Page 20 of Luke

“Coffee would be great. Where is the little one?”

“Asleep. She should be up again soon.” Bryce glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled.

Luke was in awe of her beauty. He hadn’t really looked at her the day they brought her here, but now, he couldn’t help but stare. She was simply stunning. Her black hair was in a ponytail and though she looked tired, her blue eyes sparkled.

“Are you getting some sleep?”

“Sure, a few hours at a time.”

“I’m surprised you’re not dead on your feet.” Luke grinned.

“I think I am,” she said, laughing. She handed him a cup of coffee. “Please sit.”

“I will, after you.”

“You have wonderful manners.”

“Beau and I were raised right.” He nodded for her to sit. Once she did, he sat down beside her and sipped the coffee.

“I met Connie yesterday. She brought me breakfast. What awonderful person she is.”

“We told you.”

“Yes, you did. What are you doing out in this weather?”

“I had to talk to a rancher about his missing horses.”

“Did you find them?”

Luke chuckled. “I haven’t looked yet. I had to talk to the rancher first to get some information.”

Bryce laughed. “Okay. I have no idea how your job works.”

“It’s simple, really. The department gets a call, they send one of us out to talk with the rancher or farmer. We take photos of where the theft happened, then we try to find the livestock.”

“Do you always find them?”

Luke shook his head. “Sadly, no, we don’t. Sometimes we luck out, but there are times the animals are gone.”

“Gone where?”

“Anywhere. They could have been sold, taken to a slaughterhouse, killed—”

“What? They do that to those animals?”

“Rustlers are only in it for the money, so they’ll do whichever brings them more.”

“I don’t get how someone can do that.” She shook her head.

“That’s why MDOL goes after them.”

“MDOL?”

“Montana Department of Livestock.”

“I see. Beau said he was an agent too.”

“Fifth generation of McCallister’s. Another agent, Creed McBride, is also a fifth generation. Growing up, Beau and I loved hearing the cases our dad was on. I think the bug bit us when we were very young.” He shrugged. “We both love it, but it can be dangerous.”

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