A Box Full of Trouble

by Carolyn Haines

  The tears in her eyes when she turned struck him in the gut. That they were tears of fury, rather than of sorrow, made them no less wrenching.

  “I’m going to kill him.”

  She wasn’t, Dirks knew, referring to either Markham or Tarent.

  Chapter Five

  As Markham cautiously exited her property, Avery turned to find Leanne and Tucker at her heels. Both looked as furious as she felt.

  “Jerk,” Leanne muttered.

  Tucker snorted, his glare fixed on the shiny truck and trailer. “Jackass, I’d say.”

  “You heard his claim?” Avery asked.

  “Enough.” Leanne’s angry glance turned to worry. “You think he’s telling the truth?”

  Avery sighed. “Unfortunately, yes, which means we need to keep a close watch on things for a while. Craig’s going to be frantic if he’s taken that much of a man’s cash for an animal he doesn’t own and can’t produce. Markham said ‘yearling’ but I’ve no doubt all of the horses are at risk. And for who knows how long.”

  “I’ll put a cot by the yearling paddock tonight,” Tucker said grimly.

  Leanne nodded agreement. “And I’ll sleep in my barn. Close to Jack. And maybe we should keep Jack and his offspring in their stalls at night for now so we can watch them. We’ll just have to get them out for a few hours during the day between their appointment times.”

  That would be extra work for her team and Avery absolutely hated the thought of not giving all of the animals every hour of their precious paddock time. The yearlings had a long open-sided shed for shelter in their pasture, but, unless there were storms in the forecast, the others were up during the intense heat of the day and turned out at night when temperatures were cooler and the sun wasn’t a blistering orb overhead. Still she couldn’t disagree with Leanne’s rationale.

  As much as she wanted to tell her team these precautions wouldn’t be necessary, she feared they might be. “It seems Craig really had expected a different ruling from the judge,” she admitted as much to herself as to her team.

  As Leanne and Tucker went back to their barns and their work for the afternoon, she felt Dirks’ patient gaze on her and turned back to him with a sigh. None of this would look good in regard to her application. It was hard not to feel discouraged when she should have been able to enjoy the euphoria of her divorce being finalized and the ranch still safely in her name. Craig had no legal claim to land or horses but apparently he didn’t plan to let that stop him.

  Dirks didn’t say anything for a minute then he asked, “How much of an alarm system do you have?”

  She blinked, pulling her mind in this new direction. “Well, it’s pretty good for foaling mares but probably not much use for preventing theft. I’ve got cameras set up in the box stalls. I guess we could shift those toward the main entrance to the barn and figure out how to better secure the side exits. It might take some rewiring.” Avery felt completely out of her element at the thought. “I might be able to get the guy who installed them to come out and make the adjustments.”

  “Let me study the setup first. It may just be a matter of repositioning the cameras without moving them all that far.”

  Avery hesitated, looking into his eyes and trying to gauge his thoughts around what was happening at the ranch and her future plans. “You don’t have to help me do this, you know. I don’t want to delay what you’re here to do. Getting approved by your government for the veteran equine therapy program is important to me.”

  Dirks raised his brow quizzically. “My government?”

  She winced at her own word choice. “I’m not much into the political scene but sometimes I think those of us who have to work to survive have been abandoned by the politicians.”

  Dirks’ smile was slow and devastatingly sexy. Not something she wanted to think about right now for sure.

  “Let’s put that conversation on hold for another time. I’ve read through ample files for now and I’ve got plenty to absorb. Sometimes keeping my hands busy while I think things through allows me to keep those thoughts productive.”

  “Okay.” She hesitated. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “Be on standby in case I need something from a building supply store.”

  “Actually, I’ve got some errands to run in town.” It was a spur of the moment decision but he didn’t need to know that. “If you find you need something, Tucker can call me.”

  “I’ve got a better idea.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “What’s your number? That way I won’t have to disturb Tucker if he’s giving a lesson.”

