By Request Collection April-June 2016. Оливия Гейтс
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don’t know. I’m trying to look at every angle. Some things don’t make sense about her. I’d rather we kept an open mind. If she’s not the only one behind the embezzlement, I want to know. You find anything else since we talked?”
“No. That account number might just be the answer we’re looking for.”
“It might,” Tucker said. “I’ll call you when I can.”
After he put his cell away, he found a couple of blankets in the area they used for supplies, and brought them up front. If they were going to wait, they might as well get comfortable. Besides, it was better to be as discreet as possible when mares were foaling. They could spook so easily.
He spread out the blankets against the wall in the stall next to Glory’s, then went back to the supply area to gather everything they’d need for the arrival of Glory’s foal. He couldn’t see well with the red lights, but it didn’t matter because the packaging told him most of what he needed to know.
The same could not be said about Annie. If he’d returned to his hotel room, he would’ve gone straight to his computer. Hell, he wouldn’t have been able to wait that long. He had an iPad in his briefcase in the rental, and he’d have stopped way before Kalispell to reread every word in his files. Watch the videos, look at the pictures as if he didn’t have each detail seared into his memory.
Thing was, he’d only been with Annie a few hours, so maybe him not being able to figure everything out wasn’t all that strange. On the other hand, now was the time to turn every stone, including the ones that seemed least likely.
He thought about his mother spending Tuesday evening on her own. He’d asked if she’d made other plans, but he’d anticipated her answer. She would end up in her room, eating off a tray. She’d watch TV, mostly reruns of shows she’d liked when his father had been alive.
Tucker had heard her talk to him from time to time. As if he were in the next chair. Irene was lonely. What scared him was his suspicion that she wanted all the forgiveness she could get from Christian because she didn’t plan on sticking around.
He rubbed his tired eyes, then stared at his watch until it came into focus. Annie was taking a long time. A whole lot longer than making a pot of coffee required. Maybe she was checking her hiding spots, making sure he hadn’t been snooping. Great. He’d probably disturbed something that made her suspicious. For all he knew she’d grabbed her coffee can and run.
As if on cue he heard the rumble of an engine. He jumped to his feet, half expecting to see her taking off in that old green pickup, leaving a cloud of dust behind. As soon as he made it outside, he saw that it was a truck, a late-model four-door from what he could tell, coming down the road toward Safe Haven. He’d assumed they’d be alone for the rest of the night, but maybe the local vet was arriving to check on the mares.
Annie came around the edge of the path, stopping to stare at the oncoming vehicle. Tucker couldn’t see her face, but her body stiffened and she brought the thermoses she carried up to her chest.
A moment later, she relaxed again. The truck was familiar to her. The vet, or perhaps a friend. Although Kathy and Levi had suggested that Annie didn’t have many of those.
She shot him a look, and when he nodded, she changed course for the parking area. The big truck had settled next to the old green pickup. He watched four people climb out. Two men, two women. The men were both tall, one dark haired, the other light brown, both dressed as his own hands would be, but that didn’t mean a thing in cattle country. He knew professors and CEOs who wore Stetsons and jeans on a daily basis. The smaller woman was a brunette, the other a redhead, also wearing jeans. Annie was taller than both of them.
Instead of continuing to stare like a tourist, he went back into the stable. Glory was on her side, huffing, uncomfortable, more obviously stressed. He watched for a bit, but he couldn’t see enough from this angle to tell if there was cause for concern. She settled, though, so Tucker went to the birthing kit and checked it out, even though he knew exactly what he’d find. Subdued voices approached, and he walked outside. One guy held a cooler, and the other had a big picnic basket. A good distance from the doors, Annie and the two women waited. The closer he got, the more uncomfortable she appeared.
“Kathy called Shea, so they came with dinner and help if we need it. Doc Yardley is stuck on a call at another ranch, most likely for the night,” Annie murmured, sweeping a glance from the newcomers to him. “This is Tucker Brennan.”
“Shea Monroe,” the brunette said, and held out a stiff hand, which he shook.
“Ah, yes, the chairman of the board,” he said. “Pleasure.”
Annie nodded at the guy holding the drinks. His hair was shorter than his cohort, almost a military cut. “Jesse McAllister.”
“The pilot. That’s a great service you run,” Tucker said.
“It’s a co-op. I just fly where I’m told.”
“And this is his sister, Rachel.”
They greeted each other with smiles.
“I’m Matt Gunderson,” the other guy said. “Hope we’re not intruding, but according to Shea, you two are in for a long night.”
“You’re not intruding.” Annie’s words sounded sincere, but she wasn’t looking at any of her friends, and the thermoses were back in place against her chest.
“Have we met?” Tucker asked, staring at Gunderson.
“Don’t think so.”
“Wait, you’re a bull rider. I’ve seen you ride in Dallas. You won the nationals in Vegas last year.”
Matt nodded. “That’d be me. Listen, I know you guys have to keep it down, make sure the mares are doing okay. We can just drop this stuff off and be on our way, unless you think you’ll need a hand.”
Annie looked up at that, first at Matt, then at Tucker. He couldn’t read her expression, but if he had to guess, he’d have said she’d tell them to go. But then she looked at Shea, and her shoulders dropped. “No, stay. In fact, you guys can tell Tucker about town, and the new boardinghouse and stuff. I have to go check on Glory.” Annie shoved one of the thermoses at him, then walked into the stable.
The surprise wasn’t that he’d guessed wrong about her telling her friends to leave, but at the deep sense of disappointment he felt at Annie pawning him off. He tried to convince himself that his frustration was because of his investigation, but he knew that wasn’t quite true.
ANNIE HAD KNOWN THAT LETTING people into her solitary life was going to be trouble. She just hadn’t guessed the form it would take. She’d tried to make it clear that any generosity or kindness flowing her way should be directed solely at Safe Haven. People being nice to her made her want to scream.
It wasn’t their fault. They had no idea who she was, what she’d done to her parents, to the people her stupidity had harmed. Even with what Shea knew, she probably still didn’t get it. They all saw this person saving animals and figured she must be a wonderful soul, selfless to the core.
The only reason she hadn’t chased them away was because of Tucker. Annie should have been prepared with some food and drinks. Despite all appearances, she hadn’t been raised in a barn.
But at least she could trust Shea with Tucker. Unlike Kathy and Levi, Shea was more concerned with getting financing from Tucker’s foundation than talking up Annie. As if she hadn’t figured out their little ploy.
Glory was really sweating. She was on her feet and moving around, and as Annie watched, the mare’s placenta ruptured. Annie wouldn’t leave again until the foal dropped. Glory went down again in the middle of her nest.
Annie held her breath