Chapter Three
Jenny sat on the dining chair, her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee. Not even the scent of her chocolate mocha creamer pulled her out of the shock of finding out her ex had been identified as the man breaking into her pasture. But why? He couldn’t be the one mutilating her cattle. Just no. Their break up wasn’t pretty and she certainly wouldn’t win any awards for being the most congenial of ex-girlfriend’s, but he lived about an hour away and the commute, along with the fact that she still harbored feelings for Caid, had done them in.
She rubbed the bridge of her nose. Caid worked at the stove, his back to her, frying up bacon and eggs, maybe even some hash browns. She really wasn’t paying attention. His phone buzzed, and he glanced at it.
“The Sherriff’s Department has all the information. I’m sure we’ll hear something shortly.” Caid didn’t miss a beat, flipping the bacon while he spoke.
She nodded, having given his phone numbers—damn her for still having them memorized—and work and home addresses to pass along.
He slipped the food on the plate and put it in front of her. “Eat. It will help the shock wear off.”
He spoke like a man with experience, and she really didn’t want to think what sort of things would shock a man like Caid. He set his own plate down and took the chair opposite of her.
“I can’t believe Jon would do anything like that,” she said after he’d stared at her long enough to force her to eat a slice of bacon. She washed it down with some coffee. “He works at the local radio station. He wouldn’t even go into the barn, and I couldn’t convince him to get on Sooty, who is the most laid back horse I’ve ever ridden.” Her stomach rumbled again and she realized she was hungry. She grabbed another slice of bacon.
“Sometimes you don’t know what people are capable of,” he replied. “I’m not sorry I’m here. Just wish it was under other circumstances.” His phone buzzed again and he glanced at it, then stood and went into the living room to answer it.
The few muttered curses she heard told her whatever it was, the news wasn’t good.
He strode into the kitchen and sat back down again with a frustrated growl. “Your ex wasn’t at his work or home. In fact, his boss said he hasn’t been in all week and that the next time he sees him he’s fired. The sheriff says he’ll keep an eye out, but with no warrant…” He shrugged.
Jenny set down her bacon, struggling not to gape at Caid’s words. “That doesn’t sound like him at all. He won like attendance awards when we were dating or got a bonus or something because he’d never missed a day of work. What now?” She fought the panic bubbling in her throat. No lead on Jon, who was breaking into her pasture, or the people mutilating her cattle. She squeezed her eyes closed, vowing not to cry. Not in front of Caid. Instead, she opened them and focused on shoveling the breakfast into her mouth quickly so she could start her day. She wanted to check fence in the pasture next to where they were this morning, and also wanted to see about getting a ride in on hopefully both Bubba and LeRoy.
Her cell rang. Shelby. She smiled. At least her vivacious friend would have some story or juicy gossip from the cafe and be able to take her mind off of her current problems.
“Hey girl, you will never guess who came into the cafe this morning for breakfast.”
All of her hopefulness faded away. “Jon?”
“How’d you guess? Anyway, he orders and says nothing to me, then I hear him on the phone. It sounds serious. He hangs up quickly when I bring his breakfast. Well one of the regulars must have recognized him, because he says, he’s missed listening to him this week. He barks at him, says he’s not going back to that shithole and didn’t even tip.” Shelby finally paused for a breath.
Jenny sensed Caid standing over her shoulder and she put a hand over her phone. “Shelby saw Jon at the cafe.” She removed her hand, just in time for Shelby to say, “I didn’t tell you that your brother came in the other day with the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. I want introductions, if you know what I mean.”
Jenny rolled her eyes and saw Caid grinning from ear-to-ear. She decided to dampen his enthusiasm. “Ask my brother. I have cattle calving.”
At least Caid had the grace to look upset.
“Or maybe you’re going to keep him for yourself.” Someone yelled in the background. “I’ve got to go. I’ll swing by tonight on my way home from work. I want you to get all the details from that brother of yours, or maybe his wife by then. Okay?”
“Sure, whatever, Shelby. Thanks for letting me know.” As soon as the call ended, she put her phone down. “Jon was at the cafe this morning. Where the hell were your guys?” She stared slack-jawed at him. Sure, have the law look for him in the next county over, but not even in Eagle Rock. Not that she should have to tell these guys how to do their jobs, but did they not even consider that he could be in town if he was in her pasture last night?
