by Marie Tuhart
“It’s about time you answered my call.”
She stiffened at the sound of her ex-boyfriend’s voice. Damn it, why hadn’t she checked who was calling before she picked it up? “I don’t have time for you, Walter.”
“Bull, Katherine. Grow up and come back to New York.”
His nasal voice grated on her nerves. “I am grown up, and I’m not coming back. I’ve made that more than clear to both you and my father.”
“Don’t make me come after you.”
“Bring it on. You can’t get your lazy ass away from my father.” She hit the end button and rubbed her forehead. Walter was one headache she didn’t need.
Her phone rang again, and she glanced at the screen. Great, now her father. With a sigh, she picked it up. “I’m not coming back.”
“Katherine, I’ve already apologized. What else can I do?” Her father’s whiny voice attacked her last nerve.
“Nothing. I told you, Randall. I’m done.” Again she hit the end button. Would they ever get the message? Eventually, she hoped.
Her father was only looking after himself and Walter...the man didn’t have a faithful or honest bone in his body. Neither man had much integrity, and that was something Katie couldn’t live without.
After double checking the paperwork, she emailed it Larry and then called him. By the time she was finished, it was almost ten. She stood and stretched.
“Oh good, you’re off the phone,” Gran said, standing in the office door.
“For the moment. What’s up?” Her cell rang again. She glanced down at the screen and let out a sigh.
“You can answer that. I’ll wait,” Gran said.
“It’s just my father again.” Katie hit the reject call button on her phone.
“Has he been calling you a lot?” Gran waved her hands at Katie’s cell phone.
“Enough. He’ll eventually get the message. I’m not coming back.”
“Have you told Ry or Jed about the calls?” Gran was frowning at her.
“No.” And she wasn’t planning to, at least not right now. She scooted out from her desk.
The frown grew deeper.
“It’s okay, Gran.” She walked over and kissed her weathered cheek.
Her grandmother stared at her for a moment. “I’m going to go outside and do some weeding.”
“Okay. Don’t stay out too long. It’s pretty warm out today.”
Her grandmother just waved a hand at her as she walked away. Katie grinned. Maybe she’d fix something special for lunch.
“Katie,” her grandmother called barely a minute later.
“Yeah, Gran.”
“You better get out here.”
Katie’s eyes narrowed as she strode to the front door to see Gran standing in the yard by their cars. Her hands were on her hips, and Katie noticed the slight trembling of her hands.
“Gran what is it?”
“Your car.” Gran pointed to it.
Katie’s heart sank.
Chapter Ten
Ry hopped out of his SUV on Monday, slipping his sunglasses on in the mid-morning sun. He jogged into the Red Dog, the local bar.
Burt, one of the town’s old-timers, sat in the corner, nursing a beer, and he waved at Ry.
Linda, Roc’s daytime waitress, wiped her hand on her apron and came rushing over.
“Where is he?” Ry asked.
“In back, the darn fool.”
Ry silently agreed with her as he followed her to the back of the bar, down the hallway, passed the small office and stockroom. Nothing looked out of place. Roc sat on the floor near the open back door with a bloody towel around his hand.
“Did you call the paramedics?” Ry asked Linda.
“Don’t need them,” Roc said.
Ry shook his head as knelt down next to the older man. “Roc, how many times do I have to tell you not to confront these punks?”
Usually Felton’s Creek was pretty quiet, but lately there’d been a rash of petty thefts and attempted break-ins. Nothing major until today. Roc’s place had been a target before, and he refused to be intimidated.
“Hell, Ry, I cut myself on the knife I was holding. Those punks had nothing on me.”
Relief poured through Ry. At least the punks were still unarmed. “How many were there?”
“Two. I’m sure they pissed their pants when they saw my knife.” Roc gestured to the butcher knife lying on the floor.
“I bet.” Ry unwrapped Roc’s hand to look at the damage. The knife had slashed into his palm, a flesh wound, but it might need a couple of stitches. “Linda, get me the first aid kit.” The waitress marched away. “Can you describe them to me?”
