Page 21 of Cowboy Peril

“It hasn’t bothered me in a long time.” She let out a long slow breath.

“Mind telling me why now, and why you were in the barn with a butcher knife?” Which he’d dropped on the floor of the barn before gathering her in his arms.

“Someone was outside my house. I went looking for you, and when I couldn’t find you, I hid in the barn.” She rested her head back against the sofa.

His gaze slid down her body. “Get dressed, Parker, while I look around outside.” Before he lost self-control and kissed her until they were both out of their heads in love.

While she changed, he searched the kitchen drawers for a flashlight. Finding a small one, he moved outside and circled the building.

No footprints appeared in the dirt, but it hadn’t rained in a while. He found an area where gravel had been moved. Marks that looked like Parker’s bare feet digging in, then gravel flinging as she ran. He couldn’t see whether anyone had actually been outside her house, but something had definitely frightened her enough to run and hide while clutching a butcher knife.

He surveyed the area around the house, expanding his gaze toward the tree line where he’d been patrolling while Parker ran scared out of her mind.

“See anything?” She whispered behind him, almost making him jump.

He turned and frowned. “Is that a paring knife?”

“You dropped my other one.”

“Give me that.” He held out his hand.

“Fine, but I’m going with you.” She dropped the knife into his palm.

“What makes you think I’m going anywhere?”

“Aren’t you?”

“Yes.” He sighed. She knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep until whoever was sneaking around her house was gone. “Stay behind me. If something happens, run as fast as you can for the house. Mrs. White and the other ranch hands will come running if you ring the cowbell. How’s your breathing?”

“I’m fine. Just a reaction to the dust and the hay.” She coughed on cue.

“Right.” He took her hand in his, and they set off at a run, sticking to the perimeter of the cleared land around the house and outbuildings. They stayed in the shadows as much as possible. “I should’ve asked before, but do you have your phone on you?”

“Yes, you?”

“Yep.” He expected all the cowboys to carry theirs while on patrol. “Dial the sheriff’s office. Report an intruder.”

“What if the intruder is gone?”

“It will still be on the record that he was here.” He led her just inside the tree line. “Help me look for footprints, broken branches—anything to signify someone ran through here. We’ll keep going until we reach the open field again.” He sent a text to Willy to wake up the other men and have them search all the buildings. If the intruder was still on the ranch, he’d be found.

Colt waved the flashlight back and forth across the ground in front of them. A mashed area of grass, then another, leading deeper into the trees or coming out, he couldn’t be sure. He stopped and looked across the expanse of pasture.

Whoever had stood there had a clear view of Parker’s house. He glanced into the treetops searching for the cameras Dylanhad installed when his wife Dani had been in danger. No red light blinked from them.

Which could only mean one thing. Someone had cut the power to the house’s Wi-Fi. There’d be no capture of the person on camera.

Colt’s phone buzzed. He pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the screen. Willy replied that the men were up and out.

“Sheriff is on his way,” Parker whispered. “Or one of his deputies. I’m not sure, really. Does it matter? I wouldn’t think it would—”

Colt put a finger over her lips. “You’re rambling, darlin’. It’s going to be okay. The man is gone.”

“Are you sure?” Her lips moved against his finger as her eyes filled with tears.

“Ninety-percent sure.” He wrapped his free arm around her. “I’m here, Parker. No one is going to hurt you.” He closed his eyes and rested his chin on top of her head. At least, he’d do his darned best not to let anything happen to her.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her cheek against his shoulder as she’d done so many times in the past. Whenever something had upset her, he’d hold her just like this, minus the knife and flashlight.

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