Chapter Fifteen
Natalie brushed down O’Malley at the edge of the corral as Vaughn and June spoke to the police. Vaughn had warned her against talking to the officer, since the fire inspector had come looking for the driver of the burned out vehicle. She hadn’t wanted to give the cops, or any authority, any reason to believe that she may be harboring someone. She also warned Natalie that the police would most likely ask her about her bruises. Though they had almost completely faded, Natalie knew that cops were trained to look for signs of abuse. So she decided to work in the corral like any other employee, straining to hear details of the nearby conversation.
“And you believe you know who cut your fence?” the young officer asked, scrolling through the pictures Natalie had taken on Vaughn’s phone.
“I’m pretty damn sure,” Vaughn said.
The officer returned the phone and readied his pen. He looked at Vaughn questioningly as he waited.
“Come on, Theo,” Vaughn said. “You know as damn well as I do who did this.”
“I can’t speculate, Vaughn, and I won’t.”
“Oh, come off it,” June said. “You gonna get all professional on us now ?”
“I’m just doing my job, Mrs. Ruger.”
She scoffed and kicked at the dirt with her boot. “Real convenient timing if you ask me.”
“Look,” Vaughn said. “I know Ricky is your cousin.”
“That’s got nothing to do with it,” Theo said.
“Whatever,” Vaughn said, holding up a palm. “I’m not suggesting anything here. I just want whoever did this caught.”
Theo made some more notes and flipped his notebook closed. In the near distance Natalie heard footfalls and she saw Greer and Benny on horseback leading three horses back toward the stables.
Vaughn and June spotted them too. “Well, at least I got most of my mares back,” Vaughn said.
“Who’s gonna pay for the missing one?” June demanded. “That no good cousin of yours gonna cover the cost if we can’t find her?”
Theo tucked his notebook and pen away. “If he did it, then yes, the law will hold him accountable.”
“He won’t have to pay for her if he returns her,” Vaughn said.
“You think whoever did this kept her?” Theo asked.
Vaughn nodded. “I got a sneaking suspicion he did. Miracle’s worth some money and he always favored her.”
Theo rested his hands on his gun belt. “I’ll look into it. I promise.”
“You damn well better,” June said. “And you tell those two, tell ’em if we catch them on this property that we got the right to shoot and shoot we will. Without hesitation.”
Theo looked at the ground and lightly kicked a pebble. “Now don’t go shooting from the hip just yet, Mrs. Ruger. We haven’t got proof of anything.”
June spit at the dirt. “I got all the proof I need. Those boys was always trouble. From the word go.”
Theo looked to Vaughn as if she were the reasonable one. “Keep the guns at bay. We don’t want this to escalate to where people get hurt.”
“Then you give those two our warning,” Vaughn said.
Theo nodded. “I’ll be in touch.” He left and walked back to his cruiser.
Greer and Benny led the three horses into the corral where Vaughn inspected them. June leaned on the bars of the pen and watched.
“They look injured?”
Vaughn ran her hands over each horse, carefully examining them. “Nah. They seem to be okay.”
Benny lifted hooves for a quick look-see while Greer filled a trough with fresh water. Natalie left O’Malley to join Vaughn.
“They really okay?” she asked, stroking one of the horses.
“This time,” Vaughn said. “We were lucky.”
“I’m glad the weather has cooled a bit,” Natalie said. “I’d hate to think of them out there in one-hundred-fifteen-degree heat with no shade.”
Vaughn clenched her jaw as if thinking about it. She looked like she could kill whoever cut the fence. Her horses seemed to be everything to her. They were not just her livelihood, but her heart. She obviously loved them, and when anything bad happened to one of them, she seemed to suffer right alongside them.
Natalie felt for her, already developing feelings for the horses herself. Vaughn must feel so helpless, unable to stop the two men from targeting and tormenting them. She knew exactly how that felt.
She touched Vaughn’s arm. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I know how this feels.”
Vaughn looked as though she didn’t believe her. So Natalie explained. “I know what it feels like to be targeted and to have no control or a way to stop it. You’re simply at the person’s mercy. It’s an awful feeling and no way to have to live.”
Vaughn’s eyes flooded. She glanced away and Natalie dropped her hand. Vaughn cleared her throat and looked back to her.
“I forgot about all that you’re going though,” Vaughn said. “For that I’m sorry. And I’m sorry you’re having to go through it, because you’re right, it’s no way to live.” She led the horse away with a stiff arm and guided her through the open gate of the corral. She passed June and disappeared into the stables.
