“He’s going into surgery. I had one of the pub guys ride over with him while I dealt with the police.”

She started the truck and headed back to the farm as fast as she could without getting pulled over. “Run by the office and call me from the secure phone there. I should be back to the farm by then, so if I don’t answer the number I gave you, wait and call me back.”

“You got it, boss. What the hell is this?” Sanders wasn’t real quick to excite, which meant whatever had happened had freaked him out.

“We’ll figure it out, but I need to talk to Cain after I talk to you. Hang tight until then, and don’t do anything without talking to me first.”

“You know it.”

She’d known Cain’s plans, but for once they might’ve backfired and hurt someone that they all cared about. Josh had been at the pub since her uncle Dalton was alive. She didn’t pray often, but she offered up a few words on Josh’s behalf as she turned off the highway and onto Cain’s property. Kristen opened the door and waited for her inside in what looked to be an oversized sweater and nothing else.

“What happened?” Kristen asked as she handed her a drink.

“I dropped the charges against the feds, so that’s done, but something happened at home I have to deal with. Why don’t you go to bed, and I’ll join you once I deal with all this?” She’d bypassed the main house and everything seemed quiet. The rest of the cabins were far enough apart to ensure privacy but still within walking distance of each other. When they’d been built, Emma decorated each space to create a comfortable feeling for the people who’d use them, and Kristen had loved theirs from the moment they’d walked in.

Kristen shook her head and put her hands on her hips. They hadn’t been together long, but that pose meant nothing but trouble. “I’m not asking to sit in the room with you, since Cain wouldn’t like it, but I’m also not some toddler.” She kicked at a spot on the carpet.

She put the drink down and lifted Kristen’s chin. It didn’t take a relationship genius to know that Kristen was mad at her. “I’m not treating you like a toddler, baby, and all I need to do is make a few phone calls. After I’m done, I’m coming to bed and seeing for myself what’s under this sweater.” She ran her hands down Kristen’s sides down to her butt. “As an incentive maybe I should give myself a hint.”

Kristen grabbed her hands before they went any lower. “Not so fast, lover. You’re a smooth talker, but you’re going to have to do better than that.”