When they reached a water hole, he grimaced. “Looks like they were joined by two more men.”

“That’s what I was afraid of,” Chase said. Cow thieves were a lazy bunch. They didn’t want the work of raising cattle. Their only interest was in making a fast buck. His beeves had probably already changed hands. “The rustlin’ problem sure has gotten worse.”

“Blame it on the stock raisers up north,” Foxhound said in his thoughtful, slow way. “They got rid of their rustling problem by chasing the thieves down our way.”

Chase scanned the horizon. Up ahead, the rugged terrain was covered with little more than sagebrush, prickly pear cacti, and limestone hills. “I’m headin’ back.”

“I’ll catch up with you later,” Foxhound said. “I just want to take a look ahead a piece.”

Chase nodded. “Watch your step. See you back at the ranch.” He turned his horse and cut across the arid ground to the road. The dirt road was quicker and kinder to his horse. Since he wasn’t wearing chaps, it was kinder to his legs as well.

Around a mile later, something white in the middle of the road caught his eyes. He reined in his horse. It sure did appear to be a lady’s handkerchief, and a closer look confirmed it. Only part of the embroidered initial was visible. Even so, it looked familiar. Too familiar.

Hoping he was wrong, Chase dismounted and swooped the handkerchief off the ground. It was a fine linen one edged in lace, but it was the embroidered E that made him suck in his breath. So how did Emily’s handkerchief get way out here? Unless…

Tucking the handkerchief in his vest pocket, he quickly mounted and pressed his legs against his horse’s side. “Giddup.”

Less than a half hour later, he pulled up in front of the ranch house. Tethering his horse to the hitching post, he ran up the porch steps and into the house.

“Emily!” he called. He took the stairs two at a time, only to find her bedroom empty. Racing down the stairs again, he was greeted by Cookie.

“What’s goin’ on?” Cookie asked, wiping his hands on his apron. “Where’s the fire?”

“Have you seen my wife?”

“Not since mornin’.” Cookie frowned. “Something wrong?”

“That’s what I want to know.” Chase stormed through the house, checking each room in turn. He found Peggy Sue and her daughter in the laundry room, but they hadn’t seen Emily either.

The answer to his question came the moment he reached the stables. Even before he had a chance to question Rusty, he spotted Daisy’s empty stall.

17

The Haywire Book and Sweet Shop was larger and better stocked than Emily could have imagined or even hoped for.

The sweet smell of candy had greeted her along with a riot of bells when she’d walked through the door. Bright and cheery as a circus, the colorful shop offered a startling contrast to the crudely built structures that made up the town. It was like walking into another world.