Wild Horse Springs Read online

  By the time Cody got out of the hospital in a few days, he’d have a clean house, be stocked with good food and have a kitchen painted bright yellow to cheer him up.

  She hummed as she worked. Growing up, the closest she’d ever got to a home were cabins that sometimes came with the park host jobs. Her parents were born for adventure, and they saw no reason to slow down when they had kids. So the Adams offspring grew up in a trailer, traveling all fifty states. When they stopped, they usually set up camp in a national park or a geological dig or a place on the map her father would claim no one had ever been.

  Maybe that’s why she became an interpreter. She was working in the backyards of where she grew up.

  Her dad taught wilderness classes all over the country. Her mother published “back-pocket cookbooks” that were sold in every camping supply store. The small cookbook had the basics with a flare. Fresh Fish Cooked on a Stone, Road Kill Barbecue, Apple Pie Baked in a Leftover Bean Can, and so on. By the time Tess and her brother left home, their mom had published twenty-seven cookbooks and had squirreled enough money away to pay for their college tuition.

  Tess was homeschooled before then, and never knew her address growing up. That first semester it came as a shock when she discovered that the rest of the world didn’t live like she had. She met girls who screamed at spiders and didn’t even know the names of stars, much less how to navigate by them.

  She looked around and smiled. Even though this little house was neglected and run-down, she would have loved living in a place like this growing up. It felt solid around her.

  A few hours later when Thatcher woke, the storm was still blowing against the windows so hard it sounded like knocking, and the phones were still out, but a little color was back in his face.

  Tess checked his wounds, gave him two aspirins and a peanut butter sandwich, and studied him while he ate. No dying man could down a meal so fast, so she figured he was on the mend.

  When Thatcher drifted back to sleep, she finished painting the kitchen, then washed the blood out of her uniform shirt in the sink. The fireplace had warmed the room so that it was almost toasty. In her T-shirt and the yoga pants she always wore under her trousers in winter, she snuggled into a makeshift bedroll and slept on the floor a few feet away from her patient.

  At dawn she woke to the sound of her phone buzzing.

  Tess checked on a sleeping Thatcher, then slipped into the kitchen area of Cody’s house and answered, “Hello, Mom.”

  “I heard about the storm and thought I’d call.”

  “I’m fine, Mom. The phones were out last night, but they must have got it fixed.”

  “Where are you? Surely you didn’t go into work. No tourist is going to step foot in the park today.”

  Tess frowned at the cell phone. Her mother would let her run wild in the Appalachian Mountains or try to climb Denali, but she worried about her living in an apartment in town. “I’m staying over at a friend’s ranch, Mom.”

  “A man friend?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh.”

  Tess couldn’t tell if her mother was surprised or hopeful. She didn’t want to tell her too much, or she’d never stop asking questions. “Dad would like him. He was a Texas Ranger.” Basically, if he knew how to fire a rifle, her father would probably love him.

  “Oh,” Mom said again.

  Definitely hopeful. Her mom had kept a scorecard on Tess’s record with men, and it wasn’t pretty. Even the guy who her brother paid to take her out a few years ago brought her home early, claiming he had a cramp in his neck from looking up.

  She hadn’t been bothered that she was three inches taller than him, but some men couldn’t handle a woman almost six feet. Or maybe they just didn’t want to?

  “I have to go, Mom.” Tess almost said that she had to call the sheriff. After all, an escaped criminal was sleeping on the couch. Mom would explode if she heard that.

  “All right, dear. Now don’t do anything wild. Don’t hit your new friend or...”

  Tess had already heard the list, so she cut her off. “I only slugged that one guy, Mom. He deserved it, and I paid for the dental work.” She’d told her parents he’d been rude. She hadn’t told them he’d grabbed her breast fifteen minutes into the date. If he’d been nice, she might have been interested, but Tess didn’t enjoy feeling like she was a squeeze toy. “I’ve got to go, Mom.”

