Why Me, Cowboy?

by Stephy Smith

  As she reached for the door, her cell phone vibrated. Her heart raced. She yanked it from her pocket and glanced at the caller ID. Gulch’s name appeared on the screen. The text was short and simple: My office. Now. Tansy slid her time card into the machine. She turned around and headed for the upstairs office of her boss.

  The hall light sent a sliver of light into the pitch-black room. Pausing outside of the door, Tansy drew in a deep breath. Out of the darkness, a hand grabbed her arm and yanked her inside. The door slammed shut behind her.

  “No!” she screamed and a hand covered her mouth.

  “Shush, it’s me Tansy. Gulch.” His large hand was firm enough to stifle the scream, yet gentle enough not to cause her pain. She clamped her teeth down on his fingers. He pulled his hand free. “What did you do that for?”

  “What are you doing? Have you lost your mind? And what’s this meeting in the dark? You could’ve been the murderer we’re looking for, for all I knew. How do I know you’re not him anyway?” Tansy pushed his hand away from her face.

  “Why would I let you in on this if I was the one causing you women problems? Think rationally.” Gulch tried to pull her closer. She pushed away from his tight grip. “Now keep your voice down.”

  “You could be setting me up. My life in on the line and I trust no one. Especially not you!”

  “I came out here last night to watch the yard. I didn’t see anything suspicious going on. The sheriff dropped me off after our meeting. Did anything happen with you?” Tansy moved further away from Gulch. His silhouette disrupted the soft light coming in the window.

  “Just my imagination−”

  “Whoa! What do you mean imagination?”

  “I saw shadows. You know the typical run–of-the-mill, childhood, scare-yourself-half-to-death kind of thoughts.” Tansy waved her arm in the air.

  “What kind of shadows?”

  “I thought I saw a man’s shadow outside of my bedroom window. When I looked, no one was there.”

  “No one knows I’m here except you and Benny. I don’t want you to tell anybody. I’m going to take a few days off as far as anyone else knows. I wanted to give you a key so you can report to me every morning. Make it thorough, Tansy. I want to know every word said, every move you make.”

  “Why don’t you just wire me and hook me up to a GPS? Then you would know.” Tansy stood in the dark with her fisted hands on her hips.

  “I do have a wire to put on you. And . . . you need to turn on the GPS tracking on your cell phone so I can monitor your movements.” There was a tone of amusement in Gulch’s voice.

  She gasped. How could she be so careless to plant the idea in the mind of a possible killer? “I was joking.”

  “I’m not.” She stiffened at the unsuspecting warmth as his breath caressing the back of her neck. A tinge of desire trickled through her body as it begged for another knock-your-socks-off hospital kiss. The smooth knuckles of his hand followed her shoulder to her elbow. A moan lumped in the back of her throat. Ecstasy bumps peppered down her arm. Gulch paused and then resumed the path of her arm. He cupped her hand in his, all the while rubbing the back of her hand softly, seductively with his thumb. He placed a wad of wire and a small box in her hand. The breath caught in her throat, she closed her eyes, and prepared herself for the rejection her mind had set her up for. He seemed to be working magic on her. Casting some kind of kiss-me-now spell that she couldn’t fend off.

  Chapter Twelve

  Gulch drove to his parent’s house from the sheriff’s office. The plan for Ken to take him to the feed yard so he could sneak in and hide to watch was safer than sending Tansy out there. With a lot of luck, the rustler would strike without having to involve her.

  Anger boiled deep in the dark recesses of his core. If something went wrong, she could fade from his grasp. She could be injured or killed. He would never be able to redeem himself in her eyes.

  Without that redemption, he didn’t know how he could look himself in the mirror every morning with the guilt of all the wrongs he had tormented her with. He sat in the driveway to his parents' house until Ken showed up. The wait gave him time to calm his nerve. Then they went inside together.

  The aroma of the food his mother had cooked encouraged his appetite. Her sweet voice soothed his aching heart. “Sit down, son. It will take a few seconds to heat it up. I already put a couple of glasses of tea on the table for you and Ken.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” The legs of the wooden chair scrapped across the linoleum. He slumped down in the seat. Gulch took a couple of swigs. Benny came in and joined them.

