When she walked into the kitchen, she found Nathan at the table with Clay. “Hey guys, what’s going on?”
Clay looked up. “I stopped by to let you know that we tracked down Jeff MacDougal. I asked him about the words y’all had yesterday, but he said that’s all it was. Just words.”
“And you believe him?”
“I don’t know, Becca. I want to blame everything on him and be done with it because I want this to be over for you, but then again, I can’t arrest him on just a wish, you know? I’ve got no proof.”
“I know. And I sure don’t want you to arrest the wrong person. That’s not going to help anyone.”
“Exactly. I questioned some of the people who were around while you were in the shop, and no one saw the truck follow you from the therapist’s office.”
“Well, no one had any reason to pay any particular attention, I guess. I’d like to think the whole thing was an accident, but I know it wasn’t.”
“Come back to reality, cousin. The guy shot at you and denial isn’t going to help us figure out who’s trying to kill you.”
She ran a hand over her eyes. “I know. I know.”
“I talked to Billy over at the lab in Nashville first thing this morning. He’s got your car in the lineup but was willing to do a quick check on the brake line. Said it looked like someone sliced it.”
Becca swallowed hard and walked over to the coffeepot to pour a cup. “I’m shocked.” Not. “So what now?”
“You don’t go anywhere alone and you keep your back against a solid surface.”
Becca nodded, thankful for the presence of these men and their willingness to take everything so seriously. She’d do her best to hide her frustration. For now.
Her phone buzzed and she answered reluctantly, not anxious to hear more bad news. Someone else calling to pull a horse from her barn? More lessons to cancel? She let out a slow breath. “Priceless Riding. How can I help you?”
“Is this Rebecca Price?”
“It is.”
“My name’s Ray Foster. I hear you’re boarding horses at your place and I need a stall. Do you have room?”
For a moment Becca almost couldn’t speak.
“You there?”
“Ah, yes, yes. I do have a stall available. Would you like to come take a look?”
“I sure would. Are you available this afternoon around two o’clock?”
“Two o’clock is perfect. Thanks. But I need to tell you what’s been going on around here.” She had to be honest. No sense in wasting his time or hers if it was going to scare him off. She filled him in.
“I see,” he said at the end of her narrative. Well, I’m not so worried about it. I still want to come take a look.”
“Thank you, then. I’ll see you soon.”
She hung up and drew a relieved breath.
“Good news?” Nathan asked.
“Yes. I’ve got another boarder. I guess he’s not from around here and hasn’t been scared off by the baseless rumors circulating.” She shot a pointed look at Clay but couldn’t put any heat into it. He’d helped save her life yesterday. “And yes, I filled him in on everything that’s been going on. He said it didn’t matter as long his horse is taken care of.”
Clay stood. “Good. I’m glad for you.” He paused. “Are you going to be around for Christmas?”
She raised a brow. “Where else would I be?”
“Mom and Dad’s? Everyone’s going to be there this year, including Amber and Lance.”
Amber, his sister who’d been a CIA operative, much to her family’s surprise, had married Lance Goode, an old family friend and one of the deputies in Wrangler’s Corner. Together, they’d adopted Sam, a six-year-old autistic boy, who’d been a part of Amber’s last case. Becca loved all three of them and would love to see them.
“I think your parents are going to be there, as well.”
Becca sucked in an audible breath then let it out on a low laugh. “Then that could be pretty awkward if I show up. I may just stay here and hang out with the horses.”
Clay frowned. “Don’t do that. You guys have to make up someday.”
“Yes. Someday.” She left it at that. She’d left a message on her mother’s phone and still hadn’t received a call back. That spoke volumes. Her mother always returned her phone calls in a timely manner. Waves of pain washed over her. She’d been so close to her mother, but when her father issued the ultimatum—to choose between him or their daughter—she’d chosen him.
“All right, then,” Clay said. “What’s on your agenda for today?”
Becca shrugged. “Just a quick run to the grocery store. Sabrina brought a good bit of groceries, but I don’t know that it’ll be enough to feed three extra mouths for a couple of days.”
“I’ll get Sabrina to do it and I’ll bring it out here for you. No sense in leaving this nice protection Nathan’s managed to line up for you.”
“I hate to bother her.”
“It’s not a bother. Mom’s got the kids for the day. Sabrina didn’t have anything more than a haircut and grocery shopping planned. Adding your list to hers won’t take her but an extra ten minutes. And bringing it out to you isn’t a big deal, either. I’ll do it while I’m making my rounds.”
“If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
Becca nodded. “All right. Let me write down what I need and get some cash out of my bedroom.”
It only took her a couple of minutes to finish the list and hand him the cash.
He pushed the items into the front pocket of his uniform. “Think about Christmas.”
Becca forced a smile. “I’ll think about it.”
After another long look at her, Clay left and Nathan stood. “You’re welcome to come to Christmas dinner with my family if you want.”