“Young punks, I’d say around eighteen, both under six feet tall. They had on jeans, black caps and handkerchiefs covering their mouths.”
Same MO he’d heard from half a dozen other people. Linda arrived with the first aid kit. Ry made quick work of patching up Roc’s hand. “Go see the doctor. I’ve done a patch job, but he needs to make sure you’re good.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Ry helped Roc up off the floor, and the man swayed. “Never mind. I’ll take you there myself.”
Before Roc could protest, Ry had him bundled in his SUV. Linda promised to stay until Roc returned. After dropping Roc off at the doctor’s office, Ry drove around town, checking everything out.
None of this made any sense. Were they local kids? And if so, why now? School wouldn’t be out for another month or so. Usually trouble started by the end of summer when the kids got bored.
After pulling his SUV into his parking spot at the sheriff’s office, Ry made his way inside the building. He waved to Betty, their receptionist/dispatcher, and went into his office and sat at his desk and began filling out reports.
“How bad?” Josh, Ry’s fresh out of the academy deputy, asked as he poked his head around the doorframe.
“Flesh wound. Drove Roc over to Doc’s. But I don’t get it.” Ry typed on his keyboard. He hated filling out reports. “Why now?”
“Did the kids get anything?”
“No. Roc flashed his knife, and they took off.”
Josh sat down in the chair in front of Ry’s desk. “Are we sure these are local kids?”
“No.” That was another problem. Could these be kids from a neighboring town determined to create havoc or something else? “All we can do is keep doing our reports and watching for any trends. So far, no one has gotten seriously hurt.”
“And that’s a good thing,” Josh commented before rising and leaving the office.
The phone rang. “Sheriff McKade.”
“Hi, Sheriff.”
Katie’s sweet voice made Ry smile, and his cock hardened as he remembered their weekend together. “Hi, sweet Katie, what can I do for you?”
“Umm, well.” She let out a loud breath. “I need you to drive by Gran’s house.”
His spine stiffened, and his gut tightened. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing super bad, but I promised Gran I’d call, so would you please come by? I really don’t like talking about this over the phone.”
“On my way.” Ry slammed the receiver down and sprang out of his chair.
“What is it?” Josh asked.
“Not sure. Katie asked me to stop by. Something tells me it isn’t good.” Ry loped out of his office and out to his SUV.
Within ten minutes, he was in front of Miss Mazie’s house. Katie was sitting out on the front porch. She stood when he got out.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his gaze sweeping her from head to toe. She wore a pair of jeans and a cute white blouse. She looked okay, and his breath eased in his chest.
“Yes.” She wiped her hands down the front of her jeans. “You didn’t have to rush over here. I didn’t call you as the sheriff.”
Her words hit him in the gut, and he grinned. “I’m glad you called, period.” He strode up to her and drew her into his arms. “As long as you’re okay.”
“I’m f
ine. It’s nothing, really.”
He leaned back and stared down at her.
“Oh, all right.” She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed. Ry released her. “Gran made me call. I didn’t think I needed to, but...” She gestured to the driveway.
Ry’s gaze followed the movement, and he swore softly. Her red, older model car had four flat tires, and someone had scratched the hell out of the paint job with a key or a knife. “When did you notice this?”
“I didn’t.” She folded her arms over her chest. “Gran saw it when she started weeding the garden.”
Ry strolled over to her car. Damn it was a mess. Whoever did this had to have done it under the cover of darkness. “Miss Mazie’s car?”
“Not a mark on it.” Katie walked over to him. “She was parked behind me, too.”
“Damn kids.” It had to be.
“Is that who you think it was? Kids?”
“We’ve been having some issues with some kids lately—petty thefts and such. Today they tried to rob Roc.”
“Is he okay?”
