Clint couldn’t let that happen, but how could he stop the guy from firing?

  Clint had grabbed a rifle from the house, but he couldn’t use it to take out Geary without sending Frosty bolting. Past outings proved Bree was a good rider, but could she handle a spooked horse in the dark? Clint couldn’t risk it.

  Hoping a solution would present itself, he dismounted and eased forward, leading Trident by the reins.

  “What about Ella?” Bree asked the man. “What will happen to her?”

  “I’d never hurt a kid,” he said. “I’ll make sure someone knows she’s in the tent and will come for her.”

  Even at a distance, Clint could hear Bree’s heavy sigh in response, and Clint felt the same relief.

  “I just don’t get it,” Bree said. “If you needed money for your wife’s medical treatment, why not sell the boat?”

  And the pricey gun, Clint thought as he dismounted and moved closer.

  “Bought it and this baby with Alicia’s life insurance money.” He patted his gun. “The boat gave me the perfect way to kill that money-grubber. Now that that’s done, I’ll sell it.”

  So he did kill Jason and Laura. Now he wanted to kill Bree.

  Not happening.

  Clint signaled Trident to stay put, but left him free in the event that Clint had to call for his assistance.

  “How exactly did you kill them?” Bree asked.

  “No big deal. Tied my boat up alongside them and let my engine fill their cabin with carbon monoxide.”

  “But they had a detector.”

  “Earlier that week, I rewired it so the lights worked but the thing wouldn’t go off. Once they were goners, I changed it back and messed with the generator to make it look like an accident.”

  “But what about gouging Jason’s boat? That didn’t help make it look like an accident.”

  “Didn’t plan on some dude motoring up in the middle of the night. I had to take off in a hurry, scraping their boat in the process. Figured no one would think anything of it. Then you did.”

  Clint appreciated getting details of what went down with Jason and Laura, but he appreciated more the time Bree bought, allowing him to move into position behind a tree a few feet from Geary.

  Frosty lifted his head, telling Clint he’d picked up his scent. Clint held his breath and hoped Geary didn’t notice.

  “The police will finally figure this out, you know,” Bree said. “And they’ll find the damage on your boat as proof.”

  “Already got it fixed, and as soon as I take care of you, I’m selling the thing.”

  Clint couldn’t believe that with a gun fixed on her, Bree had the presence of mind to keep asking questions.

  “So tell me,” she said. “Did killing Jason make you feel better? Lessen your grief?”

  Geary went still for a long moment. “Not rightly sure, yet.” He dropped Frosty’s reins. “But I do know that I’m not going to prison.”

  “So you’re going to kill another innocent person?”

  “Looks like it.” He took Frosty’s bridle and pointed him at the ridge.

  Clint needed to act.

  He shot out from behind the tree and grabbed for Geary’s rifle. Geary jerked to the side. Clint tried to get a grip on the gun to wrench it from Geary’s hands. The rifle exploded with a deafening report then hit the ground.

  Frosty bolted.

  “No!” Clint shouted and spun to go back for Trident.

  Clint made it only a few feet before Geary tackled him from behind, leaving Bree racing toward what seemed like certain death.

  * * *

  Frosty tore through the black of night and panic assailed Bree. She flattened her body over Frosty’s head and reached for the reins.

  The leather slapped her fingers but she couldn’t catch hold. Clint. She needed Clint. He’d likely arrived on Trident. Could he get free of Geary and catch up to Frosty?

  Another shot rang through the night.

  No. No. Had Geary killed Clint?

  Her heart creased, but Frosty suddenly veered left and thoughts of Clint evaporated as she tried to hang on. She’d learned how to handle a bolting horse, but fear twisted her thoughts into a tangled web.

  Think. Think. Think.

  Sit back up. Yes. Sitting up would keep her from flying over Frosty’s shoulders if he made a sharper turn, or over his neck if he dropped his head. She slowly rose up, the wind hitting her full on and unsettling her more.

  She had to let go of her fear. Her worry. Trust God to keep her safe and relax so she could get back into Frosty’s rhythm and not add to his anxiety.

  Oh, God, please. Help me. Help Clint.

  She heard hooves pounding behind her. Geary didn’t have a horse. It had to be Clint on Trident, as the horse only let Clint ride him. The hooves sounded closer. Gaining on them.

  A loud whistle came from behind. Clint was trying to call Frosty, but her horse didn’t lose a beat and they continued racing toward the ridge. If Clint didn’t succeed in turning Frosty soon, she’d have to take her chances at bailing. But poor Frosty would still go over the edge.

  Clint whistled again. She felt Frosty falter for a moment. Just a second really, but it was a good sign.

  Clint whistled a third time. Frosty slowed a touch, allowing the more powerful Trident to catch up and come alongside them.

  “I’m going to grab Frosty’s reins,” Clint shouted.