“I don’t know,” he said. “I thought they’d be on it. How long ago was he there?” He grabbed his phone and dialed in a number without waiting for an answer.
She caught his words as she typed a text to Shelby. Her friend couldn’t take calls at work. Gossip that juicy had to come by phone, but it could have been on her break.
“Hank there?” His scowl deepened. “Have him call me as soon as he gets back in.”
“Ten minutes.” Jenny relayed the answer as soon as it came in, still wondering why the hell she had to do the leg work for these guys.
A moment later Caid’s phone rang. He answered. “I’m putting you on speaker,” he said to the person on the phone, then turned to her, “it’s Hank.”
“I’m sorry, Caid. Local law enforcement said they stopped him and he had an iron-clad alibi. They couldn’t hold him. We showed the video to them and it wasn’t enough.”
“We have solid ID. What the fuck was his alibi?”
“He was with his girlfriend all night. The complex has cameras and he’s seen going in about eight last night and leaving around four thirty this morning.”
“To go to the cafe for breakfast? Without his girlfriend?” None of this sounded like the Jon she knew. None of it. And it still didn’t make any sense.
“I’m sorry, Jenny. I don’t like this anymore than you do.”
Truth radiated from Hank’s voice, and she nodded. “All right. So what’s our next move?”
Hank chuckled. “We’ll continue monitoring. Caid, I’m sending someone so we can keep a man out there at all times and you don’t have to divide your time between protecting Jenny or her cattle.”
He opened his mouth to object, then he shut it. “Yes, sir. Thank you.” The call ended after a few more moments.
“Protect me? I’m not in danger. My cattle are.” An image of the young calf born during the night filled her mind. To have it harmed would be like a knife in the gut.
“We don’t know if they’re going to expand. Nothing is adding up about this.”
“Which is why I don’t really want Logan to know.” She frowned. “Except it’s probably too late.” She stood and grabbed her plate, taking it to the sink. She looked out the window, seeing cattle dotting the landscape, and sagged against the counter. Her fingers curled into the granite hard enough to turn her knuckles white and she gave a heavy sigh that turned into a sob.
As before, Caid was there, his arms around her and pulling her back against him. She went, willingly, needing something concrete to hold onto right now. Her ex-boyfriend, a jealous somewhat narcissistic asshole, was—she didn’t know what he was doing and they better find out quick. Caid’s large hand cupped her cheek, tilting her face toward his.
“I swear to you, we won’t let you down. We’ll find him and we’ll stop him.”
The intensity in Caid’s voice shook her to her core. She believed him. No hesitation, no fear. The anger she’d felt earlier, driven by frustration and exhaustion, ebbed into a need to be held, to be protected.
“Yes,” she whispered.
His lips met hers, no longer a hesitant, tentative kiss testing the attraction between them. No, this was a primal need to claim, to protect, to make sure she knew that he would cover her and keep her safe—no matter what. She met his passion with her own, opening her mouth and raking her fingers through his short hair. A step backward had her against the counter, the edge biting into her ass. Outside full daylight had broken. Distantly she registered she should be out doing chores, but then his hand slid along her ribs, fingers grazing the edge of her breast and she forgot about them, forgot about everything except Caid.
She arched her back and opened her mouth, inviting him to explore deeper. Jenny clutched at his shoulders, then slid her hands between them to work on the buttons of his shirt.
A low moan rumbled through his chest.
The masculine sound sent a rush of moisture to her pussy and suddenly she couldn’t get enough. She pulled open his shirt, certain more than one button went pinging across her kitchen floor, and flattened her hands on his chest. Warm skin over hard muscles met her palms, and she gently curled her fingers into him. The slight flick of her nails along his collar bone forced a groan from him, and when they parted for air, both of them were breathing heavily.
A knock on the door interrupted them.
“Damn,” she muttered and checked to make sure her clothing was in place. Mostly it was, and she squeezed out from between him and the counter. “I’ll get it.” Not that she was sure her legs would work, but the distance would help.
“Let me.” Heedless of his open shirt, Caid strode to the door.
~* * *~
That had been close. His cock still throbbed, though iron will brought it back within submission. He glanced out the door, nodding when he recognized his buddy.
“Bull,” he said as he opened the door. “How the hell are you?”
