Laughing Wolf was
nowhere near as big as the Bar C, but it had plenty of cattle and Liz certainly
had no need to risk going to prison for stealing Four’s beef.
Liz shook her head. “He suggested one of
our wranglers might be doing some rustling on the side. Since we’ve lost cows
too, that’s a definite possibility. Do you see any more cuts that have been
repaired?”
“Not yet. Is the sheriff on his way here?”
“Yes. That looks like his car coming up the
road.”
Jack followed Liz’s gaze toward a
late-model SUV speeding in their direction. “He must live nearby.”
“I don’t think so. He must be coming from
another ranch around here.” She joined Jack at the spot where the fence had
been cut. When she dismounted, so did he.
“Mornin’, Liz.” Sheriff Todd Atkins looked
at Jack, a suspicious look on his familiar face. “Mornin’, Duval. I hope you’re
not out here on business.”
Liz started to say something but Jack
squeezed her hand and spoke. “Strictly personal business, Sheriff. I came out
this morning to spend some time with Liz since she needed to ride fences. We
noticed these tire tracks and traced them from this fence to the one that
separates the Laughing Wolf from the Bar C.”
“This sure looks like you’ve had a visit
from some rustlers. Think it could be the same varmints who made off with those
cows of yours a few weeks ago?”
Liz shrugged. “I don’t know. We didn’t find
anyplace they’d cut fence to get in with a truck, but the pasture where we lost
cattle has a gate that opens onto the asphalt road and a good gravel road into
the pasture where tracks wouldn’t be easy to spot, the way these are.”
Alarms went off in Jack’s head. “Isn’t that
gate kept locked? If it isn’t, I’d think it would be practically as good to a
rustler as an invitation to steal.”
“It was locked. Before and after the cows
disappeared.”
Atkins nodded. “Yes. When I got there it
was locked up tight. I asked Frank about any new hands, or any who might have
left right after he noticed the missing cows. He said there weren’t any and
that all the hands on the Laughing Wolf have been with him for years.”
Jack felt Liz’s fingers tighten on his arm.
“Sheriff, that’s not true. We hired three new men during the month we lost the
cattle. And I let two cowhands go around that same time. I don’t know why Frank
told you otherwise.”
“I’ll need those men’s names then, to turn
over to the task force the Texas Rangers have set up to combat rustling. You
have any idea why Frank would have lied?”
Liz shook her head. “Maybe he forgot.”
That sounded like a weak excuse if Jack had
ever heard one. “Liz, how long has Frank been your foreman?”
“Since I was a little girl. Daddy hired
him.” She frowned as though she couldn’t believe Williams might collude with
thieves. “He wouldn’t…”
Sheriff Atkins cleared his throat. “Frank’s
a good guy, Duval. I’ve known him for years. If he didn’t mention the hirings
and firings he must’ve had good reason.”
Like covering up for thieves. Jack kept his suspicion to himself. It might be that he was
allowing his dislike for the man Liz catered to more than he approved of to
color his opinion. Meanwhile, he saw a Bar C pickup pull up in front of the
sheriff’s SUV. He watched Four get out and stomp up to the fence, a swarthy
Latino at his heels. Jack recognized him as the Bar C’s foreman, who’d checked
guests’ wedding invitations yesterday before letting them drive up to the main
house for the ceremony.
“Hey, Four. Diego. From the looks on your
faces I guess you’re about to report more rustling.” Atkins separated two
strands of barbed wire so the men could climb through and join them.
“Todd, the bastards had to have gotten in
yesterday afternoon and made off with twenty yearling steers while we were
celebrating Bye’s wedding. This has got to stop.”
The sheriff shook his head. “How do
nowhere near as big as the Bar C, but it had plenty of cattle and Liz certainly
had no need to risk going to prison for stealing Four’s beef.
Liz shook her head. “He suggested one of
our wranglers might be doing some rustling on the side. Since we’ve lost cows
too, that’s a definite possibility. Do you see any more cuts that have been
repaired?”
“Not yet. Is the sheriff on his way here?”
“Yes. That looks like his car coming up the
road.”
Jack followed Liz’s gaze toward a
late-model SUV speeding in their direction. “He must live nearby.”
“I don’t think so. He must be coming from
another ranch around here.” She joined Jack at the spot where the fence had
been cut. When she dismounted, so did he.
“Mornin’, Liz.” Sheriff Todd Atkins looked
at Jack, a suspicious look on his familiar face. “Mornin’, Duval. I hope you’re
not out here on business.”
Liz started to say something but Jack
squeezed her hand and spoke. “Strictly personal business, Sheriff. I came out
this morning to spend some time with Liz since she needed to ride fences. We
noticed these tire tracks and traced them from this fence to the one that
separates the Laughing Wolf from the Bar C.”
“This sure looks like you’ve had a visit
from some rustlers. Think it could be the same varmints who made off with those
cows of yours a few weeks ago?”
Liz shrugged. “I don’t know. We didn’t find
anyplace they’d cut fence to get in with a truck, but the pasture where we lost
cattle has a gate that opens onto the asphalt road and a good gravel road into
the pasture where tracks wouldn’t be easy to spot, the way these are.”
Alarms went off in Jack’s head. “Isn’t that
gate kept locked? If it isn’t, I’d think it would be practically as good to a
rustler as an invitation to steal.”
“It was locked. Before and after the cows
disappeared.”
Atkins nodded. “Yes. When I got there it
was locked up tight. I asked Frank about any new hands, or any who might have
left right after he noticed the missing cows. He said there weren’t any and
that all the hands on the Laughing Wolf have been with him for years.”
Jack felt Liz’s fingers tighten on his arm.
“Sheriff, that’s not true. We hired three new men during the month we lost the
cattle. And I let two cowhands go around that same time. I don’t know why Frank
told you otherwise.”
“I’ll need those men’s names then, to turn
over to the task force the Texas Rangers have set up to combat rustling. You
have any idea why Frank would have lied?”
Liz shook her head. “Maybe he forgot.”
That sounded like a weak excuse if Jack had
ever heard one. “Liz, how long has Frank been your foreman?”
“Since I was a little girl. Daddy hired
him.” She frowned as though she couldn’t believe Williams might collude with
thieves. “He wouldn’t…”
Sheriff Atkins cleared his throat. “Frank’s
a good guy, Duval. I’ve known him for years. If he didn’t mention the hirings
and firings he must’ve had good reason.”
Like covering up for thieves. Jack kept his suspicion to himself. It might be that he was
allowing his dislike for the man Liz catered to more than he approved of to
color his opinion. Meanwhile, he saw a Bar C pickup pull up in front of the
sheriff’s SUV. He watched Four get out and stomp up to the fence, a swarthy
Latino at his heels. Jack recognized him as the Bar C’s foreman, who’d checked
guests’ wedding invitations yesterday before letting them drive up to the main
house for the ceremony.
“Hey, Four. Diego. From the looks on your
faces I guess you’re about to report more rustling.” Atkins separated two
strands of barbed wire so the men could climb through and join them.
“Todd, the bastards had to have gotten in
yesterday afternoon and made off with twenty yearling steers while we were
celebrating Bye’s wedding. This has got to stop.”
The sheriff shook his head. “How do
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