Page 18 of Desert Angel

“Right.” Hank disconnected the call and Dylan made a note to call again later. He had a couple of names he wanted checked out, Mark Williams and Wayne French chief among them.

Supper was delicious and Nikki gratefully accepted Dylan’s assistance in washing up. Her normal days at the ranch were full of caring for the animals, working with the hands in the pecan groves and pepper fields, as well as crafting her soaps and lotions. But today, without doing half the work, she was exhausted. She showed Dylan the guest room, her grandfather’s old room, and made sure he had everything he needed for the night then headed toward her own bedroom. She tried to read her Bible study but found herself nodding off. Finally, she gave up and settled into bed and slept with the knowledge Dylan was there and keeping them safe.

She woke once in the middle of the night as she heard the back door snick closed. Sitting up, she listened but the house was silent. She rose and slipped on her robe then headed for the front of the house and the guest room. The opened door revealed a made bed. She made her way to the front window where she saw Dylan standing, his back to the house and his face toward the dark horizon. Had he heard something? Saw something? Or was he patrolling the house? She stood there, looking at the man she’d come to depend on in such a short time. He didn’t speak of any active faith, something that was at her core the most important thing in her life. But by his actions, his words, and his ways, he showed gentleness and caring for people she admired. As she finally headed back to bed, Nikki prayed if she was falling in love with this man that it be the right decision. For she was afraid she was already there.

Nikki was awake and out of bed with the dawn, her mood lighter than it had been since the shooting. Whether it was due to Dylan’s presence, the bright sunlight that filtered into the house, or the sound of bleating goats, ready for the morning milking and feed, she was grateful for the lifting of her dark mood the night before.

She found Dylan in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in his hand and in front of the computer. “Have you been awake long?”

He shook his head, his hair slightly rumpled. “No. I just got the coffee made. Hope you don’t mind.”

She sighed at the thought of ready coffee. “No. I usually have to wait five minutes for a cup.” She poured her coffee and took a sip before heading for the door. By the time she’d opened it he was behind her and she glanced over her shoulder in surprise. “You can go on with your work. I’m just going to feed the animals.”

“I’ll help,” he said with a look and her mood slipped a bit. They headed to the equipment building and the feed store.

“What did you find?” She asked, expecting him to tell her of another disturbance on the property.

“Hank found out some stuff on the website I was looking at last night,” he said as he filled a bucket with goat feed.

“So fast?” she picked up her own buckets and started to the enclosure.

“Yeah. I’ll fill you in after we’re done here.”

They worked side by side feeding the goats, then Dylan headed toward the chicken house while Nikki completed the morning milking. She’d just finished when she heard him bless a chicken before heading out of the enclosure, the egg bucket slung over one forearm and one hand covering the other. “Your chickens don’t like me.”

She chuckled. “You just don’t have the right touch. Stealing from their nests takes talent.”

He came alongside her and traded her for the milk bucket. “Maybe, but I swear the same hen has pecked me twice now.”

“Probably. There are a couple of them that are more territorial than the others.” She eyed him as he carried a bucket of milk and the egg bucket easily. “You’re sure you don’t have any problems from your injury?”

He shook his head. “I’d started running before I came here. I had some shortness of breath from that, but nothing otherwise. And it’s not like we’ve been doing maneuvers or anything here.”

“I hope we don’t have to do maneuvers, whatever that is,” she said with a note of worry. He glanced at her and smiled. “Running, climbing, crawling, and shooting all the while. I don’t think so.”

After they’d dealt with the eggs and milk, Nikki cornered him with a look and pressed him for answers. “I saw you outside last night. Was that normal surveillance or special?”

“Normal. Nothing happened on the immediate property.” He studied her. “Are you resting okay? Did I wake you?”

She shook her head. “I’m used to sleeping in a silent house. Every small noise wakes me but I’ve been resting well. What did Hank find?”

He gestured toward the kitchen table and the laptop. “Dan said you’d been getting some attention and you have. A reporter found out about you taking water to the desert.”

“How?” She said, sitting in a chair adjacent to his.

“I don’t know. But a story was posted a few days ago and mentioned you by name. The reporter’s stories get regularly picked up by the AP and other news outlets and it happened this time. The story has hit California, Arizona, and Texas outlets. I’m not sure what the repercussions are but we need to be prepared.”

“For what?” she asked, frowning.

“For both sides of the issue to be calling or reacting,” he said with a frown of his own. At her look of incomprehension, he explained. “People who are in favor of your actions may make you an example of generosity, use you as a prod for others to volunteer and do the same. People opposed to your actions may do the same, in reverse.”

“Make me an example, you mean,” she said with a thrill of fear.

He nodded.

“But they’re only doing stuff to the property. Burning, shooting, that sort of thing.” She still didn’t want to think of Gopher and his poor little head.

“Right now. But history tells us if the smaller things don’t work, more direct approaches are taken.” Dylan put his warm hand on top of hers. “I don’t want to scare you, Nikki but someone doesn’t approve of your actions and they’re trying to make you stop. You haven’t and that’s become more evident with this article. We need to be prepared for whatever happens next.”

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