Читать книгу By Request Collection April-June 2016 - Оливия Гейтс - Страница 104

THE KIDS WERE GONE, AND WITH them, Melanie. It was relatively quiet outside, as quiet as it ever got around Safe Haven. Annie was grateful because she had to calm herself before she went in to see the pregnant mares. They didn’t need her fear and worry, and no one would ever convince her that animals didn’t respond to human energy, good and bad.

It made perfect sense that Brennan would need to make some business calls, that he’d like to be alone when he made them, and also not have to worry about the background noises that were inescapable on the property.

She’d already decided that the website photo had not blown her cover. She’d researched Brennan and he was legit. Even Shea had done some of her magic and given him the thumbs-up.

Besides, a man like Brennan wasn’t the type to go snooping. And even if he did, he wasn’t going to look inside coffee cans stored under her bed, for God’s sake.

Some deep breathing made her wince, but it also helped calm her down long enough to dismiss her concerns about him discovering her real identity. Which left her wide-open to worry about everything that had actually gone wrong since he’d arrived.

Annie had known for a while now that wishes and daydreams were a waste of time. That didn’t stop her from wishing that she could start the day over, or at the very least ask Tucker to leave and come back tomorrow.

She didn’t even dare think that nothing else could go wrong because that was just inviting catastrophe. She still had on her stinky, now bloodstained and torn work clothes. The man she so desperately wanted to impress had walked in on her making a fundamental mistake in caring for animals—one that could have cost them both physically, and certainly may have cost her financially. What foundation wanted to invest in a sentimental idiot?

Then, to make everything a billion times worse, the libido she’d managed to stifle for two long years had decided to rejoin the party by filling her mind and body with so many hormones she could barely see straight. She’d actually had to bite back a moan when he’d touched her.

Thank God he’d put his shirt back on. It didn’t erase the memory of his muscled chest and the smattering of dark hair, or his small hard nipples or the perfect V from his broad shoulders to his trim waist. But at least she didn’t have to dig her fingernails into her palm to stop from touching him back.

Dammit, now she wished she’d brought her coffee. And taken some ibuprofen. She thought about going back to the cabin, but they kept a bottle of aspirin in the stable med kit. She should have offered him something when she’d bandaged him, but with all that chest showing, she’d been distracted.

“Is everything okay?” Tucker asked from behind her. “Are you feeling dizzy?”

She must have jumped a foot. She hadn’t heard him walk across the gravel. He had to think she was nuts, standing in the middle of the path, staring at nothing. “No, I’m fine. Sorry, just thinking about…We should go check on the horses.”

“Right.” He smiled, although it seemed a little forced and made her edgy. “FYI, in my younger days, I spent a lot of time in foaling stalls.”

“Good, then you can help if it looks like things have progressed that far. I think Glory might foal tonight. She’s been up and down a lot today, sweating like crazy. I wouldn’t be surprised if her water’s already broken.”

“Is this her first?”

Annie shrugged, but she was relieved that the conversation was squarely in safe territory now. She could talk animals till the cows came home and feel fairly sure she wouldn’t make a misstep. “Don’t know. She arrived pregnant and undernourished. We fattened her up, but it’s impossible to say what that period of malnutrition did to the fetus. So Doc Yardley is on call, and I’ll be setting up camp out here tonight.”

“You’ve done this a lot, then?”

“Often enough to know when to call for help.” She stopped at the stable door. “I’ve been meaning to ask,” she said, looking directly at him as the sun cooperated and moved from behind a cloud. The butterflies she’d never expected to feel again came back, but she couldn’t afford not to watch him, because the issue had been bothering her since that first email. “You’re the head honcho of the Rocking B ranch. Your foundation has a director by the name of Rafael Santiago. So how come you’re here instead of him?”

Oddly, the question made him smile. A half grin, actually, the right side of his mouth lifting for a few seconds. “I think it’s important to do some things personally.”

“You go to each nonprofit yourself?”

“Not all of them, no. This is a special case.”

That made her blink. “Why?”