  She hesitated only a moment before giving it to him. A moment later a soft ding sounded in the silence between them.

  He looked at her. “Now you have mine as well.”

  The moment felt uncomfortably intimate, as if they weren’t standing in the middle of her drive in the afternoon heat talking about ranch security.

  “Do you need to take my truck?” It was a reminder that her vehicle was incapacitated - and why.

  “No, there’s a work truck. It’s not pretty but it runs well. Carlee uses it more than any of us when the ranch needs something that isn’t big enough to schedule a full delivery.”

  “You’ll be back before dark?” His tone was entirely too casual and he smiled at the scowl she shot him and lifted his hands in a gesture of innocence. “Hey, in case I need you to bring back something to ensure security here is as effective as we can make it.”

  Although she still suspected his goal was to make sure she was safely at the ranch before nightfall, she didn’t argue the point. There was peril out there. She couldn’t even begin to guess the next direction Craig would take. In fact, if Carlee wasn’t back when she returned, she’d check on her as well. Touching base for safety’s sake was something they’d rarely felt necessary in the past but it certainly seemed warranted now.

  * * *

  My dilemma … Do I remain here and secure the perimeters? Do I dog the heels of Ms. Gorgeous? Now there is an apt turn of phrase. Dog the heels. Canines are such insecure and servile creatures, continually at their masters’ beck and call. Felines, thank goodness, do not serve. We do not have masters. We have humans we select based on their willingness and adeptness to serve us. In turn, we guard and protect.

  Therein, I believe, is the answer to my quandary. As precious as the ranch is to Ms. Gorgeous, more precious is she to my beloved Tammy Lynn. Her protection is paramount. Clearly, my duty is to accompany and safeguard my ‘temporary’ human.

  Now my only difficulty will be to either convince her that it’s best I’m at her side or to ensure my presence is detected too late for her to prevent my accompanying her. Since she doesn’t know me sufficiently well to fully appreciate my value, I do believe I shall take the less obvious route. While she gathers whatever she needs from inside, I’ll scout around to locate and investigate this work truck and hope that it’s both accessible and more comfortable than it sounds.

  I do believe this must be the vehicle in question, behind what the humanoids refer to as Barn One. It’s a bit dusty but not nasty, has a scratch or two in the bed which I accessed with an agile leap. However, there does not appear much in the way of comfort or camouflage back here. Hmmm, luck is with me. This front window is lowered just enough for my strong, yet streamlined build to climb through. And, more luck, although the floorboard is not carpeted, there is what appears to be a stadium throw on the back seat. A little tug and … there … it’s now on the floor and I am out of obvious sight. In fact, if I nudge my way in just a bit more, I’m fairly certain I’m not visible at all, even should Ms. Gorgeous wisely peer into the back before climbing in herself.

  The door opens and there she is. Yes, she leans over for a quick peek before settling into the front. If I accurately recall the drive from town, I believe I have time for a small, rejuvenating nap.

  * * *

  Avery loved the town she’d chosen as her own. There was a quaintness that spoke to that sent
imental part of her but also a bustling energy that promised growth and success for the future. Her future. Despite the continued threat of Craig’s antics, she felt hopeful now for the first time in a long time. The weight of a bad marriage was lifted.

  Parking in front of the sheriff’s office, she stepped out and was somehow not surprised to see a sleek black pelt emerge from the back seat before she could close the door of the truck. “Really?” she asked in exasperation.

  Two brilliant green eyes blinked, unfazed by her less than welcoming expression. It was too hot to leave him in the truck so Avery scooped him up and carried him inside with her.

  Sheriff Farley was waiting in his office as he’d promised to be when she’d called on her drive into town. He lifted his brows at the cat in her arms but didn’t comment as he stood and stepped around his desk to give her a quick hug. He closed the door to the open area where the dispatcher and a small scattering of officers were dealing with the mountains of paperwork associated with law enforcement. Despite the busy atmosphere, the place had a sense of order to the chaos. Paper everywhere; dust nowhere. That was Ben’s influence, she knew. He came across as a rough and tumble sort of man, but she’d never seen him in a uniform that was rumpled or stained unless the damage had occurred in the line of duty.

