Page 118 of A Rancher's Vow
“You’re kidding me. It was Patty?” Dustin met Caleb’s gaze. “You called the RCMP.”
“I did. And they went and talked to her. She’s been in town for the past month, living at the Heart Falls motel. They warned her to stay away—which appears to have set her off.” Caleb tapped his head. “Not to excuse her behavior, but she’s one sick woman. Like literally, she’s not well.”
“She nearly killed Dustin.” The anger in Charity’s voice was ice cold. “She can get treatment for her illness somewhere far away from Heart Falls.”
“Agreed.” Caleb rested a calming hand on her shoulder. “Dustin. Tell us what you know, and we’ll fill in the blanks.”
“I saw smoke coming from the shelter. Hopped off Molasses—” His horse. “She okay?”
“She’s fine. When we hit the shelter, she hadn’t moved more than five feet from where you dropped the reins,” Caleb shared.
“You train animals well, bro.” Luke was back, his smirk suspicious as all get-out.
Dustin ignored that mystery for a minute. “I had my phone in my hand so I could use the flashlight. Walked around the corner of the shelter andbam. Patty must have been waiting for me.” He frowned. “How is that possible? She was way the hell out on the back of Silver Stone land just waiting for me?”
Caleb sighed. “Turns out, yeah. Seems word has gotten around about your favourite route. She told the RCMP she was certain that if she could just get you alone, you’d remember you were madly in love with her.”
“And nothing says true love more than a tire iron at close range,” Luke added.
“She had an ATV and somehow hauled you onto it. At some point, she realized that while she might be able to get away with driving illegally through town to her motel room, she was going to have a hard time explaining your unconscious body,” Charity said dryly.
Dustin glanced around the room. “I’m guessing she didn’t take me back to the ranch and apologize.”
Luke shook his head. “She dumped you and tried to hide the evidence. The only reason we found you was Charity’s quick thinking.”
Charity shook her head. “Here’s who rescued you.”
She whistled. Suddenly, paws appeared at the edge of the bed. Patchwork Annie’s low whine sounded as her nose barely made it to the top of the high mattress.
“Breaking all the rules here, bro,” Luke warned, but he scooped the dog up and lifted her close enough Dustin could pet her. “Best purchase ever the day you brought her home.”
“You don’t buy friends.” Dustin ruffled the top of Annie’s head. “Good girl.”
Annie snuck in a lick before Luke carried her off to hide her in the corner of the room.
It was all unreal. “Thanks for saving me.”
“Thanks for being one tough bastard,” Caleb said. “I don’t ever want to have to do that again.”
“I don’t plan to have more stalkers.” Dustin paused, worry rising. “Tee. You stay with Tamara and Caleb tonight. Don’t go to the cottage by yourself—”
“It’s okay.” Charity squeezed his hand. “They caught Patty, remember? She’s under arrest.”
His head spun with relief. “Right. Good. How’d they catch her?”
“She came into town to pack up her stuff from the motel. Stopped at Buns and Roses, if you can believe it, looking all cocky. Only Shim had called Fern to tell her you were missing, and Fern got suspicious, so when Patty went to the bathroom, Fern locked her in until the RCMP arrived.”
Shock hit, then amusement. “Only Fern. What if Patty had been innocent?”
Charity shrugged. “Fern said if she was wrong, she’d take the punishment, but she was ninety-nine point nine percent sure Patty was involved.”
Which put the last puzzle piece into place. “I’ve got the best friends and family.”
“You really do.” Luke winked. “Glad you’re okay, bro. Charity is going to stay with you. We’re headed back to the ranch for a while.”
“You need anything, you call,” Caleb ordered Charity. “We'll be back in a couple hours. Or some of us will be back.”
Charity released Dustin’s fingers, rising from her chair to give both Caleb and Luke big hugs. “I’ll take care of him,” she promised.
