Page 10 of Savage Secrets

“Both.”

“I have a ranch hand staying with me on the Springvale now.”

“That’s good. He’ll deter anyone from trying more funny business. In the meantime, we’ve got people all over the state looking for this guy. We are going to get him, Opal.”

When he said it that way, with all the force of conviction, she wanted to believe him. But she had grown up without a mother. The father of her own child left her to raise the baby alone. In her world, happily ever afters came with hard work, to create them for herself. This wasn’t going to be easy.

“Is there anything I should be on the lookout for?” She glanced at the time on the wall clock, aware that story time at the local library was nearly over, and the teenager who watched Rainie on occasion would be looking for Opal to show up.

“Watch for anything unusual around your place. I believe the guys from the Gracey mentioned installing some cameras around your property.”

The past week had been such a confusing time, she barely remembered a thing, but she faintly recalled Colton mentioning cameras after the funeral. She suddenly wished Zach hadn’t been in the kitchen with Rainie during that part of the discussion—he would remember what was said.

“Thank you, Officer. I have to pick up my daughter. If you have anything else to tell me, you can call.” She hoped that he took the hint and called rather than dragging her down here and taking up her time.

Once she was seated behind the wheel of her SUV, she let out a heavy sigh and then drove the few blocks to the library.

She’d instructed the babysitter to remain inside with Rainie just in case, hoping that there was safety in numbers. Thankfully, the young girl followed her instructions and was holding Rainie’s hand securely as they waited for Opal just inside the entry.

“Mommy! The lady read four books!” Bouncing up and down in her favorite cowgirl boots, she held up four fingers. One of her pigtails was falling out.

“Four! Wow!” Slapping a bright smile on her face after the stressful hour she’d just had was something mothers all over the world understood.

She rested a palm on Rainie’s head and turned her smile to the babysitter. “Thank you so much for helping me out on such short notice.”

“Sure thing. I had some free time before I go to work at the pizza shop.”

She held out a folded bill to the girl, who took it with a grin. They parted with the promise that she would take Rainie to story time again very soon, and Opal put her daughter in the car.

The entire drive to the Springvale, Rainie chattered about the books, imitating some of the voices the librarian had usedfor the characters. The funny moments broke through the heavy storm cloud Opal felt hanging over her.

Later, she would have plenty of time to dwell on everything else that was going on in her life. Right now, she was a mom, happy to engage in the lively tales her daughter was telling.

* * * * *

Zach tossed the broken tool into a rusted old barrel outside the barn. Fat lot of good that post hole digger did him—after digging only one hole to fix the dilapidated fence around the paddock, the handle snapped off.

He went back inside and searched for another tool. Mr. Vale might have owned tools that had seen better days, and had plenty of things that needed repair around the place, but he had been a neat and organized man.

On the Gracey Ranch, Zach made sure the guys kept everything tidy. If a tool was out of its usual spot, it was daylight wasted. And time meant money. Especially on a ranch that was losing it faster than it gained.

He let out a sigh. The weight of that ranch was off his shoulders now… But was it?

Not long ago, he’d asked Sean Gracey to sell him a plot of land. So far, no paperwork had been drawn up and no lawyer had contacted him about a deed.

The thing that bothered him the most was being pushed out of everything. When Forest died on a mission with his SEAL team, the family had crumbled. And Zach was there to keep the animals fed, the buildings standing.

It irritated him that the Graceys seemed to forget that he was there before Forest’s military buddies descended on the ranch.

Zach couldn’t deny Colton, Hunter, Carver and Ledger were great guys who did a lot of good for the ranch, and the family too.But their arrival meant that Zach got edged out more each time another man stepped in.

After two sweeps of the barn and garage, he came up emptyhanded. There was no choice but to go to the Gracey and borrow their post hole digger.

When he walked outside, a car was coming up the drive at a steady speed. Dust churned behind it, and the tires hummed on the gravel. He and Opal were on friendly terms, but that didn’t make them friends.

She came and went without telling him where she was going. He was a little more mindful about informing her that he’d be leaving the ranch. After all, her safety was at risk.

He waited in the driveway until she pulled up to the garage door. When she cut the engine and climbed out, she held up a hand. “Can you wait around for a minute, Zach? Rainie needs to go potty.”

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