Sharp Shootin' Cowboy (Hot Cowboy Nights, #3)(57)

“That’s the thing, Krista.” He rubbed his neck with a sigh. “I do like her. She’s smart and spunky and stands up for her principles. I respect that, even if I don’t agree with her. Ever met someone who completely rubs you the wrong way, but you’re still drawn to them anyhow?”

“No. Can’t say I ever have. But I don’t think I could ever be attracted to someone who’s against everything I stand for. I generally tend to avoid people like that.”

“Sometimes we can’t help who we’re attracted to, and when it happens, it’s like a bad case of poison ivy. You know damned well you shouldn’t scratch, that it’ll make the itch a whole lot worse, but you just can’t help yourself.”

“Sounds real appealing.” Her lips curled. “You should send that one to Hallmark, Reid. ‘I love you like a virulent rash.’”

He couldn’t suppress a chuckle. “Guess I’m no poet.”

“But it’s off again between you, right?”

“Yeah. It’s off… For now.”

Almost two months had gone by, and they still hadn’t crossed paths again. He’d half hoped he’d accidentally run into her, but that hadn’t happened. He’d even bribed Jim Banks with an expensive steak dinner a few weeks ago just to get her phone number, but he hadn’t called her. Not yet. He was determined to stay the course and let her come to him.

He’d kept tabs on her though. Last he’d heard, she’d set up her home base in Jackson to pursue some independent project on the wolf packs in the Teton Pass. According to his father and brother, they were causing a heap of shit for a big sheep outfit. The last thought brought him back to the present dilemma—wolves and livestock.

Reid scarfed down another biscuit and then drained his coffee. “C’mon, little sister. Let’s go look for that lost horse.”

*

Haley had been working out of the Jackson regional WGF office for nearly two months without incident when the first call came in from Jim Banks at the Cody office. “We’ve got a reported livestock depredation,” Jim declared.

“Really? Where?”

“A ranch in Dubois. They’re missing a horse and claim it’s a wolf. They’re requesting a kill permit.”

“Did they locate the carcass?”

“Not yet.”

“They came to you for a permit based solely on speculation?” Haley laughed outright. “Over my dead body. Have you sent anyone to investigate it yet?”

“Not yet. Care to do the honors?” Jim asked.

Haley hesitated. As the senior biologist and primary wolf researcher, she wouldn’t normally be the first to go out on a preliminary investigation, but she was beginning to go a bit stir-crazy sitting in an office all day monitoring collars and writing reports.

“Actually, Jim, I’d be happy to go. Can you give me any specifics?” Jim rattled off some coordinates that Haley quickly jotted down. “Great. I’ll check the grid and see if any of my monitored packs are in the vicinity. Can you give me the contact info?”

“It’s Two Rivers Ranch and Outfitters,” he replied.

“Two Rivers?” she repeated. “Isn’t that the Everetts’ place?”

“Yes. Jared and Boyd just came to see me about this.”

“Do they know how long the horse has been missing?”

“No. They did a range roundup yesterday and this one didn’t come in. He was the old-timer of the herd and getting lame.”

“Which makes him susceptible,” she remarked. “But we still aren’t issuing any permits without proof. That means a carcass and a necropsy. I’ll check it out and report back with my findings.”

*

“Good morning, Reid,” Tonya greeted him with a brilliant smile. “Haven’t seen much of you lately.”

“Nope. Haven’t been around much,” Reid replied, yanking his old roping saddle off the rack. He’d intentionally avoided her ever since Jared’s revelation. Part of him wanted to confront her, but he hadn’t known how to bring it up without creating an ugly scene, so he’d avoided it. Besides, what was the point now? They were done for good, and he still had to work with her. Sometimes it was best to let sleeping dogs lie.

“I got a big Appy mare here if you’re looking for a challenge,” she offered.

That caught his attention. “Do you now?”

“Yup. I brought her over for the roundup. Keith dropped her off a couple of weeks ago, asking me to put some rides on her. He was contacted by this rich German lady who wanted a gen-u-ine Indian horse.”

“Let me guess, he made up some bogus bloodline that traces this mare back to Sitting Bull’s stallion?”

“Not this time.” Tonya laughed. “He’s quit that gig. Hasn’t touched a horse since that documentary destroyed his reputation. It’s a shame. He really does know horses.”

Reid shook his head. “So now he’s got you doing all the work for him?”

“Pretty much.” She shrugged. “I don’t really care, as long as I get paid. It’s a convenient arrangement.”

“But he’s probably only giving you half of what he’s getting.”

“Maybe, but he still gets more money for a horse than I ever could.”