by Kim Redford
“He’s a hero to a young girl as well as to his many fans.” Belle leaned forward. “We must get Daisy Sue home by Christmas.”
Kemp adjusted his cowboy hat, as if to give himself time to think. “My cousin…well, Lester is usually good about taking care of animals. I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have sold her to pay rodeo entry fees if he decided to go back on the circuit.”
“Pretty sure?” Belle felt more alarmed than ever.
“No matter what happened, she can be traced by the tattoo on the inside of her lip,” Rowdy said. “If she was sold, there will be a record of it with the American Angus Association.”
Belle felt a little reassured, but then she had a horrible idea. “Black market sale. Maybe out of the country?”
“It’s possible, but I doubt it. That’s a lot of trouble,” Rowdy said.
“One way or another, we must get Daisy Sue back.” Belle took a deep breath. “If not, Storm will be devastated, a pregnant cow may be in danger, and I’ll look like the most inept ranch owner in Texas…not to mention the whole marketing problem.”
“If it helps, I’m right sorry,” Kemp said. “I thought I was doing the best thing for everybody, but I should’ve known better than to trust Lester with something this important.”
“Kemp, your primary goal now is to find that cow and bring her safely home by Christmas. Use any resources. Go anywhere.” Belle looked straight into his green eyes to make her point clear.
“Okay.” Kemp put his hat back on his head, adjusted it, and straightened his broad shoulders.
“What’s going on with the ranch?” Rowdy asked. “Any problems? Anybody you trust to take over your job till you get back?”
Kemp gave him a long perusal, looked speculatively at Belle, and glanced back. “You hunting for another job…Rowdy?”
“No. I just happened to be on hand when the matter of Daisy Sue’s disappearance came up.”
“If the cowboys all know their jobs, we should be fine through the holidays.” Belle took control of the situation. “Right?”
“Sure.” Kemp nodded in agreement. “I doubt it could take till Christmas to find out what happened to Daisy Sue. It’s not like Lester’s a real crackerjack out to conquer the world one cow at a time.”
“Good.” She felt a little bit better about the situation, even though it wasn’t near resolution. “I’ll reimburse your expenses, so keep your receipts. And stay in touch.”
“Will do. ” Kemp gave an encouraging smile, hopped on his four-wheeler, and took off.
“Don’t that beat all,” Rowdy said.
“It sure does.” She turned to look at him. “Do you think any of what he said is true? If he stole Daisy Sue in the first place, I may have just given him the opportunity to hide his crime and cover his tracks.”
“He’d be a fool to jeopardize a good job and reputation for one cow.”
“It’s such an unlikely story that I’m going with it as the truth. I just hope I didn’t make a mistake.”
“I’m with you on this one. You need to give the guy a chance to make it right. If he doesn’t, then you can try something else.”
“In the meantime, Daisy Sue is in the wind and—”
“You’ll have to buck up and explain the situation to Storm—”
“Who will want to tell the world why the love of Fernando’s life is still gone.”
“That’s about it,” Rowdy said.
“I can’t do it. Not yet. Somehow I must buy Kemp time to come up with Daisy Sue. Any ideas?”
“Hide out? Leave Texas? It might be a little cold in Alaska, but there are warmer climates in the South Seas.”
“Not funny.” Belle paced away from him and then turned back. “How long do you think I have before Storm comes for me?”
“She’s pretty impatient, like all the Steele clan, but I figure a few days, maybe longer, before they’re at your door.”
“Hopefully Kemp will find his cousin by then.”
“It’s possible.”
“Okay. Let’s table that issue and get back to the matter at hand.” She had to get on with her goals or she’d never get it all done by Christmas.
“That’d be?”
“For you, renovations. For me, I need to check in with marketing at my office. I only hope Lulabelle & You isn’t tracking with the Fernando and Daisy Sue story.”
“And if it is?”
“Damage control. Somehow I’ll deal with it in my weekly newsletter.”
