Haystacks and Hoaxes (Cowboy Brand of Justice #3)

Chapter 8 Holiday Blues

Christmas Day

G age’s farmhouse looked like something out of a country living magazine — the Christmas edition. Mila’s lips parted on a sigh of wonder as Rock parked in the circle driveway. “You’re so fortunate to live in a place like this!” Someone had wrapped garlands around the porch railing and threaded them with strands of tiny white lights.

A glossy black Jeep was parked at a cocky angle in front of them. There were skid marks in the gravel where the driver had braked at the last minute. Probably Johnny. The thought made her smile.

Rock shot her an amused look. “Says the passenger princess, who’s been sleeping in a castle all week!”

“I would trade my brother’s snooty old fortress for a place like this in a heartbeat.” In comparison, Gage Hefner’s rambling farmhouse was the epitome of what a home was supposed to be, with its fresh white paint, rustic wooden shutters, and grapevine wreath hanging on the front door. A fat red velvet ribbon was tied to the bottom of the wreath, and the ends of it were fluttering in the breeze.

“That porch swing looks so inviting,” she sang out. Though it was cold enough outside to put frost on a person’s eyelashes, she debated the odds of Rock letting her go for a quick swing.

Her wistful expression must have given away what she was thinking, because he shook his head at her. “My brother has a pair of rocker recliners in the living room, where it’s a lot warmer.” His meaning was clear. It wasn’t safe for her to linger outside in the crosshairs of whoever was gunning for her life.

Though he was right, she stifled a sigh as she waited for him to walk around the company SUV he’d driven her there in. Ever since her stint in the hospital, her brother had insisted she be transported in armored vehicles only.

Rock used his broad shoulders to shield her as they hurried the short distance to the porch. Before he could open the front door for her, it swung open. Gage appeared in the opening, wearing a festive red flannel shirt and jeans. He shot a furtive glance over her shoulders as he ushered them inside.

He bolted the door behind them and cast a hungry look at the pair of trays Mila was holding. “Do I smell chocolate chip cookies?”

“Yep.” Rock winked at her. “My cruel, cruel partner refused to let me sneak so much as a crumb on the way here. Made me drool all over my steering wheel.”

Johnny leaped up from one of the rocker recliners in the living room. “Yo, Mila! About time you showed up.” He hurried her way to take one of the trays of cookies off her hands.

“Thanks. It was kind of your fault.” She was relieved to hear how cheerful he sounded. She’d been hoping he wouldn’t be offended that she’d turned down his offer to serve as her chauffeur this morning in lieu of having Rock do the honors.

“Et tu, Brute?” he grumbled good-naturedly to her. “Sure didn’t take you long to jump on the blame-Johnny-for-everything bandwagon.”

“If the shoe fits,” she chuckled. “Rock made me quadruple my cookie recipe since you’d be here.”

The rugged cowboy’s amiable smile widened. “He knows me too well.”

Gage pointed her toward the kitchen. However, he hung back as she and Johnny headed there to drop off the cookies.

She heard him quip in a hushed voice to Rock, “I’m gonna go out on a limb and say those cookies weren’t the only thing you were drooling over on the way here.”

Though Mila didn’t want to read too much into his words, she was pretty sure they were talking about her. She stepped inside the kitchen and found a petite cowgirl puttering over a tray of fruit. Her dark braids tumbled over the shoulders of her green-and-white plaid dress. She tossed them behind her as she glanced up at them. “Hey, Johnny! Hey, Mila! It’s so nice to finally meet you! I’m Ella.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you, too.” Mila gestured with her cookie tray. “Where would you like us to put these?”

“Anywhere you can squeeze them in.” Ella scooted a few of the other platters of food around to make room.

“Since I’m the one who invited her, I get the first sample.” Johnny pulled the plastic wrap off the tray he’d been carrying. Ella dove for him and tried to swat his hands away, but he was too quick. He’d already popped one of Mila’s cookies into his mouth .

He went through comical contortions, allowing his eyes to roll dramatically back into his head. “On a scale of one to ten, these are a solid twenty!”

“Now that everyone is here,” Gage announced from the doorway, “how about we bow our heads and say grace over the food?”

