hold her own.

  He might even enjoy the close contact lessons. Who was he kidding? He’d make certain they both enjoyed those lessons. How had she put it? We don’t have to like each other to have fun with this situation.

  Exactly. It was about time he had some fun.

  Chapter Five

  Finally time to swallow his medicine or, in this case, face Beth. Nick knew his mom and dad were anxious and angry. They hadn’t known where he’d been. He’d heard his mother’s message that morning, praying that he was alive. He’d climbed to a ridge to get some cell reception, packed up, headed home and encountered the cartel.

  McCrea would want to check everything in the canyon as soon as he got the news. Sad to say, but heading up there would get them nowhere. How many times had they followed that routine before? Everything would be long gone. It might be because of his run-in or maybe that had been their plan from the beginning. But they didn’t know he’d seen them in the canyon.

  He crossed the last fence and saw the dust trail headed for him. Two heads in the Wrangler. When they got closer he could tell Beth was driving, with one of the ranch hands holding on for dear life. She skidded to a stop, causing his horse to jerk sideways, trying to bolt.

  The ranch hand jumped out, crossed himself and ran to Nick. Looked like his medicine would be coming a bit earlier than he’d anticipated. Off his horse, he grabbed his gear, slung his saddle bags over his shoulder and kept his rifle in his hand. A year ago that much riding would have made him too sore to move.

  “Straight back to the barn with this guy, then a rub and extra oats. Thanks, Paul.”

  Before the shooting, Nick always sent the hands out to look for strays and broken fences. He’d stayed in the comfort of his office or had worked the horses in the corral.

  “Si, senor. I’ll take good care of him. You be careful with the she-devil. She’s one crazy driver.”

  So, they’d given her a nickname. He had one or two himself.

  “Any day now, Mr. Burke,” she said, tapping the wheel.

  He tossed his things into the open backseat and stood by the driver’s-side door.

  “Aren’t you getting in?” she asked.

  “Not if you’re driving. My Wrangler. My keys. My turn.”

  “Oh, good grief.” She stood, popped over to the passenger side and buckled up while he got in and did the same. “We were about to come looking for you.”

  “I see you bought yourself some boots.”<
br />
  “Yes?”

  “They’re purple.” And had shiny rhinestones. He stifled a laugh.

  “I was assured they’re very popular.”

  He reached for the key and paused. He’d avoided this area for a while now. One of the last times he’d driven down this road had been about a year ago with Kate next to him. A different time, different thoughts, different plans for his future that hadn’t been set in reality. Beth was the complete opposite, no comparison.

  “You coming after me would have been fun to watch. Again. I’ve been wishing I had a video from the last time.”

  “You’re hilarious.”

  “I needed time to get used to things.” He started the engine and didn’t gun it until they were well away from his horse. If he kept Beth clinging to the roll bars, she might keep quiet long enough for him to reach the hill. Or perhaps having the stuffing knocked out of her on the well-rutted, washed-out road would.

  “Juliet and Alan were worried.”

  He knew they were and wouldn’t argue. Admitting he was wrong would be hard enough to accomplish. “I’ll take it up with them. You’ve got my curiosity up. How did you know I was headed home and why the rush to get me there?” He shouted enough to be heard over the engine and the wind rushing by their ears.

  “So you didn’t think we’d be coming to look for you?” she asked, looking ahead with only one hand holding to the door frame.

  He skidded the Wrangler to a stop as he crested the last hill to the house. “What do you need to say to me that can’t be said where I might raise my voice and blow your cover?”

  Eyes as big as a baby doe’s, she stared at him several seconds. “How did you figure that out?”

  “I took more classes in college than just animal husbandry. But it really didn’t take much to get four from that two-plus-two equation.” He pushed his hands through his hair instead of reaching out for her as he wanted. They might as well get the apologies out of the way. “So what did you want to see me about?”