Riding for Love (A Western Romance) (26 page)

“Marie,” Max yelled.

“What the hell is your problem?” she yelled back.

“Dammit, look.”

For a few seconds, she took in her surroundings. “So there’s been a fire,” she said. “So what?”

He grabbed Marie’s arm. “How can someone be so smart one minute, and dumber than a stump the next?” He pointed at the destroyed structure. “The trailer’s gone, the papers are gone, and Snook is gone.”

She dropped her gun hand to her side. “Where’s Snook?”

“Evidently arrested for being part of the pot-growing operation. We have nothing.”

“Snook arrested? But I talked to him just the other day.”

“Yeah, well, it doesn’t take long to get arrested. By the way, nice choice of accomplices, Marie. When I think . . .”

“Oh, like you didn’t agree to bring him in on the deal, Maxwell.” She poked him in the chest. “So now what do we do, smarty pants? Shoot her?”

Max stepped toward Eve. “No, we can’t shoot her, you stupid bitch. We still need her.”

“Don’t call me a bitch, you bastard. If you hadn’t gambled away all of your money we wouldn’t be in this predicament.”

Eve had had enough. “Stop it, both of you. I swear to all that is holy, if someone doesn’t tell me in the next minute what is going on, I’ll . . .”

“Didn’t you tell her, Max?”

“Sheesh, Marie, if he’d told me, do you think I’d be asking, no pleading, for answers?” She slammed her hands on her hips. “It would be really, really nice to know why I’m supposed to marry Max and you have to kill me.”

“No one is going to shoot you, Eve.”

“For heaven’s sake, why are you doing this?” she yelled, stomping her foot on the ground for good measure.

“Your land, Eve,” Marie said snidely. “Your land.”

Eve crossed her arms over her chest. “More info, Marie. More info.”

Max sighed. “Have you heard about the sand companies coming to the area and buying up land for sand mines and processing plants?”

Eve nodded. “Tom mentioned something. But no one’s talked to me, so what’s the big deal about my land?”

Marie laughed. “That’s because old lover boy here contacted them on our behalf.” At Eve’s frown, Marie continued. “Pretended he was your beloved hubby.”

Now things were beginning to make sense. “And now to sell the land, I have to marry Max?”

“After the deed is done and all the papers signed . . .” Marie made a slicing motion across her throat.

“Seriously?” Eve whispered. “Max, you’d force me to marry you and kill me over some land?”

“It’s not just ‘some land’,” Max said, taking her hand and moving her away from Marie. “Your land is worth at least ten million dollars. Money I want and need.”

Her breath left her body. Was that also why Snook wanted the farm? “Are you kidding? Ten million?” She frowned. “Why, Max? You have a successful veterinary business.”

Marie snorted. “Gambling and me. I don’t come cheap, and knowing I’d be living off your money, Evie, gives me joy beyond belief.”

Eve yanked her hand from his.

Max grabbed it back. “Besides, I’m sick and tired of shoving my hand up cows’ and horses’ asses to help them procreate.” He jerked her against his chest. “I won’t let her kill you, sweetheart. We can leave here together and be free of this place.”

Eve’s stomach dropped as Marie gained on them.

“What the hell do you mean, Max?” Marie grabbed Eve’s arm and knocked her to the ground. “It’s supposed to be you and me, buster. We get rid of her, remember?”

From her view on her rear-end, Eve watched them continue to argue. Inch-by-inch, like a crayfish, she moved slowly backward. After managing a few feet, Marie pointed the back gun at her.

“Don’t move, bitch. I don’t care how much Max wants you. Once you’re gone, he’s mine.”

Gazing down the hole at the end of the barrel, Eve decided she wasn’t going to let them get away with their plan so easily. Getting to her hands and knees, she crouched to jump at the other woman.

Yelling like a gang of rebels heading into battle, someone rushed toward them from the woods. Eve peered over her shoulder. An apparition sped toward them. A man, bouncing side-to-side on the back of a large black horse, arms flapping, legs jutting out at each bounce, screamed at her to get out of the way. She chanced a look at Marie and Max who frowned at the horse gaining on them. Eve took the opportunity to charge at Marie, while the man leapt from the horse and knocked Max to the ground.

Sitting on Marie’s chest, Eve grappled for the gun. Marie bucked while Eve slammed the gun hand into the dirt. Marie’s other hand connected with Eve’s cheek and nearly ejected her from Marie’s chest. A foot stomped on Marie’s hand forcing her to release the gun.

Red spots swirled before Eve’s eyes. “Dammit, Marie!” she yelled and swung her fist into Marie’s face. The woman groaned and closed her eyes.

Eve grabbed her hand to her chest and swore. Through her haze she saw someone’s arm, a gun gripped in his hand. “Aw, shit, Max. Put the damn thing down. From all the noise in the woods, I’d say reinforcements are coming, so give it up.”

