Chapter Thirteen

“Dyna?”

Dyna unlocked her clinched hands and looked over at her mother. They sat together in the jump-seat of the truck while Rico was riding shotgun with Edwin up front. “Yes?”

“We didn’t finish our conversation. Are you sure you’re okay with … Edwin and me?”

Dyna took her mother’s hand, the fragility of Wendy’s fingers and hand making her wish she’d taken more time to sit and talk with her mother. “I’m okay, Mom. I’ve been grieving Daddy in my own way, but I have to remember that my way might not be the same as yours. I’m sorry I’ve treated you so badly.”

“You were hurting and … I had to respect that,” Wendy said. “I didn’t plan on dating again, let along marrying. But … you are strong and smart.” Glancing at Rico, she smiled. “I can move on knowing you’ll take care of business and maybe find a little happiness for yourself.”

Dyna nodded and smiled, secure in the knowledge that she could do that with or without a man. “I can live with that.”

But she hoped Rico would stay in touch, at least.

Because Rico could be a big part of helping her to heal.

Once this was all over.

Once she could breathe again.

Wendy smiled back, their hands joined across the seats.

“Not too much further,” Edwin said, his eyes glued to U.S. Highway 95. “Just a few miles past Corn Creek from what the GPS is saying.”

“You’re speeding,” Wendy said. “Be careful. But go as fast as you can.”

Edwin hooted with laughter and then rammed the gas pedal.

* * *

Rico held on, eager to hear from Jesse or Michael.

From what he could glean, someone from Mesa Malloy had joined up with a notorious group of horse rustlers. But who?

Sandie Benton? But how had she pulled it off?

Had Eddie agreed to help but maybe changed his mind at the last minute? No, someone else who knew all the ins and outs of the ranch had to be involved. James Roy came to mind. No one had located him over the last couples of days. Odd.

And who was the tall man with streaked gray in his hair?

Rico thought back over all the people he’d met early yesterday. From Edwin to Wendy to Eddie and Mark, the firemen and several other hands. None of them stood out. Until he remembered seeing one man, very briefly.

He turned in the seat. “Dyna, have you talked to Jonah Stewart today?”

Dyna didn’t respond for a couple of heartbeats. “No, come to think of it, I haven’t even seen him.”

Wendy let out a gasp. “Hey, me either. Where’s he been?”

“He was at the hospital with Eddie,” Dyna said. “Or so we heard.”

Rico twisted in the seat. “He has dark hair peppered with gray, right?”

“Yes,” Dyna said, lifting up to hold onto the back of Rico’s seat. “Yes, he does. And he’s tall and wears a cowboy hat most of the time. He could be the man Sandie was arguing with this morning.” Turning to Wendy, she asked, “Why would Jonah want to steal Domino? And why would Sandie talk to him at all? They don’t even like each other.”

Edwin huffed. “Money. Plain and simple. If they messed with Domino long enough to get him off the circuit but stole him to sell to someone who thinks he can make him a champion bucking horse again, they could have asked for a high price. Then they’d make off like the thieves they are.” He grunted and made a sharp turn. “’Course, we’d never see hide nor hair of him. They’d take him off to South America or some other place far from Vegas.”

“How?” Wendy asked. “He’s branded and well-known.”

Rico hit the dash. “Phony papers and a few tricks here and there. They could change up the brands and even dye his coat. By the time the buyer figured things out, they’d be long gone.”

Rico called Michael. “We might have an ID on the tall man.” Filling Michael in on the details, he told Michael to look up Mesa Malloy and find Jonah’s picture. “You can send it to the locals and see if you spot him.”

Michael asked, “How far out are you? Cella loaned us a trailer and four horses. Hid the trailer on a deserted road and Jesse and I took two of them. Sean’s with the others, saddled and ready to go.”

“About fifteen minutes. Edwin, me, Dyna and Miss Wendy.”

“That’s an interesting posse,” Michael said. Then he changed his tone. “We’ve got action. I think they’re loading a trailer of horses right now.”

“We’ll check back when we reach the check point at the gas station,” Rico said. Putting away his phone, he turned to Dyna.

“They’re making a move.”

“Go fast, Edwin,” she said.

Dyna didn’t think she could stay in this truck much longer. Michael and Jesse were both watching the ranch now. They’d gone on foot to the fence line surrounding the out-of-the-way ranch.

“I’m afraid we won’t make it,” she said, worry causing her head to throb. “Let’s forget waiting at the gas station.”

Edwin turned to Rico. “What do you think?”

Rico didn’t hesitate. “Let’s stop and meet up with Sean, since he’s expecting us. He has two horses ready if we need them. We might be able to work our way to the load-in.”

“Okay.”

Dyna agreed with him in theory, but she wanted to see these people face to face and ask them why they’d done this. And she had a weapon to help persuade them.

Rico called Sean. “Miss Malloy wants in on this.”

Dyna waited while he listened.

“I know. I’ll tell her.”

Rico turned in the seat. “Look, I’m sorry. It’s too dangerous to go rushing in there. We need proof that we have the right people. The sheriff has deputies on horses and on foot covering the woods all around the place. They’ve had several reports of stolen horses over the last few weeks. So they think they’ve finally found their men. We can’t mess this up, not only for you but for all those other ranchers who need to find their animals. We wait here for now, okay?”

