Gabe (Men of Clifton Montana Book 2)

by Susan Fisher-Davis

  Gabe ran down the stairs and out through the kitchen. Three of his ranch hands were standing in the yard looking toward the pasture. He stopped beside them. “Did you hear which direction it came from?” The youngest hand, Adam Lang, pointed toward the north pasture. Gabe nodded. “Saddle up. I want to find this son of a bitch.” He looked around noting someone was missing. “Where’s Tim?”

  He saw Adam swallow hard. “He went to check some fence, Gabe.”

  “Where?” He dreaded hearing the answer because his gut told him what it would be.

  “North pasture,” Adam answered.

  “Shit!” Gabe ran for his horse, as the men followed to get their own. Once mounted they all rode like hell out of the yard. The snow slapped at his face as he rode Dandy toward the pasture. What was happening? The thought he could be shot didn’t enter his mind. All that mattered was one of his men was out there. Tim Larson was his foreman. Gabe had known him for five years and he trusted him completely. He prayed silently that Tim was all right. As he came over the rise, he slowed Dandy to a halt and pulled out his binoculars. It was déjà vu. He saw a horse standing in the pasture beside a body on the ground. Tim. His friend was lying on his stomach on the ground.

  Gabe spurred Dandy on, and rode down to where Tim lay unmoving. He reined in Dandy, dismounted, and hurried to his friend. Squatting down, he touched Tim’s shoulder. “Tim?”

  He swallowed the lump in his throat. He pulled his glove off and pressed his fingertips to Tim’s neck to check a pulse. There wasn’t one. Gabe rolled him over and swore when he saw the blood on the front of Tim’s shirt. He leaned down to listen to see if Tim was breathing. When he didn’t hear anything, he began cardiac compressions. Pumping on Tim’s chest and breathing into his mouth, but there was no response.

  “God damn it, Tim. Come on,” Gabe shouted as he kept trying. He hadn’t even realized Sam had arrived at his side until the man spoke.

  “He’s gone, Gabe.” Sam touched his shoulder.

  Gabe sat back on his heels and looked up at Sam. “How did you get here so fast?”

  “I was in the area when you called. It only took me a minute to get to the house. One of your ranch hands was getting ready to ride out, so I took his horse,” Sam explained.

  “Tim is…was a good man.” Gabe stood up. “Fuck!” He threw his hat to the snow covered ground. He was so angry. His hands clenched into fists and he gritted his teeth so hard he was surprised they didn’t crack. His eyes scanned the area, seeing nothing. He heard Sam on his two-way radio telling his deputies to walk the entire area. The only place a person could hide was the small group of trees on Wyatt’s ranch or the line of trees sitting at the edge of the glaciers. Gabe was sure the shot had to come from the trees on Wyatt’s property. They were close enough for a clean shot.

  “The coroner is on his way. I’m really sorry about Tim, Gabe. Is there family I need to notify?” Sam asked.

  Gabe shook his head. “When I hired Tim, he said he was a loner and had no family. I haven’t seen him involved with anyone in town either.” He shook his head, a deep sadness filling his chest. “Christ!” He moved away from Sam, picked up his hat, and slammed it on his head then he sat down on a boulder to wait for the coroner. He gazed down, saw the blood on his hands, and wiped his hands down his jeans. His gaze shifted back to where Tim lay on the ground. Tim didn’t deserve this. Hell, no one did. Gabe wanted the bastard stopped and soon, before anyone else was hurt or killed. He narrowed his eyes at Sam. “You need to catch this asshole, Sam.”

  “I’m doing what I can, Gabe. You think I’m not doing my job?” Sam said his jaw clenched defensively.

  Gabe walked over to him and stopped inches from him. “I want this bastard caught,” he repeated.

  Sam glared at him showing no sign of backing away. “I said I’m doing what I can.” The two men glared at each other until the coroner stepped between them.

  “I don’t need to see you two go at each other, so step back.” Doctor Russell Montgomery looked at one then the other. He nodded when they stepped away from each other.