“Don’t forget to bless the cookie your partner stole.” Rock’s voice was dry as he moved forward to station himself beside Mila.

“Good point.” Gage led them in a holiday prayer of thanksgiving for their families, friends, and the blessings on their great nation. “Amen. Let’s dig in!”

To Mila’s delight, they loaded up their plates and headed back to the living room to perch on the sofa and recliners. Once their plates were empty, Ella moved around collecting them, while Gage scooted a leather ottoman over to the Christmas tree.

Ella returned from the kitchen and took a seat on it. “Is everyone ready for me to start tossing gifts around the room?”

Rock clapped, and Johnny gave a hoot of elation, both managing to nudge Mila with a knee in the process. It was impossible for her to scoot over and give either of them more room since she was sandwiched between them on the sofa.

Gage took a seat on the floor at his fiancée’s feet to assist her.

Though Mila was a late addition to their party, there were a surprising number of gifts for her under the tree — a jar of homemade strawberry jam from Ella, a gift card to a local coffee shop from Gage, and an oversized belt buckle with the word WYOMING splashed across it in metallic capital letters. On the lower right-hand corner of the buckle, a cowboy was swinging his hat from the back of a bull.

“I like it.” Though Mila rarely wore belts, she smiled her thanks to Johnny. “I take it you’re from Wyoming?”

“Yep.” He gave her a cocky grin. “Home of Old Faithful, Yellowstone, the Grand Teton National Park, and yours truly.”

“The state of Wyoming gravely apologizes for the last item on his list,” Rock jeered. His words earned him a punch in the shoulder from behind Mila, a move that temporarily put Johnny’s arm around her.

She could sense Rock bristling, so she hurriedly leaned forward to point at the only gift she’d brought with her. “If you’ll toss that one over here, please.”

Instead of throwing it, Gage leaned her way to hand it to her, looking intensely curious.

She hastened to explain. “I didn’t buy any gifts. I’m so sorry about that. But as you’ve probably heard, it wasn’t the kind of week that lent itself to shopping. So…” She paused to shoot a teasing look at Rock. “This is a little something I threw together at the last minute for someone who took a chance on hiring me. I can only hope all the chaos that has happened since isn’t making him regret his decision.” She waved the package at Rock. “It’s basically a welcome gift to Heart Lake.” Without any further ado, she shyly handed it to him. “I wish I could’ve shown this to you in person, but this is the best I can do.”

“The plot thickens.” He eagerly slid a finger beneath the flap of the brown parchment paper covering her gift. Chanel had kindly donated a spare picture frame to the cause this morning, and Mila had paid her with a cookie straight from the oven .

Rock finished pulling off the paper and cradled the glazed oak frame. “This is incredible.” He sounded awed.

Johnny crowded Mila’s space to take a closer look at it, while Ella beseeched him to pass it to her and Gage next.

As the lovely sketch of Chester Farm made its way around the room, Mila wiggled uncomfortably on the couch cushion, wondering if putting herself and Rock in the picture had been too bold a move.

“I can’t top that.” Rock spread his hands, sounding a little dazed.

“But you’re sure gonna try,” Johnny muttered beneath his breath.

The final gift under the tree made its way to Mila. She read the note attached to it. “To my partner. From Rock.” She pouted at him. “If this is a pink slip for all the trouble I’ve caused you this week, I’m taking back my cookies.”

He snorted. “Just open it.”

She eagerly tore open the wrapping. It was another sketch, this time by him. “Oh, Rock!” She gazed in delight at the cuddliest pair of Golden Doodle puppies practically squirming off the page. “I love dogs.” After getting to know Ollie and Daisy this week, she especially loved Golden Doodles.

“But wait. There’s more!” He stood and broke into a two-step as he made his way across the living room to the hallway.

Ella gasped and pointed at his retreating shoulders. “Did he just?—?”

“Yeah.” Gage dashed the back of his hand over his eyes, sounding choked up. “It’s a Christmas miracle.” He dropped his hand and sent Mila a grateful nod.

