Page 37 of Wyoming True

“Thanks,” she said. She drew in a breath. “I haven’t spoken of it in years. Only a few people know. But I never went into detail.” She looked up at him. “I know that people in law enforcement see terrible things. This isn’t something I’d feel comfortable talking about, to most people.” She smiled shyly. “Thanks for listening.”

“It wasn’t a problem,” he replied.

She started to get up, obviously in pain.

“Stay there,” he said gently. “You don’t need to come with me. I’ll stop by after I’ve spoken to the men, and I’ll let myself in, if that’s all right with you.”

She swallowed, hard. He was a kind man. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” He tipped his hat again and went out the door. Incredible woman, he was thinking, and if her ex-husband set foot in Carne County, Cody was going to arrange to have him followed if he had to hire a man out of his own pocket. Nobody was hurting that woman again, not on his watch.

IDAWASSTILLsitting where he’d left her when he came back in after a perfunctory knock.

“Your men corroborated what you told me. Your bodyguard agrees that the injuries aren’t consistent with accidental injury. I’m going to speak to your vet, as well, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t,” she replied. “I worry about my breeding pair, Silver and Gold. Gold was the first to be injured, and she’s still recuperating. Silver is her mate. They’re special. I’m fond of all my horses, but those two...” She ground her teeth together. “I’m worried sick about Silver...”

“Let me take them both over to Ren Colter’s ranch for you. He has state-of-the-art protection for his horses and he hates the thought of anybody who’d injure a helpless animal. He has J.C. Calhoun working for him. Calhoun, like a number of Ren’s employees, is an ex-mercenary. They protected Ren’s wife from a contract killer some years ago.”

“It would be an imposition...”

He chuckled. “I took the liberty of calling Ren, out on the porch before I came in. He said he’d send his men over with two horse trailers for your palominos. He has a place for both of them in his stables. They’re incredible. I’ve never seen such facilities in my life. I wouldn’t mind living in them myself. And he has a twenty-four-hour guard on his horses. He runs a few breeding stallions and mares, worth a fortune.”

“What kind of horses does he have?”

“The usual saddle horses, but he’s become fond of Friesians, and he breeds them.”

“They’re beautiful,” she exclaimed. “There’s a breeder on YouTube who does videos about hers. I’m addicted to it.”

“They’re beautiful,” he agreed. “You don’t mind, that I asked him to send over the trailer?”

“Not at all. Thank you so much. And thank him very much, as well. I don’t know him. It’s a great kindness that he’s doing, for a stranger.”

“I’ll tell him. I haven’t mentioned this to your cowboys,” he said abruptly. “And I don’t intend to.”

Her blood chilled. Her hands gripped the arms of the chair in which she was sitting. “You don’t think...?”

“I don’t trust anybody,” he said flatly.

She drew in a breath. “I used to. Not anymore. I won’t tell them, either.”

He nodded. “I’ve got a couple of calls to make, but I’ll come back over when Ren calls me with a time frame.” He smiled. “Never hurts to have a badge around when you’re doing covert things,” he chuckled.

She smiled back, not a flirtatious smile, but a genuine one. “Thank you.”

He tipped his hat and went out, closing the door behind him.

LAREDOKNOCKEDANDwalked in a few minutes later. “Sheriff had us all against the wall,” he said with a short laugh. “He thinks we’re all fugitives from justice, I believe.”

She laughed, too. “He’s just being cautious. And keep in mind that he doesn’t really know any of you. It makes a difference. I vouched for you.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Thanks.”

“So how are the other horses?”

“Doing fine. I can put somebody in the stable at night, if you think it’s necessary. Just in case somebody comes in with ill intent. I know how fond you are of Silver, especially after Gold and Rory were injured. I’d hate for anything to happen to Silver.”

There had been an odd note in his deep voice when he said that, but she put it down to strain over the sheriff’s interrogation. “I think that’s a good idea,” she said, not mentioning the upcoming departure of her two favorite horses.

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