Page 36 of A Curse On Black Lake
“He was my dad’s horse,” I tell her.
“He’s beautiful,” she whispers.
Chester leans his head into her hand like he's telling her thank you.
I walk Chester out and hand the reins to Eliana. She takes them, and, being a cowgirl her whole life she slips her foot in the stirrup and swings onto Chester’s back.
“What?” she says, looking down at me.
I hadn’t realized I was staring. “Uh, nothing. Are you sure you can handle this?” I ask her.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?” she asks.
“I don’t know. We hardly know each other, so I guess that’s why.”
“I might not be a great roper, but I know enough to be dangerous,” she says.
I scoff. “I don’t think you have any idea how dangerous you are.”To me.
The corner of her mouth tips up and she lifts a shoulder.
I lead the way with Daisy to the far plot to check on a group. They should be good, since they’re by a healthy stream, but it’s been hot.
Eliana follows closely behind on Chester, and the tightness in my limbs releases. The dogs run next to us, stopping to sniff periodically before catching up.
I haven’t had a chance to look into my case, and I’m struggling to figure out how to get the information I need. I have a little from memory, but that was years ago. Though I do know onething: I need an alibi to get Wyatt off my ass, and I don’t know anyone who would vouch for me.
Coming up to the gate, Eliana hurries past me and angles Chester so she can lean over and flip it. I trot in, and she pulls it closed behind her. We go down a small decline in the land and find most of the cattle around the water. A few are lying down, and I start counting.
We might not have a wolf problem like many do up north. But coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, and wild dogs enjoy easy prey, like my cattle. They can protect each other, but the dogs do most of the defending, and sometimes I have to guard the herd myself.
“How many should you have?” Eliana asks.
I wave my hand at her so she doesn’t break my count.
Out of the corner of my eye, she hops off Chester and makes her way down to the stream.
When I hit sixty, I search for my bull. I had to split my herd in two because I had one too many bulls, and this one doesn’t likeanyonecoming near his herd.
Eliana saunters down the small hill, and I spot him catch sight of her.
“Eliana,” I yell.
She glances at me over her shoulder and keeps walking.
“Stop!” I yell. The bull is honed in on her, and I’m afraid he’s going to charge. She does as I say and stops turning to look at me.
“What? I—”
“I need you to walk slowly back to me. You caught a bull’s attention, and he’s already locked onto you,” I tell her.
She starts walking back towards me, looking at where she steps. And I pull out my rifle, ready to put the bull down if I need to. Daisy shifts on her feet, sensing the stress, and I hold up the rifle, ready to fire.
Eliana is half-way to me, and the bull huffs, getting angrier by the minute.Dammit.I really don’t want to shoot this bull. I’ll lose a lot of money because I breed him too.
“Killian,” Eliana says, taking measured steps.
“Killian!”