  Gabe swore under his breath, and spun away from Sam. He kept his attention on Doc Russ as he examined Tim. The man was older than dirt but there wasn’t a person in Clifton who didn’t respect him. With his round belly, white hair, and beard, blue eyes and wire-rimmed glasses, he seriously resembled Santa Claus, and sometimes played the part at Christmas. He’d been a schoolteacher years ago and still used his voice of authority when needed. The old black hearse Doc used sat up on the ridge. Four of Gabe’s men stood beside it waiting to help carry the body. Adam was nowhere in sight. He’d been good friends with Tim so Gabe was sure he must be off somewhere alone with his grief.

  “I guess I don’t have to tell either of you how he died.” Doc looked up at Sam. “You find any evidence after Emma was shot?”

  Sam’s lips flattened into a thin line as he shook his head. “I’m doing--”

  “Yeah, we know…you’re doing what you can,” Gabe said, interrupting the sheriff with a mocking tone. When Doc Russ scowled at him, he felt chastised and glanced over at Sam. “Sorry, Sam,” he muttered.

  “Get your men down here, Gabe. I have to take Tim in and do an autopsy. You know a slug probably isn’t going to do you any good, Sam.” Doc stood and removed his plastic gloves. “Damn shame. Tim was a nice guy.” He slapped Gabe on the back, squeezing his shoulder in sympathy. “Sorry for your loss, Gabe.” He walked up the hill toward the hearse as Gabe’s men passed him with a stretcher to carry Tim’s body up the hill.

  As soon as Gabe entered the house, he ran up the stairs to the bedroom. When he opened the door, he saw Emma standing at the window. She turned when he entered the room, and then launched herself at him. He caught her and held her tight against him, before leading her to the bed, where he took a seat and pulled her down against him.

  “What was it, Gabe?” Emma asked softly her hand tracing along his jaw.

  He took her hand in his. “Tim was shot.”

  Emma gasped. “Is he all right?”

  He shook his head, his heart aching. “No, baby, he’s not. He’s dead.”

  Tears filled her eyes, and when Emma blinked, they rolled down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Gabe, so very sorry.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt a tear slip down his cheek as he pulled Emma across his lap, and put his head against hers. It was a long time before either of them moved.

  * * * *

  Three days later, Emma stood alongside Gabe, Jake, Becca, and Wyatt at the cemetery with most of the people of the town of Clifton, Montana. She clung to Gabe’s hand as the preacher read from the bible and said some good words about Tim. She knew Gabe was hurting. Tim had not only been Gabe’s ranch foreman, he’d also been a good friend. Jake and Wyatt knew him well too. It was a very sad day for the small community.

  Afterward, most of the people went to Gabe and Emma’s house to pay their condolences. When Emma and Gabe walked in the back door, Olivia greeted them both with hugs. She’d stayed behind to take care of all the food people brought by, as was the norm in a loving community.

  Gabe seemed so solemn and Emma had no idea what to say to comfort him. She watched him head toward the living room to join his guests there. Becca and Olivia stayed in the kitchen with her. When Sam came in the back door, Emma hugged him. She knew he was blaming himself because he hadn’t caught the man after she’d been shot. He hugged her back and handed his jacket to Olivia, who hung it up.

  “He really is gorgeous,” Olivia whispered, making Becca and Emma chuckle. Then Wyatt entered through the back door. He pulled Emma into a tight hug before pulling off his coat. Olivia grabbed his coat as he headed toward the living room. She pulled the coat up to her face and buried her nose in it.

  Becca swatted at her. “What are you doing?”

  “It smells so good.” Olivia grinned like a lovesick teen.

  “Oh my God, Liv, you are terrible. Give me the coat, I’ll hang it up,” Emma t
old her. Olivia reluctantly handed over the coat. She hung up Wyatt’s coat, and then took a seat at the table with Becca and Olivia. “I wish I knew what to say to Gabe. He’s hurting so much over Tim.”

  “Jake’s upset too, but he’s not as bad as Gabe. It will get better,” Becca said.

  “I hope so, Becca. I really hope so,” Emma murmured.

  * * * *

  Gabe was in the arena working with a horse when Sam walked in. He hadn’t seen him since Tim’s funeral, which was two weeks ago. He dismounted and walked over to him, giving him a nod of his head.

  “I just got the results of Tim’s cause of death. It was just as we figured, a gunshot wound to the chest…” Sam seemed to hesitate.

