by Becky McGraw
Five minutes later, he saw Cole's big green dually pull up on the shoulder in front of him and he groaned. Julie Beth couldn't have just sent another deputy out here...she had to call Cole, the Sheriff, to compound his embarrassment. Gabe hit his head against the grass, then heard the truck door slam and Cole's footsteps as he walked over to him.
Blood rushed up his neck and heated his face when he heard Cole say, "Holy shit!" then his friend the Sheriff broke down in gales of laughter so loud and hearty, Gabe flinched then groaned. Cole must've laughed a full minute before, out of breath, he asked "What the hell happened, Gabe?"
"Just untie me," Gabe told him through clenched teeth.
"I wish my cell phone had a camera..." Cole told him leaning down to pull on the stiff rope. "Sabrina is never gonna believe this."
It took Cole a minute to untie all the knots, then when Gabe was finally free, he rolled onto his back and put his hand over his eyes, trying to get his anger under control. That woman was going to pay, and pay big when he caught up to her. And he would find her...if it took him a lifetime to do it.
***
Karlie's stomach was churning with nerves and hunger when she finally pulled up in front of the big farmhouse at the Double B ranch. Looking over behind the house to the barn, she saw a couple of people, but not Cassie or Luke, so she got out of the car, but left Sarge in the backseat, in case they weren't home.
Cole had told her at the rodeo when she saw him that Luke and Cassie had started raising quarter horses out here, and she hoped, since he also said Cassie was pregnant, she'd need some help. Otherwise, Karlie didn't know what she was going to do. She'd probably have to sell her horse, which she'd left with her sister in Dallas, something she didn't want to do. JoJo, otherwise know as Joe's Hot Rod Lincoln, was the best damned cutting horse in Texas, and they'd been together for four years now, she'd had him since he was a baby and had trained him herself.
Karlie walked up on the wide front porch, pressed the door bell and waited. The door opened and Luke Matthews, looking hotter than ever, grinned at her. With a loud whoop he jerked her into a big hug, then set her back on her feet and said, "Karlie Upton, it's been years, girl! Cole told me he saw you at the rodeo in Dallas...Cassie's gonna be tickled to see you!"
"I sure hope so," she told him with a smile. "I can't wait to catch up with her...I hear you two finally got hitched. Bout damned time! Congratulations!"
Cassie walked up behind Luke and leaned around his wide shoulders and her face split into a grin then she pushed him aside and ran up to Karlie, leaned over and gave her a tight hug.
She had to lean over, because her belly was swollen like she was hiding a basketball under the loose top she had on. Karlie told her, "You look awesome, girl," then patted her tummy and added, "But bet you're not doing much riding these days though."
A frown pinched Cassie's face then her lip poked out, "No, and I'm not happy about it either," she said then looked up at Luke. "Luke bought me the most beautiful stallion as a wedding present, and I haven't even gotten on his back yet!" Cassie grabbed her hand and tugged her inside, "C'mon inside out of the heat, we have a lot of catching up to do," she said excitedly then led her through the big house to the kitchen.
"I need to get my dog out of the car...do you mind if I bring him inside? He's clean and house-trained."
"You have a dog? That must be rough on the circuit carting him around with you."
"Yeah, it was...but I don't have to worry about that anymore..." Karlie told her.
"Why not?" Cassie asked with confusion in her eyes.
"I quit. I'm done with the rodeo, that's why I'm here...let me go get Sarge and I'll tell you all about it," Karlie told her then ran back through the house and outside. She let Sarge out of the car and then took him to the grassy area on the side of the house and let him do his business. When he finished, she walked with him back into the house, then went to the kitchen.
"You quit?!?" Cassie said incredulously as soon as she came back in the room, then added, "But you and Katie are the best damned female team ropers in the country!"
Karlie shrugged then told her, "I'm tired of the grind. The traveling sucks, and I've had my moment in the sun...time to let some other cowgirl shine."
