“Seriously?” Cooper’s eyebrows shot up. “Someone’s creeping around the ranch?”
Dale nodded grimly. “Yeah. We lost the guy in the woods. But it’s clear someone’s been there, watching us. And maybe my dad.”
His stomach knotted at the thought.
RJ set his donut down and wiped some crumbs off his mouth. “That’s messed up.”
“Big time.” Carter frowned. “We need to get out there and secure the place. I’ve got some new tech that Tyler and I finished last week.”
Tyler was a former Navy pilot as well as Gabe and Rylee’s younger brother. Dale had heard the guy had been in an accident that had compromised the vision in one of his eyes. But he’d also heard that despite a successful corrective surgery, Tyler had chosen to remain in Texas and work part-time on technology with Carter, mostly because he’d fallen for a local artist.
Must be something in the damn water around here. Dale made a mental note to buy a case of bottled water to be safe. He didn’t have time to become the latest victim.
An image of Sadie with a blush in her cheeks and warmth in her mesmerizing eyes flashed through his head, screwing with his pulse.
Yeah, he’d made the right decision to play it cool in front of her at the bakery. Although, he’d felt like an ass for causing the light in her eyes to dim.
“What do you think, Sheriff?” Mac asked Gabe, regaining Dale’s attention. “Full security work-up?”
Gabe nodded. “Affirmative. Cameras, motion sensors, the works. We can’t take any chances if this person was actually responsible for Sam’s accident.”
Just then, Gabe’s radio crackled to life, a voice urgently requesting his presence at a police matter. Gabe sighed, giving Dale a quick pat on the back. “Duty calls. You guys take care of the ranch, and after this call, I’ll take a couple of my deputies to search those woods.”
As Gabe hurried out, Mac turned back to the group. “All right, you heard the man. Let’s gear up and head to the Taylor ranch…after we polish off the rest of these donuts.”
“And I’ll start researching the land next door,” Rylee said.
Dale scratched his temple. “As far as I know, Arthur Shipley still owns it.”
Rylee nodded. “Roger that. I’ll start digging into it now,” she said before exiting the room.
A few minutes later, with the last of the donuts polished off, Dean, Cooper, and Carter left the breakroom to gather their equipment. RJ lingered a moment, his phone buzzing with a text.
He chuckled, looking up at Dale. “My wife said she just finished having lattes with Sadie, and that her friend was happy to see you. She also said you and Sadie had some catching up to do.”
He swallowed a curse. The last thing he needed was RJ’s wife playing matchmaker. Right now, things were a little too dangerous for Sadie to be around him or his father.
“She lives next to my dad,” he said, rising to his feet to set his empty cup in the sink. “She’s been looking after his dog and the horses at the ranch.”
RJ and Mac stood and followed him to the sink.
“Well, according to my wife, Sadie’s had a bit of a glow to her today.” RJ grinned. “Just saying.”
Mac laughed, clapping Dale on the back. “Sounds like there’s more than just old friends in town for you, huh?”
He exhaled. “Timing is off. Let’s just focus on securing the ranch…not my love life.”
They all laughed, the camaraderie and light-hearted teasing a welcome relief from the tension of the past few days. As the guys gathered their gear, Dale felt a renewed sense of purpose. His friends had his back, and together, they’d make sure the ranch was safe.
But what about his father’s new house?
He approached the back of the open SUV the men were loading. “I’m wondering if we need to put equipment on my dad’s house in town, too.”
“That’s right.” Mac turned to him and frowned. “Sam doesn’t live at the ranch anymore. We’d better secure both places.”
Carter nodded. “Roger that. I’ve got plenty of goodies just dying for me to give them a purpose.”
Dale chuckled. “Thanks. Just give me the bill for both.”
