“I’m not sure anything will work. If someone here is stealing from you, they’ll suspect a new hire, but I have to get in with them.”
“I can’t even think that one of them would do this. I pay them well.”
“Sometimes, no matter how much money someone has, it’s not enough. Now, do we do this or not? Because I have to say, I don’t know how else to go about this. Unless I camp up there and wait for them to show again, that might not even happen.” He tilted his head. “How often do you let the cows graze?”
“They only graze close to the barns. I very seldom put them in the pastures—” She gasped. “How would anyone know that?”
“Exactly.” He pushed to his feet. “So, am I hired?”
“Yes, but I’m not paying you,” she said.
He laughed, and she was in awe of his gorgeous grin, even surrounded by that beard.
“Fair enough. I’ll be by first thing in the morning. Is there room in the bunkhouse for me?”
“Yes. We start at five.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be here. Have a good evening,” he said as he put his hat on, nodded, and headed for the door.
“Did you mention my name to anyone here?”
“No. I just referred to you asagent.”
“Good. We’ll just use my name then.”
“Oh. All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He opened the door, stepped out onto the porch, and closed the door behind him.
When a knock sounded on the door the following day, Rory peered through the blind to see Agent Richards standing there. He had his back to her, but she’d know that ass anywhere. When she swung the door open and he turned to look at her, her mouth dropped open. She couldn’t help but stare at him, and she watched as a grin lifted his lips.
“It’s me,” he said.
Mentally shaking her head, she opened the door wider and motioned him to come in.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. You just look so different without the beard.”Different? Try downright gorgeous. Why would he cover that handsome face with a beard?
“I had to shave it, anyway. My boss wasn’t happy with it. It was a real pain in the-uh, a pain shaving it. I know I look different without it.” He stepped across the threshold and removed his cowboy hat.
Rory almost sighed at how good he smelled.
“Well, I think you look better without it.”Looked different without it? No shit!
“If you’re ready to introduce me to the men, we should head for the barn,” he said.
“Yes, let me grab my hat.” Rory had to get away from him, or she’d attack him.
Giving him a nod, she reached for the doorknob, but he opened it for her. Then they strode across the yard and entered the barn to see Buster waiting for her. She saw him raise his eyebrows when he glanced at Wilder. She just prayed he didn’t recognize him. Rory looked over her shoulder when she heard the other door open and then back at Wilder.
“Here come the men. I don’t believe it’s any of them, just for the record,” she whispered.
“Yes, ma’am. You made that clear yesterday.”
Rory turned to look at her five employees as they walked to where she stood. She refused to believe any of them would steal from her.
“Men, this is Wilder Richards. I’ve just hired him. Wilder, these are the men you’ll be working with. Hal Smith, Abe Thomas, Bernie Dunn, Duane White, Joel Clark, and Buster Jones, the foreman.”
She watched as each man shook Wilder’s hand, and none of them seemed suspicious over a new hire.