"That can't be all of it...I thought you loved the rodeo," Cassie said shaking her head.
"Well Jake kinda helped my decision...you remember Jake Johnson?"
"The bull rider?"
"Yeah the bully that rides bulls..." she told her friend. Jake had been getting rough with her lately and she was done with that and him, as well as the rodeo.
"Bully?" Cassie said then her eyes narrowed and her face flushed, "Did he hurt you, Karlie?"
"He's roughed me up some, but I left before he really hurt me. If he finds me though, it won't be pretty," Karlie told her, knowing that was putting it mildly. She'd stolen his dog and his meal ticket all in one swoop.
"Well, you're welcome to stay here. Luke won't let him hurt you, will you, darlin'?" Cassie looked adoringly up at him and Karlie's heart clenched seeing the love flowing between them. One day she would find someone to love her like that, but Jake sure wasn't the one. He'd been nice enough the first few months they were together, but once she moved into his travel trailer with him, he'd gotten mean, and everything she did seemed to aggravate him.
"If he shows up here, I'll show him how it is to face someone his own size, for sure. You're safe here, sugar," Luke promised her, anger and seriousness glittering in his eyes.
"I can sure use your help with my horses too...did Cole tell you? I started breeding and training quarter horses,' Cassie told her with a bright smile.
"He sure did, and that's why I headed out here when I left Dallas, to see if you would hire me..." Karlie told her, then added with a laugh, "Well, other than to see you that is."
"Your hired," Cassie stood up and grinned, "Let's get started...I want you to meet Titan."
Luke pushed her back down in the chair and said, "Whoa there, sugar. You agreed to rest a couple hours, so I'll show Karlie the barn...You can show her Titan later this evening."
Cassie's face dropped, "Aw, c'mon, honey. I haven't seen Karlie in years, we have a lot of catching up to do! I can rest later."
Luke didn't say anything, he just stared at Cassie, then her chin dropped, and she said, "Okay, I guess I'll got upstairs for a little while. It is pretty hot outside, and my ankles are swollen...god, I can't wait til this kid is born." She pushed up out the chair and walked over to put her arms around Luke and hug his waist. He kissed her hair then Cassie squeezed her arm when she passed by on her way out of the kitchen.
Karlie smiled and told Luke, "She sure is a lot mellower than she used to be, huh? Pregnancy and marriage agrees with her."
"As long as I keep her supplied with blueberry Pop Tarts, she's a kitten. She runs out and I hide," Luke snorted, then told her, "Let's go, I'll show you the barn...you want to sleep out in the bunkhouse with Bud, or here in the house?"
"I'd feel safer in the house, if you have room, if not the bunkhouse would be fine," Karlie told him.
"We have plenty of room, I'll find you a bedroom when we get back."
He led her out the back door and to the barn. It looked like a new barn, and it was beautiful. She saw the stalls had turnout paddocks behind each one, separately fenced for each horse. She looked over to the right of the barn and a good ways back she saw an outdoor arena, and what looked to be a huge indoor arena. "This place is awesome...ya'll have outdone yourselves."
"It's been a lot of hard work, we just did get both the arenas and the round pen done before the wedding, and before Titan came home."
"The barn looks new too?"
Cole's face turned red and he cleared his throat, "Yeah, we had a fire on the day of our wedding and the barn was a total loss, but we didn't lose any horses, thank goodness."
"Wow, that must've been devastating..." Karlie couldn't believe the wedding actually took place, if that happened
on their wedding day!
"It was, but things are back to normal now...and Titan and his ladies have a new and improved barn to live in."
"I can't wait to meet him, but I want Cassie to show him to me," she grinned up at him. "She'd be mad if you ruined the surprise."
"No, problem there, this is her operation, she calls the shots," he told her and smiled.
"So what are you up to these days, if she's running the horse operation?" she asked as he led her to the last stall on the aisle.