“Wait a sec.” Johnny glanced around the room suspiciously. “Where’s his cane? ”

“Don’t need it anymore, bro.” Rock breezed back into the room, holding a big brown box with an open top. The yipping and scuffling sounds coming from inside it made Mila’s heart melt in sheer wonder.

“Rock Hefner! Did you seriously—o-o-oh!” All she could do was ooh and ahh as he set the box down at her feet. She left the sofa and slid to her knees on the floor, reaching for two squirming Golden Doodle puppies inside the box. They fell all over each other in their excitement over being petted.

“You sweet, sweet, sweet little things!” She ever-so-gently lifted out the first one and cuddled it against her shoulder.

“They’re brothers from the same litter.” Rock grinned in satisfaction as he watched the puppy sniff her hair and nuzzle the side of her neck.

“I’m in love,” she murmured, closing her eyes in ecstasy.

“Yeah, you totally won the best gift award,” Johnny muttered from behind her.

The two dogs became the center of attention. They were passed around the room, hugged, held, and crooned over.

“What are you going to name them?” Rock took a knee beside Mila to help untangle one of the puppies from her hair.

“You mean you got them for me?” Her eyes widened. She’d just assumed he was the one adopting them.

“If you want them.” He searched her features.

“Absolutely!” Wow! Becoming a dog mom had been on her to-do list for ages. “I’ll have to look into the rules and regulations of owning pets in apartment-ville.” She still wasn’t sure when she’d be able to return to her one-bedroom apartment, much less if they would allow her to bring two puppies with her. The homeowner’s association was pretty strict.

“I know you’re kind of in limbo right now.” Rock lifted the puppy from her arms and held him high over his head, eliciting a playful yip. “That’s why these little fellas come with an all-expenses-paid boarding agreement. You can leave them here with us for as long as you need to.”

“Whew!” Johnny huffed out a breath. “This place is getting crowded.”

“He’s already house shopping.” Gage tossed a wadded up piece of parchment paper at his brother. “I wasn’t trying to run him off. Is it something I said?”

“Nope.” Rock chuckled and returned the squirming puppy to Mila’s arms. “I just don’t want to outstay my welcome.”

“Teddy and Bear,” she said suddenly. “I know it’s a little cliche, but they’re so squishably adorable.”

“If that’s true, you could call ‘em Squish and Squash,” Johnny snickered.

He and Gage suggested a number of other duo names — everything from Chips and Queso to Frodo and Sam. In the end, though, Teddy and Bear stuck.

Mila returned to the sofa with the two Golden Doodles in her arms. After all the attention they’d received, their eyelids were drifting drowsily. In no time, they were snoozing in her lap, with Teddy’s head resting on Bear’s belly.

While the others in the room drifted back to the kitchen to load up on dessert, Rock dropped onto the sofa beside Mila. He opened his electronic tablet and pulled up a few photos. “I could use a second opinion about a few house listings my realtor emailed me. You game?”

“Sure. Why not?” She’d never purchased any real estate before, but the artistic side of her adored looking at pictures. She was tickled that he’d asked. Plus, it gave her something to do while she cradled the two sleeping puppies.

Rock balanced the electronic tablet on his thigh, bending his head closer to hers as he pointed out the features he liked the most about the first listing. It was a one-story home without a garage. “I’d have to add a detached garage out back.”

She wrinkled her nose. “And a walkway to the house. Otherwise, you’d have to dodge the raindrops, hail, and snow.”

“Good point.” He scrolled to the next house, which was a little bigger. It was a story-and-a-half with wide dormer windows on the second story. However, the yard looked overgrown and not very well cared for. “I’d probably have to lay new sod in the yard, but it has an attached garage.”

At her noncommittal humming sound, he kept scrolling. “What about this one?”

“Oh, wow!” The house in the third listing was roughly the same size as the last one, but it was a log cabin instead of traditional construction. The driveway leading up to the house was lined with evergreens, and the backyard was fenced in. Two additional gated pastures adjoined the backyard. Plus, it came with a number of outbuildings — a cozy red barn, a pair of white metal storage sheds, and a wooden canopy the owners were using to cover horse feed and watering troughs. Altogether, it added up to ten acres of land.

“You like it?” Rock studied her curiously.

