Twice A Target (Task Force Eagle) (14 page)

Holt described the tense exchange between the two men
in the sheriff’s office, how each man had implied deceit on the part of the
other. “What’s that all about?”

“You’ll have to ask him. I know about as much of
what’s goes on in my brother’s head as I do in a mustang’s. Luke’s always kept
to himself. More so since he came home.” As they rounded the barn, Will stopped
Holt with a hand on his shoulder. “Luke would have no reason to kill your
brother and his wife.”

“Like I said, I suspect no one and everyone. I’m just
tossing a wide loop to see what it catches.”

Chapter 14

At the corral Faith Rafferty lifted a hand from her
metal walker and beckoned eagerly. “Hey, Holt. You have to see this.” Her
sturdy build and coloring marked her as part of the clan, for sure. Her brown
hair was tied back in a single braid. She guided Holt’s attention to the
activity in the corral.

Faith dealt with friends and with the kids, but on her
own oblique terms. He reckoned she’d had a hard time adjusting to her physical
limitations. The pain in her brown eyes likely didn’t stem from strictly
physical causes. But the youngest Rafferty sibling greeted him with a warm
smile.

Surgery and therapy for extensive muscle and nerve
damage must be damned expensive. This family had its troubles, reasons for
needing money, but he couldn’t see how Rob turning down Will’s offer was a
motive for murder. Developing Ghost Mountain would be a long-term project, not
instant cash.

At this point, though, he wouldn’t eliminate anyone or
any reason.

“Try again, Maddy,” Faith called. “Maybe you can rope
that fence post before it gets away.”

“Lessons in lassoing are always prime entertainment.
Slick’s a good teacher,” Will murmured to Holt. “Don’t drag her away just yet.”

“I’m starting to get the hang of this.” Maddy adjusted
her gloves and picked up her rope from the dusty ground.

Holt tipped his hat to her. He didn’t know what to
say. They were supposed to be engaged, but how did you act engaged? Should he grab
her butt or bend her over for a lusty kiss? Maybe carry her off over his
shoulder? The images stirred his blood, but no way would Maddy thank him for
caveman tactics.

Four children ranging in age from about six to twelve
were attempting to build loops with thin lengths of kids’ roping. A
smooth-cheeked young cowboy in a new slant-crowned black hat helped the oldest
boy ready his.

“Now build that loop before you swing it, ace,” Slick
said. “You want it to sing through the air.”

The gangly boy weighed the loop in his right hand and
held the coil in his left. He bit his lower lip as he stared down the wooden
dummy steer. He tossed the rope.

“Good throw, Brian,” Will yelled.

The loop snaked out toward the “steer.” It settled
over the pair of horns and caught. “Whoohoo! I did it!”

Flinging her hat in the air, Maddy gave a
cheerleader’s leap for the excited youngster. She urged him to bow to his
clapping fans, the kids as well as the adults. In a greening pasture beyond, a
horse neighed as if in approval.

Brian beamed as if he’d won an Olympic gold medal, and
Holt smiled at Maddy’s ease with the boy. Her cheeks glowed pink with pleasure.

Leaving the kid to unhook his rope and prepare to toss
again, Slick cocked his head at Maddy. He ambled closer.

Judging from the cowboy’s lazy-lidded look, Maddy’s
awkward grip on her loop wasn’t his only interest. Hot steel pierced Holt when
the suitably named Slick put his arms around her on the pretext of guiding her
toss.

“That’s it, Maddy, keep that honda secure but loose in
your right hand,” the fucking Romeo said as he eased both arms around her. One
long-fingered hand slid the length of her slim arm. “Give enough slack to the
coil in your other hand.”

Hell, was he trying to climb into her skin? Holt
braced one foot on the lower rail, poised to vault into the corral.

“Whoa, hoss.” Will chuckled. “Your woman’s safe. Slick
knows better’n to rustle another man’s brand.”

Holt gave a sharp nod and forced himself to remain
where he was.
Your woman
. In spite of the cowpoke jargon, Will had it
right. Holt was acting engaged after all. Or was he acting? His feelings and
his behavior didn’t bear examination.

“And build my loop before I toss. I know.” Maddy
squinted, pursing her lips in a thoughtful pout. A maddeningly sexy pout, dammit.
She adjusted her grasp of the honda, the eye the loop passed through. Slick
stepped back out of the way and she swung her arm.