  Before Craig came along, Ben had asked her out to dinner while picking up his emotional pieces after a tumultuous divorce. She’d agreed on condition they went as friends, sharing the check along with dinner, conversation, and a bottle of wine. That friendship had worked for them better than any romance could have and stood strong to this day. Ben had since re-married very happily.

  With the door closed, Avery placed Trouble on the floor. She wasn’t entirely sure why she was taking so much care to keep him close and safe. This was surely one cat that was completely self-sufficient. His home with Tammy Lynn was many miles away but he’d brought himself here and Tammy Lynn seemed to have no qualms about his absence.

  “Sit down, Avery.” There was real concern in the southern inflection of Ben’s gravelly voice. He took the chair beside hers, on the visitor side of his desk. “How are you?”

  “Frustrated,” she said honestly. “I should be happy and peaceful and I’m frustrated that I’m not – that I can’t be. I knew Craig would be angry, even hostile, at the judge’s decision but now it seems he’s way more than that … I think he’s a very, very desperate man.” She described the scene with Markham, concluding, “… and that’s on top of the damage to my SUV. I mean, honestly, Ben, bullets?”

  The concern in his eyes deepened. “Not just any bullets, Avery. They came from a high-powered rifle some distance away. That wasn’t someone who whipped a concealed carry out of his pocket and fired in a moment of anger. It was planned and accurate, assuming the windshield was the intended target.”

  “So it could have been an accident. Someone shooting at something or someone else and my SUV was just in the way.”

  “Could have been.”

  She read his tone. “But you don’t think so.”

  Apparently, Trouble didn’t think so either if the restless whipping of his tail was any indication. He aimed that green stare on the sheriff’s face.

  “No, I don’t, not unless they were shooting at Craig while he was hell-bent on cutting your tires,” he admitted. “In any case, I suggest you keep your guard up every second.”

  Her shoulders sagged. “I will, Ben, but this isn’t what I need to be doing. I need to get busy repairing the financial damage Craig’s already done to the ranch, not worrying about what additional mischief he’s planning.”

  Ben rubbed his clean-shaven jaw. “Avery, I’ll tell you, I’m not so sure the damage to your SUV was Craig’s doing, at least not from an intentional standpoint. From what I’ve been hearing, I’d say Craig’s gotten himself in pretty deep debt, maybe with some pretty nasty people.”

  “Just what is it you’re hearing?” Avery heard the trepidation in her own voice. “What kind of nasty people?”

  “High-flyers … big league gamblers. You knew Craig frequented the casinos quite a bit?”

  Avery nodded. It was no secret around town, either, she knew. Frustratingly, she’d had to pay Craig’s delinquent accounts with more than one local tradesperson until her attorney had secured a legal separation in advance of the actual divorce. That document had allowed him to post in the paper on her behalf stating she was no longer financially responsible for Craig’s debts.

  “Well, seems he’s been playing with money that wasn’t his to spend, trading on what he hoped to get from the divorce settlement. That fancy trainer at your place this morning? His employer called me about five minutes after you did. Wanted a deputy to escort the rig back out to the ranch to ‘claim his property’. Somehow thought I’d be impressed with his credentials. He’s got a better grasp of the situation now and I hope he’s too smart to do anything illegal, but we can’t count on that. And there’s no telling who else is out there that Craig’s made some kind of deal with. Craig’s in over his head, Avery, and he’s made some really bad characters really angry.”

  Panic hit Avery deep in her gut. “So what are you saying? I’ve got to worry about real danger, physical danger, to the ranch, to Leanne and Tucker as well as Carlee and the horses?”

  “I’m afraid that’s exactly what I’m saying. You’ve got my personal cell. Don’t hesitate, not even one minute, to use it if something doesn’t seem right, feel right, smell right. You call me.” His words were emphatic.

