Beast
The ranch yard looked like a military staging area.
Trucks everywhere.
Men everywhere.
Everybody carrying tools that suspiciously resembled weapons.
The sheriff stood beside his truck.
Half a dozen ranchers leaned against fences.
The boys looked excited.
Which was never a good sign.
I surveyed the crowd.
Then shook my head.
"No."
Silence.
Hank looked at me.
"What?"
"No."
The ranchers exchanged confused glances.
One scratched his beard.
"No what?"
"No to all of this."
I pointed around the yard.
"The trucks."
"The people."
"The neighborhood watch convention."
Several men looked offended.
One looked proud.
Which wasn't encouraging.
The sheriff folded his arms.
"They're helping."
"I know."
"Then what's the problem?"
I looked toward the ranch house.
Toward the windows.
Toward where Sadie was inside.
Safe.
For now.
Then I looked back at everyone.
"The problem is Gerald."
Nobody argued.
Because everybody knew it was true.
I continued.
"He's watching."
Several heads nodded.
"He knows we're paying attention."
More nods.
"He knows we're looking for him."
The sheriff frowned.
"Your point?"
"My point is this."
I crossed my arms.
"If he sees twenty people guarding the ranch, he'll stay hidden."
Understanding began spreading through the group.
Slowly.
Like dawn breaking.
"But if he thinks he's got an opening..."
The sheriff's eyes narrowed.
"Then he makes a move."
"Exactly."
One of the ranchers whistled.
"That's bait."
"Yep."
Hank immediately shook his head.
"No."
I looked at him.
"No?"
"No."
His voice hardened.
"That's my daughter."
"I know."
"She's not bait."
I stepped closer.
"She won't be alone."
The older man studied me.
For a long moment.
"You promise?"
The answer came instantly.
Without hesitation.
Without thought.
"With my life."
Silence followed.
The kind that meant everybody had heard exactly what I'd said.
Hank's eyes flickered.
The sheriff noticed.
The ranchers noticed.
Unfortunately.
The Magnolia Ladies noticed too.
Mrs. Jenkins smiled.
I hated that smile.
Eventually Hank sighed.
"You really think he'll move?"
"He's escalating. He cut the throat of a coyote. He’s getting impatient. He’ll make his move."
The sheriff nodded.
"He is."
"Which means he's angry."
Another nod.
"And angry men make mistakes."
Now everybody was listening.
Because they all understood predators.
Understood hunters.
Understood men who thought they were smarter than everybody else.
Gerald believed he was in control.
He wasn't.
Not anymore.
I looked around the crowd.
"Go home."
Several ranchers laughed.
One pointed at me.
"You're awfully bossy."
"Former Ranger."
"Fair point."
The trucks started leaving.
One by one.
The sheriff climbed into his vehicle.
"I'll keep patrols running."
I nodded.
"Good."
Soon the yard was empty again.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
Normal.
At least on the surface.
The Magnolia Ladies remained.
Of course they did.
Mrs. Jenkins watched the last truck disappear.
Then looked at me.
"You love her."
I closed my eyes.
Slowly.
Painfully.
"Please go away."
Betty patted my arm.
"No."
Doris smiled.
"We're invested now. Besides, we promised Hank we would cook him a fried chicken dinner with all the trimmings."
I walked away before I said something unkind.
Behind me, three elderly women burst into laughter.
Again.
Later That Evening
The sun had started dropping behind the mountains.
Long shadows stretched across the ranch.
I stood near the barn.
Watching.
Listening.
Waiting.
The boys were feeding horses.
Hank was inside.
The Magnolia Ladies had finally left.
A miracle.
Sadie stepped out onto the porch.
My eyes found her instantly.
Like they always did.
Something I was trying very hard not to think about.
She smiled when she saw me.
And damn if that didn't hit harder than a punch.
She walked toward me.
"Everything okay?"
"No."
Her smile faded.
"What happened?"
I looked toward the tree line.
The woods beyond the pasture.
The places a man could hide.
Watch.
Wait.
"I can feel him."
Sadie went still.
"What?"
I never took my eyes off the trees.
"He's out there."
The evening breeze moved through the grass.
The horses shifted.
A bird took flight.
Everything looked normal.
But every instinct I possessed was screaming.
Watching.
Waiting.
Hunting.
The same instincts that had kept me alive in places most people couldn't imagine.
And right now?
They were telling me one thing.
Gerald was close.
Very close.
And somewhere beyond the pasture...
A pair of binoculars lowered.
A man smiled.
Because he thought he was the hunter.
He had no idea the Ranger had already picked up his scent.