Page 20 of Silos and Sabotage

“Really?” Her head spun back in his direction. “When did you find time for that?” It sounded like he worked all hours of the day and night for Lonestar Security.

“I didn’t.” He shook his head in self-disgust. “That’s the problem.”

She gave a hoot of laughter. “Lemme guess. Some little puppy or kitten wrapped your big hulking Ranger self around its tiny little paw.”

“Something like that.” He smirked and kept on driving. “So, are you gonna help me out or what?”

“Ha! You had me at puppies and kittens, big guy.” She couldn’t wait to get her hands on a few cuddly balls of fur. “I could use the pet therapy.”

He looked pleased. “In that case, you’re off the hook for lunch. You still owe me dinner, though.” Reaching one long arm in front of her, he pointed out the window. “There’s the new animal rescue sanctuary.”

She stared at the trio of silver grain silos rising behind a fenced-off pasture. They were butted right up next to each other. A triangular roof connected them and extended forward to a wide, covered front porch.

“You’re sending me to work inside of a bunch of grain silos?” She was utterly charmed. She’d never before seen them repurposed like that.

“It’s a really cool setup.” He lowered his arm back to the console. “You’re going to like what they’ve done to the inside of them.”

“I can’t wait to get the grand tour,” she sighed. “How soon can I start?” She was half-tempted to beg him to pull in and give her a tour of the place right now.

“Just as soon as you rest up.” His jaw took on a determined set.

“Bossy,” she hissed, swatting at his hand.

He caught her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. “If you feel up to it, you can start next Monday. I already called and talked to them about our switcharoo.”

Next Monday was a week away. She stifled a yawn, not minding the idea of having a few days to get settled in first. For one thing, she had a ton of shopping to do. “Did you tell ‘em I’m nicer than you?”

“Yep. And prettier,” he drawled.

Her insides warmed beneath the admiration he was making no effort to hide. “How often do they need me?”

“As often as you can spare.” He gave her an assessing sideways glance. “If you choose the morning shift, I can drive you there and drop you off on my way to Lonestar Security.”

The morning shift it is.“What’ll my job description be?”

“Walking dogs, herding cats, tending to a wounded mama fox, and bottle feeding her litter of pups. Also on site is a bald eagle with a broken wing and a retired race horse named Western Storm.”

“I’m in Heaven,” Ella declared happily. “It’ll be like running that daycare I always planned to open someday, except for animals.” Her college degree had been in early childhood education. She’d been serving as the assistant director at a childcare center when her kidney health had spiraled to the point of needing a transplant.

A green semi-truck hauling a grain container was headed their way. She squinted through the windshield, wondering if it was the same driver who’d given her a lift to the diner.

Gage eyed her curiously. “Is everything okay?”

Everything in her life was far from okay, but she knew what he meant. “I was just wondering if the driver of that truck coming our way is the same guy who brought me into town. He had a green truck just like—Gage!” She stared in horror at the empty truck cab. “There’s no one at the wheel!” Not only did it appear to be unmanned, it was rolling gradually across the center line as it moved in their direction. At the rate it was shifting lanes, they would collide head on.

He dropped her hand to grip the wheel with both fists.

She kept expecting the absent driver to sit up at the last second and yank his truck back into his lane. Where was he, for pity’s sake? Had he fallen asleep? Was he lying across the seat in the throes of a heart attack?

Gage waited as long as he could, but there was no last-second correction of the truck’s route. It continued to roll into their lane, heading directly for them.

“Hold on,” he ordered tersely, yanking the wheel hard to the left in order to veer into the passing lane.

The truck rumbled past them in the lane they should’ve been in and kept going.

Gage returned to the right lane and slowed his speed. He and Ella watched through their side view mirrors as the semi-truck lumbered off the road into the ditch. The cab jackknifed into the air, and the metal container skidded onward with a screech of metal against metal. Grain erupted from the container like a golden geyser and spilled in all directions.

A cloud of grain dust rose above the accident, which Ella quickly realized was more than dust. It was smoke! Seconds later, the mangled remains of the truck and its hapless trailer burst into flames.

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