  Avery felt sick to her stomach as she stood to leave the office. Bending, she scooped Trouble up in her arms once more. “When can I have my SUV back?”

  “As soon as it’s repaired. We’ve found all we’re going to there. I called the dealership and they picked it up with orders to replace the tires and windshield and front seat. They’re to have it detailed inside and out. I let your insurance agent take some photos while it was here and everything’s approved, said she’d get the paperwork out to you in a day or two. They’ll call you when it’s ready.”

  “Oh, Ben,” her voice caught, “that’s above and beyond. I appreciate it so much.”

  “And I’m not done with this investigation, Avery, I promise. Now you let me know at once if anything suspicious happens. No matter how small it seems to you.”

  Ben hugged her again on her way out, a friendly, reassuring hug that did nothing to reassure her. Nothing at all.

  * * *

  And wasn’t that just cheery, but – of course – nothing I didn’t already suspect. I had Craig Danson pegged for a tosser from the moment I spied him threatening Ms. Gorgeous. I tend to agree with the good sheriff’s evaluation of things, as little as I like it. There is evil afoot and that makes my presence all the more requisite. I had wondered at the start if perhaps I’d misread the situation – an e-mail exchange between long-time friends can be totally ambiguous with all those happy faces or frowny faces instead of real words – and that, perhaps, Ms. Gorgeous had not really needed my able and expert assistance. But it’s clear, now, that her woes were in no way resolved with the thud of a gavel and the granting of a divorce.

  I must somehow ensure she shares what she’s learned here with Mr. Military. He has resources that can complement my natural sleuthing abilities.

  * * *

  Out on the sidewalk, Avery checked her phone. Nothing yet from Dirks. She hesitated, tempted to check with the dealership, though it seemed unlikely they could have her SUV ready that afternoon. Besides, there were things she needed to pick up at the feed store as well as from the hardware that were better suited to the work truck. She could have everything delivered, of course, but her nerves were jangling and she needed the normalcy of running errands, of taking care of business. Her business.

  She was greeted warmly at the feed store and felt completely comfortable putting Trouble down to roam on the wide-planked wood flooring. The earthy scent of feed, stored hay, and gardening supplies helped settle her nerves.

>   “What are you needing today, Ms. Avery?” The young woman was summer college help for Barton Feed, but Avery had always known her to represent the interests of the owner well. Kelly was casual in denim but her tee was neatly tucked into the waist of those jeans. Avery envied her the easy, breezy attitude of youth, but not the remembered burden of working her own way through an education.

  “I don’t need much,” Avery admitted. “Carlee will be placing the regular order tomorrow, I think. I mostly just wanted to stop in and see what you have new by way of tack. I do need to pick up a couple of wheelbarrows. I’ve got the truck so we’ll just load them in the back.”

  “I heard about your car,” Kelly said sympathetically. Her glance was curious but she didn’t press when Avery simply nodded in response. “What style of wheelbarrow did you want?”

  “The oversized hard plastic we got last time works really well. It doesn’t rust out like the metal ones always do. I’m just tired of us having to share between the barns and I’m hoping I have Barn Three full and in business before the end of the year.”

  “Well, you’re in luck. We’ve got three in stock, right now.” While Kelly picked up a radio from the counter and spoke to someone in the yard, Avery crossed over to the wall of tack bright with rhinestones. “I need you to load two of those heavy-duty wheelbarrows into Ms. Danson’s truck. Yes, the black ones.” She listened again to the other side of the exchange. “Thanks, Jerrod.”

  “What else can I get for you today, Ms. Avery? Something with glitter and shine?” Kelly’s tone was hopeful though she’d know from experience that wasn’t the style typically delivered to the ranch. Carlee held to the durable, good quality leather equipment the store kept on hand or special ordered for the ranch.

  “Not for me, but sometimes I think something sparkly would be real pretty on Jack.”