Page 45 of Some Cowgirls are Worth Protecting

That familiar sense of loneliness returned with each mile added to their trek. There was no telling how long they’d be following this creek until they found the problem. Even if they did find it, there was no guarantee that they’d be able to fix it. Maybe they should have included the sheriff on this little trip. At least then they’d have a witness to back them up if they found out who they could go after. For now, it was all speculation.

Darkness fell before they found what they were looking for. They set up their beds and tied their horses to nearby trees. Thankfully, rain wasn’t in the forecast. They’d set out first thing in the morning and keep looking. Hopefully, they’d find it by tomorrow. Otherwise, his brothers would have to head back so they didn’t get too far behind in their work.

Hudson stared at the stars overhead. He laced his fingers behind his head as he let his thoughts wander. Fixing this problem for Rachel was more than just making things right. He wanted to show her that she could count on him. He wasn’t going anywhere. One day, maybe they would be able to build a future where they wouldn’t have to worry about the next problem to solve. They could just sit out on the porch and watch the sunset together.

He didn’t know when, but at some point his eyes closed. The sounds of his brothers rustling around and the dim light coming through his eyelids roused him from a dreamless sleep. He sat up and glanced around their little campsite. Wade was the source of the rustling. He was checking in on the horses, making sure the saddles were all secured.

Wade glanced over at Hudson briefly but then resumed his work. Hudson stretched, his muscles aching from sleeping on the hard ground.

“If we don’t find anything by lunch, we’ll need to turn back and see if we can get someone with an ATV to drive out this way. We’re in the middle of nowhere. I haven’t seen a road for miles.” Wade grunted his statement. It was clear he didn’t want to disappoint Hudson, but there was nothing they could do. They hadn’t been prepared for a day-long trip as it was.

Hudson got to his feet, nodding. He didn’t trust his voice at this moment. His eyes scanned the area, only then realizing the lump in Henry’s sleeping bag wasn’t actually a body. “Where’s Henry?”

“Had to take a leak,” Wade muttered.

As if his words were enough to summon their brother, Henry’s voice rose from behind a wall of trees. “Guys! Get over here!”

Hudson and Wade exchanged concerned glances and darted toward the trees. The closer they got, the more distinct the sound of running water became. Was it possible they’d spent the whole night only yards away from where the water had been diverted to?

Weaving in and around the wild shrubbery, chasing after Wade, Hudson stayed as close as he could without trampling his brother. His heart hammered, and he sent a small prayer that Henry had actually found it.

The two of them burst through the trees and into a clearing where the main creek had been dammed. Water had pooled behind a concrete wall of cinderblocks that had been built up high enough to allow the water to flow in a different direction.

On the other side of the new creek, Henry stood with a look of triumph on his face. He pointed toward the water flowing away. “I followed it. They have it running to an area where there’s a small valley. Looks like after years of heavy rain and snowfall, there’s a natural pond for the water to run into. There’s plenty of room for more water. If I had to guess, it wouldn’t be noticed until it flooded over.”

Wade wandered alongside the new creek and muttered an expletive. He pointed out the deep trench that had been dug to allow the water to shift off course. “They dug a swale. See that? It’s getting deeper and wider as it goes.” He scowled at Hudson. “Whoever did this knew what they were doing. You can’t just make the water go somewhere else without a plan. They had access to the topography of this area and plans for if the water table got too high. Whoever did this was smart about it.”

Hudson let out a sharp huff. “Just because they were smart about the water doesn’t mean they’re going to be smart enough to keep at it. They can only plan so much. We’ll trash this swale and make sure it’s too much of a hassle to build it again.”

“Then what?” Henry asked quietly.

“What do you mean, then what? We keep pushing back. You guys know this has to be the developer, right? There’s no other option. Nothing else makes sense. We’re dealing with someone who has enough time and money to actually care about taking this place.”

Henry folded his arms. “Listen to yourself, Hudson. They have time and money. If this place is worth forking out millions just to get it, then how long do you think you can hold them off? Maybe Rachel should consider selling.”

“What?” Hudson seethed. “My ears must be clogged because you couldn’t have said what I think you said.”

“He’s right, Hudson. What do we have besides a broken window and whatever this is? There isn’t any evidence pointing us to anyone,” Wade said.

Hudson’s eyes darted around them. There weren’t any tools or tire tread marks left behind. His brothers were right. Besides taking some pictures, what did he have? He charged toward the dam and growled as he grabbed the top cinderblock and hurled it into the dirt.

“Hudson, wait, let us?—”

He ignored Wade’s surprisingly calm voice, opting instead to toss another block, then another. He kicked at the mud from the trench and used one of the cinderblocks there for good measure. The destruction took all of ten minutes before the water flowed freely down the creek once more.

Hudson stood, his shoulders rising and falling with effort. There, he’d restored order to the creek. He had done what he set out to do for today. So why did he feel like it was just a drop in the bucket?

Because he had nothing to show for it. No names. No evidence. He had exactly nothing he could use to help his case. Then his eye caught on something small and white. He frowned, the pulse roaring in his ears quieting down as he took a step toward the object.

Crouching down, he got a better look at the cigarette butt. Then his focus swept farther to something a little bigger, mostly hidden beneath some brush. He swiped the empty white carton from its hiding place and glowered at it. “Figures.”

“Do you think?—”

“I know.” Hudson’s eyes flitted up to meet his brothers with a snarl. “It has to belong to someone who’s involved. If we find the person who smokes these?—”

Wade laughed. “Really? You want to track down someone who smokes the special blend of one of the most well-known companies that manufacture cigarettes? That’s like looking for a needle in a literal haystack.”

“I don’t know, Wade,” Henry cut in, “That’s not a type I see much. Most of the people who partake in smoking tend to go with the classics.”

---