Page 35 of The Cowboy’s Reckoning

“I’ll keep you posted on what happens here,” she assured him. After the teen had headed to his truck she gave Jordan a sideways glance. “Thanks.”

“Yeah. I’d better call and let Hayes and Trev know that they’re shorthanded for a few days.”

Meaning they weren’t and that Jordan had manufactured work for her day hand. Before she could thank him, he added, “I also told Dakota that I wasn’t going to sell, so he wasn’t going to get fired.”

She loved hearing those words aloud, but reality smacked away her gratitude.

“If we aren’t too spooked to work the place.” She nudged an oversized stone in the gravel with the toe of her boot. “I’m pissed about how effective this tactic was. I lost a cow. Lost future income. I’m afraid of losing another cow. Hell, I’m kind of afraid to be standing here in the open.”

“I think that’s the general idea.”

“Agreed.” She pushed her hands into her back pockets. “After I feed, I’m going to have a cup of coffee and call my clients. Let them know what’s going on.” She pulled her lip into her teeth briefly. “Not looking forward to this.”

“When you’re done, and the deputy has finished his check, we’ll assess. Delineate what we know and what we don’t.”

Lil had almost forgotten that he was an engineer. And she hated to say it, but she was glad he was there. It was good to have someone there who, while involved, wasn’t related to her. Someone to help them sort through this. Someone who cared enough about her teenage ranch hand to give him a job.

“When we got this lease, Meg and I thought we were getting a new start, leaving the bad behind.”

“This still might be a series of unrelated incidents.”

She cocked a skeptical eyebrow. “A run of bad luck? Do you believe that?”

He shook his head. “No.”

“Then we need to do something about it.”

“Agreed.” Jordan gave her an appraising look, then asked abruptly, “Do you trust me?”

Lil went still, knowing that he was asking the same question Meg had asked the night before—did she think he had something to do with the shooting?

His face was drawn into hard lines as he waited for a response, and she couldn’t help but flash on the moment last night when he’d tucked the hair behind her ear, his knuckles lightly brushing her cheek. His expression had been tender then, a sharp contrast to the face he now wore.

“You’re asking if I think you had something to do with this?”

The serious lines of his face didn’t waver. “Pretty much.”

She touched his arm, felt the taut muscles beneath the cotton of his shirt that refused to give. “I wouldn’t have you here if I did.”

Her hand fell away as he gave a small nod. “Good.”

*

Despite her reply, Jordan had a feeling that he was still on the bubble where Lil was concerned.

Connery’s office didn’t open for another two hours, but he’d been kind enough to give Jordan his private number. Jordan waited until Lil was busy with chores before making the call, standing just outside the barn, watching the sun move over the top of the trees as he waited for Connery to pick up. The broker answered on a yawn and Jordan jumped straight to the narrative.

“Someone shot one of the McAllens’s cows last night.”

“What the hell—”

“I’m not calling because I think you’re involved. I’m calling to tell you that I don’t give a damn what happens on this ranch, I’m not selling. I’m going to build a house in the pasture and call it home.”

“Jordan—”

“If you have someone who needs to know that, tell them.”

“Now see—”