left the blacktop some time ago and now the road narrowed to merely a track. Her heart lifted when she saw a cattle guard. There had to be a house somewhere and she could ask for directions. She looked around for signs of human life, a barn, anything. But all she saw were woods and more woods. The track ended and she had nowhere to go.
Just then the engine made a funny sound and she could barely turn the steering wheel. She stopped and listened. The motor was still running but the car wouldn’t go. Now what?
She reached for her phone in her purse and tried to call her brother. No signal. She looked out the window and couldn’t see power lines. Where was she? Rachel got out of the car and an eerie feeling came over her. The May wind rustled through the trees, the only sound she heard.
She tried her phone again. Nothing. A sliver of alarm shot through her and she got back into the car. How was she going to get out of here? She mustn’t panic. She shut off the engine and waited ten minutes. When she started it again it sounded strange, not like before. She put the car in gear and pressed the gas. The steering wheel was still hard to turn and she knew she couldn’t go very far like this. She turned off the ignition.
Her choices were simple. She’d have to walk out or sit here and wait for someone to find her. From the silence, she feared that wait might be long. A tear slipped from her eye and she slapped it away. She could handle this.
She got out of the car again and looked down at her dress and heels. Not ideal for walking. Her suitcase was in the backseat, so she’d just change into jeans and sneakers.
As Rachel moved toward the door, something in her peripheral vision caught her eye. Her heart thumped against her chest. There was a man emerging from the woods. He was hard to see because he seemed as one with his surroundings. A dark duster like she’d seen cowboys wear in olden days flapped around his legs. His longish dark hair brushed against his collar, and he had at least a day’s worth of stubble. A worn hat was pulled low over his eyes, but what held her attention was the rifle in his hand.
Fear crept along her nerves as she got back into the car, locking the doors manually. The man continued to stride toward her. There was nothing she could do but wait. Who was he? And what was he doing out here so far from anywhere?
Her eyes were glued to him as he drew closer. She scooted away from the window, as if that would help. When he tapped on the window, she jumped; she was so nervous.
“Are you okay, ma’am?”
He peered at her through the window and she stared into the darkest eyes she’d ever seen. Instead of being paralyzed with fear, her body relaxed. His eyes were riveting. It was like coming in from an icy cold day into a room with a roaring fire. All she felt was the warmth, and she instinctively knew this man wouldn’t hurt her.
“Ma’am, are you okay?” he repeated, and his strong voice propelled her into action. She turned on the motor and reached for the window button, but nothing happened. The window wouldn’t move. She had no choice but to open the door.
As she got out, he stepped back and she realized he was tall. Even in her heels she had to look up.
“What are you doing out here?” His voice was deep, masculine and irritated.
“I’m lost,” she admitted. “I was headed to Horseshoe.”
“You’re miles away from Horseshoe.”
She knew that. “I was hoping to find a house and get directions, but there don’t seem to be any homes nearby.”
“No.” He pointed. “Across that fence line is the McCray property and you’re standing on Rebel Ranch. The cattle guard is a back entrance in case we need it. If you turn around and follow the track, it will lead you to a road. You should be able to find your way then.”
“That’s the problem. Something’s wrong with my car. It started making funny noises and now I can’t turn the steering wheel. And the windows won’t work, either.” She looked into those beautiful eyes. “Do you know anything about cars?”
He placed his rifle against the vehicle. “Unlatch the hood and I’ll take a look.”
Unlatch the hood? “Uh...” She had no idea what he was talking about, and it was no use pretending that she did. “This is a rental and I don’t know anything about cars.”
He didn’t roll his eyes or anything like that. He just reached inside her car and pulled something. A pop sounded. He walked to the front of the car and with both hands lifted the hood. Peering over, she watched as he looked around.
He finally straightened. “Your serpentine belt is broken. It controls a lot of the extras on your car, like power steering, power windows and AC. I’m not sure about this model, but it can also control the water pump, which means driving could be dangerous.” He slammed the hood shut.
“Do you live nearby?” she asked with a hopeful note.
“Miles away. I’m out tracking feral dogs.”
“What?” Had she heard him correctly? She had this eerie feeling she’d stepped back into the 1800s.
“Dogs are killing our calves on the ranch.” When he sensed she wasn’t following him, he waved his hand. “You can just follow the track to the road. It’ll take you an hour or so, but someone will eventually find you.”
She looked down at her heels.
“Do you have other shoes?” That note of irritation was back in his voice.
“In my suitcase.”
“My suggestion is you change and start moving, because it’s going to be dark soon.”
The thought of walking alone at night filled her with a claustrophobic feeling. “I really don’t want to walk alone. I’ll pay you if you help me get to Horseshoe.”
He sighed. “Ma’am, I don’t need your money. I just need to get back to doing my job before any more calves die on the ranch.”
“You can’t just leave me out here. I know there are wild animals and no telling what else. It’s dangerous.”
“And that didn’t cross your mind when you were traveling miles and miles without a sign of life?”
“I was looking for Cutoff 149.”
“They changed that many years ago. The roads now have county numbers so it’s easier for emergency vehicles and firefighters.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Horseshoe.”
“Then why not stay on 77?”
He was annoyed and he was making her annoyed. She placed her hands on her hips. “Are you going to help me or not?”
He glanced off to the woods and then at her. “Looks like I don’t have any choice, and I lost the tracks a while ago. If we walk directly east, it should take about two hours to reach a spot where we can get cell phone reception. Then I can call the ranch and someone can meet us in an all-terrain vehicle. Change clothes. I’ll give you a few minutes.” He strolled away without a backward glance.
Goose
