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“Frankly, I don’t want you here at all,” Jayson said and her gaze shot to his. “The least your people can do is respect my property.”
Her jaw tightened. “If it wasn’t for your gambling habit, we wouldn’t be here.”
A shiver rolled through her as Jayson’s eyes turned hard and storm-dark. “I play poker with friends,” he said in a cutting tone. “Doesn’t mean I have a gambling problem. What I do have a problem with is how your people have taken over and how they’re doing it.”
She pushed her long hair over her shoulder and placed her hands on her hips.
He continued, “They’re in the way and have made everything a mess. They’ve toppled a corral, moved things around that I want to stay put, and are generally getting into things they shouldn’t be. They leave gates open. Only stupid people leave gates open on a ranch.”
A shadow passed over them and they looked up. Charlie’s drone circled the trailers. Charlie leaned up against the rail of a corral as he used a controller to dictate the drone’s movements.
She looked back at Jayson. His features had tightened even more. “That drone spooked my cattle and they trampled a fence. My men and I had to round them up and repair the fence line.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Get that drone down,” he said. “Or next time I see it I’ll shoot it down and have the taxidermist mount it and put it on the wall next to Big Jimmy.”
Heat prickled her skin. “You hunt?”
“I aim to start if I see that drone again.” He set his jaw. “The damn thing spooked my cattle and upset my horses. I won’t put up with that. I have a mare ready to foal who’s getting real nervous.”
The moment he’d said “horses,” her skin chilled and she went still.
“I’ll fix that for you.” Celine broke through the icy shell that had temporarily immobilized her. She moved to the mare and rested her palm on the shotgun’s stock. “May I?”
Jayson appeared to be taken aback. “All right.”
“Loaded?” she asked.
“Uh-huh,” he said slowly.
A quick few seconds and she held the shotgun, barrel pointed up. “Are your horses used to guns, especially her?” She nodded in the direction of the chestnut.
“They’re all gun-trained,” he said in his low cowboy drawl. “Including Starlight.”
“Good.” Celine turned and looked in the direction of the drone. She raised the recoil pad to her shoulder and sighted the drone. She waited until the thing was clear of humans and animals alike, then squeezed the trigger.
Boom.
The shot echoed throughout the foothills .
The drone exploded. What was left plummeted and slammed into the dirt.
Everything and everyone fell silent. She’d had it with Charlie and that damned thing.
“That was a $5,000 drone,” Charlie wailed and started to come closer.
She narrowed her gaze.
Charlie stepped back.
Celine turned to Jayson. “What else can I do for you?”
He watched her as if for sudden movement. “You can get them to leave my things alone and to close the damn gates.”
She turned to the staff that gaped at her. “Next one to leave a gate open, or get into Mr. McBride’s belongings without permission, will get an ass full of buckshot. You’ll be picking it out for the next week.” She glared at all of them. “Have I made myself clear?”
Rapid nods from everyone.
“Then get back to work.” Celine turned back to Jayson. “Can you get a list to me of approved locations my people can use?”
