Page 33 of A Triple C Ranch Christmas Wedding
It took a little longer to settle what was going to happen with the horses.
The state police didn’t have any place to put ten horses, where they’d be cared for and fed.
After several phone calls and lots of pictures, it was decided that one of the officers would drive the truck with the horses back to the Triple C Ranch, where they could be cared for properly, and then Zeb’s truck and trailer would go to the state police impound.
They just had to make sure they had everything they needed to go to trial and that the horses would be okay.
Jack and the horses would be home by that evening. But he wasn’t sure they’d be there in time for the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner.
He called Lucy. “Hey, babe,” his voice lowered for her. “We got him. With all ten horses.”
“I’m glad you called,” Lucy said. “I was so worried something bad was going to happen to you.”
“Nothing’s gonna happen to me,” Jack said. “I’m fine. But I’ve got to drive all these horses back which might make me late to the rehearsal. I can’t leave till the police get done here and say I can go.”
Lucy was quiet for a moment and he wondered if she was mad.
“It’s good to know you’re all coming home safe,” she finally said. “And I can tell everyone we’re going to be late starting the rehearsal. But Jack …”
“Yes sweetheart?”
“Don’t be late to the wedding.”
“I will neither be late nor drunk, I promise,” he said. “I would not do that to you.”
“Okay,” she said. “And please be careful in that weather and drive safe.”
“I will. Got to go,” he said. “Love you.”
“Love you too,” she said.
* * *
Buck,who had taken a taxi all the way from the hospital in Bozeman, was back at the Triple C Ranch, and after checking on each of the horses, was now seated on the couch at the main house with everyone gathered around him, waiting for him to tell the history of him and Zeb, whose animosity went back to the days when they’d both ridden the rodeo circuit.
Now that the horses were back and settled into their stalls with fresh hay, feed, and water, Buck had called the vet right away to have him come out and check them over.
He was especially concerned about the mares who were expecting foals, even though he could see no signs of them being hurt in any way. He was always nervous when he had a mare ready to deliver, despite his many years working with horses, and he would feel better once the vet had been out to check them.
While he was waiting for the vet, he would pass the time by telling them about Zeb.
“Zeb always wanted to win the cheating way,” Buck said. “From the first day I met him, I knew he was no good. And he didn’t like me no better.”
“So, you’ve known him since you were kids?” Leah asked.
“All the way back to high school, when we were on the high school rodeo team. And then, after high school, when I started going after the serious money in rodeo and set my sights on them shiny buckles.”
Leah nodded, and they all waited for him to continue.
“First, he was all friendly like. Hinted that he liked a good side bet as much as he liked to win, but I reckon that was a lie. Zeb wanted to win and hated to lose. And I think he liked cheating as much as he liked winning, because he’d have put one over on everyone. It was his way of proving he was better than everyone else was. He’s been stealing ever since I’ve known him.”
The sheriff, who had joined them, nodded.
“But that was before I learned what he was doing to the horses.” Buck looked around at them all and stopped to direct his focus to the sheriff. “You’ll want to know about that.”
“Yes,” the sheriff said.
“Well, I went up to Canada one time, following a horse that was going to auction up there that I wanted, and to talk to some rodeo guys about a competition I was interested in,” Buck said. “I hadn’t been riding long, just graduated high school, and had a good job working on a ranch, so I had a little money put back to buy me a good horse. What I saw up there…” He took a deep breath before continuing.
