Page 81 of Bull Rush

“We need to know who did this. If it’s starting all over again. Guests could have been trapped in the stables. Kell or Elliot could have gotten hurt helping us get the horses out. Wolfsbane would have died if you didn’t come home when you did. You won’t be here all the time, and we can’t handle everything in-house.”

“We can handle it a hell of a lot more than some small-town police department. They’re cut out to handle domestic disputes and the occasional car accident, Haze. This is more than that. It’s deeper than that.”

My heart sinks. There’s more to this than I know.

“What aren’t you telling me? What are you and my brothers plotting?”

“I was going to tell you when I got home, but then the fire was happening…”

“So tell me now,” I demand.

“There’s no good way to do that. I don’t have enough information yet, and I don’t want to—”

“Fucking tell me, Ramsey. I’m not some delicate little flower that needs to be protected.”

“I think the guys that did this are the ones who were in the pole barn the other night.”

“No shit.” I scoff at his ridiculous declaration—as if anyone couldn’t easily put that together.

“I think it runs deeper than just disgruntled thieves though. I think it’s related to what my parents were involved in somehow. Enemies of theirs.”

“Enemies of the Stocktons, you mean, since they made that clear.” I can still see the note scrawled on the side of the stables in my head, burned forever now.

“Yes.”

“So one of their past rivalries is coming back to haunt you?” I press for more information because I hate being held in the dark.

“I’m not sure.” He shakes his head, and when he sees the doubtful look on my face, he winces and looks out the window.

“What else?” I feel my stomach turn. Whatever he doesn’t want to tell me, it’s big.

He takes a deep breath before he speaks, studies my face for long minutes and looks like he’d rather die than tell me the next piece of information. So I brace myself when he finally says the words.

“I think Curtis could be involved.”

Whatever I thought he was going to say, it wasn’t that.

“Curtis? Are you fucking serious? He’s not even here, Ramsey.” I feel the anger bubble up in my gut. I can’t believe he’d take a moment as serious as this one to try to rope Curtis into this mess in some wild attempt to get one over on him.

“It’s curious that he disappeared right as everything started happening.” Ramsey’s voice is low and lethal.

“You appeared right as it all started happening. It’s you who’s getting into fights and chasing people off the property. It’s you with the spray-painted threat against you on the side of the stables. It’s your family who always seems to be at the bottom of whatever drama is happening in this town.” I gesture to the wide range of places this ranch has seen violence.

“You should talk to your brothers too, then, if you don’t want to listen to me,” Ramsey suggests, a thing that makes me feel even angrier—like that meeting on the porch might have been about managing me and Curtis rather than the heart of the matter.

“I don’t want to talk to anyone right now, Ramsey. I want to go take a long shower and get the dirt and smoke and miseryoff me and try to get some sleep before the vet comes back in the morning,” I snap back at him.

“I can meet the vet,” he offers, looking over me, and I’m sure finding me haggard and worn down from the day’s events. He’s probably already deciding how he can tuck me out of the way and take this whole thing over. Probably discussing with my brothers how they’d fix this and keep me busy in the inn. It’snothappening.

“No. Absolutely no way,” I answer firmly. “I need to be the one to do it. They’re not your horses. This isn’t your ranch anymore. It’s mine, and it’s my responsibility to take care of all this mess. This is exactly what I meant when I said you’d come back and turn everything upside down, and then I’d be left to clean it up. I just didn’t realize the path of destruction would be quite so literal.”

“I’m right here offering to help however I can.” His tone is bordering on incredulous.

“You’re not here. Not really. You’re not dealing with the practical realities of the aftermath of this fire. You’re making up accusations against Curtis and conspiring with your brothers and mine. Hell, you almost missed the fire entirely because you were over in that golden monstrosity doing God knows what with them. Dragging their problems at the casino all the way back here to the ranch. Wolfsbane could have died, Ramsey. Worse—Kell or Elliot could have been under that beam.” The tears threaten again, but I hold them at bay. I’m not about to look like I can’t handle this on my own or give him any reason to pity me.

“I’m well aware of what could have happened. It’s why I want to make sure I’m getting to the root of it and snuffing it out.”

“The root of it? I can tell you what’s at the root of it—anyone and everyone with the Stockton name.” I tear out of theroom, not interested in discussing this further. I want my shower. I want to cry long and hard without witnesses, and I definitely don’t want him trying to be the one to comfort me.

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