Meant to Be My Cowboy

by R. C. Ryan

  “That’s me.” He touched the rim of his glass to hers. “Always thinking.”

  He sank down on the footstool and surprised her by lifting her stockinged feet to his lap and rubbing a thumb along her instep. “It’s funny. I’ve grown up here on this land, watching herds of mustangs all my life. And there have been plenty of times when I felt really happy to see them. But lately, seeing them through your eyes, it all seems new and different. I see them now and feel that tingle, as though I’m seeing something rare and wonderful for the first time.”

  “They are, Jonah. Rare and wonderful. And magical. Something happens to my heart whenever I’m lucky enough to spot them. But today, having the chance to stand and watch without being seen was really special. I kept hoping they wouldn’t melt away as they usually do. Instead, they stayed and grazed and played, allowing us to get a glimpse of their lives up in the hills, away from humans. They reminded me of a big, happy family. Like yours.”

  “We are happy.” He looked thoughtful as he took a drink of wine. “And close. We’ve always been able to share in good times and bad.”

  “Have there been bad times?”

  “Too many to count.” His smile returned. “But the good outnumber the bad.”

  He stood, gently lowering her feet to the footstool as he vacated it. “I promised to feed you.”

  “Yes, you did.” She was already missing that gentle massage of her foot.

  He crossed to the small kitchen area before reaching into the refrigerator and removing several takeout cartons.

  Annie stood up. “As long as everything is cooked and ready to eat, I can assemble it. That’s how I’ve survived life in the city. Let me help.”

  He handed her two bowls and a container before placing another container in the microwave.

  Minutes later she had put together their salads of greens, assorted sliced vegetables, croutons, and grated cheese.

  She dipped a spoon into a small lidded container and gave a nod of approval. “Oil and red wine vinegar. How did you know it’s my favorite?”

  “I remember everything about you. What you like. How you taste…” He removed the takeout from the microwave, missing the look on her face as he assembled lemon chicken and bow-tie pasta in a creamy sauce on two plates.

  Next he lifted a low table in a corner of the room and positioned it in front of the fire. While Annie carried their plates and bowls to the table, he tossed several cushions on the floor and snagged the wine bottle.

  Lounging side by side, they dug in.

  “Oh, Jonah.” Annie wrapped her arms around her knees and stared into the fire. “You’re so lucky to have this retreat. And to think you built it yourself.”

  “When I started it, I just wanted something quiet.” He chuckled. “You may have noticed that we Merricks are a noisy bunch. I’ve always craved long blocks of silence, in order to work.”

  He looked around with a sense of satisfaction. “And I learned that I like working with my hands almost as much as with my mind.”

  “I wouldn’t have expected the two to be compatible.”

  “I know what you mean.” He nodded in understanding. “But, in fact, while I’m doing physical work, my mind is free to work out the kinks in the story playing in my head. And then, when I sit at the computer, I’m ready for the stillness that comes with the job.”

  “Was your family surprised by your success?”

  He thought about it for a moment. “They’ve always been supportive, but I’m not sure anybody expected this.”

  “I’ve never seen you doing publicity for your books. I suppose that’s why I didn’t recognize you when we first met. Except for your photo in the back of your book, there’ve been no TV interviews or any of those in-depth articles in newspapers or magazines.”

  “And there won’t ever be any, if I have anything to say about it.”

  “I don’t understand. Doesn’t publicity sell books?”

  He gave a dry laugh. “I’m sure it helps. But I like my life the way it is. I’m as much a rancher as a writer. Here in Wyoming, I get to enjoy the best of both worlds. I’m not willing to sacrifice my privacy for fame.”

  “So, privacy matters.”

  He nodded and reached for the wine, topping off their glasses.

  Annie grew silent as the fire burned low.

  “A penny for them.”

  She looked up and gave a dreamy smile. “As someone who grew up in the city, I wouldn’t have understood your need to stay here on your ranch. But now that I’m here, I can’t imagine leaving all this behind for something as fleeting as fame.”

  He couldn’t mask his surprise and his pleasure. “You get it?”

  “Of course. Today, watching that herd of mustangs, I found myself fighting tears. I kept thinking that it was almost too mystical to be real. Hiking these hills, watching wildlife most people will only see in movies and magazines, seems like a dream come true to this city girl.”

  He was silent and watchful as he studied her, hoping to mask the storm raging inside. It mattered to him that she loved his way of life. It mattered to him that she could see and understand all of this. Then again, everything about Annie was beginning to matter to him. But he wasn’t ready to put his feelings into words. Not yet.

  She put a hand on his. “What’s wrong, Jonah?”

  “Nothing’s wrong.” He glanced down at their hands before looking into her eyes. “Everything about you is right.”

  “I don’t under—”

  He set aside his wineglass and touched a finger to her lips to still her words.

  With his index finger, he traced the curve of her eyebrow, the outline of her mouth before splaying his open palm on her cheek. “Annie Dempsey, you take my breath away.”

  “And you”—she took his hand and placed it over her heart—“feel what you do to me. My heart’s…”

  Her words died as his mouth covered hers in a kiss so hot, so hungry, he nearly devoured her. He changed the angle of the kiss and took it deeper, until she wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kisses with a fervor that matched his.

