Wildcat (13 page)

Catie quirked a brow. “Sounds like the two of you had some fun.”

Natalie gave Catie a smile. “We found whatever time and whatever place we could, to be alone.”

“Should’a seen him fuckin’ that gal, right below Grand’s north range water tower.”

Catie frowned as the memory popped into her mind—the words she’d overheard at the reception. “Did you and Steve, ah, have sex under Kev Grand’s water tower?”

Embarrassment covered Natalie’s pretty face. “Somebody saw us?”

But another wheel clicked in Catie’s mind as she thought back to the rest of the conversation between the two men—

“Think they’ll be there Monday night? Maybe we could—”

“Nah. The man’s going to be a hair busy.”

“Mmm-hmmm. Like to get me a piece of what he had.”

“Shut up, dipshit. Keep your mind on what’s important. Grand’s, Monday, twenty-one hundred hours. Get your ass there early.”

“One more thing.” Catie’s gaze met Natalie’s. “I need to know the time. Was it around nine at night?”

“Yes.” Natalie nodded and released a sigh. “I can’t believe someone saw us out in the field. There was nothing but cows.” Her eyes widened. “Unless someone was out in the mesquite bushes, or up on Catwalk Trail.”

Catie tried to give Natalie a smile, but it felt more like a grimace. “I know that was a real personal question to ask, but I had to know.”

After saying goodbye to Natalie, Catie drove back to her ranch, puzzling out the significance of what those men had said at Dee and Jake’s reception.

And what it all had to do with her brother and cattle rustling.

Chapter Twelve

By the time Catie arrived home, it was dark and she had everything worked out in her mind. She knew exactly what she needed to do and how she’d go about it.

Catie prepared with single-minded determination, putting on her tennis shoes rather than her boots. They’d be quieter and it would be easier to run if she had to. She slipped her pocketknife into the front pocket of her jeans. As far as she was concerned, it was up to her to clear her brother’s name and prove who the real culprits were.

The men she’d overheard at the MacLeod-Reynolds barbeque had said they were planning to meet at twenty-one hundred hours Monday night. That would be nine tonight. And it was at the same location where they’d seen Steve and Natalie fuck, because the second man had hoped they’d be there again so he could watch.

At Kev Grand’s water tower in his north pasture.

No wonder the son-of-a-bitch knew Steve would be busy tonight. He’d known Steve would be arrested, likely because he’d planted it himself.

What about Savage?

Ah, hell. He’s too busy chasing Wilds.

The bastards hadn’t been talking about Jarrod chasing Catie, they’d been talking about Jarrod following the false leads on Steve.

It was about eight o’clock when she snatched up the cordless, prepared to call Jarrod. She stopped just as she started to dial, and stared at the phone. Why should she call him? He was the asshole who’d arrested her brother. After all, considering who it was she’d overheard, Jarrod very well could be a part of the whole damn mess. And look at how he’d used her. Fucked her to get information on Steve.

Even though her mind and heart wanted to reject that thought, right now she didn’t feel like she could trust anyone.

The piercing wail of the phone bolted through Catie and she almost dropped the cordless. Her heart pounded as she checked the display. Dee’s number. Thank God.

Catie pressed the
on
button and brought the phone to her ear. “What’s up?”

“Just calling to see how you’re holding up.” Dee paused, her voice filled with concern. “And to check on how Steve’s doing.”

“I’m fine. And Steve—how good could he be doing when he’s in jail on bullshit charges?” Catie sighed and gripped the phone tighter. “Listen. I’m going to go check something out. I think I know who has been doing all this rustling.”

“What? Who?” Dee’s voice rose. “You’re not about to go off and do anything dangerous, are you?”

“I’m just going to take Sass out to Kev Grand’s north range, near his water tower.” Catie pushed her hand away from her face as she spoke. “I can go up around back on Catwalk Trail. I’ll tether Sass in the trees, and then get a little closer to see what’s going on.”

“That’s too dangerous.” Dee’s tone was firm. “Call the Sheriff’s Department.”

“No fucking way.” Catie knew that her friend was only concerned for her, but she couldn’t help but feel the twist of anger in her gut. Jarrod. The bastard. The using son of a bitch. “I can’t go to the law. It’s the Sheriff’s Department that I’m worried about. I’m going to the meeting place. I’ll stay out of sight and just get some information so that I have something to take to the authorities. Something that Jarrod can’t ignore.”

“Dammit, Catie, it’s way too dangerous,” Dee insisted. Catie could easily picture her friend’s concerned expression. “Jake is working late on a drug bust. He should be home any moment and he can go.”

