Chapter Five
Dayna Detmeyer laid a mighty fine table. Tired as he was. Rye felt a spurt of enthusiasm at the sight of chickens roasted to a rich brown, fluffy whipped potatoes and a whole sideboard covered with an amazing variety of green and yellow vegetables. She set freshly baked yeast rolls on the table and announced two kinds of pie for dessert. The men waded into the bounty like hungry bears. Kara ate well, too, but Rye was aware of an undercurrent of worry there. He shared it...even, he hoped, surpassed it.
The day had not been as productive as he’d hoped. He and Kara had brought in the most cattle, and he judged at first glance that a fourth, maybe a third, of them would have to be culled. They’d have left most of them on the range if not for the fear that the others would just spend more time dragging them in. Seasoned cowhands could be expected to do the culling before driving the select head to round-up, but a volunteer crew of mostly nonworking cowboys could not be expected to recognize at a glance which cattle to drag in and which to drive off, with the exception of the few bulls. So the most efficient way to go about it was to drag in everything, cull them at one time, and drive off the undesirables. That, unfortunately, slowed down things, but not as much as having every crew drag in the same rejected cows over and over again. Still, he’d hoped to have at least half the herd by the end of the day, and they hadn’t met that goal. At this rate, it would take an extra day just to assemble the herd, never mind culling and treating them. Time was not the only problem on Rye’s mind, however.
That had been no natural rock slide that had nearly squashed him like a bug today. He’d been riding this country long enough to know that rock and earth slides were a constant threat in some places, and he’d witnessed his share. He’d never seen a really big rock fall all on its lonesome. Boulders that big just didn’t roll off some ledge. Instead, the ground gradually gave way beneath them, raining down a shower of small rocks and a slide of dirt alongside the monster. And yet, today one big rock and one monster boulder fell straight out of the sky and nearly pulverized him—and Kara, too, except... It had felt like someone had targeted him specifically. He tried to tell himself that he was being paranoid, but he couldn’t quite make himself believe it. So how had those rocks tumbled? He decided to take a little drive before he turned in for the night.
Naturally, circumstances conspired against him. He’d barely cleaned his dessert plate before Kara appeared at his shoulder.
“I think we’d better take another look at our projections,” she said, rolling her shoulders and working at her neck muscles with both hands. He knew just how she felt. He was beginning to tighten up, too, and she was right about those projections, but tonight was not the time. He shook his head.
“Not tonight, Kara. I’ve got something to do.”
She didn’t take being rebuffed easily. “It couldn’t be more important than being sure we meet our deadline.”
“Tell you what,” he said, rising gingerly. “You take a look at the projections tonight, and I’ll go over them with you first thing in the morning. How about we meet in the kitchen for coffee?”
She wasn’t pleased. Her frown left little doubt. Nevertheless, she reluctantly nodded. “If that’s the best you can do.”
“I’m afraid so. See you in the morning.” He shoved his chair up under the table and caught the eye of the one friend he knew could be of service to him in this circumstance. “Shoes, could I have a word with you?”
The other man nodded once and went back to his pie with his customary concentration. Anyone but Rye might have taken it as the surliest of reluctant compliance, but Rye knew his friend well. He took a moment to thank Dayna Detmeyer for the meal, praising her abilities. The handsome woman smiled.
“Thank you, Rye. I thought I’d treat you boys tonight. Even with the convenience of a modern kitchen in the mobile home, I won’t be able to do yeast rolls and pies on the trail. We’ll have to settle for biscuits and cobblers then.”
“I’m betting you’ll get no complaints from anyone, least of all me,” Rye told her.
“We won’t go hungry,” she assured him with a wink.
Rye chuckled. “Ma’am, you’re too modest. Your cooking is enough to make this mongrel crew forget they’re not being paid.”
Dayna laughed, clearly pleased. “We Detmeyer women like to hold up our ends of things,” she said.
Rye couldn’t prevent a glance in Kara’s direction. “You sure do,” he admitted softly, and Dayna’s smile grew.
“She knows her stuff,” Dayna said, following the line of his glance. “Her father saw to it, and he was his father’s son, after all.”
Rye nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I can see that for myself.” He rubbed an earlobe, momentarily withdrawing into himself. “Never seen a woman like her,” he murmured.
“She’s one of a kind,” Dayna said proudly.
Recovering himself, Rye shot her an embarrassed look. “Yes, ma‘am,” he replied noncommittally. “Thanks again for the meal. Lookin’ forward to breakfast.”
“Good night, Rye.”
“Night, ma’am.”
