Two Cowboys in Her Crosshairs [Hellfire Ranch] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour)

by Jennifer August

  Hudson growled. “I’m game.”

  Jake shook his head. “I’m not. Getting into a fight is a waste of time. Let’s go outside and work for a while. The calves we branded last week are due for their shots. I had to wait for you to get healthy, and since it looks like you’re mean as a rattler, I’m gonna say it’s time.”

  Hudson’s hands were fisted at his sides, and his shoulders heaved with suppressed anger. Finally though, he relaxed. “Yeah,” he said. “Let’s be productive.” He squinted at Jake. “But I call dibs on spanking her ass first when she gets home.”

  Home. The word flowed through Jake like honey on warm toast. It sounded damn good. It sounded right.

  “Yeah,” he said. “Yeah.”

  Hudson nabbed his cell phone and stomped outside. The dull thud of his boots along the hardwood floor was heavy and impatient.

  Jake knew just how he felt.

  Once outside the hot Texas sun beat down on him without mercy. “Hell, it’s only ten in the morning.”

  “Where’s your hat?” Hudson asked.

  “Olivia,” Jake said drily.

  A ghost of a smile hit his friend’s lips. “Go find one. We’ll be out here a while, and last thing you need to do is fry your brains.”

  He lifted a brow at Hudson’s terse words. He wasn’t one for issuing orders. Maybe being around Olivia was rubbing off on him. Jake wasn’t sure he liked that.

  “Back in a sec,” he muttered.

  When he rejoined Hudson at the edge of the cattle pen, he had his grandfather’s old World War II ball cap. Somehow it just seemed suited for the day.

  The young cows in the corral shuffled from one side to the other seeking shade, mud and the water trough. Jake imagined they wouldn’t turn down some feed, either.

  “All right. Let’s get started.” He was more than ready to set his mind and body to hard work and try to keep his worry about Olivia at bay. He only hoped it helped.

  “I’ll get the syringes,” Hudson said. He squinted into the corral. “It’ll go faster if we use the chute. Good thing there are only about forty of them this time.”

  “Yep,” Jake replied.

  “We’ll cull one cow at a time and bring it in here,” Jake told Hudson. “It’ll be safer for all of us if there’s just one.”

  “Yep,” Hudson agreed. “I’ve seen some otherwise docile cows kick up a fuss and lunge once they get stuck with that needle.”

  The next hour flew in a fast moving blur of catch, vaccinate, and release.

  Sweat drenched Jake as they worked through the herd. He paused and grabbed a cold drink from the cooler they’d brought outside then tossed the empty into the recycle bin.

  “How many more?” Hudson asked.

  “About ten,” Jake replied and coaxed a calf into the chute.

  Hudson grabbed at the cow when it passed the open panel and lifted a fold of skin before smoothly inserting the needle. The cow bucked and tried to kick, but Hudson slapped it on the rump and eased it down to the end of the chute and back into the corral.

  The remaining calves took only a few minutes. Jake checked his watch. “It’s a quarter to noon. Let’s head in for some lunch.”

  Hudson nodded. “Sounds good. We should call Olivia, too.”

  Jake clenched his jaw. “Yep.”

  Hudson shared his steely expression. “She contact you?”

  “Nope. You?”

  “No.”

  Jake could tell Hudson was still angry as hell. For some reason that irritated him. “She’s a damn marine, Hudson. She can take care of herself.”

  Hudson shoved his hat back and glared at him. “We’ve been over this, Jake. No one can dodge a bullet, especially one they don’t see coming.”

  His heart tripped with the fear his friend’s words riled. “Yeah,” he rasped. “I know.” He stalked back to the corral and checked the ground to make sure no empty syringes littered the ground.

  “All right. The place is clean. Hungry?” Jake asked Hudson.

  Though the normal light was absent from his eyes, Hudson nodded. “Aren’t I always?”

  “Pretty much,” Jake agreed.

  He followed Hudson into the house and locked the door behind them. He put Grandpa’s cap on top of the fridge and opened it. He leaned into the cooled air. “What do you want?”

  “Chicken and dumplings.”