  “If you’ve got something to say, Sam, say it.”

  Sam tipped his hat back on his head. “I don’t think Tim was the intended target.”

  “What do you mean by that? Tim was the only one out in the pasture. Who else could it have been?” Gabe asked, even as a bad feeling descended on him.

  Sam looked him straight in the eye. “I think you were the intended target, Gabe.”

  “What? Why would you think that?” He took his hat off and ran his hand through his already messed hair.

  “Think about it. You and Tim are the same height and build. You both have dark hair and mustaches. The shooter may have thought it was you out there. It makes sense if this person shot Emma first, he may have made you the next target.”

  Gabe could feel the blood drain from his face. He moved to the wall, put his back to it, and slid down to the floor. He glanced up at Sam when he squatted down in front of him.

  “I didn’t mean to upset you but the more I thought about it, the more it makes sense. Why would anyone want to kill Tim?”

  Gabe stared at him as if he might find the answer in Sam’s eyes. “Why would anyone want to kill me?”

  Sam frowned and shook his head. “Which brings us back to the first question, why would anyone want to kill Emma? It’s possible he’s targeting both of you for some reason, and Tim was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  He knew in his gut Sam was probably right. “It brings us right back to square one, doesn’t it?”

  Sam nodded and stood. “I’m not sure what this is about, but you and Emma need to be careful. Don’t go anywhere alone. Definitely, no riding alone, you hear? Hell, you don’t need to be out riding right now anyway. Stay close to home. I think this guy might be following you. He followed Emma from a distance, and then he followed Tim thinking it was you. We don’t know what he has against you, but I’m determined to find out.”

  Gabe stood and put his hand out to Sam who accepted it. They shook hands. He knew Sam was more than capable of doing his job. “Sam, about what I said…”

  “Forget it, Gabe. You were upset. I get that. No problem.” Sam put his fingers to his hat and left. They were still friends and Gabe was grateful for that.

  He tried to get back to work but what Sam had said bothered him immensely. Gabe wondered if the shooter thought he’d killed him. If not, would he try again? Why would someone want him or Emma dead? Neither of them had any enemies, at least none they knew about anyway. All they’d ever done was gotten married. It made no sense. He put up the horse he’d been training, and headed toward the house and his wife. He needed to be close to his wife.

  * * * *

  Christmas was only two weeks away, and one of the presents Emma had ordered for Gabe hadn’t arrived yet. She was beginning to panic over it. “I need that for Christmas, Junior. It’s really important.” She stood on one side of the counter at the feed store, glaring at the young man standing behind it.

  “I-I, uh, I know that, Emma but it ain’t come in yet.”

  “Hasn’t come in yet,” she said, correcting him.

  Junior frowned at her. “That’s what I said. It ain’t come in yet.”

  She sighed and resisted rolling her eyes. “Never mind. Can you call them and see if they shipped it yet? I’m just getting antsy.”

  Junior nodded. “Yes, ma’am, though I don’t know what antsy is.”

  Emma bit her lip to keep from laughing. Junior wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but he was a sweetheart. He was only twenty years old and already been tossed too many times by angry bulls. She waited as he made the phone call. She glanced over her shoulder toward the door when she heard it open and the welcome chimes jingle. Ryder Wolfe entered, bringing a bit of cold air with him. She allowed her gaze to roam over yet another fine specimen of man living in Clifton. A blush heated her cheeks and she chastised herself. Her hormones must be going crazy. She was a married woman, for heaven’s sake. She snorted. Olivia would tell her that although it was true, she wasn’t dead and a gorgeous man was a gorgeous man. He strolled toward her.

  “Hi, Emma, how are you?” Ryder asked in a deep sexy voice, which made her pulse speed up. Stop it Emma! You’re married!

  She smiled at him. “I’m doing wonderful. How are you, Ryder?”

  “Great. How’s that Paint of yours doing?”

  She beamed at the mention of Beauty. “She’s so beautiful. I named her Beauty. I’m so glad you and Gabe got together on that.”

  Ryder chuckled. “She came from good stock and my stallion. I knew she was going to be gorgeous. As soon as Gabe saw her, he wanted her for you.”

