Page 15 of Valor

Her smile had faded when she’d thought of Doc and Dee Martin. As promised, she’d waited thirty minutes for Owen to return, secretly hoping he’d make it in time.

When she’d heard the police sirens, she’d feared the worse. Especially when it became clear they were headed to the Martin ranch. Obviously, the bad guys had called to report the crime.

“Thanks for waiting.” Owen’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

She glanced at him, blushed, and shrugged. “I knew you’d have to take an alternate route back to the truck.”

“I wouldn’t have blamed you if you’d left me behind.”

She stroked Bear’s soft fur, then glanced at him from beneath her lashes. “I couldn’t leave you, Owen. I know that makes me a fool, but I keep hoping I can convince you to work something out with my brother, Doug.”

He clenched his jaw and shook his head. “Not happening, so get that idiotic thought out of your mind. As soon as we can find a place to take a breath, we’ll discuss our next steps.”

She was annoyed with being called idiotic; although deep down, she couldn’t help but agree with the sentiment. She was ridiculous for trying to see the best in Owen. On the other hand, didn’t the fact that he’d gone back to the ranch house to get Bear’s supplies indicate he was a decent man at heart?

She turned to stare out the passenger-side window. The town of Shell was only five miles away now, and she could make out a few buildings in the distance. One of which appeared to be a log-cabin type of hotel. She frowned. This wasn’t nearly as far away from the Double D Ranch as she’d have liked.

“We’re not staying here, are we?” She glanced at Owen’s stern profile.

He waited a beat before replying. “No, we’re only stopping long enough to get gas, food, and water.”

“Good.” She relaxed. “It’s better to get farther away from the scene of the crime.”

He sighed. “You could stay behind with Bear. Wait for an hour for me to get clear of the area, then call your brother to pick you up.”

That would be the smartest thing to do. She bit her lip, wondering why she wasn’t jumping on that option.

Owen pulled into the gas station convenience store. He pulled some cash from his pocket and thrust it into her hand. “Buy whatever you’d like to eat along with a six-pack of water. I’ll gas up the truck.”

“Okay.” She lifted Bear, the puppy was still sound asleep, and slid out of the car. She debated carrying him inside but decided to leave him in the truck where Owen could keep an eye on him.

She hurried inside. After using the restroom, she quickly purchased cold sandwiches, protein bars, and the bottles of water. When she was finished, she headed back outside to see Owen hunkered down on a grassy area with Bear. The grin on his face as he watched the puppy tumble around on the grass made her heart melt.

This was the Owen she’d known. Not the hardened criminal, but the decent man who cared about her and the puppy.

Maybe she was making a mistake, but she wasn’t about to separate herself from Owen. At least, not yet.

She opened the passenger door of the truck and stored her purchases in the back next to the dog supplies. Grabbing a water bottle, she poured a small amount into one of the dishes, then set it out for Bear. The puppy jumped over to lap at the water, then ran off, wagging his tail. He clearly loved being outside. Whatever the poor dog had gone through at the ranch, he seemed to have adjusted well to his new surroundings.

Owen stood and gestured to the dog. “Grab him and get him inside. We have a long way to go.”

She nodded, scooping the pup into her arms. Less than a minute later, Owen was back on the road, driving straight toward the Bighorn Mountains.

As the small town of Shell disappeared behind them, Emily breathed a sigh of relief. The police weren’t hot on their trail. Maybe, just maybe, they’d find a way out of this mess.

How exactly they’d accomplish that, she wasn’t sure.

Now that he was awake, Bear climbed over her, nipping at her clothes with his sharp teeth. The puppy was probably teething, so she passed the opened water bottle to Owen. “Drink it up. I need something for Bear to chew on.”

He arched a brow and guzzled half the water before passing it back. “You need to stay hydrated too.”

She nodded and finished it off. Then she crushed the bottle and gently pushed it into Bear’s mouth. The dog cheerfully gnawed on the bottle, his sharp teeth making tiny holes in the plastic.

They drove in silence for a while, before Owen asked, “Why didn’t you stay behind?”

She shrugged. “That town was too close to the ranch for my peace of mind. Besides, aren’t you the one who claimed the bad guys are claiming to be good guys? I figured it was possible the police who responded to the ranch could be involved.”

He nodded. “I still can’t believe Doc and Dee are gone. That they were killed because they helped me.”

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