Saddle Up(13)

Miranda swallowed and turned to Mitch. “Gila monster? Is he making that up?”

“Nope,” Mitch said. “It’s a large venomous lizard that lives in the desert.”

“The desert is a dangerous place, Miz Sutton,” Keith continued. “People get lost out there. People die.”

As obdurate as ever, she appealed once more to Mitch. “I still want to go. How can I show the reality of this situation if I don’t get it all on film?”

Mitch sighed. “She’s right, Keith. Our reputation is on the line here. I told her she could go, and I’m not going to renege. I don’t know what all went down between the two of you, but I’m used to trusting a person until they give me good reason not to.”

“I just did.”

Keith spun away with his pulse roaring in his ears. He’d warned Mitch. There was nothing more to say. If he had any sense, he’d send her deceitful ass packing.

*

Miranda watched Keith stalk off stiff-backed and fuming.

“Wanna tell me what that was all about?” Mitch asked.

She exhaled with a sigh. “It’s a long story, but I’ll give you an abbreviated version. I was a grad student when my boss, Bibi, sent me to film this…er…equine exhibition. After looking at my camera work on it, the producer thought it would make a good short film, but apparently Keith didn’t like how the film portrayed him.”

“Didn’t he have any say in it?” Mitch asked.

“Not really,” she said. “Once a release is signed, the producer has the right to use the film however they see fit. I promise you, all I did was the camera work. I had nothing to do with the editing or post production. That was all Bibi.”

“Don’t fret none about him,” Mitch said. “Maybe he ain’t happy about this whole situation, but he won’t let any harm come to you out there. I can promise you that. I’ve known Keith since he was the twins’ age, and his family even longer than that. His mixed heritage got him a little confused for a while, but ain’t nobody better with the horses. He’s the best damn wrangler we’ve got.”

His words were meant to reassure, but uncertainty suddenly knotted her stomach at the prospect of riding into the desert with a man who obviously despised her. “But what if an accident or something unexpected happens?”

“I’ll be sending Dave and Donny along with you. They all carry rifles, and Keith has a satellite phone. If there’s any real emergency, they’ll call in the chopper.”

The thought that Keith carried a rifle was hardly comforting. She glanced back at him watching her from a few yards away. If looks could kill, she’d already be lying dead on the ground. Maybe he’d just shoot her and dump her lifeless body in a canyon. She’d have to make certain to ride behind him.

“Part of the cowboy code is to trust the ones you ride with,” Mitch said, correctly reading her concerns. “If you’re having second thoughts, it might be better for you to go out with Trey in the chopper instead. He’s going to do another flyover to see if he can account for the rest of the missing horses.”

“Under the circumstances, that might be best,” Miranda reluctantly agreed. “I wanted to get some aerial footage anyway.”

“Good,” Mitch replied, looking relieved. “I’m real glad we got that resolved.”

*

After scarfing down some sandwiches washed down with Gatorade, Keith, Donny, and Dave rode out toward the mountains, but the trio hadn’t gone more than a couple of miles before coming upon two old mares with heaving flanks and sweat-coated skin, guarding a foal that was in similar shape. Keith dismounted and handed his reins to Donny, hoping it wasn’t too late to save them. The first mare, a palomino pinto, laid her ears back in warning at his approach, but she was too exhausted to put up any real fight. He crouched beside the weakened foal, a near clone of the mare, right down to its markings. The animal nickered to its mother and then struggled to gain its feet, but the effort was too much.

“Easy, little man,” he softly crooned, pressing a flattened palm against its neck. With his other hand he pinched the layer of skin at the colt’s shoulder between his thumb and forefinger. He lifted the skin away from the muscle and twisted, frowning as he mentally counted the seconds. Damn. The tented skin should have snapped back after a second or so. Keith rolled back its upper lip to reveal whitish-tinted gums. “Shit. This colt’s in some serious trouble.”

Dave rose with a grunt to pull his rifle out of its scabbard.

“No.” Keith raised a hand. “We’re not shooting him. Not yet.”

“It’s only humane,” Dave protested. “There’s nothing we can do for him out here.”

“Doesn’t Mitch keep IV fluids on hand?” Keith asked.

“I s’pose there’s a coupla bags in our emergency vet kit, but that’s all the way back at the camp. By the time we fetch the supplies, it’ll be too late. It’s a waste of time, Keith. He’s too far gone. Just look at him. He can’t even stand, let alone walk.”

Keith set his jaw. “Then I guess we’ll just have to find a way to carry him.”

Dave regarded him incredulously. “And just how are we s’posed to do that? He’s got to weigh over two hundred pounds.”