she stole another glance at the hill. The riders were gone. “They left.”
“I know.”
“Do you think they’re waiting for us up the trail?”
“I’m not sure, but if they are, we’re going to fool ‘em.” He pointed to a stand of aspen trees. “I’m going to ride ahead to those trees and cut out a gate in the fence. I’ll circle back and turn the cows in there. Just keep pushing from behind. Mischief will help you.”
Not giving her time to reply, he galloped away.
“It’s just you and me, dog,” Elizabeth said and the heeler yapped in agreement.
“C’mon, girls, let’s get moving.” Elizabeth slapped her leg with the end of her reins, and the resounding pop carried like through the thin mountain air like a shot. She felt foolish, but the cows picked up the pace. Some began to trot, in fact. When the heeler nipped a few on the heels, the whole herd started moving at a fast clip. The gelding snorted and tossed his head. Seeing that he only wanted to keep pace with the cows, Elizabeth let him have his head. What a wonderful scene this would be for a movie — galloping through the snow, chasing a herd of cows. No actress had ever been so lucky.
Suddenly, the Herefords took a sharp left. The gelding followed on their heels. Elizabeth spotted Cooper out of the corner of her eye. He waited until the herd passed streamed through his makeshift gate, then he pulled the wires together and made a knot in them.
As he came up to her, he said, “Good job.”
“Thanks.” Pride filled her. It was a low-key compliment, but he’d handed one out. She was reasonably sure he didn’t offer up praise very often. “Do you think we lost those men?”
“Yeah. For now.”
• • •
It didn’t take any time at all before the animals were fed and bedded down for the evening. As she opened the door to the SUV, Elizabeth surprised herself by blurting out, “Can I buy you dinner?”
He shook his head. “That’s not a good idea.”
So much for a polite refusal. Still, she persisted. “We might hear a bit of gossip that might help you find out who killed Mr. Pritchett. Maybe something about my mom.”
“Elizabeth, no one would open their mouth to tell me what side of the street it is, much less let me in on any theories they might have,” he said matter-of-factly.
“If people see us together, it could shock them into saying something they may not ordinarily,” she argued.
“It might, but not tonight.” He turned to go inside his house. “Thanks for your help today.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll get Splash as soon as I think it’s safe for him to come home.”
“There’s no rush. Leave him as long as you like.” Cooper waited in his doorway while she climbed in her vehicle and started the engine.
With as small wave, she wheeled around and left. As Elizabeth drove, she mulled over the day’s events. Her mind still wasn’t made up. Cooper was as much a mystery as he’d been the first time she’d laid eyes on him. Could Tom be right, was Cooper a cold-blooded killer? Had he bludgeoned Lyle Pritchett to death in her barn? She didn’t think so, but there were enough questions without answers she couldn’t be sure of his innocence.
A tinge of disappointment coursed through her that he hadn’t agreed to have a meal with her. The idea of going home and facing frozen TV dinners wasn’t appealing. Salt Lick wasn’t far. The glowing lights on the dash showed it was only eight; surely there was a place where she could grab a veggie sub. She sped toward town.
As she drove down Main Street, Elizabeth decided small-town life wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Not a single café was open. Of course there were only two, but she’d expected one of them to stay open at least until the cows came home. Apparently that meant shortly after the winter sun went down in these parts.
Her stomach felt like it could eat itself. Had it only been hours since she’d shared sandwiches with Cooper? It felt
“I know.”
“Do you think they’re waiting for us up the trail?”
“I’m not sure, but if they are, we’re going to fool ‘em.” He pointed to a stand of aspen trees. “I’m going to ride ahead to those trees and cut out a gate in the fence. I’ll circle back and turn the cows in there. Just keep pushing from behind. Mischief will help you.”
Not giving her time to reply, he galloped away.
“It’s just you and me, dog,” Elizabeth said and the heeler yapped in agreement.
“C’mon, girls, let’s get moving.” Elizabeth slapped her leg with the end of her reins, and the resounding pop carried like through the thin mountain air like a shot. She felt foolish, but the cows picked up the pace. Some began to trot, in fact. When the heeler nipped a few on the heels, the whole herd started moving at a fast clip. The gelding snorted and tossed his head. Seeing that he only wanted to keep pace with the cows, Elizabeth let him have his head. What a wonderful scene this would be for a movie — galloping through the snow, chasing a herd of cows. No actress had ever been so lucky.
Suddenly, the Herefords took a sharp left. The gelding followed on their heels. Elizabeth spotted Cooper out of the corner of her eye. He waited until the herd passed streamed through his makeshift gate, then he pulled the wires together and made a knot in them.
As he came up to her, he said, “Good job.”
“Thanks.” Pride filled her. It was a low-key compliment, but he’d handed one out. She was reasonably sure he didn’t offer up praise very often. “Do you think we lost those men?”
“Yeah. For now.”
• • •
It didn’t take any time at all before the animals were fed and bedded down for the evening. As she opened the door to the SUV, Elizabeth surprised herself by blurting out, “Can I buy you dinner?”
He shook his head. “That’s not a good idea.”
So much for a polite refusal. Still, she persisted. “We might hear a bit of gossip that might help you find out who killed Mr. Pritchett. Maybe something about my mom.”
“Elizabeth, no one would open their mouth to tell me what side of the street it is, much less let me in on any theories they might have,” he said matter-of-factly.
“If people see us together, it could shock them into saying something they may not ordinarily,” she argued.
“It might, but not tonight.” He turned to go inside his house. “Thanks for your help today.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll get Splash as soon as I think it’s safe for him to come home.”
“There’s no rush. Leave him as long as you like.” Cooper waited in his doorway while she climbed in her vehicle and started the engine.
With as small wave, she wheeled around and left. As Elizabeth drove, she mulled over the day’s events. Her mind still wasn’t made up. Cooper was as much a mystery as he’d been the first time she’d laid eyes on him. Could Tom be right, was Cooper a cold-blooded killer? Had he bludgeoned Lyle Pritchett to death in her barn? She didn’t think so, but there were enough questions without answers she couldn’t be sure of his innocence.
A tinge of disappointment coursed through her that he hadn’t agreed to have a meal with her. The idea of going home and facing frozen TV dinners wasn’t appealing. Salt Lick wasn’t far. The glowing lights on the dash showed it was only eight; surely there was a place where she could grab a veggie sub. She sped toward town.
As she drove down Main Street, Elizabeth decided small-town life wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Not a single café was open. Of course there were only two, but she’d expected one of them to stay open at least until the cows came home. Apparently that meant shortly after the winter sun went down in these parts.
Her stomach felt like it could eat itself. Had it only been hours since she’d shared sandwiches with Cooper? It felt
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