  She smiled at him, and turned back toward the counter when Junior hung up the phone. “They said they done sent it, Emma. I ain’t got no idea when it will be here for sure, but they said it would be here before Christmas.”

  “They already sent it and I have no idea,” Ryder said, correcting the young man’s grammar.

  Junior looked at him with a confused expression. “‘Bout what, Ryder?”

  Emma covered the giggle threatening to burst forth but couldn’t contain it when she heard Ryder mutter under his breath. “That boy’s been tossed too many times by angry bulls.” He winked at Emma, shook his head, and bid her goodbye. She watched him walk away with that sexy cowboy swagger unique to men who tame horses.

  Turning back toward Junior, she told him if it hadn’t arrived in a few more days, she would be back. She saw him gulp. It wasn’t really his fault but it made her feel better knowing he was worried about making her angry. Done with that frustration, she hurried out of the feed store and headed across the street to the diner where she was meeting Becca and Olivia for lunch. When she entered the diner, the patrons hollered out hello to her. Emma waved back, nodding to a few, and smiling at most as she made her way to the booth where Becca and Olivia sat. She slid in next to Becca. “Sorry I’m late. I had to check on something.”

  She picked up the menu and scanned it. Setting it down, she glanced around and her heart stopped when she saw the strange man who made her nervous sitting in the back again. He was staring at her with narrowed eyes. “That man is here again,” Emma hissed in a low voice.

  Neither Becca nor Olivia looked around. “We know. We saw him when we came in. I don’t like him. He’s creepy,” Olivia said.

  “Have you told Gabe about him, Emma?” Becca asked.

  “No. I hadn’t really thought about it. Do you think I should? Have you told Jake?”

  Becca shook her head. “No, I didn’t have a reason before but with you being shot, and now Tim killed, I think it’s too much a coincidence this man is in town at the same time.” She shivered. “It could be nothing, but who in Clifton would want to hurt you or Tim?”

  “Sam thinks whoever killed Tim thought he was shooting at Gabe.” Emma’s voice cracked. Olivia laid her hand over hers. Emma smiled at her as best she could.

  “With the B and B being closed, I don’t like you being there alone, Liv,” Becca said.

  “It’s kind of creepy with all the silence, but no way am I staying with either of you.” Olivia shook her head. “I’m not listening to you have sex with hot guys when I don’t have one.”

  Emma glanced at Becca, who started laughing. Olivia snorted, and then they all
laughed together. They ordered their lunches and Emma tried to keep her mind off the man in the back. When he stood to leave, she noticed but made a point not to look his way. She shuddered with worry. “I’m going to tell Gabe about him, and I think we should tell Sam too.”

  “Ooooh, the sexy sheriff, I’d like to tell him a few things,” Olivia said with a naughty chuckle. Becca swatted at her arm. “What? He’s gorgeous, and those blue eyes. Oh yes, he’s very yummy.”

  Emma grinned at her. “You thought Ryder was gorgeous too, and look where that got you.”

  “Ryder is gorgeous. We just didn’t feel any spark so we’re remaining friends,” Olivia explained.

  They finished lunch, and then decided to go do some Christmas shopping. Later, inside the only boutique shop in town, Emma was looking at sexy teddies when Becca held a green silk teddy up and asked, “Do you think Jake would like this?”

  “Jake wears lingerie?” Olivia asked with a pretense of innocence. Emma burst out laughing.

  Becca threw it at Olivia. “You can be such a smart-ass.” She laughed. “I meant would he like me in it?”

  “In case of fire, you mean?” Olivia chuckled.

  Emma shook her head in confusion. “I don’t get it.”

  “It means she’d be naked and if a fire broke out, she could put that on,” Olivia explained making Emma grin knowingly.

  “I seriously don’t know why I’m looking. I’ll look like a cow in a few more months.” She pouted, pushing the beautiful teddies aside.

  “Christmas is only two weeks away and believe me, you can still fit in one now,” Becca said with a naughty grin.

  Emma nodded. Becca was right so she picked out a blue one, which matched her eyes. Becca purchased the green one and although Olivia had no one to wear one for, she picked out an amethyst one, which matched her eyes perfectly. She shrugged when Becca looked it over. “You never know. I might find me a cowboy that likes purple.” Olivia grinned and winked.

  Chapter Ten