else.”
“I don’t blame him. But it’s weird.”
“What’s weird?” Gunner shifted from one foot to the other, then tugged on his hat.
Nervous much? “When we were waiting for the truck and had the calf on the ground, he was really calm. It was like Rick was able to keep him still without a problem. I remember thinking that he was like a calf whisperer.”
When they didn’t laugh, she had to wonder if she’d found the answer. “You’re not a calf whisperer, are you?”
“Not a chance. If I was, I wouldn’t need a horse to herd them into the pens.”
Both men headed for the house, giving the vet a lift of their hands as he drove off. The van was already gone, and once again, the absence of Kid left her feeling sad.
“Since Kid took the van, I’m going to need a ride back home. There’s a bus line that runs through Shatland, isn’t there?”
She almost ran into them when they whirled around and formed a human wall. Their confused expressions struck a soft spot in her. They didn’t want her to leave any more than she wanted to go.
“You’re not sticking around?” Gunner shook his head. “Naw, you can’t go. You aren’t finished investigating us yet.”
“Actually, I am. And I want to apologize. I should’ve checked you out better before painting that cow and making the video. You treat animals better than any ranchers I’ve ever seen.”
Rick crossed his arms. The glint in his eyes said what he didn’t voice out loud. I told you so.
“There’s still the matter of Lawson Industries.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’m having a friend check them out. He’ll get back to me as soon as he can. If what your sources say is true, we’ll end out business relationship and find another plant to work with.”
“But you won’t get out the business of selling your cattle to a slaughterhouse?” As soon as she’d said it, she wished she could take it back.
“This is our life. It’s how we make a living. You need to accept that and move on.”
Move on? Was he asking her to leave? A sharp pain stabbed her in the chest like a heart attack. She struggled to breathe and fought to keep the misery from overwhelming her. “I thought you made enough money from oil that you could stop doing the cattle thing.”
That glint changed into a flash of irritation. “I said we make more money doing that than doing ‘the cattle thing’.”
She hadn’t wanted to get angry or to make him mad, either, but they’d gone there nonetheless. “Could you live on the oil money alone?”
“That’s none of your damn business.”
She half expected to see smoke coming from Rick’s ears. “Fine. My business here is over.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Hey, you two, calm down.”
Gunner reached out for her, but she yanked her arm away.
“At least that part of it is.”
“What other part is there?” Rick hooked his thumbs into the pocket of his jeans. “Except finding out about Lawson’s? You don’t have to stick around for that. I can e-mail you the findings. Providing you trust me to tell you the truth.”
“I’m talking about the things you’re not telling me. Like what happened to the calf. You two were very hush-hush with the vet.”
“That is also none of your business. Unless, of course, you think I took a bite out of him.”
“Easy, Rick.” Gunner stepped between them, taking each of them by an arm. “You two sure get twisted up sometimes. Maybe that’s just how it’s supposed to be between you, but I don’t like it. Both you need to calm the hell down.”
But her emotional guns were loaded and aimed straight at Rick. “Of course I don’t think you bit him. That’s ridiculous.” Damn, he was such an irritating man. “Gunner’s right. Enough said. Can I ask you to give me a ride into Shatland tomorrow?”
“If that’s what you want. Expect to get up early. The bus only comes through every so often. If you miss it, you’re stuck here for another few days.”
Stuck there
“I don’t blame him. But it’s weird.”
“What’s weird?” Gunner shifted from one foot to the other, then tugged on his hat.
Nervous much? “When we were waiting for the truck and had the calf on the ground, he was really calm. It was like Rick was able to keep him still without a problem. I remember thinking that he was like a calf whisperer.”
When they didn’t laugh, she had to wonder if she’d found the answer. “You’re not a calf whisperer, are you?”
“Not a chance. If I was, I wouldn’t need a horse to herd them into the pens.”
Both men headed for the house, giving the vet a lift of their hands as he drove off. The van was already gone, and once again, the absence of Kid left her feeling sad.
“Since Kid took the van, I’m going to need a ride back home. There’s a bus line that runs through Shatland, isn’t there?”
She almost ran into them when they whirled around and formed a human wall. Their confused expressions struck a soft spot in her. They didn’t want her to leave any more than she wanted to go.
“You’re not sticking around?” Gunner shook his head. “Naw, you can’t go. You aren’t finished investigating us yet.”
“Actually, I am. And I want to apologize. I should’ve checked you out better before painting that cow and making the video. You treat animals better than any ranchers I’ve ever seen.”
Rick crossed his arms. The glint in his eyes said what he didn’t voice out loud. I told you so.
“There’s still the matter of Lawson Industries.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’m having a friend check them out. He’ll get back to me as soon as he can. If what your sources say is true, we’ll end out business relationship and find another plant to work with.”
“But you won’t get out the business of selling your cattle to a slaughterhouse?” As soon as she’d said it, she wished she could take it back.
“This is our life. It’s how we make a living. You need to accept that and move on.”
Move on? Was he asking her to leave? A sharp pain stabbed her in the chest like a heart attack. She struggled to breathe and fought to keep the misery from overwhelming her. “I thought you made enough money from oil that you could stop doing the cattle thing.”
That glint changed into a flash of irritation. “I said we make more money doing that than doing ‘the cattle thing’.”
She hadn’t wanted to get angry or to make him mad, either, but they’d gone there nonetheless. “Could you live on the oil money alone?”
“That’s none of your damn business.”
She half expected to see smoke coming from Rick’s ears. “Fine. My business here is over.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Hey, you two, calm down.”
Gunner reached out for her, but she yanked her arm away.
“At least that part of it is.”
“What other part is there?” Rick hooked his thumbs into the pocket of his jeans. “Except finding out about Lawson’s? You don’t have to stick around for that. I can e-mail you the findings. Providing you trust me to tell you the truth.”
“I’m talking about the things you’re not telling me. Like what happened to the calf. You two were very hush-hush with the vet.”
“That is also none of your business. Unless, of course, you think I took a bite out of him.”
“Easy, Rick.” Gunner stepped between them, taking each of them by an arm. “You two sure get twisted up sometimes. Maybe that’s just how it’s supposed to be between you, but I don’t like it. Both you need to calm the hell down.”
But her emotional guns were loaded and aimed straight at Rick. “Of course I don’t think you bit him. That’s ridiculous.” Damn, he was such an irritating man. “Gunner’s right. Enough said. Can I ask you to give me a ride into Shatland tomorrow?”
“If that’s what you want. Expect to get up early. The bus only comes through every so often. If you miss it, you’re stuck here for another few days.”
Stuck there
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