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“Thanks.” Liam shook his hand.
“Sure thing.”
Once Liam exited the truck, Reece drove off. He entered the barn, found Jerry, and told him to get some men around the cattle. He knew Jerry would take care of it.
He strolled to his office to work on the payroll. His mind was constantly on Siobhan, and wondered if she’d even talk to him again.
The next evening, Liam and two of his men stayed with the cattle. He had his rifle in the sheath, so he’d be ready for anything, but it was quiet.
They kept the cattle together but sat back so no one would see them as they sat on their horses, at the wood’s edge.
Liam huffed and was about to call it a night when the cattle started shifting and bawling louder. He nudged Diablo from the woods and glanced around. Something was spooking the herd, and he wanted to see what he had to deal with.
As he sat there, listening, he heard men’s voices. He picked up the walkie-talkie, and quietly spoke into it.
“You guys aren’t talking, are you? I hear someone.”
“Not us, boss.”
“Shit,” Liam said as he put the walkie-talkie in his pocket.
He nudged the horse to move out a little further. The light of the moon lit up the pasture. He removed the rifle from the sheath, raised it, and looked through the night vision scope. He shifted his eyes around the pasture then swung back when something caught his eye.
“Son of a bitch,” he swore when he saw the truck drive through a cut section of the fence, and it was pulling a trailer. He spoke into the two way radio. “They’re here. Right where they cut fence before. Stay put.”
“Be careful, Liam,” one of the men said.
As he walked the horse out further, he heard the gate on the trailer open.
“Hell, no.” Liam pulled the bolt lever, and watched through the scope until he saw two men taking horses from the trailer. “Shit.”
When they got on the horses, one of them ran his horse at the herd, and the cattle panicked.
“Stampede,” Liam yelled into the radio as the herd ran. He nudged his horse to run after them, but halted when he felt a bullet whiz by his head at the same instant he heard the gun shot and it hit the tree behind him, sending bark flying. “Damn it.”
“Boss? You okay?”
“Yeah, the bastards shot at me. I’m calling Reece.”
“What do you want us to do?”
“Nothing. I don’t need you getting shot.”
“But—”
“Stay put,” Liam snapped, as he called Reece.
“Yes, sir.”
“Liam?” Reece answered.
“They’re stealing my cattle, Reece. Right now.”
“Hell. I’m on my way. Do not interact with them, Liam. Do you hear me?”
“Yeah, I hear you, but they shot at me.”
“Are you all right?”
