Rodeo Standoff. Susan Sleeman

he a problem?” Braden asked.

      “I’m...not sure. His sister is Felicia Peters, my biggest competitor. Neither of them has made any secret about not liking me. In fact, Douglas often accuses me of cheating.”

      Braden’s eyebrow went up, but he didn’t speak.

      “Everyone knows the Peters family doesn’t much like Tessa,” Harley said. “But I can’t imagine Douglas being behind this.”

      Tessa wasn’t sure she’d be that generous. Douglas had been pretty nasty in his accusations against her.

      “Let me give Ernie a call to see what’s going on with King Slammer.” Harley stepped away and lifted his phone to his ear.

      Braden hopped down, standing tall and ruggedly handsome with his hands on his waist, his feet planted wide. Tessa’s gaze wanted to linger, but she forced her attention to the crime scene. She walked along the outside of the chute looking for any clue that might lead her to the person who wanted to end her life, but she couldn’t focus. She’d done her best to put on a good front for Braden and Harley, making it seem like the bull was no big deal. But she was smart enough to realize that someone wanted to cause her great harm, and she suspected when that someone learned she’d survived, they’d try again.

      Her phone rang and she dug it out of her pocket. Her father. Great. Could she get away with ignoring the call? As the Lake County sheriff, he usually received news long before anyone else, but he couldn’t have heard about the bull already, could he? She could just see him going ballistic once he did. Then, like always, he’d warn her to be careful. He told her brothers, Matt and Gavin, to get after things, but he tried to coddle her and her sister, Kendall. She loved him for his caring but was exasperated at the same time.

      And she couldn’t ignore his call. He could need her on an important investigation. Forcing herself to sound cheerful, she answered.

      “Got a report of a stolen bull,” he said before she could tell him about King Slammer. “It was taken from the rest area just outside town. We’re talking a fifty-thousand-dollar animal. I need you out there ASAP to process the scene.”

      “A stolen bull at the rest area,” she said, catching Braden’s attention. “Do you have a name for the bull?”

      “King Slammer.”

      She shot a look at the chute, her mind processing the idea that someone stole this bull to use it as a weapon against her. “No need to search for him. I’m at the arena, and you can tell the owner that King Slammer is here.”

      “What in the world?”

      “Someone dropped him off. Not sure who yet. Harley’s here now, and we’re figuring it out.”

      “Well, I’ll be.” The words drew out in his deep Texan drawl. “Why steal a bull just to leave it at the arena when it was scheduled to be delivered to the pens there anyway? Truck and trailer there, too?”

      “I haven’t been outside since I laid eyes on the bull, but I’ll check it out before I process the scene.”

      “I don’t much cotton to such a high-dollar theft in my county, so take your time and don’t miss a thing. Matt’s at the rest area and will handle things until you get there.”

      She was glad her brother, a county detective, caught the case instead of the other detective on staff, as Matt had a better case-closure rate.

      “Go ahead and look for that truck and trailer before heading out here, too,” her father added.

      She was about to hang up when Braden came toe-to-toe with her and grabbed her phone. “Sheriff McKade.”

      She tried to retrieve her phone, but Braden spun, keeping it out of her grasp. “Looks like King Slammer was put here to injure your daughter.”

      “Who is this?” she heard her father demand.

      Braden identified himself and added that he was a police detective in Austin. “I want to accompany her to the rest area, but law enforcement professionals often refuse to believe they need help. I thought maybe you could convince her to let me escort her.” He listened carefully, then handed the phone to her. “He wants to talk to you.”

      She put the cell to her ear. “Dad.”

      “Listen, Tessa. You may be a grown woman, but don’t think that means you can purposely avoid telling me about something like this. You hear me, girl?”

      “Yes, Dad.” She wanted to stand up for herself, but she wouldn’t engage in a personal argument with Braden standing close by. She could and did glare at him for snatching her phone, though. He simply peered at her with a blank expression as if he hadn’t done anything wrong.

      “Braden Hayes is going to accompany you to the rest area,” her father continued. “And I’ll be meeting you there, too.”

      “Dad, I don’t need anyone to watch over—”

      “Hold it right there, Peanut. You need the family’s help and, right now, Braden’s, too. And I want to meet the man and shake his hand. If he hadn’t come along...” His voice broke.

      His obvious concern for her safety put her closer to crying than anything that had happened since seeing the bull pawing at the ground right in front of her.

      “I’ll see you as soon as I’m done here,” she managed to mutter through a throat that was closing and ended the call.

      She stowed her phone and glared at Braden. “You had no right to do that.”

      “Easy, darlin’,” he said, his words languid and low. “Or you’re likely to rush off into danger, just the opposite of what your father and I want.”

      She couldn’t handle that he’d aligned himself with her dad on this issue, but arguing with such a mule-headed man wouldn’t do any good. She headed for Harley, breathing deep to ward off tears of frustration that would make her look like a frightened girl instead of a strong deputy.

      Harley stared at his phone in his hand as if willing it to ring. “Call went to Ernie’s voice mail. I’m hoping he’ll get right back to me.”

      She told him about King Slammer’s theft. “If Ernie’s out at the rest area when I get there, I’ll ask him to call you.”

      Harley nodded as Braden joined them.

      Still upset over the way he’d butted in where he had no business going, she ignored him. “I’ll take a look for the missing truck and trailer, then grab my supplies and process the crime scene before heading out.”

      “Crime scene?” Harley’s voice squeaked high. “Now wait a minute, Tessa. There’s been no crime committed here.”

      “Someone cut the lock at the gate and a stolen bull was left to stampede an innocent woman,” Braden said, his tone deadly serious. “Where I’m from, we call that a crime.”

      * * *

      Tessa stormed ahead of Braden. They’d been walking the blocks surrounding the arena, looking for the truck and trailer for some time now, and she didn’t hide her anger very well. He’d have to be an idiot not to see she was mad at him for taking her phone to talk to her father. He shouldn’t have done it, but come on. She needed someone to have her back right now, so he’d taken on that responsibility. If that meant invading her personal space and overstepping his bounds, so be it. Keeping her safe came first for him.

      He planned to apologize. Just not at the moment. Now he needed to keep his eyes and ears open for any additional threats.

      “Doesn’t look like we’re going to find the truck, so time to move on.” She spun and marched back toward the arena.

      They passed the barn that would soon house contestants’ horses, then crossed the street to the large parking lot surrounding the building on three sides. On the backside, outdoor pens connected to gates leading to the chutes where bulls and