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“He already has,” Alice said, to remind Kent of his father’s threats. “He believed I was the one to bring the sickness.”
“With him or without him, we’ve still lost a sheep and there are more that are sick. We can’t just stand here discussing what to do. Can we make a case with just my father’s report? Have the Oleson’s lost any cattle yet? Could they work with us?”
Blake held his hands out in what felt like a shrug. “You know as well as I do that cattle is king around here and the Oleson’s have reported nothing. Cows pay the bills. Sheep are secondary. Many see them as a waste of good cattle land. The sheriff's position is, at its core, a political position. The sheriff is a good man, but if we go after the company that’s keeping families fed, it better be because there’s an issue with one of the most influential families in town.”
“I’m sorry, Alice.” Kent held his head as if he were ashamed of his name.
“I’ve known my whole life that my family played second fiddle to all the cattle outfits. But I never thought the law thought so, too.”
Kent strode over to her and held her elbows, offering support in his loose hold. “I’ll figure out what’s wrong. I won’t give up.”
“I know, but we’ve found nothing else except the possible link to the water. Without that sample, we won’t know for sure.”
“I think you should assume for now that there is no way to get that sample. Look for other options. It might not be the water. Alice said she thought the puppy wasn’t connected, but maybe it was. He only improved when he came back to our place and we bought him from a farm near the Oleson ranch.” Blake looked at each person around the room. “All I’m saying is we shouldn’t bet on a losing horse. We shouldn’t bet at all.”
Bodey bowed his head. “Father, we’re about to head on over and ask Louis Douglas for help. We know that the only way he’ll listen to us is if you allow it. We also know that he has free will and if he doesn’t listen to You, he won’t listen to us, either. Prepare the way, we ask. We hope that he would have an open and receptive ear. And mostly, we pray that all of us make it off his property unharmed.”
Bodey opened his mouth to continue as Armstrong took over the prayer. “We pray he would be in a moment of calm when we arrive and that our arrival doesn’t send him into an episode. Be with each one of us and keep us safe. Amen.”
Armstrong glanced around the room. “I don’t ask that lightly. Since he sent Alice away two days ago, he’s been on a rampage. Kent hasn’t seen it because he stays in the bunkhouse. Ma and Dosha are with him every minute of every day. They don’t get a moment free. Ma has taken to carrying a gun on her hip because she’s afraid he’ll pull one on her. Be alert while we’re there. This might push his mind over the edge.”
Alice clutched Kent’s arms. If they stepped together, they’d embrace, but this was not the time for that. She doused the feelings of worry coursing through her. Kent would be safe. He would talk to Louis and then return to her. Especially if she never left his side.
“I want to go with you,” she whispered so only he could hear. “I’m worried.”
“He kicked you off our property. If he sees you, he’ll be angry for sure. The only person who will stop him from an angry outburst is Blake. Seeing a deputy there might make him act accordingly. But I don’t want to test that with you.”
“I’m going.”
“Then you’ll ride with me. Because I’m not leaving your safety up to chance.”
“I’m glad we see eye-to-eye.” She met his gaze, and that protective glint in his eye made her stomach do a trembly flip. He might be grumpy with everyone else, but with her, his nature turned protective, and that made her feel important.
They all went outside, a feeling of heaviness surrounding them. All mounted up and Kent pulled his foot out of his stirrup and gave her a hand up behind his saddle, just like he’d done when he rescued her the day a bull had run her up a tree. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned into his strength. Today, unlike then, she could enjoy it.
The ride only took a few minutes and silence met them at the Douglas ranch. Armstrong swung down from the saddle and headed toward the house. “I’ll bring Pa out.”
She hated that he looked nervous. Armstrong had always been the bigger of the two brothers, though they were very similar. As such, he’d scared her witless growing up. Even now, he could seem rude and argumentative. But living with Louis Douglas probably did that, since Kent had the same issue.
Louis strode from the house with a shotgun at his side. “What do you think you’re doing here?” He shouldered the gun and aimed it at Pa.
“No!” she screamed, and Kent gripped her hands against his chest to hold her in place so she couldn’t slide off the horse as she wanted.
“You don’t belong on my property, now or ever, Johlman. I sent your daughter away days ago. What makes you think you’re any different?”
Pa held up his hands away from the pistol on his hip. “I’m not here to start anything. I know you’ve had some sick cattle. Heard it from Kent when he was working on some of my sick sheep. He thinks the problem might be in the water.”
Pa swallowed and waited for Louis to lower his weapon.
“The problem isn’t in the water. If it was, my horses would be sick and so would my dogs,” Louis yelled so he didn’t have to leave the porch.
Alice’s mind raced. While the man wasn’t right in the head, he made a solid point. Why weren’t the horses and dogs sick? If it affected sheep and cattle, they should be.
“Louis, put down your gun and talk to us. We can work together to make this stop. We can think of what’s going on together and not lose any more animals.” Blake nudged his horse forward. “I’m here to make sure everything is nice and legal, Louis. You don’t need to worry about anything.” Blake also held up his hands for Louis.
Louis chuckled and slowly shook his head. “I don’t know what you think you can do for me, but I’m here to tell you it’s nothing. Sickness comes and goes in animals. They’ll get sick, they’ll get better.” He glanced toward the barn. “Fairbanks!” he yelled to his foreman. “Escort these people off my property. The only one who can stay is Armstrong, for now.” He pointed at Kent and shook his finger. “That one. He’s been warned, and he’s not allowed on this property again.”
Fairbanks had the decency to look uncomfortable, but that didn’t stop him from stepping forward to do Louis’s bidding.
