Neither understood yet how dangerous that ease would become.
Trouble on the Ridge
The trouble began in July.
A herd of cattle disappeared from Kaia's eastern pasture.
Twenty-three head.
Not lost.
Stolen.
Kaia knew because the tracks led toward the old ridge road.
Someone had cut her fence.
She rode straight to Garrett's ranch.
This time she didn't bother with a letter.
Garrett was repairing a saddle when she entered the barn.
"We have a problem."
He looked up immediately.
"What happened?"
"My cattle are gone."
His expression hardened.
"How many?"
"Twenty-three."
"When?"
"Last night."
Garrett stood.
"Show me."
They rode together.
The tracks were clear.
Three horses.
A wagon.
And someone had deliberately covered part of the trail with branches.
Garrett crouched beside the marks.
"These aren't local men."
"How do you know?"
"Look at the horseshoe."
Kaia dismounted.
Garrett pointed.
"The front shoe has a square heel."
She looked carefully.
"What's that mean?"
"I've seen that shoe before."
"Where?"
"At the Miller Crossing."
Kaia's eyes narrowed.
"The Miller Crossing is forty miles south."
"Exactly."
"Why would someone steal my cattle and take them there?"
Garrett stood.
"Because they're probably not stealing cattle."
Kaia stared at him.
"What?"
"They're moving cattle."
"That's the same thing."
"No."
He pointed toward the trail.
"If they wanted meat, they'd take a few animals. Twenty-three head means they have a buyer."
Kaia's stomach tightened.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
Garrett looked toward the horizon.
"But I intend to find out."
They followed the trail until sunset.
At the edge of a canyon, they discovered something worse.
A dead horse.
And beside it, a bloodied saddle.
Kaia dismounted.
"Someone was here."
Garrett nodded.
He examined the ground.
"Recently."
Then a rifle shot cracked through the canyon.
Garrett grabbed Kaia and pulled her behind a rock.
Another shot struck the ground.
"Stay down."
"Garrett—"
"Stay down."
He drew his revolver.
Kaia pulled her own pistol.
He looked at her.
"You carry?"
"Of course."
"Good."
A third shot came.
Then silence.
Garrett waited.
"Three men," he whispered.
"You're sure?"
"Three different positions."
Kaia looked at him.
"How do you know?"
"I listen."
They waited.
Eventually, the attackers retreated.
Garrett stood.
"We need to leave."
"We're not abandoning my cattle."
"We aren't."
He pointed toward the canyon.
"They're heading south."
Kaia mounted Rain.
Garrett looked at her.
"Stay behind me."
"No."
"Kaia."
"I won't hide behind you."
He stared.
Then he smiled slightly.
"Fine."
They rode together.
For the first time, Kaia realized something.
Garrett wasn't simply quiet.
He was afraid.
Not for himself.
For her.
And that frightened her far more than the rifle shots.
What Garrett Had Lost
They found the cattle two days later.
The herd was being held in an abandoned mining camp.
Four men guarded them.