The Rancher And The RunawayBride: Part 2 Read Online Free Page B

frenzy when she’d fed everyone, but she didn’t recall seeing Princess.
    She jogged around the barn, then checked up at the main house. There was no response
     to her repeated calls. Something wasn’t right. Something had happened to Princess.
    Wishing there was someone else to tell besides Tex, Randi hurried toward the bunkhouse.
     She stepped into the kitchen. Tex stood at the sink, peeling potatoes.
    “I can’t find Princess,” she said. “I don’t remember feeding her this morning. Have
     you seen her?”
    “No.” The older man frowned. “She keeps a regular schedule and doesn’t usually go
     missing. Unless she’d found a sick cat on her route. Then she’ll stay by the animal
     until help comes.”
    “Or she could have been hurt herself.”
    Tex nodded. “That’s a possibility. Brady’s the only one who knows all her spots. You’ll
     have to go get him. Cell service is spotty where he is.” He crossed to the built-in
     butler’s pantry on the far side of the room and pulled open a drawer. There was a
     pad of paper on top. After grabbing it and a pencil, he returned to the table. He
     spoke as he drew.
    “Take one of the horses. It would be faster to drive there, but you’ll need a horse
     to find Princess. She doesn’t keep to the main road all the time, and I doubt any
     of the trucks would make it on that rough terrain. Brady’s working north of here.
     It’s about four miles.”
    He gave her the map and detailed instructions, then ordered her to wait. Two minutes
     later he returned with a cell phone, a couple of blankets and a first aid kit. “Just
     in case,” he said, pressing the supplies into her arms. “If she’s hurt and you don’t
     think you can bring her back, call and I’ll drive the truck out.”
    “Okay.” She paused, wondering if she should say anything about their previous conversation,
     then figured it didn’t matter. Not now.
    Once in the barn, she quickly saddled Casper, grateful the strong, gentle gelding
     hadn’t been taken out to work that day. He was the horse she’d ridden the most. She
     trusted him.
    After loading the saddlebags, she studied the hand-drawn map for a minute. First she
     had to find Brady, then they had to locate Princess. She sent up a quick prayer that
     the dog was all right.
    * * *
    Brady studied the dozen steers in front of him. It always came down to the last few.
     Making a decision about a couple hundred seemed easier, somehow. He was gambling—trying
     to put together the right elements without having all the facts. He had to have enough
     hay to feed the cattle he kept until spring. How much stock, how much hay, how long
     would they be able to graze, how long the winter? Guesswork, all of it.
    Ty sat on the horse next to him and waited patiently for instructions.
    “Hell,” Brady muttered. “Keep ‘em.”
    “Yes, boss.” The cowboy turned to give another man instructions, then glanced over
     his shoulder and pointed. “We’ve got company. I think it’s Rita.”
    Brady frowned and raised his binoculars. Ty was right. Rita rode toward them. This
     wasn’t a pleasure call; her expression was too tense.
    He dropped the small but powerful binoculars back around his neck and urged his horse
     forward. His gelding broke into a trot, then a canter. He met her on a grassy slope.
    “What’s wrong?” he asked.
    “Maybe nothing,” she said, her words coming in gasps as she tried to catch her breath.
     “Princess is missing. I can’t remember if she was at breakfast this morning. I know
     I haven’t seen her all day. Tex said you knew her route.” She reached behind her and
     patted the saddlebags. “I’ve got blankets, medical supplies and the cell phone. Just
     in case.”
    He nodded, then motioned Ty over. Quickly he explained the situation. “Take the herd
     east,” he said.
    Ty’s dark eyes clouded with concern. “I know what to do, boss. Just go find the dog.”
    “We will.” He glanced at Rita. “You doing