When All My Dreams Come True Read Online Free PDF Page A

rocky soil. She jumped to the ground, a gasp stuck at the back of her throat.

   FOUR   
    T he pounding of a horse’s hooves forced Jace to pause at the threshold of his house. He’d heard the urgent pace too many times lately. He strode around the corner. “Bobbie?”
    She was headed toward him at a gallop and held what looked like a calf in front of her. She reached him and yanked back on the reins, dust billowing from the sudden stop. Bobbie dismounted just as fast, stumbling and losing her balance with the weight of a newborn calf in her arms. Jace braced her up, then took the animal from her.
    “I think you have some cattle missing.” Her chest heaved almost as hard as Mack’s. “I can’t tell how many. But there are plenty of hoof-prints heading away from your ranch.” She reached to scratch the head of the calf. “This one’s mama is tied to a tree. She has a lot more brands on her than just yours. I left her there so I could get back here before dark.”
    Jace clenched his jaw and peered into the distance. “Find Dew. Tell him I need him.” He ran to the barn, still holding the calf.
    Jace, Dew, and Bobbie arrived at the copse of trees as the sun greeted the tips of the mountains. Shadows cast an eerie glow over the scene. Jace pulled his rifle from its scabbard, metal against leather the onlysound beyond the chirping crickets and the crunching of rocky dirt under the horse’s hooves. He searched the area before dismounting. Gun in hand, he headed toward the trees. Dew and Bobbie followed with their own rifles.
    Without a word, they looked over the ground, their eyes trailing the hoofprints leading away. While Bobbie and Dew headed toward the cow tied to the tree, Jace dropped down beside one set of hoof-prints—that of a horse. Maybe, just maybe, there was some outstanding mark on the shoe that his blacksmith friend, Cade Ramsey, would recognize. As usual, nothing.
    “You need to see this, Jace,” Dew called.
    Jace headed toward them and stepped around the cow to stand next to Dew and Bobbie. With his finger, he traced the strange branding marks stamped on its side.
    “What does it mean?” Bobbie asked.
    “I have no idea. I’ve never seen brands like that before. Except for mine right in the middle of the rest.”
    Bobbie shivered and ran her free hand up and down her arm. Her gaze darted around the area. “I wonder how long ago this happened.”
    Jace grunted and traced the hairless markings the color of saddle leather. “Couldn’t have been too long. Still looks fresh.” He saw her shiver again. “We need to get back, but we can’t leave this cow out here. Dew—” but his foreman had already moved to get his horse. Jace removed the rope.
    Dew maneuvered his horse behind the cow and gave a shrill whistle to get the beast moving.
    Bobbie all but ran toward Mack. Jace would have smiled at the look of relief on her face, but he couldn’t find anything funny in the situation. With a flick of his tail followed by a cloud of dust, Mack raced off.
    Why would someone steal only my cattle?
Jace wondered. Not that he wished any trouble on his neighbors, but why only him? Andwhat were the brand marks saying? The answers eluded him on the ride home.
    Those same questions continued to haunt him the next morning. He didn’t get much sleep during the night, adding to his already foul mood. He poked his head inside the door of Annie’s house. “I’m not staying for breakfast, Annie.”
    His sister hurried to the door. “Do you know something about the cows?”
    “No, not yet. I’m on my way into town to see Morgan. Maybe he can wire some other sheriffs in the area and find out if they’ve seen anything like this. Or at least they can keep an eye out for my brand.” He didn’t wait for a reply and strode toward the barn.
    Standing in front of the sheriff’s desk a short time later, Jace couldn’t believe his ears.
    “Calm down, Jace.”
    “What do you mean, calm down? Someone is