  Jake shook his head. “Didn’t buy any. Next?”

  “We have canned biscuits. Can’t you make ’em?”

  “Nope.” Jake poked around but nothing looked or sounded good. He shut the door with a sigh. “I wish to hell I knew what was going on. That she’s safe.”

  Hudson pulled out his cell phone and tossed it to him. “Call her. Number’s in there.”

  Jake found her name. He snorted and looked at Hudson. “Boobalicious?”

  Hud grinned. “It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

  “Hell yeah. But don’t let her see this or she’ll take a strip off your hide.”

  “Huh, that doesn’t sound half bad.”

  Jake pressed the call button and listened to the ringing on the other end. He counted five rings then her crisp voice came on the line and instructed him to leave a message.

  “Livvie, it’s Jake and Hudson. Call us and let us know you’re okay. It’s three minutes after noon.” He drew in a deep breath and tried to convince himself not to issue an ultimatum. “If we don’t hear from you by one, we’re coming to town and to hell with the consequences.”

  He clicked off the phone and handed it back to a grinning Hudson.

  “I like the way you think, Jake.”

  Jake shrugged. “I mean it, though.”

  Hudson nodded. “Never doubted it. Now, find something to feed me before I collapse into a pile of bones from malnourishment.”

  * * * *

  Olivia grimaced as she listened to Jake’s message. He was definitely ticked.

  Too damn bad. I have a job to do.

  She set her phone on Tag’s desk and checked the time. Twelve thirty. She still had thirty minutes before she needed to call them. She didn’t like their high-and-mighty attitude, but she did understand the fear driving it. She’d let them sweat a little bit.

  She picked up the photo again. “Got a loupe?”

  Boone handed her one. “I’ve studied that tattoo, Olivia. It’s pretty illegible. It looks just like a smudge to me.”

  “Yeah, well, one more look can’t hurt.” She turned on Tag’s desk light and angled the flexible neck upward. She set the photo almost on top of the bulb then bent and targeted the blot at the man’s neck.

  The outer office door banged open just as the fax machine shrilled.

  “It’s Tag,” Boone said. “I’ll get the fax. Hopefully it’ll be something on our guy.”

  Olivia nodded. She focused and refocused on the man’s neck, and slowly one small part of it seemed to coalesce.

  She inhaled sharply.

  “Son of a bitch,” Boone muttered.

  “You’re not going to believe this,” Tag said as he barreled through the door.

  Olivia looked up. She was still reeling from the tentative identification she’d just made.

  Tag frowned. “What’s the matter with you?”

  “I think I know who this guy is.” She waggled the photo at him.

  “What’s that?” He set the books on the desk and grabbed the picture.

  Olivia pointed at the man in the cap. “I think this guy just might be—”

  “Fischer,” Tag and Boone said in unison.

  She gaped at them. “Yeah. How’d you know?”

  “That’s who Sadie identified in the tour book. She went through the entire set twice then positively picked him out.”

  Boone waved the fax pages. “The prints off Deputy Wallace’s car came back as a positive match to Fischer.”

  A chill rushed through Olivia. “Fischer is behind all of this? But why? And how? He didn’t seem the kind of guy who would be smart enough t
o organize anything of this scale.”

  “I’m willing to be he’s just the go-between. Someone else is running things, and he’s the hired gun.”

  “I’ll get an APB out on him,” Tag said. “If that little fucker is in town, we’ll find him.”

  “I never did like him,” Boone muttered. “He had a bad attitude.”

  Olivia and Tag stared at him then exchanged knowing grins.

  She looked at the picture again and shook her head. “That rat bastard killed Shag and tried to blow me and Jake up. I hope I find him first.” She checked the clock again. Twelve forty-five. She’d better call in or Jake and Hudson would be tearing up the road to get to town.

  She excused herself and moved through the outer office and into the break room. She dialed Hudson’s number. It rang five times before his voice mail picked up.

  “You guys better not be headed out here,” she said. “I’m fine. We have everything under control.” She debated whether or not to tell them Fischer was their main suspect but decided that was a discussion best held in person.

