be careful. I think someone was up there watching the house—either with binoculars or a high-powered rifle scope.”
The next morning, when he wanted to be sitting in church worshipping, Cal stared down at the pile of fresh snow covering the tracks that led from trees shading the area in the north pasture. He could see no evidence of it now, but Zane had reported that by the time he got here yesterday, horse tracks had led from the area.
Cal’s stomach tightened as he looked toward Fiona’s house. Squatting, he had a perfect view of the kitchen window. With the blinds open and a pair of binoculars, he’d have no trouble seeing straight inside.
Foreboding filled him. He had a feeling whoever had been up here watching had more on his mind than spying.
Just like before, he was scoping, watching, learning the routine.
Cal rubbed his jaw as he considered how to best defend his family, his land—and Abby.
He’d had his fair share of trouble in the past. He’d arrested would-be horse thieves once. Run off a few harmless vagrants looking for a place to set up camp for a while. But for the most part, his ranch was a peaceful place.
And he intended to keep it that way.
After Abby’s incident yesterday, Cal had called in to request some time off. Fortunately, the sheriff’s department was fully staffed right now and taking this personal time wouldn’t be a hardship on the other deputies who would cover his shift.
Eli Brody, sheriff of Rose Mountain and a good friend to Cal and his family, promised to keep an eye out for someone who didn’t fit in. Although he’d given a snort of disgust and said, “Of course you know how it is this time of year. So many strangers in town I might not spot the guy you’re after.”
“I know. He might not even be in town. He could be camping out somewhere on my property and I’d never know it unless I stumbled over him by accident. Three-thousand acres is a lot of ground to cover, but I’ve got the guys out there, watching. It’s all we can do right now.”
“Well, just be careful. Let me know if you need any backup.”
“Will do.”
Armed with the knowledge that Eli was keeping his eyes open in town, Cal hung up only to have his phone buzz once more.
Zane.
“What is it?”
“The horses are out of the fence.” His foreman’s tight voice cut into Cal’s musing over who had been on his property.
“How?” he asked even as he swung back into Snickers’s saddle.
“I was on my way up to check on that mare that’s ready to foal and found the fence cut—again—and the horses scattering.”
A cold feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. Some of those horses didn’t belong to him. He boarded some of those animals for the extra income. If any of them got hurt or lost… He shuddered to think of the cost. Not just to his pocket, but to his reputation. The ranch would go under.
“Gather Donny, Mike and Jesse and start rounding them up. I’m on my way.”
Abby looked up from the computer to see Fiona looking through the cabinet for something. The woman had wanted to go to church this morning, but had been voted down by her mother and Cal. They were too worried about her making an unnecessary trip through the snow and ice. She’d argued that the ice would be melted by the time the late service started, but had finally agreed to stay put.
Frankly, Abby silently agreed with them and been relieved when Fiona caved. “Why don’t you move closer to the hospital until the baby comes?” Abby couldn’t help asking.
Fiona turned to look at her. “Because this is my home. People have babies all the time. If I were a high risk, I’d do it, but I’m not. My blood pressure’s fine, the baby is fine.” She shrugged. “There’s no reason.”
“But it’s just a precaution,” Abby argued.
“I know—”
Fiona broke off when the phone rang.
Abby turned back to the computer until Fiona gasped. Spinning around, Abby took in the tight, frantic look on the
The next morning, when he wanted to be sitting in church worshipping, Cal stared down at the pile of fresh snow covering the tracks that led from trees shading the area in the north pasture. He could see no evidence of it now, but Zane had reported that by the time he got here yesterday, horse tracks had led from the area.
Cal’s stomach tightened as he looked toward Fiona’s house. Squatting, he had a perfect view of the kitchen window. With the blinds open and a pair of binoculars, he’d have no trouble seeing straight inside.
Foreboding filled him. He had a feeling whoever had been up here watching had more on his mind than spying.
Just like before, he was scoping, watching, learning the routine.
Cal rubbed his jaw as he considered how to best defend his family, his land—and Abby.
He’d had his fair share of trouble in the past. He’d arrested would-be horse thieves once. Run off a few harmless vagrants looking for a place to set up camp for a while. But for the most part, his ranch was a peaceful place.
And he intended to keep it that way.
After Abby’s incident yesterday, Cal had called in to request some time off. Fortunately, the sheriff’s department was fully staffed right now and taking this personal time wouldn’t be a hardship on the other deputies who would cover his shift.
Eli Brody, sheriff of Rose Mountain and a good friend to Cal and his family, promised to keep an eye out for someone who didn’t fit in. Although he’d given a snort of disgust and said, “Of course you know how it is this time of year. So many strangers in town I might not spot the guy you’re after.”
“I know. He might not even be in town. He could be camping out somewhere on my property and I’d never know it unless I stumbled over him by accident. Three-thousand acres is a lot of ground to cover, but I’ve got the guys out there, watching. It’s all we can do right now.”
“Well, just be careful. Let me know if you need any backup.”
“Will do.”
Armed with the knowledge that Eli was keeping his eyes open in town, Cal hung up only to have his phone buzz once more.
Zane.
“What is it?”
“The horses are out of the fence.” His foreman’s tight voice cut into Cal’s musing over who had been on his property.
“How?” he asked even as he swung back into Snickers’s saddle.
“I was on my way up to check on that mare that’s ready to foal and found the fence cut—again—and the horses scattering.”
A cold feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. Some of those horses didn’t belong to him. He boarded some of those animals for the extra income. If any of them got hurt or lost… He shuddered to think of the cost. Not just to his pocket, but to his reputation. The ranch would go under.
“Gather Donny, Mike and Jesse and start rounding them up. I’m on my way.”
Abby looked up from the computer to see Fiona looking through the cabinet for something. The woman had wanted to go to church this morning, but had been voted down by her mother and Cal. They were too worried about her making an unnecessary trip through the snow and ice. She’d argued that the ice would be melted by the time the late service started, but had finally agreed to stay put.
Frankly, Abby silently agreed with them and been relieved when Fiona caved. “Why don’t you move closer to the hospital until the baby comes?” Abby couldn’t help asking.
Fiona turned to look at her. “Because this is my home. People have babies all the time. If I were a high risk, I’d do it, but I’m not. My blood pressure’s fine, the baby is fine.” She shrugged. “There’s no reason.”
“But it’s just a precaution,” Abby argued.
“I know—”
Fiona broke off when the phone rang.
Abby turned back to the computer until Fiona gasped. Spinning around, Abby took in the tight, frantic look on the
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