Boots and Twisters Read online

  Lucky relaxed. Apparently the woman had a man.

  Mona gushed, “He’s lovin’ every minute of it. Although when the rodeo comes back to town, I’m sure he’ll be itching to ride. I know I’m loving it. I get my itch scratched a lot more often with him at home.” She smiled again at Lucky. “So are you as lucky as your name?”

  Lucky stiffened. “No.” She looked away, the pain of too many people hating her for her bad luck rushing in on her. “It was nice meeting you. If you’ll excuse me…” She crossed the street and walked back toward the truck.

  A large, lanky, spotted hound dog darted out of the gap between the real estate office and the hardware store and ran right in front of her with what looked like a hunk of charred meat in its mouth.

  A woman wearing tailored slacks and sporting gray-blue hair ran after the dog, shaking a long, wicked-looking two-pronged fork at the animal. “Stop! Thief! I’ll kill that dog. I swear I’ll kill it.” She stopped, bent double and wheezed, then gathered herself and ran again.

  Lucky didn’t like the livid look on the woman’s face. She followed, sure the dog would outrun the woman, but worried in case it didn’t.

  “Wait up, Lucky!” Isaac called out.

  Lucky couldn’t. If the dog slowed, the woman would skewer him like a kabob.

  “Come back here, you bandit, you poor excuse for a canine,” the woman yelled.

  The hound ducked down an alley between buildings on Main Street, crossed a street, then slipped through a gap in some hedges.

  “I’ve got you now,” Crazy Lady screamed. “You can’t get away from me.”

  Run, dog, Lucky urged. She glanced over the top of the hedges at the backyard of a three-story home with Grecian columns and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The dog stood beside the pool, tearing at the meat, gobbling it as fast as he could, his ribs sticking out of his sides.

  Lucky’s heart went out to the dog. He was hungry.

  The woman pushed through the hedges and waved her fork at the animal. “Now I have you. You won’t be stealing food anymore.” She stalked the dog, marching across the pristine lawn, murder in her eyes.

  “No!” Lucky couldn’t stand back and let it happen. “He only did what he had to.”

  “He’s stolen his last steak.” The woman jabbed with her fork as she backed the dog into a corner where the pool took a ninety-degree turn to a deeper end.

  “Mrs. Rutledge, what are you doing?” a man called out from a window on the second floor of the home.

  “I’m killing this dog,” she said.

  “No, you’re not.” Lucky raced around the woman, blocking her path to the hound. “He doesn’t know he was wrong. He’s thin, he’s hungry and he’s only trying to survive.”

  “He’s a stray and should be put down. I’d be doing the town a favor.”

  “I won’t let you.” Lucky crossed her arms. “He’s not a stray…” She glanced behind her at the dog that continued to tear into the thick steak, swallowing huge chunks whole. “He’s my dog.”

  “Then you can pay me for the steak he just consumed.”

  “I will.” How, she didn’t know. But she wasn’t letting this woman kill a dog someone had tossed out on the streets to die.

  Mrs. Rutledge held out her hand. “I’m waiting for my payment.”

  “I don’t have any money.”

  “Then move aside.” The woman advanced, poking the fork at Lucky.

  Lucky swung her arm up in one of the moves her father had taught her to defend herself against unwanted advances from randy men. She knocked the woman’s hand away. The fork flew from her fingers and she teetered on the edge of the pool.

  Oh no. Lucky lunged for her, but missed her hand, bumped her arm and sent her the rest of the way over.

  The older woman hit the water with a huge splash and sank like a rock.

  Lucky slipped off her boots and dove in after her.

  Mrs. Rutledge kicked, thrashed and couldn’t seem to find her way to the surface.

  Her eyes stinging from the chlorine, Lucky grabbed the woman from behind, hooked her arm over her shoulder and under the opposite arm and surfaced, bringing her head above water.

  Mrs. Rutledge gasped and fought, making them sink below again.

  As Lucky surfaced, she spoke in a firm, calm tone. “Stop fighting it. I’ve got you. I’m going to swim to the shallow end. Stop fighting.”

  As if she hadn’t heard a word Lucky had said, she continued to kick and struggle. Lucky managed to swim to the shallow end. “It’s shallow here. Put your feet down.”

