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  By right, Bernice’s daughter should have the family Bible, Erin reasoned. Too bad it hadn’t been discovered before the truck left with Jasper’s body. But never mind, she could mail it the next time she went to town.

  As Erin was laying the Bible aside, something dropped from between the pages and fluttered to the floor. She picked it up. It was a small, colored photograph, probably a high school yearbook picture. The young woman in the photo had auburn curls, a freckled nose, and a dimpled smile. She wasn’t a striking beauty, but her eyes, the deep azure of Texas bluebonnets, seemed to radiate kindness and good nature.

  Erin turned the picture over. Written on the back, in faded blue ink, was the name Sally, along with a blurred date.

  Tears flooded Erin’s eyes. Jasper had never shown her this picture. But its edges, worn thin from handling, told her he’d spent a lot of time looking at it.

  What would it be like to love someone so much—to love them your whole life, even though they were gone?

  Erin slipped the photograph back into the Bible. As she closed the book and set it aside, she realized she was weeping. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her shoulders quivered with silent sobs. When her mother had died, she hadn’t allowed herself to cry. She’d been making too much of an effort to be strong for her father and shoulder all that had to be done. Now, in a shattering release of grief, the tears came; and there was nothing she could do but bury her face in Jasper’s pillow and let the flood sweep her away.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “ERIN, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?”

  At the sound of Luke’s voice, Erin raised her head. Through a blur of tears she could see him standing in the open doorway of the duplex with the morning sun at his back.

  “Yes. A little emotional, but I’ll be fine,” she said, conscious of her swollen eyes and tear-streaked face. Some girls cried prettily. Erin wasn’t one of them.

  His eyes took her in. “I’m sorry. The door was ajar. I knocked, but you must not have heard me. Is there anything I can do to help?”

  Erin stood and stepped away from the bed. She couldn’t help wishing she could put a bag over her head. But she wouldn’t apologize for crying. Jasper had earned her tears.

  “There’s nothing anybody can do,” she said. “It’s just this place. The old man who lived here for years was like a grandfather to me. Everything here reminds me of him. But I need to do this, even if it’s hard.”

  “You don’t have to do it today,” he said. “I can survive in the bunkhouse.”

  “You were complaining about it last night. You said it was as noisy as—”

  “I know. But I’ve slept through worse. At the end of a long day, shoeing horses in the heat, I could probably sleep through a tornado.”

  “I’ll get it done. I promised my dad. It won’t get any easier if I wait.”

  “Well, I’ll appreciate the effort. And I’ll consider it an honor to sleep in a good man’s bed. If there’s any way I can help—”

  “A stranger wouldn’t know what was worth saving. I have to do this myself. It’s just knowing that I’ll never see him again, and . . . Oh, blast!” The tears were back, trickling down her cheeks in salty streams. Erin pressed her hands to her face. “Ignore me. I’ll be fine in a minute.”

  He crossed the space between them and took a clean, folded bandanna out of his pocket. Easing her hands away, he lifted her face with a thumb under her chin and began blotting away the tears. “It’s all right,” he said. “Sometimes the only thing you can do is cry.”

  His face was so close that his breath mingled with hers. It was as if she could look into the depths of his eyes and see the reflection of her own raw need. Erin’s desire to be in his arms and to feel the sensual power of his kisses, sweeping away the sting of her tears, was like an unanswered cry. If she were to stretch upward by an inch, he would know....

  And she would be in serious trouble.

  “Here, give me that,” she said, stepping back and snatching the bandanna from his hand. Wadding it in her fist, she dabbed furiously at the tears that were already drying on her face. “I’ll wash this and give it back to you,” she said, stuffing it into her pocket. “Are you ready to work on my stallion?”

  “That’s why I’m here. But it can wait.”

  “No, let’s do it now,” she said. “Just give me a minute.”

  In the bathroom, she splashed her face to wash away the salty tear trails. Her eyes avoided the mirror. She didn’t have to see her reflection to know that she looked a red-eyed mess. But why should it matter? Luke Maddox was her employee—that was all. He’d already seen her at her worst.

