Cowboy Christmas Guardian. Dana Mentink

father.

      Children belong with their mother, she would always reply. So when her mother frittered away yet another paycheck on new clothes for the girls or a trip to the zoo, Shelby would try to work even more hours at her part-time jobs.

      It had not been enough to pay for school, so Uncle Ken stepped in. Erin had put off going to college because their mother’s medical needs had been too great. When Shelby started to bring in an income that provided for her mother, she’d insisted her sister should delay her schooling no longer. Now it was Shelby’s turn to funnel as much money as she could to both Erin and her mother. Shelby would help her make it through nursing school, after she got Uncle Ken’s situation straightened out. Hopefully a rich vein of gold in the mine would recoup everything he’d invested in her.

      Her throat thickened at the memory of his shrunken appearance when she’d arrived the week before. The toll of Devon’s trial and imprisonment had cost Uncle Ken more than money. He was a shadow of the man he used to be.

      Her thoughts were interrupted as she and Hatcher crested a steep hill. Down below them was a scrub-covered gorge and in front, a crumbling stone cliff. Hatcher seemed to consider a moment before he plunged through the knee-high shrubs. Grateful that she had worn her hiking boots and a windbreaker, she fell in behind him.

      As they walked farther into the untamed growth, she suppressed a shiver. Was she walking into the wilderness with the man who had attacked her, thrown dynamite at her? But the police knew the situation, so surely Hatcher would not risk his own freedom by harming her. Unless the man was just plain crazy, she thought uneasily.

      They stopped at a spot where the ground and the cliff intersected. All she could see was a tangle of branches and wild grasses that came up to her thighs. Hatcher pushed aside the foliage.

      “Here.”

      She peered beyond him. At the bottom of the cliff was a dark hole about six feet across and just about her height. Across the gap was an iron fence, screwed into the rock on each side, secured by a rusty padlock. Hatcher fished out a key ring from his pocket and selected a key. She thought his look turned calculating as he removed it from the ring and shouldered past her to unlock the padlock and wrench aside the fence.

      “Well, now,” he said with a smile. “In you go.”

      She hesitated, a blast of chilled air wafting out of the entrance. It was pitch-black inside. Her nerves screamed at her not to deliver herself into that gaping maw.

      “I...”

      “Whatsa matter?” He came closer. “You scared?”

      “No. Are you coming, too?”

      “Uh-uh. Wild animals in there,” he said with a cunning smile. “Some of the tunnels are flooded, too. Real slippery-like. Old guy like me can’t risk falling and breaking a hip, but you’re young and strong and sure of yourself, ain’t you?” He laughed a wet, crackling laugh. “Won’t be a problem for you at all, going into the mine all alone.”

      “She’s not going in alone.”

      Shelby whirled to see Barrett Thorn standing right behind Hatcher, his expression calm and implacable as always.

      “You don’t have to...” Shelby started. “I mean, I can go in by myself.”

      “Isn’t right.”

      Barrett’s lips drew together in a determined line. Shelby understood that there was no way she was going to change this cowboy’s mind. She was not sure whether she should be flattered or infuriated. Somehow, the feeling that rose to the top was relief.

      “Awww, ain’t that chivalrous?” Hatcher said. “If you two are both stupid enough to want to crawl around that mine, then go right ahead. I’ll be in the shop. If you need me, just whistle.” He moved back, the grin still wide, allowing Shelby to step inside.

      The darkness engulfed her immediately, so she switched on her flashlight. Barrett crowded in behind, ducking to squeeze his head under the ceiling of stone.

      Shelby beamed her flashlight above, the light sparking on the moisture seeping from the rock.

      A loud clang shook the walls and made her cry out. They spun around to see Hatcher slam the gate and click the padlock closed.