“Ma’am, I’m a livestock agent. I’ve stepped in worse than mud. I won’t be long.”
“All right.”
He opened the center console, removed a flashlight, then stepped out. As he walked to the fence, she couldn’t keep her eyes off his ass in those tight Wranglers. He wore a holster on his side with a pistol in it. When he got to where the fence was, he squatted down and shined the flashlight in the area. Why the hell would he use a flashlight during the day? As she watched him through the windshield, he straightened up, looked to the woods along her fence then disappeared into them.
The sun was setting, and she kept her eyes on the woods, but he didn’t come back out. Where the hell was he? She started to worry and was about to get out when he came from the trees and strode to the truck. Damn, he could certainly fill out a pair of jeans. Front and back.
“If he just didn’t have that beard,” she murmured.
He opened the door, slid onto the seat, put the flashlight away, and looked at her.
“Who owns the land next to yours?”
“Trent Donovan, but there is no way he’d take my cows.”
“I didn’t say he would. He will have to allow me to check out his land. I just wanted to know who I needed to talk with.”
“Oh, I see. Did you see anything?”
“Tire tracks. There’s an old road there, and I need to check it out, but since it’s on Mr. Donovan’s land, I need his permission, or I’ll have to get a search warrant.” He took his sunglasses off, tossed them onto the dash, and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I’m sure Trent will let you do whatever you need to.”
“Good to know. I took photos with my phone. Once I get back to the office, I’ll see what vehicle those tires are on.”
“Tonight?”
“No, Monday. I’m usually off on weekends, but no one else was available. I can head to the office if you prefer I do it tonight?”
He looked over at her, and she was speechless, looking into his eyes. They were Periwinkle blue, like the flowers her grandmother grew. She couldn’t stop staring at them.
“Mrs. Heston?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m just so tired.”Liar!“No, Monday is fine. Will you call me and let me know what you find?”
“Of course.” He sat forward, removed his wallet, took out a card, then handed it to her. “Call me if anything comes up. My personal cellphone number is on there. Feel free to use it.”
“Thank you,” she said as she took the card from him and looked at it. “Your name is Wilder?”
“Yes.”
“I like it.”
“My mother said she just wanted something different.” He stared at her, and their eyes met. He cleared his throat, started the truck, and drove back to her house. “I have to say I didn’t expect a woman when I was told to ask for Rory Heston. I don’t mean to sound chauvinistic, but it’s more commonly known as a male name.”
“My mother thought I would be a boy, and that was the name she had picked out. Once I arrived, she kept it.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I thought we agreed you wouldn’t call me ma’am.”
“Sorry… Mrs. Heston.”
“Can I ask you something?” When he nodded, she went on. “Why did you use a flashlight?”
“It will reflect off things. Sometimes thieves leave clues behind without realizing it. I didn’t see anything though.”
“I see.”