by Ciana Stone
“So that’s bad. I mean really bad?”
“Well the EPS’s maximum healthy limit is 75 parts per billion and personally I think that’s too high.”
“You know, you’re not doing a bang-up job selling the idea.”
“See?” Liz turned to Cooper. “I’m telling you that before you can sell people on this idea we have to come up with a way to minimize the impact.”
“Liz, people will overlook environmental impact in favor of money any day of the week.”
Kyle hated to admit it, but Cooper was right. However, he didn’t say that. This was between the two of them.
“I don’t agree.”
“Because you’re not poor.”
Kyle cut another look at her and saw the shock on her face. “I have to agree with him, honey. It’s one thing to preach the danger when you’re rich. But the truth is, a lot of folks who own the land you’re going to want the rights on are just barely scraping by. Now I’m not saying that makes it right, but I am saying Cooper’s right. Money’s going to trump the environment.”
“Thank you, Kyle.” Cooper looked around Liz to him and then yelped when she punched him in the arm.
“Okay, fine.” She relented. “Maybe money does trump environmental consciousness for most, but the point is, it doesn’t have to for us. Cooper, Wes, just listen to me. We can do better, not just for these people but for the land too. There are alternatives that are safer and better.”
“Such as?”
“Well mitigation can be achieved with a new technology that’s already been used in Canada. Liquefied Propane Gas.”
“I read something about that.”
“Yes, it has promise. Gas fracturing doesn’t require as large amounts of water and reduces the needs for a lot of the chemicals that are used. And, it does away with the need to pump the water back up to the surface after fractures have been made.”
“That could actually cut costs.” Wes said.
“Possibly. Another positive is that the gel reverts to vapor due to heat and pressure and returns to the surface where it can be reclaimed for possible reuse or resale.”
“Okay, I see your point and some benefits and I promise you we’ll look into it.” Cooper relented.
“Swear?”
“Yes, I swear.”
“And you?” She looked at Wes.
“Yes, he promises as well.” Mary answered for him and continued when Wes turned to her with a surprised look on his face. “Liz is right and if you want my help – and apparently hers, you’re going to have to agree. And you know I have the power to kill this before it even starts son.”
“So, you’re saying you’d tell Dad.”
“I’m saying you do this the right way or not at all.”
“Amen, Mrs. Pursell!” Liz crowed and then rolled her eyes at the look Cooper cut her.
“Fine.” He agreed.
“Okay, we do it the right way.” Wes said.
“Excellent.” Liz smiled and asked of Cooper. “So, how long do you have before our father finds out you’ve gone AWOL?”
“A day at best.”
“What did you tell Henderson?”
“That you’re out of state.”
Liz chuckled. “Just not which one?”
“Yep.” Cooper chuckled then sobered. “I really don’t like that man.”
“That makes two of us.”
“But I think I do like your new man.”
“My—“ Liz cut her eyes to Kyle. “Is that what you are?”
“You tell me.”
“Yep.” She grinned and then looked at Cooper. “And I’m glad you approve. Even though it wouldn’t make a hoot in hell if you didn’t.”
Cooper laughed and looked around her at Kyle. “You see what you’re getting into here?”
Kyle chuckled. “Yeah, I think I’ve got the picture.”
“Well good luck brother.”
Liz turned to look at him and Kyle saw in the smile on her face and the look in her eyes. He knew that Cooper might be right. She might be a handful but she was still the handful he’d choose any day of the week.
Right now what mattered was getting this plan in effect that had been cooked up and her off the hook with her father so that life could settle down into normal. Which reminded him, just how were they going to get her off the hook?
“Mind if I ask a question?”
“Sure, fire away.” Wes answered.
“Lots of thought has gone into the oil thing and I respect what you’re doing, but there’s something else that needs to be addressed that no one has mentioned.”
“What?”
“Liz’s problem with her father and him threatening to have her arrested.”
“Arrested?” Mary asked.
