Chapter Twenty

Dolly

Laredo, TX

D olly stood next to Nash near the Jaripeo Ranch’s enclosure, watching the Mexican fighting bulls snort and paw at the ground. Their broad backs rippled with muscle, each of the ten bulls a coiled spring of aggression. The wranglers had their hands full keeping them watered and fed until it was time to bring them to the chute.

“I thought the FBI was going to have Jaripeo Ranch’s trailer wrapped in crime scene tape by now,” Dolly muttered, eyeing the restless animals warily.

“Looks like they came up empty,” Nash said. “Miles hasn’t answered my texts either.”

“At least we don’t have to worry if Jackson Blevins will scoot out of this.”

Shelby got a unanimous vote of “no confidence” against Jackson Blevins. He was out of a job and out of luck. His things were being packed up and would be waiting for him at the reception area in the Dallas headquarters once he left the hospital.

“I mentioned Jefferson Laker to Shelby as a potential investor. She’s considering it.”

“Will working with him be a problem for you?” Nash asked, a flash of concern on his face.

“Not anymore.” And she meant it. The people who needed to know about her past, knew it. She wasn’t going to worry about her secret getting out.

He reached down to hold her hand. “Good.”

One of the bulls charged the fence, testing its strength. Dolly grimaced. “I bet you’re glad you don’t have to ride any of these monsters. Your undercover cowboy days are over.”

“I think I might actually miss it.”

“Really?” She cocked her head up at him.

The corner of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Nope. I lied.”

“Nash Weaver, I’m shocked.”

Two kids who were standing close to them, approached them excitedly.

“Are you Nash Weaver?” one asked.

He nodded, trying to mask his discomfort at the sudden attention. “Yeah, that’s me.”

“Can we take a picture with you and Donnan?” the other chimed in, practically bouncing on the spot.

Dolly hid her delighted grin behind her hand as Nash agreed, leading them over to the petting zoo where a crowd of young fans eagerly waited. The moment he appeared, they swarmed him, clamoring for autographs and photos.

“I forgot to tell you,” Dolly said, her voice barely audible above the excited chatter. “Your posts with Donnan have gone viral these last few days. You’re trending.”

Dolly watched Nash blink in surprise, clearly overwhelmed by the sudden appreciation for him and his furry little friend. A rodeo star—him. It was ironic, considering he wasn’t any good at bull riding. Yet, here he was, signing hats and posing for selfies, almost basking in the glow of his unintended fame. And the best part? He didn’t have to get tossed on his ass today.

“Guess I’ll leave bull riding to the professionals,” Nash said.

“Good. I’ve got enough on my plate without worrying about you getting gored by one of those things.” She glanced at her phone, then back at him. “There are more kids coming to see Donnan. You might want to take a breather and sneak away for a bit. Let’s go around the back area.”

They slipped behind the petting zoo toward the animal trailers, expecting a moment of solitude and maybe a little private kissing time. Instead, she did a double take when she spotted two familiar goons—the ones from Blevins’s office security footage—engrossed in conversation with Ryan Chester from Rocky Ridge Ranch. Nash pulled her behind a nearby trailer with him.

Dolly, camera in hand, snapped several quick photos, capturing the exchange of thick wads of cash between the men. Nash turned on the recorder on his cell phone, boosting the signal to catch every word.

“…Blevins won’t know the actual amounts delivered,” Ryan was saying, his voice dripping with contempt. “He’s in the hospital for a few more days. Man, he loves his powder more than his profits.”

“We should just cut him out altogether,” one of the goons said.

They watched from their hiding spot as the three men moved away. After they disappeared into the bustle of the rodeo, Nash let out a deep sigh and sagged against the trailer.

“Holy shit. We nailed him. I’ve got to let Miles know it wasn’t the Jaripeo Ranch; it was Rocky Ridge that was smuggling.”

She watched as he texted: Wrong border. It was coming in from Canada, not Mexico. Check the pics and recording I’m sending. He attached the pictures and audio clip and hit send.

“We should get out of here and let the FBI do their job,” Dolly said, with her hand on his arm.

Nash looked wistfully in the direction where the three men had gone. After a moment, he nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”

*

Nash

Dolly’s fingers played with the edge of the popcorn box as she scanned the arena. The stands were packed, spectators buzzing for that wild rodeo action. The smell of sawdust and leather mixed with the salty scent of popcorn. Nash, next to her, grabbed a handful of popcorn, his eyes on the dirt track where cowboys and cowgirls showed off their skills. It was no surprise that Finn took first place in bull riding, but Taylor Keating coming in second? That was a shock.

“Do you think Loretta saw?” Dolly asked, stretching to see if her sister was in the crowd.

“I think she was too busy selling paintings,” Nash replied.

Nash’s phone buzzed. He glanced down and saw a text from Miles. Got ’em. I owe you one. I’ll be in touch.

Nash laughed quietly. He thought about his old life at the bureau, when following the rules to the letter had been everything to him. But looking at Dolly smiling up at him, he knew he had everything he needed right here. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

Just then, his phone rang again. Shelby’s name lit up the screen. Nash answered, hoping for good news.

“The FBI found drugs in sealed containers in the Rocky Ridge Ranch trailers under the dirty hay,” Shelby said loud enough for Dolly to hear. Dolly leaned in closer.

“They were hiding it under cow shit?” Dolly said, eyebrows raised.

“Apparently, one of the cows stepped on a container and shattered it. We almost had a cocaine cow at the petting zoo.” Shelby’s voice had a dark humor to it.

“What’ll happen to the petting zoo animals?” Nash asked, glancing at Dolly.

“Most of the smaller ones have temporary homes, but Donnan and his mother are going to be impounded.”

“Let me handle this,” Dolly said, taking out her phone and calling her sister Reba.

“Reba, can you convince Shane to keep Donnan and his mother at the Viking Ranch? They’ve got plenty of room, right?”

“Wait!” Nash heard Reba screech. “You won’t adopt a kitten for me, but you want me to take in two cows?”

“Please, Reba? They’re going to be impounded if you don’t.”

Nash heard some grumbling, but eventually, Reba agreed to take in the Highland cows.

Dolly leaned her head on Nash’s shoulder.

“So, now that you’ve stopped a drug-smuggling operation and ousted Blevins as co-CEO, what’s next?” she asked.

“Maybe I’ll set up a private investigation office in Dallas,” Nash said with a smile.

“Really?” Dolly’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “I think that’s a great idea. Maybe I could help with the social media side of things?”

“We make a good team.”

“We do. And you know what?” Dolly said playfully. “You can still be a rodeo cowboy on weekends.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

“There’s got to be something you’re good at.”

“Gee, thanks,” he said dryly.

“I mean, you can’t rely on Donnan for your whole career,” Dolly teased, snuggling closer. Nash kissed her hair, breathing in her floral scent. She was all he needed. Anything else would just be the cherry on top of the sundae.