Chapter Twelve
By Friday afternoon, Nicole felt pretty darn good watching Jim load up to leave. Eyeing the new outdoor portion of the kennels with Paul, she couldn’t be more pleased with the contractor’s work. “What do you think?” she asked her handyman who was also proving to work out as well as Jim’s crew.
“I think you’re looking as forward to working on the dogs waiting for you as I am to learn how to rehabilitate poorly treated ones,” he replied.
“You can ride in with me tomorrow to pick up the three the shelter is in need of finding space and positive training for. They’ve agreed to send the potential adopters out here and let me make that decision when I deem the dogs are ready, which I appreciate. I’d like that extra assurance of knowing they’re going to good homes. Let’s go inside.”
They entered the barn, which looked completely different than two weeks ago. Sheetrock now covered the walls, behind which she knew lay enough insulation to keep the large space warm. Running the electric heat out here would keep it warm during the frigid winter months and by adding cross ventilation with more windows and large ceiling fans, the shelter would stay comfortable during milder weather. The five kennels with dog doors leading to the outdoor space were each spacious enough for two large dogs to have plenty of room to roam around when not playing in the enclosed yard. New concrete floor covered the rest of the barn, storage along the opposite wall for supplies and food, and enough space in between to work with the dogs indoors if the temperature wasn’t conducive outdoors.
“See anything we missed or you’d like added?” Jim asked, joining them.
“I can’t think of a thing, Jim. Thank you so much,” she said, signing the form he handed her. “It looks better than I imagined. You even left space to add a few more kennels. I never thought of that.”
“Much easier to do that now, leaving little more than putting up the pens and adding a dog door if you ever need them. Appreciate the work.”
“Put me down for referrals. That’s the least I can do for you.”
Nicole handed the form back and they walked out together. With business completed for now, she could concentrate on getting ready for Slade and ending the plaguing scenarios running through her head the past few days about what he had planned. The sooner she could get over this constant need tormenting her since meeting him, the sooner she could give her full concentration to starting over with the dream she’d shared with Tony. With luck, fulfilling that dream for both of them would lay to rest the last of her lingering guilt over his death.
“Will do. Have a good weekend.”
Paul nodded to them. “Now that you’ve finished the last touches on the cottage also, and if you don’t need me, Lily has collected a few items I’d like to pick up and do a few things for the shelter while I’m there.”
“You go ahead. I have plans with Slade shortly.” He’d worked as hard as Jim’s guys this week and deserved a break.
They said goodbye to Jim and his crew then Paul turned to her, appearing awkward as he stated, “I’ll be back tonight so you won’t be alone out here, you know, in case Slade doesn’t stay.”
She grinned, appreciating his thoughtfulness and concern despite his obvious discomfort with referencing her and Slade’s relationship. He really was a nice guy trying to turn his life around. “Honestly, I have no idea, so thanks, but still, don’t rush on my account. We’ll be out awhile. Talk to you tomorrow.”
Calling Sam, they went inside where she decided it was too damn cold for anything sexy that left part of her bare, like legs, arms, or too much neckline. Besides, Slade seemed to have no trouble getting turned on when she dressed in her usual jeans and plain tops, which admittedly was an ego-boosting turn-on for her. While it was still light out, she opened the door for Sam to do his business and run around a little more before Slade showed up.
Not five minutes later, his frantic barking sent her dashing outside again to check on him. Shivering, she scanned the yard and went rigid spotting him chasing what looked like the tail end of a coyote into the woods. Panicking, she ran after him, calling, “Sam, no!” At least the dense trees blocked the wind, making following the trail a little warmer since her dog wasn’t answering her calls. From his faint barking, he was already way ahead of her and running in the opposite direction of the creek crossing to reach Slade’s house. She was too scared for Sam, though, to worry about Slade’s reaction if they didn’t make it back before he arrived.
***
SITTING UP ON THIShigher slope for hours waiting for an opportune time to take Wells out has put me in a foul mood, more than ready to get this over with and out of here. Waiting until I was sure the workers and the new guy weren’t returning would have worked once she’d let the dog out. I planned to do the deed when she came out to call him in, saving me from sneaking up to the house and getting up close and personal to kill her. She’d caught me unaware when she’d run pell-mell into the woods after the mutt, but as I’m tracking her, I think this will work out even better. Her death will be blamed on a careless hunter and I’ll be long gone, back in Chicago.
Perfect.
***
AFTER THIS, NICOLEswore Sam would lose his running-free privileges. It would be the fenced yard from now on. A good ten minutes later, she found him sniffing for a clue where to go next, both of them out of breath. “Come, now,” she ordered, using her no-nonsense voice. He started to slink over when a shot rang out, barely missing him and startling them both into full-fledged panic.
