Page 2 of Rancher's Pride

“Semen tampering?” I asked as I leaned against the office door. The red blush creeping up the big man’s face was ridiculous. He was an officer of the law. Surely he spoke about more scandalous things than horse sperm.

“Where would you like me to send all the records I have for the stables? I can assure you that none of those things hinder the welfare of my horses. The horses are all well cared for by top of the line trainers, our feed is sourced from only the most reputable places. If things in the main office are the issue, I assure you it never gets out to the stables.” I stood straighter and while I wouldn’t put it past the Greystone family to be mixed up in this, nothing that I touched was illegal. “Thesemen tampering can occur after collection, but we send it up to the main office to be sent out. Between you and me, apparently there’s an issue in the front office.” I arched my brow and crossed my arms, waiting for the man to speak, which he never did. He nodded and walked away.

The police combed my files, talked to the Gatlins, and Harborgs who were our largest clients, and also to whoever it was that requested anonymity when they made the claims of animal abuse had done it to get the law on the property. I handed papers, semen test results, shipping invoices and almost every piece of paper I could think of to the authorities, who really had no idea what they were looking at.

Frowns crossed the faces of the police, investigators and lawyers as I answered every question appropriately and with authority. I’d imagined it wasn’t what they’d expected, but I was always organized and prepared for anything. I was unflappable.

I’d spoken to the animal welfare people as I walked them through the stables while myself and the staff worked as normal of a day as we could, given the circumstances. One woman that was investigating the claims of animal endangerment followed me for my entire shift, trying to catch me in a slip-up, I'm sure. She was older than me, her hair was cut into a bob that she had pinned up part way through the day. I imagined she was uncomfortable in her well-tailored business suit and her feet would definitely hurt laterbecause she was wandering around in heels, which seemed like an odd thing to wear to a horse facility. “Thank you, Ms Miller. I know that your facility is above board. Well, the stables anyway.” The woman shrugged and looked over her shoulder. “If you ever want a job with better pay and better employers, give me a call.” She handed me her card, and I shook her hand.

“Thank you Lisa. I hope I don’t have to see you again under these circumstances.” I looked down at the card in my hand and then back at her. “A change might be good.” She smiled and nodded her head before she left the stables without another word. Looking at the card again, Director of Animal Welfare was printed in bold under her name. Well, that explained the suit and heels. The big guns had been pulled out for this claim. Maybe it was time to make a clean break and move on before I was stuck here picking up their messes forever.

As the daylight faded, things were calm again, and I marched up to the offices. Andrew was sitting at his desk, looking smugly at his computer screen like we just hadn’t been raided by every imaginable law enforcement office in the state. “What in the hell was that? Do you have any idea what we’ve had to do today to get the stables back in operational condition? You can’t just let anyone and their dog wander all over. We had to clean every surface those people touched. The floors had to be bleached because goodness knowswhat they brought in on their shoes, and let’s not talk about the offices. Every paper in the space was scattered from stem to stern. The owners of these horses trust us to keep them healthy and a clean, undisturbed environment is the only thing that makes that happen.” My voice was raised, and I didn’t care. I didn’t like losing my cool, but the words just kept pouring out. The Montana rancher had been contained all day while the ranch was under investigation, but now I could speak my mind and put these men in their place.

“Ms Miller, please control yourself.” Andrew’s father said, sitting up a little straighter in his chair. I hadn’t even noticed that he was in here.

“The hell I will, if you expect me to stick around here and keep your program running smoothly. You all better have a long look in the mirror and straighten this place out. Or I’m gone.” Leaning closer to Andrew’s father, his beady eyes stared back at me as he tried to keep his composure, fighting back every word he wanted to spew back at me. He had a temper worse than Andrew’s and he’d told people off for less than what I’d said to him now. “I know all of your secrets. Don’t forget that.” Turning on my heel, I walked out of the office, pulling the door closed behind me, slamming it for added effect, and I held my head high as I walked out of the building, and across the parking lot to my car. I opened the door and got in, ready to clear my head of the day behind me.