“Okay, I admit it.” Tucker gave the impression of shrugging without moving his shoulders. “I may have had some other business in the area, but I figured this might be a nice break from the daily grind.”

Annie laughed. “You picked a lousy place to find rest and relaxation, Mr. Brennan. I only have six permanent part-time volunteers. Levi and Kathy have been keeping an eye on the mares today, but they leave when the sun sets. I’m pretty much it until eight tomorrow morning, and I’ll have my hands full. I can’t even offer you dinner, unless you want a frozen bean and cheese burrito.”

The half grin came back. “Hey, at least I got to wrestle a goat.”

This time her laugh was accompanied by a sense of ease. “To each his own,” she said, although she didn’t for a minute think his answer was silly. Her last real vacation had been spent working at a horse rescue shelter in upstate New York.

“Come on,” she said. “This is the primary stable, used for horses who need special attention. We’ve got plans in the works for a separate quarantine stable, but we don’t have the funds yet. The economy hasn’t helped us with a lot of donations. Although our board chair, Shea Monroe, has been doing wonders in that area. We’ve got several email campaigns running with more planned.”

“It’s Tucker,” he said.

She blinked, stopped walking.

“Not Mr. Brennan.”

“Oh, right.” Annie walked him into the stable proper, making sure to move slowly, talk softly. “The stalls are twelve by twelve. That wall serves as the barrier to the half of the stable we use to house the newcomers. There are four stalls back there. The four in the middle are for those who are hurt, and we keep the nearest four for foaling. They’re really too close to the doors but we don’t have much choice.”

Annie let him take his time looking around the big white structure. Considering it was almost twenty years old, the stable was in good shape. The man who’d originally built Safe Haven had come from Idaho, and he’d worked his tail off to save whatever horses he could.

Tucker walked past the pregnant mares to check out the other horses that were in sick bay. None of them were contagious, just needing special attention.

Levi and Kathy were inside the empty foaling stall next to Glory’s. “Hey,” Kathy said, keeping her voice low and calm.

“How’s she doing?” Annie asked, taking a look at the mommy-to-be. Glory was a sturdy black quarter horse with a blazing white star on her forelock. She was lying down on her nest of fresh straw but her agitation was clear.

“She’s fine,” Kathy said. “We’ve got a bet going on what time her water’ll break. I say ten.”

“I think it’s gonna be midnight,” Levi said. “You gonna call Doc Yardley?”

“He’s supposed to come by later, but everything’s going okay. I can handle it.”

“You know,” Kathy said, “we can stay.”

“No need.” It was Tucker’s voice coming from behind her, and Annie jumped, even though he’d kept the words soft. “I’ll stick around.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Annie said. “I can manage, and you just flew in today. Wrestling goats is exhausting.”

His grin made her want to flip her hair back like a teen at the mall.

“I’d like to stay,” he said. “We used to tell all our most embarrassing stories waiting for the foals. It was fun.”

Annie turned to face him, wincing as she tried to cross her arms over her chest. If she’d had a brain, she would have iced some of the worst bruises before heading out to show off the sanctuary. She really needed to get that aspirin. “We’ve got a ton to go over tomorrow, including that ride across the property you asked for in your email. Besides, I don’t recall telling embarrassing stories being an essential part of foaling.”

His casual wink made her pulse leap. “You just haven’t been to the right stables.”

Kathy and Levi both laughed, but that got Glory struggling to her feet, so all attention went to her. As soon as she was standing, Annie entered the stall to comfort her. She moved slowly, holding up her hands and whispering the same soft nonsense she had since Glory had been brought in. She’d made a point of touching the mare a lot, letting the horse become familiar with her scent and her hands.

The foal was moving and there was no sign of excessive distress. With luck, there would be little to do but observe and clean up after the birth. As she left the stall, everything was quiet except for the familiar sounds of horses. Snorts and breathing, shifting straw, a soft nicker from Cocoa, who was waiting her turn to go into labor.

She walked to the open stable doors, knowing Tucker, Kathy and Levi would follow. As soon as they were far enough away to speak normally, Annie said, “You guys don’t have to stick around. It’s almost six.”

