Peace River (Rockland Ranch Series) (5 page)

             
She seemed to be warming up and became more enthusiastic.  “Just yesterday she was telling me how much she wanted to get away, but didn’t want to leave her horse.  This might work out perfectly!”  Her brown eyes were shining as she stood looking from one cowboy to the other.  After a minute of silence, while Rossen gave Slade a searching look, she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket.  “Come on!  At least meet her.  If you don’t like her, no harm done.” 

             
“How do you know we’re not muggers or politicians or something?”  Rossen broke the tension with a grin and a twinkle in his eye. “For that matter, how do we know she’s not a mugger or politician or something?”

                                                        ****

              She turned to study the two cowboys at length.  Slade knew exactly what she was seeing.  Even with the crease in their hair from the hats that were resting on adjoining chairs, they were both good looking enough. 

             
Slade was quieter, was tall and dark with slightly curly hair and heavy shoulders.  He was clean-shaven and the brown hands that rested on the table in front of him were heavily calloused.  His bright green eyes were steady as he returned her gaze. 

             
Rossen was also tall.  Blonde hair bleached by the sun and blue eyes framed with tiny smile lines looked back at her with the same steady gaze.  She studied them for a moment, apparently weighing something in her mind.             

It had to be obvious
that they were a little skeptical where women were concerned. It always seemed that they’d had more than their fair share of females who would like to mug them.  The waitress scrunched her lips to the side as if she were considering, as she said, “Hmm, I can see how you two might need some protection from questionable women.”  Her teasing smile was back. “You are kinda cute.  We may have to blindfold her to ensure your safety!”  With that she laughed and dialed her phone.

                                          ****

As Carrie went about her day, her heart waffled between a sense of urgency and an inner calm.  When she tried to rack her brain for a solution, the worry would build, but then a scripture from 2
nd
Timothy would slip into her mind, ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.’  With that thought she would remind herself that God was over all and she need not fear.  A warm peace would flow into her heart, a ‘river of peace’ that she knew was from God.  She knew He was there watching over her and aware of her troubles.  If she could just trust in Him and lean not to her own understanding, she knew He would provide answers to her prayers. 

             
In her heart she knew that, but it was hard not to worry about those around her and even for her own safety and for her grandfather’s farm.  It was hard to be calm and wait on God.  A sense of urgency filled her heart in spite of the fact that she knew God was over all.  In fact, she felt like this feeling of being compelled came from Him.  She wanted to do something.  She felt like she needed to do something.  Now!  Today!  She just didn’t know what.

             
She tried to think more clearly.  Could she just pack her things and load up a trailer with Ebony and somehow sneak out without Judd or his cronies finding out?  She would need to involve as few people as possible, but all of their trucks and trailers had the farm logo emblazoned across them.  Usually that was a good thing but it wasn’t very inconspicuous. 

And where could she go?  How could she hide that distinctive horse for any period of time?  How would she find a place to
stay and somewhere to board him where he wouldn’t be recognized?  The truck logos and his face marking would give them away immediately.

             
Maybe she could buy a new truck and trailer, but even if she paid cash, the people Judd was involved with would know exactly what she was driving all too soon.  And if she did get safely away, where would it all end?  If the thought of the police and the laws and courts hadn’t deterred Judd alone, how could she stop him if he was now working with organized crime?

             
She was struggling again to hold that peace in her heart when Anna called. 

Carrie wasn’t sure what Anna was up to.  She’d sounded so excited on the phone and then she’d calle
d her Isabel, the old damsel-in-distress name from their childhood games.  She practically demanded that Carrie drop everything and come to her work immediately to meet someone.  Carrie was sure she’d met all her cousins and Anna hadn’t talked about a new guy when they’d spoken last night, so what was going on?

             
Carrie walked into the mostly empty diner and waited by the front counter for Anna to respond to the sound of the bell on the door.  The only people in the place were two men in the back part of the dining room working on heaping pieces of pie.  They’d both looked up as the bell sounded and seemed to be openly studying her.  Their expressions weren’t flirtatious or aggressive, just frankly curious, and she discreetly returned their scrutiny. 

Tall and clean-
shaven, they were wearing button down shirts.  They were both strikingly handsome and had open honest faces, deeply tanned skin, and the blonde one’s hair was bleached by the sun.  Her subtle inspection was interrupted when Anna came breezing out of the kitchen with a tall soda and fairly skipped over to Carrie. 

             
“Hey.”  Carrie turned toward her friend and automatically accepted her hug.  “What’s up?  What did you need that couldn’t wait?  Who did you want me to meet?”

             
Whispering, Anna asked, “Um, did you happen to notice the two men in the dining room?”  Her brown eyes were absolutely flashing. 

             
Carrie lowered her own voice. “They are a little hard to miss, frankly.  Look at them.  Why?” 

             
Anna whispered back, “Well, it’s a very long story, but it begins with this.  They’re professional rodeo cowboys who are possibly looking for someone to travel with them and cook.”  She spoke faster and her excitement was obvious.  “Carrie, they go all over and take their horses!  No one here knows them!  You could get safely away without Judd or anyone knowing!”

             
Carrie looked at her sharply in concern. “Anna, are you nuts?” 

