Page 169 of Dusty Spur Ranch Cowboys

He gives a small shake of his head. “You still don’t get it. Nobody remembers the cowboy who lost everything.” His eyes drift toward the arena. “They remember the legend.”

“There’ll be kids out there,” I say, the words coming harder than I intend. “Sadie’s going to be here.”

His expression shifts so quickly I almost think I imagined it, but whatever passes across his face is gone before I can make sense of it.

“Then Red should’ve thought about that before he ruined my life.”

I keep my feet planted, even though every part of me wants to run. “You don’t believe that.”

“I don’t care what you believe.”

“You’ll hurt people who never had anything to do with your accident.”

“I’ll take away the life he spent twenty years building.”

“And then what?”

His gaze settles on mine. “Then he’ll understand.”

He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a socket wrench, rolling it through his fingers before nodding toward the fence.

“This is all it took. I came out here every night with a toolbox in the truck. Nobody questions a maintenance worker carrying tools.”

I glance at the loosened bolts before looking back at him. “You’ve been planning this for weeks.”

“I’ve been planning it for years.”

I search his face for any sign he’ll back away, but every answer I need is already standing in front of me.

Talking isn’t changing his mind.

It’s only buying time until somebody realizes I’m missing.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Red

My phone drags me out of sleep before sunrise, and I answer before I’ve even opened my eyes. “Willy.”

“She’s gone.”

I swing my legs over the side of the bed and reach for yesterday’s jeans as my heart ices over. “Huh?”

“Arizona. I’m at the rodeo grounds, and her truck is here, but she isn’t.”

I pull on my boots, already heading for the door. “Have you checked everywhere?”

“Yes.” He doesn’t hesitate. “And not just me. Some of the volunteers are here early and they haven’t seen her either.”

I stop long enough to grab my truck keys. “You sound sure.”

“I am.” There’s frustration in his voice, but it isn’t aimed at me. “I just have a bad feeling about this. I think she found something.”

I let out a breath through my nose because I’m sure he’s right.

Arizona goes quiet whenever she starts fitting pieces together.

She doesn’t argue. She doesn’t announce she’s about to do the exact thing everyone warned her against.