Page 48 of Wild Mustang Security Firm

“Thanks, Mac, that’s a nice thing to say. I don’t mind telling you, I was awfully glad to see you, and I’m sure your men wouldn’t have been terrified.”

“Sure, they would, but like you, they would have taken that fear, changed it to adrenaline, and used it to turn the situation around.”

They rode through the tunnel into the open where the light was plentiful, and the heat was becoming oppressive.

Mac got out his sat phone and called in their location. He asked two men who knew horses be sent out and be prepared to ride. Since he had failed to check in as agreed, his men had already put choppers in the air. They figured from their current location, they were less than thirty minutes away.

“Why the men?” she said as he disconnected. “I can pony both horses while I ride Gator.”

“I’d prefer you didn’t. Nifty little hidey-hole you have up there behind the waterfall.”

“I’d kind of appreciate it if you’d keep that information to yourself.”

“Hide stolen mustangs up there often? Did you use this place before? I worry you still put yourself at risk, taking those mustangs from people who want to profit from their deaths.”

“That’s the reason I do it. They want nothing more than money from those mustangs. They are literally worth more dead than alive. As for if I used that location often, I suppose that would depend on how you define often,” she said with a grin.

Mac shook his finger at her. “I’d forgotten how sassy you could be and how gracefully you tap danced with the truth. You were always a handful, Willa.”

He could see she was a bit unsure how to respond, so she simply allowed the awkward silence to sit like the proverbial elephant in the room. That was good. A slightly off-kilter Willa would be easier to handle. Hearing the chopper in the distance, its proximity seemed to put her at ease. They watched it land, and two of Mac’s men jumped out, along with John.

“Hey, John, look who I found,” Mac quipped.

“How the hell did you get involved with this?” John asked.

“Wrong place, wrong time. It’s been kind of a stressful morning, but I’m fine. Thanks for asking,” she answered quietly.

“Someone other than you is going to make that determination,” Mac said. She started to protest, but Mac shook his head. “No, Willa, the topic isn’t open for discussion. As you said, you’ve had a stressful morning. I’d like the medical folks to take a look at you, then I want to sit down with you and go over everything that happened. After that, you’ll have a small detail with you for your protection or at the very least, stay with John and Mandy.”

“Why the hell would I do that?” she asked angrily.

Mac rolled his eyes. He’d forgotten Willa dug her heels in at anything that felt as if someone telling her what to do. There was no time like the present for her to get used to that because he meant to tell Willa Reynolds… scratch that, Willa McDaniel what to do for a very long time.

“Let’s see… one because I’m a US Marshal, and I said so. Two because I doubt Eastwick wants to leave you alive after hearing him confess, and three because I am genuinely concerned about your well-being,” Mac said in a half-hearted attempt to mollify her.

“That’s all well and good,” she snapped, “but Eastwick is long gone. He’s not coming back for me, especially since you overheard the same thing.”

“Ah, there’s the rub. I overheard it and can testify to that, but it’s tougher to discount my having overheard it if the one he told is also able to testify. So, you see, Willa, you can either come along peacefully, or I’ll place you under arrest as a material witness.”

“You wouldn’t dare. Tell him he can’t do that, John.”

“I’m afraid he can. If Eastwick confessed to you, you’re a material witness, and he’s right. Eastwick won’t want you alive. Even if he doesn’t come after you himself, he’s bound to hire somebody to do it.” John was grinning ear to ear. Willa watched as John glanced at Mac, who seemed very pleased with himself.

“I need to take care of my horses?—”

“Gus is waiting for them at Tortilla Flats,” John interrupted.

“She may mean the mustangs she has stashed,” Mac said, careful not to mention where. “You and I both know they’re fine right where they are for a couple of months at least, but if that’s your true concern, I can order the BLM boys to go up and take them into custody.” He stepped down off of Roscoe. “John, do me a favor and help Willa off her horse. If she gives you any resistance, take her into federal custody.”

“John?”

“Come on, Willa. I’ve known him a long time, so have you. You know him well enough to know he doesn’t bluff, especially where the safety of a woman is concerned. If you don’t dismount on your own, and I refuse to pull you off because you’ll sic Mandy on me, he’ll only do it himself.”

“And since I’m incapacitated, I’ll probably use zip ties to ensure you’re properly secured until I can get you seen to.” Mac looked directly at her, then glanced over at John, whose smile indicated he saw nothing wrong with his friend’s plans to keep her safe.

Chapter

Eight

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