  “What did you and the sheriff figure out to do?” Benny swiped his thumbs down the side of the sweating glass.

  “Ken suggested we use Tansy as bait.” The pounding in Gulch’s neck picked up a few beats. The tone in his voice betrayed his efforts to hide his discomfort. Ken shifted in his seat.

  “I don’t think that’s a wise decision.” Benny narrowed his eyes as he glanced up. “Especially with you being sweet on that gal.”

  “I am not. I tried to stop that nonsense. I think the only reason she agreed to it was because she knew I didn’t like the idea.” Gulch shook his head. How could his dad read his heart so easily? Yeah, so he was sweet on her. It wasn’t like he had a chance in Satan’s sandbox to marry her.

  “Does she know what kind of danger she’s stepping into?” Benny picked up a napkin and ran it across his lips.

  “She says she does but she doesn’t know anything about why or who we’re after. Dad, Ken checked into Edgar. His past paints an ugly picture. I can’t believe he would be capable of doing some of the things on his record.” Gulch leaned back in his chair so his mom could set the plate of food on the table.

  “Edgar would never do anything mean to another human being. He always doted over Robin. I don’t see him as being an evil person.” Clara Whipple whacked her son on the shoulder with the oven mitt in her hand. She wheeled around and headed back to the kitchen.

  “We double checked. Triple checked. I wish it wasn’t true. From what we found, he’s been slipping through the cracks for a long time.” Ken took a bite of his steak. “This is great, Clara. Thanks for having me over.”

  “It was better when it was fresh. Now it’s stale from having to wait on you to eat it.” Clara carried a pitcher in one hand and her glass of tea in the other to the table and joined the men.

  Benny patted the pudgy hand of Clara and smiled sweetly at her. “Some things do get better with age. Just like you my dear wife.”

  Many times over the years, Gulch had watched the stars spring to life in his mother’s eyes at the simple little gestures from his dad. He wondered if Tansy would ever look at him that way. He shook his head . . . he didn’t have the charisma his dad did to pull it off.

  Gulch filled his parents in on the plan he and Ken had put together. Benny agreed to tell everyone Gulch was out on a family emergency. His mother planned to pack extra food in Benny’s cooler for Gulch during his invisible stay at the feed yard.

  Driving home, Gulch made an exception to pass Tansy’s house to check on her. The lights were out and the neighborhood was quiet. The muscles in his shoulders relaxed. At least she was safe for now. He drove by and headed toward his own house where Ken was waiting for him.

  On the way out of town, Ken and Gulch made the final arrangements on Gulch’s absents. The communication between the two would be by text. Gulch turned the volume of his phone off and kept it on vibrate.

  In the dark of night, he slithered through shadows and close to buildings to keep the night watchman from seeing him. He paused behind the feed mill, and waited until the guard left for his rounds. Gulch ran across the lit parking lot and used his key to get in the office door. He locked it back up and quietly climbed the stairs to his office where he moved a chair to the window to watch for Edgar.

  Lights from a vehicle lit the parking lot. He hoped it was the killer as he watched.

  Tansy parked her pickup
in her usual spot. She seemed spooked, but did a good job of hiding it. The others hadn’t watched her, or paid attention to her like he had. There wasn’t a thing about her body language that he hadn’t studied to get to know her secretly.

  From behind the dark, tinted window, he wished he could see her blue eyes. They were expressive, hopeful, loving eyes. He had never encountered such beautiful eyes in his life. At this time of the morning, all he could see was how her brows creased and her lips sloped downward at the corners. His heart sunk.

  She looked so frightened, vulnerable, and helpless. There had to be a way to ease her discomfort. If she knew he was here watching over her, maybe she would feel better. He wished she hadn’t agreed to put herself in danger. He pulled his phone from his pocket and texted Tansy.

  It seemed a long while for her to climb the stairs to the door. Gulch pulled it open a couple of inches so she could get in. The dim light of the hall filtered in through the crack. Tansy paused outside of the door. His heart thundered in his chest as he waited.

