he said quietly. They sat there for a
moment and heard rustling in the bushes, but the rustling was
moving away from them. Someone had been listening; but who?
Jed motioned for Stormy to get going without
saying a word. If someone heard what was being said things could
get dangerous for anyone who was against what was going on. The
problem was he needed proof, not just suspicion. But now there may
not be time to get it if they have been found out.
Maybe he should send Stormy and Katy Marie
away for a while. He couldn’t stand it if anything happened to her.
Now was no time to be thinking of her creamy skin, or how much he
wanted to kiss her beautiful mouth and full lips. But that was the
problem, she was constantly on his mind and that could get a man
killed. He had to solve the problem at hand first; then he would
deal with Miss Stormy Calder.
Chapter 13
Stormy saw old Benjamin, dressed in his work
overalls, outside the barn unloading some supplies from the wagon.
Now was as good a time as any to find out what he knows. Someone
getting suspicious was not going to stop her from getting to the
bottom of the losses on the Double LL.
“Good morning, Benjamin,” she smiled friendly
like, as she placed her hand on the wagon.
“Morning Ma’am,” he answered, never lifted
his eyes off the task at hand. “Is there something I can do fer ya,
Ma’am,” he asked, still not looking up.
He was a strange old man she thought to
herself. “Well yes, there is Benjamin. As I told you before I’m
looking in to how inventory is kept on supplies and grains and was
wondering what it is you are unloading.”
“Just plain ole supplies,” he responded and
looked up this time. “You know, we got food for the chickens and
some sugar and flour I’ll take up to Carmen in a bit.”
He didn’t offer anything extra so Stormy kept
probing. “So nothing that seems to be in excess? Do you feel we
have the right amount of supplies?” Stormy could tell Benjamin was
uneasy and reluctant to speak. She had a feeling he knew more than
he was letting on.
“Ah, Miss Stormy, I just unload. Why don’t ya
ask Jake about the supplies and maybe you will find out what you
need to know.” Benjamin seemed irritated as said his goodbye. He
headed back into the barn, throwing a big sack over his shoulder as
he turned.
Stormy got nowhere with Benjamin so he either
didn’t know anything or was afraid to say. She decided to walk
around and see if she noticed anything unusual going on. And
tomorrow she was going out looking for the missing cattle. The men
were branding in the North pasture before and she would start
there.
Stormy rounded the corner of the stable and
ran smack dab into Jake. He reached out and grabbed her to stop her
fall.
“Gosh, Stormy, I almost ran you down. Are you
okay?” he asked, full of concern.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine,” she replied as she got
her balance.
“I’m sort of glad I ran into you Stormy,”
Jake said. “I’ve been meaning to have a talk with you about some
strange things going on here at the ranch.” He added.
“Well, the truth is….some cattle are missing
and a few more go missing about every week. Also the bunkhouse cook
is missing some bacon, flour, and sugar. We haven’t seen any
strangers around so I’m not sure what’s going on. And on top of
that, Jed has been acting strange lately. He comes and goes at all
hours and never explains himself to anyone. How do you want me to
handle this, Stormy”? He said as he looked her straight in the
face, as if he were telling the truth.
“Let me think about this tonight and we will
discuss it in the morning when Jed is not around. Is that okay with
you? Oh, and Jake, thanks for bringing this to me. I’m sure you can
handle things but I want to be kept in the loop.”
“Well,” Jake said. “I realize we kind of got
off on the wrong foot but we can fix that right here and now by
working together.” He added.
“Ok Jake, come up to the house
moment and heard rustling in the bushes, but the rustling was
moving away from them. Someone had been listening; but who?
Jed motioned for Stormy to get going without
saying a word. If someone heard what was being said things could
get dangerous for anyone who was against what was going on. The
problem was he needed proof, not just suspicion. But now there may
not be time to get it if they have been found out.
Maybe he should send Stormy and Katy Marie
away for a while. He couldn’t stand it if anything happened to her.
Now was no time to be thinking of her creamy skin, or how much he
wanted to kiss her beautiful mouth and full lips. But that was the
problem, she was constantly on his mind and that could get a man
killed. He had to solve the problem at hand first; then he would
deal with Miss Stormy Calder.
Chapter 13
Stormy saw old Benjamin, dressed in his work
overalls, outside the barn unloading some supplies from the wagon.
Now was as good a time as any to find out what he knows. Someone
getting suspicious was not going to stop her from getting to the
bottom of the losses on the Double LL.
“Good morning, Benjamin,” she smiled friendly
like, as she placed her hand on the wagon.
“Morning Ma’am,” he answered, never lifted
his eyes off the task at hand. “Is there something I can do fer ya,
Ma’am,” he asked, still not looking up.
He was a strange old man she thought to
herself. “Well yes, there is Benjamin. As I told you before I’m
looking in to how inventory is kept on supplies and grains and was
wondering what it is you are unloading.”
“Just plain ole supplies,” he responded and
looked up this time. “You know, we got food for the chickens and
some sugar and flour I’ll take up to Carmen in a bit.”
He didn’t offer anything extra so Stormy kept
probing. “So nothing that seems to be in excess? Do you feel we
have the right amount of supplies?” Stormy could tell Benjamin was
uneasy and reluctant to speak. She had a feeling he knew more than
he was letting on.
“Ah, Miss Stormy, I just unload. Why don’t ya
ask Jake about the supplies and maybe you will find out what you
need to know.” Benjamin seemed irritated as said his goodbye. He
headed back into the barn, throwing a big sack over his shoulder as
he turned.
Stormy got nowhere with Benjamin so he either
didn’t know anything or was afraid to say. She decided to walk
around and see if she noticed anything unusual going on. And
tomorrow she was going out looking for the missing cattle. The men
were branding in the North pasture before and she would start
there.
Stormy rounded the corner of the stable and
ran smack dab into Jake. He reached out and grabbed her to stop her
fall.
“Gosh, Stormy, I almost ran you down. Are you
okay?” he asked, full of concern.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine,” she replied as she got
her balance.
“I’m sort of glad I ran into you Stormy,”
Jake said. “I’ve been meaning to have a talk with you about some
strange things going on here at the ranch.” He added.
“Well, the truth is….some cattle are missing
and a few more go missing about every week. Also the bunkhouse cook
is missing some bacon, flour, and sugar. We haven’t seen any
strangers around so I’m not sure what’s going on. And on top of
that, Jed has been acting strange lately. He comes and goes at all
hours and never explains himself to anyone. How do you want me to
handle this, Stormy”? He said as he looked her straight in the
face, as if he were telling the truth.
“Let me think about this tonight and we will
discuss it in the morning when Jed is not around. Is that okay with
you? Oh, and Jake, thanks for bringing this to me. I’m sure you can
handle things but I want to be kept in the loop.”
“Well,” Jake said. “I realize we kind of got
off on the wrong foot but we can fix that right here and now by
working together.” He added.
“Ok Jake, come up to the house
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