Page 19 of Cowboy Jeopardy

“Something on your mind?” Dylan kept moving.

“Just what I said. I mean…these are mountain folk. Country people for the most part. This lifestyle isn’t foreign to them.”

“I know for a fact we have some guests from Little Rock and Fort Smith. Maybe this is as simple as them marking off a bucket-list item. Not everyone rode horses as a kid or had the chance to go camping.” Spotting Ryder tossing hay to the horses in the paddock, he switched directions.

“Okay, but I’m keeping a close eye on the three single men here.” Buster veered off.

A few minutes later, Ryder and River had been assigned the task of giving horseback rides around one of the paddocks. Dylan then headed for the kitchen. He still hadn’t had time to give Mrs. White the meal schedule for the days they had guests.

In the kitchen, he pulled a folded sheet of paper from the pocket of his jeans. “Sorry. I know we didn’t serve breakfast, but I would like to do lunch for this crowd. They’ll be gone by supper. I’ll give you two days’ notice from now on, I promise.” He handed Mrs. White the schedule.

“Good thing we’ve already made some patties for burgers and pulled out hotdogs. Marilyn put a potato salad in the fridge. Deviled eggs and pasta salad coming right up—” She glanced at the clock. “Ready for lunch in an hour.”

“You are a blessing.” The woman had come with the ranch, sort of, showing up on his doorstep after a few days, saying she’d worked for the previous owner. Dylan couldn’t be happier. If he slacked on something, she’d pick it right up and keep moving.

By the time he returned outside, two lines had formed for children to ride the horses, and another for the smaller number of adults. Maybe Buster was right. It did seem strange to see grown men standing in line like the kids. He shrugged. It wasn’t his place to wonder why, only to make sure they got what they paid for. He smiled and nodded, then leaned on the corral railing to watch.

One of the male guests stepped into the corral, then hesitated. “I’ve never ridden before.”

“Nothing to it,” Willy said. “Put that foot there and swing that leg over. Want me to lead you?”

“No, I can manage inside the corral.” The man climbed clumsily into the saddle and almost slid off the other side.

Dylan ducked his head to stifle a grin. He turned his attention back to the line. One of the three men was missing. He glanced toward the bathroom door he’d installed on the outside of the guest bunkhouse, giving access from the inside or out. When no one came out after a few minutes, he pushed away from the corral and headed in that direction.

The man was nowhere near the bunkhouse or the barn. Dylan stared toward the main house. Not seeing anyone stirring there either, he did a search around the perimeter. When he circled back to the house, he spotted the missing man peering through one of the downstairs windows.

“Can I help you?” He stopped a couple of feet from the man.

“I’m looking for the bathroom.”

“Were you not here when the others were told it’s the door on the east side of the bunkhouse?” Dylan set his jaw.

The man gave a sheepish grin and a shrug. “Guess I wasn’t paying attention. My apologies. The aromas coming from the house sure do smell good.”

“We’ll be eating under that canopy over there at noon.” Dylan tipped his hat and watched the man rush away. He studied the area until his gaze landed on Buster who stepped from the shadows of the bunkhouse.

Buster nodded in Dylan’s direction, then pointed at his own eyes with two fingers, then at the retreating man. He’d been watching the man all along.

Chapter Eight

Dani settled theboys at the table designated for the school kids, then glanced at the other table under the large white canopy. Mrs. White and Dani’s mother carried platters piled with burgers, hotdogs, and homemade fries to the table.

Children’s laughter filled the air along with the chatter of adults reaching for plates and utensils. Dani peered at Dylan. Her smile faded at the hard glint in his eye as he stared at one of the men sitting toward the end of the table.

The man seemed oblivious to Dylan’s attention as he loaded his burger with onions and tomato. Her gaze slid to Buster Brown. He, too, watched the man. Why this man? What had he done? Her blood chilled, and her gaze flicked back to Dylan.

Dylan’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he headed her way. “Everything is fine.”

“Is it? Because you and Buster are enough to scare me into next year.” She squeezed ketchup onto the boys’ plates.

“We’re simply watching someone who was where he shouldn’t have been. Just lost, I’m sure.”

“Hmm.” She narrowed her eyes. “You wouldn’t be sugarcoating something to spare my feelings, would you?”

He put a hand to his muscled chest. “Me?”

“Yes, you.” She smiled despite the flickers of unease coursing through her. She glanced toward the man again. He wore his hat pulled low as if he didn’t want anyone to get a good look at his face, but several of the ranch hands wore their hats the same way. Maybe the man wanted to copy them. “Okay, I believe you, but please don’t withhold information from me.”

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