She smiled. “Thanks.” His parents were sweet. Older, but kind even if they were a bit self-focused. “We’ll see what happens between now and then.”
“Are you ready to get to work?” he asked.
“Ready when you are.”
* * *
Two days had passed without another incident—discounting two more boarders who took their horses to another barn. All in all, it was very quiet around the ranch.
While the lack of violence pleased Nathan, it also frustrated him. And Becca’s obvious discouragement tore at his heart. He wanted to fix this for her and was doing his best, but it just wasn’t good enough.
And now his police officer buddies had taken off two hours ago, although they’d departed with promises to return at the end of their next shifts should they be needed.
Ray Foster’s horse had been delivered—along with the first month’s boarding fees—and now seemed content in his new stall.
Zeb planned to be out that day to give him the once-over and a couple of vaccinations he was behind on.
Nathan hadn’t had another chance to check out Becca’s office. Truly, if there were drugs being run on the property, he couldn’t figure out how it was being done or who could be doing it. There were no unsupervised strangers, no suspicious deliveries. Nothing. And there’d been no more odd things happening at night or attempts on anyone’s life.
The one reason for the sudden quiet on the ranch had to be the extra security. And now that it was gone, Nathan knew he’d have to be hypervigilant. A thought occurred to him and he dialed Clay’s number.
“Hello?”
“Hey, I have a question for you.”
“All right. Ask.”
“Have you vetted everyone who has access to the ranch? To the barn and the other buildings on the land?”
“As far as background checks?”
“Yes. My reason for asking is there are a few people who come on this land on a reg
ular basis. If there are drugs being delivered around here, it’s got to be one of them.”
Clay’s sigh came through the line. “Yeah. I did all that already. You’ve got delivery people, the regular lesson folks who are there on a weekly basis, you’ve got people calling and asking for a tour of the place because they’re thinking of boarding their horse there. And then you’ve got the vet, the farrier, the boarders, those who lease some of the horses. The place has people coming and going all the time.”
“I noticed that, but it has to be someone who has regular access to it. Someone Becca wouldn’t think twice about being there.” But that was everyone who showed up. Anyone could be the culprit. If there were drugs being run on the property. He still wasn’t convinced that was the case. “So let me just get one thing clear. No drugs have been found on the property.”
“Nope.”
“All you had to go on was the cell phone with Becca’s number in it.”
“And the text.”
“Yes. And the text.”
“Clay, this is all circumstantial evidence.”
“I know. But it’s the closest thing I’ve got to a lead and I have to chase it as far as I can.”
“And you still think Becca’s involved?”
Clay hesitated. “Not really. Not in the sense that she’s guilty or hiding something. But, as circumstantial as it is, it still comes back to her property. And the fact that someone is trying to kill her tells me I’m close—and she’s probably not involved other than being a victim.” He paused. “Or they want to get rid of her because she knows too much.”
“Yeah, that’s not it. Becca’s nerves are close to shredding. I’m convinced she’s not involved in whatever’s going on. She’s in danger.”
“I really want you to be right about that, so stay close to her, Nathan. I’m worried.”
“I know the feeling.” He hung up and stretched his arms over his head, trying to loosen up his tight muscles. He’d noticed now that the extra security had left, Becca’s tension was once again at epic heights and rolling off of her in waves.
She appeared from around the side of the barn. “Zeb’s on his way.”
“Sounds good. I have a question for you.”
“Sure.”
“Who would benefit from buying this place should it go up for sale?”
She paused. Then shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess just about anyone who wanted a pretty piece of property located about an hour outside of Nashville that’s already set up for horses.”
He sighed. “There’s no oil, there’s no real estate potential, like for someone who wanted to build a high-rise or a resort. So I don’t think it’s anything like that.”
“I don’t, either.”
“This seems more personal. Like you’re in the way—or someone simply has it in for you for some reason.”
“Yes.”
“And it all started with your fall from the horse.”
She nodded and frowned.
“Do you have a will?”
“Of course.”
“Who gets this barn if you’re dead?”
“You mean other than the bank?”
“Yes.”
She shrugged. “Aaron and Zoe. They love the animals and would take care of them. They’d do something good with the place or sell it to someone who would. And I don’t believe for a second that they have anything to do with all the trouble I’m having.”
“No. I don’t, either. And you don’t remember anything else from the day of your fall?”
“No. Not really. It comes in snatches. I remember earlier that day being in the barn and working with the horses, waiting on Christine, my trainer. Pete seemed fine. After that, things get fuzzy. I don’t actually remember this part, but Christine said that she and I rode out to the pasture, and then Pete just went kind of crazy. She said he started bucking, spinning and running in circles.” She pressed her fingers against her eyes. “I have flashes of that last part. I remember the fear. I remember someone screaming. Christine said it was her telling me to jump. She said it was over quickly but seemed to go on forever.” She gave a low laugh devoid of humor and shook her head. “I keep thinking I’m missing something.” She blew out a breath and rubbed her temples. “I know I am. There are gaps that simply won’t close. There’s something that’s just on the edge of my memory, but I can’t grasp it and pull it in to examine it.”