  She turned her head one way and then the other. One of her hands rested on the door knob. The doubt of entering showed clearly on her face. Tansy seemed frozen to the floor. Without a second thought, he reached out and pulled her into the office. She struggled against him and tried to scream. Not the type of reaction he was hoping for, but he understood her reluctance. He would have been scared if an arm came out of a dark room and grabbed him.

  He didn’t know what she thought. By the glimpse of her face when he yanked her into the office, she reminded him of someone being thrown into a lion’s den. He tried to think of how his father would sooth his mother if they were in the same position. His mind went blank so he pressed his hand on her mouth.

  The sting of her bite was worse than a hornet’s. He pressed his lips tight to drown the yell welling in his throat. She released her jaws when she heard his voice, but continued to wriggle against his body as she fought to move away from him.

  Her efforts seemed jerky and tense. He wasn’t sure what was transpiring in her mind. Maybe it was denial of needing to be comforted or it could be disgust by his touch. Tansy’s words were harsh. She admitted she didn’t trust him. Even though he couldn’t blame her, he didn’t want to hear the words. She still volunteered to help draw out the killer.

  He didn’t understand how she could put herself in the middle of a dangerous mission if she couldn’t trust the people she was working with. A woman’s mind was a complex machine no man would ever figure out.

  “Do you have the wire on yet?”

  “I’ll put it on in the bathroom. I’m not undressing while you’re in the room.”

  “It’s dark! I can’t see a thing. Can you? Now get that thing on.”

  Tansy huffed. Gulch heard the cuss word as she bumped against the desk in the darkest corner of the room. Lights from below barely lit the parking lot. He glanced out the window.

  Gulch held his breath as he stood in silence peering out the window. The bent body of Edgar pushed the door of his pickup shut. The older man glanced around. He slipped his hand in his pocket and then brought it out. He fidgeted with a small item Gulch couldn’t make out.

  Edgar turned toward the office door. He paused next to the four-wheeler Tansy always drove. It looked like he had pulled a couple of wires loose or attached something near them and then glanced around again. He once more started for the door.

  “If anyone sees you leaving this office, make sure the door is locked and tell them you had to get the key to your saddle shed. You’ll be on horseback today.” Gulch almost choked on his words. He regretted putting her on the horse. The rustler had tampered with Robin’s four-wheeler so she opted to ride that day. The memory assailed his mind like a tumbleweed in a windstorm. He didn’t like it, but he was right here keeping an eye on her. “Be careful, Tansy. Something strange is in the air and I don’t like it. If I tell you to get to safety, that means right now, not ten seconds later. Do you hear me?”

  “I think you’re reading too much into this. What makes you think the suspect is going to try something today? Who should I keep a close eye on?” The warmth of her body startled him. He hadn’t known she had moved next to him. His arm bumped against her. Gulch reached out to keep her steady. He lowered his lips to hers. A wave of excitement shivered through him. Her small hands pulled him closer. She melted into his chest and wrapped one leg around his. Tansy instigated the kiss, deepening it, invading his mouth with her sweet tongue, and he sure wasn’t about to break the spell she was pulling him into.

  She pressed her hand against his chest. He grasped it and pressed two keys into the silky soft palm. His breath caught in his throat. Tansy turned away from him, light filtered in from the hallway. She slipped around the corner. Metal grated against metal as she pulled the door shut behind her.

  A shiver ran down his back. If he could sneak in undetected, so could Edgar. Through the door, he could hear Tansy’s voice as she greeted the killer as if he were her long lost friend.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Oh! You startled me. How are you doing this morning, Edgar?” Tansy raised her hand to her chest.

  “I’m doing just fine, little lady. Is Gulch in? I didn’t see his pickup out there when I pulled in.” Edgar squinted up the stairs she had just descended.

  Tansy glanced back up the stairs. She could feel the heat creeping across her cheeks. Her lips tingled with lingering effects from the kiss she wantonly stole from Gulch. “Not that I know of. I was going over the orders he left for me and I had to get the key to my shed. I guess he changed his mind and is letting me ride my horse today.”

