Lone wrangler, p.1
Lone Wrangler, page 1
Contents
Title Information
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Epilogue
A Word From Maggie
LONE WRANGLER
by
MAGGIE CARPENTER
Copyright © 2022 Maggie Carpenter
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher. This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Cover Design
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Published by: Dark Secrets Press
Visit Maggie Carpenter
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CHAPTER ONE
As a member of the Marine Corp Special Forces, Matt Thompson had been air-lifted by helicopters under enemy fire, rescued high-profile prisoners in perilous circumstances, and led dangerous Black Ops. His pulse had raced more times than he could count, but peering through a crack in the back door of the diner, he’d never felt his heart thump as hard or as fast.
For several weeks he’d been stopping in after the lunch rush and before the dinner crowd to drink coffee and chat with the waitress, Rebecca Clark. Not only had Matt found comfort in her company, she’d stirred the man in him. He was feeling alive again, and he sensed his blossoming feelings were mutual.
The time had come to ask her out on an official date.
With Shelby, his eight-month-old German Shepherd at his side, he’d climbed into his Silverado and driven from his cabin in the woods down to the small town. But the moment he’d rolled to a stop in front of the modest restaurant, he knew something was wrong.
The shade in the front window had been lowered. It was only used to block the sun during the hot summer months. The day was cold and threatening clouds hovered overhead.
Leaving Shelby in the cab, he’d hurried down the narrow path between the diner and the adjacent building. Wishing he had his revolver and looking around for a weapon, he’d spied a thin, steel pipe. Hastily picking it up, he’d crept up to the back door and listened. At that time of day, Becky and Doug Peterson, the owner, were usually the only people there, but Matt heard an unfamiliar male voice. Cautiously cracking open the door, he eyeballed the kitchen.
His heart skipped.
There were two males with balaclavas covering their faces.
One was puny, the other tall and muscled.
The weakling had his arm around Becky’s throat and a gun at her head. As the brawny brute hustled Doug through the swinging doors into the dining room, Matt began to move.
Like a predatory great cat, with his senses on high alert ready to react to the slightest change in his target’s demeanor, he slipped into the kitchen. He could hear Doug at the cash register, and as he crept stealthily up to the punk, Matt suddenly realized he was just a kid. Lifting the pole, he placed it against the youth’s back.
“Police, don’t say a word,” Matt ordered, his voice low and menacing. “Slowly lower the gun or these are the last words you’ll ever hear. There’s a squad car out front ready to take your partner. There’s no escape. You’re both going down.”
“I wasn’t—“
“I said not a word,” Matt repeated, wrapping his fingers around the gun as the would-be robber moved it away from Becky’s temple.
But as he carefully took the weapon from the young man’s trembling fingers, Becky suddenly spun around and slammed her knee into the kid’s groin, then head-butted the bridge of his nose. As he tumbled to the ground, groaning in abject pain, Matt grabbed Becky and raced her through the back door.
“Go to my truck, it’s out front. Call 911 and wait there,” he ordered in a hushed whisper.
“But—“
“Now!”
Locking the door behind her, he raced to the wall next to the swinging doors that led from the kitchen into the dining room.
Silent seconds ticked past.
He risked a quick glance.
Pushing them open, he saw the cash register drawer was open, and Hank was sitting on the floor behind the counter with his hands on his head, but there was no sign of the husky criminal.
Looking back at the kid still doubled over on the floor, Matt swiftly pulled off his belt, jerked the lad’s wrists behind his back, expertly bound them together, then yanked off the balaclava.
Matt had guessed right.
The would-be robber looked like a teenager.
“If you want to keep all your teeth, don’t go anywhere,” Matt growled.
“Where would I go?” the kid sputtered. “I can’t even fucking breathe.”
Satisfied the boy was incapacitated, Matt held his weapon at the ready and stepped cautiously into the dining room.
“Doug--where is he?” Matt asked, his eyes darting from side to side.
“Uh, he’s gone. I heard the bell over the door but I was afraid to look up. He told me to keep my hands behind my head and eyes on the floor. But, Matt…there’s another guy. Did you see him? And Becky...is she okay?”
“Becky’s fine, she’s calling the sheriff,” he replied, hurrying across to help Doug to his feet. “The other one is just a kid and he isn’t going anywhere.”
“It all happened so fast,” Doug exclaimed. “What’s the world comin’ to?”
“Good question. Can I leave you for a minute? I want to check on Becky.”
“Leave me? Hell, no, I want to see her too,” Doug said urgently as they heard the sound of approaching sirens. “I have to make sure she’s okay.”
“Trust me, she’s just fine,” Matt muttered, “but I’m not sure that kid will ever be the same again.”