“Was anyone else here at the ranch that day? Besides you and Christine?”
“Earlier in the day when I was in the barn, Sharon was here, but she left after she rode Lady Lou. I distinctly remember her leaving because she asked if we could have lunch the next week. The farrier was there that morning, but other than that, it was a slow day. That’s why I scheduled the lesson with Christine when I did.” She started to shake her head then stopped. “But wait. It seems like there was someone else.”
“Who?”
“I... I don’t know.” She could almost see the person. But it was like looking through a foggy glass. Then a sharp pain sliced through her head and she gasped.
He laid a hand on her arm and squeezed her bicep. “Becca? Are you all right?”
“Yes. Just...a memory. I think.”
“Of what?”
“I don’t know.” Another pain hit her and she winced. “I have to stop trying to remember.”
“Can you ask Christine if there was anyone else at the barn that day? We’ll talk to Sharon and the farrier, but if there was anyone else, we need to know.”
“Sure.” The pain receded quickly. More quickly than it ever had before, and she took heart that it was a sign she was healing.
She pulled her phone from her back pocket and texted the question. “She teaches at different barns so it may take her a bit to get back to me if she’s in the middle of a lesson.”
“That’s fine.”
The sound of an engine caught his attention, and he turned to see an old blue pickup pull into the circular drive.
She pressed a hand to her head. “That’s Zeb.”
“I’m just going to start cleaning the tack,” Nathan said. “I noticed it needed it.”
She flushed. “Yes. I haven’t been able to keep up with it like I need to, and Brody Mac doesn’t have the best fine motor skills.”
“No problem. It’s a good thinking chore.”
She started off to meet Zeb who was climbing out of his truck. Before stepping into the barn, Nathan turned to watch her graceful movements. Just looking at her right now, he’d never know she had a sprained back that hurt her almost all the time. His heart gave a little lurch of longing. He still cared about her, still wanted to explore the possibility of... What? Something. The possibility of there being a “them?”
Yes. He definitely wanted that. But how did she feel about the good-looking vet?
She stopped in front of Zeb and he said something. Nathan caught the words, “new horse” and “settled.” He moved closer in time to hear Becca say, “Yes. Do you know him?”
“He’s a friend of mine. I convinced him there was nothing to the drug rumors, and he said he’d give you a try.”
Becca reached out to hug the man and Nathan stiffened. Then he gave himself a mental shake. They were friends. He’d done something kind for her and she was simply thanking the man. Becca was a hugger.
Still, Nathan scowled at the handsome vet. He couldn’t help but wish she’d settled for a handshake.
EIGHT
Zeb was busy with the remaining horses in the barn. She pondered the fact that he sure was out at the barn a lot, but then again, it didn’t take a genius to figure out he was interested in her. And truthfully, if Nathan hadn’t shown back up in her life, she might have given Zeb a second look. Maybe.
Then again, maybe not.
She was so busy with the barn and trying to make a living that romance was definitely at the bottom of her priority list.
Until she’d seen Nathan Williams again and realized that while he’d been her best friend in high school, friendship wasn’t the only thing she felt. That crazy spark that had arched between them when the terror of her attack in the barn had faded was still there in the forefront of her mind. Not to mention the kiss. A soft kiss. Comforting and healing. But with the potential for so much more.
She rubbed her eyes. Nathan was the best thing to happen to her in a long time and she was grateful. She just wished the circumstances surrounding their reunion were different.
Because right now, Becca wanted to run away from the turmoil that had become her life. Run away and not look back. But she wasn’t that kind of person. She’d learned early on that if she wanted something, she had to stand up, grab hold and take it.
Becca slipped into a shady little area surrounded by bricks. One side of the structure had been cleared away so it had three walls with ninety-degree corners. She thought the bricks might be the remains of an old brick fireplace once upon a time. Either from a house that burned down years ago or someone had had an outdoor area.
The Updikes had created this little nook that was a good place to simply sit and soak in the beauty of the property around her. It was off to the side of the house where the land sloped upward before it turned into a copse of dense trees. A shallow lazy creek flowed at the bottom of the space.
Becca loved the cozy feel of sitting inside it, especially when she was feeling overwhelmed.
Such as right now.
Her phone rang. Christine. “Hi. Thanks for calling me back.”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“The day I fell off the horse, was there anyone else here on the ranch? You know my memories are fuzzy, and it seems like there was another person here, but I can’t remember.”
“I didn’t see any—oh wait!”
“What?”
“There was the guy that stopped by to ask about lessons for his daughter.”
“Who? I don’t remember that.”
Christmas Ranch Rescue Page 9
