Page 16 of Operation: Chosen

“None that I can tell. I don’t see anyone, but when I first rode out there, someone took a shot at me. I couldn’t lead this horse back and grab any others. They’re just too scared.”

Eric nodded, knowing he was going to have to put himself in a little danger to get the animals somewhere safe. “Call Deputy Blake. He’ll come right out. I’ll try to get these horses back in the barn where we can get a count.” He took the lead rope from Connor and led the horse back into the barn.

They didn’t have enough stalls for all the horses owned by Wayside. Since most of them pastured the majority of the time, it wasn’t necessary to keep a place for each and every one. Now he wished they had more space. He got the gelding tied securely, then headed over for Skyfall, glad that he’d had his horse in the barn.

“You ready for a little racing?” He rubbed her soft cheek as he clipped the reins to her bridle.

She twitched in expectation, and he backed her from the stall, then quickly saddled her. Connor returned with one other. “On foot I just can’t reach them. This one raced by, and by God’s mercy I was able to grab her. Watch yourself out there. You’re more important than any of our horses.”

Eric didn’t answer that. These horses got him through his days. They were like family since he had none left of his own, and by the state of his love life, it didn’t appear he was ever going to have one.

The horses seemed to be weaving together in a cluster but moving farther from the barn. There had to be something or someone directing them. The barn was a safe place for them if they were frightened and they’d head back to it if they could. Their movements made no sense, meaning someone or something was driving them.

Eric said a prayer that they wouldn’t turn into a stampede of horses running away from him. Alone, he couldn’t handle that. If whoever had cut down that section of fence had done that in other areas, they could funnel all the horses right out of Wayside. Even if he only thought about the cost, they could never replace all those horses. But he had never been able to think of them as just horseflesh.

He gave Skyfall a sharp whistle, and she raced toward the others. Three riders galloped from behind the stock trailer, whipping their mounts with the reins. He couldn’t see any of their faces, only the color of each horse. None of them looked familiar.

One of the men drew his pistol and shot three times into the air, setting the Wayside horses running just like Eric had feared. “Come on, girl. We need to catch up with them.”

With three of them and only one of him, he wasn’t about to make himself an obvious target by shooting at one of the riders. If he missed, he’d have three men after him, and their skill at shooting from the back of a running horse might be better than his own.

For once, he wished he’d spent more time in the military than he had. He’d only served for two years before discharging. Staying hadn’t been an option when he knew he could run into Ali at any time. She really had changed the entire course of his life.

He tugged out the whistle he wore under his shirt to call in the dogs. Two of them would be out on security detail and would come as soon as they heard the whistle. He gave two short blasts, then focused on the riders. If he didn’t stop them, they’d drive the horses through the fence, but the horses could be injured before that.

Eric said a prayer of thanks that the two dogs he hoped were on duty came running. Cody, a large smooth-coated sheltie, was the best at herding. He could work security too, but his strength was in his ability to turn animals and get them going the way he wanted. Zeus, the huge rehabilitated German shepherd, joined Cody.

Eric blew the special command on the whistle, and the dogs went to work, heads down, racing into the fray. One of the three riders took aim at the dogs. Eric drew his pistol and shot, drawing attention away from the dogs. He couldn’t let the dogs become targets.

All three riders slowed, then turned toward him. Soon they were racing for him. A shot sounded from behind him, and he ducked, risking a glance over his shoulder. Edwyn rode toward him on his roan gelding. He’d shot, but none of the riders dropped or even slowed.

Eric circled back, but the riders would be on them in a few seconds. “Plan?”

“Keep the horses.” Edwyn gave a sharp heel to his mount and drove right for the thieves.

Eric followed, keeping an eye on what the dogs were doing so he could give direction if they needed it. At least the odds were a little more even now. One of the riders raised his pistol and shot toward Edwyn. The shot went wide, and the Wayside foreman raced on.

After a few nips and barks, the dogs got the entire herd of horses rounded and headed back for the barn. Eric refused to give up their edge, and broke off from Edwyn to put himself between the riders and the horses. Drawing attention to the horses made the riders slow, and they finally drew to a skidding stop, turned their mounts around, and rushed for the stock trailer. Until they shot again, Edwyn and Eric couldn’t shoot at them or they risked being arrested for shooting people who were fleeing.

Edwyn kept chase, and Eric followed. There was no way the thieves could dismount, load those horses, and get away without injuring themselves. Since Eric and Edwyn had fresher mounts, this was their chance to catch the would-be rustlers.

He hadn’t gotten a good look at the trailer until he had that to focus on and not the riders. It was huge, like the ones he’d seen when he’d worked for the auctions that could carry twenty or more horses in them. The back gate was down and ready for loading, but he could see no other horses inside. At least they’d been unsuccessful in stealing the Wayside horses.

All three riders ducked low close to their horses’ necks as they raced into the back of the trailer. The back gate lifted while the semi started rolling away, and one of the riders leaned out, closing the two back doors one at a time. As soon as the trailer was secure, the truck sped up traveling toward town.

Eric and Edwyn slowed, then finally stopped. Eric rubbed Skyfall’s neck. He’d need to get her into the barn soon and let her rest while he gave her a rubdown and took care of her. “They didn’t get any, but I wonder if they’ll be back,” Eric said. “Either way, we’ve got some repairs to do on that fence. Who in the world even knows we have horses? And why steal ours when they’re all rescues? Any other ranch in the area would offer younger, more sure options.”

Edwyn’s brows rose. “That reminds me, the rescue knows,” he pointed out. “They are the only ones, other than former guests, who know we have so many horses. I can’t imagine why anyone who has stayed with us in the past would team up with people to steal our horses. We let them come back to ride anytime they want.”

Eric hated to think that his old employer would have anything to do with thievery, but Edwyn was right, they were some of the only people who knew how many horses Wayside had other than the vet and he had no reason to take them. “I didn’t see any marking on the side of the tractor trailer or the stock trailer,” he said. They commonly rented transportation for the animals.

“I was too busy wondering how they were going to get away to look closely like I should’ve. Maybe Teddy caught something on the security cameras we can use to figure out who this is.”

If someone had come in shooting anywhere but in the pasture, he’d have thought it was Viceroy trying to remind them he was still a threat. But this wasn’t like any other time the head of the trafficking ring had attacked them. This wasn’t focused on people, but animals.

Edwyn turned his horse around and let him walk back. Skyfall fell into pace next to him. Eric tapped the tips of the reins against the saddle. “We’re assuming that because the fence was broken down and because they were chasing the horses that these men were out to steal them. Seems to me, if they wanted to steal a horse, they could’ve done it in much easier ways and at a time when we wouldn’t see them.”

Edwyn blasted his whistle with a long note, then two quick ones. Both dogs backed off, letting the horses go their own ways. “I want you to check them over, make sure none of them were injured. I’m going to go up to the house and talk with Connor and Teddy, see if we can find anything on the cameras. They had to have been there awhile if that section of the fence was down.”

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