Chapter 9
Evening was closing in as they pulled into the ranch parking lot. Dylan and Nikki headed straight for the animals and together, made short work of feeding and milking. Finally, when the burros had been brushed down and fed and watered, she sighed and turned to Dylan. “Thanks for the help. This shortens the evening chores a lot.”
“I enjoyed it,” he said and gave one of the burros a last pat before turning and walking alongside her. “I understand the chickens and the goats, but why the burros? You don’t have any sheep or cattle for them to protect from coyotes.”
She shrugged. “Grandad always had them and there was a wild burro adoption event a couple of years ago. These were in pretty rough shape so I took them. They’re company for the goats, believe it or not. And they let me know if any predators are near the goats and chickens, usually.”
“But you’ve taught them to be trusting of men,” Dylan gently reminded her and she nodded. “I did. Maybe I shouldn’t have.” She took a step to put her ahead of him and he left her alone with her thoughts until they approached the rubbish pile that was the hired hands house. “Are you going to rebuild the house?”
She shook her head. “The men I hire are all locals and don’t need to stay on sight. If I need anything like that, I’ll get a shed and fix it up. Right now, I just need to get that trash heap cleaned up.”
“Not yet,” he said and at her look, nodded toward a whisp of smoke that still drifted from the wreckage. “It’s still hot. Maybe in a week or so, we can get to it.”
She tilted her head at him then turned toward the house. What was that, he wondered then realized. He was planning on being there for a while. With a mental smile, he followed her toward the house and a welcome shower.
After they’d washed the dirt of the day off and Nikki started some food cooking Dylan asked to borrow her laptop. “Sure. If you need some privacy, the office is there.” When he shook his head, she gestured at the kitchen table. “That’s where I usually end up. The office is small and it reminds me too much of Grandad.”
Dylan entered the small room with its large wooden desk set up against the wall, the window looking out over the desert above it. A small laptop rested atop it, looking very out of place on the scratched surface. Dylan expected to see ledgers and fountain pens instead of a sticky note pad and thin-point felt tip makers. He gathered the computer up and headed out of the room but not before spying a collage of photographs tucked into a framed topographical map of the region. A tall, lean man with curly gray hair stood with a young girl sitting on a small pony beside him, grinning from ear to ear. Dylan smiled and leaned closer, seeing the resemblance between the man and his granddaughter. Other photos, including a graduation photo, a picture of a man holding a small bundle with several other people clustered around him ranged along the bottom of the frame. Her history, Dylan noted as he walked into the kitchen.
“Grilled chicken okay?” Nikki said, her back to him as she chopped vegetables.
“Great. Need help?” At the shake of her head, he set up the laptop and pulled the scrap of paper from his jeans pocket. He opened a browser and typed in the information Dan had given him. The news website that popped up covered the southwest and had some human interest stories as well. The site looked professional and featured some reporters that were members of the Associated Press. Dylan searched the site with a sense of foreboding. What had Dan found that made him bring it to Dylan’s attention?
Nikki set a glass of iced water at his side and sat down in a chair near him. “Your brother-in-law really likes you.”
“I like him, too,” Dylan said and smiled at her. “Merry and he have a good relationship and great kids, too.”
“He seems to care about his job, too.” She took a sip of her water and then looked at him. “What did he hand you when we were leaving?”
Dylan gave her a sheepish grin and nodded at the computer. “He said you’re getting talked about.”
She arched a brow in surprise. “Me? I don’t even get online more than once a week and that’s to check to see if there are any events I need to know about in town.”
He shrugged. “That’s what he said.”
She shook her head and stood to go to the stove. “Maybe it’s the church page. I’ve helped out with some things there. But that’s the only thing I can think of.”
He read through articles that featured the surrounding area without any luck then turned to her. “I’m going to make a call and give Hank an update. I’ll use the office so I don’t disturb you.”
She closed the oven door and stared at him. “If you’re going to update him about me, I need to hear it, Dylan. I don’t want you hiding anything from me.”