“Yeah.” Ry made a mental note to call the man tonight. “When did you last look at your car?” He pulled the small notebook out of his back pocket and a pen. Even if Katie hadn’t called him as the sheriff but as her lover, he was still the sheriff. He took his responsibility seriously.
“Last night, when I came home from your place.”
“Nothing amiss, then.”
“Not that I saw. The security lights...” Katie looked up and shook her head. “They’re all broken.”
The lights and fixtures were totally destroyed. Ry pulled his phone out and dialed. He was going to need help to get those lights fixed. “Jed, can you come over to Katie’s? Thanks.” He slipped his phone back into the belt holder, and then he put his arm around Katie’s shoulders when he noticed her slight tremor. “Jed will be here in a few and we’ll get it all fixed.”
“I don’t understand it,” Katie said.
“I don’t, either.” And he didn’t. But something was going on, and he was going to get to the bottom of it. It might mean long hours for Josh and himself, but if it meant catching these punks in the act, he’d do it.
Jed’s truck squealed to a stop at the curb. He got out and jogged up to the pair. “What happened?”
Ry gestured to the scratched up car and the broken security lights.
Jed swore, and Katie’s trembling increased. Ry frowned.
“I’m going back inside.” Katie shrugged away from Ry’s hold. Ry’s frown increased as Katie went back to the house. She didn’t even greet Jed. Why? He wanted to call her back, but Miss Mazie met her at the door and guided her inside.
“How is she?” Jed asked.
“Scared. She doesn’t understand why someone would target her car, and frankly, neither do I.”
“Who the hell would do this?”
“Don’t know. We’ve had so many little things happening, but now things are escalating. What bothers me the most is why only Katie’s car?”
“I heard about Roc.” Jed ran his hand over the scratches on Katie’s car.
Ry nodded as his radio went off.
“Go,” Jed said. “I’ll take care of things here.”
Ry hesitated. “Katie didn’t call me here as the sheriff, but as one of her men.”
“Well, that’s progress.” Jed grinned.
“Yes, progress I don’t want to lose.” His radio went off again.
“You are the sheriff, so go.”
Ry grimaced. “Tell Katie I’ll have a report for her insurance company.”
He didn’t want to leave, but duty called.
****
Jed watched Ry drive away. The incident bothered him. Why would someone want to do this to Katie? He pulled his cell out of his pocket, called the local body shop, and asked them to send someone over with the tow truck.
He glanced at the broken lights. He’d need a couple of new fixtures. In fact, he wanted to put a few extras in. Jed started for the front door of the house. Ry had said Katie was scared, but that didn’t explain why she went into the house without greeting him.
Was she mad because Ry had called him? His muscles stiffened at the thought, and then the jealousy welled up in his gut. Did she want Ry’s help more than his? Damn. Jed wiped his hand down his face.
His jaw clenched as he pushed aside his anger. First things first. He jumped into his truck and drove to the local hardware store to get what he needed.
Within an hour, Jed had the security lights fixed, had installed a couple more, and had the mechanic tow Katie’s car to the shop.
“Katie?” he called, walking into the house.
“In the office.”
Jed smiled when he saw her sitting behind the big oak desk, pencil tapping against her full lips as she stared at the computer screen.
“All fixed.” He sauntered up to her desk, fighting the urge to snatch her out of her chair and drag her into his arms.
She didn’t look up from the screen.
“Ry said he’d bring you the police report for your insurance company.”
“Thanks.” Her tone was dismissive.
Jed frowned. “What’s bothering you?” he asked, leaning against her desk.
“Nothing.”
“Liar.”
Her head snapped up. “Jed, I’m not in the mood.”
“Katie.” He straightened from his position.
“Jed, honey, can you come help me for a minute?” Miss Mazie called out.
“I thought Miss Mazie was at the shop.” Damn, this was all he needed. He wanted to talk to Katie and find out what was bugging her.
“No, she’s been in the kitchen,” Katie said.