  “I can’t…swim!” Mrs. Rutledge said, her eyes wide, scared.

  “You don’t have to. Put your feet down. The water is only waist-deep.”

  “Can’t swim,” she muttered, her feet drifting to the bottom. Once she had them under her, she scrambled for the edge, Lucky holding her arm the whole way.

  Once she’d climbed up the steps, she collapsed into a lounge chair, dragging in deep breaths and coughing out the water she’d sucked into her lungs.

  An older man with gray hair and clear blue eyes ran out of the stately mansion. “Mrs. Rutledge, are you all right?”

  “I am, no thanks to this fool!” She pointed her finger at Lucky. “She tried to kill me.”

  “No, she didn’t.” Isaac pushed through the hedge. “Dang, woman. I wouldn’t have found you if not for all the ruckus.” He faced the older man and nodded. “Judge Stephens, I got here just in time to see Lucky drag Mrs. Rutledge out of the pool.”

  “I wouldn’t have needed to be dragged out of the pool if she hadn’t pushed me into it.” Mrs. Rutledge waved her finger, her lips curled back in a snarl. “She tried to drown me, knowing I couldn’t swim.”

  “No, ma’am. I didn’t,” Lucky retorted. “It was an accident.”

  Mrs. Rutledge pulled herself up to her full height, dripping wet. “Judge Stephens, be so kind as to call the police. This woman should be arrested.”

  “Now, Barbara. I witnessed most of what happened from my library upstairs.”

  “Then you saw her knock me into the water. You can bear witness to her assault.”

  “I didn’t assault her,” Lucky insisted.

  “From what I saw, Barbara, you were waving a sharp object. I’m sure she was only defending herself.”

  “Defending herself? Against a woman of sixty-seven? Like I could harm anyone.” She curled up on the lounge, making herself look older, feebler than the crazed woman of moments before threatening to kill a helpless dog.

  “She was going to kill that dog,” Lucky said.

  “Isaac?” Trent burst through the hedges into Judge Stephen’s backyard. “I heard you were in some trouble. Where’s Lucky?” His gaze swept over the two wet women and he did a double take. “Mrs. Rutledge? Lucky? What’s going on?”

  A police siren wailed into the neighborhood and stopped somewhere on the other side of the huge mansion.

  Lucky moaned. Not again. Why couldn’t she just live a quiet life? One where people weren’t quick to judge or place blame.

  A sheriff’s deputy rounded the side of the mansion and was almost knocked over by the frightened hound that’d finished his dinner and knew when to hide.

  “Catch that dog! He’s a thief!” Mrs. Rutledge screamed. “And arrest this woman. She attacked me.”

  The deputy took out a notepad and pen. “Now, Mrs. Rutledge, please explain to me which one was the attacker and which one was the thief.”

  “You idiot, you let the dog get away. Call in animal control.”

  “Ma’am, we don’t have a separate animal control. I’m your animal control officer as well, and since there is only one of me, which thief or attacker would you like to catch most?”

  “Her!” The older woman pointed at Lucky, and then shifted her finger to where the dog had disappeared. “No, catch the dog! He stole Mr. Rutledge’s dinner.”

  The deputy glanced around. “I’m sorry, but it seems the animal has disappeared.”
r />   While the deputy took stock of the premises and checked behind bushes, Lucky stood. “I have to get to work.”

  “Hold on just a moment, young lady. You’re as guilty as that mangy dog.” The woman pushed to her feet and poked a finger in Lucky’s chest. “Arrest her.”

  “On what grounds?” the deputy asked.

  “Because I told you to.” Mrs. Rutledge shook her finger at the young deputy. “Billy Joe Frazier, don’t make me call your mother.”

  “Ma’am, my mother is on a cruise in the Caribbean. I’m sure she’d love to hear from you.”

  “Don’t smart-mouth me, young man. Arrest that woman. She’s a threat to the community.”

  The deputy sighed and glanced at Judge Stephens. “Sir, did you see what happened?”

  “I did.”

  “Did this woman shove Mrs. Rutledge into the pool?”

  The judge frowned. “Well, now. I saw Mrs. Rutledge shaking something at her and the next thing I know, Barbara’s in the pool.”

  “See? She tried to kill me.”

