Chapter Seven

“What do you mean, missing?”

Dyna tugged at her tousled hair, her gaze hitting the ruined barn and then the big stable where she could see her hired workers scurrying around. “We need to find him.”

She took off toward the main stables, a sick burn singing her stomach. “Mark, saddle Champagne for me!”

“I’m coming with you,” Rico said, right behind her. “Saddle me a horse, too.”

The confused stable hand hurried away to do their bidding. Soon they were saddled up and riding toward the west arena.

Dyna shook her head. “What do you think?”

“That someone took him during the fire.”

“But we had two grooms watching out for him.”

They came to a fork and turned southwest. Still no sign of anyone about. No Domino flying with the wind. Dyna’s gut burned with worry.

“Mark said it took several of them to get him moved from the stable, but Eddie put a towel over his head and talked him down so they got him in the west arena.” Slowing the horse named Scout that Mark had given him, he added, “Eddie stayed with him. Has he ever ridden Domino before?”

“No, but he’s good with Domino. So Eddie stayed with him and no one saw or heard anything. No calls for help?”

“Exactly,” Rico said when they came up on the dark arena.

After they’d dismounted and tied their horses, he said, “This one is more isolated than the others, but Domino was still near the other horses pastured nearby. There was a lot of confusion when the fire started. If Domino bolted, someone had to have held the gate open for him. The arena is intact, no signs of forced entry. I’m concerned about Eddie now, too.”

Dyna glanced around, squinting into the moonlight. “This is eerie. Eddie could be somewhere, hurt or worse.”

“We might want to call the sheriff,” Rico said. “No, make that, we need to call the sheriff.”

Dyna nodded. “I agree. But I don’t know where my phone is.”

“I have mine.” He pulled it out but when he went to hand it to her, she shook her head. “You make the call and then … Rico, call Sean Knight, too. Time to call in the posse. I’m officially hiring the Knight Investigation Agency.”

“Done,” he said, pulling out his phone.

Dyna got a high-powered flashlight from her saddle bag. “Meantime, let’s look around. Eddie wouldn’t leave Domino and he sure wouldn’t let him go. Maybe Eddie took him back out and somehow Domino got away.”

“I don’t know,” Rico said. “Too much of a coincidence that we have a fire and everyone starts running in circles … and now a very expensive horse is missing.”

“I have to agree,” she replied, holding her flashlight high. “I should have listened to you earlier but it all got kind of crazy there for a while.”

“Yes, it did,” he said. “Somebody must have been waiting and watching. They had to have planned this for weeks.” He pointed his flashlight to a copse of scrub oaks and cacti hiding the trail through the foothills. “I think they must have taken him that way.”

Her eyes held his and from the powerful beam of their lights, she saw the apprehension in his gaze. “So … this was all a set-up to get to Domino? Someone went to a lot of trouble.”

“How else could they steal a skittish, dangerous animal?”

“I know he’s valuable but most don’t want to fool with him,” she admitted. “We have to find him. I thought horse rustlers were a thing of the past.”

“Still happens,” Rico said while they saddled up. “That’s why Texas has the TSCRA—a cattle raisers association that handles all kind of issues for ranchers. They deal mostly with stolen cattle, but the occasional horse, too.”

“Yes, I’ve heard of that organization. We have a cattlemen’s association and they do pretty much the same but we haven’t had anything like this lately. I’ll feel better hiring the Knight Investigation Agency.”

“We’ll figure this out,” Rico said, coming to stand next to her. “Let’s walk the perimeters of the arena while we wait for the sheriff and Sean.”

She followed him out into the dry, craggy terrain. The temperature was already dropping and soon, full dark would cover them. Rico helped to calm her with his easy-going manners and knowledge of horses. Having him here with her gave her the courage to keep the faith.

But that didn’t stop her from worrying.

“I’ve got too much at stake to mess around with this. One of my barns is ruined and now my favorite saddle bronc is missing. I’ve had enough for one day.”