He went out through the kitchen, not bothering to so much as glance over his shoulder to check if Shoes was aware of his leaving. He was standing deep in the shadows beside the back door when Shoes let himself out the same way and turned unerringly to face him.
Advancing soundlessly, Shoe asked, “What’s up?”
“Think you can read some sign with the aid of a flashlight?”
Sturdy white teeth flashed. “Or without.”
“Let’s get the truck.”
A small shape slipped out of the shadows. “Dad, can I go?”
Rye looked at Shoes. How had Champ gotten so close without them knowing it? The big Indian shrugged. “He’s Chako.”
Rye lifted his eyebrows. He’d have to watch the scamp a lot closer from now on. He waved a hand inclusively. “Come on.”
Champ was so excited he could hardly sit still on the slow drive out to the canyon. Shoes regaled him with a history of cattle drives past—from both sides of the trail, Indian and white. By the time Rye guided the big truck up the rough, steep path that flanked Spear Canyon, he was pretty caught up in the tale himself.
“And so the steel rails were laid,” Kanaka said, “and instead of driving their herds to the railroad, the railroad came to them, and there was no need for the big drives any longer.”
Champ cocked his head at this and said, “I bet it was more fun the other way.”
Rye chuckled. “I don’t know about fun, but it sure was more work.” He brought the truck to a stop, the headlamps picking out a deep crevice that rainwater had cut into the ground. Had rain undercut that hunk of mountain that had almost squashed him?
“We’ll have to walk from here.” He took one of the flashlights from the compartment in the dashboard and handed the other to Shoes. “Son, you stay behind us, understand?” Champ nodded. “Let’s go.” He shut off the engine but left the headlamps on. He let himself out, turned on the flashlight and opened the door for Champ. They met Shoes in front of the truck. “Latch on to my belt, Champ.” He felt the small, strong fingers curl around the waistband of his jeans. “Lead on, Shoes.”
Kanaka began swinging his light in a slow, purposeful arc as he trudged up the slope, while Rye kept his trained on the trail ahead. Shoes stopped and shined his light to one side. “Footprints.”
“So someone was up here earlier.”
Shoes nodded and went on as before. Eventually, they came to a place where a huge boulder might have rested. If so, the boulder had not sat on top of the canyon wall but had actually occupied a notch in its side at the top. Kanaka signaled for Rye and Champ to back up, then went down on his belly and crawled to the edge of the canyon. Peering over, he shined his light downward. Small rocks scattered. Dirt slid from beneath his shoulders. Shoes scrambled backward out of danger.
“That’s it,” Shoes said, whipping dust from his shirt. “He must have scouted out this spot when you were up inside the canyon, then waited for you to come back.”
“But how did he move it?” Rye wanted to know.
Shoes kept dusting himself off even as he followed his light in an ever widening circle. Finally, he stopped. “Here.”
Rye led Champ to the spot where Shoes trained his light. It was a small ravine filled with scrub, and someone had poked a fence post down into it. “He did the same thing I did,” Shoes explained, “laid on his belly. Then he used the post to loosen the boulder and, at the right moment, shove it free.”
Rye laid a hand between Champ’s shoulder blades and pressed the boy to him, a feeling of danger suddenly overwhelming him. He eyed Shoes in the dark above the twin beams of their lights. “Any way to tell who it was?”
Shoes Kanaka shook his head. “Naw. It’s too rocky around here to get good prints. About all I can tell you is that he was wearing boots, not shoes, certainly not athletic shoes, and he has a big foot.”
“How big?”
“Bigger than your elevens.”
Rye looked down at his own feet thoughtfully. “Okay. Let’s get back. I’m ready to sleep where I stand.”
Champ was tired, too. He was sound asleep in the back seat of the double-cab truck long before they got back to the compound, allowing Rye a chance to speak frankly with his friend.
“Someone tried to kill me, Shoes.”
“I’d say so.”
“But why?”
Shoes pulled a deep breath. “Who stands to benefit from your death?”
Rye didn’t have to think long. “Di’wana?”
Shoes chuckled and shook his head. “My cousin has no reason to wish you dead. You may not believe it, but she does not wish death for the father of her son.”
“But who else stands to gain a thing from my death?”
“My point exactly,” Shoes said. “If you die, my cousin gains custody of her son, and I may inherit a fine new truck, but what else happens?”
Rye tightened his hands on the steering wheel. “The trail drive is at least delayed, I should think.”
“At least,” Shoes agreed drily. “And if both of you and Kara should be killed?”
Rye knocked his hat back with his hand, muttering words he didn’t usually allow to be spoken in front of his son. “Someone’s out to stop the drive.”
“That’s my take.”