“We’ll talk about this later.” And they would. He would get to the bottom of her sudden disinterest because it gnawed at his gut and heart. He dropped a soft kiss on her nose.
He found Miss Mazie standing in the living room. “What do you need, Miss Mazie?”
“Can you come into the kitchen for a minute?”
Jed nodded then followed Miss Mazie into the kitchen. She probably needed him to pull something off a shelf for her.
“Jed, I’m worried.” Her hands tangled in her apron.
“I’ve fixed the lights.” He hadn’t expected this. “It was probably just kids.”
“That’s fine. But it’s Katie I’m worried about.” She moved to the sink, her back to him.
Jed stiffened. “Why?” What was going on that they didn’t know about?
Miss Mazie turned from the sink, and Jed could see the concern in her eyes. “She’s been getting phone calls.”
“Hang ups?”
“I’m not going to elaborate. You need to ask her.” Miss Mazie shook her head. “She’s going to be angry enough that I told you about them.”
“Don’t you worry.” Jed touched Miss Mazie’s shoulder. “I’ll talk with her. She won’t be angry because you’re concerned.”
“Jed.” Miss Mazie touched his arm. “Please tread carefully.”
Jed smiled at her. “Miss Mazie, I would cut my right arm off before I hurt Katie.”
“You’re such a good man. Just like Ry.” She patted his cheek and then went to check something in the oven.
Jed digested Miss Mazie’s words before he marched out of the kitchen to Katie’s office. Her head was down as she typed on the computer. He didn’t want to disturb her working. But he wasn’t going to leave without telling her goodbye.
“Katie.”
She raised her head. Her green eyes somewhat unfocused and clouded.
Jed didn’t like it. He made a spur of the moment decision.
“Would you pack a bag and come stay with Ry and me?” At least then they could keep her safe.
Katie shook her head. “I can’t leave Gran.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Jed.” Her eyes became brighter. “Please leave it for now. I have a ton of work to do, and I need to get it done.”
> “Fine.” He didn’t like it, but he did understand her needing to get work done. “But you need to tell us if anything out of the ordinary happens.”
“Okay.” A ghost of a smile crossed her lips. “Thanks for fixing the lights and taking care of my car.”
“My pleasure.” Her mood seemed better, but something was off as her smile didn’t reach her eyes. Tonight, he and Ry would find out what was bugging her.
****
On Saturday morning, Katie smiled as she strolled from the front of Ry and Jed’s house out to the barn. Her mood was much better than yesterday. The damage to her car and the security lights had shaken her more than she wanted to admit to Ry and Jed.
Even last night at dinner, she’d told them it was just the shock of the damage. But she wondered who would do such a thing and if it had something to do with her father. Last night she’d awaken at every little sound.
Children’s laughter floated in the air. A smile curved her lips. It was a new day. Ry had to work today, so Jed had invited her to join him and the kids.
She rounded the barn and found a lineup of kids standing outside the ring fence, jostling for position.
“Ah, good, my help has arrived,” Jed said. “Kids, this is Miss Katie, and she’s going to help me out today.”
“Hi, Miss Katie,” the kids chorused.
“Hi.” Another smile crossed her lips. The kids ranged in age from what looked about six to twelve.
Jed sauntered over to her. “Your job is to keep them entertained while each one gets a ride.”
“And how am I supposed to do that?” Was he nuts? There were ten kids there.
“You’ll figure it out.” He dropped a kiss on her nose and strode to the gate.
“Ready, boss.” Katie looked up to see one of the ranch hands leading one of the smaller and gentler horses out into the ring.
“Thanks, Finn.” Jed placed his hand on the gate. “Maggie, you’re first today.”
The little girl squealed and danced over to Jed. The other kids all let out a moan then looked at Katie.
She squared her shoulders and smiled. “Okay, kids, let’s have some fun.” She’d figure something out.
****
After each kid had ridden, Jed leaned against the fence, watching Katie with the kids. Parents would be arriving anytime now to pick them up.