“Are you kidding? This is my dream home! If you don’t buy it, I might.” She couldn’t afford it right now, but maybe someday .

“What do you like about it?” he pressed.

“Everything!” She didn’t have to think twice.

“Including the log cabin?”

“Especially the log cabin,” she gushed. “All it needs is a Home Sweet Home sign in the entry foyer, assuming it doesn’t already have one. And a few quilts and rag rugs.”

“And two puppies.” He gave her a crooked smile.

“For sure! And look at that side yard.” Their fingers brushed as she pointed it out. “It’s the perfect spot for gardening.” She grew nostalgic as she recalled all the families with children who’d gotten to enjoy the gardens, pumpkin patch, and corn mazes at Chester Farm. “You can practically hear children playing tag with the dogs in the backyard.” Oops! She caught her lower lip between her teeth, realizing she’d said more than she’d meant to. “Assuming you want kids someday.” Her face heated.

“Sure do. What about you?”

“Definitely.” She felt like fanning her face. “After being raised as an only child, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.”

“What’s wrong with being an only child?” Johnny swaggered back into the living room with both hands full of chocolate chip cookies.

“You’re a spoiled only child?” Rock waggled his eyebrows at him. “I never would’ve guessed.”

Johnny ignored his jibe. “Whatcha doing?” He leaned over the back of the sofa, raining cookie crumbs on Rock. One of them bounced onto Teddy’s paw.

He cracked an eyelid open and licked it off.

Before Rock could answer the question, Johnny chortled, “Aw, are you two house shopping together? Co-zy!” He drawled out the word, milking it for the maximum amount of drama.

Rock brushed cookie crumbs off his shoulder. “Just getting a second opinion about the place I’m thinking of purchasing.”

Johnny gave Rock’s tablet a leisurely once-over. Then he announced out of the blue, “I just put a bid on a dairy farm.”

“A dairy farm!” Rock twisted around to study him curiously. “Are you serious?”

Johnny shrugged and straightened. “I’m a bull rider from a family of ranchers. Raising cattle is right up our alley.”

“Where’s the property?” Looking fascinated, Rock grilled him on the details. They were soon caught up in a lively discussion about Holstein herds and dairy production.

Mila was content to listen and learn while softly running her fingers across Teddy’s and Bear’s furry heads. She liked how animated Johnny sounded about his forthcoming jaunt into the dairy business. In the short time she’d known him, it was the most excited she’d seen him get over anything. Naturally, it made her curious all over again why Decker claimed the holidays were hard for Johnny. Had he lost someone he loved? A grandparent? A parent? A close friend?

Her phone vibrated with an incoming text, making anxiety tighten her throat. She managed to maneuver the phone out of the pocket of her jeans without disturbing the puppies. To her disappointment, it was an advertisement about a holiday sale at Modello’s, not the hoped-for Christmas greeting from her mother.

Her heart sank. It was the first Christmas they’d ever spent apart. My fault entirely. A few days ago, skipping the holiday cruise with her parents had seemed like the right thing to do. However, multiple brushes with death throughout the week, coupled with the arrest warrant issued for her mother, had sapped all the joy out of it.

Johnny abruptly reached around Rock to scratch one of the puppies behind the ears. “Cute little fellas. Feel free to bring ‘em out to the dairy farm anytime you want. There will be plenty of room for them to stretch their legs and kick up their heels. Guaranteed.”

“That’s a really nice offer. Thanks!” Her growing friendship with him and the Hefners were two of the brightest spots in her life right now. Without them, she’d probably be holed up in her brother’s sunroom with Ollie and Daisy.

Rock stood and stretched. “I’m grabbing coffee. Any other takers?”

“Me!” Her hand shot up. Maybe a shot of caffeine would help vanquish the webs of melancholy.

Johnny waved two fingers in the air. “If you’re pouring, I’m accepting.” After Rock left the room, he moved around the couch and dropped to the floor in front of Mila.

Leaning his head back against the cushion, he caught her eye. “You okay?”

She swallowed hard. “I’m getting there.”

He grimaced. “Yeah, Christmas can be tough for a lot of people.”