"Well, I was Sheriff, but I resigned and bought the cattle herd from Carl. Cole and I run that, and I help Cassie with the horses, and Carl with the crops. Our herd is kind of small right now, just a couple hundred head or so. We had a sale recently."
"Sounds like ya'll are pretty busy...let me know if you need help with the cattle," she told him with a laugh. "I'm pretty handy with a lasso."
When someone said, "I've seen your skill with a rope up close and personal, Karlie," they both turned and saw Cole walking down the aisle, his face was red and pinched, his hands fisted at his sides.
He was in his Sheriff's uniform, and Karlie knew exactly what he meant and why he was here. She swallowed hard and forced a smile then said, "Hi, Cole..."
"Don't play innocent, Karlie--turn around and put your hands up against that stall," he told her and pointed at the stall next to where she was standing.
"What the hell, Cole?" Luke said incredulously and stepped between her and Cole.
"Gabe stopped her and she hog-tied him," Cole said and Karlie could swear the corner of his lips twitched, but he told her firmly, "Do it Karlie, now..."
She nodded then turned her back to them and put her hands on the stall and spread her legs. Unfortunately, she knew this routine too well. The 'Wild Child' of the pro rodeo circuit had had plenty of scrapes with the law, but none this serious. She knew she was in deep shit for what she'd done. "Luke can you and Cassie watch Sarge for me? I only did it, because he was going to throw him in the pound...and I couldn't let that happen."
"Yeah, we'll watch him, but wow, Karlie, that's pretty damned serious," Luke told her in a concerned voice. "I thought you might have settled down some, but obviously not."
"I'm not nearly as bad as I was, Luke...I just did what I had to do. I told him I was sorry and I called help for him, but I had to make sure Sarge was safe. I was going to tell you and turn myself in, but Cole beat me to it. That guy was a rude ass anyway."
Cole piped up in an agitated voice, "You were doing a hundred and five miles an hour, Karlie. He deserved to be rude, and a lot more. You're damned lucky he didn't impound that hot rod you drive."
"I'd have done more than hog-tie him if he'd touched Freddie. You know how I feel about that car," Karlie said then gave Cole a heated glance over her shoulder. Her uncle, the closest thing to a father she and Katie had ever known, had given her that '71 Lincoln Coupe for her sixteenth birthday. He was gone now and that's the only thing she had left of him. "You don't mind if I leave him parked here, do you Luke?"
"No, that's fine," he told her, then added, "I guess Cassie's gonna have to find someone else to help out with the horses."
"No! Please don't do that--I'll work this out, I promise," she said and spun around to face Luke. "I need this job, please, Luke..."
"Okay, Karlie...we'll wait a little while and see what happens," Luke said although he didn't look to sure about his decision.
"Turn around, Cassie, let's get this over with," Cole told her then put his hand on her shoulder. She did and he lightly patted her down, then loosely cuffed her hands behind her and recited her rights to her. "I hate to do this, but I don't have a choice. You made a really bad decision, sugar."
Karlie nodded and walked with him toward the front of the barn. She'd made a lot of bad decisions lately, her first was coming to this town at all. There weren't many other options for her, but she could have found something. She could ride and rope, and work cattle, some ranch would have hired her as a hand, but she knew Cassie, and wanted to work with horses.
Big mistake there, because of one tall, dark-haired, handsome jackass of a deputy.
CHAPTER TWO
Karlie and Cole rode to the police station in complete silence. Karlie looked out the window the whole time, wishing she were anywhere but here. Emotion welled up inside of her and she felt tears sting her eyes. Karlie wasn't a crier, she thought it was a waste of time and water. Usually she faced the world with a stiff upper lip and a rigid determination to make things better for herself on her own, because she knew nobody else was going to do that for her. Katie, her twin sister, was the crier, in touch with her softer side.