Holt let out the breath he wasn’t conscious of
holding.

Her rope whirred through the air toward the dummy. The
leading edge snared one horn but slid to the ground.

“Whoa, you almost had ‘er.” Her hot-eyed teacher
clapped her on the back. “That’s the closest yet.”

After retrieving her rope and her hat, she ruffled the
boy Brian’s curly hair. “Guess I need more practice to be as good a roper as
you.”

He grinned with his whole body, like an eager puppy
wagging a stubby tail. “You keep trying. You’ll get it too.”

“Another time.” She handed her rope to Slick and
removed her gloves. “Thanks for all your help. That was fabulous.”

When she pumped the cowboy’s hand instead of giving
him the expected hug, Holt relaxed. Nobody threw herself into a new experience
more than Maddy. Nobody enjoyed it more. At times sadness clouded her eyes, but
dark emotion couldn’t repress her natural vivacity. In the child that mercurial
personality had annoyed him. In the woman it captivated him.

When Maddy joined the other adults outside the corral,
Holt was smiling at her. A surprise, but was the greeting welcome? Or pride?
Though why he should be proud of her for playing with the kids while he slogged
around the shooting scene with the deputies eluded her. Passing her time with
the lasso had quelled her jittery nerves. Two confrontations with death in two
days were two more than a person should have in a lifetime. At least the
landslide had been an accident.

No remorse would chip at her pleasure in
accomplishment. Wait until he found out what else she’d done with her time.

She gave Holt a bright smile as she joined Will,
Faith, and him outside the corral.

“You’re a quick study.” Holt edged to her side and
slid an arm around her shoulders. “Good control.”

She went as still as a fence post. Her breath caught
on his masculine scent. A curl of heat slid through her. So much for control.
“Thanks.”

“Hey, you two, congratulations on your engagement,”
Will said. “That all got lost in the earlier to-do.”

“Yes, when’s the happy day?” Faith asked softly. She
turned her walker to face them.

Maddy’s shocked pleasure at Holt’s affection thudded to
a sudden stop. He was acting. It was the engagement pretext. Not her. Okay, let
him answer the question.

“We have some things to figure out first. We haven’t
set a date yet.” Holt’s big hand squeezed her shoulder as though daring her to
contradict him.

She nearly blurted out a date just to irk him, but
just in time remembered that her big mouth and not his had dumped them into
this fix.

She smiled at Faith. “Thanks for letting me in on the
roping lesson. It was great fun.” She winked at her friend. “I’ve been after
Holt to let me help with the branding this weekend. Maybe I can rope calves
with Bronc now.”

“Branding weekend, huh?” Will asked. “You fixed for
all the help you need?”

“We’ll manage.” Holt’s expression slid from open to
defensive. His hand stilled on her shoulder.

Maddy jabbed him with her elbow. “Barely. It’s Espie’s
sons and me, but Holt and Bronc are the only ones who know one end of a
branding iron from the other.”

“I could spare a couple of guys for the day.” Will
took off his hat and resettled it on his head. “Luke’s a fair hand with a
reata.”

Jaw working against his pride, Holt appeared to let
the idea take root. “I don’t like to be beholden, and I can’t pay. Sure could
use another roper though.” He gave Maddy a rueful look. “One with experience.”

Maddy shrugged, pleased Holt was considering the
offer. She’d find some other way to edge into the action.

“Hell, I don’t expect payment. In money.” Will tilted
his head back and laughed, an explosion of mirth as large as the man. “I hope
you’ll return the favor. Next weekend hundreds of Cowboy Action shooters will
descend on this place. I could use some extra hands then myself.”

Holt let his hand drop, and Maddy rued the loss of
warmth. “I think I remember that. Don’t the shooters use Old West style guns
like Colt .45’s?”

Will nodded. “Single-action revolvers and lever action
rifles or vintage shotguns.”

“Mounted competitions use blanks with black powder,
but for the target shooting we use live ammunition. It’s great fun,” Faith
added. “Everyone dresses in Old West outfits, and the contestants have colorful
aliases like Comanche Sam or Deadeye Donovan.” She sent Holt a tentative smile.

“Bronc Baker’s your man, but that kind of
play-acting’s not for me,” Holt said, holding up his hands in defense. “Those
shooting scenarios remind me too much of the real thing.” He offered the ranch
manager his hand. “I’ll take you up on your offer, then, Will. I won’t shoot,
but I don’t mind helping out some other way next weekend.”