Rye gritted his teeth. “Any bets as to who it is?”
Shoes just looked at him.
“All right. I don’t want word of this to get out. Those falling rocks were an accident, as far as everyone else knows. I’ll have a private conversation with the local law just in case something else happens.”
Shoes nodded. “You aren’t going to tell her?”
“Think she’d believe it?”
Shoes didn’t answer that.
“I have to do something. She’s in danger.” Rye sighed. “I’ll just have to keep her in sight.”
Shoes turned a smile to the night-painted window. Rye ignored it. He had more than enough to worry about already. He wondered if the old man had had any inkling what he was stirring up when he’d made his plans for this drive. Rye didn’t suppose it mattered now, but he wished with all his heart that Plummer had left him out of this mess. Or that Kara Detmeyer looked more like the man she seemed determined to be.
Kara licked the tip of her mechanical pencil and scribbled a number into her tally book. “Well, we did better than yesterday, but we’re still going to be short. I’ve been thinking how ,we can speed up the process, and I thought maybe you could take a couple hands and go out in the morning to round up. You know what I’m looking for, so you can cull as you go and not worry about anyone else bringing in your rejects. Meanwhile, I’ll be here, sifting through the herd we’ve already collected.”
Rye frowned and leaned a forearm across his saddle horn. “I don’t much like that idea. I’d prefer for you to do all the culling. It’s your herd, after all. You ought to go out with us. I reckon a half a day ought to do it.”
Kara shook her head. “Your way we’ll lose half a day. My way, we gain it. I’ve already told you I trust your judgment.”
“Yeah, but I’d rather have you with me.”
She blinked at that. Had he just suggested that he didn’t want to be parted from her? Or was she hearing what she wanted to hear these days? No doubt it was the latter. She sighed. “Time’s more important than any other consideration.”
“Not any other.”
“Name one.”
He straightened and took off his sunglasses to rub a hand over his face, his horse shifting beneath him. “Kara, can’t you just humor me in this?”
“Why should I?”
“Because I asked you to!”
She couldn’t quite believe what she’d heard, then suddenly she knew that he wasn’t telling her something. “Okay, Wagner, what’s going on?”
Rye slumped in his saddle. “Dammit, Kara, why do we have to make a big deal of this?”
“Either explain yourself or forget it, cowboy. You’re not making much sense.”
He covered his face with both hands, the reins dangling between his fingers, and muttered what sounded suspiciously like a very foul word. Finally, he dropped his hands, straightened, and kneed his horse closer. “I want your promise that you won’t repeat what I’m going to tell you. I don’t want him to know that we’re on to him.”
“Him?”
“Them. Whoever. Promise?”
“All right.”
He took a deep breath. “You’re in danger. Someone’s trying to hurt, maybe even kill you.”
She waited for the punch line. When it didn’t come, she laughed anyway. “That’s absurd.”
He reached out and took hold of her reins, leaning closer still. “Shoes and I went up on Spear Canyon last night, and we found proof that someone pushed those rocks down on us. We even found what he used to do it. Now I think that smacks of something more than a prank, don’t you?”
She was too shocked to reply right away. Eventually the information clicked into place in her brain. “You were the one nearly killed.”
He shook his head. “Even if whoever dislodged those boulders knew I was the one riding on the inside, he couldn’t be sure you wouldn’t be hurt. This is serious, Kara, and I’m not letting you out of my sight until I know you’ll be safe.”
She braced one hand on her thigh and tried to take it in. It was almost more than she could comprehend. “This just can’t be.”
“Kara, I wouldn’t lie to you about something like this.”
She stared at him a moment. “No, of course, you wouldn’t, but... There has to be some logical explanation.”
“I’m listening.”
She cocked her head, trying to come up with one. She took a deep breath. It was a mistake. It had to be. “Look, Wagner, it was dark last night. You can’t be sure about this.”
“Shoes was there. Ask him.”
She didn’t want to ask Shoes Kanaka any such thing. “Whatever’s going on, we’re not joined at the hip. You can’t be with me twenty-four hours a day. You’ll just have to trust me to take care of myself.”
He clamped his teeth. “Kara, if he’s trying to stop this drive, he’ll try again.”
“You don’t have any proof that anyone is trying to stop the drive. In fact, you don’t have any proof at all, or else you’d have the law out here.”
“I talked to the law last night.”
That rocked her. He really believed someone had pushed that boulder off on top of them. “And?”
He clamped his jaw shut, a muscle flexing in its hollow. “They were supposed to take some pictures this morning, but when they got out there the area had been swept clean.”
“By whom?”
