Her Cowboy Sheriff

Finn couldn’t believe his friend Grey, who owned the cattle Derek stole, and with his recent marriage was Derek’s new brother-in-law, had hired him. Maybe he’d done it to ease his conscience. Years ago, Grey was wrongly accused of killing Derek’s older brother. According to local legend, that tragedy had ruined Derek’s young life. Finn could understand that, but was Grey actually willing to risk the future of his ranch? What if Derek decided to steal more cattle from him? That case, which Finn had handled months ago, was still pending after numerous delays and a continuance from the judge, but Finn didn’t believe for a minute that Derek would use this opportunity to make something of himself. By his age, Eduardo Sanchez already had a rap sheet a mile long, and at twenty-five Derek was running out of time to keep messing up.

“Let me give you some advice.” He pointed a finger at Derek’s chest, making Sarge growl again. “Keep your nose clean this time.”

Derek snorted. “Whoa, I’m not afraid of you, Finn. I heard about you chasing the bad guys in Chicago until you almost lost your job. If you couldn’t find the people who offed your wife and kid—”

Finn’s hand loosened on Sarge’s collar. How did Derek know that? Freed from constraint, the dog lunged at Derek then backed off short of reaching him, as if he knew he would get himself in trouble if he attacked, and Finn with him. Sarge returned to sit at Finn’s feet, his throaty rumble breaking the silence. “Don’t ever mention my family again,” Finn said, his voice shaking.

“I don’t have to. Think you can do a better job here in Barren?”

Finn refused to take the bait. Moran was likely angling for a fight that would only bring disciplinary action down on his own head. He turned away. “Good luck at Wilson Cattle.” He took two steps toward the building then stopped. With his back to Derek, never a good choice, he said, “Tonight’s your lucky night. I’m not even going to ask why you’re on this property or what you’re doing miles from that ranch.”

“Last time I checked, I didn’t need your permission. I’ve got a date,” Derek said with a sudden grin in his voice, surprising Finn. There weren’t many women in town who would go out with Derek, a ladies’ man in his own mind. And certainly not many who’d bring him into their home.

Finn let that go. For now. He had no probable cause to detain him.

“I’ll be watching,” was all he said.

Derek’s laughter followed him up the steps and into the building. The back of his neck hot, Finn climbed the steps to the second floor with Sarge. Finn would have to take him out again for that potty break, but he needed to collect himself first.

His worst memories walked with him to his door where he abruptly halted. Before he read the handwritten notice tacked to the frame, Finn knew what it would say. His landlord had warned him about Sarge’s barking whenever Finn left him home, one reason he’d been taking the dog to the station most days. Finn was already in violation of his lease and the building’s no-pets clause. He hadn’t owned Sarge when he moved in, but apparently several tenants had complained of the noise.

Sarge isn’t really a pet, Finn wanted to tell the man, He’s my roommate. And although he’d try to change his landlord’s mind, he doubted he’d succeed. They were being evicted.

CHAPTER FIVE (#ufae93a2b-ca2d-5c4d-84a2-3b8dee43deae)

“FINN DONOVAN IS a go-by-the-book kind of guy. Everyone in town calls him Mr. Law-and-Order.”

Keeping one eye on Emmie, Annabelle stiffened at her friend Olivia’s comment. The playground rang with childish laughter. On this perfect October morning, the sun had burned off the chill from last night and cleared the dawn clouds away. The big sky overhead was now a brilliant blue, almost the exact color of Olivia Wilson’s eyes. Wearing sweat pants and a T-shirt, her blond hair in a loose ponytail, she sat beside Annabelle on a bench, watching the kids play. Olivia had brought Emmie here before, but this was the first time Annabelle could join them.

Although Olivia and their other two friends had been right to suggest getting together, she didn’t welcome this topic of conversation.

Seated on Annabelle’s other side, Shadow Wilson was married to Olivia’s brother Grey and thus Olivia’s new sister-in-law. Slim and dark haired, she chimed in about Finn, her brown eyes warm. “You mean, Mr. Hunky-Law-and-Order.” She fanned her face.

“Please,” Annabelle murmured.

“You disagree?”

“No, but I’d rather focus on the warrant he has for Sierra.”

“Whatever the explanation,” Olivia said, “it does seem Sierra was reaching out to you about those ‘loose ends’ when she headed for Barren. I’m glad she’s finally conscious. Once she’s able to talk more, everything will get sorted out.”

Shadow nodded. “I don’t doubt for a second that you’ll help her.”

“Because that’s what you do, Belle,” Olivia said, her engagement ring from Sawyer McCord sparkling in the sunlight.

