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Authors: Cathy McDavid
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On
horseback.”
“When?”
“Soon.” Conner looked at Gavin, who confirmed the plan with a
nod.
“Tomorrow?”
“More likely the day after.”
Conner had an interview early Monday morning. Though he didn’t
have much hope of landing the job—the hiring manager had indicated there were
several excellent candidates being considered—he wanted to spend Sunday
afternoon preparing. Clean shirt. Suit pressed. Fresh copies of his résumé and
references. MapQuest directions to the location printed out.
“Can I come, too?” Dallas pleaded.
“Sorry. No riding, remember?”
Her hand went to her tummy.
“Speaking of getting dark...” Ethan had removed the toolbox
from where it was strapped onto the back of his ATV. “We’d better fix this wagon
wheel while there’s still some light.”
The three men worked well together. Being the one with the most
experience, Ethan supervised. It was like old times. The only one missing was
Clay. During their childhood, and later as teenagers, the four of them had been
inseparable and the bonds they formed unbreakable.
At least, Conner had thought they were unbreakable.
Eleven years ago, after Gavin and Ethan’s mother died due to
complications from a heart transplant, a feud had developed between Clay’s
father and Wayne Powell, Gavin and Ethan’s dad. Having to choose, and hating it,
Conner had sided with the Powells. It seemed to everyone at the time that Clay’s
father was in the wrong. Nonetheless, Conner kept in occasional contact with
Clay, unable to cut his friend out of his life entirely.
As with most disagreements, there was more to the story than
met the eye. Last fall, after Sierra Powell returned to Mustang Valley, the
truth had emerged. The two families were at last able to put their differences
aside and restore their friendship. Good thing, too. If not, the church would
have been pretty empty when Sierra married Clay. Instead, it overflowed with
friends and family and celebration.
Dallas had also attended the wedding, taking photographs for
the bride and groom, as she had at the Powell double wedding, when Ethan and
Gavin had married their spouses. Conner had assumed the next wedding she
attended would be her own.
He’d been wrong and had yet to decide if he was sorry. As much
as he didn’t like thinking about Dallas and Richard, their child deserved the
best from both parents.
Dallas hovered near the wagon, watching the men. They weren’t
progressing as fast as Conner would like. Dolly and Molly shared a similar
opinion. Undoubtedly hungry and thirsty, they’d been anxious the last half hour,
shifting from side to side and taking periodic nips at each other.
“Do you think the mare and colt are wild mustangs, too?” Dallas
asked Gavin. “Like Prince?”
“I doubt it,” Gavin said, his voice straining as he and Conner
lifted one end of the wagon so that Ethan could slowly spin the wheel and check
the flat iron tire. “They most likely escaped from some ranch.”
“Hunting is allowed in these mountains?”
“No,” he grunted, lowering the wagon when Ethan gave the okay.
“This is an urban preserve.”
“Then what would somebody be doing with a bow and arrows?”
“Breaking the law.” Conner started collecting the tools. “Or
she may have been shot near the river, where hunting is allowed.”
“That’s a long way to travel.” Dallas stared at the distant
landscape as if she could see the river.
“Take about a week. And her wounds are at least that old.”
“Just because hunting’s not allowed,” Ethan said, “doesn’t mean
someone wasn’t poaching.”
“Poaching!” Dallas retreated a step. “That’s illegal.”
“People break laws all the time.”
“Do they also mistake a horse for a deer?”
“Not usually.”
“Exactly. Whoever shot that horse was being intentionally
malicious.”
“She could have been trespassing on a rancher’s land, and he
shot her.”
Dallas gaped at Conner. “To kill
horseback.”
“When?”
“Soon.” Conner looked at Gavin, who confirmed the plan with a
nod.
“Tomorrow?”
“More likely the day after.”
Conner had an interview early Monday morning. Though he didn’t
have much hope of landing the job—the hiring manager had indicated there were
several excellent candidates being considered—he wanted to spend Sunday
afternoon preparing. Clean shirt. Suit pressed. Fresh copies of his résumé and
references. MapQuest directions to the location printed out.
“Can I come, too?” Dallas pleaded.
“Sorry. No riding, remember?”
Her hand went to her tummy.
“Speaking of getting dark...” Ethan had removed the toolbox
from where it was strapped onto the back of his ATV. “We’d better fix this wagon
wheel while there’s still some light.”
The three men worked well together. Being the one with the most
experience, Ethan supervised. It was like old times. The only one missing was
Clay. During their childhood, and later as teenagers, the four of them had been
inseparable and the bonds they formed unbreakable.
At least, Conner had thought they were unbreakable.
Eleven years ago, after Gavin and Ethan’s mother died due to
complications from a heart transplant, a feud had developed between Clay’s
father and Wayne Powell, Gavin and Ethan’s dad. Having to choose, and hating it,
Conner had sided with the Powells. It seemed to everyone at the time that Clay’s
father was in the wrong. Nonetheless, Conner kept in occasional contact with
Clay, unable to cut his friend out of his life entirely.
As with most disagreements, there was more to the story than
met the eye. Last fall, after Sierra Powell returned to Mustang Valley, the
truth had emerged. The two families were at last able to put their differences
aside and restore their friendship. Good thing, too. If not, the church would
have been pretty empty when Sierra married Clay. Instead, it overflowed with
friends and family and celebration.
Dallas had also attended the wedding, taking photographs for
the bride and groom, as she had at the Powell double wedding, when Ethan and
Gavin had married their spouses. Conner had assumed the next wedding she
attended would be her own.
He’d been wrong and had yet to decide if he was sorry. As much
as he didn’t like thinking about Dallas and Richard, their child deserved the
best from both parents.
Dallas hovered near the wagon, watching the men. They weren’t
progressing as fast as Conner would like. Dolly and Molly shared a similar
opinion. Undoubtedly hungry and thirsty, they’d been anxious the last half hour,
shifting from side to side and taking periodic nips at each other.
“Do you think the mare and colt are wild mustangs, too?” Dallas
asked Gavin. “Like Prince?”
“I doubt it,” Gavin said, his voice straining as he and Conner
lifted one end of the wagon so that Ethan could slowly spin the wheel and check
the flat iron tire. “They most likely escaped from some ranch.”
“Hunting is allowed in these mountains?”
“No,” he grunted, lowering the wagon when Ethan gave the okay.
“This is an urban preserve.”
“Then what would somebody be doing with a bow and arrows?”
“Breaking the law.” Conner started collecting the tools. “Or
she may have been shot near the river, where hunting is allowed.”
“That’s a long way to travel.” Dallas stared at the distant
landscape as if she could see the river.
“Take about a week. And her wounds are at least that old.”
“Just because hunting’s not allowed,” Ethan said, “doesn’t mean
someone wasn’t poaching.”
“Poaching!” Dallas retreated a step. “That’s illegal.”
“People break laws all the time.”
“Do they also mistake a horse for a deer?”
“Not usually.”
“Exactly. Whoever shot that horse was being intentionally
malicious.”
“She could have been trespassing on a rancher’s land, and he
shot her.”
Dallas gaped at Conner. “To kill
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