“By whoever doesn’t want to get caught!”
Kara shook her head. “I just don’t get this. Why would someone want to hurt the two of us?”
“To stop the drive.”
“That’s crazy. The only one who stands to gain at all from that—Now wait just a minute. I know you don’t like Payne, but this is ridiculous!”
“Did I say anything about Payne?”
“Who else would benefit?”
“I don’t know! I just know that I’m not letting you out of my sight!”
He did sound genuinely concerned, and while that pleased her, she couldn’t credit his conclusions. “I’ll be extra careful.”
He shook his head. “Not good enough.”
“I’ll be certain that I’m with someone all the time. Will that set your mind at ease?”
He looked her square in the eye. “I want you with me.”
“Well, we can’t sleep together! How are you going to protect me then?”
His face pulsed a dull red. “I’ve already thought of that. Starting tonight, we’re going to be sleeping around the campfire, all of us. We’ll tell the crew that it’s kind of a trial run, to help them figure exactly what to take on the trail in their bedrolls so they’ll be as comfortable as they can be.”
Kara blinked at him. It was a pretty ingenious plan. “Okay. I’ll go along with that.”
“Good. Then we’re riding out together, right?”
Kara rolled her eyes. “Maybe I ought to remind you who saved whose life yesterday when that rock fell! I’m not a child, and I’m nobody’s idiot You’ve done your part by warning me. Now back off, Wagner, and do your job. That means helping me get this herd on the trail and to New Mexico by the deadline.”
“Dammit, Kara! You aren’t taking this seriously!”
“Trust me to take care of myself!” she argued.
“How can I, when you show no signs of taking the danger seriously?”
“I’m sorry, Rye. I can’t help thinking that there’s been some mistake, but I will be careful, I swear.”
He was as mad as that bull they’d driven off from his heifers that first day. “You’re bound and determined to get yourself killed, aren’t you? Fine, then. I’ll be damned if I’ll come riding to the rescue when you willfully put yourself at risk!”
He yanked his horse around and cantered away. “Fine!” she shouted after him. “You take care of you, and I’ll take care of me!” He didn’t so much as acknowledge he’d heard her. Kara slumped back into the saddle, thinking over all he’d said. Attempted murder. It was like something out of a movie. Things like that just didn’t happen to people like her. And yet...if that boulder had been pushed, then Rye, at least, was in danger. But who could hate Rye enough to want him dead? She shook her head. She knew so little about the man that it was impossible to even guess, but that didn’t matter as much as making sure nothing happened to him.
Suddenly, riding out with him wasn’t such a bad idea. Dam. She hated eating crow.
It was late when she finally found a moment to speak with him again. He’d decreed that they would sleep around the campfire that night, just as he had told her he would. No one quibbled. Sleeping on the ground was something they all had to get used to, anyway. She put together her bedroll just as her father had taught her, and picked a space. She wasn’t particularly surprised when Rye threw his bedding down on one side of her and Shoes on the other. She’d showered and changed into fresh clothes, which she would sleep in tonight and wear all day tomorrow, but Rye had yet to clean up and change.
He was crouched down, spreading out his blanket roll when she stepped up behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder. He froze for an instant, then went on about his business, finishing the job before rising to his feet and carefully turning to face her.
“Got some complaint about the sleeping arrangements?”
“No. I just need a minute of your time. In private.”
Nodding, he turned and walked away, obviously expecting her to follow. He picked a spot in clear sight of the others, but far enough away that they wouldn’t be overheard. “Get it out. It’ll be my turn in the shower in a minute.”
“I’ve been thinking. You’re right. We better stick together.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “And what brought you to that conclusion?”
She shrugged. “Let’s just say, I figure we ought to keep an eye on each other. That way, whoever the target is, someone will be looking out for him, er, or her.”
He chuckled. “Cowgirl, are you looking out for me?”
She met his gaze defiantly. “Why not? You’re looking out for me. And after all, I have already saved your hide once.”
He rolled his eyes and pulled at his earlobe. “You aren’t ever going to let me forget that, are you?”
She shook her head smugly. “Not a chance.”
He laughed. “Okay. Here’s the deal. You’ll watch my back, and I’ll watch yours. Agreed?”
She stuck out her hand. “Deal.” His bigger one swallowed it and pumped her arm.
“All right, now we’re building up a head of steam. I might as well tell you just what I’m thinking so I know we’ll be on track together.” He waved an arm, indicating the camp. “I know every one of these men. They’re my friends. But just for the sake of argument, let’s say that they’re all vulnerable to enough money... Take George, now. He’s had a few good years on the rodeo circuit, but he’s engaged to be married, and take it from me, rodeo and marriage don’t mix too well. The temptation to stock away a windfall might be too much for him. I don’t believe it for a minute, but just for the sake of argument, let’s say it’s so. We can’t be too careful. See?”
