Page 44 of The Rancher

Lyris frowned, her eyes narrowed and her brows furrowed. “He’s at the top of my list. We have to let Ray know. He needs to report it to the police.”

“You go find him. I’ll stay with the horses.” Will was turning away.

She put her hand on his arm and stopped him. “No, you go. I have work to do and I can watch them while I take care of business. Why don’t you have Ray come back here. We can make up a timeline of Ted’s movements while he was here.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back.”

“Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.”

“I worry about you being out here without a weapon.”

Lyris shook her head and chuckled. “I’d probably end up shooting myself in the foot.”

Will grinned. “I can see why the boss likes you.” He turned and left.

She ran a hand over her hair, hoping to smooth it a bit before Ray returned.

“You can smooth your hair as much as you want, but it still won’t be enough to nab a man like Ray Kincaid.”

The voice hit Lyris like a bucket of ice water and chilled her to her bones. She spun around and faced Marissa.

CHAPTER 12

Flanked by Ted on one side and Scott on the other, Marissa pointed a pistol at Lyris.

She lifted a brow. “Maybe I should let you have the gun, and you can shoot yourself. I’d never be implicated in that scenario.”

Despite her fear of dying, Lyris looked at each man and then at Marissa. “It’s not too late. You can still just back away. The colt didn’t die, and Ted is the only one who might get in trouble.” She realized what she said as she was saying it but couldn’t take it back. Anger was rearing its head and pushing her fear to the side.

Marissa laughed. “You really think he won’t turn on me? I’m surprised he hasn’t already.”

The man in question sneered at Marissa but then turned and pointed at Lyris. “You got me fired. I should kill you where you stand just for that.”

“I didn’t get you fired. You did when you doped Stormchaser and then set bear traps in the pasture. You knew exactly what would happen. And if you’d found him, you’d have killed him. I know how people like you work.” Her chest heaved as she tried to settle her anger.

“Well, none of that matters.” Ted narrowed his eyes and one side of his mouth lifted as he sneered at her. “Without you, Stormchaser won’t heal right and will be no good to Ray. His entire breeding program is built around that horse.”

Lyris blew at the hair that hung in her face after her outburst. She was afraid to move it behind her ear. Afraid to make any sort of movement that might cause Marissa to shoot first and ask questions later. “You intend for me to go with you quietly. I won’t do it.”

Ted stepped over to Junebug’s stall. “You will if you don’t want these colts killed here and now.” He pulled a pistol with what looked like a silencer and aimed it at the colts.

Ted re-aimed the gun at Junebug’s head. “I guess their mother would do just as well.”

“No!” Pulse pounding, Lyris jumped at Ted. “I’ll go with you. Don’t hurt the horses. Please.”

Marissa laughed. “I knew that would convince you. Ted, come back here if you expect to get paid.”

He clenched his jaw but put his gun back in the side holster under his jacket.

Lyris raised her hands and stepped towards Marissa.

Scott stood there and didn’t say a word.

Looking at him, Lyris didn’t understand how Marissa could choose him over Ray.I guess she wanted someone she could control because he seems to only follow Marissa’s lead.

Stepping to the side, Marissa kept her pistol aimed at Lyris.

She walked past Marissa and out the back door.