She swallowed hard, and in that moment, Lyle saw real fear in her eyes. "My ex-husband."
Lyle felt his protective instincts surge. The way she'd frozen earlier in town suddenly made sense.
Kenny appeared from around the corner and Heather jolted.
“Sorry,” he said, discreetly tucking a weapon in a shoulder holster. “All clear here. It was too dark to make the plate.”
Lyle nodded at his brother, holstered his own gun. "Come on," he said gently, wrapping an arm around Heather’s shoulders. "You're staying at the main house tonight. No arguments."
For once, she didn't protest. Instead, she let him guide her inside to gather a few things and make sure the dogs were secure and settled for the night.
As they walked back to the house, Lyle couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was at play. Whether it was Darren Richards or this mysterious ex-husband—or both—someone was trying to intimidate Heather.
And that raised every chivalrous, protective instinct he possessed.
Back in the main house, Joe had already called the sheriff and was in full protective mode, checking windows and doors while Charlotte sat at the kitchen table, Pudge in her lap and the puppies at her feet.
"Sheriff's on his way," Joe said as Lyle and Heather entered. "You okay?"
Heather nodded, though her hands were still shaking slightly. "I feel silly causing all this fuss."
"Nothing silly about being cautious," Lyle said firmly. He guided her to a chair beside Charlotte, who immediately reached out to take her hand.
"Was it a bad guy?" Charlotte asked, her small voice trembling slightly.
"No, sweetheart," Heather assured her, squeezing the little girl's hand. "Probably just someone who got lost and turned around in our driveway."
But Lyle could see that she didn't believe that any more than he did. The timing was too convenient, especially after what Joe had discovered about Darren Richards.
Twenty minutes later, Sheriff Dan Tucker arrived, his suntanned face serious as he took their statements. He'd known the Watkins family for years and had actually gone to school with Lyle and Frank.
"I'll have deputies keep an eye on the property," he said, closing his notebook. "And Heather, you might want to think about getting some security cameras installed."
"I can help with that," Joe offered. "We've got a pretty good system here at the main house. Wouldn't take much to extend it to your cabin."
Heather started to protest, but Lyle cut her off. "It's not negotiable, Firefly. Not after tonight."
She looked like she might argue, but then her shoulders sagged slightly. "Okay. But I'm paying for it."
"Deal," Joe said, though Lyle knew his brother had no intention of actually letting her foot the bill. Her cabin belonged to them. Eventually, as the dude ranch expanded, they’d be extending the security anyway.
After the sheriff left, they all sat around the kitchen table, the silence heavy with unspoken questions. Charlotte had dozed off in her chair, her head resting against Heather's arm.
"You want to talk about it?" Lyle asked quietly.
Heather took a deep breath, her fingers absently stroking Charlotte's curls. "Not really. But I suppose I should."
Joe stood, gathering his laptop. "I'll give you two some privacy. And I'll get the guest room ready."
Once Joe had disappeared down the hall, Heather turned to face Lyle fully. "Bret McGowen was my husband. It wasn't... it wasn't a good marriage."
Lyle reached across the table, taking her hand in his. "Did he hurt you?"
She nodded, tears gathering in her eyes. "He had a temper. And control issues. I left him about a year ago and came back here to start over."
"Does he know where you are?"
She shrugged." I haven’t had any contact with him since the divorce, but he knows where Frank is, so I imagine he could find me if he wanted to. That truck tonight was just like his. But it’s been a year since the divorce. What would he want with me now?”
