Lucy.”
“What are you doing here on a Saturday?” Travis asked.
“My kids have riding lessons.” Again she directed her conversation to AJ. Finally she turned to him. “We need to talk.”
“Whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of my right-hand man—er, woman.”
“Fine. I just received a phone call from the esteemed police chief of Timber.”
“Aw, that’s nothing. In fact, it’s my fault. Sorry. I should have told you. I promised him a discount for renting the retreat center for the law enforcement ball this year.”
Lucy crossed her arms. “No, Travis. He was not calling about the ball. It was a courtesy call to inform me that one of our employees is sitting in his jail.”
“What?” Travis was all ears as he pulled the Ute keys from his pocket. “What did he do?”
“You know who I’m referring to?”
“I can make an educated guess since I can’t find Rusty. What’s the charge?”
“Disorderly conduct. Disturbing the peace.”
“I’ve known Rusty for years. Never saw him take a drink, ever.”
“Oh, he wasn’t drinking. He was, however, dumped by the love of his life. While I feel for the man, this is not the example of leadership and problem-solving skills we want our children to emulate. Plus, we have donors who will hear about his behavior. Rusty is putting everything we’ve worked hard for these last five years at risk.”
Travis took a deep breath at the I-told-you-so that laced his sister’s voice.
“Chief Daniels says he’s been singing mournful country-western songs since 5:00 a.m. The man is tone deaf and it’s driving everyone crazy. He’d like us to bail Rusty out immediately.”
“We’ve got this covered,” he assured Lucy. “As I have turned over fire extinguishing, along with the management of the ranch hands, to her, AJ will be letting Rusty go.”
He looked to his assistant foreman for confirmation.
AJ pasted a smile on her face and offered a firm nod of confirmation.
Lucy’s eyes rounded. “You’re good with that, AJ?”
“Absolutely. My job is to make Travis’s life easier.”
His sister’s expression remained doubtful as she looked from AJ to Travis.
“Lucy, we’ve got this. Trust me,” Travis interjected. He put his hands on his sister’s shoulders and turned her around. “Go.”
“All right, then.” Lucy hesitated. “I guess I’ll go watch my children ride horses.”
“You do that. We have everything under control.”
AJ fell into step with him as he moved in the direction of the Ute. “I’m firing Rusty?” she asked.
“Yep. Come on. We’ll take my truck.”
“Uh, Travis. What exactly did you mean by ‘management’? What will I be managing?”
“Everything that concerns the wranglers.”
“You’re okay with me hiring, too?”
He looked at her. “All part of the job, right?”
“I guess so,” she said softly.
“Don’t let me regret my decision.”
* * *
The drive into Timber was quiet. Travis was thankful that AJ kept her focus out the window, eliminating the need for conversation. She was an employee, he reminded himself. Nothing more. No need for chitchat.
When Travis pulled into town, he circled the block, looking for a parking spot.
“Why are there so many cars in town?” AJ asked.
“The Timber Diner.”
“I’ve never in all my life seen this many cars for the diner,” she said. “As I recall, their coffee could take paint off a wall.”
“New owners. Best food in Timber and it only has a seating capacity of twenty-five. Early bird gets the Denver omelet.” When his cell phone rang, he pulled the device from his back pocket and glanced at the screen. Big Heart Ranch again. He nodded to AJ.
“Do you mind if I take this call? I’ll catch up.”
“No problem.”
“I’ll drop you off at the station and circle around until I find a parking spot.”
When the truck stopped, AJ reached for the door handle.
“Check in with Chief Daniels,” he said. “But be warned. He’s going to regale you with a story about his latest fishing expedition or his grandchildren. Just nod and smile.” He paused. “Oh, and if Rusty gives you any problems—”
AJ placed a hand on his arm and he froze, his mouth wide open as her baby blues met his. “I have this,” she said. “Trust me. I have everything under control.”
She was tossing his own words right back at him.
Then she opened the passenger door of the truck and hopped down. For a moment he watched her walk down the street, hat in hand. AJ Rowe’s mettle was about to be tested. They were both about to find out if Big Heart Ranch’s new assistant foreman could do the job she’d been hired to do.
His cell rang again and he put it on speaker phone as he pulled into a parking spot. He put out a few more fires at the ranch before heading to the police station.
The door to the City of Timber police administration building swung open just as Travis placed a hand on the metal push bar. A large man wearing a black Stetson barreled out the door, his shoulder grazing Travis as he stormed past.
“Careful there, friend,” Travis said.
The man stopped and turned around, his expression thunderous.
“No. You be careful, Maxwell. Or I might have to mess up that pretty face of yours.”
Travis nearly groaned aloud. The man that stood facing him down was none other than Jace McAlester. What the cowboy lacked in height he made up for in bulk. McAlester was as huge as a double-wide and as intimidating as an angry bull just out of the chute.
He stomped through each day with a permanent attitude problem, along with a grudge against Travis that dated back to their professional rodeo days. No telling what had set him off today.
“Good to see you, too, Jace.”
“Only good thing about seeing you, Maxwell, is another opportunity to wipe that smile off your face.”
“Not today, buddy.” Travis raised his hands.
“I am not your buddy.”
“That’s too bad. No reason old competitors can’t be friends.”
“In your dreams. I hear your kiddie farm is up against us big boys for that government grant.” McAlester sneered.
“That grant is for emerging ranchers.”
“The McAlester Ranch deed was turned over to me when my father retired last summer. That means I qualify as manager and foreman of my new ranch.”
“That so? Good for you. As I recall, you and I always favored a bit of competition.”
“Only when I win, and you can be sure I will. McAlester Ranch is certain to take that grant.”
“It’s not over until the fat cow sings.” Travis chuckled, unable to resist a parting shot for the uptight cowboy.
“What