“You?” Her voice was gentle.

His face seemed to age a few years right before her eyes. “I’ll tell you about it sometime. Not today.” He averted his gaze from her.

Her heart wrenched with sympathy. Whatever he was coping with must still be too raw. “It helps to be here, doesn’t it?”

“Yep.” His gaze returned to her. Though his expression was still sad, he gave her a slow, lazy wink.

“Am I interrupting something?” Rock sounded testy as he stepped back into the room with two steaming mugs in one hand and a third steaming mug in the other hand.

“No,” Mila said quickly.

Johnny’s “Yep” all but drowned out her answer.

She rolled her eyes at him before accepting the coffee from Rock. “You’re the best.”

Johnny mimicked her voice and added some extra sugar to it as he accepted his cup of coffee. “You’re the best!” His squeaky falsetto made Mila burst out laughing.

“You, on the other hand, are a total nut!” She pretended to dip her finger in her coffee and flick it at him.

“Tough crowd.” He pretended to dodge the droplets.

The moment Rock sank back into his seat beside Mila, Johnny curled to his feet and returned to the kitchen.

“Everything okay in here?” Rock nudged her sneaker with the toe of his boot.

“It is now.” She forced a smile. “While you were gone, Johnny and I started wallowing in our inner shadows.”

Rock’s frown grew deeper. “Did he say what’s bothering him?”

She shook her head. “All he said was that he’d tell me sometime. Not today. My gut says he lost someone.”

“That’s rough.” Rock settled more comfortably atop the couch cushions. “I’ll do my best to keep your shadows running for the hills.”

“Thanks.” His sweetness took her breath away. “The puppies really help.” Somehow, he’d known she could use an emotional support pet or two.

“I had the benefit of some inside information.” His husky voice surrounded her like a caress.

“Do tell.” His words piqued her curiosity.

“Your brother told me how you curled up with his Golden Doodles the first night you spent at his place.” He used one finger to lift Bear’s limp right paw and lower it back to her knee. The dog was sleeping so soundly that he didn’t so much as twitch.

“And again last night.” She wrinkled her nose at him, not sure why she was telling him this. He was just so easy to talk to. Plus, he acted like he cared.

Their gazes locked for a breathless moment, and their heads drifted closer together.

“Catch!” Johnny’s voice made them spring apart.

A cookie whizzed through the air and thwacked into Rock’s chest, breaking into two against his plaid shirt.

Smirking, Rock picked up the pieces, shoving one into his mouth and holding the other one against Mila’s lips.

She swallowed a sigh and took a bite. Being surrounded by friends, puppies, coffee, and cookies sure went a long way toward taking the bittersweet edge off of Christmas this year.

Morning After Christmas

“Heard about your almost kiss with Mila.” Gage shuffled into the living room, yawning and rubbing a hand across his chest. Unlike Rock, who was already dressed for the day, he was still sleep-tousled and wearing the basketball shorts he’d slept in.

“Is that the spin Johnny put on it?” Rock wasn’t in the mood to take the bait.

“As entertaining as he can be, he’s no liar,” Gage retorted mildly. He shuffled to the kitchen and shuffled back a couple of minutes later with a cup of coffee in hand.

“Yes, I care about Mila.” Rock was tired of dancing around the subject. He and his brother had always been honest with each other. “More than I should as her supervisor.” Unfortunately, he didn’t have a solution to the dilemma.

Gage perched on the arm of the sofa. “Tried to warn you, bro.”

“Not sure it would’ve done any good.” Rock juggled the wrestling puppies from one thigh to the other to keep them from sliding off his lap while he scrolled through the case notes on his tablet. “She’s the one.”

Gage scowled at him. “You’ve known her all of a week.”

Rock glanced up to pin him with a knowing look. “How long did it take you to figure out how you felt about Ella?”

Gage’s expression softened. “It started the moment she fell into my arms.” In a scenario eerily reminiscent of the one Mila had endured, someone had tried to poison Ella before she and Gage had gotten engaged. The scoundrel who’d doctored her water glass at a local diner was now behind bars.