The man reached for Eve. “Honey, it’s me, Denton. Max is out cold.” He helped her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. “And you’re right, help is on the way.” He rubbed his hands up and down her spine. “Nice right punch, by the way.”

“Oh, Dent, they’re crazy. Wait until I tell you what they’ve been up to.”

Denton nodded at the men coming from the opposite direction he’d ridden from, guns drawn, Dan Greenwald in the lead. “It’s all right, guys,” he called.

Dan came up to them, followed by his deputies. Several police cars and an ambulance, lights flashing, tore into the clearing.

“Where’s the FBI?” Eve asked, rubbing her cheek where Marie had hit her. She snuggled into Denton’s warmth as Dan joined them.

Dan shook his head. “We didn’t need them this time.”

His men handcuffed Max and Marie and dragged them off to a patrol car, Marie screaming and swearing at Eve until the doors slammed shut.

“How did you know to come out here?” Eve asked, sitting in on the bumper of the ambulance.

Denton sat next to her. “When I got back to the ranch and you were gone, I checked the barn. I knew you hadn’t planned on going for a ride, and when I noticed Tilly and another horse were gone, I got worried. I called Dan.”

“We had a good idea what these two, plus Snook, were up to,” Dan said. “It seems since he was arrested, your cousin wanted to make sure everyone involved was in trouble. He told us about the plan Max and Marie cooked up with him. What we didn’t figure was Max kidnapping you so soon. According to Snook, it wasn’t scheduled for a few days.”

Dan nodded to a deputy who told him they were ready to leave. “We thought we could get to him before he and Marie acted on their plan. For some reason, they decided to move up the schedule. Good thing Dent couldn’t wait for us to come to the rescue.”

A tremor went through her at the thought of what would have happened to her if Denton hadn’t shown up when he did. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

Denton and Eve rose from the bumper. “Could we do this later? We need to get home.”

“Sure. Going to ride the horses?”

Eve considered Denton’s tousled hair, torn shirt, and missing shoe. “I think my hero here would love a ride in a car.”

Denton shook his head. “No, we’ll lead the horses back. I’m sure I’ll find my shoe somewhere along the way.” He winked at Eve. “Just don’t expect us back for a bit.”

Eve grinned, her nerve endings responding to his suggestive leer. “Blankets?” she whispered as they moved to gather the three horses.

“On second thought,” he said, limping to his horse. “Let’s go back to the house. A shower, food, and bed sound much better than the hard, bare ground.”

Eve led the horses to the trail. “In that order?”

“Not necessarily.” He smiled at her deep chuckle.

The next day, Eve sat with Denton on the porch enjoying the warm fall day. Through the quiet, colored leaves gently whispered to the ground. Cardinals chirped and flitted among crabapple trees while squirrels stuffed their cheeks with nuts to bury for the coming long winter. No employees or clients were scheduled until the weekend. With the police and FBI gone, she enjoyed the solitary moment.

“What do you think will happen to Max and Marie?” she asked Denton.

“Since you’re pressing charges, they’ll go to prison for a good long time. After all, Max kidnapped you and he and Marie threatened to kill you. He forged papers and lied to authorities. Marie physically attacked you. They carried unlicensed guns.”

Eve closed her eyes and shook her head. “How did Max manage to get on the property without being seen?”

“According to what he told the police, he actually did some of the damage while out here taking care of your horses.” He took her hand and rubbed his thumb over her palm. “Other times, he snuck in while we were at the lake or on trail rides. Marie did her part, too.”

“Tom said she took the stuff from the cabins and moved them around.”

Her knees grew weak at methodical movement of his thumb. “So she’s finally out of our lives?”

“I sure as hell hope so,” he answered, looking out over the ranch.

Eve wondered why he suddenly acted so nervous, when a few minutes before he seemed calm. When he wiped sweaty palms on his shorts and cleared his throat several times, she knew what was coming.

“Well?” Denton asked.

“Well, what?” Eve sipped her wine.

He frowned. “Do I have to ask again?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, you’ll marry me or yes, you want me to propose once more.”

“Both.”

Eve felt her face grow hot and wiped her hands on her shorts when he knelt before her and slid the box from his pocket.

“Eve Dayton, will you
finally
agree to marry me? Raise a passel of kids? Grow old with me? Let me do your accounting and promise me you’ll never make me get on a horse again?”

Eve set her glass down, put her hands on his shoulders, and gazed into his eyes. “Denton Johanson, I will gladly marry you, raise our two children, and grow old with you. But I can’t promise not to ask you to ride a horse again. After all, how will we get blankets and food to our pond to escape our children?”

He stood and drew her into his arms. “A four-wheeler?”

Eve grinned. Her eyes fluttered closed. His lips touched hers as she visualized them riding into their future.