“Doing better, man.” A tall man with a dark complexion man stepped into the room. His black hair was growing out, making it stand up all over his head, and his thick eyebrows hung over chocolate brown eyes that had seen way too much. He had more bulk on Caid, though both men were of the same height. He wrapped Caid in a bear hug, pounding him hard enough on the back to make him cough. “Hank sent me.”
Caid turned at Jenny’s entrance into the room. “This is Jenny Ryder. We can fill you in. Jenny, this is Greer Gorsch, but we all call him Bull.”
“Pleased to meet you,” she said, stepping forward with her hand outstretched. “You’re the one Hank sent to watch the back pasture.”
He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” He glanced at Caid with a knowing look.
Caid gestured to the couch. “Why don’t you sit down? We’ll fill you in and get you on your way.”
“Will you be out there all the time? Or should I make up the couch for you?” He sensed Jenny’s nervousness around the new arrival.
“I’ll be fine in the pasture, ma’am. I have a tent I can pitch somewhere where the cows won’t trample it. My goal is to watch the gates and the livestock. I have my own tablet so I can see the cameras, just like you can.”
Jenny stood. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to go to the barn. I’ll leave you two to talk.”
“Check in if you decide to go beyond the arena,” Caid replied. She chafed at the words, then opened the curtains in the living room, making sure that he could see the arena from there. “Thanks.”
She hurried from the living room, and as soon as the door was closed, he turned to Bull. “How are you doing?” he asked for real this time. “I heard Wings has been moved to rehab?”
Bull remained silent for a moment, the horror of what he’d seen unfold directly in front of him visible in his eyes. “I’m hanging in there. I saw Wings before flying out here. Logan convinced me to come work for Hank. Said you guys are still living the mission only with less danger.”
“We’re not parachuting into war zones anymore, that’s for sure. Glad you’re here. There’s no one else I’d want to watch my six.” He sensed Bull didn’t want to talk about what had happened. Maybe someday he would. “We rode the pasture last night. I can show you where you can pitch your tent.” He rose to his feet.
“Everything is in my truck.”
The two men stepped outside and Bull tossed a large bag into the back of Caid’s truck. He checked with Jenny; she was saddling the horse she called Bubba and promised not to go any farther than the arena. He hated to leave her, but he needed to show Bull where he could set up, plus he wanted to point out the sites of the mutilations. A moment later, he was driving down the lane that lead to the back pastures.
By the time he pointed out the mutilation locations, and showed where the tent could be set up at the end of the lane, where three gates came together, at least an hour had passed. He drove back, thinking maybe he and Jenny could pick up where they’d left off.
He pulled up to the barn, noticing Bubba stood in the center of the arena saddled, reins draped a bit too low, and Jenny nowhere in sight. Shit. He threw the truck in park and jumped out. “Jenny! Jenny!”
“In here.” Her voice came from the barn with a pained edge to it.
He ran to her, then saw her sitting on a bale of hay, a dishrag wrapped around ice pressed to a nasty looking goose egg on her forehead. Damn it, he shouldn’t have left. The sinking feeling in his stomach had been telling him something was going to go wrong—he should have listened. He gingerly pushed her hair back away from her face. “What happened?”
“Something spooked Bubba. Sounded like a gun shot. We were doing ground work and he kicked out. Caught me just enough to send me tumbling to the ground. Hit my head on a damn rock.” The way she said the last made it clear she thought it was a stupid injury.
“You might have a concussion.”
She shook her head, then braced her hand on his shoulder, as if that wasn’t a good idea. “Nah. I’ve had concussions before. Just hit a bit too hard. I thought I’d put some ice on it and let the swelling go down so I could take care of Bubba.”
“Let me.” The idea that she’d been here, alone, and the sound of a gunshot? He and Bull hadn’t heard anything, which meant it had to be close to the house. “I’ll take care of him and then have a look around. You stay right here. If you need something, yell.”
He waited until she assured him she would, not that he thought she’d get farther than the house at the moment. That was a nasty lump and she’d feel it in the morning. Bubba gave him no trouble as he untacked him and brought the horse back into his stall. He heard her murmur to him that it wasn’t has fault, and when he left, she was leaning on his stall door calling him names and petting him. The big lunk of a gelding was soaking it up, clearly besotted with her.