Rock’s cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Since he had his phone tethered to his tablet, the caller ID flashed across the screen of his tablet. It was Pete Plowman calling. He sat forward on the couch. “Gotta take this.” He pulled out his phone and lifted it to his ear. “Rock Hefner speaking.”

Mr. Plowman sounded winded. “Someone must have leaked the story about the stolen pumpjacks to the press. I don’t know who, since none of my employees would’ve done such a thing!”

It took a minute or two for Rock to sort through the man’s frantic tirade to piece together what had happened. His heart sank to learn that Helen had posted a full write-up about Canyon Creek Petroleum’s disappearing equipment problem. She’d stuffed the short, sensational writeup with inflammatory buzz words and phrases like crisis and out of control .

Mr. Plowman sounded close to weeping. “Investors are pulling out left and right. To make matters worse, some overseas company is gobbling up their shares faster than you can say boo! It feels off,” he growled. “Like a smear campaign designed for the sole purpose of devaluing my company.”

That way, the perpetrator could rush in and buy the shares much cheaper. “Mr. Plowman, my brother is in the room. Mind if I put you on speakerphone so he can listen in?”

“Absolutely! We need all the help we can get with this.” Mr. Plowman went on to describe the overseas firm that was rapidly buying up shares of his oil company. “They manage some global mutual fund.” He stated the name of it.

Rock instantly recognized it as the same one Carla Kingston had been investing her oil royalties in. From Gage’s expression, he’d recognized the name of the mutual fund, too. It couldn’t be a coincidence. What in the world were the Bentleys up to now?

“I feel so helpless,” the oil tycoon groaned. “There’s no way the Heart Lake police will have any jurisdiction over something like that. Or the FBI, for that matter.” He dragged in a weary breath. “The only thing keeping my sanity at the moment is that there’s no way these rogues can pull off a hostile takeover. Not with how many shares are being held by my two silent partners.”

Rock exchanged a troubled look with his brother. “Are you willing to elaborate on that, sir?”

“And then some,” the aging oil man grunted. “You probably know ‘em already, anyway. It’s Carla Kingston and Monty Chester.”

Whoa! Rock sat riveted on the sofa. He’d known Carla was the trustee managing Mila’s inheritance. He hadn’t known about Monty Chester’s role in the matter.

He cleared his throat as he pondered the possibilities. “You said Monty Chester,” he said slowly, “not Troy Bentley.” Troy had inherited his uncle’s oil shares months ago. Why hadn’t they been transferred into his name yet?

“I don’t know what’s going on with Troy Bentley.” Mr. Plowman’s voice grew even more bitter. “He’s called me a few times to run his mouth and try to sound all threatening.”

“Threatening!” That didn’t sit well with Rock. “What kind of threatening?”

“Eh, the usual stuff from a hothead trying to cut corners. He said he was going to bury our company in bad press and poor reviews. The entire time we were speaking, he was loading and cocking his hunting rifles in the background. Although fiddling with a gun isn’t against the law, he knew what he was doing. Unfortunately for him, I’m not easily intimidated.”

Rock and his brother exchanged a worried look. They were less than thrilled to discover Mila’s alcoholic ex owned a gun collection. Like Mr. Plowman had stated, though, it wasn’t against the law. “What exactly is he trying to cut corners on, sir?”

“Getting his uncle’s stock moved into his name. What else?” The older gentleman sighed, “But I don’t make the rules. My office manager has talked him through the legal process at least three different times, but the kid won’t listen. Though it’s a small town where everybody knows everybody, we still need a certified death certificate to make the transfer. Not the smudged photocopies he keeps sending us.”

Rock’s jaw dropped. “Are you telling me you don’t have a bonafide death certificate on file yet for Monty Chester?”

“That’s exactly what I’m telling you,” the oil man growled.

It was an enormous discovery. Though death certificates weren’t a matter of public record in the state of Texas, at least not for the first twenty-five years after a person died, there were ways to verify if one existed. The quickest method would be to get the police involved.

Rock typed an emergency request and shot it off to Sheriff Luke Hawling.

It took the police department a few days to determine there was no official death certificate on file. Luke immediately filed for an emergency court order to exhume Monty Chester’s grave.

The casket they pulled from it was empty!