  Jonah buried his face in her hair. “I think…we were meant to be, Annie. When you walked up to my cabin, I knew it was fate.”

  Her breathing was as ragged as his. “I kept thinking the same. That somehow, in all of Wyoming, I’d just found the one man I couldn’t wait to see again.”

  “And here we are.” He kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, the corner of her mouth before staring at her with naked hunger.

  “Kiss me, Jonah. Right now.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He took her fully into the kiss while his big hands moved over her, lighting fires wherever he touched.

  And then they were lost. Lost in the most exquisite pleasure.

  When they came up for air, he fixed her with a look so hot, so fierce, she felt her heart contract.

  “Stay the night, Annie.”

  Before she could react, the ringing of his cell phone had them both looking up sharply.

  He studied the caller ID. “I have to take this. It’s Gramps.” He pressed the button, saying, “Hey, Gramps. What’s…?”

  He paused before saying, “We’ll be right there.”

  He returned his phone to his pocket. “Gramps Egan just heard from Newt Calder. He said as soon as we get to the house, we’re to call him back.”

  “Oh, Jonah.” Annie clasped his hand between both of hers.

  They’d gone suddenly cold, Jonah noted.

  “Come on.” He carefully banked the fire and disposed of the remains of their meal, before setting the dishes in the sink.

  Within minutes they were in his truck and heading toward the ranch house.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  When Jonah parked the truck and walked with Annie up the steps, the entire family was waiting on the porch. From the empty plates and cups on side tables, it was obvious that they’d just finished their dessert in the evening air.

  Egan stepped forwar
d, offering his phone to Annie. “Newt was sorry you missed his call, but he said to tell you he’s home all evening and will talk to you as soon as you call. Would you like us to leave you alone?”

  She shook her head as she pressed the number and put the phone on speaker. “There are no secrets here. You all deserve to hear whatever he has to say.” She looked around with a nervous smile. “After all, you’ve generously offered me your home and whatever help I need. How can I not share whatever I learn? We’re in this together.”

  While the phone rang, Jonah took her hand, as if to lend her his strength.

  His tender gesture wasn’t lost on the others, who watched in silence.

  “Newton Calder here.”

  At the sound of Newton’s voice, she said, “This is Annie Dempsey. I’m using Egan Merrick’s phone. I have you on speaker so everyone can hear what you have to say.”

  “Annie, thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Let me begin by saying that I spoke earlier with Noble Crain, so I know you stopped by to see him.” Newton chuckled. “I’m glad you’re pushing the chief for answers.”

  Annie asked breathlessly, “Have you learned anything more about Arlen Lender?”

  “Only that he seems to have no police record. That may mean he’s using an alias.”

  “The chief said as much.” She shared a look with Jonah, who kept her hand firmly in his. “Is there anything else?”

  “I’m afraid not. He’s still a mystery. But I want to talk about the woman who opened a bank account in your name. I assume you’re familiar with the bank’s security video showing a woman resembling you.”

  “Yes. Though she’s wearing the same coat, the woman isn’t me.”

  “That’s easy enough to say, but it remains to be proven.”

  At his words, Annie felt a quick shudder of apprehension.

  Newton continued. “And I believe I can do that.”

  She closed her eyes in relief, and Jonah drew an arm around her shoulders, sharing her relief, while the others gathered even closer, afraid to miss a single word being said.

  “Let me come back to that after I tell you this. I requested the bank’s surveillance of its parking lot and discovered the vehicle used by the woman who opened that bank account in your name. I asked a favor of the federal lab, who enhanced the video enough to reveal two things—a male driver and the license number for that vehicle. They’re running the numbers now, and I hope to have the name of the person it’s registered to by tomorrow.”

  His voice lowered. “As we all know, identity theft has become commonplace, and it’s usually used to open credit cards. But creating a false persona requires a bit more effort. It’s been my experience in cases of false persona, that the thief goes to great lengths to use the right clothing to either remain anonymous, or in this case, make the person easily identifiable to the bank clerk. A bright red coat like one you admit you own leaves an indelible impression on witnesses.”

  Annie and Jonah exchanged a knowing glance, and the family was reminded of her earlier insistence about that very thing.

  Newt continued. “But unless that person is a twin, it is possible to prove the woman in the security video is not you. So I will be sending a text spelling out some specific poses I want you to take while being photographed and videotaped. As an example, I’ll be asking you to pose alongside a desk and a chair of certain proportions, so that the lab can measure your height, weight, and hand positions against the person in the video. I believe it will prove conclusively that the person who opened that account in your name was not you.”

  For the first time since the phone call began, Annie felt something in her chest loosen as she breathed deeply. “Oh, thank you, Newton. Send those directions and I’ll get you every photo and video you need as soon as possible.”

  “Tonight,” he said firmly. “And since you happen to have a professional photographer at your disposal, I know they’ll be exactly what I ask for. I’ll forward them to the lab, and they can get started tomorrow morning.”

  Everyone turned to Liz, who was smiling and nodding her agreement.

