Page 74 of Rawhide and Ransom

A hissing sound escaped from between her clenched teeth. Ignoring his business card, she snapped, “Unfortunately for both of us, I happen to need your skill set.”

“Oh, really?” He lowered his arm, secretly disappointed that she didn’t seem interested in snagging his phone number. “And what might that be?”This should be interesting.He wished he had some popcorn to go with whatever delightful venom she would spew over him next.

She ticked the reasons off on her fingers. “Rude, opinionated, doesn’t give a flying rat’s tail what others think, doesn’t hesitate to bend the rules…” She glowered at him. “Does any of that sound familiar?”

He decided on the spot that he might not be done peopling for the day after all. Leaning her way, he raised a single eyebrow, a look he’d long since perfected. “Just to be clear, were you describing yourself or me?”

She didn’t take the bait. “I need help catching a cattle rustler. The police have struck out, and I’m at my wit’s end. Just name your price, and we can get to the spitballing part of our agreement.”

He was tempted to say yes, more tempted than he’d been in a long time. However, she’d already gotten farther under his skin than anyone else had managed to do in the past decade, which made her more dangerous than many of the criminals he’d helped collar. He kept people at a distance for a reason. If she had a lick of sense, she’d find somebody more respectable to hire.

“Sorry.” He swung away from her, taking a wide path around her. “Like I said, I’m off duty.” He waved at her without turning around, entirely forgetting he was still holding his business card until it was snatched out of his hand.

“We’ll see about that!”

Because the breeze was picking up, he caught a whiff of her flowery shampoo as she stomped in the opposite direction across the parking lot.

He shook his head in bemusement as he finished making his way to his ice-blue Chevy Colorado. It was new, a recent birthday gift to himself. No sooner had he climbed behind the wheel and rolled down his window than did his cell phone vibrate with an incoming call.

He considered ignoring it, but it wasn’t a luxury a P.I. could afford. Someone might be dying. Literally.

He dug it from his pocket and accepted the call without bothering to check the caller ID. “This better be good.”

“Looks like you’ve caught yourself a new case, Tuck.” It was his boss, Gage Hefner.

No surprise there. The services at Lonestar Security were in high demand. “Lay it on me.” Tucker started his motor and shifted into reverse, easing slowly from his parking spot. He didn’t want to almost-plow into anyone else today, certainly not with his truck.

In his usual efficient manner, Gage stuck to the raw details. “Mallory Evans. Local rancher. Bit of a hothead.”

“No.” Tucker almost laughed at how quickly she’d called the number on his business card. “I don’t two-step with wedding crashers.” She had some nerve pestering another wedding guest on the same day! There was no way she’d been invited to the event herself. She wasn’t even dressed for the occasion.

“She’s a solid customer, Tuck, and she’s requesting you. If it were me, I’d take it as a compliment.”

Yeah, well, I’m not you.“Tough. I already told her no.” He turned out of the parking lot and gunned his motor.

“Request overruled.” Gage gave a grunt of humor. “Nice try, though. I’ll text you the rest of the details. Rest up tonight, so you can get started tomorrow.”

“Or what?” Tucker grumbled.

“Or nothing,” Gage retorted cheerfully. “You’re one of the best P.I.s in the business. That’s why she wants you on the case. I think we can all agree it’s not your sunny personality.”

“Et tu, Brute?” Tucker disconnected the call, wondering if he’d missed some memo. It was starting to sound like National Pick On Tucker Pratt Day. It both annoyed and amused him that Mallory Evans was probably thinking she’d outmaneuvered him.

Boy, was she in for a rude awakening. Instead of mentally adding a point to her column, he added it to his.

Sometimes you get what you ask for, darling. Don’t blame me if you’re not happy with the outcome.

In his defense, he’d tried to warn her.

* * *

October

Annalee steppedonto the back porch of the cabin, loving the crisp bite of the evening wind and the scent of autumn bonfires. It was her most favorite time of the year. The neighborhood was strewn with leaf piles that the children had been jumping in all afternoon. Someone was strumming a guitar nearby, probably Josh Chavez in his never-ending quest to coax Miley on a date. The tune almost drowned out the faint howl of a wolf in the distance.

She leaned both hands on the porch railing, gazing up at the sky. A full moon was resting high overhead, and a wonderful secret was blossoming inside her. She couldn’t wait to tell Hawk when he got back from his latest tribal council meeting.

Another half hour or so passed before she heard his truck pull into the new carport he’d built a week ago — him and a few friends, including Tucker who still joked that they weren’t actually friends. He was a real character, someone she sensed was carrying a rough past on his shoulders. She and Hawk had briefly discussed him behind closed doors and had come to the mutual agreement that they would be there for him whenever he was ready. They owed that much to him after the way he’d stood by them through the recent danger that had plagued their family.

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