  She hung up before more questions came along.

  When she turned, Thatcher was propped up on one elbow, obviously listening. “Your mom call you every morning?”

  The bruises on his face were darker, one eyelid was bright purple, but she thought he looked much better. “I’m afraid so.”

  “It might not be so bad.” He shrugged. “She complaining about you shacking up with the ranger?”

  “I’m not shacking up.”

  Thatcher looked around. “This is a shack and you’re sleeping here.”

  “I’m just helping Cody out. He took a fall from a horse and is in bad shape.” It was a little more than that, but she didn’t want to get into details. They’d kissed a few times. He’d called her honey and asked her to marry him, but that was after the drugs kicked in. None of which was this kid’s business.

  Tess turned back to the kitchen and started making breakfast. She didn’t want to talk about it. She shouldn’t try to make more of it than it was. Cody would get out of the hospital, thank her and maybe they’d decide to be friends. Once Cody was on his feet, he’d realize she wasn’t the kind of woman men chased or even gave a second look. She was too tall, too plain and could take care of herself.

  As she worked, she said more to herself than to Thatcher, “I hope Cody Winslow doesn’t get any ideas just because I painted his kitchen.”

  “He won’t,” Thatcher answered. “But he might if you walk around in that T-shirt in front of him. Just saying truth. Don’t mean no disrespect.”

  “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing? People wear clothes like this to the gym all the time.”

  “Not with a body like yours. You got some nice curves, lady. Maybe I’m just used to high-school girls, but you’re filled out nicely for an older woman.” Thatcher turned red under all his bruises. “Not that I’m looking, but I’m thinking if this Winslow comes home and you’re standing in his kitchen in that outfit, he’ll be staring at you with a goofy smile, if he’s breathing.”

  She shook her head. “I’m only twenty-seven.” Tess knew he was complimenting her in his own way. The uniform didn’t do much for her figure, but she’d grown comfortable in it. In fact, her off-duty clothes were starting to resemble the uniform. Baggy trousers and plain cotton shirts. Still, it was not good when a kid gave her fashion advice.

  “You up for breakfast?”

  “Sure,” Thatcher answered. “I’m starving.”

  “How about I call the sheriff first and tell him I’ll watch over you until the roads clear?”

  “You not afraid I’ll escape or cut your ear off?”

  “No, but if you don’t cooperate, I’ll forget to feed you.” She tossed him an energy bar.

  He picked it up and studied it. “What’s this?”

  “The appetizer.”

  Thatcher frowned. “Man, I miss my home in the cell. I had fresh muffins delivered every morning and some kind of pie brought at both lunch and dinner.”

  “Right, but you also had two men who dropped by to kill you.” Tess laughed. “At least here, you’ve only got to worry about that bull snake in the box by the door.”

  She was surprised he didn’t look the least frightened.

  “Any reason you keep company with a snake?” Thatcher asked.

  “I found him near the generator. I didn’t want him getting in the barn and scaring the horses and he’d freeze if I turned him loose outside.
He’s the biggest one I’ve seen in a long time. Over six feet, I’d guess.”

  “You know folks confuse them with rattlers all the time. You’d think they’d notice that bull snakes don’t have a rattle.” Thatcher was fighting to stay awake long enough to finish his sentence. “I used to hunt snakes for a living.” He leaned back on the arm of the couch. “Mind if I take a morning nap while you cook breakfast? I’m a little tired.”

  “After I make the call, I’ll finish breakfast, then wake you.”

  She moved back to the kitchen and dialed the Ransom Canyon County Offices.

  A woman answered the phone. “County Offices.”

  “This is Tess Adams with the Parks Department. I’d like to speak to the sheriff.”

  “He’s very busy, Miss Adams. Could I have him call you back?”

  “It’s an emergency.” Tess wasn’t about to talk to anyone but the sheriff. She waited the receptionist out.

  After a pause, the woman huffed and said, “I’ll put you through.”