Catie glanced up at the kitchen clock. “Won’t be soon enough. They’re meeting in about fifty minutes. I’ve got just enough time to saddle up Sass and get over there and find a good hiding place.

“
No.
”

“I’ll call you when I get back.”

“Dammit, Catie.”

“Bye.” Catie tossed the cordless on the counter and checked the clock again. She’d better get her ass in gear and get out to Grand’s north range.

* * * * *

Jarrod rubbed his hand over his stubbled cheeks as he strode into his home and slammed the door behind him. It had been one hell of a day.

In his gut he knew Steve Wilds was innocent, but the setup had been good. Of course there was the large amount of cash deposited into Wilds’ account. But the most damning evidence had been found in the cabin behind the Wilds Ranch. The same one where Jarrod had fingered Catie while she watched that trio fuck.

Jarrod tossed his Stetson on the back of a couch and strode toward the kitchen to fix himself dinner as he mulled over the case. In the Wilds’ cabin, Jarrod and Forrester had discovered rustling plans, along with lists of ranches that had been hit over the last two months. Lists that had broken down exactly how many cattle had been stolen. Detailed income reports that had shown the cattle being sold to unnamed buyers for a sum greater than twenty grand.

Steve’s name had been written all over every damn document.

Jarrod blew out his breath in a hard rush as he grabbed sandwich makings out of the fridge. As far as he was concerned, Steve Wilds had been royally framed. And Jarrod had a pretty good idea who’d done the framing. He just had to prove it.

But first he needed to eat, and then go talk some sense into Catie Wilds.

Just as Jarrod finished making his turkey and rye sandwich, the phone rang. He shoved the mayo into the fridge while grabbing the handset off the wall.

“Savage here.”

“Sheriff, this is Dee MacLeod-Reynolds.” The urgency in her voice told him something was seriously wrong.

“What’s happened?”

“Nothing. Yet. It’s just that Catie’s gone off and I’m afraid she’s going to get herself in some trouble.”

Jarrod’s heart thudded at the thought of something happening to Catie. “Details. Now.”

Dee explained what Catie had said, and the trail she was using to get there. “She was in a rush. Something about getting to the water tower before nine so she could find a good spot to hide.”

“The little idiot.” Jarrod clenched his jaw. “See if you can get Jake out there. I’ll head out without back-up. Can’t go into details.”

“All right. Hurry, Jarrod.”

He punched off the phone and tossed it on the counter, and scooped up his sandwich, figuring he could eat it on the way and knowing he needed the fuel to think clearly. He still had on his utility belt, firearm and bulletproof vest. After grabbing his hat, he strode out the door.

* * * * *

Sassafras whickered as she picked her way along Catwalk Trail behind Kev Grand’s northern range. “Shhh.” Catie patted the mare’s neck. “We need to be extra quiet, girl.”

The horse tossed her head like she understood. The only sounds in the night were the creak of saddle leather, Sass’s horseshoes clonking against small rocks on the trail and the yelp of coyotes in the distance. The scents of piñon, juniper and horse met her nose.

Catie leaned low in the saddle, trying to peer at the water tower through the brush at the same time. A full moon hung low in the sky, giving a little light to see by whenever it wasn’t hidden by clouds. She saw nothing but cattle and cacti, so with any luck she’d beaten the bastards to their meeting place.

When she was still far enough away that she could safely leave Sass, Catie dismounted and tethered the mare to a paloverde tree. The crunch of rocks beneath her tennis shoes seemed loud in the night, even as she tried to step quietly down the trail. About a hundred feet from the water tower, she crouched behind the last remaining boulders before the rangeland. The boulders were large, and she was small enough that she didn’t think she’d have a problem staying out of sight.

It had to be getting close to nine. Her heart pounded and her mouth grew dry as she heard the rumble of tires on the dirt road leading to the water tower, and the low roar of an engine. Headlights sliced through the darkness, becoming brighter and brighter as the sound of the vehicle grew louder along with a rattling noise, as if the truck was pulling some kind of trailer.

The vehicle’s brakes squealed and its tires slid in the dirt as the truck came to a stop. The engine cut off and the lights went out. Catie tugged at her ear while trying to slow her breathing as she forced herself to remain behind the boulder and not look to see who it was. She needed to wait just a moment longer.

The sound of first one door slamming and then another met her ears, and she took a deep breath. Two men. It had to be both of them. She rubbed her sweaty palms on her jeans and slowly peeked over the boulders.