“Count me in.” Maddy stepped forward. “I wouldn’t miss
a great show for the world.”

“But what about Bobby?” Holt cast her a puzzled look.

Faith chuckled. “Not a problem. We have babysitting
services all arranged. Do come.”

“I even have a business deal for you, Maddy,” Will
said. “Word is you’re a professional photographer. That right?”

“She has articles in international magazines,” Holt
announced.

Maddy blinked at the pride in his voice. Pride, not
criticism. Peeling her gaze from him, she turned to Will. If his interest meant
money, she was all ears. “What do you have in mind?”

“Next weekend’s match is a tri-state competition. The
organization’s regional governor was sending a photographer, but he got sick.
We need publicity shots. If you’re game, we can pay you well.”

When he named a generous fee, she said, “You bet. I’d
love it.” She glanced up at Holt. He suspected she’d bolt if she had enough
money. Would he trust her with Bobby after next weekend? “How about it? I can
take time out now and then to check in on the baby.”

His expression didn’t give away his thoughts, but he’d
lowered his hat brim to shade his eyes. “Fine with me. You do what you want.”

“Spending the day here will give you another chance to
see the workings of the Circle-S. Get to know more about the investment you’re
considering.” Will beamed at Maddy.

“Thanks. I appreciate it. You have a wonderful
operation here.” She turned to Holt, hoping he didn’t construe her praise as a
desire to leave his household. And Bobby. And him. “Ready to go?”

Holt nodded. After thanking Will for his help, he
urged Maddy to prepare for the ride home.

“You sure you don’t want someone to drive you? We can
load up the horses in the van,” Will said.

“We’ll be fine.”

Maddy squared her shoulders. She could be as stoic as Holt.
“Now that the deputies have tramped all over the valley, that shooter’s long
gone.”

Will and Faith remained with Slick and the kids, who
continued their lasso lessons. One of the hands accompanied Holt and Maddy to
the stable to retrieve their horses.

They rode in silence until they reached the valley.
The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the grassy meadow, and Maddy snapped
her collar against the cool air. A lone hawk piloted the air currents above
Ghost Mountain.

“Tell me more about this investment in the Circle-S.
You know I have concerns about some of the Raffertys. Does that put you in the
middle?” He stared straight ahead, his back as stiff as his pride.

She edged her mare closer to him and described the
terms of her grandparents’ will. “I’ve made no decisions and I have no
connection to the Raffertys themselves. The only home I have is a storage unit
near my parents’ condo.” She paused, pondering, but opted for honesty. “I’d
been thinking about a home base in this valley. If Faith hadn’t contacted me
about Rob’s death, I’d have come anyway. To scope out the possibilities.”

He cast her a cynical look. “The jet-set life losing
its appeal?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact. I’m torn between wanting to
help people with my skills and wanting my own home and family. The Circle-S
seemed the logical place, but it might not work out.”

“Living at the Circle-S.” He seemed to mull that over.
“Any reason you didn’t mention it before?”

“I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it.”

He made no response to that, walking his horse on in
silence.

His reticence made sense, but she desperately wanted
his response. She had to say something to jar him out of his funk. “Too bad
Luke is coming to help Bronc with the calf roping. I hoped to get in some
practice.”

“Branding is serious business. You can go back to your
fast-handed pal if you want roping practice.” His voice rasped like rocks on
sandpaper.

Fast-handed? What in the world?

Little wings fluttered in her stomach. But no, Holt
couldn’t possibly be jealous. More likely he resented her being away from Bobby
all this time. Best to change the subject. “Did you learn anything helpful
about the man who ambushed us?”

“Some.” As they approached the scene of the crime, he
described the deputies’ canvas of the area and the bullets they dislodged from
the aspen. “And while you were playing around with Pretty Boy Slick, I learned
more by downing a
cerveza
and touring the new stable with Will.” He
tilted his head and scowled at her.

So it was possessive sniping after all. A glow of warmth
tingled in her belly and the wings beat faster. She gave him a slow wink. “Bet
what I picked up dancing the lasso tango is juicier than you got swilling
beer.” She settled her hat firmly on her head.

Maybe it wasn’t smart, given what had happened to them
going the other direction, but she just couldn’t help herself. “Race you.”

As her mare lurched into action, her last glimpse of
Holt was of his gaping mouth.