  Tess had never met the sheriff, but she’d talked to him a few times about Cody. Once to ask him to find someone to take care of feeding Cody’s horses and another to inform him that she’d be taking over the job herself.

  Dan Brigman had seemed to know where Wild Horse Springs was and said he’d met Cody a few times when Winslow was working for the Texas Rangers.

  Finally, the sheriff picked up. “Brigman here. How’s our night rider doing, Miss Adams? Word is he’s healing. Hope there’s no problem.” He sounded like he was in a hurry to be finished with the call. He was saying the right words, being polite, but they came in rapid-fire.

  “Cody’s fine, I guess. Haven’t seen him since yesterday around two,” she said calmly, “only I found another man injured when I got to the ranch last night.”

  She paused. “My phone was dead, and I was afraid to take him back out in the storm. I patched him up.”

  “Who do you have?” Dan’s voice shot through the phone and the background noise on his end died.

  “Thatcher Jones.” She could tell his end of the call had been switched to speaker. “He’s okay, Sheriff. A few cuts, beat up some. Hungry every few hours.”

  “That’s Thatcher.” Brigman laughed.

  She lowered her voice. “I think someone’s trying to kill him.”

  “I know. Tell the kid I’m on my way.” He sounded relived and tired.

  She heard voices in the background as she shouted, “The roads are...”

  “I’ll get there. And tell the kid I’m bringing his cell phone. I don’t ever want him without it again.” The phone went dead.

  Tess stared at it for a moment. The sheriff wasn’t much of a talker. She had no idea how he’d get down the half mile of icy dirt road, but she had a feeling he’d be here soon. She’d better get dressed.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  BRANDI MALONE SWORE she could pay for a hotel. All the bar owner had to do was take her to one, but after spending hours talking about the fire with everyone who dropped by, Hank insisted on putting her up in the best place he knew about.

  The Franklin Sisters’ Bed and Breakfast in Crossroads, Texas.

  Brandi frowned when Hank drove past the Ransom Canyon County Offices, then stopped half a block away. Great. How was she going to keep a wild affair with the sheriff secret when she was practically on Main Street?

  Cars and pickups surrounded the building, so the sheriff was obviously still working. As near as she could tell, Dan Brigman worked so hard he only slept every other night.

  Brandi settled into the B and B and decided she’d wait him out. Eventually he’d have to crash, and when he did, she planned to be there to catch him.

  Late the next morning Dan finally called. “Hank said you got a room last night. Sorry I didn’t have time to drop over. I was dealing with a suspected kidnapping here in Crossroads.”

  She laughed. “You’re running out of excuses. Was it or wasn’t it a kidnapping?”

  “Thank God it was not. I found out this morning that the victim escaped and managed to find a safe place last night. I’m relieved, but I’m going to make sure he stays hidden for a few days until I round up the suspects. It’d help if I knew more about them, but the kid couldn’t tell me much.”

  “How will you know them when you see them?” Brandi had already heard most of the details from the Franklin sisters, but she liked listening to Dan’s voice.

  “Easy, a tall guy will be with a short guy who only has one ear.”

  “And the other?” She could hear a hint of happiness in his voice even when he was trying to be serious.

  “The other will be missing a right ear.” When she stopped laughing, he added, “It doesn’t look like I’ll be able to drive out to your hotel for a few hours. I need to talk to my escaped prisoner, the one who was almost kidnapped. Although he technically hasn’t escaped, since the charges were dropped yesterday. As soon as it warms up a little, I’m heading out to question him again and take him a cheeseburger.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” she said. “I’m settled in and warm. I slept like a rock last night.”

  “I slept in my office chair. It felt like a rock. How far down the road did you have to go to find a room?”

  “Half a block.” She tried to laugh. They hadn’t even gotten their clothes off yet and they’d become star-crossed lovers. “I’m at the best bed and breakfast in town.”