Dyna didn’t like it but she nodded.

When they pulled up behind the deserted gas station, Rico got out and opened Dyna’s door. “I’ll go.”

“What?”

“I said, I’ll go. I can talk to Sean and he and I can take the horses and make our way to the edge of the ranch and watch for any other entry ways.”

The thought of something happening to Rico caused Dyna’s heart to skip about ten beats. “No. I’ll ride with you. I can’t let you go in there without me.”

Sean came up to the truck. “They’re moving out. It won’t be long.”

“What’s the plan?” Rico asked his cousin.

“The sheriff will stop them and ask for ID and papers while Michael and Jesse ID Domino and try to get a handle on Tall Man.”

“And if they can identify both, what then?”

“The sheriff and his deputies step in and take custody and arrest them.”

Dyna pushed at Rico and got out of the truck. “If one goes, we all go. I’ll ride shotgun with you, Rico. My mother and Edwin can stand watch with the truck in case we need to get away. But … I won’t let you put your life on the line, Rico. Your cousins are already doing that.”

“Hey, we’re big boys,” Sean said, his dark eyes on Dyna.

When she glared right back, he said, “And you’re a big girl who’s paying our salaries. Mount up.”

“We’re all going in,” Wendy said in a mother-like tone. Then she padded the pistol in her shoulder holster. “Let’s get this over and done with.”

* * *

Dyna held onto to Rico’s waist, his warmth reminding her of how close they’d become, literally overnight. Another late night with a man who wouldn’t be around forever.

But he’d hinted he might.

And she’d hinted she’d like that.

Holding tight, she pushed her feelings away. The night chilled her with fear and dread. But she had a strong team willing to help her find Domino. She hoped they would and that this little gang would be brought to justice. But these days, horse rustling wasn’t high on the top ten crimes list. More like a misdemeanor. She’d fight to change that, she decided.

“Hey, you okay back there?” Rico asked, his gaze cutting back to her as the sturdy work horse made its way across scrub brush and cacti clusters.

“I’m fine. Nervous and anxious and confused. I feel like I’ve lived a lifetime in only two days.”

“And I feel like I’ve waited a lifetime to find you,” he replied on a soft whisper.

“Rico.” Touched, she leaned her head against his back and held her arms around his rock-solid abs. “I hope we have a lifetime to really get to know each other.”

“We will,” he said. “You won’t be able to get rid of me anytime soon.”

Sean was up ahead. But he whirled and trotted his horse back. “We need to stop. You can see the corral from here so we have to be careful. The sheriff has men around the perimeters. He can’t move in until they start the load-in with an identified horse. So if you spot Domino going into a trailer, radio on the walkie-talkie. That will be the cue.”

“I’ll be happy to identify him,” Dyna said. She slipped off the horse and waited for Rico to dismount.

Placing a hand on her back, Rico guided her toward the overgrowth that lined the steel fence. Dyna crouched low with Sean and Rico and got her first glance at the ranch.

“It’s small,” she whispered. “One stable and a big holding corral.” Then through the muted security light, she spotted some of the horses. “Oh, no. Look at them. All so beautiful.”

Sean looked through his night goggles and then handed them to Dyna. “You’ll have a better view with these.”

She took the military-grade gadget and placed the eyecups against her face. The range brought her up-close on the animals. “I can see them, all right,” she said, her stomach in knots as she worried about their fate.

“Just alert if you think you see Domino.”

Dyna nodded and watched while several men wearing kerchiefs over their faces—really?—began to herd the running horses into a massive trailer.

Watching each animal, her heart exploding, she took a shaking breath.

Rico touched his hand to her neck, the warmth from his fingers sending warm tremors down her spine. “Hang on. Take your time.”

In the end, she didn’t find Domino. He found her.

The big horse showed his mettle when it came his turn to be loaded in. He danced and pawed and made a lot of not-happy noise. Four men had him roped but he didn’t bulge from his spot just outside the stable doors.

“I see him,” she said, tears building in her eyes. She handed the goggles to Rico. “See if it’s really him.”

Rico studied the scene. “Yep. That’s our Domino. He’s not going in that trailer.”

Dyna’s first instinct was to take off on the horse waiting nearby. She stood, but Rico stopped her. “Wait.”

“I’m going after him.”

“Dyna, stay put.” Rico handed the goggles back to her. “And look.”

Her patience gone, she yanked the sleek binocular-style goggles away and stared through them. Then she gasped.

“Domino—he’s broken free. He knocked down one of the handlers and he’s running.” Then she did stand, keeping focus on her horse. “Rico, he’s headed right toward us.”

Sean did a fist pump. “He’s picked up our scent. Your scent probably, Dyna.”

“He wants to come home,” she said, crying now. “What do we do?”

Rico took the goggles. “You don’t do anything. I’ve got a plan.”

“What?” Sean and Dyna asked at the same time.

Rico grinned and nodded toward Domino. “I’m gonna ride that bucking horse right out of here.”