He nodded. “Let me get my sat phone.”
He dialed the number, all the time watching her as she turned the chicken on the stove. Her back was ramrod straight. He’d irritated her with his last remark but he’d hoped to speak to Hank without her hearing. Maybe he’d be able to do so later, when he made his evening security sweep.
Hank’s voice came through clear and Dylan greeted him, letting him in on the latest on the ranch. At the news of the hut fire, Hank uttered an expletive and Dylan realized he hadn’t cursed since he’d been on the ranch. Huh. Ex-military men and women had reputations for having salty speech and he’d been no exception, but being around Nikki had cleansed his palate, so to speak.
“You sure you’re both okay?” Hank said and Dylan assured him of their health. “We went into the nearest towns to talk to some people. And then we talked to the border patrol agent.”
“That your brother-in-law?”
“Yeah. And we found out a body was in the desert. I think it was just a sad case of a man traveling north who wasn’t up to the trek. I got some pictures and took some samples for Dan to send off.”
Nikki was still working at the stove but Dylan noted her movements were more deliberate, evidence she was listening closely.
“Listen, there is one thing I’d like for you to check up on.” He filled Hank in on the website Dan had given him. “I didn’t find anything in particular, but someone with more time and equipment might find something faster than reading through old features would.”
“I’ll put Swede or one of his guys on it. You think Nikki’s getting known outside of the ranch?”
“Maybe.”
“And she may be attracting attention from people who disapprove of her actions and aren’t afraid to use force.”
“Obviously.” Why else was he here, Dylan thought, but Hank’s next comment made it clear.
“We know someone is upset with her. But people who know her may only want property damage, like you’re seeing right now. If she gets known outside of her immediate sphere, groups may want more direct involvement, if you know what I mean.”
“Yeah,” Dylan said darkly and then grimaced as Nikki turned to face him. She narrowed her eyes at him and started toward the table with a plate of chicken.
“I’ll get on the website. Anything else?”
“Not that I can think of. I’ll check in with you later.”
“Right.” Hank disconnected the call and Dylan made a note to call again later. He had a couple of names he wanted checked out, Mark Williams and Wayne French chief among them.
Supper was delicious and Nikki gratefully accepted Dylan’s assistance in washing up. Her normal days at the ranch were full of caring for the animals, working with the hands in the pecan groves and pepper fields, as well as crafting her soaps and lotions. But today, without doing half the work, she was exhausted. She showed Dylan the guest room, her grandfather’s old room, and made sure he had everything he needed for the night then headed toward her own bedroom. She tried to read her Bible study but found herself nodding off. Finally, she gave up and settled into bed and slept with the knowledge Dylan was there and keeping them safe.
She woke once in the middle of the night as she heard the back door snick closed. Sitting up, she listened but the house was silent. She rose and slipped on her robe then headed for the front of the house and the guest room. The opened door revealed a made bed. She made her way to the front window where she saw Dylan standing, his back to the house and his face toward the dark horizon. Had he heard something? Saw something? Or was he patrolling the house? She stood there, looking at the man she’d come to depend on in such a short time. He didn’t speak of any active faith, something that was at her core the most important thing in her life. But by his actions, his words, and his ways, he showed gentleness and caring for people she admired. As she finally headed back to bed, Nikki prayed if she was falling in love with this man that it be the right decision. For she was afraid she was already there.
Nikki wasawake and out of bed with the dawn, her mood lighter than it had been since the shooting. Whether it was due to Dylan’s presence, the bright sunlight that filtered into the house, or the sound of bleating goats, ready for the morning milking and feed, she was grateful for the lifting of her dark mood the night before.
She found Dylan in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in his hand and in front of the computer. “Have you been awake long?”
He shook his head, his hair slightly rumpled. “No. I just got the coffee made. Hope you don’t mind.”