  He leaned to the side. A dangerous and risky move. She hoped Clint’s high school rodeo experience kept him safe.

  Trident surged, and Clint snagged a rein.

  He swung back up in the saddle and changed Trident’s direction. Frosty followed.

  Thank You, God!

  They continued to gallop, and she kept her attention on not falling off as Clint directed both horses to turn and gradually brought them to a stop.

  Clint dropped from his horse, grabbed Bree from the saddle and wrapped his powerful arms around her. “If I... If you... I couldn’t lose you. I just couldn’t.”

  She clung to him, but he suddenly pushed her away and moved them into a copse of trees.

  “I managed to knock Geary senseless long enough to get on Trident and come after you without taking a bullet in the back,” he said.

  “But he still has the rifle.”

  “I had no time to go after the gun. I had to stop Frosty before he reached the ridge. Now I need you to stay behind a tree while I take care of Geary.” Clint grabbed his rifle from Trident’s saddle and headed toward camp on foot.

  Bree knew she should obey his instructions, but she couldn’t sit back and do nothing. Especially when Ella was still alone in the tent. Bree moved silently toward the campsite. She stopped behind a tree and peeked around. Geary stood with Ella in his arms, and Clint held his rifle on them. Geary’s gun was nowhere in sight.

  Bree had to hold on to the tree to keep herself from racing to save Ella.

  “You hear the ATVs closing in on us?” Clint asked. “That’ll be the deputies I called on my way back here. You have no way out.”

  Geary looked at Ella then back at Clint. “Fine. You win.”

  “Lay the baby on the ground and step back.”

  Geary’s shoulders slumped, and he followed Clint’s directions. Ella started whimpering. Clint moved to Ella and scooped her up with his free hand.

  “I’m here, honey. It’s okay,” he said, but his focus never left Geary,

  Bree wanted to run to Ella, but she couldn’t risk distracting Clint and give Geary the upper hand again. So she hung back, her heart filled with love for Clint.

  Shawn arrived and soon had Geary in handcuffs. Clint set down his rifle and lifted Ella to his chest, his face filled with emotions.

  Bree stood in amazement. He’d come to care for Ella. Really care for her. Dare she hope they could find a way to be together as a family?

  “Feels good to exchange my rifle for you,” he whispered. “A perfect trade. Too bad it can’t be permanent.”

  Bree’s heart shattered.

  Nothing had changed.

  Clint was going back to the SEALs, and she could do nothing to stop him.

  ELEVEN

  At daybreak, Clint burned off his unease from the previous night by galloping across his land on Trident. The powerful stallion’s breath came in loud puffs as his feet pummeled the ground. They charged down a winding access road then over wide-open pastures.

  Man, Clint loved this place. Every inch of it. It had been his favorite spot on earth until he’d come to live here under his granddad’s severe reign. Then he’d only wanted to run far away from it.

  Now, he desperately wanted to stay. To be with Bree. To raise little Ella. To see them both smiling and happy. To lavish love on them and receive it in return. The love he’d missed since his parents died.

  Wait.

  He pulled on Trident’s reins, drawing him to a stop. Clint jumped down and patted the horse’s neck. “I’ve been convincing myself I couldn’t be here because of my calling, but that wasn’t it, was it, fella? I couldn’t risk losing Bree like I lost my parents. Comes down to trusting God, I suppose. If it meant I could be with Bree, I could do that, right? Yeah, I could. For her. But I’d still need a job to support her and Ella.”

  He heard hooves pounding toward him, and he spun to see Shawn racing across the range. Clint’s heart jumped into his throat. Had something bad happened to Bree?

  He fought the urge to climb back on Trident and charge toward Shawn, but stood not so patiently waiting for him to arrive.

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  “Okay? No, man! You’re standing here talking to your horse when the woman you love is packing up to leave.”

  Which was why Clint had taken off. “Even if I wanted to stay here and be with her, what kind of job can I get around here that will pay enough to support a wife and child? I have a good bit socked away in savings, but that won’t work long-term and a high school diploma just doesn’t cut it.”

  Shawn kicked his leg over the saddle and dropped to the ground. “Therapy horses.”

  “Say what?”

  “You have all this land, expertise in horses, and you just said you have money in savings. It shouldn’t cost too much to add to your stock and set up facilities. You’ve seen guys struggling with PTSD. They need help, man. You can provide it through a therapy horse program.”

  “Therapy horses, huh?” Clint mulled the idea over. “Helping vets. I like the sound of that.”

  “And you’d never have to leave the ranch if you didn’t want to.” Shawn grinned. “Bree would love that.”

  A picture of Bree and Ella on the ranch formed in his mind. Ella on a pony, other children, too. Theirs. He couldn’t find any reason not to do this. Well, maybe he had to ask God for His opinion, but Clint had such peace about the idea he knew God would be okay with it, too.