Liz blew out her breath and quickly explained the situation to Mary. Mary’s frown deepened to a near scowl by the time Liz finished. “And have you told Bonny about this?”
“My mother? No, why would I? She doesn’t have any influence with him.”
“Then who does?”
“No one that I know of.”
“So what are you – correction – what are we going to do about this situation?”
“I’ve been giving that some thought.” Wes said “And— “
Before he could finish his sentence they heard the pounding on the door and a male voice calling out. “Mr. Pursell! Mr. Pursell!”
Wes got up and ran to the door. The ranch foreman stood outside, red-faced, covered with black grime and smelling of smoke. “A barn’s on fire.”
“Has anyone called 911?”
“Yes sir and we’re trying to get the horses out now.”
By then, everyone had crowded in behind Wes. The moment the foreman mentioned horses, Liz muscled her way by everyone and took off at a run.
Kyle took off after her. He knew where she was going. To get Landing.
*****
Liz felt a scream building the moment she got a look at the barn. It was the one where Landing was housed. Terror propelled her forward. With people screaming at her to stop, she raced into the barn. Fire billowed and reached from nearly every surface and black smoke rolled and writhed.
It was a scene from hell. The screams of horses, hooves thrashing against wood and the shouts of men competed with the cracking of strained wood and the roar of the fire. She coughed and swiped at her eyes as she ran. She had to make it to Landing.
He was in his stall, his eyes wild with fear. She could see spots on him where embers had left burns. He was screaming, rearing and pawing for freedom.
“I’m here. I’m here, buddy.” She opened the stall door and tried to approach him. But he reared up, hooves thrashing at her.
“It’s me.” She got the words out before a coughing fit claimed her. “Landing, come on… come on boy.”
He stopped for a moment, just long enough for her to grab his mane and vault onto his back. One sharp kick got him moving. He was no sooner clear of the stall than he started rearing, fear robbing him of reason.
Liz knew they were not going to make it unless she could convince him to brave the inferno. Their only means of escape was through the fire.
“You can do it, buddy. Come on Landing. Come on. Save me big guy.”
But he couldn’t. His entire body was quivering as he turned one way and another. Liz tried coaxing him but to no avail. A beam fell from the rafters above them and he reared, his whinny so loud it sounded like a scream.
Liz didn’t know what to do. If she couldn’t get him moving they would both die. Suddenly Kyle was there, in front of Landing, his hands raised.
“Whoa, boy. Whoa. Settle down.”
How he managed to sound so calm was a miracle, but even Liz was affected by the tone of his voice. He eased up closer to Landing, still talking. “That’s it, big guy. Settle down now. Come on, Landing. Work with me and we’ll get out of this.”
Landing actually settled, still quivering but on all four hooves. Kyle ran his hand al
ong Landing’s face and neck as he eased along side him. “Coming up behind you.” He said to Liz.
She nodded as he grabbed a fistful of Landing’s mane and basically vaulted on behind her. “Lay down, Liz.”
Liz didn’t argue. She could barely breathe in the thick smoke and felt like she was about to be cooked alive by the heat. Kyle lay forward, covering her body with his and kicked Landing into motion.
“Go, boy. Go.”
To Liz it felt like a miracle. Landing took off. The few seconds it took them to clear the building felt like an eternity. By the time they were outside, she was gasping for air and Landing was wheezing.
Kyle slid off Landing and pulled her down. His angry face stared down at her even as his hands gripped her tight enough to cause pain. “That was a damn fool thing to do.”
“Landing— “
“He’s okay.” Cooper’s voice had her turning. He had hold of Landing’s bridle.
“He needs attention.” Liz tore away from Kyle. “He’s burned.”
“Another one’s on fire!” One of the hands shouted.
The mayhem escalated. Men were running for buckets, hoses were already spraying as were hand-held fire extinguishers. Ranch hands ran into the barn, freeing horses and people dodged to get out of the way as the animals raced for freedom.