She sighed at the thought of ready coffee. “No. I usually have to wait five minutes for a cup.” She poured her coffee and took a sip before heading for the door. By the time she’d opened it he was behind her and she glanced over her shoulder in surprise. “You can go on with your work. I’m just going to feed the animals.”
“I’ll help,” he said with a look and her mood slipped a bit. They headed to the equipment building and the feed store.
“What did you find?” She asked, expecting him to tell her of another disturbance on the property.
“Hank found out some stuff on the website I was looking at last night,” he said as he filled a bucket with goat feed.
“So fast?” she picked up her own buckets and started to the enclosure.
“Yeah. I’ll fill you in after we’re done here.”
They worked side by side feeding the goats, then Dylan headed toward the chicken house while Nikki completed the morning milking. She’d just finished when she heard him bless a chicken before heading out of the enclosure, the egg bucket slung over one forearm and one hand covering the other. “Your chickens don’t like me.”
She chuckled. “You just don’t have the right touch. Stealing from their nests takes talent.”
He came alongside her and traded her for the milk bucket. “Maybe, but I swear the same hen has pecked me twice now.”
“Probably. There are a couple of them that are more territorial than the others.” She eyed him as he carried a bucket of milk and the egg bucket easily. “You’re sure you don’t have any problems from your injury?”
He shook his head. “I’d started running before I came here. I had some shortness of breath from that, but nothing otherwise. And it’s not like we’ve been doing maneuvers or anything here.”
“I hope we don’t have to do maneuvers, whatever that is,” she said with a note of worry. He glanced at her and smiled. “Running, climbing, crawling, and shooting all the while. I don’t think so.”
After they’d dealt with the eggs and milk, Nikki cornered him with a look and pressed him for answers. “I saw you outside last night. Was that normal surveillance or special?”
“Normal. Nothing happened on the immediate property.” He studied her. “Are you resting okay? Did I wake you?”
She shook her head. “I’m used to sleeping in a silent house. Every small noise wakes me but I’ve been resting well. What did Hank find?”
He gestured toward the kitchen table and the laptop. “Dan said you’d been getting some attention and you have. A reporter found out about you taking water to the desert.”
“How?” She said, sitting in a chair adjacent to his.
“I don’t know. But a story was posted a few days ago and mentioned you by name. The reporter’s stories get regularly picked up by the AP and other news outlets and it happened this time. The story has hit California, Arizona, and Texas outlets. I’m not sure what the repercussions are but we need to be prepared.”
“For what?” she asked, frowning.
“For both sides of the issue to be calling or reacting,” he said with a frown of his own. At her look of incomprehension, he explained. “People who are in favor of your actions may make you an example of generosity, use you as a prod for others to volunteer and do the same. People opposed to your actions may do the same, in reverse.”
“Make me an example, you mean,” she said with a thrill of fear.
He nodded.
“But they’re only doing stuff to the property. Burning, shooting, that sort of thing.” She still didn’t want to think of Gopher and his poor little head.
“Right now. But history tells us if the smaller things don’t work, more direct approaches are taken.” Dylan put his warm hand on top of hers. “I don’t want to scare you, Nikki but someone doesn’t approve of your actions and they’re trying to make you stop. You haven’t and that’s become more evident with this article. We need to be prepared for whatever happens next.”
She nodded, took a breath then stood. “I need to check in with the guys in the pecan grove. You want to come?”
He closed the laptop and stood, his hands at his side. “I’m there.”
They finished the day’s work in the groves then in the pepper fields and then headed back to the house. Dylan was beginning to believe that things were calming down when they pulled into the drive. Nikki climbed down from the truck with a sigh. “I need a shower after all that dust.”
He agreed and followed her into the back entrance, thinking of the cool water that he’d appreciate, both in a glass and in the shower. She went to the phone set where a light was blinking and pushed a button. Several sales calls later, a man’s voice, gravelly and abrupt came across the speaker. “Quit your do-gooding or you’ll be sorry. I ain’t talking burning neither. I’m talking shooting.”