Page 32 of The Rancher

Lyris placed a hand on Ray’s arm. “Calm down. I know you’re frustrated but don’t take it out on us.”

His face reddened and he let out a deep breath. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Jason.” He extended his right hand to the man.

Jason took it. “No problems, Boss. I understand, and I’d be in the same frame of mind as you. Anyway, I was gonna tell you I saw Ted and Marissa at the Grizzly Rose one night about two weeks ago. They seemed real cozy, if you know what I mean.”

“Cozy how?” Ray furrowed his brows and narrowed his eyes.

“Cozy like their heads were together at the table and they danced every slow song together. Then they left…together. That was Saturday, two weeks ago. I remember because me and the other hands asked Ted to join us at Red’s Tavern for some pool, but he said he had a date.”

Lyris thought it was odd that Ted and Marissa would be together. After seeing her with Scott, she couldn’t picture her with Ted. Never. She liked the good things in life and even though she’d snapped at Scott, there was no doubt in her mind that all would be well between them. Especially it seemed they’d been together since Ray broke off their engagement. “If you were at Red’s, how did you see him at the Grizzly Rose?” asked Lyris.

Jason’s cheeks colored. “I’d lost enough playing pool. I decided to find a lady and dance. The Grizzly Rose is the best place for that.”

Lyris looked at Ray. “I’m not familiar with the establishment but is it a place that Marissa would normally go? Do you think she met Ted there or did they come together?”

Ray snorted and then chuckled. “Marissa wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like that unless she had an ulterior motive. She must be recruiting Ted, and she would do whatever, and I do meanwhateveris necessary to achieve her goal. Last as you saw at the gala, she’s still with Scott, so I don’t know what her end game is.”

Her shoulders sagged, and she shook her head. “I can’t believe anyone would go to such lengths to hurt your business.” She extended her bent arms, palms up. “Aren’t there other ways without hurting the horses? Or do they just not care?”

Ray put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “I hate to say it, but Marissa couldn’t care less about the animals. Hurting them is the means to an end, that’s all.”

She leaned into him for just a minute and accepted the comfort he offered, before she remembered she couldn’t get attached.But what if I already have?

Ray drove backto the ranch and arrived before Jason, who followed with the trailer.

Lyris hurried to the barn and her office, where she kept two supply closets. She gathered the supplies she needed.

When Jason arrived, Ray got the horse out of the trailer and into the third birthing stall.

Lyris was right behind him with everything she needed to treat the animal’s wounds. She cut off the bloody bandage and thoroughly cleaned the injury with antiseptic, paying special attention to the fetlock area in which the teeth of the trap had dug deep. Then she applied more of the antibiotic gel before wrapping the site heavily with gauze and then snugly with tape. She wanted the bandage to be as strong as possible, so they didn’t have to put him in a sling to keep him off his foot.

Hopefully by changing the bandage every day, she’d keep him from being hobbled permanently.

Ray watched the entire procedure from outside the stall. He stood with his arms crossed over the top of the gate; his face impassive as she worked.

She looked up a couple of times and knew she wasn’t able to keep the anger from showing.

When she was finished, she joined him.

He shut the gate behind her. “So, what do you think? Will he be all right?”

“I’m cautiously optimistic. But he still won’t race this season. Next season, if you want to race him, he’ll be completely healed.”

Ray clenched his jaw. “It’s just as well. I’ll put him out to stud that much sooner. Will he be able to do that?”

“Yes, give him a month and he’ll be pretty much healed.”

He let out a long breath. “Understood. I want Ted to be kept away. I’m going to make sure his assignments don’t put him in the barn.”

She couldn’t keep the irritation from her voice. “Why don’t you just fire him?”

“You know the old saying about keeping your friends close but keeping your enemies closer? That’s what I’m doing.” He ran a hand behind his neck and paced from the stall to the middle of the aisle and back again. “Besides, I don’t have any concrete proof that he’s working for Marissa. Yes, they were seentogether, but maybe they really are dating…at least that is what they’ll say if confronted.”

She nodded in understanding. “I believe we definitely need him to stay away from Stormchaser. It’s only by the grace of God that we haven’t lost him to theseaccidents.” She used air quotes to make her point. “What are you going to have him doing to keep him away from the animals?”

Ray’s lips turned up at the corners. “I’m having him look in the pasture for more traps. That should keep him busy for a few days anyway.”

“Do you think he’ll really find any, since more than likely he’s the one who put them out there to begin with?”