“I couldn’t reach my gun, but after I knocked him to the ground, the frying pan was within reach.” Alice shrugged. “I’m not sure if he’s even breathing, but I figured better to tie him up first and determine if he’s alive or dead later.”
Kade stepped up to his mother, and kissed her temple. “Nice work.”
“Allow me.” Josh relieved Alice of the thin rope, then squatted and put two fingers to Ray’s neck. “I’m sorry to report he’s still breathing.”
Sirens could be heard shattering the eerie quiet. By the time Josh had Ray’s hands tightly bound, with Clint’s rifle trained on their former foreman, the man began to groan and writhe.
“I wouldn’t move if I were you.” Josh actually smiled at the guy. “I don’t think you want to piss off Mrs. Sweet again.”
The front door burst open, and weapon drawn, Sheriff Boyd came through the house, stopping at the kitchen entry. “Well,” he holstered his gun, “looks like you folks had quite a day.”
Alice nodded. “He came for his money. Said he was heading to Ecuador.”
“Not anymore, he’s not,” Boyd replied, kneeling to check Ray’s bindings. “Nice knot work.”
Josh shrugged.
Leaning into his friend, Kade whispered out of the side of his mouth. “Wheredidyou learn to do that?”
Biting back a grin, Josh looked at his buddy, his words barely audible. “Might have something to do with a trick rodeo roper I briefly…uh, dated.”
A burst of laughter erupted from Kade. “Not touching that one with a ten-foot pole.”
Shaking his head, Clint seemed to be the only one who noticed the friends’ quiet exchange.
As soon as the deputy arrived to assist the sheriff, and Ray was securely cuffed and loaded into the ambulance, Alice seemed to deflate, all the fight and fear leaving her at once. Her hands shaking, Clint inched closer. The minute all the cars drove off, she turned and nearly collapsed against him. Her face pressed into his shoulder, his arms went around her automatically, one hand cradling the back of her head. “It’s okay,” he murmured into her hair. “You did good. It’s okay now.”
Heaving in deep breaths, Alice remained against him as he drew slow lazy circles across her back. “Thank you.” Slowly, she inched back, blew out one long breath, and nodded as ifreassuring herself she was indeed all right. “I guess it’s over. Really over.”
Reluctantly, Clint let his arms fall to his side, letting her decide, now that the adrenaline rush was over, where she wanted to be. “There’s more money. They were gathering it up from where Ray had stashed a lot of it around the ranch. It should help a great deal.”
Still standing close enough that he could easily put his arms around her again if he were willing to risk it, she glanced up at him. “I’m going to guess there’s more of it in a bank account in Ecuador.”
“Makes sense. Probably crossed the border into Mexico by car, not a whole lot of records coming and going that way, then flew to Ecuador.”
Taking a surprising step forward, Alice let her head fall against his shoulder again. “I don’t care if he went to Antarctica, I’m just glad I’ll never have to see him again.”
Hesitant, unsure, Clint finally lifted his arm around her, first one, then the other. When she was fully in his embrace, she tipped her hand and glanced up. “I think we’re going to be okay now.”
He nodded.
“Both of us.”
Now he wasn’t so sure if he was following her drift, or if it was merely wishful thinking. Raising one brow, he didn’t say a word, just waited.
A smile bloomed across her lips. “Well, cowboy. Aren’t you going to kiss me?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Two throats cleared, and in the background he heard Kade mutter to his friend, “I think we’re not needed here anymore.”
Chapter Sixteen
Every morning, for the last few weeks, Alice felt like pinching herself. She’d gone from a tired widow dealing with criminals, financial threats, deferred maintenance, downed fences, and restoring line shacks, to functionality. Now, they had recovered enough money to repay the loans, and start work on Carson and Jess’s house. Their new home would be close enough to visit, far enough for privacy. But the biggest change had been Clint. He’d gone from a reliable hand, to a trusted friend and foreman, to her anchor.
When Charlie died, it never occurred to Alice that she would ever love or want again. She’d lost her best friend and confidant of over thirty years and couldn’t fathom anyone ever filling those treasured shoes. Then, just like that, she couldn’t imagine her life without Clint in it.
The coffee was on, the eggs were in the warming oven, and she was in the process of turning the bacon as Cassie came down the stairs. “Oh, that coffee never smelled so good.”
