“It’d be the sheriff out here, and we both know how much good that would do.”
Tory made no reply. She didn’t like the sheriff any more than Josh did.
* * *
After all the time Tory had spent on the computer, Josh figured she deserved a break. They had stopped to pick up Ivy that morning on the way back from Gainesville, but the little girl had begged to stay and work in her garden. Mrs. Thompson seemed delighted to have her.
Now that the credit repair was done, they had the afternoon to themselves, and though it was hot, it was also cloudy and a little breezy, and being from Phoenix, Tory didn’t seem to mind the heat.
She wanted to see the ranch, she’d said, and being proud of the home he was building, Josh was excited to show her more than just the closest pasture.
They headed for the barn. Josh saddled Rose for Tory and Thor for himself. The big gelding had become his favorite, one of the most reliable horses on the ranch.
They rode through the first gate, Tory handling the mare with an ease that pleased him, something he hadn’t really expected from a city girl like her. They started across the pasture toward the trail that wound along the creek to the river at the back of the ranch, the buckskin alert, the mare following his lead.
“Josh, wait!” Tory suddenly called out. “Someone’s coming!”
He pulled rein and turned in the saddle, his gaze going past the house to a plain black SUV rumbling down the dirt road.
“Looks like our ride is going to have to wait,” Josh said, worried something else had gone wrong.
Whirling the buckskin, he gigged Thor into a trot, then a gallop, glanced over to see Tory galloping up beside him, a grin on her face, her fiery curls flying out behind her. She was handling the mare like a pro.
An odd pressure expanded in his chest. He wasn’t sure what it was, but it did feel good having her riding beside him.
They slowed to pass through the gate, then rode past the trailer toward the house. Cole walked out of the barn just as the black Chevy Suburban pulled up and the engine turned off. Josh swung his leg over the back of the saddle, stepped to the ground, and handed Cole the reins. Noah took the mare’s reins and Josh swung Tory to the ground.
“Who is he?” Cole asked.
“No idea.” But the colored light bar in the front grille said it was an unmarked police car and his nerves kicked up another notch.
“Don’t unsaddle the horses till we see what’s going on,” Josh said, still hopeful.
The men led the horses into the shade of the barn and disappeared out of sight while a big man in a brown suit with a short blond buzz cut unwound himself from inside the SUV.
Josh flicked a glance at Tory, who stood close beside him, clearly as worried as he.
The blond man pulled off a pair of wraparound sunglasses. “You Joshua Cain?”
“That’s right.”
“FBI Special Agent Quinn Taggart. I’m a friend of your brother’s.”
Josh remembered hearing about him. He’d helped Linc and Carly out of a jam. He’d also helped his brother’s partner, Beau Reese.
“Taggart. I know who you are. This is Victoria Bradford. Why don’t we go inside out of the sun?”
Taggart nodded. Josh held the door open for Tory, and Taggart walked in behind her. Josh followed them inside and closed the door.
“How about a glass of lemonade?” Tory suggested.
“Sounds good,” Taggart said.
They pulled out chairs and sat down around the kitchen table. Tory brought over the pitcher and glasses and took a seat.
Josh poured for all of them. “So what can I do for you, Agent Taggart?”
Taggart glanced pointedly at Tory.