“I don’t know what you said to her,” June said. “But you got to her.”
Natalie walked up to the bars and leaned on them just like June. “I just told her I understood how she was feeling. It’s no fun being the target of someone’s harassment.”
“No, it’s not. And you know all about that, don’t you?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Vaughn’s never had to deal with anything like this before.”
“I didn’t suspect as much. She’s really taking it hard. She really loves those horses, doesn’t she?”
June laughed. “If there was a word greater than love, then that wouldn’t even come close to how Vaughn feels about these horses. Crazy child used to sleep with them when she was a kid. I’d get up in the middle of the night to find her bed empty and I’d come out here to the stables and there she’d be, all curled up in a stall, next to a horse.”
“That’s so sweet,” Natalie said, touching her heart.
“I’ve got a picture of it over the mantel,” June said. “It’s my favorite one.”
Natalie made a mental note to check it out. “Say, June? I’ve been meaning to ask you, who’s the woman in the pictures with Vaughn in the guesthouse?”
“That’s my daughter, Vivian. Vaughn’s mother.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
June slid her eyes over to her. “For what? She ain’t dead, child. She just doesn’t live here.”
“Oh.”
“She lives in Taos. She’s an artist there. Paints for a living. Does a damn good job of it too.”
“Did she paint that picture of the woman in the red dress? The one hanging in the guesthouse?”
“She did. As well as most of the ones in the main house.”
“Wow, she is good.”
“That she is.”
“Does she come to visit often?”
“She hasn’t been here in some time now. What with the pandemic and all. Vaughn’s starting to miss her too. I can always tell. She gets quieter than usual. And moody as all get-out.”
“Maybe she’ll come soon,” Natalie said. “After I leave.”
“Don’t you go thinking you’re the reason she ain’t coming.”
“Well, I am in the guesthouse.”
“Yes, and we want you there. As for my daughter, I love her, but she’s flighty. Can’t ever decide nothing and stick to it. So, don’t you worry about being here. She can come anytime, even if you’re here, and she knows it.”
Natalie nodded and conceded. She moved on to the next thing on her mind.
“Do you really think those ex-employees cut the fence?”
“I do.”
“They’re just wanting to cause trouble or what?”
“I’d say so. They never did like Vaughn much because she expected them to work and she wasn’t shy about getting on their case when she caught them lollygagging. And they didn’t like that much.”
“I just can’t imagine what they must’ve been like. Benny and Greer are such good workers and they’re so good with the horses.”
“Benny and Greer is good boys and these days, around these parts, that’s hard to find. We were lucky enough to know their families. So we know they was raised right. Whereas we didn’t know nothing about them other boys.”
“You’ve been getting some interest from the job postings I listed,” Natalie said. She’d seen some of the emails June had received. She’d been excited, hoping that the website and the details in the job listings were helping.
“Yeah, now I just gotta find the time to interview them. Vaughn needs to be in on it and she don’t got much free time these days.”
“Well, I can fill in for her. You know, do her chores while she takes time to interview. If that helps.”
“We might take you up on that. If Vaughn will allow it. She don’t like to give up control.”
“I can’t say I blame her. This ranch, she feels so responsible.”
“She’s a good girl. But sometimes her head’s too big and too stubborn for her own good. She overthinks and she refuses to give in and that don’t leave room for much in the way of growth.” June waved her hand. “But I’ve gone and said too much again. She’s gonna tan my hide before it’s over with.”
“You just care about her and worry. I understand. And I promise I won’t say anything.”
June looked at her. “You seem to be a good girl, too, don’t ya? And I can tell you care about this ranch and Vaughn too.”
“I do.”
“I wish Vaughn could find someone like you. Settle down. Relax a little.”
Natalie blushed. She wasn’t sure what to say. Just the mere thought of being with Vaughn was nearly overwhelming. She knew she’d think about it the rest of the day and well into the night. She’d imagine her strong body lying down over hers, her able hands skimming over her aching skin, her beautiful mouth capturing her tight, budding—
“I didn’t mean to imply anything,” June said, interrupting her thoughts.
“You didn’t,” she said a little too quickly.
June pushed off from the bars. “I better go before I get myself into trouble.” She wagged her finger at her. “You be good, ya hear?” She grinned, teasing her.
Natalie smiled in return, though her face was still on fire and her heart was hammering in her chest. “I will,” she managed, but her mind went right back to Vaughn lying with her in her bed, late, late at night and Natalie knew she was being anything but good.