  “That’s good. Well, guess I better get to work.” Edgar’s face scrunched up as he stalked past her and stomped out the door. He seemed to be troubled. Tansy thought maybe he didn’t feel well or was having a grumpy day. Everyone was entitled to one every once in a while.

  Tansy turned and ran into the tall, lanky body of George the security guard. “What’s got him in a snit?”

  “I think it was me. You know how the men treat me. Why should he be different today as to any other day?” Tansy shrugged her shoulders as she backed her way through the door to go to the horse pen. She had to get away from the office before she fumbled into a confession she wasn’t ready to make.

  It was hard enough to admit she enjoyed the kiss and she wanted another. It wasn’t right to lie, especially to yourself. At first, the kiss was only supposed to be a sincere thank you for letting her ride Jema, her horse. Gulch’s nearness, his warmth, his body pressed against hers conflicted with her desire. Desire won out and she couldn’t stop her actions once she started. As she made her way down the alley to her horse, she let her mind wander into a glorious, relaxing day on the back of the bay.

  Edgar led his horse from the pen next to hers. He didn’t seem to know she was anywhere around. He mounted and rode past her. She moved out of his way so he could pass. Tansy stared at his back wondering what had gotten into him. She shrugged and then entered her own pen.

  It had been a week since she had taken the horse out for exercise. Most of the time when she entered, the mare walked up to her and followed her movements. Today, the bay stood lazily chomping on a clump of hay. Even as Tansy talked to her, she acted like she didn’t care one way or the other if they were going for a ride. “It’s been a long time since you were out this early in the morning.” The horse continued to show indifference to Tansy’s voice.

  The lock on her shed was hard to unlock. Tansy fiddled with it for a minute before it snapped open. She went in and dusted off the seat of her saddle, and pulled the bridle from the hook on the wall. With the blanket and saddle in one hand and the bridle in the other, Tansy stepped from the shed and let the saddle fall on the ground. The bay looked up and ambled over to her.

  Gulch was right about one thing . . . there was something strange in the air. “You know how crazy things are today? I met Gulch in a dark room. Can you believe I even instigated a lip tingli
ng kiss that man won’t soon forget. Wow, I’ll tell you, that man sure knows how to stir my blood. There’s no in between with that guy. I don’t understand it, first he’s nice and then he’s nasty. What’s a woman to think? Everyone tells me he’s not who I think he is. If that’s the case, then who is he?

  “Then Edgar’s attitude was different. I think he may be mad because I had a key to get into Gulch’s office. Isn’t that strange? Edgar has always treated me with respect as long as Gulch isn’t around. This morning he acted a bit put off by me. Well, that maybe wrong. He didn’t care one way or another if anyone was on the yard except Gulch.”

  Tansy leaned in closer to the horse's head and kept her voice low. “Isn’t it exciting? We’re going to be partners today. Just like old times back home in Mississippi, huh, Jema?”

  Tansy ran her hand along the mare’s mane to its withers. Jema flinched as if a fly were aggravating her. “All this weird talk seems to have made me a bit suspicious of everything. Sorry girl, I promise we’re going to have a good time today.”

  She cinched up the saddle and led Jema out the gate. Tansy mounted and turned the horse toward the mountain. “Oh my, I forgot. We’re going to the mountain this morning. You’re going to love this. It’s so nice and peaceful. The sunrises are the best. After we do a little work up there, we have to come back down here to Purgatory. Gulch won’t be around to ruin our day together. I can’t tell you why. It doesn’t matter anyway. There’s no reason we should give a squirrel’s tail. I can tell you one thing though, I sure have missed you.”

  Tansy remembered the wire she had stuck to her body. She silently cringed as she tried to keep from saying anything else incriminating that Gulch could use against her. He was listening to her opening up to her horse. She shuddered.

  The motor of a feed truck blared toward her. The headlights grew brighter as she headed up the side to the mountain. The driver leaned out the open window. “I can’t stop. Get out of the way.” Jo sounded panicked.