CHAPTER TWO
Stepping outside with Doug behind him, Matt ran to his truck, but realizing it was empty, he stared up and down the block looking for Becky and his missing dog.
“They’re over here,” Doug called urgently.
Spinning around, Matt found Doug waving at him from the side of the building. Running across the sidewalk and reaching the narrow pathway, Matt was shocked to find the muscled crook lying on the ground, his mask off, and Shelby standing over him viciously snarling. A few feet away, Becky was standing next to a gun on the ground and holding the balaclava.
“Becky, what happened? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine thanks to your amazing dog,” she replied. “I’d reached your truck and suddenly that asshole was behind me,” she continued, pointing at the thug on the ground. “The minute I opened the door he saw Shelby and took off, but she flew out and chased him. They ended up here.”
“That fuckin’ dog got my leg…call it off, call it off,” the brute wailed as Shelby bared her teeth and drooled over his face.
“You’re lucky she stopped when you went down, asshole,” Matt exclaimed. “Back, Shelby, come here girl.”
“What the blazes is goin’ on here?” the sheriff demanded, marching up to them. “Well, well, if it isn’t Joe Baker! Up to your old tricks again?”
“He robbed me, Sheriff,” Doug exclaimed. “Damn near gave me a heart attack, and he had a partner.”
“You don’t have to worry about the other guy, Sheriff,” Matt assured him. “He’s just a kid, and he’s on the floor in the kitchen. He’s not feeling too good.”
“There’ll be no bail for you this time, Joe. Did you get your brother involved? Is that the kid in the kitchen?”
“No, it’s Geoff, my sister’s boy.”
“He’s not even eighteen! What the hell are you doin’? Hey, Pete, get him outta here.”
“Right away, Sheriff,” a deputy replied, hurrying over. “What about the other one?”
“He’s in the kitchen. Arrest him after you’ve dealt with this joker. Matt, put your dog back in your truck, then we all need to go inside. I want to hear exactly how this went down.”
* * *
While a deputy took care of the terrified young man still lying on the kitchen floor, the sheriff joined Matt, Rebecca and Doug in a booth, and listened patiently as each of them told their version of events.
“Sorry this happened, Doug,” the sheriff said as he concluded the interviews. “At least we caught him and you’ll get your money back.”
“Thanks to Shelby,” Becky declared. “I don’t know why that creep came after me.”
“Probably wanted your wallet or purse,” the sheriff suggested.
“I’ll walk you out, Sheriff,” Doug offered as the sheriff rose to his feet.
Finally alone with Becky, Matt decided to roll the dice and reached for her hand. To his delight, she didn’t pull it away.
“You’re one tough lady,” he said softly, “but are you sure you’re okay?”
She paused, then nodded.
“I am, but I will admit I’m a bit shaken up. I’m glad Doug decided to close tomorrow. I need the break.”
“Becky, when I came here today it wasn’t just for our usual coffee and conversation, and maybe this isn’t the right time, but I don’t want to put it off. I’d like to take you to dinner, or lunch, or just out somewhere.”
As she tilted her head to the side and looked at him, he felt his pulse tick up. He could read people, but he had no idea what she was thinking.
“No,” she finally said, making his heart suddenly hit his stomach, but quickly added, “You and Shelby saved the day, so I want to do something in return. Let me cook for you.”
“You had me worried there for a minute,” he declared, breaking into a relieved smile. “That sounds great, and you’ve just given me an idea. Do you like horses?”
“Are you kidding? I used to ride jumpers and I miss it like crazy. I’m just not in a position to own a horse these days, but I would if I could—in a heartbeat. Why do you ask?”
“You know I work for Callum Coleman at Lone Pine Ranch.”
“Of course. I’ve only seen it from the street, but it looks like a gorgeous place. Did he get that covered arena built?”
“He sure did. Anyway, there’s a horse there I might buy, and there’s an area on top of Lone Pine Hill that’s a perfect place for a picnic. Why don’t you cook something up for lunch instead of dinner? You can check out the horse with me, and we can ride up to the spot and have a picnic afterwards. If it’s too cold we can go to my cabin.”
“Matt, I’d love that. Just to walk down a barn aisle and smell that wonderful mix of hay and horses would be heaven.”
“Great. I just need your address. I’ll pick you up at—“
“You don’t need to come all the way out and get me,” she interjected. “I can meet you at the ranch.”
“Call me old-fashioned, but when I ask a lady out, I pick her up and take her home. Though after what happened today, I might be obliged to—never mind.”
“Obliged to do what?”
“I’ll tell you later, Doug just came back in,” he replied, lowering his voice. “What’s your phone number in case something comes up and I need to call?”
Quickly lifting a pen from her pocket, she scribbled it on a paper napkin.