“Do you think it might be best to simply leave it alone?”
“Do you mean ignore the situation—or at least pretend I know nothing?”
“Maybe that’s where you’re at right now.”
“Perhaps I am.” She paused and gave him a long look. “Are you sure you don’t have a part-time job as a ranch manager or marketing consultant or something along those lines?”
He stepped back, shaking his head. “Me? I’m just agreeing with you. None of those are my ideas. I’d better get back to work.”
She watched him walk away, wondering again about him. Something just didn’t add up. Perhaps he’d fallen on rough times or spent all his hard-earned money on buying his dream land, no matter how risky or uncertain. What was his background that he could be so knowledgeable and savvy?
No matter. She didn’t have time to wonder about him. He just needed to do what she’d brought him onboard to do.
Chapter 10
“I’m falling down on the job,” Rowdy admitted a few days later in the front bar of legendary Wildcat Hall. He tried not to look sheepish before the committees for Christmas in the Country, Christmas at the Sure-Shot Drive-In, and Wildcat Hall’s Honky-Tonk Christmas. He sat at the head of the tables they’d pushed together so they could sit side by side and make plans.
“That’s not an encouraging way to start this meeting,” Hedy Murray said, drumming her fingertips on the armrests of her power wheelchair before she flicked her long silver braid over one shoulder.
He took her words to heart since she was Wildcat Bluff Fire-Rescue’s head honcho and proprietor of Adelia’s Delights mercantile in Old Town…besides being his dad’s fiancée.
“Uh, Rowdy…what’s going on?” Bert Holloway cocked his head with its silver-streaked dark hair to one side. “Are you taking too much time to write cowboy poetry?”
“You’re not sweet on that Belle Tarleton, are you?” Morning Glory leaned forward in her chair to give him a sharp-eyed look as she played with the long chains around her neck.
Rowdy took MG’s words seriously, too, because she was the heart and soul of the county’s creative community through promoting their wares at Morning’s Glory, her eclectic gift store in Old Town.
“Now, darling, I do believe you’ve got sweet on your mind.” Mac McKenzie, the new owner of Wildflower Ranch, gave MG a wink.
Morning Glory gave him a coy look in return, tossing back a long lock of ginger hair. “If I do, it’s all your fault.”
“I’m happy to take credit where credit is due.”
Rowdy cleared his throat, not about to let the meeting get completely off track, particularly not along the lines of love where he did not want his mind to wander. On the other hand, he didn’t want them talking about his job either.
“Let’s cut to the chase.” Craig Thorne put an arm around Fern Bryant’s shoulders and pulled her close. “We’ve got our Honky-Tonk Christmas mostly under control here at the Hall with bands lined up, food ordered, and drinks arriving daily.”
“Of course, there could be last-minute glitches,” Fern said in her smooth singer’s voice. “Maybe a band has to cancel or a particular brew doesn’t get here, but we can fill in and make do.”
“Excellent.” Hedy gave them a warm smile. “If something comes up and you need our help, just holler.”
“Will d
o.” Fern gave the group a warm smile that lit up her sparkling green eyes.
“So far so good. We have everything as ready as possible in Sure-Shot for the parade, the antique car show, and arts and crafts at the drive-in.” Bert glanced at Rowdy. “Are we okay as far as vintage Christmas movies to show at the drive-in?”
“Yeah.” Rowdy was glad he’d been asked about something he’d handled before and knew how to make come out right.
“What about the snack shed?” Bert asked. “You’re in charge of eats and drinks besides the movies.”
“I’m on top of all that. It’s easy compared to—”
“Belle’s ranch?” Hedy leaned toward him. “Bert Two, spill it.”
“Rowdy,” he said automatically and was rewarded with laughter around the table. “Better get used to my new alias. It’s my name till Christmas…and maybe I’ll keep it afterward.”
“We’re trying to remember your new name, but it’s not easy after a lifetime of calling you Bert Two.” Morning Glory twined a chain around one fingertip.