A one-ton truck was parked maybe fifty feet from where she was hidden. Behind the truck was an enormous stock trailer. A couple of men in baseball caps walked around toward the back of the trailer, and one man stood at the front of the truck as he lit a cigarette. The small flame of the lighter lit up his features for a second, and then he turned and sauntered toward the stock trailer.

Catie’s gut churned as she recognized the bastard. She’d know that arrogant jaw, those deep set eyes and that swagger anywhere. Her skin prickled and a hot rush of anger flooded her from head to toe. The other voice she’d heard at the barbeque, the one she hadn’t been sure of but had wondered—she’d been right. It
was
Reggie Parker. That bastard who’d tried to rape her when she was in high school.

While she tried to calm her fury, she crouched on her knees, out of sight, and pressed her forehead against the cool boulder. Thank God Steve had heard about Reggie bragging to his friends that he planned to score with her at the drive-in. She’d been fortunate enough that all he’d managed to do was pop a couple buttons off her blouse before Steve had arrived and beat the holy living shit out of him. Reggie’s pawing had been enough to scare her off of dating for awhile, but as she grew older she learned how to separate the assholes from the good guys.

Now that Reggie was back from Texas, he probably thought of this as some twisted form of revenge—framing Steve for the cattle rustling. And that comment she’d overheard, about getting a piece of what Steve had…she knew now he’d been referring to Natalie. No doubt it was another twisted way he’d be getting even with Steve.

Catie took a deep breath, her forehead still against the boulder, while she tried to decide what to do next. Maybe she’d get the chance to settle the score for what had been done to her big brother. And instead of Reggie’s ass, she’d kick him in the balls so hard he’d be singing falsetto in the St. Jude’s Boy’s Choir for the rest of his miserable life.

The trick now was figuring out how to get close enough to permanently damage the man’s family jewels—and not get herself killed in the process.

A click by Catie’s ear sent ice shooting through her veins. The cool metal of a gun barrel slid along her cheek, telling her all she needed to know.

She was in deep shit.

* * * * *

Once he got on the road, Jarrod made the ten mile drive to Kev Grand’s ranch in about eight minutes flat. Problem was, he had to park a good quarter mile away, just to make sure he didn’t alert the bastards to his presence.

By the time he reached the water tower, it was at least a quarter past nine, the time Catie had apparently thought the rendezvous was supposed to be. He eased through the mesquite bushes and brush, blood thrumming in his veins, until he spotted the water tower. Moonlight had grown bright enough that he could easily make out a large cattle trailer parked behind a good sized truck near the tower.

But what caught his attention were the men herding cattle into the trailer. One man dogged the beasts by horseback while three other bastards were on foot, using cattle prods to get the animals into the trailer. The men’s shouts and whistles along with the low of cattle filled the night. They were at least a couple of miles from the nearest ranch house, so likely they had no real concern they’d be heard.

According to Dee’s directions, Catwalk Trail was to the right of where he was crouched. Jarrod started to work his way toward the trail when hair prickled at his nape. Someone was coming up behind him.

In one smooth movement he whirled while drawing his gun, at the same time keeping in a crouch.

“Savage.” A low voice came from the darkness. “It’s me. Jake Reynolds.”

Jarrod’s muscles relaxed and he lowered his weapon. “Thanks for joining the fun.” He re-holstered his gun and nodded toward the rustlers as Reynolds moved closer and crouched beside him. “Not sure where Catie is, but it looks like she was right.”

Reynolds clenched his jaw. “I’ll bet these sons-of-a-bitches took Dee’s cattle.”

Jarrod nodded as he watched the men rounding up the herd. “And everyone else’s.”

“Steve Wilds was framed, wasn’t he?” Reynolds asked quietly.

“That’s been my gut feeling.” Jarrod shifted his position while keeping his eyes on the rustlers.

“Recognize any of ‘em?”

“Hard to tell from here.” Jarrod clenched his fist, imagining the pleasure he’d take in knocking the crap out of the SOB he was sure was responsible. “I’d bet a year’s salary that I know the bastard on horseback.”

“They’re finished loading the trailer,” Reynolds said as the rustlers slammed the gate behind the last cow they’d loaded. “You and I can take them.”

“Yeah.” Jarrod nodded, his mouth set in a grim line. “But first I’ve got to make sure Catie’s safe.”

“Take care of your woman.” The expression on Reynolds’ face said he’d do the same thing if he was in Jarrod’s shoes. “Dee was sure Catie would be on Catwalk Trail.” Reynolds gestured in the direction Jarrod had been about to head earlier.

“I’ll check there first.” Jarrod started forward when a furious shriek cut through the sounds of the cattle and men’s voices.

A woman.

Catie.