Chapter 34

In a scant few minutes, she’d washed up. The old homey bathroom made it a delight. clawfoot tub, soft blue pastel wallpaper dotted with vanilla flowers, the odd wisp of pink. The huge, triple-wide, dark-wooded oak vanity—one that had known former life as an antique dresser—gave lots of room for toiletries and towels.

It was a mess, thank goodness. A real home. And somehow, she felt right at home with the scars on the beautiful old piece.

But the best part was looking out that window, with no screen in the way. That in itself felt like a miracle. Just the window raised, and the outside just pouring in. Seeing the land that went on forever, the stables and barns. Beyond them the trees, the pines that ran endlessly.

She made her way to the kitchen, found it easily by the noise of laughter and multiple conversations vying for attention.

“There’s no way Dagger’s going to lose the Ridges Race. Not a chance.”

Cole leaned back in the chair at the over-size wooden kitchen table. It was a large room with huge windows on two sides and a sprawling sunroom at the back with big, overstuffed chairs and a couple of well-used couches in it. This wasn’t a home where you couldn’t live, where you had to be on your best behavior, Tabby deduced. The kitchen was painted a cheery yellow with matching walls in mustard and one in a deep, gray-green. She immediately saw mental pictures of festive family gatherings around this big table. Relaxed, noisy. This was a room that knew life and knew love.

“We’re not a racing operation, Pooh-Bear. It wouldn’t make you look bad if you lost. If Dagger placed at all…”

Krys' blue eyes flashed, and she momentarily stopped scratching Baxter’s chin. “Marla says he can do it too.”

“Oh, did you hear from her?” Marla, their prized and highly efficient horse trainer had been called home to deal with a family emergency, though her job was waiting for her when she got back.

“Yeah. And she’s all for it. Once he comes out of this crazy episode, he’ll not only win, you jerk, but I’m taking him to the larger one in the city. In Hastings. And if he does well there…”

“Tea’s ready, hon. Pour yourself a cup, be home. We don’t stand on ceremony here, and I’ll keep letting you know until you get it. You look like the polite type, but we’ll soon cure you of that.” Molly smiled warmly. “Cups are over there.” She nodded briskly toward a cupboard, then continued passing the needle in and out of the clean sock stretched over the opening of a drinking glass. Tabby stared, realized what she was doing.

Darning. Who did that anymore?

“But he’s got to get better first, Cole.” Krys’ voice dropped. “There was another incident last night.”

Cole’s eyes blazed. He was so angry, he could barely get any words out. This was a new Cole—one she hadn’t seen before. Unfettered. Raw. “Another?”

“We found a gate untied. One that…”

“One that Rafe swears he triple-checked, right?”

Krys nodded.

“For land’s sake, this has got to stop. Now Quinn’s just playing with us? For kicks? Has security been increased? Round the clock?”

“Two of the men are on night watch now. As of today. Every night.”

“And the horses?”

“Marla says Dagger’s still gaining ground.” But her expression was troubled. “Now we just have to start making a dent in the vet bills. They were high before. Now, they’re off the planet. Thank goodness Stryker is letting us pay in installments. But he’s got bills to pay too.”

“Quinn will pay for this. I’ll make sure he’s…”

Molly shook her head. “Son. We don’t know who’s behind it.”

Cole though, was on a roll. “I’ll make so much trouble for him, he’ll…”

Tabby couldn’t hold back, even though none of it was her business. Cole hadn’t shared any of this with her. The shock she felt flowed into her words, and she found herself interrupting. “You think someone’s been trying to poison your horses?”

Krys’ hands formed into tight fists, her knuckles turning white. “We don’t think. We know.”

Why hadn’t Cole ever shared any of this crap with her? They’d been on tour for three weeks, and he’d always made her feel as though she was the center of the universe. The only thing he focused on.

What about him, though? Had all this really been going on, the whole time, for him? For his family?

“Seriously? I knew you guys had some troubles, but I put that down to the hardship that all ranches are going through right now. But someone’s actually gunning for you?”

