Page 39 of Cozy Cabin for Two
Shocked
ASH
As everyone started cleaning up,Knox had called me away from Willow and Ro. I hated to leave them, but the faster we got things done, the quicker Willow and I would be on our way to camping at Rhodes Ridge.
I couldn’t wait to finally have that talk with Willow tonight about us, about the future. How would Ro take the idea of my replacing Scott? I snorted, knowing I could never, but I would do my damndest to be what she needed in Scott’s place.
“What’s going on, Knox?” I met him behind the barn near the grain shed.
He pointed to the ground with his flashlight. “I don’t know how we missed them, but there are beartracks here, Boss.”
My blood ran cold. “How fresh?”
“I’d guess recent. Early this morning, or maybe since sundown tonight.”
“Shit. I’ll go alert everyone.” Before I could move, a loud crash came from the direction of the main road, like a car accident, and then a commotion started up with the horses.
We sprinted into the barn, and Colt cried out, “Juniper, calm down. Whoa, girl.” Her hooves stomped and her body banged on the stall walls and door along with her grunts.
“She’d been calm all day. What suddenly has her so spooked?”
“Maybe she’s hungry?” Ro appeared at my side and slipped her hand into mine.
“I think you gave her enough peppermint treats all day long.”
“Like Mom said, you need good food, not just treats.”
“True, little miss. And your mother is one smart woman.” We didn’t get any further when Juniper broke through her stall door again, dashing away from Colt and making a beeline down the center of the barn. I grabbed Ro and dove off to the side just in time so we didn’t get plowedover.
“Stay here with Colt, Ro,” I yelled. I ran out and into the nearest ATV, my heart lodging in my throat.
“What the hell’s going on?” Knox jumped onboard as I drove off, taking the seat next to me.
Across the field, we could barely make out Juniper until she jumped the fence. Her back legs hit against the top rail and knocked the entire section down. Then we lost her in the dark forest.
“Fuck, the highway is just beyond the trees,” Knox pointed.
“We can’t let her get that far.” I hated to see her cause an accident or get hurt. It would devastate Willow.
Juniper’s trail ran through the dense greenery and became tougher for the ATV to maneuver over. The greenery engulfed us like a dark tunnel, with a slight light ahead, as if someone pointed their headlights our way.
When we finally broke through, I quickly scanned the area and couldn’t believe the sight before us. My truck sat upside down in the ditch. The headlights provided enough light to see Juniper charging toward a bear, roaring and squealing. Raised up on her hind legs, she made herself taller than the grizzly, who had no time to strike out as Juniper beat it down with her front hooves, over and over until itwhimpered on the ground and was no longer a threat.
“Juniper,” Willow cried, an agonizing shriek coming not more than ten feet away from this horrific situation. The horse went to her, sniffing and sighing over her in a protective stance. Willow threw her arms around its neck, burying her face in the thick mane.
I skidded the ATV to a halt and couldn’t comprehend everything that had happened. “Willow, thank God. Are you hurt?”
A groan suddenly came from the truck. In slow motion, a bloodied stranger stumbled out and stood up, lifting a handgun and pointing it at us. I shoved Willow behind me on instinct. If a bullet was coming for us, it’d have to go through me first.
Before he could shoot, Knox got to him, and grabbed the gun. He hit him with the butt end of it in the head, knocking him out cold.
Willow collapsed in my arms. We hit the ground, and I brought her tight into me. “I got you, baby. Whatever happened here, I got you.”
“F-f-fugitive,” she whispered on a shaky cry.
“Christ, did you hear that, Knox? Get on the phone with the chief,” I ordered. Of all things… the fugitive who had been on the loose from the state prison all this time landed on my ranch?
Chief Patrick, head of police locally, had become a good friend of ours. We’d need him here as soon as possible to sort this mess out.