CHAPTER TWO

NASH

“Thanks so much for your help, Nash. I know you guys have gotten out of the security game, but you’re the only ones we trust to handle these issues.” The man on the other end of the line was gruff but thankful. I couldn’t blame him. We’d been handling the enforcement of company closures for the last five years.

“It’s all good Drake, we don’t mind and since I could do it on my own, the others were happy to keep things going at the ranch.” I flopped back on the bed at the hotel. The Gatlin family was a big deal in the bourbon business and occasionally they had issues of people fighting the foreclosures, that needed to be dealt with. Drake had finally built a team he trusted, and they didn’t need us much, but this issue needed a little more finesse. The Gatlin Bourbon Company closing down an entire rival company always left loose ends,especially those who wanted to talk, but nobody would be talking now.

“How’s that going?” He asked, his Tennessee drawl more prominent when he was relaxed, and now that business discussions were over, we were on to other topics.

“It’s good. We just got the last of the land bought around us, so we’ve got the land all around us in our control now.” Closing my eyes, I wanted to sleep. Drake Gatlin wasn’t always this chatty, but we hadn’t talked for a while because of our schedules on the ranch and the fact that he’s been preoccupied with a new love, so we were in the catch-up mode.

“Oh, before I let you go, I found that woman you are looking for. She wasn’t easy to find, I had to do a lot of digging.” Sitting straight up on the bed, I waited for more information. “Got a pen? She’s just outside Lexington. Looks like she’s been there all this time. She’s been working for a breeding farm out there, exercising horses, and stuff like that.” I sat up and got a pen and paper off the desk. His voice trailed off, and I was just about to demand more from him when he rattled off her phone number and where I could find her.

“It looks like she was with the son of the owners, but in the last few weeks, there’s been trouble. My contact says they broke up, and she’s getting ready to move on, so I suggest you get to her before she leaves Lexington.”

“This is great, thanks. Her mom will be happy to know she’s safe.”

“Just her mother?” He asked with laughter in his voice. I could see him sitting in his office, leaning back in his chair, that sly, smug on his face he got when he thought he’d figured everything out. “I have a place out there. You’re more than welcome to it for as long as you need.”

“Well, Kipp also, seeing it’s his sister. Thanks for the place to stay.” Bourbon wasn’t the only business the Gatlins had. They also had five-star hotels across the southern states. A little too boutique for my style, but I wasn’t about to complain. Michelin star food, the most luxurious sheets and pillows that were perfectly soft, like a cloud.

“Oh, that’s living dangerously Nash, lusting after your best friend’s sister has the makings for a disaster.” He laughed.

“Tell me about it. Call if you need anything else.” I lowered the phone and ended the call, not waiting for an answer. The paper in my hand felt like it was on fire. Did I call her now? Did I wait until I got to Lexington? It would take me two hours to get there.

Hopping off the bed, I grabbed my bag and headed to check out.

Two hours later, thanks to Drake and his brother Knox, who is the best internet detective around, I knew exactly where she worked and lived. Pulling out the paper with her number on it I dialed.

“Hello?” The lightness and confidence of her voice sent a shiver through my body. It was the same as always.

“Hey Toots, how’ve you been?” I had coined her nickname forever ago, and it was the only thing I’d called her for years.

“Nash?” She gasped.

“Yeah.” My throat tightened and I suddenly couldn’t talk.

“Where are you? How did you find me? Is it really you?” She choked up when she asked her last question.

“I’m outside your apartment. I had a friend track you down and yeah, it’s really me.” Sitting in my truck looking at the building she lived in. It was dated, the uncut grass made it look abandon. The old shutters that hung beside each window needed paint and there was something shoved in the door jam propping open the security door. She couldn’t keep living here alone, and if nothing else came out of this visit, I’d find her a new place to live. There was silence on the other end of the line, but eventually, I heard a door slam. It made me sit a little straighter in my seat in anticipation as the door to her building opened slowly.

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