Kade dismounted. He noticed a set of tire tracks where Slate’s pickup had driven across the wet field to pick up the injured man. The meadow was muddy, and there were still patches of snow on the ground.

“This is where Alejandro went down, right?” Ellie led the paint horse close to the spot and looked up at Wyatt.

“That’s right.” Wyatt smoothed his handlebar mustache as Ellie crouched to examine a dark patch of blood on the ground and the area around it.

She rose and studied the landscape. “Which way was he facing when the bullet struck?”

“We were talking. I was here, so he was looking north. Bullet had to have come from the south.”

Ellie nodded, as if that was what she’d been thinking, and tugged on Lady’s reins, leading the mare toward a cluster of trees on a far-distant ridge.

“You think he’s that good a shot?” Kade asked as he and Hannibal walked beside her. Wyatt and his horse followed.

Ellie paused and looked around, her gaze moving along the southern perimeter. “Where would you have been if you wanted to hit your target and get away clean?”

Kade studied the ridge, turned to see if he could find a better position. “You’re right. The ridge was his best option.” He turned to Wyatt. “You’ve got things to do. I’ll call you, let you know if we find what we’re looking for.”

Wyatt nodded, but both of them knew cell service was sketchy out there. Wyatt swung up on his horse and reined the animal toward the road, riding off to catch up with the hands.

Kade and Ellie continued toward the ridge, both of them keeping an eye on the line of sight between where Alejandro had been shot and where the bullet must have been fired.

Keeping watch in case the guy was still up there somewhere. Once they reached the trees, they tied the horses to a branch and spread out to study the ground, looking for any sign the shooter might have left. Twenty minutes later, Kade stared down at a set of muddy boot prints that led to an impression on the ground behind a granite boulder.

“Over here!” he shouted.

Ellie looked up from her search and hurried toward him. “What is it?”

“Boot prints leading up to that rock. Looks like he knelt right here.” He pointed to the depression in the dirt. “Used the boulder to steady his rifle and also hide his position.”

Ellie studied the scene. “No rain last night to wash away his tracks.” She looked up. “Or maybe he wants you to find him.”

Kade’s jaw hardened. “Then let’s give him what he wants.”

* * *

They followed the boot prints south, the tracks ending where hoofprints began. The shooter had been on horseback, a relatively silent way to travel and easier for him to disappear in rough country.