  “Newton, thank you again. I’m so very grateful for all you’re doing.”

  He chuckled. “Thank you, Annie Dempsey, for giving me this opportunity to step out of retirement once more and pit my skills against a worthy opponent. Although I enjoy being retired, there are times when I miss the thrill of the hunt. Don’t lose hope. We’ll be in touch soon.” With that, he said his goodbyes and disconnected the call.

  Annie handed over Egan’s phone as the family gathered around her.

  When the text came through, Egan handed his phone to Liz, who read it through before taking Annie by the hand and leading her inside, with the family trailing behind them.

  For the next two hours, while the others watched, Liz posed Annie in the family’s big office beside the desk, standing alongside a chair of a specific height, leaning at the desk and writing with a pen, and even looking directly at the camera.

  She then, per Newton’s instructions, went through the poses a second time, with Jonah holding a tape measure from Annie’s hip to the desktop, which had books added until it was the exact height ordered by Newton, and from Annie’s waist to the arm of the chair.

  As they worked, Ham turned to Egan. “I think I know what Newt is getting at.” He pointed to the tape measure. “Nobody, with the exception of an identical twin, would match Annie’s exact measurements. By comparing the security photos to these, the federal lab technicians will be able to prove that the person opening that bank account wasn’t Annie.”

  Egan nodded. “I’m telling you, Newt’s the best investigator the state ever had. He cracked more cases than anyone else during his years with the force.”

  Gradually, as the photo session wore on, the family drifted off to their rooms. It was after midnight when Liz, Annie, and Jonah walked to her studio in the barn and she sent the photos off electronically.

  She turned. “Okay. We’ve done all Newton asked us to do. Now the rest is up to him.”

  As the three left the barn and made their way back to the house, Jonah offered an arm to both women. Walking between them, he said, “It’s funny. When I wrote my first book, I phoned Newt several times to run some scenarios past him to see if they were believable. As always, I was impressed with his sharp mind. Even in a fictional scene, he could point out the glaring errors.” He turned to Annie. “Now, facing a real crime with dangerous criminals, I’m so glad Gramps has a friend like Newt. I hope he can ease your mind, at least a little.”

  He could just make out her smile in the darkness. “Though I haven’t met Newton yet, I already trust him completely. Like you, I admire his sharp mind and his eye for details.”

  Jonah held the back door.

  Before going their separate ways, Annie gave Liz a warm hug. “I’m sorry you had to miss your sleep for all this.”

  Liz returned the embrace. “Annie, I’m so happy I can help in any way. I just know those pictures are going to be an important piece of this puzzle. Now, let’s all get some rest. Good night.”

  Jonah pressed a kiss to her cheek. “’Night, Aunt Liz. And a million thanks.”

  She turned away, while Jonah and Annie climbed the stairs.

  They paused outside her door and he opened it before switching on the light.

  In the open doorway, he gathered her close. Against her temple he murmured, “Will you be able to sleep at all tonight?”

  She pushed away a little to look into his eyes. “Probably not. I can hardly wait to hear from Newt.”

  “If he’s right, and those photos prove the woman is an imposter, it will force the authorities to broaden their search.”

  “I know. Oh, Jonah. I want that so much. I want so desperately to be vindicated.”

  “You will be. Hold on to that thought.” He kissed her as gently as he would a sister. But in the space of a heartbeat the kiss deepened, until they were both sighing.

  He lifted his head and
glanced beyond her. “If you’re not going to sleep much, I could always stay…”

  That elicited a quick smile. “Nice try.”

  He shrugged. “Can’t blame a guy. After all, we were rudely interrupted back at the cabin.”

  “Yes, we were.” Her smile became a low chuckle. “Sorry about your bad luck, cowboy.”

  With a devilish grin, she lifted a hand and began closing the door.

  He put out a foot to stop her. “Not even a little show of compassion for the guy who drove you to town and took you hiking before feeding you?”

  She leaned close and pressed a quick kiss to his mouth before stepping just as quickly away. “Thank you. And good night.”

  “I had something more in mind.” Though he tried to look aggrieved, his smile said otherwise. “But I’m learning to be a patient man. There’s always tomorrow. ’Night, Annie.”

  She closed the door and listened to his footsteps cross the hallway. She heard the door of his room open and close.

  And then, as silence settled over the big house, she walked to the window and stared at the moon, riding high in the darkened sky.

  Newt’s phone call had given her much more than a hint that she might be able to prove her innocence. Though it was a baby step, it meant that with Noble Crain on her side, and Newton Calder working his magic, and Jonah’s amazing family believing in her, the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders.

  If only her uncle could be as open-minded as this family. Though it caused her a great deal of grief, for now she would be grateful for the support she’d found here in this place.

  That phone call had given her what she needed most right now.

  Hope.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  With the morning chores completed, the family gathered in the kitchen to enjoy Billy’s breakfast. The wiry little man with the bowl haircut and laughing blue eyes always saw to it that they left the table on a high note, ready to tackle whatever the day brought them.

  When Egan’s phone rang, he studied the caller ID before handing it to Annie.