In the arena, he found what looked like a skid mark across one of the fence boards. There, in the post, about an inch and a half deep, was the bullet. He opened his pocket knife and with a little wiggling was able to pry it out. A jacketed hollow point 9mm round. He didn’t know the specifics and wondered if Hank had a forensics guy on staff. Following the bullet’s trajectory, his blood ran cold. Head height for Jenny, probably level with his shoulder, and just shallow enough into the arena to scare the crap out of someone, or something. Had the assailant planned on Jenny getting hurt? Was it designed to just scare her or harm? Either way, he didn’t like it.
He exited the arena, walking over to a low building he assumed to be either storage or the well house, because a hydrant stood next to the building. Scuffed footprints, sneakers not cowboy boots, indicated someone had stood there. He knelt and stared at the prints. A bit of water had pooled under the hydrant and the sole of the shoe had made an imprint. An odd imprint, maybe something fancy—again a question for a forensics guy—smaller than his own size twelve shoes, maybe a ten. He wondered if Jenny knew her ex’s shoe size. Something else caught his attention. A business card for something called UFOP with a name scrawled on it with a phone number. He flipped the card over; the backside was blank. Frowning, he tucked the card into his pocket, then hurried back to the barn where Jenny once again was sitting on the hay bale.
“You feel like you could make it to the house?”
“Yeah. I’m feeling better.” She held up the soggy towel. “And I could use a refill.” She stood, a little wobbly, but not bad.
Caid wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her into the house. He didn’t want her to have to navigate the stairs to her bedroom, so helped her lay down on the couch, then carried the soggy dish towel into the kitchen and made a fresh ice pack for her. He texted Bull to let him know what had happened and then called Hank.
When he returned, Jenny’s eyes were closed. He thought about going on past, but she held out a hand. “Stay,” she said. “I was right, wasn’t I? It was a gunshot.”
“Yeah.” He pulled out the card. “Do you recognize this handwriting?” He held it out to her.
She sat up, winced, then holding only the edges as he did, looked at the card. Her expression said it all, though when she handed it back she confirmed. “That’s Jon’s writing. Where’d you find that?”
“Over by the hydrant. I think that’s where the shot came from.”
“I don’t understand,” she said. “Not about the shot and the card,” she added when he began to explain again. “My ex knew nothing about guns. We never talked about them, but he never hunted or target practiced like my brother or some of the other guys. And why would he want to shoot me? Our breakup wasn’t the easiest, but it was pretty mutual.” She frowned. “I know I keep saying this, but none of it makes sense.”
“Let me get my laptop. See what I can find out about this company.”
The sound of a truck in the driveway made them both look.
“It’s Shelby. I’ll let her in.” Jenny stood and headed for the door.
Caid blocked her. “I’ll get it.”
She sat back down again with a sigh.
Nothing was going to get between them again. Whatever the hell was going on with her ex, he’d found out.
He opened the door. “Shelby.”
“Oh.” A grin spread over her face. “If you and Jenny are busy…” Her tone made it very clear what kind of busy she was talking about.
A man can wish. Caid opened the door wider.
“Jenny!” She rushed in and sat down next to her, leaving Caid to close the door with a bemused smile. “What happened?” She glanced back to Caid. “Did he—?”
“God no!” Jenny said. “Bubba got spooked and knocked me down. I found a rock with my head.” She grinned and put the ice pack down. “Nothing a few aspirin won’t fix. What are you doing here?”
“I had to tell you, I don’t know where your brother finds his friends, but did you know he came in to get a couple slices of pie to take home and had some big guy he kept calling Bull with him. Man, I wish I knew where to find him…”
“He’s in my pasture, keeping a look out while Caid watches out. Shit, Shelby. I didn’t want to worry you, but someone’s been attacking my cattle. We think it’s Jon.” She glanced at him, and he realized they probably should have discussed who to tell what. Then again, having a bit of information in the wild, as it were, might be a good thing.
He nodded, telling Jenny that she could continue.
“That’s horrible! Why would Jon do such a thing?”
He ducked upstairs as Jenny began another rendition of “I don’t know” and grabbed his laptop. He brought it downstairs with him, then sat down with his laptop. “Hey Shelby, you wouldn’t happen to know anything about UFOP.” He pulled the card from his pocket. “Ashlyn?” He struggled to read the scrawl.
“UFOP? Yeah, they’re apparently putting on some big UFO festival somewhere close to Billings I think. Do you think Jon would be working with them? Like maybe as part of the radio station or to get some musical talent in?”