“Shit.”Crouching down, praying it was just a stray bullet from a hunter, she fought off fear-induced hysteria and grabbed Sam’s collar. Through the trees, she could detect a small rise and crept in that direction, staying low. They reached it as another gunshot rent the air, sending birds scattering and the two of them running for cover. She was unable to tell how far away the shots were coming from, or even which direction, but planned to stay crouched behind the relative safety of the tree-covered ridge until she was in jeopardy of freezing to death.
***
FUCK! NOW I’LL HAVEto move in closer and I didn’t want to get that far from the car. No help for it though. After taking the chance on such a long-distance shot and missing, I’m out of options. I’ve blown any possibility of returning for a third opportunity. It’s now or never.
***
SLADE PAUSED IN THEdrive, the echo of a gunshot in the woods giving him concern. Hunters rarely strayed this close to ranches and with Nicole not knowing how near that shot resonated from, she could be outside with Sam. Grabbing his rifle out of the truck, he hurried through the wooded path to her place, something telling him all was not right. That sixth sense proved correct when the second shot rang much louder as he reached the center of the trail.
He scanned her yard as he ran toward the house, not seeing her or Paul outside. After pounding on the door and not hearing either her or Sam, he let himself inside, the unlocked door and empty house giving him more cause for alarm. Returning outside, he breathed a sigh of relief seeing Paul drive up, hoping he would know where Nicole was.
“What’s wrong?” Paul asked as soon as he got out and saw Slade.
“I can’t find Nicole, or Sam. Do you...” Another report rent the air, drawing a curse.
“Crap, I bet she took off after the dog. Into the woods.” Now the handyman looked as worried as Slade felt. “I was headed into town but was uneasy about leaving her before you got here and turned around.”
“Which direction should I go?”
Pointing, he said, “Pretty sure that way. I’ll come with you.”
“No, stay here in case she returns,” he tossed out as he took off. “Call the cops and my brothers.” He didn’t have a spare moment to pull out his phone and make the calls himself right now. Finding Nicole before she got hit by the idiot hunter who appeared to lack a lick of hunting sense was his number one goal.
The dense woods turned eerily silent as he moved with speed while searching for clues as to where Nicole or Sam had gone. From years of playing in this particular forested area, he knew every inch of it by heart. This stretch of trees wasn’t as wide as long. He came into view of the short ridge and took the risk of calling out for her.
“Nicole!”
“Here, Slade!”
Her dark head popped up over the hill when a bullet slammed into the ground inches from her face. “Get down!” he shouted, realizing whoever that was, he was gunning for her. Lifting his rifle, he shot in the direction of the hunter as he ran to Nicole, his arm stinging with a minor flesh wound in the process.
“You’re bleeding,” she gasped, grabbing his arm when he hunkered down next to them.
Sam lay cowering beside her, the poor dog shaking like a leaf. “I’m fine. Listen. There’s an old hunting cabin not two, three hundred yards that way.” He nodded toward the trees on his left. “Grab Sam and haul ass toward it as soon as I start firing. Got it?”
“What about you?” Her voice shook, but her eyes held an angry, determined glint he was glad to see.
“I’ll be right behind you. Don’t argue. Just go. Ready?”
At her nod, he stood and fired, walking backward the few feet into the safety of the woods again before spinning around and rushing inside the old one-room cabin. He slammed the door then drew a deep breath and dragged the worn armchair in front of it.
“What’s going on, Slade?” She sat on a rickety chair at the dust-covered table, stroking Sam, her face tense, her blue eyes stormy.
“That’s what you’re going to tell me. I’m guessing those texts weren’t as harmless as you thought.”
“You think Natalie’s trying to kill me?” She shook her head, still refusing to consider that possibility. “No, I can’t believe she is that unhinged. Mad and grieving, yes, but not deranged. It must be a hunter chasing something we haven’t seen.”
Slade leaned against the wall by the one window, reverting to sniper-mode watchfulness while he tried to stay patient with Nicole. “Set aside the woman she was before Tony’s death, go through those texts with an open mind to the possibility, and give me more info on this family. Anything you can tell me. You never know what small tidbit will help in a situation like this.”
“Can’t you call the cops and wait for them?”
“Paul is doing that, and getting hold of my brothers, who are a lot closer. He returned right after I got to your place. Help is coming, but I don’t want anyone hurt here, not if I can help it.”