This was going to be an exception. If she didn't let got of some of the anger, sadness, hopelessness and regret, she felt like she'd explode. With her almost empty wallet, thanks to the ATM card she'd given Jake on her account to pay the bills, there wasn't even a hope she was going to be able to make bail.
Karlie knew it was probably going to be set high, because of the seriousness of what she'd done. So, until they arranged a trial, she was going to have to be a guest in the Bowie jail. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked out at the dry Texas landscape, saying goodbye to her freedom with each mile they got closer to the jail.
Cole pulled his truck up in a spot right in front of the station, then came around and released her seat belt, and helped her out. They went inside and there was a gray-haired woman at the front desk who looked at them curiously, as Cole led her into a glass-fronted room that had a counter with a camera and screen, and a finger print blotter.
Karlie knew she must look a mess, she probably had mascara down to her chin. She hated taking a photo the way she looked, but she couldn't do anything about it. With a sniff she walked in front of the screen and faced the camera, then Cole got behind the camera and snapped a shot. The bright light blinded her and she saw spots as he gently took her arm and opened the cuffs. She rubbed her wrists then he took her hand and pressed each finger on the blotter and transferred black ink fingerprints to a card.
He looked up at her and said with sadness in his tone, "Dammit, Karlie, why the hell didn't you just let Gabe bring you in? It's killing me to do this to you."
Karlie pinched her lips tight to stop the sob that wanted to escape, but the tears were another story, it seemed like once she'd let them loose, they weren't going to stop. Cole wiped a couple away with this thumb then took her arm and led her back out of the room, and through a door and to a gate with bars, where he put in a key and opened it then led her inside.
Panic flooded through her when Cole opened a cell door, and Karlie dug in her heels. Cole pushed her a little to encourage her to move forward, and she went inside and walked over to the single cot against the wall and laid down. Tucking her hands between her knees, Karlie faced the wall, and her body began shaking, as she gave in to the scalding tears forcing their way out.
"I'll bring you some lunch in a little while," Cole told her and locked the door. She didn't want food...the way she felt right now, she probably wouldn't be able to eat again until this mess was over.
She didn't know how, but she'd fallen asleep and didn't stir until keys in the metal lock of the cell woke her up. Disoriented for a second, she looked at the white wall in front of her, then down at the rough sheet on the cot where she was laying. Her eyes felt like they had sandpaper in them and she rubbed them, then sat up on the cot, and turned toward the door.
It wasn't Cole standing inside the cell, but Gabe standing there with a white paper sack in his hand and a soft drink. His face was blank as he walked over and held it out it to her saying, "Cole said to bring you lunch...here it is."
Karlie felt the endless supply of tears start again, and she'd be damned if she let this man see her cry. She laid back on the bed and turned toward the wall again, then told him in a watery voice, "You eat it, I'm not hungry...but thank you."
"You've got to eat...I'll leave it on the bench over here. Eat it when you'r
e hungry," he said and she heard him walk away, then lock the door, before he left.
Gabe thought Karlie Upton looked about as pathetic and dejected as any prisoner he'd ever seen. Guilt washed through him, but he stomped it down and told himself the woman was getting exactly what she deserved for what she'd done...and for making a fool of him. If she wanted to starve herself to death it was no skin off of his nose. But her sad blue eyes had lost their spunky sheen from when he'd encountered her on the highway, and he felt a strange sense of loss.
Walking into Cole's office, Gabe sat down in the chair in front of his desk. He didn't like the look on Cole's face either, serious and concerned. "You bring it to her?" Cole asked him.
"Yeah...she said she wasn't hungry," he told him, his hands gripping the chair handles. Dammit, why the hell was he worried about the damned red-haired hellion too? Because even though Karlie Upton had lassoed him and tied him up, she'd apologized and called help for him. And he had threatened to send her dog to the pound. That didn't make what she'd done right, but after he cooled off and thought about it, Gabe admitted he probably could have handled the situation better.
