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And she would hold him to it. Tess kept quiet while they rode along the woods, looking and listening for anything out of the ordinary. But after a good half hour, it was clear their perpetrators had taken another day off. There was no sign of the wild horses either.
“Maybe this is over,” Aiden suggested as they rode back down through the woods. “Maybe they’ll leave the herd alone.”
“This isn’t over.” Tess couldn’t give up and forget about what happened to Legacy. She’d started this fight and she’d finish it. “This won’t be over until we get justice for Legacy. Until we make sure they get caught.”
The rest of the way back to the ranch she told Aiden about her plans to set apart a section of her land to become a wild horse sanctuary. “I’ll need a lot of help. We’ll have to add new fencing and section off the property so we can move the herd periodically to revegetate.”
“I’m happy to help.” Aiden took the lead through the pasture. “And I know Kyra will help out as much as she can when she’s not busy at the clinic.”
“Thanks.” She slowed Dreamer on the driveway and watched the school bus turn off the highway. Perfect timing.
Morgan and Willow bounded off the bus. “Uncle Aiden!”
Her younger daughter made it to them first. “I can’t wait to go to the ballet show in Jackson!”
“Me neither.” Her brother dismounted. “I’ve been practicing my ballet.” He put his arms overhead and twirled around in a circle.
“Uncle Aiden, you’re such a goofball!” Morgan shook her head, but she was laughing.
“Andyou’re the worst ballet dancer I’ve ever seen,” Willow added.
He totally was. But he was also the best brother in the entire world. “So you’ll pick them up tomorrow after school?”
“Yep.” Aiden led Recon into the trailer and closed it up. “We’ll go have a fancy dinner and see the show and maybe even swim in the hotel pool.”
The girls both cheered and launched themselves at him for hugs.
After Aiden left, Tess walked them inside. “How about some cookies for a snack?” She went right into the kitchen and set the chocolate chip cookies they’d made last night onto a plate.
“Look, Mom.” Morgan walked in carrying a bunch of photos. “Callie brought me pictures from our sleepover. Isn’t this the coolest bike I was riding? She has three bikes. Can you believe that?”
Tess studied the picture. Callie and Morgan and Willow were posing on bikes in front of Brad’s open garage. “Wow.”
Wait a minute… She looked closer. The very corner of a white UTV was visible in the background. But she couldn’t see enough to tell if there was a purple stripe. “Morgan, do you remember what that UTV behind you looked like?” She pointed to the grainy image. “Did it have a purple stripe running around it?”
Her daughter looked at the picture again. “I dunno. Why?”
“No reason.” She set the plate of cookies on the table, keeping her voice light. “Just wondering.” Oh, she was wondering all right.
She was wondering if Brad had been lying to her all along.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
So let me get this straight.” Lyric crouched on her knees and started to fold up her yoga mat. “You think Brad Kline owns the white UTV with the purple stripe?”
“Yes.” Still sitting on her mat, Tess took a long sip of water. Her yoga session had ended but she was no more relaxed than she’d been when she’d arrived at the studio an hour ago. Since Aiden and Kyra had picked up the girls from school to head to Jackson, Tess figured she would get Lyric’s opinion on the whole situation while she got in a good workout.
“But you haven’t talked to Brad about your suspicions?” Her friend grabbed a broom from the corner of the room and started to sweep the floor around her.
“No. I haven’t spoken with him yet.” Brad had the opportunity to tell her the UTV belonged to him after the meeting at her house, but instead he’d rushed out like he was nervous. Or maybe she’d been imagining his haste. And anyhow, she hadn’t had time to do much since she’d been on the phone all day with various beef customers. Even with everything else going on, she still had a ranch to run.
“Brad knows we’re looking for a white UTV. You were at the meeting. No one spoke up and said they’d seen one. If he lied then, he’s not going to tell me the truth now.” She went back through their conversations in her head. None of this made sense. Brad had seemed just as disturbed as she had been about the shootings in the high meadow.
Tess rolled up her mat and began packing her bag. “I guess I could try talking to him. Or maybe I shouldn’t handle this at all. Maybe I should tell Natalie.” The police could confront Brad. They were supposed to be the ones solving crimes, after all. Surely the man wouldn’t lie to a police chief. If Natalie could stop by his house, maybe she’d see the UTV for herself.
“Have you talked to Silas about your suspicions?” Lyric swept the dust she’d collected into a dustpan and emptied it in the trash.
Ah, Silas. Her heart turned all warm and gooey at the mention of his name. “Not yet. But we’re hanging out Saturday night and all day Sunday.” Tess figured there would be plenty of time to discuss the latest developments with him while they were up in the high meadow waiting to see if Legacy’s herd accepted her back in. Yes, they’d have plenty of time to talk… and time to do other things too, hopefully. Tess stood on wobbling legs. Thoughts of that man never failed to mess with her equilibrium.