She folded her arms. “What about the others?”
He tugged at his ear. “Pogo, now, I’d stake my life he’s an honest man, but he’s also getting a little long in the tooth, and this cowboy life isn’t an easy one. I’d be surprised if he had more than a week’s pay to his name. Could be, he’s thinking about retirement.”
“And Dean?”
Rye shook his head. “Dean’s got money, more than he knows what to do with. Dean’s got a head for business, and he’s made good use of it. On the other hand, it’s the greedy man who most often gets rich. Now, Dean’s always been generous with me, but I’ve heard some others complain that he could be tighter than Dick’s hatband. So I have to consider him vulnerable, too.”
“And Shoes?”
Rye hung his thumbs in his waistband. “Shoes Kanaka is the one man in this world that I’d trust with my life and, more important, my son’s life. But then, to tell you the truth, I trust them all.”
“That just leaves Bord Harris.”
“Bord’s not easy to know,” Rye said. “I’ve worked with him nearly half a year now, and he’s never been anything but friendly and helpful, but to me he’s the least known. Still, Plummer hired him, and Plummer was as fine a judge of men as I’ve ever known. If he ever had any misgivings about Bord Harris, he never said anything to me. That’s about all I can tell you.”
Kara frowned. “I don’t suppose you’ve checked everyone’s whereabouts yesterday afternoon?”
He slanted her a smug look. “Suppose again. I paired them up, remember? Everyone was with someone else. Except Bord. But his work was all done with his usual thoroughness, and Angelina saw him around the barn twice that afternoon. He could’ve taken the truck out and done the deed, but he’d have to have been darn lucky not to have been seen at it. Besides, he seemed as surprised as everybody else when we talked about it at dinner last night. No, I’d bet my last dollar that none of the crew was involved, but I don’t know it. That’s why I don’t want to take anyone else into my confidence just now.”
She nodded. “Okay. Better safe than sorry, as they say.”
“Exactly.”
“I don’t want Mom getting wind of it, either. She’s upset enough just thinking it was an accident.”
“Then it stays between the three of us for now—me, you and Shoes.”
“The three of us,” she agreed.
“By the way, Shoes will be keeping an eye on you when I’m not around, understand? I don’t want you going anywhere without one of us. Okay?”
“Okay. Now you promise me.”
He looked at her like she’d grown two heads. “Promise you what?”
“That you won’t go off without me or Shoes.”
He rolled his eyes. “Oh, please!”
“Listen, Wagner, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. From now on the two of us are sticking together.”
“Isn’t that what I said this afternoon when you nearly bit my head off?”
She didn’t let him rile her this time, admitting flatly, “Yes. And you were right.”
He pretended to stumble backward and clamped a hand over his heart. “I may faint.”
She laughed. “That’ll be the day. Okay, so we ride out in two big groups tomorrow and finish the round-up, then we—you and I—cull the herd. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“And you won’t go anywhere without me or Shoes along. Right?”
He folded his arms.
“Right?”
Finally, he nodded. “Oh, all right.”
“Fine. Go get your shower. If I wanted to smell horses all night, I’d bed down with the remuda.”
He rolled his eyes. “What? You aren’t going to insist on taking a shower with me?”
“I’ll just stand outside,” she said, hooking her thumbs in her empty belt loops and grinning.
He shook his head. “This thing could get real complicated real fast,” he said, stroking his mustache with his fingertips. “We’re going to have to set up some kind of protocol. I’ll think on it before I go to sleep. Meanwhile, we’ll just have to keep on our toes.”
They strolled up to the little house on the hill. She wondered if he was sad to leave it, but didn’t want to ask. They went inside, and he led her down the hall that divided the building to his bedroom. She waited outside the door while he gathered his things together, then went into the living room after he started his shower water in the little bathroom. Not long ago she and Rye Wagner couldn’t stand to be in the same room together, and now they’d just agreed to buddy-up for the duration. They’d be working side by side, eating side by side, sleeping side by side. Might something more come of it than keeping each other out of trouble?
To her knowledge no man had ever found her sexually attractive, at least not one she’d worked beside on the range. There was no reason to think Rye would be any different, and yet, she couldn’t help wondering, wishing, hoping that maybe... But no, she was just one more burden that Plummer had heaped on Rye’s broad shoulders, and she’d best not start to think otherwise. If she did, she would really be in danger—danger of getting her heart broken.