***
brETT SWORE AS HE READa text from Nicole’s new handyman. He replied, telling Paul they were on their way, and then strode from the stable toward the corral where Reed was talking to Keith and Evan in Slade’s place, urgency in every step he took and his tone when he addressed his brother.
“We have to go now. Slade and Nicole are in trouble.”
For some reason, Evan’s face paled, and he joined Reed in withdrawing his rifle from the scabbard on his mount. “I’m going with you.”
“Fuck that. You’re enough trouble around here. This is our brother we’re talking about,” Reed snapped.
“He’s my brother too,” Evan announced, shocking both Reed and Brett into a moment of stunned silence.
Brett recovered first, stating, “Explain on the way. Keith, hang until you hear from one of us.”
“Yes, sir.” Worry colored the young man’s voice. “Be careful.”
The three of them got into Brett’s truck, Evan in the rear. Brett sped toward the wooded area Paul mentioned, knowing where he was talking about, just not their exact location within those trees. “Explain,” he ordered Evan as they bounced across the rougher terrain of the fields.
“Yeah, let’s hear this cock-and-bull story.”
“Reed.” Brett used his stern, older-brother voice to calm down Reed who appeared closed-minded to Evan’s declaration.
“Jesus, you grew up with the old man’s public womanizing and doubt he could sire another kid?” he answered with bitterness. “Well, guess what? It’s true, according to my mom. I’m the result of their brief fling, which I learned about as a high school graduation gift. All those years of watching my mom struggle to make ends meet, while dear old Dad could afford to help us.”
“That’s why you took the job, to get even through the malicious pranks?” Brett inquired, feeling bad for the kid. His story would be simple enough to check out, which Evan must realize. That alone made it easier for him to believe, but when he added Casey’s reputation into it, there was no plausible reason to discount Evan’s claim outright. Reed’s shrug as he looked his way signaled he agreed with Brett’s thoughts.
Evan blew out a breath and turned his face aside, toward the window. “Yes. I’m sorry, I never wanted to see any of you hurt or the blame to land on anyone else.”
“Let’s finish this later and concentrate now on finding Slade and Nicole,” Reed suggested when Brett parked as close as he could get to the area Paul had mentioned.
“Agreed. Stay behind us, Evan, and keep your gun ready. We don’t know what’s...” A shot echoed from the trees, prompting them to move faster. “This way. Move fast but carefully.”
***
SAM LAY DOWN, FINALLYrelaxing, and Nicole stood to pace while flipping through her texts. She still couldn’t wrap her head around Slade’s assumption about Natalie. Whenever they spent time with Tony’s sister, she would spout nonsense or outrage over something or someone. She swore that girl wasn’t happy unless she was on a tirade. Tony had certainly never taken her seriously. Regardless, she would do Slade’s bidding just to make him happy.
She paced back and forth, opening the texts she’d ignored and reading them while pausing to glance toward Slade, her gaze constantly dragged his way by an invisible magnet. Each time, her heart flipped and her pulse jumped. An odd place and situation for her to crave what he was so damn good at delivering, but since when did common sense rule her body? At a minimum, not since she’d met the rugged cowboy looking at her with sharp concern reflected in his silver eyes. She’d never imagined the impact or the pleasure of having a man’s focus stay so attuned to her every word, gesture, and need whenever they were together, regardless of where. The reward of that intense fixation was an irresistible, unquestionable aphrodisiac, impossible to ignore or trivialize.
While coming to terms with the impact of Natalie’s threatening texts that she’d ignored, another reality slowly unfurled deep inside her. Not since first meeting Tony had she been so drawn to a man, and their relationship had been the closest she’d ever gotten to falling in love. She always figured she would know when the feeling was right, when the big L bit her on the ass. It would come at her out of the blue, likely an unexpected time or place, from someone she’d never imagined herself falling for. That’s what had deceived her about Tony in the beginning yet never panned out. With a sigh of disgust, she thought the real deal would drive her nuts, but she would hunger for him regardless. He would be there for her even though she didn’t want...
Nicole swung to face Slade. “Ahh, shit.”
“What’s bugging you now?” he asked, his tone testy as he divided his attention between watching for the shooter and her.
“You,” she snapped. Admitting she was gone over the guy was a hard pill to swallow.
He tossed her a peevish glare. “Me? What did I do other than prove I’m right about those texts you’ve been studying?”
“Oh, it’s not these.” She held up the phone, returning his hard look. “You just had to worm your way into my life, didn’t you, with the whole sexy cowboy swagger and friendly assistance. Then, as if the hot sex wasn’t enough of a capper, you got all protective, riding to my rescue, even getting hurt in the process. What woman in her right mind could resist falling in love with you? Just answer me that, damn it.” She fumed, fisting her hands on her hips when his lips quirked. “Oh, don’t you dare smile now, Slade Kincaid.”
