Page 97 of The Cowboy and the Stray

Midge clapped her hands. "Thank you, Andy. Want a drink? It's hotter than hell already."

Andy shook her head. "Can't. Got feed to unload and old man Crenshaw's expecting his order by noon, or he'll throw a fit. You know how he is."

Midge grinned. "Tell him to eat a salad."

Andy snorted. "Last time I did that he called me a communist."

She tipped her hat to us and headed back to her truck.

As soon as the truck was out of sight, Calder inspected the flowers. Deep inside was a blank envelope.

“I feel like this is meant for you,” he said. “Do you want me to open it?”

I didn't want to open it, but I shook my head. “No, I will.” The card was plain, just white paper and a blue stripe, like maybe it came from a stationary kit at a sad office supply store.

I hesitated, but Ash said, "What, you think it's anthrax?" so I glared at her for half a second then flipped it open.

There were only three words:

I found you.

The bottom fell out of my stomach. I could see the ink on the back of the card, where the pen had pressed hard enough to emboss the paper. My hands went cold.

Ash leaned over, reading upside-down. "That's cold."

I stared at the words for a full minute, brain refusing to process. My heart had retreated up into my throat and now just sat there, thudding against my tongue.

Calder saw my face and put a hand on my shoulder, which was just enough to keep me standing. He took the card, read it, and then looked out across the fields like maybe Lance was hiding behind the water tank. Ash snatched the card next and studied it like she was looking for fingerprints.

Midge took one look at my face and said, "Go sit down, honey. You're whiter than a preacher's bedsheet."

I sat on the porch steps, not really seeing the world in front of me. The flowers were insignificant.

The note was what mattered.

He'd found me. He always did. He always would.

Ash tossed the card onto the porch rail and dropped down beside me. "Hey, don't let it spook you. We’re here and we ain’t lettin him get near you."

I sniffled.

Ash stretched her legs out and nudged me with her boot. "Want me to light the flowers on fire? Might make you feel better."

I smiled around my sniffles. "I’d enjoy that."

Calder sat down on my other side, close enough to block the sun. His jaw was tight, but his hands were steady. He picked up the flowers, plucked one out, and handed it to me. "They're just weeds," he said. "But if you want, we can leave them on the road for the buzzards."

I took the flower, stared at the yellow petals, and tried to remember how to exist like a normal person.

Midge came back and sat below me, sandwiching me between three people who were way too calm for the situation.

I looked at them, one by one, and said, "He won't stop. Not until⁠—"

Calder cut me off. "He will," he said, and there was a steel in his words that made me believe him.

Ash cracked her knuckles. "If he shows up, I'll bite his nose off. Ask anyone. I've done it before."

Midge just patted my knee. "Let him come. He'll find out the hard way that he picked the wrong damn pack to mess with."