Kathy looked from Annie to Tucker, then back again. “You’re awfully stiff. Did you put something on your bruises?”

“I’m fine, Kathy. Thanks.”

“I brought you that liniment for a reason,” Kathy said. “You’ve got us here for a bit. Go fix yourself up, and stop being a stubborn mule. You might be up all night, for heaven’s sake.”

Annie wanted to shoo her friends on their way, but Kathy was right. The ointment would help. “All right.” She turned to Tucker. “Other than that cut, are you aching anywhere? Kathy makes up her own salve, which works wonders.”

“Nope, I’m fine. But I’ll watch out for Glory if you two want to get home.”

Kathy didn’t even respond to Tucker. Instead, she hustled Annie back to the path toward the cabin, which meant that she wanted to speak to Tucker without Annie hearing.

Resigned to her fate, Annie gave in to the ache in her hip as she headed for the jar of salve. It didn’t help that it was so easy to picture someone else applying the ointment, someone who looked mighty fine without a shirt on.

TUCKER COULD HAVE USED something to ease the minor aches that had cropped up in the past hour, but he was more interested in paying attention to the couple who were about to give him a heartfelt testimonial. He hadn’t gotten this far in business without being able to read people. In fact, that particular skill had been a primary factor in keeping the Rocking B strong through the recession and the drought.

Sure enough, Kathy, who looked tired but determined after the eventful day, approached him the moment she could. “Here’s the part that isn’t obvious, Mr. Brennan.”

That stalled Tucker’s arrogant assumptions in their tracks. An excellent reminder that he wasn’t the only one who could read people.

“That girl,” Kathy said, pointing in the direction Annie had disappeared, “has gone without basics so she could feed the horses. Not that she’d ever say a word. We didn’t know in the beginning. But things started to add up. So some of us decided to bring treats, meals, coffee, because she won’t take a penny for herself. Not a penny. Everything goes to the sanctuary.”

Glory was making some real noise, so they moved inside. Levi turned on the bank of red lights, bathing the space in an eerie kind of beauty, which allowed them to observe but wouldn’t disturb the mare. Her water hadn’t broken, but she was nesting again, rearranging the straw as she prepared for the birth.

“She hardly ever comes to town,” Levi said, his arms crossed over his broad chest, staring at the horse, not Tucker. “When she does, it’s to get supplies or to find help in one form or another. Not for her, mind you, but for the animals.”

“Any idea why?” Tucker asked.

“Why she gives so much, you mean?”

He nodded at Kathy.

“She doesn’t talk about herself. We don’t even know where she’s from, really. She just showed up one day, volunteered. It wasn’t two weeks later that Edgar, the man who built Safe Haven, went back to Idaho to be near his grandkids.”

“Thanks for letting me know.” Tucker gave her a nod. “But I’ll warn you, as I’ve warned Annie. I can’t make any promises. I have a board of directors myself, and I have strict criteria that has to be met before we can offer funding or grants.”

“Oh, we know that,” Levi said. “But we couldn’t let you leave without telling you that you’ll never spend a wiser dollar. It’s not just the animals who benefit. You should see how much the high school kids are learning. Everyone who comes to volunteer at Annie’s sanctuary is the better for it.”

“I believe you,” Tucker said. He had no reason not to. For whatever reason, Annie had decided to play her role to the hilt. She clearly needed these people to be on her side. Just like Christian had been so enthusiastic about her before the money went missing.

Now that he’d found that account number, Tucker was even more certain that whatever Safe Haven was, it was also a cover for Leanna. Or a stepping stone to something bigger. He had some theories about the account number and the license in the coffee can. It had to be an exit strategy, but why hadn’t she used it yet? Was access to the stolen money contingent on some future date? Was someone else holding the key? Another kind of partner, perhaps?

He needed to find time tonight to send the pictures to George, get him working on making connections, putting the pieces together. In the meantime, he had to keep his wits about him and look beyond his physical attraction. He’d run across some smooth operators before, but Annie was in her own league. She confused him. He couldn’t nail down her motives or predict her next move. He felt as if he was missing one vital piece of information that would unravel all the mysteries.