Liz spotted a man who was not engaged in the efforts. In fact, he was moving steadily away from the scene. And he was carrying something. A gas can.
“Son of a bitch.” Without thinking she again pulled herself onto Landing, gave him a kick and charged after the man.
“What the hell?” Cooper just managed to jump out of the way as the bridle was jerked from his hand.
“Liz!” Kyle shouted and took off after her with Cooper following. What the hell was she doing?
Wes joined the pursuit. With Liz on horseback, she had a solid lead but Kyle could see the man who ran from her. He kept cutting looks over his shoulder as he ran.
Liz drew up behind him and launched herself off Landing. She hit the man in the top of the back and down they both went. Liz was thrown clear of the man at the impact and rolled over several times before coming to a stop face down on the ground.
The man landed facedown as well, but rolled over after a moment. When he did, there was a gun in his hand. Kyle ran as fast as he could, but he knew in his heart he’d never outrun a bullet.
“Liz!” He yelled as loud as he could.
She pushed herself up, scrambled to her feet and screamed in rage at the man as she made a dive at him.
What happened next defied Kyle’s grasp of reality. Liz was literally in mid-dive toward the man with the gun when another man appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, right in front of Liz. He caught her, wrapping his arms around her at the exact moment the gun went off.
Before the gunman could fire again, Landing was on him, literally plummeting the man with his front hooves, rising up time and again. The gun flew to one side as the man tried to shield himself from the attack.
Kyle was fifteen feet away when he saw Liz look up at the man holding her. She raised her hand to touch the man’s face, and they smiled at one another. A brilliant light flared, blinding Kyle. He felt someone bump into him and reached out to steady whoever it was.
As suddenly as the light had come, it vanished, leaving Liz standing over an unconscious and battered man, holding onto Landing’s mane.
Cooper and Wes wore expressions that pretty much summed up how Kyle felt. What the heck had just happened? He hurried to Liz and wrapped her in his arms. She wound one arm around his neck, keeping her other hand firm in Landing’s mane.
“Liz … damn woman, I thought.”
“I’m okay. I’m okay. It’s okay.”
“You scared ten years out of me with that stunt.”
“Damn, Lizzy.” Cooper moved in to hug her. “I thought— “
“That man.” She broke free and gestured to the unconscious man. “I saw him running from the barn. He set the fire.” She looked around Kyle to Wes who was kneeling down beside the man. “He set the fire. I saw him drop a gas can. It’s by the fence, near the gate to the paddock beside barn two. Have someone find it. It’ll have his prints.”
Wes looked up. “He’s dead.”
“Dead?” Kyle felt a sinking feeling in his gut.
“What’s wrong?” Liz asked as he exchanged a look with Wes.
Wes got to his feet and walked over to them. “We have to find that gas can, and we have to get our stories straight right now, before the police come.”
“What do you mean?” She looked at the men and tugged on Kyle’s arm. “What do you mean?”
Kyle looked to Cooper and he nodded. “Lizzy, you… you were saved by a man who disappeared.”
“You mean Joe.”
“Joe?” Kyle remembered. “The man who saved you at the bunkhouse?”
“Yes.”
“The same Joe we can’t find any evidence of?” Wes asked.
“Yes.”
Wes quickly told Cooper the facts and Cooper looked at Liz. “Tell me what happened, Lizzy.”
“You know— “
“Tell me.”
“I got on Landing and caught up with the man. I jumped off and we both hit the ground. I made it to my feet first and dove at him and Joe stepped between us. He stopped me. I heard a gun. The man must have shot at us. But he missed because Joe said “it’s okay, Miss Liz, you’re okay. It’s all going to be fine.” I thanked him for saving me and then …”
Kyle saw the way she looked over Cooper’s shoulder and followed the direction of her gaze. There were lights from an approaching firetruck and the sound of sirens wailing. Liz looked back at Cooper and then down at her feet.
