Page 11 of Covert Obsession

SEVEN

Colton Bells waited for them in the barn. The huge, modern building housed a dozen horses of varying ages and temperaments. It smelled of hay, leather, and metal, along with the odor of the animals themselves.

It was the cleanest barn Parker had ever seen. Colton, leaning against one of the stalls, came to attention when they entered.

Moe lit up like a Christmas tree. “What in the Queen’s army are you doing here, Shinedown?”

The two shared a complicated handshake, complete with fist bumps and a foot shuffle. They exchanged a male hug with back slaps and threw fake punches at each other.

Colton was laughing when he offered Parker a regular handshake. “I pilot Emit’s plane. Shelby and I moved to California, not far from him and his wife. When he visits, I check on the horses and make sure they’re getting the best care. In return, I get to go riding. I miss it, you know?” His Oklahoma twang got deeper the more he spoke about the ranch. “Sometimes he holds meetings here and I do bodyguard work, but mostly I get to pretend I’m in the country again. Nothing better than the open sky and a horse.”

Moe snickered. “Bloody hell, I wish we had more time to catch up, but we need to get on the road. You know this area? Maybe you should go with us.”

“I’ll be with you, sort of.” He handed him a backpack. “This has your comm units, a set of walkies, several weapons, a first-aid kit, and enough MREs for three days.” He tapped his ear. “I can guide you using the comms until you’re out of pocket. If you get in terrain where they don’t reach, there’s a satellite phone that might. No guarantees, though.”

He grabbed another pack and handed it to Parker. She wasn’t quite prepared for the weight and grunted when he let go and she nearly toppled over. “That’s your water supply, plus tablets to decontaminate any you’re forced to use if you run out of the bottled stuff.” He brought out a phone from his back pocket and tapped the screen. “I’m sending you a detailed map I created from my wanderings in the area. It’s a different world when you’re off the main roads. This is based on the one serious hikers use, but mine is more detailed. That way, you’ll have landmarks I can guide you to, and it shows you where to stay out of trouble.”

Another snicker from her partner. “Never took to staying out of that.”

Colton didn’t either. The two of them thrived on risk and danger. The higher the risk factors, the better they liked it.

Even after all this time she found it hard to think of Colton as a married man, settled down and living a normal life. At least, as normal as any of them had. “Let’s get you some horses,” he said.

He led them between the rows, describing each mount and their personality traits. “Yandi, here, is a wild one.” He held out his hand to the tall, black quarterhorse and the animal snorted, glaring at him. Colton chuckled, wiping his now-wet hand on his pants. “He’s sired three of our most promising trackers to date, but he’s due for castration next month. He’s too wild for the boss’s liking.”

“Sorry, mate,” Moe said to the horse.

Down the line they went, a story for each animal. When Colton finished, Moe jutted his chin down the row. “You know which one you want?” he asked her.

She nodded. “Yandi.”

Both men eyed her with equal parts disbelief and curiosity. Moe blew out a tight breath. “Sorry, luv. That boy’s mine.”

She’d known he would want the biggest and hardest to handle. “Kindred spirit?”

Colton turned away, disguising a smile.

Moe ran a hand over the stalls as he stalked back to the dangerous horse who watched his every move. “He’s too much for you, don’t you think?”

Was that a challenge? Was he still talking about the horse or himself? She passed him with her nose in the air and met Yandi’s hard eyes. “He needs the right handler is all.” Speaking soft words and making gentle noises with her tongue, she extended her fingers, keeping them just out of reach of the snorting muzzle. He raised his head, shaking his mane, then settled, bumping the tips. She smiled at him and carefully stroked him. “See?”

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Colton said. “Looks like you have an admirer.”

Moe grabbed a pair of gloves from nearby. “Great.”

Parker chuckled, giving herself a mental high-five. “Worried?”

“That you’ll get your ass dumped down the mountainside? Bloody right, I am. It’s me who will have to pick up your corpse and haul you back.”

She opened the stall, easing in beside the beast. His coat was as black as the sky and he shuffled between his feet, antsy and ready to break free. “Not that.” She stroked the beautiful, strong neck, and ran her hand down his flank. Yandi trembled under her touch. “You’ve got competition for my heart.”

Colton’s phone buzzed. “You two got this? I need to head to the house.”

“Go,” Moe growled. “We’re good.”

“I’ll check in with you once you’re clear of the ranch.”

Parker gave him a nod, going for a saddle. Colton found another and placed it on an older mare. Remy, according to Colton, was solid and reliable, but her most enduring trait was that Yandi would follow her anywhere. She was the only horse he got along with.

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