Levi and Kathy shook his hand and made sure he knew where the birthing kit was. He watched them meet Annie halfway to their truck. Huh. He’d expected Kathy to touch Annie. A hug maybe, or at least a friendly hand on her shoulder. But they kept to their own personal spaces, and said their goodbyes with nods.

When Annie returned to the stable, the first thing she did was hand him a couple of pills and a bottle of water. “Ibuprofen.”

“Thanks.”

With a nod, she went to check on Glory, but from outside her stall. Tucker followed until he was close enough to smell a hint of liniment, which he didn’t mind at all. He supposed it had a lot to do with his own history. The scents of a ranch were home to him, including the one that overshadowed the sweet peaches that lay beneath….

At the thought a bolt a lust shot through him, making him reel. It was crazy. Maybe he was too tired to be sticking around when everyone else was gone. He’d like to think he was made of stronger stuff, but his reactions were off. Just to get some distance, he went to check on the other pregnant mare.

The two empty birthing stalls still had shavings instead of pure straw. He walked deeper into the stable, really looking at the other horses. A sturdy-looking mustang had a bandage over one eye. Then there was a buckskin Appaloosa who seemed unaffected by the human comings and goings, but had some bandages on her flank. She reminded Tucker of a horse he’d ridden for five years, a great palomino who’d been so good-looking, no woman for miles could resist her.

“You can’t see it from here, but Pretty Girl was quite a mess when she arrived,” Annie said, indicating the Appaloosa. She’d come close, and Tucker kept his gaze on the mare. “She’d tangled with some barbed wire, and it took a lot to patch her up.”

“You do it well.”

“Nothing like on-the-job training. I put another pot of coffee on while I was at the cabin. I’m going to make us a couple of thermoses. How do you like yours?”

“Black is fine. If you tell me where things are, I could do that for you.”

“That’s okay. I think we have a wait. I’ll be back in plenty of time.” Annie started walking, but stopped before she stepped outside. “You promise you’ve done this before?”

“I swear.” He put his hand up, and she sighed.

When she had rounded the path out of his sight, he let himself breathe again as he got out his cell to speed-dial George. Tucker updated him on the attached photographs, what he’d found under the bed, and then asked him to look for evidence that Annie might have been working with someone else. Maybe someone who was pulling her strings.

“You think she was coerced?” George asked, not sounding as surprised as Tucker might’ve expected.

“I don’t know. I’m trying to look at every angle. Some things don’t make sense about her. I’d rather we kept an open mind. If she’s not the only one behind the embezzlement, I want to know. You find anything else since we talked?”

“No. That account number might just be the answer we’re looking for.”

“It might,” Tucker said. “I’ll call you when I can.”

After he put his cell away, he found a couple of blankets in the area they used for supplies, and brought them up front. If they were going to wait, they might as well get comfortable. Besides, it was better to be as discreet as possible when mares were foaling. They could spook so easily.

He spread out the blankets against the wall in the stall next to Glory’s, then went back to the supply area to gather everything they’d need for the arrival of Glory’s foal. He couldn’t see well with the red lights, but it didn’t matter because the packaging told him most of what he needed to know.

The same could not be said about Annie. If he’d returned to his hotel room, he would’ve gone straight to his computer. Hell, he wouldn’t have been able to wait that long. He had an iPad in his briefcase in the rental, and he’d have stopped way before Kalispell to reread every word in his files. Watch the videos, look at the pictures as if he didn’t have each detail seared into his memory.

Thing was, he’d only been with Annie a few hours, so maybe him not being able to figure everything out wasn’t all that strange. On the other hand, now was the time to turn every stone, including the ones that seemed least likely.

He thought about his mother spending Tuesday evening on her own. He’d asked if she’d made other plans, but he’d anticipated her answer. She would end up in her room, eating off a tray. She’d watch TV, mostly reruns of shows she’d liked when his father had been alive.

