Read Online Secluded With the Cowboy by Cassie Miles - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cassie Miles
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Before the kidnapping, his relationship with Nicole had been rocky. They’d grown apart. He’d tried his best…
Dylan stopped that thought. He took a sip of his ice-cold coffee and faced the truth. He’d taken Nicole for granted. He hadn’t paid enough attention to her. And now, if he didn’t watch out, he’d lose her for sure.
He cleared his desktop, making room for a new set of priorities. And he put his wife at the top of the list.
A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER , Dylan was back to his office, savoring a fresh cup of coffee. He’d made definite progress on Project Make Nicole Happy and he couldn’t wait for her to see the results. The world felt a whole lot brighter as he rose from his swivel chair and went to the window.
The snowfall had started. Forecasters predicted a two-to three-inch dusting for today and more tomorrow. He was glad. They needed the moisture in the pastures.
A black SUV with the Delta County Sheriff’s Department logo on the side came up the drive and parked in front of the house. Dylan went to the front door to meet Sheriff Trainer. Though Carolyn and Burke would probably want in on this conversation, he preferred a one-on-one talk. Whenever his sister was involved, things got complicated.
Dylan directed the sheriff to his office, closed the door and returned to his seat behind the desk. “Coffee?”
“I’ve already had three cups.”
And a half a pack of cigarettes from the smell of him. After he dropped his uniform jacket and hat on the sofa, Trainer settled into one of the leather chairs on the other side of the desk. The lines etched into his long, lean face had deepened during the course of this investigation. He looked years older.
“Let me guess,” Dylan said. “You’ve got good news and bad news.”
“That’s about the size of it.”
The sheriff and his deputies had done a competent job in processing evidence and working on the crime scenes, but their investigative work in solving Nicole’s kidnapping had been less than impressive. Burke and the FBI had taken care of the Sons of Freedom smuggling operation. Jesse Longbridge had uncovered the clues that pointed to Nate Miller.
“Start with the good,” Dylan said.
“We found the truck Nate was driving.”
“Using the license-plate number Jesse gave you?”
“That’s right.” The sheriff scowled. He didn’t much like Jesse, especially since Jesse and Fiona Grant were together now. For a while, the sheriff had considered Fiona a suspect. “It was abandoned on a back road in Delta. The truck was reported stolen last night.”
“Did you talk to the owner?”
“I did, and I don’t think he’s guilty of anything other than stupidity. He was in a tavern, drinking, and left his car keys on the table. It’s just as well. He wasn’t in any condition to drive.”
Nate had stolen the truck, then abandoned it. “Do you have any idea what Nate’s driving now?”
“I already impounded all the vehicles at the CircleM that belonged to the SOF. But Nate’s truck doesn’t seem to be anywhere around here.”
“So, he’s driving his own truck. Right?”
“I guess.” The sheriff scowled.
The lackadaisical attitude was beginning to tick Dylan off. “Have you got your men out looking for him? You could set up roadblocks.”
“Not going to happen,” the sheriff said. “During the past week, my deputies have put in six months’ worth of overtime. I can’t authorize more.”
“Why the hell not?”
“The county has a budget.”
“Not my problem,” Dylan said. “Last night, Nate Miller set off a couple of sticks of dynamite trying to kill me. That kind of criminal act deserves your full attention.”
“I’m doing what I can.” The sheriff fidgeted. “There’s no point in running in circles. Nate’s good at covering his tracks. It’s not likely we’ll find him sitting at the café in Riverton, munching on a jelly donut.”
Locating Nate wouldn’t be easy. Dylan understood that, but
Before the kidnapping, his relationship with Nicole had been rocky. They’d grown apart. He’d tried his best…
Dylan stopped that thought. He took a sip of his ice-cold coffee and faced the truth. He’d taken Nicole for granted. He hadn’t paid enough attention to her. And now, if he didn’t watch out, he’d lose her for sure.
He cleared his desktop, making room for a new set of priorities. And he put his wife at the top of the list.
A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER , Dylan was back to his office, savoring a fresh cup of coffee. He’d made definite progress on Project Make Nicole Happy and he couldn’t wait for her to see the results. The world felt a whole lot brighter as he rose from his swivel chair and went to the window.
The snowfall had started. Forecasters predicted a two-to three-inch dusting for today and more tomorrow. He was glad. They needed the moisture in the pastures.
A black SUV with the Delta County Sheriff’s Department logo on the side came up the drive and parked in front of the house. Dylan went to the front door to meet Sheriff Trainer. Though Carolyn and Burke would probably want in on this conversation, he preferred a one-on-one talk. Whenever his sister was involved, things got complicated.
Dylan directed the sheriff to his office, closed the door and returned to his seat behind the desk. “Coffee?”
“I’ve already had three cups.”
And a half a pack of cigarettes from the smell of him. After he dropped his uniform jacket and hat on the sofa, Trainer settled into one of the leather chairs on the other side of the desk. The lines etched into his long, lean face had deepened during the course of this investigation. He looked years older.
“Let me guess,” Dylan said. “You’ve got good news and bad news.”
“That’s about the size of it.”
The sheriff and his deputies had done a competent job in processing evidence and working on the crime scenes, but their investigative work in solving Nicole’s kidnapping had been less than impressive. Burke and the FBI had taken care of the Sons of Freedom smuggling operation. Jesse Longbridge had uncovered the clues that pointed to Nate Miller.
“Start with the good,” Dylan said.
“We found the truck Nate was driving.”
“Using the license-plate number Jesse gave you?”
“That’s right.” The sheriff scowled. He didn’t much like Jesse, especially since Jesse and Fiona Grant were together now. For a while, the sheriff had considered Fiona a suspect. “It was abandoned on a back road in Delta. The truck was reported stolen last night.”
“Did you talk to the owner?”
“I did, and I don’t think he’s guilty of anything other than stupidity. He was in a tavern, drinking, and left his car keys on the table. It’s just as well. He wasn’t in any condition to drive.”
Nate had stolen the truck, then abandoned it. “Do you have any idea what Nate’s driving now?”
“I already impounded all the vehicles at the CircleM that belonged to the SOF. But Nate’s truck doesn’t seem to be anywhere around here.”
“So, he’s driving his own truck. Right?”
“I guess.” The sheriff scowled.
The lackadaisical attitude was beginning to tick Dylan off. “Have you got your men out looking for him? You could set up roadblocks.”
“Not going to happen,” the sheriff said. “During the past week, my deputies have put in six months’ worth of overtime. I can’t authorize more.”
“Why the hell not?”
“The county has a budget.”
“Not my problem,” Dylan said. “Last night, Nate Miller set off a couple of sticks of dynamite trying to kill me. That kind of criminal act deserves your full attention.”
“I’m doing what I can.” The sheriff fidgeted. “There’s no point in running in circles. Nate’s good at covering his tracks. It’s not likely we’ll find him sitting at the café in Riverton, munching on a jelly donut.”
Locating Nate wouldn’t be easy. Dylan understood that, but
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