  * * *

  She led the way to the barns, her head high, her stride determined, as if defying anyone to notice that she’d been crying. Luke walked a step behind her, feeling strangely protective. He’d dismissed Erin as a spoiled princess. But in the past two days she’d proven herself to be strong, courageous, proud, and now, vulnerable in a way that touched his heart. Back in the duplex, when he’d found her in tears, it had been all he could do to keep from taking her in his arms. He could have rationalized that he was giving her comfort. But he’d long since learned not to lie to himself. He wanted her—wanted her in a way guaranteed to get him horsewhipped and run out of town.

  Erin’s palomino stallion, a registered quarter horse, was big for his breed, powerful, and beautifully proportioned. An ideal stud. One of the cowhands had mentioned that, in this year of drought, it was Tesoro’s stud fees that had kept the Rimrock from going under. Even the foals that lacked his golden coat were superb. All the more reason to keep the horse in prime condition.

  Erin led Tesoro out of his stall to the shed where Luke had set up his anvil and tools. Luke had already spent time around the stallion, talking to him, stroking him, and checking his legs. He didn’t expect trouble. But Tesoro was high-spirited and definitely a one-woman horse. Having Erin there to keep him calm would make the process of trimming and shoeing safer.

  “Come and take a look.” Wearing his heavy leather apron, Luke positioned himself against Tesoro’s side. At a touch, the well-trained stallion raised a front hoof for inspection. Erin moved in closer as Luke pointed out the edge of the hoof. “See how it’s grown past the shoe. If he’s to be ridden much, it’ll wear and give him trouble. All four hooves need to be trimmed around the edge and fitted with shoes that won’t let this happen again. Make sense?”

  “It does. Go ahead.” She watched him, soothing her horse as Luke pried off the shoe and began cleaning and trimming the hoof. “I had no idea there was so much involved in shoeing a horse,” she said. “Where did you learn all this?”

  “I spent my teens on my grandmother’s farm in Oklahoma,” he said. “Her neighbor was a farrier. When he saw that I was interested, he took me on as an apprentice and trained me. Later on, I went to school and learned more.”

  “That’s interesting,” she said. “You say you spent your teens on a farm. What about before that? What about your family?”

  “That’s not a story I enjoy telling.”

  “Please,” she said.

  He shrugged. “You might say I grew up rough. I never knew my father. My mother and her boyfriend died in a motorcycle crash when I was eleven. After that I went to live with my half brother in Oklahoma City. That didn’t turn out so well either. That was when my grandma took me in. I’d probably be in prison now if it hadn’t been for her.”

  “You were one of the lucky ones. Is your grandmother still alive?”

  “Yup. She couldn’t keep the farm, but she’s still in Oklahoma, in a retirement home.”

  “Sky’s from Oklahoma, too,” she said. “His mother’s people were Comanche. But Sky’s father was my grandfather, Bull Tyler. That makes him my uncle. It’s a complicated story.”

  “I’m impressed with your foreman. He’s a good man.”

  “Sky’s the best. He taught me everything I know about horses.” Her smile was like the sun coming out. Even with her face bare
of makeup and her eyes still showing traces of tears, she was beautiful.

  For the next forty minutes, she watched him clean, trim, and shoe each hoof while she soothed the restless stallion and asked questions about the work in a manner that was as businesslike as she’d promised.

  “All done. Good boy.” He patted Tesoro’s shoulder, then turned to Erin. “I wouldn’t mind seeing you ride him. That way, I could check his gait and make sure the balance is perfect.”

  “Would you like to ride with me later today?” she asked. “I want to visit the spot where Jasper had his so-called accident and see if there’s anything the sheriff and his deputy missed. I have my suspicions about what happened, but without proof, there’s nothing I can do. It’s not very far, only about a mile from here.”

  “That sounds intriguing,” he said. “Of course, I’ll go with you. After what we saw last night, there’s no way I’d feel good about your riding out there alone. I’ll trim and shoe the other stallions and ride one of them.”

