Page 17 of Roping the Rodeo Queen
Brock's eyebrows shoot up in the phoniest innocent act I've ever seen."Crunching sound?Can't say I heard anything unusual.Did you, Maddie?"
His cohort's smile is as sweet as antifreeze while she strokes her horse's neck."Just the normal arena sounds.Maybe your hearing isn't so good, McKendrick.Or you might just be looking for excuses for your fiancée's mediocre performance."
Jo's fingers tighten around mine, and I feel her body tense beside me.But her voice remains cool when she speaks."Mediocre or not, it's strange how your horse only spooked when I was on my final barrel.Quite the coincidence, hey?"
"Some horses are sensitive," Maddie shrugs, her blonde ponytail swinging."Not everyone can afford championship bloodlines like yours, Jo."
I stride forward, ready to rain hell down on Brock and Maddie.But Jo's grip on my hand tightens, and I realize she wants to deal with her nemesis.
"You're absolutely right, Maddie," Jo says, her voice dripping with false sweetness."Not everyone can afford quality breeding.Some people have to rely on cheap tricks instead of actual talent."
Maddie's sugary smile falters for a heartbeat, then she recovers."I have no idea what you're implying, Callahan."
"Of course you don't."Jo puckers her lips, tilting her head, studying Maddie with the same intensity she brings to reading a horse's movements."And you also had no idea your horse would spook at exactly the right moment to mess up my run."
I sling an arm around Jo's shoulders, urging her to turn around with me and walk away.She spears Maddie and Brock with a vicious scowl but keeps walking away.Whatever those two are up to, we don't have time to worry about it now.
The next competitor is already lining up at the gate.Jo and I retreat to the sidelines, both of us simmering with frustration.
"Those two are up to no good," I mutter, keeping my voice low as we find a spot along the fence.
"I know.But without proof, there's nothing we can do."
Across the arena, I spot Maddie and Brock huddling together.Maddie's hand slips into her jacket pocket, removing a small object that glints faintly in the arena lights before disappearing into Brock's waiting palm.The exchange is so quick I almost miss it.
"Did you see that?"I whisper, nudging Jo's shoulder.
"See what?"
"That hand-off.Maddie just passed something to Brock."
Jo veers her gaze straight toward Sterling as he makes his way toward the contestants' area where the bull riders are gathered.She wriggles out of my embrace, and I trot along beside her.We zigzag through the crowd as we try to keep Brock in sight without being obvious about it.He halts near the chutes, casually leaning against a fence post while chatting with one of the stock contractors.From our position behind an equipment trailer, we can just make out his profile.
"What do you think they're planning?"I ask, keeping my voice low.
Jo shakes her head."Nothing good.They're passing something between them like they're in some spy movie."
"Maybe we should tell the officials."
"And say what?That we saw them hand off a suspicious package that we couldn't see clearly or identify?Without knowing what it was, we'd sound paranoid."
It's too late, anyway.Brock just retreated to the sidelines, and Maddie is about to take her turn.
Buck's voice drowns out all other sounds as Maddie prepares for her run."Next up, we have Maddie Vale from Dallas, Texas!"
Jo's hand finds mine, her grip tight as we watch Maddie burst out of the gate.Her form is solid, I'll give her that.But sense calculation in the way she rides---like she's more focused on the clock than the connection with her horse.
"Sixteen-point-two seconds for Maddie Vale!"Buck announces as she crosses the finish line."That puts her in second place behind Sarah Martinez!"
I feel Jo's shoulders relax a little.At least Maddie didn't win.But the smug expression on her face as she exits the arena tells me she's not disappointed.If anything, she seems satisfied, like everything is going according to plan.
"That's a decent time," Jo admits grudgingly."Guess all I can do is shrug it off and move on."
But I will never forget what went down today.Never.Nobody messes with my girl.
Chapter Ten
Home on the Range
