Page 14 of Deceit & Desire

Rick’s expression softened. “I’ve seen it happen. Takes a hell of a lot of patience and the right kind of folks. But yeah, it’s possible.”

Roman glanced at Rick. “He gets it. It’s not just time—it’s care.”

Taking another sip of my coffee, I nodded and gently bumped Roman’s hip with mine. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been with me when I spotted him.”

Roman grimaced, his gaze watching the vet’s every move as she examined the colt. “You probably would have been smart enough to call the cops on him, rather than diving into the situation head-first and thinking later.”

Gravel crunched in the distance, signaling another approaching vehicle. I turned to Roman and arched a brow at him. “Were you expecting anybody besides the vet today?”

Roman wordlessly shook his head, and Rick straightened, his expression sharpening as he glanced toward the drive.

The crest of the hill revealed an SUV withDeputy Sheriffemblazoned on the side, and my heart sank.

“You expecting company?” Rick asked, his voice low but steady.

“That’s certainly not the kind I want,” Roman muttered, planting his hands on his hips as the SUV pulled to a stop.

Rick’s gaze didn’t leave the vehicle as the deputy stepped out. “Michaelson already makin’ waves, I take it?”

“Looks like it,” Roman replied, his tone grim.

Roman blew out a gusty sigh as he stared the deputy down, waiting for whoever it was to climb out of the SUV. “Well, shit.”

Landon Blackwell climbed out of the SUV and lifted a hand in greeting. “Mind if I have a quick word with you, Mr. York?”

“Might as well go ahead and face the music, I guess.” I sighed, squinting at my old schoolmate, wondering just how much pull David Michaelson had within the sheriff’s department for one of them to be paying us a visit so bright and early.

“Might as well.” Roman nodded and started striding toward the SUV.

I scurried to keep up with him, having to take three strides to his every one to keep up.

Rick hung back, his sharp brown gaze locked on the scene as though assessing every move.

“How can I help you, deputy?” Roman’s voice was surprisingly calm and even, given the situation.

“I’ve got a few questions for you regarding a reported incidence of horse theft from Tanner’s Hollow Farm yesterday.” Landon jerked his chin at the buckskin colt the vet was in the process of treating. “That horse fits the description of the one that was stolen, as a matter of fact.”

White-hot rage blazed through my body from the top of my head to the tips of my toes at the outrageous accusation. Roman opened his mouth to respond, but I stepped around him, glaring up at Landon with righteous indignation.

“What I think you actually mean is you’re here to get our statements about the animal cruelty we witnessed and rescued that horse from yesterday.”

Behind me, I could feel Roman tensing, his presence steady but crackling with restrained frustration. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rick shift his stance, moving a step closer to us.

Landon blinked at me and took a half-step back, removing his hat and running a hand through his shoulder-length ash-brown hair. It wasn’t hard to see that he was caught off guard and trying to gather his thoughts. “I beg your pardon? Mr. Michaelson didn’t say anything about that when he came in to report that his horse was stolen.”

I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes. “Let’s pretend you’re actually here to do your due diligence, then, okay? Look at that horse, Landon. Look how malnourished and abused he is. Look at the wounds from where Mr. Michaelson’s employee was beating him with a whip!”

Rick’s voice cut in, low and steady, as he leaned slightly toward Roman. “He gonna cause trouble, or is this a courtesy call?”

Roman’s jaw clenched, but he muttered back, “We’ll see.”

Landon crossed his arms, narrowing his sharp brown eyes at me. “It’s Deputy Blackwell nowadays, and I’m sorry if I upset you, Ms. Brandt, but there’s no way to say one way or another where the horse might have gotten those injuries, and I can’t operate on hearsay?—”

I held up a hand and cut Landon off. “I’m going to stop you right there because there is a way to say for sure where the horse got the injuries. I witnessed Mr. Michaelson’s employee beating that horse with my own two eyes, and if you don’t believe me, I’ve got video evidence to prove it. I recorded the whole incident on my phone because I was afraid something like this would happen after Roman rescued that horse.”

“Easy, Zo.” Roman put a hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I might not have gone about it the right way?—”

“Bullshit,” I snapped, shaking my head. “You saved that horse from a terrible fate, and that’s nothing to apologize for in my book.”

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