Helping others was what Annabelle had always done, sometimes to avoid getting another reprimand from her mother or a slashing criticism from her father. A do-gooder, he’d sometimes called her, but the trait had served her well. Besides, that was her nature, and her friends’, too.

“Our kids will watch out for your Emmie,” they’d said before. My Emmie. Annabelle couldn’t wrap her tired head around that and, besides, it was no truer than Finn’s accusations must be about Sierra. Still, her friends’ older children had already taken Emmie under their wing. After teaching her how to pump her legs on the swings, they were now showing her how to go down the slide. Emmie was poised at the top, giggling.

Her heart in her throat, Annabelle said, “Are you sure she’s all right?”

“Trust me, kids bounce.” Shadow’s nine-year-old daughter, Ava, who had her mother’s dark hair, stood at the bottom of the slide waiting for Emmie, her arms spread wide. Beside her, Olivia’s son Nick, who was seven, appeared ready to step in if anything went wrong.

“Bounce? I wish we could convince Blossom of that,” Olivia said with a wry smile. Their other friend had crossed the park on the outskirts of Barren near the creek and was pushing her daughter in her elaborate carriage. Every time the baby let out a peep, Blossom instantly reacted.

“First-time mother,” Shadow murmured.

Olivia leaned on Annabelle’s shoulder. “I was just like her when Nick was small.”

“You were Momzilla,” Shadow said with a grin. “Remember, Belle? She never let Nick out of her sight. She wrapped him in a cocoon. She—”

Nick flew across the yard and barreled into them. “Mom! Emmie went down the slide all by herself!” He beamed at Annabelle. “Me and Ava taught her.”

“Great job,” Annabelle said, smoothing his blond hair from his sweaty forehead. Then she waved at Emmie who didn’t wave back. She was climbing the slide again. “Do me a favor, though. Don’t show her how to use the jungle gym.”

The old, sprawling wooden structure had a crow’s nest, a sagging cargo net, another long slide and a series of stairways that looked more treacherous than Annabelle had realized. She’d never thought that, like Olivia, she had a protective maternal bone in her body. For the moment, however, she was still in charge of Emmie. She’d been as taut as a wire for the past half hour, and watching Emmie dart from one dangerous-looking piece of equipment to another made her stomach tighten again.

She looked up to find Olivia and Shadow staring at her.

“What?”

“For a minute, you sounded like one of us.” Shadow bumped her other shoulder. “A mom. You sure you don’t want to make this playdate a weekly thing to go with our Girls’ Night Out?” Their group had become a regular social event, though it was for adults only.

“Annabelle won’t be around long enough,” Olivia pointed out.

And she was right. Annabelle was very sure. She wouldn’t be here much longer...or so she hoped. Sierra’s condition troubled her. What if she didn’t get out of the hospital in time and Annabelle couldn’t leave for Denver? She should be home now beginning to pack, and the temporary situation of caring for Emmie only convinced her that her friends already had their lives in order. The prospect of being the group’s lone wolf forever didn’t appeal to Annabelle, but she knew they weren’t as excited as she was about her trip to Colorado.

“I’ll hate leaving you all, but my parents’ house is the only house I’ve ever lived in, this town the only town, and Kansas the only state.” She waved a hand to include the playground. “The rest of you have seen places I’ve only dreamed about.”

Olivia frowned a little. “We know how your parents treated you, Annabelle. But they’re gone now and, well—we’re here for you.”

Annabelle couldn’t tell them that wasn’t enough. They meant well.

“I love you guys but—”

Shadow pointed. “Look at Emmie. She’s having the time of her life.”

“As long as I’m nowhere near,” Annabelle said. “I’m worn out from our morning wrangles over breakfast. Never mind mentioning her afternoon nap, which is hard to come by when I have to take her to work with me. And unless she’s in my bed every night, no one gets any sleep.”

“Par for the course,” Olivia said. “I don’t think I slept an hour straight until Nick turned four. I still have bags under my eyes to show for it.”

“Where?” Shadow leaned around Annabelle to peer at Olivia. “You have perfect skin. You’re gorgeous, and with that glow today...but I agree, sleep can be hard to come by for the first few years. It doesn’t help to be overprotective, does it, Libby?”

“Guilty as charged.” But Olivia’s face did indeed glow as if she’d had an expensive facial, and everyone noticed.

“What’s this about, Mrs. Soon-to-be-McCord?” Shadow studied her again.

“Um. I, uh, Sawyer and I...” Olivia stopped stammering and grinned. “We’re pregnant!”