  “Brandi, don’t tell me you’re at the only bed and breakfast in Crossroads.”

  “I am. I thought I’d have to go all the way to Lubbock to find a vacancy last night, but with the roads so bad, Hank insisted on helping me find a place.”

  “Tell me the bright side.”

  Though he sounded tired and disappointed, there was still laughter in his voice.

  As she began, she kept her voice low and sexy even though what she had to say wasn’t the least like phone sex. “I’ve spent yesterday afternoon and this morning visiting with two little old dears, a couple from Utah who love the canyon walls and a lonely groom who just found out that his wife is a shopaholic.”

  “Tell me more,” he whispered, as she heard a door close and guessed he was alone.

  She could hear him relaxing. “If the bride ever comes back from the antique mall, he plans to have it out with her. Oh, a point of interest. The groom isn’t speaking to the innkeepers because they told the bride the mall would probably be open and she could walk. They even loaned her one of the half-dozen pairs of snow boots left behind by former guests.”

  “The mall is three junk stores in a row, and I don’t think it’s open yet.” He’d lowered his tone, midnight smooth. “I passed there a little after dawn, and they have two feet of snow in their six-space parking lot. If the bride’s been gone more than thirty minutes and she hasn’t called, she’s left him. Anyone else at the B and B that I should worry about?”

  “There were two little ladies from Oklahoma with bowling-ball haircuts, but they never added more than a nod to the conversation.”

  “I love talking to you,” he said.

  “Me, too. Almost as good as watching you. I like surprising you, Dan.”

  “How about coming home with me for supper? My daughter is in from Dallas for a few days. She says she’s making chili tonight. I’ve got this ache to see you even if other people are around.” He was silent for a moment, then added, “I just want to look at you, too. Maybe feel your hair.” His voice lowered. “Maybe touch that nicely rounded—”

  “Okay, I’ll come.” Brandi wasn’t sure it was a good idea to meet any of his family, but she wanted to see him, too. It seemed his was an addiction that came on fast.

  A few hours later, Dan picked her up at the bed and breakfast. He told the sisters that he needed her to look at a few mug shots.


  Since Rose and Daisy loved mysteries, they acted like they knew just how involved mug shot identification could be. Rose packed Brandi a snack so she could concentrate, and Daisy told her to study the eyes because that’s where the criminals showed their true heartlessness.

  The sheriff was formal, calling her Miss Malone, opening the door for her. Not standing too close. Not standing close enough.

  “How’s Thatcher?” she asked, trying to get her mind off what they were both thinking.

  Dan shrugged. “I’m guessing you got the whole story from the sisters. I didn’t mention any names this morning.”

  “Rose said you’ve been watching out for him all his life. This wasn’t just some kid who skipped out of jail, was it?”

  Dan drove toward his office. “No. I guess that’s the blessing and the curse of being a small-town sheriff. You get involved. There was nothing I wanted more than to be with you last night, but I had to find him.”

  “And you did?”

  “I don’t think I stopped worrying for a moment until I got the call he was safe. We talked it over and decided he should stay exactly where he is until we find the two men who tried to kill him.”

  She nodded. If Dan had been another man, a different man, she wouldn’t have believed him, but anyone could see that Sheriff Brigman was his job. It was part of him, bone and blood.

  “How about we stop for coffee before we go to my office or the house? It’s as private a conversation as we’ll probably get for hours.”

  She agreed, and they pulled into a little café within sight of the county offices.

  When they walked in, everyone stopped and stared. It didn’t take much to figure out that the sheriff usually didn’t enter the place with a lady. Once he opened his notepad and pulled out his pen from his vest pocket, people turned back to their meals. They all thought he was simply doing his job.

  “Let me guess,” she whispered even though he’d picked a booth in the corner, out of hearing distance of anyone else. “Everyone in town has a sister or mother or cousin they want you to meet. If you even hinted you were seeing someone, they’d be mad you didn’t give their relative a try.”