“And Landing was trampling that man.”
“And that’s it?”
When she looked up her gaze was directed at Kyle. “What else do you want me to say?”
“That’s enough.” Kyle replied and when Cooper cut him a sharp look, directed his next words to Cooper. “We saw her dive off the horse at the man. They both bit the ground but she got up first and dove at him. Another ranch hand stepped in to shield her as the man fired a gun. His shot went wide, obviously, since no one was hit and then all attention was on the gunman because Landing was trampling him.”
Cooper opened his mouth, closed it and looked at Liz. “That’s the story?”
“That’s the story.” She looked at Wes. “Right Wes?”
Wes looked around at everyone. “Yes, that’s the story.”
Cooper blew out a breath and stepped over to the fallen man. One look and he took a quick step back. “Oh shit.”
“Coop?” Liz tore away from Wes and rushed to her brother.
“I know this man.”
Liz looked down at the man and gasped. “Oh god. That’s Farley Banks.”
“You know him?” Kyle asked as he stepped up beside Liz.
“He’s a hired thug. Always works with a guy named Clive Netterman out of— Coop!”
A gunshot rang out at almost the exact moment Liz dove at Cooper. As they both went down, Kyle saw blood spurt from Cooper’s shoulder. He dove on top of Liz, shielding her with his body as his eyes searched the area.
A man was running for a pickup truck. “Wes, the pickup by the fence!”
Wes grabbed his phone and snapped a picture of the truck and another as it sped away. Just as Kyle rolled off Liz, and took hold of her to move her off her brother, the first firetruck rolled in, followed by a sheriff’s car. Wes ran over to the sheriff’s car and Kyle turned his attention to Liz and Cooper.
“He’s hurt.” Liz had her hand clamped on Cooper’s left shoulder.
“Let me see.”
It was a clean through and through and from the location, it hadn’t hit any vital organs, but it had to hurt like hell. “Keep pressure on it.” He placed Liz’s hand on the wound. “I’ll have the fire department call for an ambulance. I’ll be right back.”
She no
dded, tight-lipped and white-faced and Kyle hurried away. As he neared the firetruck, the sheriff’s car took off and an ambulance pulled up. Kyle hurried to the ambulance, noticing that Wes was headed for Liz and Cooper.
Things had just gotten a lot more complicated and Kyle couldn’t help fearing that the danger was not yet passed. If Liz and Cooper knew the assailants, chances were they’d been sent by Lucas Quinlan. And if he willing to order harm be done to his own children, no one was safe.
Chapter Sixteen
Kyle walked to the paddock and leaned against the fence. Liz was in the paddock with Landing and Traveler. He’d convinced Wes to let them bring Landing to his place. The horses needed to be close to Liz and Kyle felt it important that she have something to focus on.
She’d not left her brother’s side until the doctor basically ran her off. Cooper was stable and being released in the morning. Liz had barely spoken since the fire, she hadn’t eaten and she sure wasn’t sleeping.
He’d held her last night and felt the tension that radiated through her. Kyle wished she’d open up and talk but he understood. Sometimes a person had to process things for themselves before they could let others in.
“How’re they getting along?” He asked when she walked over to the fence.
“They’re getting accustomed to one another. I think they’ll be okay.”
“And how ‘bout you, sugar girl? You gonna be okay?”
“In time.”
“Cooper’s fine, Liz. He’s getting out tomorrow. And the story we told satisfied the police.”
“Yeah, satisfied them. Netterman got away and is probably halfway back to South Dakota. And my father knows they failed. More importantly he knows, Kyle. Knows that Coop’s here and we were at Wes’s. He’s gonna come again and next time he’ll be armed for bear. Trust me.”
“Maybe so.” He reached through the fence to take her hands. “But until he does, we focus on the here and now. Wes called and said he and Cooper have all the details worked out. Cooper could draft all the papers but he wants to bring in someone he knew from law school.”
