Page 46 of Texas-Sized Secrets

Reed shook his head. “Only if he wants to be caught. More likely, he’ll tend to his wound himself. This area isn’t that populated, but a man could easily hide in the hundreds of empty acres spread out across the panhandle.”

“This can’t go on. That man at the granary was killed, probably for what he knew. Jesse was left for dead. Who else will die before we catch the rustlers?” Mona paced the room again, the color high in her cheekbones, her brown eyes flashing. “What about the four-wheelers?”

“What about them?” Reed pushed a hand through his hair. “Most ranchers have them.”

“The eighteen-wheeler. Surely you can’t hide a truck that big.” Mona’s gaze narrowed. “And what happened to the rider that fell back down the ravine? Don’t you think his bike got wrecked? Maybe he was injured.”

“Apparently the four-wheeler wasn’t damaged enough to keep him from getting it out of the canyon. As for the tractor-trailer rig, there are plenty of truck stops in the area with cattle trailers. This area is the beef capital of Texas. Chances are slim of finding it.”

“But it would be covered in mud up to the axles.”

“They could have cleaned it by now.” He grabbed her shoulders and looked down at her.

Her eyes pooled with tears, her lips pursed in a thin line that trembled. “Whatcanwe do?”

* * *

REED’S HEART SQUEEZEDin his chest and he bent to kiss her forehead. “It wouldn’t hurt to go look for the rig.” He kissed the tip of her nose and finally her lips. He knew he was wrong, but he couldn’t resist. She looked so hopeless and sad.

When Mona’s lips parted, Reed thrust through, taking her tongue with his. His fingers wound through her long black hair, the silken strands reminding him of how she’d felt curled against him in the cave, the scent of citrus wafting to his nostrils, making him hard all over.

Her hands crept up his chest, bunching his shirt in her fists, tugging him closer, deepening the kiss. When their lips parted, she stared into his eyes, her own going wide. “I shouldn’t have done that.” She pushed against him and he let her go. With her back to him she rubbed her hands down the sides of her jeans.

Dogs barked outside the window.

Reed and Mona stepped out onto the porch as two vehicles pulled into the yard. Fernando’s farm truck carrying Catalina and Rosa, and her uncle’s truck.

Mona closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Great. Who invited him?”

Rosa helped Catalina down from the truck and across the yard to the house.

“How are you, sweetie?” Mona cupped her friend’s cheek.

“I’m okay. I could have left the hospital a lot sooner but for the doctor. I think he liked me.” She winked, then her expression became serious. “It’s you I’m worried about.” When her mother edged Catalina toward the door, she dug in her heels. “No way I’m missing this shoot-out with Uncle Arty. I’ll just sit in the rocker for a ringside seat.”

Mona rolled her eyes and smiled. “You really should rest.”

Catalina waved her concern away and settled into the rocker. “Later. I really do feel much better.”

“Mona, what in tarnation is going on?” Uncle Arty stomped up the porch steps. “I came as soon as your foreman called about your cattle all over my place.”

“My foreman has a name. It’s Fernando.” Mona’s back stiffened. “And you tell me, Uncle, what’s going on?”

Reed suppressed a smile. For the past half an hour, Mona had struggled with what to do, her body sagging with the effort. But as soon as the questions began, her strength seemed to return.

“What to you mean? You don’t thinkIhad anything to do with the rustling, do you?” Arty blustered.

Mona walked up to the older man and stood toe-to-toe with him. “Then why did they stage it on your property?”

Arty Grainger backed up a step, a frown pulling his bushy white brows together. “Perhaps because it was closer to the road than yours. Did you think of that?”

“All I know is that I’ve been robbed, shot at and almost killed in the past few days. I’ve even been accused of a murder I did not commit. The only person I can think of who hates me enough to make my life miserable is you. Tell me, where were you during all this?”

Reed stepped forward, wanting to tell her that her uncle had come up with her bail money, even though he’d made Reed swear not to tell. A stern stare from Mr. Grainger made him bite his lip and let the conversation take its course.

Mona was on a roll. She took a deep breath, lowering her voice, although the intensity deepened. “You’ve wanted me to fail at ranching even more than you wanted my father to. Do you deny it?”

Uncle Arty stared at her for a moment before answering. “No, I don’t deny it. And I was wrong. But I was never involved in the rustling. I promise.”

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