“Couldn’t you have picked something a little more…a little less—” Bert said.
“I wasn’t going for dignified.” Rowdy frowned around the group. “I was going for cowboy.”
“Good choice.” Slade Steele nodded at Ivy Bryant, who sat close to him. “It goes real fine with cowboy poetry.”
“Fact of the matter,” Fern said. “Craig and I were thinking you might be interested in hosting a cowboy poetry reading night here at the Hall during the Christmas festivities.”
“Great idea.” Hedy gave Rowdy an encouraging grin. “Cowboy music. Cowboy poetry. Cowboy cookies. We’ve got a great Christmas theme going here.”
“I bet Erin and Wildcat Jack would be happy to broadcast poetry reading on live radio at KWCB,” Morning Glory said.
“Do you have Christmas poetry?” Fern asked. “If you give credit, maybe you could read some Louis L’Amour poetry. It’s wonderful.”
“Not a bad idea,” Rowdy said, warming to the idea. “I don’t know if there’s time or interest, but we could invite cowboy poets from around Texas to join us. Original poetry is best.”
“I like it.” Slade drummed his fingertips on the tabletop. “But we may have left it too late to fit into our schedules.”
“I don’t see why we couldn’t find a couple of hours for it somewhere during our festivals,” Craig said. “If not here at the Hall, then maybe at the gazebo in Old Town Park.”
“I’m making a note of the idea.” Hedy inputted information on her tablet. “I’ll let everyone know if we’re good to go with that idea.”
“I like it, but now that I think about it a little more, I don’t know how it would pan out. Most folks will already have made Christmas plans.” Rowdy didn’t want to get involved with something else that could turn problematic.
“Let me check our schedules, and I’ll get back to you,” Hedy said. “I bet you’re right about poets. If it’s too late for poetry, then we’ll give it a try another time.”
“Even if we can fit readings into the schedules, I’m pretty busy at the ranch to follow up on it…well, not exactly busy but pretending to be busy. I’ve got to tell you that looking busy while not being busy is hard work.” Rowdy just rolled his eyes at the laughter that followed his words. He couldn’t win at this Belle thing, coming or going.
“You’d best bring us up-to-date.” Bert gave his son a sympathetic look. “How are things at the newly minted Lulabelle & You Ranch?”
“I know what I agreed to do,” Rowdy said. “But I get there and I look around and I try not to do anything, but—”
“What’d you do?” Hedy asked.
“I started caulking and painting the trim.” He hated to admit his failure, but it was true. “I won’t do the roof, but she’d picked a pretty color for the trim, and I was just messing around with it while she was inside doing business. Anyway, somehow or the other, I started to do real work.”
“I suppose your training is overcoming what you’re meant to do there,” Bert said.
“Guess so. I’m used to working hard and getting lots accomplished at our place. That’s what I like, too.”
“You know we’re not being mean about this slowdown, don’t you?” Morning Glory gave him a gentle smile. “We open up our county to others during our festivals several times a year, but that’s not nearly the same thing as extra traffic and disturbances and hordes of folks all the time.”
“I know.” He knew they knew he knew, but it didn’t help matters. “Belle’s nice. And she wants to do good for the community…at least that’s what she says.”
“She comes from nice folks,” Bert said. “We’ve known the family for years. We like them. Still, she should’ve stayed in East Texas where they already have plenty of land and opportunities. I don’t know why they wanted to expand over here and then turn the ranch over to her.”
“I think she wanted a change.” Rowdy realized he was defending her and the whole cockamamie idea, but he’d come to see her position. And he just flat-out liked her.
“Change can be good or bad,” Craig said. “Hopefully, we can get her to alter her mind so that it’s good for everybody.”
“There’s another thing going on here.” Slade looked around the group with a purposeful gleam in his blue eyes. “Daisy Sue.”
Rowdy groaned, along with everyone else.