             
Anna’s eyes and voice became earnest. “Carrie, I know this is going to sound weird, but I don’t think those two men in there are here by coincidence.  I feel good about them.  I think they’re the answer to our prayers.”  Anna looked long into Carrie’s eyes.  “I don’t really want to have to tell you this, but you need to know.  Judd and his nephew, and whoever else, really are planning to do something drastic.  They were in here this morning and I overheard some of their plans.  You need to leave now!  And you need to get Ebony Wind safely away too!  Come and talk to these guys.  See if you feel like it’s a good idea.  This might be the perfect solution!”

             
Carrie glanced over to the two men. “Do you even know them?”

             
“No, I just met them, but I do know Judd!  Come talk to them.  See what you think.  I’ve been praying about it and have a peaceful feeling about it, and I’m so afraid for you to stay.”

             
Carrie hardly had to consider.  She had to do something.  Telling herself she could always say no if she felt it was a bad idea, she straightened her shoulders and walked into the dining room. 

             
She walked purposefully up to their table and they immediately stood up.  She was just extending her hand to introduce herself, when Anna interrupted her by saying, “Isabel, I’d like you to meet my new friends.”  Carrie caught herself just in time.  She almost turned to ask her friend if she’d lost her mind and couldn’t remember her name, when she realized why Anna was calling her Isabel.  Of course, she couldn’t just continue to be Carrie O’Rourke if she went.  So, with barely a glance at Anna, she became Isabel. 

             
The blonde one took her hand firmly. “I’m Rossen Rockland, from Wyoming, and this is my good friend and roping partner, Slade Marsh.  It’s good to meet you.”  Both men looked her square in the eye as they in turn shook her hand with their deeply calloused ones. 

             
She turned to the darker one.  “And you are from?”  He had the most amazing green eyes. 

             
“Rossen and I are both from Wyoming.  Southwest corner of the state, up in the mountains.”  His manner was absolutely direct.

             
“And what exactly are you looking for in this traveling cook position?”  She might as well get right to the point. 

             
“That’s a good question.”  He paused to look at his partner.  “Honestly, although we would love to have some help, we really never thought this was even remotely a possibility until just a few minutes ago when we were talking to your friend. 

             
“You need to know from the get go, we’re on the road a lot.  We do over 100 rodeos a year.  And, although our trailer is nice, and has slide outs, it’s a trailer.  It can be cramped, and it’s pretty much guaranteed to smell like a horse.”  He wasn’t apologizing, just stating a fact.

             
“I’m aware that horses smell, Mr. Marsh.  That’s not a problem.  What I really need to know is, what you would need me to do?  I guess what I am asking is what do you need help with, and is there a firm guarantee this job would be kept on a professional level?” 

             
She detected the slightest hint of amusement as he replied, “In other words, are we planning to behave ourselves?”  At her almost imperceptible nod he continued, “Yes, you have our word.”  They continued to look into each other’s eyes. 

Rossen
and Anna were looking from her to Slade, then glanced at each other and Rossen raised his brows and shrugged his shoulders.  He whispered to Anna loud enough that Carrie could hear, “This is the first time I’ve ever known him to have a girl insist he keep his hands
off
.”  He grinned, and said right out loud, “Okay, we’ll be good, but can you cook?”

             
This time Carrie smiled and repeated Slade‘s phrase. “Yes, you have my word.”  She put out her hand to Slade. “Shake?” 

             
He was still eyeing her like he wasn’t too sure.  Rossen elbowed him, “Dude, shake her hand, her word is good.  Let’s get down to the nitty gritty.”  He turned to Carrie. “Okay Isabel, How much money and when can you start?  And please say soon, because our trailer should be repaired by late this afternoon and the sooner we can leave the better.  We have a rodeo up north day after tomorrow and need to be in Reno the next.”

             
It was as simple as that.  Anna left to seat some new people who had entered and Carrie sat down at the cowboys’ table to hammer out the few things they needed.  None of them really knew for sure what they had in mind yet.  Slade and Rossen wanted real food and maybe some odds and ends errands.  Carrie needed to “travel” and take a horse with her. They all seemed to feel good about it and they made arrangements to pick her up the next morning at sun up.

             
Twenty minutes later, Carrie stopped to hug Anna a moment on the way out the door.  They didn’t need to say much.  Carrie found herself brushing a tear off her cheek. “Thank you.  I love you.  Please don’t tell a soul.  I’ll be in touch.”  Almost out the door, she turned back and whispered, “Anna, what’s my last name?”

             
Whispering back, Anna said, “You‘ll think of something!  Enjoy this adventure!  They’re the answer to your prayers.  I know they are.  Good luck.”  With one more hug, Carrie went on out the door, hoping that she truly had found the solution to dealing with Judd.

                                                        ****

             
As the first light crept over the hills the next morning, Carrie carefully covered Ebony Wind with a light sheet and hood, then took the tiny exercise saddle she’d ridden and stuffed it into the bulging duffle bag she’d lugged with her.  It’d taken her over an hour to reach the rendezvous point. It was a good thing Ebony had mellowed with the years because he’d never had to carry anything other than a rider.  She’d tried to pack light but she’d ended up with quite a bag. 

After struggling to ge
t it to the barn undetected, it had taken her several minutes to successfully get it and herself up onto his back at the same time. He’d never seemed quite so tall.  In the dark she’d slipped out of the yards and into a pasture that would take her to the far side of the farm and a gravel lane miles from the main road.  She hadn’t wanted to take a chance on being seen. 

             
She’d left notes for both Eli and Dante where she felt sure they would be the only ones to find them.  All she’d said was that she felt she had to leave for the safety and good of all.  She would be in touch and that Ebony was with her.  She reasoned the fewer people who knew anything the better.