Chapter Nineteen
S am dropped Carlos and Howie off at the barracks around five o’clock, then made his way to the lodge, wanting an update on the camera project.
He found Gran in the kitchen with an afternoon cup of coffee in hand and a pot of something simmering on the stovetop.
One look at her face, though, and he knew something was wrong.
“How did it go at Tyler’s place?” she asked.
“Got his ranch hand out of the hole and into the ambulance. His one ankle’s pretty bad.
Horse landed against it when they reached the bottom of the mineshaft.
The horse…” He shook his head. Sam never liked to see an animal suffer.
Hated even more watching them get put down to spare them from more. “Where is everyone?”
“Well, Madison, Norah, and Neil are out putting up the cameras. They’ve been gone since ten or so.”
Sam frowned. “Where’s Natalie?”
“On a plane headed home.”
His heart skipped a beat. “ What? Why?”
“Her uncle called just before they headed out to do the cameras, said the storms in Indiana knocked the power out and she had standing water in her basement. Natalie had to get home so she could help with the cleanup and get a claim filed with insurance.”
“She went home?” Without even saying goodbye? Sam sank into a seat at the table, trying to process it all. “Well, why the hell didn’t anyone call me?”
“We tried, hon, but your phone just kept rollin’ to voice mail.”
Sam groaned. Tyler had warned him that reception out there was spotty, but he didn’t expect more than one emergency to arise in a single morning.
He pulled his cell phone out and tapped on his messages.
Sure enough, there were a handful from Natalie, which he read through before listening to the voice mail she’d also left.
It was great to hear her voice, but he hated that he hadn’t been here to see her off.
Or to kiss her and tell her to hurry back soon.
Or to say the other one hundred and one things he’d been trying to build up the courage to get out but hadn’t.
“I can’t believe she’s gone.”
“Natalie hated leaving without being able to say goodbye to you, Sam, but she promised she’d come back just as soon as she can.” Gran came to stand behind him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Maybe Neil will have good news for all of us by the time she gets back.”
Neil had ferrets to photograph, and Sam had words he needed to cowboy up and say as soon as she got back. He just prayed it wouldn’t be long for either.
Sam looked to the window and squinted into the fading afternoon sun. “I sure hope so.”