Cole’s eyes turned dark. “Not someone. Quinn Raary.”

“Cole.” Molly chastised her son. “We don’t know for sure it’s him.”

“Like hell we don’t. Nothing happened until he started to make noises that we owed him that piece of land along the middle, where our two spreads meet. After the home went up. And then, a few months ago, he started on this kick that most of our land is his.” Disgust showed in his face. “And that’s when the sabotage started. Not just one thing. That we could have handled, though it was always a surprise. But it was never-ending. Stuff with the animals, stuff with the fences. Shipments going missing. Worse and worse things happening.”

He rose and strode along the long kitchen counter where Dax stood, his back turned to them, his hands and arms busy in the motion of chopping peppers and carrots. Leeks.

“We thought we’d had enough trouble with the weather. First, the drought. Then crazy amounts of rain. Then it was the fever that went through the livestock. And we were making headway, even though it was tough. Dad said we were doing well, with everything that hit. Then, that fool started singing that song, and…”

“Son. We’re all upset. And we’ve got this thing with Dad too, on top of it all. But there’s nothing we can do.” Aggie’s voice shook.

“The hell there isn’t. We’re going to get proof. For crap’s sake, Dad is coming home soon and by then, this has to be sorted. He’ll never get better if he lands back in the same mess.”

He stood, braced his legs. The sun shone behind him yet shrouded his front in shadow, making him appear like a stalwart, dark force. “There’s nothing more important than Dawson Ridges becoming financially solvent again. We almost lost it once. We’re never going there again.” His voice grew quiet, lowered to a hush. “It would be the end of our legacy, and worse. It would be the end of every single one of us.”

* * *

The meal was ready. Dax was pulling out leftovers when Cole pulled Rafe into the house.

Molly spoke to Tabby in a low voice and explained. “If one of the men comes by, we usually ask them to eat with us. A good way to keep us all a tight-knit group. But if they’d rather not, they’re still well taken care of at the bunkhouses. Dax oversees that too.”

Worried there wasn’t enough food now, Dax dug into one of the two fridges in the kitchen, came up with last night’s fried chicken, and added it to the feast.

Rafe grinned. His unruly, black curly hair framing his face, his dark eyes were full of good humor, and darted everywhere.

Mainly, away from Krys. First, ignoring her, then, openly in her direction.

“Pass the chicken, will ya, Tabby?” Rafe demanded. But his tone was cheery and charming.

“Sure.” She reached for the large Pyrex mixing bowl, grasped it with both hands, and eyed the clutter of bones on his already well-ravaged plate.

He looked at her, grinned. “You calling me a pig, sweet thing?”

Tabby laughed. Opened her mouth to retort, but Krys saved her the trouble. “Brother? Double oink oink to you.”

Rafe gave her a look that was more than good-natured—it was a sensual taunt. “Too cerebral for me. You’re too hard to handle, sugar.” His voice slowed to a drawl. “But not in every way.”

Krys tilted her head. “I can also be very physical—just not sure you’d like it.” She flexed her arms. “You do remember I’m an archery gal.” She formed her arms and hands into the classic archer’s pose, aimed them toward him, held it tight for two unwavering seconds, then let go. Tabby all but expected an arrow to smack him in the forehead, and knock him clean off the wooden chair. “Ping!”

Molly, presiding over the table in her husband’s absence, laughed. “Cease and desist. Our guest will think we’re barbarians. Manners, everyone.” She turned to Tabby. “This table reminds me of a typical watering hole. All kinds of beasts, and you never know who will show up. The shenanigans never stop. You can’t plan what’s going to happen. It just does.”

It was fun, and light. But Tabby couldn’t help keeping half an eye on Cole. He’d laugh at times, but mostly, he was in his own world. And it wasn’t a cheery place.

Suddenly, he pushed back his chair. “Done. Got chores to do. Thanks, Dax.” He grabbed his plate, swept it off the table. Plunked it beside the sink, threw the cutlery into a deep section of the adjoining one. Apparently, the team was well-trained and followed Dax’s orders.

Then he was gone.