“Belle is either stalling for some reason or something bad has happened to Daisy Sue.” Slade leaned toward Rowdy. “Do you know anything? Storm is getting more and more agitated since she can’t get a straight answer.”
“If I knew the location of Daisy Sue, I’d tell you.” Rowdy stared at the scarred-wood tabletop, wishing he could solve the disappearance.
“Do you think Daisy Sue is still alive?” Slade asked, pushing his point. “It’s Storm’s greatest concern.”
“As far as I know, the cow is well,” Rowdy said.
“But where is she, and why is it a secret?” Slade asked.
“I’m just the help. I’m not told everything,” Rowdy said, stalling as best he could in the situation because he felt he owed it to Belle and Kemp to avoid making them appear inept as ranchers. Besides, he didn’t know enough to even hazard a guess as to Daisy Sue’s whereabouts.
“If you learn anything about her location, you’ll let us know, won’t you?” Slade asked.
“Right.”
“And you’ll slow that paint job down,” Bert said.
“Right.”
“If you run into trouble, you’ll call us, won’t you?” Hedy asked in a gentle voice.
“Right.” Rowdy glanced around the group. “It’s just…Belle is okay. She’s got big plans and a big heart. I’m getting to where I hate to stall, even when I know it’s what we decided to do.”
“Are you writing poetry about her?” Morning Glory asked in a tone as gentle as Hedy’s.
He hesitated, wanting to lie and not knowing if he could do it or if they’d hear it in his voice. Besides, it was embarrassing to admit.
“She won’t be here long,” Bert said in a sympathetic tone. “If you get involved, it’ll be another case of—”
“Bad luck.” Rowdy completed the thought he knew was on all their minds. “I’m the unluckiest cowboy in the county, and this just goes to prove my luck is never changing from bad to good.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Morning Glory said. “But I guess we should’ve thought twice before putting you in a position to…well, get inspired enough to write poetry.”
“Maybe her bad luck in moving here will cancel out his bad luck in living here.” Hedy gave the group a tentative smile.
“You mean Rowdy’s luck will change when Belle’s gone?” Morning Glory asked.
“It’s a thought,” Hedy said.
“Look, there’s n
o getting around my luck—or lack of it.” Rowdy didn’t want to talk about it anymore because there was no way out of the unending circle. “Let’s table it. I’ll keep my word on the slowdown. Anything else is nobody’s business but my own.”
“You’re right,” Morning Glory said. “Sometimes we’re just busybodies in this town, and you deserve your privacy.”
“Reminds me.” Rowdy couldn’t keep from chuckling at the thought. “Guess who turned up to see Belle last week?”
“Do you mean she actually has a friend in Wildcat Bluff County?” Slade asked.
“I haven’t seen friends visit her at the ranch, but she might meet someone in town or elsewhere,” Rowdy said.
“Then who came to see her?” Hedy asked.
Rowdy chuckled again, knowing how his words would affect the group. “The Buick Brigade.”
After a long moment of stunned silence, everyone at the table leaned toward him.
“All four ladies?” Morning Glory asked.
“Yep.” Rowdy grinned at the group. “And Ada brought cowboy cookies.”
“That’s serious,” Hedy said. “Did Belle eat the cookies and return the plate?”
“I ate quite a few of the cookies. Good as usual.” Rowdy smiled as he remembered sharing them with Belle in her kitchen.
“Did you figure out the shapes?” Craig asked.
“No more than usual. Belle seemed to have a better eye for them, but who can ever tell for sure,” Rowdy said.
“What do you suppose they wanted with Belle?” Hedy looked at Mac. “Nobody wants to get on the bad side of those powerful women.”
“Right,” Morning Glory agreed. “It’d be bad mojo at the very least.”
“What did they say to Belle?” Slade asked. “I can’t think this development in the county can be good…at least for us.”
“I didn’t hear,” Rowdy said. “They got rid of me pretty quick so they could have a nice, cozy, private chat with Belle.”