Tucker had heard her talk to him from time to time. As if he were in the next chair. Irene was lonely. What scared him was his suspicion that she wanted all the forgiveness she could get from Christian because she didn’t plan on sticking around.

He rubbed his tired eyes, then stared at his watch until it came into focus. Annie was taking a long time. A whole lot longer than making a pot of coffee required. Maybe she was checking her hiding spots, making sure he hadn’t been snooping. Great. He’d probably disturbed something that made her suspicious. For all he knew she’d grabbed her coffee can and run.

As if on cue he heard the rumble of an engine. He jumped to his feet, half expecting to see her taking off in that old green pickup, leaving a cloud of dust behind. As soon as he made it outside, he saw that it was a truck, a late-model four-door from what he could tell, coming down the road toward Safe Haven. He’d assumed they’d be alone for the rest of the night, but maybe the local vet was arriving to check on the mares.

Annie came around the edge of the path, stopping to stare at the oncoming vehicle. Tucker couldn’t see her face, but her body stiffened and she brought the thermoses she carried up to her chest.

A moment later, she relaxed again. The truck was familiar to her. The vet, or perhaps a friend. Although Kathy and Levi had suggested that Annie didn’t have many of those.

She shot him a look, and when he nodded, she changed course for the parking area. The big truck had settled next to the old green pickup. He watched four people climb out. Two men, two women. The men were both tall, one dark haired, the other light brown, both dressed as his own hands would be, but that didn’t mean a thing in cattle country. He knew professors and CEOs who wore Stetsons and jeans on a daily basis. The smaller woman was a brunette, the other a redhead, also wearing jeans. Annie was taller than both of them.

Instead of continuing to stare like a tourist, he went back into the stable. Glory was on her side, huffing, uncomfortable, more obviously stressed. He watched for a bit, but he couldn’t see enough from this angle to tell if there was cause for concern. She settled, though, so Tucker went to the birthing kit and checked it out, even though he knew exactly what he’d find. Subdued voices approached, and he walked outside. One guy held a cooler, and the other had a big picnic basket. A good distance from the doors, Annie and the two women waited. The closer he got, the more uncomfortable she appeared.

“Kathy called Shea, so they came with dinner and help if we need it. Doc Yardley is stuck on a call at another ranch, most likely for the night,” Annie murmured, sweeping a glance from the newcomers to him. “This is Tucker Brennan.”

“Shea Monroe,” the brunette said, and held out a stiff hand, which he shook.

“Ah, yes, the chairman of the board,” he said. “Pleasure.”

Annie nodded at the guy holding the drinks. His hair was shorter than his cohort, almost a military cut. “Jesse McAllister.”

“The pilot. That’s a great service you run,” Tucker said.

“It’s a co-op. I just fly where I’m told.”

“And this is his sister, Rachel.”

They greeted each other with smiles.

“I’m Matt Gunderson,” the other guy said. “Hope we’re not intruding, but according to Shea, you two are in for a long night.”

“You’re not intruding.” Annie’s words sounded sincere, but she wasn’t looking at any of her friends, and the thermoses were back in place against her chest.

“Have we met?” Tucker asked, staring at Gunderson.

“Don’t think so.”

“Wait, you’re a bull rider. I’ve seen you ride in Dallas. You won the nationals in Vegas last year.”

Matt nodded. “That’d be me. Listen, I know you guys have to keep it down, make sure the mares are doing okay. We can just drop this stuff off and be on our way, unless you think you’ll need a hand.”

Annie looked up at that, first at Matt, then at Tucker. He couldn’t read her expression, but if he had to guess, he’d have said she’d tell them to go. But then she looked at Shea, and her shoulders dropped. “No, stay. In fact, you guys can tell Tucker about town, and the new boardinghouse and stuff. I have to go check on Glory.” Annie shoved one of the thermoses at him, then walked into the stable.

The surprise wasn’t that he’d guessed wrong about her telling her friends to leave, but at the deep sense of disappointment he felt at Annie pawning him off. He tried to convince himself that his frustration was because of his investigation, but he knew that wasn’t quite true.