“The sheriff was just tellin’ me I should get a silent alarm,” Doug exclaimed with a heavy sigh as he approached. “It would be a button under the counter. Sure is sad to think I have to do that, but I guess it’s not a bad idea. We have so many new folks here with that industry across the river now.”
“And it’s not going anywhere,” Matt remarked, stuffing the napkin into his jeans pocket. “That whole area is growing like crazy.”
“Apparently that’s where those jerks came from. Anyway, you two take off. I need to do a few things around here then I’m headin’ home.”
“I’m staying to help,” Becky exclaimed.
“You don’t need to do that. Go on home.”
“I’ll leave you to argue this out,” Matt said with a grin as he stood up. “I have to get back to Shelby. I guess all that training paid off. Take it easy, Doug. I’ll see you both later.”
Feeling bad for Doug, but elated he’d be spending the following afternoon with Becky, Matt strode out the door and hurried up to his truck. Seeing him, Shelby barked excitedly, and when he climbed in behind the wheel, she leaned over the console to lick his face.
“Yeah, yeah, you’re a big, brave girl,” he exclaimed, laughing as he pet her. “We’re off to see Waggles. You can tell him all about it.”
CHAPTER THREE
Nestled at the base of Lone Pine Hill, the ranch had been named by its former owner, a man everyone referred to as Uncle Ernie. He was known as clever and caring, and was famous for rescuing both animals and people.
As a youth, Callum Coleman had been involved in gangs, but Ernie had taken him under his wing and brought him into the barn under the auspices of a juvenile rehabilitation program. The young man proved to be more than worthy of Ernie’s time and attention. When he’d passed away, he’d left the ranch to Callum and his niece, Kelly, a city girl who had fallen in love with both the bad boy and the horse farm.
But Ernie had also given Matt a safe haven and a new start.
Matt had been suffering from PTSD when Ernie had found him sheltering in an abandoned shack in the woods. Together they’d built a cabin, and Matt had found solace working for Ernie and helping with the horses.
Matt began to heal.
Ernie left provisions in his will making sure Matt had ownership of the cabin and the acre of land surrounding it. But he continued to work at the ranch, and when the gang from Callum’s past reappeared wanting revenge, Matt, Callum, and Kelly had joined forces and won the battle.
Not only had the dangerous encounter with the ruthless gang members forged his friendship with Callum and Kelly, Matt had experienced a sudden realization. There had been no flashbacks, and not a single second of fear.
Wanting to follow Ernie’s example and give back, he’d made a decision.
Matt held a secret.
Ernie had been a Commando in the Special Forces and served in Angola.
When they’d finished building the cabin, he had handed Matt a handful of small rocks. It was only after the dramatic battle with the gangbangers Matt had realized what they were. Sitting on top of Lone Pine Hill, Ernie’s voice had echoed through his head.
One day you will understand just how special these are, but remember, the worth of something is dependent on how it can help others. When fate believes the time is right, you’ll come to understand their value, and you’ll know what to do with them.
The small pebbles were uncut diamonds.
Selling one of the precious stones, he’d invested in Lone Pine Ranch, and financed the covered arena.
But he wanted to do more.
Much more.
He just wasn’t sure what that would be.
* * *
Rolling to a stop next to the call box in front of the ranch gates, Matt punched in the code. Lone Pine Ranch used to have an open driveway, but after the drama with Callum’s former gang the sheriff had suggested extra security. Callum had agreed.
As they swung open, Matt drove past the house and stopped outside the new arena. It could be accessed directly from the barn, and not only offered an overhang with high walls, it had curtains affording protection during inclement weather.
Climbing from the truck, Waggles, Callum’s exuberant golden lab, came bounding towards him. Thrilled to see her boyfriend, Shelby jumped over Matt’s lap and out the door. As the two excited dogs frolicked and played, Matt saw Callum walking towards him.
“Hey, Callum, you won’t believe this, but Doug’s diner was just held up.”
“What the hell?”
“When I arrived to have coffee with Becky there were two guys there with guns.”
“You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me,” Callum exclaimed. “Are Becky and Doug okay?”
“I think Doug’s pretty shaken up. He’s closing tomorrow, and I’ve asked Becky to spend the afternoon with me. Amazingly, she said yes.”
“Did the bastards get away? Tell me what happened.”
“A scrawny kid had Becky in the kitchen. I was able to get the gun off him and I sent Becky to my truck to sit with Shelby. But Doug was being held by a big guy at the cash register. He took the money and bolted. Just as Becky was getting in the truck he came up behind her and Shelby went after him. She bit him in the leg and pinned him down. I didn’t see that part. Funny thing though…” Matt muttered thoughtfully.
