In a Cowboy's Arms (Hitting Rocks Cowboys) Read Online Free PDF Page B

They’ll be graduating from high school in two weeks.”
    “Sadie will be getting her diploma right along with them, but by then she’ll be my wife. Here’s what I’m going to do. After I leave the vet clinic, I’ll drive up to the mountains where Sadie and I will meet. From there we’ll go to the reservation to be married and spend a couple of days with Uncle Charlo and his family. We’ll be home Sunday night in time for her to be back in school.”
    His grandfather got up from the chair and hugged him. “When you two arrive, we’ll all celebrate.”
    Jarod’s heart was full of love for his grandparents, who’d always supported him.
    “Tell me what you need me to do before I leave tomorrow afternoon and I’ll get it done.”
    “Why don’t we go over the quarterly accounts after breakfast?” Ralph suggested.
    “Sounds good.”
    He hugged his grandmother hard, then left the den and headed down the hall to the kitchen. After filling up on a couple of ham sandwiches and a quart of milk, he took the stairs two at a time to his bedroom at the top.
    His watch said twenty after ten. At this time tomorrow night he’d be with Sadie on reservation property. He knew a private spot where they wouldn’t be disturbed. They’d stay there until it was time to drive to White Lodge for their marriage license.
    You’re going to be a married man, Bannock.
    If he had one regret it was that his siblings wouldn’t be there. But when he brought Sadie home as his wife, they’d understand the measures he’d had to take to protect Sadie from her out-of-control father.
    * * *
    “S O , D R . R AFFERTY , you don’t think there’s a need to take an X-ray?” Jarod asked, walking Chief out of the trailer to the paddock behind the clinic with the vet.
    “Not that I can see,” Sam Rafferty told him.
    “His limp does seem to be a lot better. Last night I was really worried about him.”
    “Horses aren’t that different from people. Sometimes we wake up in the morning and everything hurts like hell. But the next day, we feel better.”
    “Well, I’ll take your word for it nothing serious is wrong.”
    Sam nodded. “Give him a day of rest and see how he does.”
    “Will do. How much do I owe you?”
    “Forget it. I didn’t do anything.”
    “You can’t make a living that way.” Jarod put a hundred dollar bill in the vet’s lab coat pocket. “Thanks, Doc.”
    “My pleasure.” They shook hands before he led Chief back into the trailer and shut the door.
    Jarod started the truck and drove his rig away from the clinic. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ned’s Jeep down the street across from the supermarket. That was no coincidence—Ned must still be tailing him.
    Twenty after five. The sun would set at nine. Jarod would have driven to the mountains immediately, but he couldn’t do that with Ned watching him. It would only take a half hour to reach Sadie. He had three hours to kill. Might as well drive Ned crazy.
    After making a U turn, he parked near the supermarket and went in to buy a meal at the deli. Then he took it out to the truck and sat there to eat while he listened to music. Ned had finally disappeared, but Jarod knew he was somewhere nearby watching, hoping to see Sadie show up and join Jarod. The fool could wait till doomsday but he’d never find her here.
    The sun sank lower until it dropped below the horizon. It was time to make his move. His heart thudding in anticipation of making love to Sadie for the rest of their lives, Jarod started the truck and turned onto a road that would eventually lead to the fire road. From that crossroads you could either go to the mountains the back way or head the other way for the reservation.
    But as he reached the crossroads, from out of nowhere, something rammed him broadside. The last thing he heard was the din of twisting metal before he passed out.
    The next day he woke up in the hospital with a serious brain concussion, bruises and a nasty gash near his eye.