Page 59 of Cowboy Don't Go

“I did my time.” Ray’s jaw was clenched, and he didn’t take his eyes off either man.

“Not nearly enough for what was lost here. You nearly ruined me with your thievery.”

“Let’s go,” Ray told Cooper and Sarah. Shay was biting her lip, holding onto Cooper.

“He didn’t steal your money,” Cooper snapped. “He was set up. Not that you’d care even if the truth bit you.”

“Truth? Yeah, that’s what he said. But a court of law convicted him. That means something in America. You should get out of these parts, Ray Lane, if you know what’s good for you. Nobody wants you here. Either one of you.” The younger Messer’s fist clenched and unclenched with warning. “And it’s mighty surprising to see you with a man like him, Ms. Hardesty. Maybe you should rethink your priorities.”

“Shut up, Jim,” Sarah told him. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Messer’s wife was tugging on his sleeve, begging him to back off. “Let’s go, Jimmy. Just leave it.”

Jimmy Messer took in the half-dozen children nearby who were stopped watching them with wide-eyed looks. “Yeah,” he muttered. “Trash like you ain’t worth my time.”

They ambled away, leaving the four of them shaken and temporarily speechless. It wasn’t as if his father had expected a welcome here. But the hope that the past might be a dim memory was dashed in that moment.

“Let’s go home,” Sarah said, tugging Ray toward the exit. “I’ve had enough of the fair for one night.”

Fury knotted in Cooper’s throat as he watched his father walk with Sarah toward the exit. He didn’t deserve this. He’d never deserved this.

In the next moment, he felt Shay thread her fingers defiantly through his and pull him toward the exit. Her deep blue eyes met his with some emotion he couldn’t quite name. Compassion? Empathy? Pity? Maybe all of the above?

With one last look at the retreating Messers, he tightened his fingers around hers and stalked toward the exit.

*

Liam was at home, in the upstairs bedroom that was being converted to a home office, building shelves when he heard a noise downstairs. He stilled, listening, sure he imagined the sound of breaking glass.

But then, it came again with a couple of short punches coming from the back of the house. The puppies, who Ray had brought up to the house for the evening, roused from their sleep at the sound, too, looking quizzically at Liam.

His first thought was that his shotgun was far away in a downstairs room. His second was—he was alone here and foolishly vulnerable.

He picked up his hammer and moved quietly to the top of the stairs and shouted, “I’ve got a gun. Whoever’s down there, get the hell out of here!”

Downstairs, a shadow passed across the front hallway.

Inside.

Whoever it was, was already inside.

The pups whined and tumbled against his legs. Liam lifted his cell phone and dialed 911. It rang and rang.

“The police are on their way!” he lied, scanning around for a sturdier weapon to confront the man with. Downstairs, he heard a drawer full of stuff hit the floor and the crash of something breakable.

Again, the shadow of someone passed between the kitchen light and the hallway. “Tell me where it is!” the intruder yelled, surprising Liam so he nearly fell backward. “Tell me!”

“Get out of here,” Liam shouted back. “We’ve got nothing you want.”

From outside, the flash of headlights illuminated the front windows followed by the sound of tires crunching against the gravel driveway.

“Nine-one-one,” said a faint voice on his cell. “What’s your emergency?”

“Hard Eight ranch. We have an intruder. He’s in the house.”

Liam heard the back door slam and the sound of more glass hitting the floor. He pushed aside the curtain in the window to see his family truck had pulled into the front yard. The crew from the fair had come home early.

He rushed down the stairs to head them off at the door, the 911 operator still peppering him with questions. He held up his hand to stop them from entering. “We just had another break-in. I don’t know yet where he is exactly. I think he ran out the back door. But we wait outside until Cooper and I clear the house.”

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