“More than enough,” Rico said. “Let’s see if we can find any tracks or any riders. They’ve already got a couple of hours on us. The sooner we move the better.”

Dyna motioned toward the trail. “Let’s look for tracks—horse tracks and … a trailer’s tracks.”

Because she knew what could happen to Domino if someone planned to take him to an illegal auction or worse, directly to the slaughter house.

* * *

Rico dismounted an hour later and stood staring at a dry ravine. After giving the sheriff a report, they’d sent out riders into all four corners of the ranch while they stayed here in hopes that Eddie would show up, but all reports through phone updates and two-way radio were negative. No sign of Domino or Eddie Anderson.

“If they came this way, they brushed their tracks,” Dyna said as she lifted hair off her neck. “But then, whoever this is—they’re smart enough to know how to do that.”

Rico got back on Scout and tore his gaze off her slender neck and shoulders then stared across the rocky terrain. “I’m pretty sure they waited for the right time. And they guessed that you’d move Domino away from the commotion and excitement of the explosion and fire.”

“It’s late and it’s dark. Too dangerous out here. Why don’t you let me take you home?”

“No, let’s go a little farther,” Dyna said, getting back up on Champagne, obviously named that because of his light tan coloring and white markings.

Thankful for the moonlit night, Rico couldn’t help but think how ethereal she looked on the beautiful light-gold horse.

And he needed to stop thinking that way. Exhausted and aggravated, he followed her.

The woman might be beautiful, but she was also stubborn.

Sean and the others had gone off in several directions, but Sean kept him up-to-date. And he already had Michael and Jesse working on digging up employee information and checking phone records, both working from afar for now with information Dyna has asked her mother to send them.

Scout, a slender but sturdy Quarter Horse, chomped at the bit but Rico held him steady.

As they headed into the foothills and canyons, moving quickly at times and stopping to check rocks and breaks in the dry soil, Rico couldn’t help but notice again how beautiful Dyna Malloy looked riding Champagne.

“You know how to handle a horse,” he said, hoping to get her to open up a little.

She held her flashlight up with one hand, and managed Champagne with gentle nudges in the direction of the light’s flow. “Well, I was probably sitting on one the day after I was born, if my father’s tall tales were any indication. He wanted a boy, of course. So he tried to turn me into a tomboy.”

“Are you a tomboy?”

“Yes, but … I love girlie things, too. Shoes, I have to buy shoes.”

He chuckled at that. “I like those boots.”

Giving him a sideways glance, she asked, “Are you trying to distract me or flirt with me?”

“Maybe both?”

Her eyes widened and then she frowned. “Stop it,” she said on a light tone. “I don’t have time to flirt back.”

“But you are a distraction.”

“Well, get over that notion, too. I’m going to find my saddle bronc. And I hope whoever took him got the ride of his life.”

She took off but Rico slowed and studied the countryside.

Then he took off after her.

“Hey, I think that’s what happened.”

She pulled up, causing Champagne to dance and snort. “What?”

“What if someone rode Domino out of here?”

“That’s impossible. None of my hands would dare even try that,” Dyna replied, frustration edging each word. Then she let out a gasp, “Unless he went docile on them and decided not to buck. Could that have happened?”

Rico wondered the same thing. “If a person knew how to get the flank strap on him and tighten it just right, Domino could go all stubborn and refuse to move. Or at least refuse to buck.”

“And if they didn’t ride him, they could have forced him into a trailer. But how did they get a trailer onto my land?”

“I haven’t figured that out yet,” Rico admitted. “But I will.”

“Unbelievable.” Pushing at tendrils of loose hair, she said, “I hope he’s safe and that Eddie is with him and okay.”

“Do you know of any bronc riders who’d have it in for him?”

She shook her head. “We tried him last year in January and he threw off two newcomers. Then word got out and everyone wanted to draw him. A challenge to the best of the best. He was doing great, throwing off riders left and right. Then … he just stopped last month.”

