Page 28 of A Mile of Ocean

“You don’t need to tell me twice,” Duchess muttered, clutching the Mossberg like a lover.

The sunroom had been added to the house within the past twenty years or so. Next door to it was a modernized laundry room with all the latest upgrades, replacing the old mudroom used since the 1970s. This spacious modern version had new cabinets, countertops, and appliances. He opened one of the drawers and took out a flashlight.

The old mudroom door was at the end of the floor-to-ceiling shelving, holding extra supplies. It had the only access to the cellar through a warped door that often stuck.

As he grappled with the old door, finally getting it to open, he flipped on the light switch and spotted Slade’s weapon lyingon the scuffed hardwood floor. He picked it up and stuffed it at the waist of his jeans as an extra backup in case he needed it. Slowly, he opened the door to the cellar. The black hole of creaky steps went down to a cob-webbed-filled moldy chamber that reeked, a place he made sure he had avoided as a kid.

He turned on the flashlight, holding the beam steady to light the way. Halfway down, at the bottom of the stairs, he saw the missing Slade slumped in a heap. When he reached the bottom step, he felt for a pulse, but it was useless. Slade had suffered from a broken neck in the fall.

Trent shined the light all around the cellar. He stepped over Slade and checked around boxes and wooden crates until he was satisfied no one was hiding there.

He clicked the button on the radio. “Hawk, this is Base Camp. I’m sorry, but I found your man Slade deceased. Over. Out.”

Hawk and whatwas left of his team failed to locate their crazed shooter. Because of that, the come-to-Jesus meeting couldn’t wait until morning. While Theo and Colt investigated another crime scene, this time inside the main house, Trent and Tate got everyone together at her house to discuss all their options going forward.

Tate’s home, with a two-bedroom layout similar to his own, was located to the left of the main house, whereas his home was to the right. Hers had been decorated to suit her style and taste with pops of blues and greens and a distinctive female touch.

Tate’s eyes scanned the faces around her living room. The tension had each person on edge, aware that the stakes had never been higher. With Barrett’s death, and now Slade’s, they had to take the threat more seriously, not knowing who could be next.

“We need to tighten our security and ensure that everyone knows their roles,” Tate stated, her voice steady and authoritative. “No more going to bed thinking this will all be over soon or letting someone else secure the property. It’s up to us. This won’t go away until we catch this person. This person cannot be allowed to cause any more harm.”

She held up papers she’d printed and handed them to the crew. “These are patrol schedules, guard duty if you prefer.”

Trent nodded. “We need to set up patrols around the perimeter so that every entry point is guarded. That means we feed the livestock during the day and perform the basics, but our energy and effort beyond that need to include nighttime guard duty. We know this ranch better than anyone coming from outside. We take care of it and what’s important to us first. We take care of each other.”

Spine straight, Duchess stood up. “We can’t afford any lapses. And that starts now. We don’t know who this guy is or why he’s decided to put us all at risk, only that he has. What I do know is how each man in this room is up to the task. You wouldn’t be here if Barrett hadn’t allowed you to thrive when he hired you. But we—that’s me, Trent, and Tate—have decided to offer you more than that. Starting now, you each will be deeded ten acres of land to build your own home.”

Monty got to his feet and let out a whoop. “That means I can ask Lucy to marry me.”

“Not if she finds you flirting with that waitress again at The Shipwreck,” Blake cracked. “More like kick you to the curb.”

“Congratulations,” Duchess said with a smile. “Be sure to bring her to the Fourth of July picnic next month. We should’ve done this a long time ago. It’s long overdue. But there it is. Sixty acres make up Turtle Ridge. It has the best views of the ocean and the best soil there. I don’t want you fighting over location or who gets which lot. So tonight, you’ll draw out of a hat. But Ican tell you right now, there’s not a bad plot of land on the entire sixty acres. You can see a mile of ocean from all along that ridge. Woody, Cecil, you’re closest to retiring. Remind the kids how much your retirement package is worth.”

Woody stood up and tossed out a high six-figure number. Cecil did the same.

“There. You see. We take care of our own,” Duchess added.

The room erupted in applause and laughter, a brief respite from their heavy burden. Moments like these reminded them of why they fought so hard to protect what they had.

Each member was fully aware of the task ahead as the meeting ended. Trent and Tate stood to the side, discussing the patrol shifts and the new security measures they needed to implement immediately. The camaraderie among the team remained steadfast, bolstered by the shared commitment to keep everyone safe.

Duchess, ever the practical one, had already started organizing the drawing for the land lots. She moved purposefully, her voice carrying over the hum of conversations, ensuring everything was in place for the night’s events.

Blake Hudson caught Tate’s eye and gave a small nod, a silent acknowledgment of the trust and respect they had built over years of working together.

As two a.m. approached, the ranch took on an atmosphere of vigilant anticipation. The usual sleep fest was now replaced with the quiet determination of a team on high alert. Everyone knew their roles, and the weight of responsibility pressed heavily on their shoulders. Trent took one last look around the room before stepping outside, the cool night air a stark contrast to the warmth of the house.

Tate joined him. Her expression was one of resolve. “We can do this,” she said quietly. “We’re Callums. How many times did Granddad use that same phrase?”

Trent nodded, his eyes scanning the horizon. “I lost count. There’s so much at stake. Did you know that our grandmother told me she was scared earlier? I’ve never in my life heard her admit that. And you couldn’t tell it by that speech she just gave.”

“I keep thinking, what if he’d set fire to the house or the bunkhouse or yours or mine? Why did he limit it to the woodshed?”

“You know as well as I do that woodshed is more than four walls that hold firewood. It’s where we keep the treated lumber for our open-air shelters, fencing, and repairs to the other buildings. That’s why it went up like a rocket. All that treated lumber was specially ordered from Ferguson’s. It’s expensive.”

“Someone knew that. An ex-employee, maybe?”

“I’m beginning to think that way. That list is short. How long have we been running the ranch with six hands instead of eight?”

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