A shot rang out, hitting right next to the window. “Get down! We’ll discuss your epiphany later.”
She didn’t argue, dashing to crouch behind the worn sofa, Sam joining her without being called as Slade returned fire. More shots ricocheted, these coming from the front of the cabin, whizzing by in the direction of the shooter. Breathing a sigh of relief, she realized help had arrived and, with luck, would aid in ending this standoff quickly.
It didn’t take long. There were more shots exchanged between Slade and whoever had arrived to help and the shooter. Nicole still grappled with the lengths Natalie had gone to, to take out her grief and revenge on her. All it accomplished was to enlighten the fact she wasn’t responsible for Tony’s diagnosis or the pain that had ultimately resulted in his death. She could now admit the sequence of events that left her scarred and killing him was unfortunate but not her fault.
Despite the battle waging outside this small cabin, a huge weight lifted from her conscience. The loud, rapid reports ended on that thought, the silence almost eerie after the constant noise reverberating for the past five to ten minutes. Shouts came from several directions seconds before Brett and Reed called Slade’s name then rushed inside.
“We’re fine,” Slade hurried to reassure his brothers, rising and holding his hand out for her without taking his eyes off his siblings and Evan who followed them inside.
That simple gesture drew her out from behind the sofa, her heart turning over, an onslaught of emotion overwhelming her all at once. She fought to get herself under control, needing time and space to assimilate all the repercussions of the evening. That need increased as they left the cabin and saw law enforcement officials leading a handcuffed Michael Renaldi toward them.
“Michael, you?” Nicole squeaked in disbelief.
She stood there in stunned disbelief. Of the three Renaldi siblings, Michael was the last one she would consider doing such a thing. The oldest family member always seemed so in command of himself, the family business, and his siblings, in that order.
“I wasn’t about to let Natalie destroy her future or our name. I was protecting her against herself.”
Slade stepped forward, brushing off Brett’s attempt to hold him back. “That’s your excuse for attempting to kill Nicole, and me? The only thing protecting you now from my wrath is those handcuffs.”
It’s a part of him, of who he is,Nicole mused, shaking her head at Slade’s seemingly endless capacity to safeguard the oppressed.
Reed moved between Slade and the county sheriffs holding Renaldi. “Moore, Jenkins, good to see you. Thanks for responding so fast. Where are you taking him?”
“Into Casper. They’ll book him at the main precinct. Ma’am,” the one responding addressed Nicole. “You’ll have to give a statement, both of you, sometime tomorrow will be soon enough.”
“Sure,” Nicole answered, still in a daze from the revelations of the past hour, the least of which were her deep feelings for the annoying neighbor, sex-on-a-stick rancher, and chivalrous man whom she never thought of as her type. Love had hit her so fast, so hard, like an unexpected punch to the face, that she’d gone into instant, angry defense mode. It would be a while before she could come to terms with just that, let alone Tony’s family’s attempt at retribution.
“Thanks, guys,” Brett said as the officers led Renaldi to their vehicle.
“No problem.” The cop yanked on Renaldi’s arm as he spouted about his slew of lawyers. “Shut up,” he told him.
Slade hugged Nicole to his side with one arm and reached down to pet Sam with the other while addressing his brothers. “Thanks. Mind giving us a ride back?”
“Come on. Let’s get out of here. I hope that’s a flesh wound.” Brett nodded toward his arm, shouldered his rifle, and pivoted, Reed following him.
“It is. I’ll take care of it.”
Nicole leaned into Slade’s warmth, shivering against the cold air as they walked around the old cabin and back through the woods to where they’d left their truck. Slade paused when they saw one of his hired hands at the truck.
“Evan, what are you doing here?”
He didn’t sound happy about seeing the young man he regarded with suspicion.
“It can wait,” Reed stated before Evan could reply. “First things first. Your girl is freezing, your arm needs tending, and this poor guy is still scared.” He reached down to pet Sam, but he wouldn’t budge from Nicole’s side.
“You’re right. Sorry, Nicole.”
As he lifted her onto the back seat, she noticed he didn’t refute his brother calling her his girl. That was enough to warm her. Either that or her brain wasn’t functioning yet after the trauma-laden evening. Nicole didn’t want to second-guess anything anymore though. Everything could wait until she put the past and the Renaldis to rest. Then she could think clearly about the present, and maybe the future.