“Has anyone tried to ride him since he choked?”

“No. I mean we pulled him from the circuit because no one wanted to draw him after the video went viral. A lot of contractors told me to put him to pasture. He was done. But he’s not done.”

“He’s got a mean streak, but something else is off with him,” Rico said. “I did plan to ride him and I will once we find him.”

“You think we’ll find him?” she asked, her voice gravelly with emotion. “My daddy kept him around because of me and I thought once he’d matured a little he’d be better but … now … I might not ever see him again. He has a chance to be a true champion if we can figure out what’s going on with him. Your theory on the flank strap does make sense.” Looking out into the darkness, she asked, “Why didn’t I catch that?”

Sensing her agitation, Rico pulled close again. “Hey, we’re gonna find your horse. He has a soft spot for you so we’ll go with that. Horses have a good instinct. Domino will pound anyone who comes near you and … so will I.”

“That’s sweet of both of you,” she said, her stern features showing how much she worked to control her emotions. “But Domino is not here to defend me. I need to be out there defending him, fighting for him, and I don’t know where to start.”

Lifting away, she grabbed the reins back and took toward the far side of the ranch. “I’m going to look in one more spot.”

“Dyna, wait. It’s too dangerous to keep going without others with us. Let’s call everyone in. We can start fresh in the morning.”

“Suit yourself. I’m not going to sleep tonight so I’m going on.” Then she galloped away.

Rico had no choice but to follow her.

His phone buzzed. “Hey, Dyna, a new report,” he called, glad that she turned around, her flashlight shining through the desert darkness.

Wendy Malloy spoke in no uncertain terms. “Bring my daughter home. Now. We found her phone but not her and I went into a panic looking for her. I found out she’s with you, so that better be the case.”

“She’s here,” he said, wondering how he could convince Dyna to wait until first light to continue the search.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Wendy said, her voice shaky. “Everyone else has returned. They’ve found nothing. The sheriff says he’s got people out looking for any wayward trailers or any mentions of illegal auctions.”

“That’s a start. I’ll tell her.”

“Who was it?” Dyna asked, bringing Champagne up beside Scout.

“The sheriff is calling off the search until daylight,” he said, not mentioning her mother had been the messenger. “You’re needed back at the house.”

“But—”

“Dyna, it’s dark and dangerous out here. You know that. Whoever took Domino is long gone by now, but the locals are putting out feelers for anyone wanting to sell a horse or auction a horse.”

“They can paint him and sell him with phony papers,” she said, anxiety in her words. “They could be taking him to a slaughter house right now.” She looked into the muted moonlight. “I can’t go home yet.”

Rico grabbed her reins before she could take off. “The best thing you can do for now is to go home and try to rest. We start fresh tomorrow. The Knight Investigation Agency has people all over Nevada who will put the word out. They’ve already sent photos of Domino to all the legitimate auction houses and stock contractors. And we’ve got a chain of ranchers and horse lovers on the watch, too.” Leaning close, he added, “Let me take you home.”

She sat staring into the night for a couple of moments and then finally looked at him, tears in her eyes. “He’s out there all alone, Rico.”

“Domino is a smart animal,” Rico said, trying to reassure her. “He’s balking for a reason. And … he’ll buck for a reason, too. Someone is messing with him but he knows it and now we know it. Whether they want to make him even meaner and sell him at a profit with false papers, or whether they want to do him in and sell him for slaughter, they are messing with the wrong saddle bronc, okay. We’ll find him and we’ll make them pay.”

Wiping at her eyes, she nodded. “Okay. I’m cold and tired and I’m not thinking straight. Let’s go home. For now.”

Rico let out a sigh of relief. He’d only known this woman for less than twenty-four hours but already, his heart beat faster around her. Already, he knew she could meet him measure for measure and run circles around him.

Already, he knew he wanted to keep her in his life.

But first, he had to find Domino for her.