  “I’ll be leaving here in a little while. Give me a couple of hours at least.” I love you hovered on her tongue. “Bye,” she said instead.

  “Olivia,” Tag yelled from his office.

  He was motioning wildly. His face was set in hard lines.

  “What’s up?” She leaned against the doorframe. Suddenly she felt so damn drained. Disbelief warred with nausea. How could Fischer have done this? How could he sell them out?

  “I just heard from the ranger,” Tag said. “He’s got a possible sighting of Fischer in Kerr County. I’m going to head over there and check things out.”

  “No,” Boone said.

  “What the hell do you mean ‘no’?” Tag said. He threw a pen down on his desk. It bounced then clattered to the floor.

  Boone picked the pen up and carefully placed it in a cup holder. He met Tag’s eyes with an unwavering stare. “Let me give you a few reasons why having you go would not work. Number one, you have an obvious prejudice against the suspect.”

  “Damn right. I want to drill that son of a bitch through the eyes.”

  Boone looked at her with a lifted brow as if seeking her help. Olivia crossed her arms and shrugged.

  He sighed.

  “Number two it’s not your jurisdiction. The local Kerr County Sheriff needs to handle the situation.”

  “Bullshit,” Tag said.

  His face was as red as an overripe tomato. Olivia thought if he got any angrier he just might explode.

  “Number three is your temper. Which you just proved by threatening to shoot him.”

  Tag’s eyes narrowed. A vein throbbed in his forehead. Olivia straightened up, prepared to do CPR should he burst that vessel and drop right in front of them.

  He gritted his teeth and jabbed a finger at Boone. “Listen up, you damn suit. I don’t know what the hell the Feds did to make you forget our squad mates, but I’ll be damned if I’m going to sit here and do nothing while their killer goes meandering about the Texas countryside.”

  “For fuck’s sake,” Boone snapped. “I want justice served, too. But not vigilante justice. We have no proof he’s connected to the ambush anyway. Stay here, Tag. Help Olivia get in touch with the proper authorities and secure a warrant for his arrest. I’ll head over to Kerrville and hook up with the Sheriff to scope out the situation.”

  “And if I don’t?” Tag asked.

  Boone sighed and raked a hand through his dark hair. “Then I’ll be forced to pull rank on you. I will take over this investigation, Tag. I’ll have an entire team of suits here faster than you can holster your gun.”

  “Doubtful,” Tag muttered. “I’m pretty damn fast.”

  Olivia held her breath.

  Boone waited tensely.

  “Ah, to hell with it,” Tag finally said. He poked his finger in the air and frowned darkly. “But you bring that son of a bitch back here, Boone. I want him in my jail.”

  “Until he gets shipped to Washington.”

  “Deal.”

  She let out her breath. “You guys are ridiculous.”

  Tag turned on her. “What are you talking about?”

  “This pissing match just to see who’s going to get the collar and custody? Who the hell cares as long as he pays for what he’s done?”

  Tag continued to glower for a long moment, and then his shoulders slumped, and he looked a bit chagrined. “Yeah, well. I guess you’re right.”

  Boone grunted his agreement. “I’d better get over to Kerrville and meet up with the sheriff. I’ll call you when we have his ass in custody.”

  “Okay,” Olivia said.

  She watched his long-legged stride eat up the worn linoleum to the desk he’d been using. He shrugged into his suit jacket and yanked open the door. With one final wave he was gone.

  “Jackass,” Tag muttered.

  “Look who’s talking,” Olivia said. She rubbed her temples. “Got any aspirin? And a Dr Pepper?”

  “Yeah,” he said. He reached into his desk and tossed her a small bottle. “Drinks are back here.”

  She followed him into a well-lit and well-stocked break room. Tag pulled open the door on the white fridge and reached in. The soda he handed her was ice cold. Her mouth watered immediately. She shook out two pills, popped open the can, and washed them down with the carbonated glory.

  “Ah,” she said. “That’s so much better.”

  “What if we’re wrong?” Tag asked. He peered into the fridge as if it held all the answers.

  She pulled out a chair and sat down. He slammed the door shut so hard the bottles and cans inside rattled, then he joined her at the table.

