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“Okay, I’m here if you need anything.”
I nod gratefully and dial Junior’s number. He answers right away.
“Babe, hear me out,” Junior says. “I know what happened to that emu now. That section of gate that you kept repairing…he was trying to get out and got cut too badly. I haven’t been mistreating your fucking emus. I heard Kess talking shit about me.”
“How do you know it was the gate?” I ask, wiping my face as the tears keep falling.
“I saw the blood and feathers on the gate. I’m sorry, babe. I know how much you care about these birds.”
My face twists up as I cry harder. He’s not sorry. Hedoesn’t care. I want to rage at him, but I feel helpless being so far away and clueless about what’s really going on.
“My RV broke down and needs a part. That’s why I haven’t gotten there sooner,” I tell him.
Callum rubs my back and hands me a tissue, his eyes full of concern.
“So youarecoming back?” Junior asks.
“As soon as I can. It’s just taking a little longer than I’d hoped because the part has been on back order.” I dry my face with the tissue. “Please don’t let anything happen to another one!”
I sound hysterical, but I don’t care. Thor…or even if it’s really Stan…both of them are too young for this to be age-related. And Kess thought they looked fine yesterday. Maybe he really was trying to get out of the gate.
“You’ll fix the fence?” I ask.
“I’ll fix the fence,” he says in a soothing voice that makes my nose curl up. “Just get your ass back here, Ruby.”
“I already said I was,” I snap.
“I’ve gotta go. The sheriff is here because your cousin is losing her shit. Rein her in, Ruby.”
I growl into the phone, but he’s already hung up. I toss the phone on the floor next to me and put my face in my hands.
“It’s so late, and I’m too tired to drive tonight…and I don’t have a car to drive anyway,” I sob.
Callum’s arms wrap around me. “I’ll call Bill to see the status of that part. Maybe it came while he’s been off for Thanksgiving. And I’ll also call George. He’s the main pilot who works for the resort. I’ll see if a helicopter is available.”
I exhale a shaky breath. “That would be amazing,” I manage to get out.
“Do you think you can get some sleep? Maybe take a bath in our tub? I’ll keep my hands to myself.” He tries to smilebut looks so worried about me, I grip his arms so he’ll hold me tighter.
“I don’t know if I can sleep, but I’ll take a bath and then try. I’m so sorry to end such an amazing weekend on such an awful note. I don’t want to leave you,” I say, the tears falling again.
“I’m going with you. I don’t want you anywhere near that fucker.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS
CALLUM
She does eventually sleep. But it’s tormented with bad dreams. She wakes up more than once crying and sitting up like she’s panicking.
“I should’ve made sure they were okay,” she says over and over.
Meanwhile, I rage all night about that bastard and try to figure out how to get us there…fast.
By morning I still haven’t heard from Billor George, and Hilary and Abby are in Colorado Springs until this afternoon, which leaves me scrambling for another plan for the ranch. Just as I’m ready to scorch the earth, Bill calls. And as soon as I’m off the phone with Bill, George calls. Ruby comes downstairs while I’m talking to him, dressed but looking drained.
“Would you like to hear the good news or the bad news first?” I ask her when we hang up.
