Cowboy Protector. Margaret Daley

she added more milk, she put the carton back in the fridge. “I can’t imagine running a ranch being boring.”

      He smiled, the gesture encompassing his whole face. “It isn’t really. Not to me.”

      “But something must be bothering you.” Is it me?

      “I found a cigarette butt in the barn today, which means that one of my hired hands is smoking on the job. I’ve always insisted if you’re going to work at the Triple T that you don’t smoke on the job and especially in the barn. It’s a fire hazard with all the hay around.” He leaned against the counter near the sink, kneading his nape. “I’ve never had a problem with it until now.”

      “Have you hired anyone new?”

      “A couple. Rodney has been here since January and Cal I took on a few weeks ago. I got the impression from both men they didn’t smoke.”

      “They might not have wanted to say anything to you in order to get the job. I’d take a look at them first. Does anyone you know who works for you smoke?”

      “Three. But it’s never been a problem. In fact, I think Kevin quit this past year.”

      When the milk was heated, Hannah poured two mugs full of the hot liquid then gave one to Austin. “Any visitors lately?”

      “Besides you? No. Not for a week.”

      “Thankfully you can rule me out since I just arrived. I don’t smoke and I haven’t left the house except when we all went out front for Misty yesterday evening. All you can do is keep an eye on the new guys and check out the ones you know smoke. Of course, it’s possible someone just started or never told you.”

      Austin folded his long length into the chair at the oak table in the kitchen. “I’ve already questioned all my employees. Everyone denies it is his cigarette.”

      “Then one of them is lying to you.”

      “Yeah, I can put up with a lot, but lying isn’t one of them. I’ve found the truth always comes out in the end.”

      Hannah dropped her gaze to her milk. She hoped her “truth” didn’t come out in the end. She didn’t know how to stay safe and not lie about who she was.

      “Now when I discover who it is, I’ll have to fire him.”

      “No second chance?”

      “I could have excused the smoking in the barn but not the lying about it. I could never trust that person again and trust is important to me.” Austin’s intense gaze drilled into Hannah.

      She resisted the urge to squirm in her seat. Quickly she lifted the mug to her lips to give herself something to do. But over its rim, her eyes locked with his, and she couldn’t look away as though he’d roped her to him.

      Putting her drink on the table, she finally dragged her gaze away. “Well, I hope you catch the culprit. I can image the damage a lit cigarette can do in a barn with all that hay and wood.”

      “And miles from the nearest help. We do have some fire hoses we can use and a water source, mostly to keep one from spreading. If a barn is set on fire, it can be difficult to stop. When I was a child and my father was still alive, our barn caught on fire, and it burned to the ground in two hours. There was nothing my dad could do to save it. Some of the animals even died in it. I never want to go through that again.”

      “I haven’t had a pet in years, but when I did and something happened to her, I grieved as though a member of the family had died.”

      “That’s the way Misty feels about Candy and our dog, Barney, that stays at the barn.” He grinned, two dimples appearing. “Actually I’m kinda partial to Barney myself. He’s been around for twelve years.”

      “Didn’t I see a kennel off the barn?”

      “Yeah, I have dogs that work the cattle. Barney used to when he was younger. Now arthritis has set in, and he doesn’t move as fast, but he sure can bark. Best watchdog.” Austin took a sip of his milk. “So what kind of pet did you have?”

      “Cats. I’ve always had them.”

      “But not now.”

      It wasn’t a question because if she had a cat now it would be with her, but for some reason she felt she needed to make a comment. “As you know, I travel around a lot. It becomes difficult taking an animal with me and occasionally I’ve lived at a place like I am here, so it wouldn’t be a good idea to have a pet.”

      “Do you miss having one?”

      “Yes.” That was an answer from the heart. Every day she missed Callie, her last cat she’d left behind when she’d fled the Witness Protection setup. Risking being caught, she’d stopped at a house of a coworker who loved cats and left Callie with her. She would be thirteen now. Callie used to listen to her problems and just holding her and petting her would make things better. Hannah had nothing to help her now, and there were times she felt as if she were going to fall apart from the stress and heartache.

      “We have a cat that stays in the barn. She’s been with us for a year. Great mouser. She and Barney get along great. You should go down there and meet Snowball. Misty named her. Snowball appeared one day in the barn during winter in the middle of a snowstorm.”

      “Can I take Misty to the barn? That is, if this snow doesn’t last long.”

      “Sure. One of my ranch hands clears the snow fairly fast around the house and barn. A visit to the barn might brighten her mood. My daughter is an active little girl, and lately her activities have been curtailed drastically.”

      Hannah finished her milk. “I’ll see what I can do about that.”

      “According to my grandmother, you’re just the person to accomplish that.” Rising, Austin grabbed her empty mug and his and took them to the sink. “The first decent day, I’ll have to show you around the ranch.”

      “On a horse?”

      He faced her, eyeing her. “Is that panic in your voice?”

      “I’ve never been on a horse, so I doubt that would be the best way to see the ranch.” The thought of getting on a horse didn’t appeal to her at all.

      “Actually I have several motorized vehicles I use here at the ranch.”

      “Then Misty could go?”

      “Yeah, although her favorite way to see the ranch is on Candy.” He lounged back against the counter, clasping the edge of it on either side of him.

      “Seeing her with Candy yesterday evening, I certainly understand. Her whole face transformed when you brought the mare up for your daughter to pet.”

      “I hope nothing happens to Candy. Misty couldn’t take another death.”

      “I can imagine.” Her mother was alive but knowing she would never be able to see her bereaved her as if her mom had passed away. “I’m so sorry to hear about your wife dying. Misty said it makes you sad when she talks about her.”

      Austin flinched. “Not sad. More like angry. Not at my daughter but Jillian. If she hadn’t taken her that night, Misty wouldn’t be in the situation she’s in right now.” He shook his head as though ridding himself of some unwanted image and pushed off from the counter. “I think your milk remedy is working. I need to head to bed. Tomorrow will be here soon enough.”

      With a glance at the clock over the stove, Hannah rose. Although Austin tried to suppress his anger toward his wife by wiping any from his expression, it flowed off him in waves, the tension in his body palpable.

      “And my daughter wakes up early.”

      “I gathered that from this morning. I’m an early riser, too.”

      “Even when you go to bed at three?”

      “Yes, even then. It takes me a while to get used to a