  “APHISAFIS confirmed those prints on the deputy’s car were Fischer’s,” she pointed out.

  “Maybe he just hitched a ride.”

  She frowned and propped her elbows on the table. “I thought you didn’t like him.”

  He looked away. “We had a lot of similarities,” he said quietly. “We talked a lot. I know he and Briggs were pretty tight, too.”

  She nodded.

  “I just hate to think that one of our own would have betrayed us, Olivia. It stinks.”

  “Like five-day-old fish. We have proof, Tag. We can’t let our emotions get in the way here.”

  He slumped against the back of the chair. “I know.”

  Olivia cupped his hands. “We need to get that warrant. Everything has to be done by the book on this one. I don’t want him getting off on a technicality.”

  Tag’s expression hardened. “Me, either.” He checked his watch. “It’s just about one. Judge Mathison should be in his chambers. Let’s go.”

  She downed another large drink of soda then regretfully poured the rest out. The liquid ran down the white sink in rivulets of brown bubbles.

  A damn waste.

  She followed Tag back into his office. He grabbed his utility belt from the coat rack and strapped it on. He plucked his hat and held it in his hands then motioned her to precede him. At the front door he hesitated.

  “Hold up,” he said.

  Olivia sighed. “What now?” She really wasn’t up to babying him into going to the courthouse. She wanted Fischer tied up in as many red-tape bows as she could manage. She needed the backing of the judicial system for that. If Tag had changed his mind again, she’d be tempted to knock him a good one.

  “I need to radio Sam, uh, Deputy Carson, and let her know I’ll be out of touch for a little while.”

  “She’s still on duty at the ranch?” Olivia asked in surprise.

  “Yeah. On at five, off at five. Twelve-hour days since we’re short staffed.” Grief briefly flitted over his face. “Wallace is one more death that bastard will pay for.”

  She nodded. “Call her then we’ll leave.”

  He unhooked the radio from his shoulder strap and pressed the button. “Carson, 10-87.”

  Silence met his request for the deputy to pick up his call. Tag frowned and
repeated the command.

  Still nothing.

  Olivia’s heart picked up speed.

  Tag slowly stiffened. “Carson, answer your damn radio.”

  The deputy did not pick up.

  Olivia met Tag’s sharp stare. “Maybe she’s outside peeing.”

  “I don’t think so, Olivia.” He rehooked the radio and pulled out his cell phone. He punched in some numbers and waited. His expression was unreadable. He’d gone from grumpy and openly raging to stone-faced emotionless. That scared her more than his fury.

  Olivia heard a deep voice answer the phone.

  Tag fumbled with his phone and hit another button then held it out so she could hear. “Ryan? Where are you?”

  “Just outside of Austin heading back to Freedom. Why?” His voice was static-laced on the speakerphone.

  “Fuck,” Tag muttered.

  “What’s wrong?” the Texas Ranger asked sharply.

  “I can’t raise Deputy Carson. I don’t want any radio chatter in case something has happened. I’m heading to the Hellfire Ranch now. What’s your ETA?”

  “Another hour at least.”

  “Drive faster,” Tag said grimly. “Meet me there.”

  “Will do.”

  The phone clicked off, and Tag raised cold eyes to her. “If he’s hurt her, I won’t be responsible for my actions. Let’s go.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “That was damn good, Jake.” Hudson rinsed his empty plate then put it in the dishwasher. “I didn’t know you had such good meatball subs in you.”

  “It’s easy when they come from the freezer aisle. While you’re up, take mine.”

  Hudson glared but took his friend’s plate. “Can’t believe you just ‘while you’re upped’ me.” Hudson looked at the kitchen clock. “Half hour before we need to head to town. You hear anything?”

  “She’d call your phone. Mine got blown up, remember?”

  “Oh, yeah, right.” He patted his back jeans pocket. The phone weighed heavily in the denim. He pulled it out and checked the screen. “No calls,” he said.

  “I hate waiting,” Jake muttered.

  “Me, too.” Hud opened the front door and peeked out. Still nothing. He cursed as he turned around, letting the door swing shut behind him. He needed a distraction. “How about a game of Scrabble?”