Page 8 of July’s Cowboy Dallas

Sadie waited.

I pulled myself up to my full height and crossed my arms over my chest, not pushing, just making my presence known.

Finally, Cody said, “He had a box with him and said some of the animals needed different paperwork.”

“What kind of box?”

“Cardboard. It looked old, like it had been sitting in storage somewhere. There was a label on the side.” He paused and bit down on the inside of his cheek like he was trying to remember. “Cedar something or other.”

Sadie froze, and my gut tightened at the name.

“Cedar Draw?” Sadie asked.

Cody shrugged. “Might have been.”

“What's Cedar Draw?” I asked.

“Something people around here don't talk about anymore.” Sadie let out a long sigh.

“Look, Sadie, I don't know what Holt's doing, and I don't want to know. But if you start asking around about it, you're gonna stir up things that are better left alone.” Cody shifted his weight, glancing past us toward the main gate.

“I'm asking about forged veterinary certifications,” Sadie said. “That's all.”

“In this town, one thing often leads to another.” Cody's jaw tightened. “I've got work to do.”

He walked away before either of us could respond.

“It figures. It all goes back to Cedar Draw.” Anyone looking at her wouldn't suspect she was rattled, but I saw the way her fingers tightened on the edge of the folders. I saw everything about her. That was the problem.

“You know it?” I asked.

“I've heard the name. It's an old livestock operation. But nobody ever talks about it.” She looked at me, her jaw clenched. “Why would Holt have a box labeled Cedar Draw?”

I didn't have an answer, but before I could say anything, a voice called out from behind us.

“Sadie.”

We both turned.

Tanner crossed the dirt toward us, his expression unreadable. When he reached us, he stopped a careful distance away, his hat shadowing his face.

“Are you really pulling Hollister stock three days before the Fourth?” he asked.

Sadie's shoulders tightened like she was ready for another battle. “If it's not sound, yes.”

Tanner studied her for a long moment. Then he nodded. “If it's wrong, pull it. I'll back you.”

Sadie blinked. Surprise flickered across her face, quick and unguarded, and under it something that looked almost like relief. She didn't know what to do with support that came from inside the family and that was a damn shame.

“Holt won't see it that way,” she said.

“Holt doesn't run the whole operation.” Tanner's voice stayed level. “And if someone's using our name to move bad stock, I want to know about it.”

He glanced at me, then back at Sadie.

“Waverly mentioned something earlier,” he said. “She and Morgan were going through old rodeo records a while back. Cedar Draw came up. I don't know why, but she remembered the name.”

Sadie leaned forward. “When?”