  The judge frowned and continued, “The young lady dove in after her.”

  “To make sure I stayed under,” Mrs. Rutledge lied.

  “She sank like a stone,” Lucky said. “I went in to get her out.”

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Rutledge, it’s your word against hers. And since you’re not dead and the judge saw her pull you out, I’ll have to let her go.”

  “That won’t stop me from filing charges.”

  The deputy tucked his pad and pen into his shirt pocket. “You have that right, ma’am.”

  “I’m calling my lawyer as soon as I get home.”

  Trent stepped forward. “Mrs. Rutledge, be reasonable.”

  The old woman turned on him. “Don’t ‘Mrs. Rutledge’ me.” She shook her finger at Trent now. “You could have my daughter, Stefanie, by just asking. Instead you and your no-account brother hire a woman to do who knows what out at the ranch. Why your father would be rolling over his grave, God rest his soul.”

  Trent glared at the woman. “Ma’am, that was rude and uncalled for. Apologize to Miss Albright.”

  “I’ll do no such thing. She’s nothing more than a tart, a tramp and a bad influence on the God-fearing citizens of this town.”

  Lucky winced. Is that what folks thought? That she’d been hired on for other than ranch work? “I’m not a whore, Mrs. Rutledge, if that’s what you’re suggesting.”

  “Whore, floozy, call it what it is. You’re being paid by these men.”

  “To work the ranch.” Lucky stepped up to the woman. “Not for sexual favors.” Those, she’d given away freely.

  “You have no right to attack Lucky like that,” Isaac said.

  “Why not?” Mrs. Rutledge looked down her nose at Isaac. “She attacked me.”

  The deputy stepped between the older woman and Lucky. “Mrs. Rutledge, let me take you home before this escalates further. I can give you a ride in the back of my car.”

  “Darn right you will,” the older woman muttered, squeezing the excess water out of the hem of her blouse. “And when we get there, my husband will have words with you.”

  “I’m sure he will.” The deputy nodded toward Lucky. “I wouldn’t go too far. I’m sure you’ll be called back into court.”

  “Great. That would just make my day.” Lucky glared at Mrs. Rutledge, unwilling to back down when the woman had impugned her honor. “At least she didn’t kill the dog.”

  “I’ll have that dog destroyed, first chance I get.” Mrs. Rutledge tapped the deputy’s arm. “I’ll be callin’ the sheriff as well.”

  “Oh yes. The dog.” The deputy drew in a breath and let it out. “I’ll have a look around once I get Mrs. Rutledge home safely.”

  “When you find it, you can put the mangy mutt down,” the cranky older woman said. “If you don’t, I will.”

  Trent shook his head as the deputy walked Mrs. Rutledge around to the front of the house. “That woman has a mouth the size of Texas.”

  Isaac touched Lucky’s arm. “Don’t let her get to you. They were only words.”

  “But if she’s thinking them, who else is?”

  “No one else that matters,” Isaac assured her.

  If enough people thought the same, she’d be right back in Comfort, being shunned and run out of town for something she never did. Her hope to start over had taken a bad turn, and just when she’d begun to like Temptation.

  The hound dog that had started the commotion slinked out from under a bush.

  “There he is,” Lucky whispered.

  “Here, boy.” Isaac inched toward the dog.

  Lucky called out softly, “Don’t scare him and don’t let Mrs. Rutledge hear you.”

  “Got it.” Isaac squatted on his haunches and held out his hand. “Come here, boy. You don’t want that mean old lady to find you first.”

  Lucky grinned. Isaac waited patiently for the dog to come to him.

  After several long moments, the animal crawled on his belly to touch Isaac’s hand with his nose.

  Isaac moved carefully, slipping his hand along the dog’s snout to scratch his ears.

  The hound rolled over, exposing his belly for a rub.

  “Such a vicious creature, aren’t you? I can see why Mrs. Rutledge took a dislike to you.” Isaac scratched the proffered tummy. “This your dog, Judge Stephens?”

  The older man shook his head. “Not mine.”

  “Want him?” Trent asked.

  “I’m away too often,” the older gentleman said. “I couldn’t spend the time with him.”

  “What are we supposed to do with him?” Trent asked.