  “They’re both easy to handle. Unless you need my help, I’ll put Tesoro away and finish cleaning out the duplex. When I’m all done, I’ll check back with you.”

  Luke watched as she led her horse back to the barn. Spending so much time with Erin wasn’t a good idea, he told himself. Forbidden lust aside, he enjoyed her. She was smart, funny, and totally natural. But the voice of caution was telling him to back off. Spending time with her, especially alone, was flirting with trouble. Whether he liked it or not, he was beginning to care for her. If he didn’t put a stop to it, the time would come when caring for her wouldn’t be enough.

  Later today, he’d be riding with her to where her old friend had wrecked his ATV. He’d be fighting temptation all the way, but he couldn’t let Erin go alone. One man had died in the scrub land beyond the heart of the ranch. A subtle sixth sense warned Luke that the danger could still be out there, waiting.

  * * *

  Jasper had been laid to rest in the old country churchyard, his grave decorated with wildflowers and blessed with prayers. Now, with Will at the wheel, Rose in the passenger seat, and Sky dozing in the rear, the pickup was headed for home.

  This, Rose decided, would be as good a time as any to broach the subject of her land. She cleared her throat. “I didn’t want to bring this up until after the burial, but we need to talk about that parcel on the creek.”

  The subtle tightening of Will’s mouth told her he wasn’t surprised.

  “That land still belongs to me,” she said. “When I married Tanner and went off to Wyoming, Bull promised to take care of it. I haven’t seen the place, but going by what Erin told me, I’d guess that promise hasn’t been kept.”

  Will’s chest rose and fell in a deep sigh. “I’m sorry, Rose. My father’s been gone a long time. And there’ve been some rough years between then and now. I never meant to let the place go to seed like it has, especially your grandpa’s grave. But the truth is, I’ve had more pressing things to worry about, like keeping the cattle alive and the ranch solvent—and watching cancer take my wife.”

  Rose laid a hand on his arm, remembering what a serious, responsible young boy he’d been. In her eyes, he hadn’t changed that much. “I understand, Will,” she said. “I’m not trying to cast blame. The situation is what it is. But I’ve been doing some serious thinking—and I’ve concluded that it’s time for me to take my property back.”

  “What the—?” Will flinched, causing the truck to swerve slightly. “Damn it, Rose, we’ve got to have that creek water. The ranch can’t survive without it.”

  “I know. I signed an agreement with Bull that the Rimrock would always have access to the water. But you can fill your tank from the creek without running cattle all over my property. All you need to do is bury the pipe and install a couple of valves, so you can turn it on at the tank. It shouldn’t take a genius to figure that out. That piece of land was beautiful once. I want to make it beautiful again.”

  Will was silent. Rose could almost feel him weighing her words, letting them sink in before he spoke.

  “Are you saying what I think you’re saying? That you want to live on your land?”

  “Why not? Because it didn’t work out the first time? Things have changed, Will. I’m not running from the cartel. The Prescotts are gone. And I’ll have access to money now. Tanner built us a nice home in Wyoming. His brother has married children coming back to the ranch. He’s asked me about selling the house to him for cash. I can pay to have a pretty little cabin built, with a place for a garden and animals, and a good, stout fence to keep out your cattle.”

  Will didn’t reply. Rose studied his stubborn profile as he drove. She should have known that he wouldn’t have an easy time accepting her news. His first reaction would be to see it as a threat to the Rimrock.

  “Be happy for me, Will,” she said. “Living on my grandpa’s land was my dream once. Now I can make it come true. And you won’t be losing anything. The land was never yours. You’ll still have the water—and we’ll be neighbors.”

  “Not if I lose the Rimrock, which is going to happen if I can’t make that bank payment. The syndicate would buy the place in a minute, like they did the old Prescott property. But that’s not what I want. My grandfather, the man I’m named for, literally gave his life to keep this land for his descendants.”

  “I know,” Rose said. “Jasper told me the story, how he chose to die of cancer rather than sell the Rimrock to pay for treatment that could have saved his life.”

  “And Bull? Lord, my father would rise out of his grave and haunt me if I lost this place.”