“It sounds possible.” It also made it more likely that Jon had been the shooter. His phone rang; the caller id said it was Hank. “Excuse me,” he said, as he stood and stepped out onto the front porch to answer. He stepped back in and relayed the news that Kellan would be here soon from the state to run the forensics. He glanced at the business card, still held next to his cell. No doubt he’d ruined whatever evidence might be on the card and frowned.
Shelby stood and headed for the door. “When you decide to quit hoarding all the hotties, send ‘em my way,” she said.
Jenny shook her head and Caid admitted the blush creeping over her cheeks looked cute. “I’ll tell Bull you’re looking for him.”
It was Shelby’s turn to blush a vivid pink, striking against her bright red hair. The door closed behind her and she was gone.
“I’m sorry. Shelby can be—”
“A handful?” Caid grinned. “I think Bull can handle her. How are you doing?” He sat down next to her on the couch and brushed his fingers over her forehead. She winced when he neared the goose egg, though it wasn’t as bright purple as it had been.
“I feel better, thanks.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drew her close, wanting to simply hold her. She nestled against his shoulder, her eyelids drifting closed. The rightness of this moment settled in his chest, made him wonder not for the first time what would happen when this mission was over. Erica and Logan got together during, and after their mission. They’d even gotten married, so he knew it was possible. Other guys had found their life partners. Though Hank’s rules required him to be professional and stay on the job at all times, there was nothing against a little fraternization.
Gently, he smoothed her hair away from her face, listing to her deep, even breathing. Could the cattle mutilations be some kind of stunt? It seemed odd, and why would her ex shoot at her if so, but considering that there was a hungry fan base of anything UFO, and some of the more hard core types followed cattle mutilations or little gray men sightings—like something out of the X-Files—and they could probably make good money selling any “evidence” they had. The theory made as much sense as anything.
He saw a truck pull into the drive with some kind of insignia on the side. Easing his way from beneath Jenny, he left her sleeping on the couch and stepped outdoors.
A woman, tall and muscular, built like she could throw down with any of them, her short dark hair cropped beneath the F.S.D. navy blue ball cap she wore, and the jacket embroidered with her name and Montana Forensics Science Division identified her as Kellan. Caid instantly knew he was going to like her. He stepped forward and held out his hand. “Caid Janda. You must be Kellan.”
“Kellan Tooken,” she said in a slightly Canadian accented voice. “Hank told me you’d be here. What do we have?”
He briefly explained the shot and the cattle mutilations. She seemed particularly interested in those, and he wondered if there were other cases. He made a note to pass it along to Hank. Rank and file guys like him weren’t on the “need to know” list for such things usually. Once he pointed out the bullet hole and fished the bullet from her pocket—clearly aware he’d made a rookie mistake by pocketing it and the business card—and where he’d seen the foot prints, it was obvious Kellan didn’t need him and he was only going to get in the way. He let her know he’d be in the house if she needed anything.
He stopped in the barn. Bubba hung his head over the open stall door looking forlorn, as if he were afraid he’d done something wrong. Maybe that was how he’d ended up at the auction where she’d rescued him from. The big gelding had such as soft eye, Caid went over to him and scratched him behind the ear. “It’s okay, big guy. I know you didn’t mean to hurt her,” he said. The horse sighed and pushed its nose against Caid’s chest as if to further punctuate that it was sorry for whatever happened. He stood there for long moments, thinking how nice it would be to come home to Jenny, to the horses, the farm, even the sounds of cattle in the distance. No bombs. No war zones. No need to rush through downed men and covering fire to try and save people.
Movement at the end of the barn aisle caught his attention. Kellan strode toward him. “Thought I’d find you here. I’m done with my work for now. You’re free to move about the property. I’ll have my people call your people with the results.” She grinned.
“Thanks.”
“Nice horse. Is he yours?” She stopped next to Bubba, who immediately stuck out his neck for attention. She rubbed the side of his neck until he relaxed, lips slack.
“No, but he was in the arena when the bullet was fired. I was making sure he wasn’t harmed.”
“That’s nice.” She stepped back. “Anyway. I should have results in a few days.”
“Thanks.”
A moment later she left the barn and he heard her truck leave. Caid gave Bubba one last pet on his neck, then hurried into the house where Jenny was waking up from her nap.