  “He needs a good home where he can get lots of exercise. A big yard to play in.” Lucky’s lips twisted.

  “Oh no. You’re not bringing that dog back to the ranch. I’m trying to limit the number of animals. And we don’t know if he’ll try to eat the ones we already have.”

  “It’s that or have him euthanized.” Lucky ran her hand along the animal’s bony rib cage. “Which would be better than starving to death, but…”

  The dog licked Isaac’s face with a long, wet tongue.

  Isaac looked into the dog’s face. “You don’t hold any punches, do you?” He glanced up at his brother.

  “No. Not no, but hell no. He’s not living at the ranch. He’d chase the cows, eat the chickens and terrorize the horses. No.”

  Lucky’s mouth pressed into a tight line. “He’s hungry. Nobody wants him and he has nowhere else to go.” Kind of like she’d been yesterday. The correlation too close to home. Her heart squeezed hard in her chest. She couldn’t ignore the dog’s situation. Everyone deserved a home and to be loved. This dog was no different. She looked to Trent. “Please.”

  When Lucky looked at him like that, with those big gray eyes and all the hurt and sadness rolled up into that one word, Trent’s automatic no froze on his lips. He stalled, asking, “Why us?”

  “You have a perfect place for him,” Lucky explained.

  Trent crossed his arms. “Yeah, and what happens to that dog if we sell that place?”

  Lucky shot a glance between Isaac and Trent, her brow furrowing. “Are you really selling?”

  Isaac tipped his head toward his brother. “He wants to, but I have to agree to sell, or it’s not happening. I’m not selling.”

  “We’ll see,” Trent said, though he’d been leaning the other way the more time he spent with Lucky. The image of her naked body, seared into his memory, still made his blood burn.

  Isaac scratched the hound’s belly. “How can you put a dog down that rolls over for a tummy rub? He reminds me of that stray you brought home when I was ten. Whatever happened to that dog?”

  “Dad took him for a long walk with his shotgun.” Trent’s gaze rested on the malnourished canine, his jaw so tight a muscle twitched. “He’s dirty, he smells and he probably has fleas.”

  “I’ll give him a bath as soon as we get back to the ranch,” Lucky prom
ised.

  “You still have to work at the Ugly Stick. What are you going to do with him while you do?”

  “Maybe Audrey will let him stay in the storeroom. Or he can stay in the cab of my truck after sunset.”

  After a long pause, Trent sighed. He’d always wanted a dog, but his father never let him have one. And it did remind him of the stray he’d brought home when he was twelve. That dog had never had a chance with his father. This dog didn’t have to meet the same fate. “Fine. We’ll take him home. But the first time he eats a chicken, he’s gone.”

  “He won’t eat a chicken if we feed him properly.” Lucky flung her arms around Trent’s neck and hugged him, pressing her body against his. “Thank you. You won’t regret it.”

  His hand resting around her waist, he stared down into Lucky’s shining eyes, his heart skipping several beats when the thought struck him. She felt right in his embrace and her happiness made him feel better. Better about what, he wasn’t sure. Maybe it was that her happiness rubbed off on him.

  “Come on, dog, you have a new home.” Isaac lifted the dog and carried him toward the hedge. “He needs a name. Trent, you call it.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “Oh, come on. Every dog needs a name.”

  He thought back to the name he’d given the stray, not knowing his dad would take him out and shoot him later. “Otis.”

  Lucky nodded. “I like it. Otis it is.”

  With Lucky in the driver’s seat and Otis sitting all over Isaac’s lap in the center, Trent could just imagine what they looked like driving down Main Street in Temptation. Since he’d left Temptation, he’d worked hard at polishing his image, pulling himself out of the country-boy upbringing. Driving around town in a beat-up truck with a mangy hound dog didn’t fit the image he strove to display. Still, he couldn’t help the smile.

  Otis turned to him and swiped his face with a long, wet tongue.

  Trent didn’t even mind that.

  Too bad Old Lady Rutledge hadn’t witnessed it. She’d have had a conniption fit. Trent hid a grin at the thought. He’d seen the hurt in Lucky’s eyes when Mrs. Rutledge had called her a whore and had felt a stab of guilt for coming on to her in the pool, though he couldn’t begin to regret it.