Saddle Up(12)

“Trey brought in a few more while you were out chasing that bunch down,” Mitch continued, to Keith’s relief. “He says there are still about a half dozen older and weaker ones that he didn’t dare push, but if we don’t bring them back in, some aren’t going to survive the night.”

“They’re also gonna be especially vulnerable to predators, as exhausted as they are,” Keith said. “There’re plenty of mountain lions in these parts to make a meal out of ’em.”

“Are you willing to ride out again after the stragglers?” Mitch asked.

“Yeah. I’m willing,” Keith said.

Mitch squinted at the sky. “We’re losing daylight fast.”

“They can’t be too far,” Keith reassured him, “but I’ll make camp if I have to.”

“I’ll send Dave and Donny with you,” Mitch said. “I’ll leave a pen and a stock trailer behind. Round up what you can but, if we don’t get them all by tomorrow, we’ll just have to call it a loss.”

Keith was tying his bedroll behind the cantle of his saddle when Mitch reappeared a few minutes later.

“I just thank God we got all this on video,” Mitch said. “At least we have documentation that it wasn’t our negligence or ineptitude that caused this cockup. Speaking of which, I don’t think you’ve met Miranda Sutton yet.”

It was only then that Keith noticed the woman standing in the background with a video camera. He noted the reddish-gold curls escaping from her ball cap and his pulse quickened. He’d seen very few women with hair like that. Of all people. It can’t be her. She lowered the camera, and his gut churned. It was her all right. What the hell was she doing here? And what were the chances of running into Bibi’s protégé in the middle of the desert? Was he cursed?

“Miranda.” Mitch waved her over. “This is Keith Russo, one of the best horsemen you’ll ever meet. That ride you saw down the cliff was proof that I don’t exaggerate.”

Their gazes locked. Keith said nothing, just speared her with a hard, unblinking stare. Her eyes widened in recognition. Then her face flushed. After a second or two, she licked her lips and tore her gaze away, a sure sign of a guilty conscience.

“Miss Sutton and I are already acquainted,” Keith replied stiffly. “Why is she here?”

Mitch’s puzzled gaze shifted from Keith to Miranda and back again. “Is there a problem, Keith?”

“There’s a problem all right,” Keith replied. “I don’t trust her, and you shouldn’t either.”

“Why do you say that?” Mitch asked, deep lines creasing his brow.

Keith’s jaw tightened. “She ruined my reputation.”

“Really?” Mitch remarked. “How?”

“What are you talking about?” she rejoined. “All I did was shoot some video.”

Keith gave a derisive laugh. “Your video completely destroyed my credibility.”

“I don’t like what you’re insinuating,” she said. “I was simply doing my job, just like you do with these horses. If you have issues, you need to take it up with Bibi. She was the producer and editor.”

“I have objections all right.”

“I’m truly sorry for that,” Miranda said. “But it still has nothing to do with me or my job here.”

“The hell it doesn’t.” Keith addressed Mitch again. “Ask her why she’s really here, Mitch. Has she said what she intends to do with this video?”

Miranda jutted her chin. “I’m here on a federal judge’s order to film the wild-horse gather. I’m also here because I saw an opportunity to make a worthwhile film. I don’t have a political agenda, if that’s what you’re implying.” She turned to Mitch. “I’m afraid this is going to be really awkward. Is there someone else I could ride with?”

“What is she talking about?” Keith demanded.

“She’s riding out with you when you go after the strays,” Mitch said.

“No way.” Keith shook his head. “I’m not taking her, Mitch.”

Mitch cocked his head. “’Scuse me?”

Keith glowered back in resentment. “Said I’m not taking her.”

Mitch scratched his chin. “Sorry, Keith, but that’s not your call. If those horses die, the public will crucify us. We need hard proof that we did all we could to save them.”

“I’ve got enough on my hands without worrying about a clueless tenderfoot,” Keith grumbled.

“I’m not clueless,” she snapped.

“Yeah, right.” Keith snorted. “I don’t need you slowing us down. We’re going out on horseback. We ride long and hard. And if we don’t find all the horses right away, we’re going to have to make overnight camp.”

“I can handle it,” she insisted. “I know how to ride a horse, and I’ve camped out before.”

“In the middle of a desert?” he asked.

“Well, no,” she confessed, “but it’s not like I’m going alone.”

“This isn’t Girl Scout camp, Miz Sutton. There’s no tent, no cot, and no bathroom facilities. It’s gonna be a bedroll on the hard ground.” Noting the uncertainty in her eyes, he continued, “There are also predators—coyotes, black bears, and mountain lions, not to mention Gila monsters and six species of rattlesnakes.”