  “Having known Bull, I’d almost believe he could do that. But, Will, if you’re that desperate, I’d be happy to loan you—”

  “Oh, no! No! Rose, I wouldn’t think of taking your money. That’s not who I am.”

  “Then what about Beau? I know how things are between the two of you, but he’s not heartless. He never meant for this to happen.”

  “I wouldn’t ask Beau for a damned nickel. All I can do is sell off most of the cattle while they’re still in decent shape, and as many of the horses as we can spare, although that’ll break Erin’s heart. She’s raised and trained so many of them.”

  “Surely you wouldn’t sell her stallion.”

  “No, not Tesoro or the breeding stock. We’ll still need enough cow ponies to run the ranch. But any extras will have to go. That’s why I hired the farrier. If I want to get top dollar for the horses, they’ll need to be in good condition.”

  “How much of this have you told Erin?” Rose asked.

  Will slowed to pass a sheep that was nibbling grass alongside the two-lane road. “Erin knows we’re struggling,” he said. “But I haven’t told her the worst. I want her to enjoy her life while she can. Maybe she’ll even marry that boyfriend of hers. At least that way, if anything were to happen to me, she’d have some security.”

  Rose felt a chill. “Will, you’re scaring me. Is something wrong with you?”

  “As far as I know, I’m sound as a dollar. But losing Tori and Jasper within a few months of each other has got me thinking about my own mortality. You’ve heard that deaths tend to run in groups of three. After what I’ve seen over the years, I’m inclined to believe it.”

  “Superstitious nonsense, that’s all it is!” Rose shook her head. “You can’t set any store by it. Let’s talk about something else. Tell me about that young man of Erin’s. How long have they been dating?”

  Will took a moment to think. “A little over a year, I guess, since Erin graduated from high school and Kyle came home from junior college. His dad manages the syndicate ranch that used to belong to the Prescotts. A good man, and his wife seems friendly. Kyle has an associate degree in ranch management. Experience will teach him the rest of what he needs to know. Earlier you asked whether he was the right man to help Erin run the Rimrock someday. If that’s the way things turn out, he’ll certainly be qualified.”

  “So you approve of the match
?”

  “I wouldn’t object to it. But only if it makes Erin happy.”

  But will he make her happy? Rose kept that question to herself, knowing that Will would have no way to answer it. She had met Kyle Cardwell at the luncheon following the funeral. The young man had been polite and charming, and he was certainly handsome. But Rose had sensed something hidden below the surface—a weakness, perhaps, like a flaw in a good-looking horse. There’d been no word for it—no proof that it was even there. But she’d walked away feeling that Erin deserved better.

  “I’d like to see my land tomorrow,” she said. “If you don’t have time to take me, could I borrow a vehicle?”

  “I’ll be glad to take you. That’s the least I can do.” Will swung the truck onto the freeway ramp and hit the gas. “But you won’t like what you see.”

  “That’s all right. We’ll take a look at what’s wrong and figure out how to fix it.” Rose settled back in the seat. She was worn out from the long drive, and the ranch was hours away. But she wasn’t sorry to be here. Years had passed since she’d felt useful to anyone but herself. But some inner voice whispered that in the time ahead, her help would be needed.

  * * *

  The midday sun beat down on the scrubby foothills below the escarpment. Under its searing rays, the landscape seemed stripped of anything that moved. Even the basking lizards were gone from rocks that were hot to the touch. Heat waves swam above the parched ground. Out on the flatland, the white alkali patch that had been a bitter playa lake before the drought glittered like diamond dust.

  Birds, snakes, mice, rabbits, and coyotes, even spiders and scorpions, had taken refuge in the shade or under the ground. Only the vultures, riding the updrafts on outstretched wings, seemed to thrive in the heat.

  Mounted on Tesoro, Erin tilted the water canteen to her lips and passed it to Luke. Beneath her broad-brimmed hat, her hair was soaked with perspiration. The distance to the dry wash where Jasper’s life had ended wasn’t much more than a mile from the heart of the ranch. But the going was slow, because she and Luke were taking the stallions at a walk to spare them in the heat.