Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
“Good morning!” JB called out as he walked toward them with his long-legged stride. Two German shepherds ran up to him, tails wagging happily, and he stopped to pet them.
“Morning,” the man replied as he came forward. His jeans already had dirt on them, his cowboy boots dusty as well. He was a short man with a barrel chest and a shock of white hair. “What brings you out here this morning? I heard about Gladys shooting at you. You all right?”
JB groaned but his smile never wavered. “Yeah. She thought we were coyotes, but the truck should have clued her in.”
“I’m thinking Gladys’s got more wrong than just her eyesight.” He chuckled and held out his hand to Cole. “Frank Jenkins. And this is my wife, Lettie.”
“Cole McCord.” Cole shook his hand, feeling the rough calluses of years of hard work in the strong handshake.
“Nice to meet you. You a new hand on the ranch?”
“No, just a friend visiting.”
“Well, it’s a good time for a visit to Texas if that’s not where you’re from. Nice, warm spring we’re having this year.”
It was actually kind of hot for spring as far as Cole was concerned, but he guessed he’d seen nothing like their summers here.
Lettie was a pretty woman with short, white hair and freckles across her nose and cheeks. She grinned at them, her smile as bright as the sun. “How’s your mama doing, JB?”
“She’s fine. Working on her garden and taking care of the horses as usual.” JB ran his hand through his hair. He’d left his hat in the truck. “I wanted to talk to you guys about that property developer that’s been poking around. Brad Dillinger.”
Both their smiles disappeared, and Frank shifted his feet, suddenly finding something fascinating to stare at on the ground. Then he looked up at JB, a hard expression tightening his features. “I suppose he told you that we accepted his offer.”
“He told my parents, yes.” JB paused and released a heavy breath, tilting his head a little to the side and squinting against the sun. “Have to say, I’m surprised. I didn’t know you two were ready to retire.”
“Good lord, JB. We’re older than your parents. We can’t go on forever,” Lettie said with a laugh.
“Shucks, Lettie, you don’t look a day over thirty-nine to me.” JB grinned at her, laying the good old boy routine on thick. The woman easily looked like she was in her sixties, but she giggled like a teenager.
“Shameless,” she replied with a cluck of her tongue.
Cole waved away a fly buzzing about his head as he listened to JB charm the lady. One of the dogs came up to him and he reached to stroke its soft head.
“It’s time,” Frank sighed, relaxing considerably. A smile toyed with his lips as if he were amused by JB’s antics.
“I get that, but what about Martin? You’re not handing the ranch over to your son?”
“He’s got his own ranch to run. It’s time,” Frank said.
“We’re looking at a small place in Clearwater, Florida,” Lettie added with a note of excitement in her voice. “Less than fifteen minutes to the beach.”
“Time to settle down and get out of the craziness of ranch life.”
“But you love ranch life, same as me.” JB shoved his hands into his pockets. “The Jenkins Ranch has been around as long as the Alexander Ranch.”
“We’ve had a lot of problems cropping up, so it’s been harder than usual,” Lettie said.
Frank threw her a look, but she tightened her lips and put her hands on her hips. “You know it, Frank Jenkins,” she continued. “We’ve had ten times the normal problems this year.”
JB had straightened up with her words, narrowing his eyes on the old woman. “Like what kinds of problems?”
Cole went still, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.
Frank answered. “Suspiciously dead cows, more fence problems than usual. We lost nearly half a herd and couldn’t afford that. Dillinger’s offer came at a good time.”
“Came at a suspicious time, too.” Lettie scowled. “We were told our cows had been poisoned, and I believe it. Didn’t look like any disease we’ve seen before.”
“I’ve had some poisoned cattle, too,” JB admitted. “More fence issues, as well, come to think of it. You got anyone else around here giving you a hard time?”
“Like who?” Frank asked.
“Logan Bishop not coming around here, complaining?”
Frank looked surprised. “Nah, Logan’s been quiet. Haven’t seen him in a while now. I hear his daddy is running him ragged on that ranch.”
Cole still didn’t rule out Logan, not with how hostile he was toward JB.
JB sighed. “We’re not going to sell. Is your sale contingent on ours?”
Frank rocked on his heels, his expression going blank. “The Robertses are selling, too. Dillinger wants the whole lake for their resort.”
“Well, we aren’t going anywhere, and I’m not sorry to say it. That land means the world to my family. You may be ready to move away, but we aren’t.”