  “Thanks, man.” Clint climbed onto Trident’s back. “You’re welcome to ride back with me, but then make yourself scarce.”

  Shawn laughed. “You just go get her. I’ll take the back way home.”

  “I will and that’s a promise.”

  * * *

  Bree loaded the portable crib into her scarred vehicle. She’d forgotten all about the bullet holes. And the home she was returning to was in even worse shape. She was leaving this amazing place behind, leaving Clint behind, and heading back to reality.

  She’d be raising Ella alone. Not what she’d wanted. Not when she’d seen how good Clint was with Ella. And there’d be no other guy for Bree. At least, not for the foreseeable future. It was going to take even longer to get over Clint this time. Being thrown together like they’d been the last few days showed her how wonderful it would be to have him around full-time. Now she wanted that and nothing less.

  Hooves thundered in the distance and dust filtered into the air. Had to be Shawn or Clint or both of them returning from their rides. She had no idea what Shawn had wanted, but after they’d talked for a bit, he’d been almost frantic to find Clint.

  She went back inside to retrieve Ella’s car seat and haul it out to the car. The hooves pounded closer. Hopefully it was Clint so she could say goodbye, but she wouldn’t look up to be disappointed if it was only Shawn. She clicked the last strap in place and heard the horse stop shy of her car.

  “You can’t go.”

  It was Clint’s voice, and her heart soared as she backed out of the car. Her gaze went to his, and her whole body filled with longing to have him as part of her family.

  “I have a plan to leave the military and stay here,” he said. “It’ll mean living lean and mean for a while, but I think we can do it.”

  “Tell me about it,” she said, not willing to let herself get excited until she knew more.

  “Let’s sit down.” He led her to the porch where an old swing hung from wooden rafters.

  They sat and Clint stared ahead. “I used to sit out here at sunset with my parents. The skies were filled with color and God’s promises, but I quit believing in them when my parents died. Now I think God’s given me the answer to our problem.” Clint swiveled to face her and took her hands. “Shawn suggested I use the ranch for horse therapy for vets suffering from PTSD.”

  “What an amazing idea.” Her heart soared then fell as she thought about it. “But even if it would be great for the vets, is it right for you? Are you okay with leaving the SEALs and being landlocked again? Living a boring old life on a small ranch.”

  “If you’ll agree to marry me, I can live anywhere.”

  Marriage. He wanted to marry her.

  “Marry you? Isn’t that awful sudden?”

  “Is it? I love you, Bree. That’s no secret, right?”

  “Right,” she replied, her mind awash with thoughts, but she couldn’t focus with his gaze fixed on her like that.

  “And I get the feeling you love me, too,” he said.

  “I do.” She smiled at him. “So much, but—”

  “But what? We’re in love. We have a way to be together, and I want to be a father to Ella. The kind of father my dad was before he died. Please say you’ll marry me, and we can work out all the rest.”

  “Yes.” She flung her arms around his neck. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

  He drew back and suddenly his lips were on hers, the love nearly bursting her heart reflected in his kiss.

  Bree heard the porch door squeak open.

  “Everything okay out here?” her mother asked.

  Bree pulled free to look at her mother who held a drooling Ella. Bree got up to take Ella, but before she could, Clint had the precious child in his arms.

  “We’re going to be a family,” he said to Ella while slipping his arm around Bree and drawing her tightly to his side. “I don’t suppose it’s too early to start looking for Ella’s first pony.”

  Bree smiled up at Clint making sure she transmitted her love for him.

  “Things are more than okay,” she said to her mom without taking her gaze from Clint. “They’re absolutely perfect.”

  * * * * *

  If you liked this story, pick up these other stories from Susan Sleeman:

  SILENT NIGHT STANDOFF

  EXPLOSIVE ALLIANCE

  HIGH-CALIBER HOLIDAY

  EMERGENCY RESPONSE

  SILENT SABOTAGE

  CHRISTMAS CONSPIRACY

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  Dear Reader,

  Helping others through military service is such a noble profession. I respect and am in awe of this service to our country, often given at great personal sacrifice. So, I wanted to take a moment to thank the brave men and women serving in our armed forces.

  We are all free to live. Free to express our faith publicly. Free to be who we are in this great country we live in, and for that we owe a great debt of gratitude to these men and women. So join with me in praying not only for our military personnel, but for their families who give so much so that their loved ones can protect us and our freedoms.

  May God bless each and every person from the freshly enlisted private to the wise armed forces leaders. We are truly blessed because of your and your families’ sacrifices!

  If you’d like to learn more about my other books, please stop by my website at www.susansleeman.com. I also love hearing from readers so please contact me via email, susan@susansleeman.com, on my Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/SusanSleemanBooks, or write to me c/o Love Inspired, HarperCollins 24th floor, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.

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