Chapter 13
BEAU
I’d been able to sway Lainey to stay behind at the hospital, to drive her mother home while I went with Trig and Colt to the Two Rivers Ranch. I’d heard a shit ton about Conrad Trout and how he’d been screwing with the Wilder family recently.
While I didn’t like the idea of Mr. Wilder getting hurt or a horse getting doped, my girl could’ve been hurt last night.
Trig wanted a piece of Trout for what he’d done to Ellie.
Colt wanted a piece of him for all of it.
Fortunately, there would be pieces left just for me.
Except it seemed his only connection to what happened the night before was that this Rod loser was that he worked on his property. Based on what Colt mentioned, the guy still might be snorkeling in Aruba. All he might be responsible for was hiring an asshole.
I rode with Trig in his pickup across town, following Colt’s patrol SUV at enough distance from the kicked up dust from the dirt roads.
After passing an impressive log and metal arch entrance to the Two Rivers Ranch, he didn’t stop at the main house, which was impressively large and ridiculously ostentatious for Montana.
“Jesus, white columns? It looks like a plantation from the Deep South,” I muttered as we cruised by.
“Yeah, but you have to admit this is a sweet piece of land,” Trig countered.
The land was impressive. A river bisected the property, making for lush pastures and constant water for grazing cattle and horses. The stable, which we parked in front of, had a huge indoor riding ring beside it. Both were painted a bright white with green trim, immaculately upkept.
“Why the fuck would Trout want Ellie’s father’s ranch–and Katie’s–if he has all this?” I said, looking out the passenger window. “There’s gotta be fifteen miles between here and the Mann place and a little farther to Katie’s. They don’t even connect.”
“Little bratty kids always want the toy someone else is playing with, even if the one they have in their hand is better.”
“Are we keeping track of who we’re arresting?” I asked.
“I want Trout, but he’s done nothing illegal,” Trig said, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel. “At least in this latest fuckery.”
“Bray wants a piece of him, too,” I reminded. “After what he’s been doing to Katie.”
“Bray’s got Hayes dealing with him,” he grumbled.
Meaning Hayes was going to meet the man in court and could sue his ass.
“Well, this punk, Rod, he’s not making it to the station without a few bumps and bruises,” I vowed.
He huffed and grinned. “More than a few.”
We parked beside Colt by the stable and met him in front of his SUV.
“On the way over, got details pulled on Rod Severs. Twenty-two. White blond hair, blue eyes. Six-two. Legal address is in Anaconda but attends the university in Missoula. Got pulled in with Chase Trout last winter in Missoula for drunk and disorderly, but it didn’t stick to either of them.”
“Can I help you?”
A man, who hadn’t seen twenty-two for a few decades, came out of the stable to join us. His jeans and shirt with the ranch name embroidered on the chest were dusty. His face was sweaty even with the hat on his head shielding it from the sun. This guy looked like he actually worked.
“Looking for Rod Severs.”
The guy frowned. “He hasn’t been to the stables this morning. Probably with Chase. I’d check the pool behind the big house, or the shallow section of the river that way.” He turned and pointed to the south. “Either spot they’re probably drunk.”
“Your name, sir?” Colt asked.
“Kyle Valdez. Foreman.”
“Conrad Trout around today?”
“No. He’s still out of the country.”
Colt tipped his hat. “Much appreciated.”
The man went back to his work and we returned to our vehicles. “Pool or river?” he asked over the hood of his.
Trig looked to me. We said, “Pool,” at the same time.
Five minutes later, when we parked by the five car garage and walked around the back of the house to the pool, we discovered we’d been right.
Three guys who fit the early twenties description were lounging around, although none of them fit the Scandinavian features Colt listed for Rod Severs.
They all had dark hair. One stood in the shallow end holding a can of beer, the other two were sprawled on lounge chairs nearby.
What made the three of us stall at the deep end was Lainey.
My girl was here.
What the fuck? How the hell had she beat us here?
She was standing in front of them and giving them hell, her voice carrying from across the pool.
I didn’t know my girl as well as I should because she’d been too easy to sway back at the hospital. She hadn’t been so agreeable because my idea of her staying away from guys who were dangerous was a good idea, but because she’d been biding her time to show up all on her own.
I was fucking pissed. While she was in jeans and a pale pink t-shirt, the fabric didn’t hide her curves. Nothing hid how fucking gorgeous she was. She was like a tasty lamb walking into a pool party of hungry, drunk wolves.
From beside me, Trig muttered, “I can’t spank her ass, but you can, Beau.”
“She better not be able to sit down for a week when you’re done,” Colt added.
My girl was fierce looking, with her hands on her hips, face red and eyes glaring daggers at all three of them. Every other word was foul and she’d put a sailor to shame.
“I’ll take care of her,” I said, teeth clenched.
That meant forever. When she was sweet. Sexy. Charming. Invincible. And now, when she was reckless. That also meant punishing her ass for being so headstrong and stupid confronting these assholes herself.
Instead of dealing with these guys and finding Rod Severs, I aimed for Lainey.
When she heard our boots on the tile, she spun about. “It’s about time you guys got here. I’ve been having a little chat and–”
Her eyes widened as she spoke the closer I got. I didn’t slow down. I didn’t say a word, only bent at the waist and tossed Lainey over my shoulder and kept right on going.