Page 12 of Wyoming Bodyguard
The thought circled his brain as he pulled into the long driveway that wound around Tremont Ranch.
A wave of nostalgia tightened his grip on the steering wheel. It’d been years since he’d stepped foot on the neighboring ranch—years since he’d been welcomed. As kids, he and Dax would often tag along with their mom while she visited Mrs. Tremont. The two women had been friends for years, grabbing a cup of coffee or a sip of wine when possible. Probably discussing the struggle of being married to stubborn ranchers.
Back then, Lily had been a tomboy who’d climb trees and roped calves, proudly showing the McKay boys the differences between their two ranches. One, a working cattle farm filled with hardened ranch hands and smelly cows, the other bustling with fun activities and polished in a way that made Madden feel like he’d stepped into an alternate universe.
But those days had ended with the death of Lily’s mother.
Now, as he drove toward the large cabin at the center of the property, the polish he remembered from his youth had faded. Even with only outdoor lighting on the barns and moonlight, he could see the years had taken a toll on the property.
Property that had been hit hard lately with the new hotel stealing tourists who normally would stay at Tremont Dude Ranch.
The glow of headlights from Lily’s truck snapped him back to the present. The past didn’t matter right now. Not when Lily’s father had been shot and she waited for him because someone had broken into her house.
Parking in the spot beside her, he shut off his vehicle and jumped out.
Lily climbed down from her truck and met him before he could open her door.
He struggled not to wince at the sight of the dried blood on her shirt and the shadows under her red eyes. “Are you hurt? What happened?”
Wrapping her arms around her waist, she averted her gaze as if second-guessing the decision to call him. “Just shaken up. I went in and noticed papers in the hallway. Someone was in my dad’s office. I didn’t stick around to see if anything was taken or if anyone was still inside. Just called the police and got the hell out of there.”
“Good. That was smart. Do you want me to look inside for you?”
“That’s why I called you over here, isn’t it?” she snapped. “I hope you didn’t think I was just scared and wanted your lovely company.”
Her brisk attitude rocked him back on the heels of his cowboy boots and he held up his palms as if speaking to a spooked horse. “No. Definitely didn’t think that.”
She squeezed her eyes shut for a beat, and when she opened them again, she finally met his stare head-on. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. I’m exhausted. It’s been a long day, and the last thing I expected was to come home to more stress. I didn’t know what else to do after I called the authorities. I figured…” A hint of desperation clung to her voice as it trailed off.
“You figured you’d call someone close by who owns a security company who might be able to help.” He finished the sentence for her in a way that wouldn’t ding her pride. Wouldn’t let her know he understood she’d been desperate enough to reach out to him.
“Exactly.”
“Have you noticed anything else unusual? Any noises that could have been another vehicle or even a four-wheeler? Someone coming this far out of town would need a way to get here. I can’t be positive until I go inside, but chances are whoever was here isn’t any longer if their means of getting away isn’t around.”
Lily’s mouth dropped open. “Huh. Never thought of that, but no. No other vehicles except Eve’s when she brought me home. Thank you for calling her, by the way.”
“No problem,” he said, then quickly got back to the matter at hand. “I’ll step inside and clear the house. You can wait out here until the deputies arrive. Shouldn’t be much longer.”
“Nope. Not gonna happen. No way I’m standing out here alone, even if you think whoever broke in is long gone.” She lifted her chin and pressed her lips in a straight line.
He’d seen that expression more times than he cared to count. Nothing he said would change her mind. No reason to waste time arguing. “All right then. Stay close. Be on alert. And I know this part will be difficult but listen to me. If I tell you to run, run. If I tell you to stay, stay. Not trying to be an ass, just want to keep you safe.”
She rolled her eyes and marched forward.
He couldn’t help but grin. She could be a royal pain in the ass, but it was nice to see some of her spunk return. Especially after the day she’d had. Keeping his amusement to himself, he quickened his pace to get a step ahead of her before she reached the front door.
“Ready?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder.
She nodded, eyes wide and filled with apprehension.
He stepped into the entryway. Lights blazed like fire from the giant chandelier overhead. The open concept gave him a good perspective of the area, which seemed clear of any intruders, but he searched every corner to be certain. He noted the French doors off the kitchen appeared compromised.
“Did you lock this door before you left today?”
“I didn’t check,” she said. “Usually we lock everything up, just to be safe. But I can’t be positive.”
He made a mental note to tell the deputies his suspicions then went down the hall. The mess in the office spiked his blood pressure. Instinct urged him to tidy the clutter and put the room back in place, but the sound of sirens told him the deputies were here. They needed to see the damage for themselves.
