Following her lead, Reed did the same until hed crawled up beside her in the grass. A moonless night had settled in, with a million stars lighting the heavens. On the other side of the hill, a dark ribbon of road stretched for miles, disappearing in the blackness.
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Reed made out tiny red dots in the distance just as they disappeared over the horizon. Possibly the blink of brake lights on a tractor-trailer rig.
Did you see that? Mona asked.
Yeah.
Hundred bucks says thats a truck full of Rancho Linda cattle. She stood and fired a shot at the retreating vehicle, not that her rifle had that kind of distance.
An answering shot echoed through the darkness.
Reed grabbed Mona and pulled her to the ground.
Some of them are still down there. Id like to keep my job for longer than a day, if you dont mind.
The sound of a small engine revving carried across the hill.
Come on! Mona leaped to her feet and scrambled back down the slope to the truck.
Right behind her, Reed climbed into the truck and switched it to four-wheel drive. They topped the hill doing thirty and plunged downward to the field below.
Taillights glowed red on the road over a mile away. The rustlers had a head start on them. If they had any kind of horsepower in their vehicle, theyd be gone before Reed and Mona made the highway.
Damn. Mona held on to the handle above the door as the truck bounced over uneven terrain, small bushes and rocks on its descent to the bottom of the hill.
Meanwhile, the taillights disappeared into the night.
Reed eased across the cut barbed-wire fence, careful not to get wire wrapped around the axles. When he pulled up onto the pavement, he turned to Mona. Want me to follow?
Hell, yeah. Mona slammed her palm
against the armrest. They cant get away with this. Those are my cattle.
With the lead the rustlers had, Reed didnt think they had a chance, but he gunned the truck and flew down the road, gaining speed until the pickup traveled at over one hundred miles per hour. For the next thirty minutes, they raced over deserted highways and back roads, but the truck and tractor-trailer rig had disappeared.
When he came to a crossroad where the county road T-junctioned onto a state highway, Reed pulled to a stop and turned to his new boss. Which way?
Instead of looking at the highway stretching to the left or right, she stared straight ahead across an open field in front of them. The lights from the dash glinted off the moisture in her eyes. Once again, her hair had escaped the confines of the elastic band shed worn earlier and laid across her shoulders in shiny waves of ebony.
Tempted to reach out and touch the strands, Reed gripped the steering wheel tighter. He wanted to comfort her, give her reason to hang on. Something told him she wouldnt appreciate any sympathy from him or any other man.
She sat there, her jaw firmed, her lips thinning into a straight line. In case you havent gotten the hint, this is the reason why I hired you. Tomorrow we come up with a plan to stop these thieves. Do you still want the job?
More than ever. The challenge excited him, almost as much as his new boss. Yes.
Good. Now, if youll excuse me. She opened the door, climbed down from the truck and threw up in the ditch.
Chapter Three
Monas stomach burbled, the acid churning nonstop since Parker Lee stepped through her door. She swore shed never let him set foot on her property in her lifetime. But then tough times called for compromises. You cant tell me youre still clueless. Thats three hits in the past month. Mona stopped midway across the living room to face the one man she hated more than any other. Whats it gonna take to get you to do something about this problem?
The sheriff stepped forward and laid his hands on her shoulders. Now, Mona, if youd just let me take care of you like I promised, none of this would be happening.
Her anger turned to deep dark rage. If her eyes could shoot venom, shed have poisoned Parker Lee with one look. Get your hands off me.
Mona His fingers tightened on her arms until they hurt.
Mona cocked her knee, ready to plant it square in his groin.
The lady told you to get your hands off her. Reed pushed through the screen door and entered the room. He stood with his feet braced apart, his cowboy hat in one hand.
Bryson. Sheriff Lees eyes narrowed. I didnt expect you to be out here. I thought you headed back to Chicago.
Hardly.
Mona shot a look at Reed. Shed hired him on the spot without so much as an interview. She knew nothing else about this man. Hes with me.
You do know Bryson here was a deputy for all of five months before I fired him. Cant have a deputy who refuses to follow orders. Lees brows rose. Aint that right?
Reeds lips thinned, but he refused to answer, although his gaze remained on Sheriff Lee.
Mona liked him all the more for not rising to Parker Lees bait. She couldnt claim the same amount of restraint. Too often shed come close to scratching the mans eyes out. A purely female reaction to a lying, deceiving man. Thank God she was over him.