Renegade (Tin Star K9 Series Book 1) by Jodi Burnett (fastest ebook reader .txt) 📕

and he took a step toward her. Renegade moved between them and growled at him. “You better get control of your dog if you know what’s good for him.”

“Now you’re threatening my dog? How do you think Logan would feel about that?” She knew that would push a button. Her brothers were close, and Dylan had nothing but love and respect for his younger brother. She wished Dylan felt the same way toward her.

“Don’t drag Logan into this. He doesn’t live here either.”

“That’s true, but you don’t seem to hold that against him.”

“Logan didn’t sell out.” Dylan struck off toward the barn.

“Please, don’t walk away. Are you refusing to talk to me about why you’re so angry because you’re afraid?” Caitlyn jogged after him.

“I’m not afraid of anything.”

“I think maybe you’re scared to fail on your own, and you’re pissed that I put you in that position.”

Dylan spun around to face her. “Caitlyn, it’s time for you to leave my ranch. I’m not afraid, I just don’t have time to deal with this crap. You don’t want to live here, so go home.” Her brother clenched his fists and his jaw twitched.

His rage didn’t frighten her, though. “I can’t believe you.” Caitlyn’s voice rose with matching anger. The burnt-orange fur on Renegade’s top-line and shoulders bristled and his menacing growl rolled into a snarl.

Chickens clucked and scurried in Caitlyn’s peripheral view, and their mother rushed out of the chicken pen, hurrying toward them. The woven gardening hat she wore flew off her thick silver-streaked hair on her way. “Will you two please stop fighting like children?”

“I came here this morning to patch things up, Mom, but Dylan is too pig-headed and stubborn to let me.”

“He just needs some time, Catie.” She handed Caitlyn a full basket of eggs and resettled her hat. “Why don’t you come inside for a cup of coffee?”

“Time?” Caitlyn accepted the load. “He’s been mad at me since last fall.” Her frustration reached a boiling point, and she kicked the dirt. “I have just as much right to be here as Dylan does.”

“What right do you have?” Dylan bellowed. “You sold your right, try to remember that. And now, I have to break my back every day because of it.”

Caitlyn stuck her tongue out at her brother and instantly felt like an immature idiot. If their argument had seemed childish to her mother before, Caitlyn confirmed it. Dylan was the one person who could frustrate her into behaving like a kid.

Their mom regarded Dylan with a level blue-gray gaze until he relaxed his fists, then she turned her disapproving expression to Caitlyn. “I think you need to let your brother be for a little while. Let him cool off.” She hooked her arm through Caitlyn’s and pulled her toward the house. “I heard something interesting on the news this morning. Do you remember Wendy Gessler? You went to school with her, didn’t you?”

Caitlyn knew Wendy. They had been good friends in junior high, though they hadn’t hung around with each other much in high school. Wendy had gone boy-crazy, while Caitlyn was still in love with her horses. “Yeah, why? What did she do to get on the news?”

Metal clanged behind them, and Caitlyn glanced back to see Dylan hauling several fencing tools out to his horse. “Hey Dylan, you remember Wendy Gessler, don’t you?” He flashed her a glare. “You two dated, didn’t you?”

“What of it?”

Their mom cocked her head at him. “I don’t remember that.”

“It was just a couple of times, Ma. No reason you’d know.”

“Either way, I heard on the news this morning that she’s gone missing.” Dylan’s hands stilled, then both he and Caitlyn looked at their mother. “Apparently, she never came home on Friday night, and no one has seen her since then. Her family is terribly worried.”

“That’s weird. Doesn’t she teach at the middle school?” Caitlyn glanced at Dylan to see if he knew.

He nodded. “Last I heard, she taught eighth-grade history.”

“That’s what they said on the news.” Their mother walked back towards Dylan, and Caitlyn followed. “Have you kept in touch with her?”

“Not really. Not more than to say hello if I see her in town or at the Mercantile.” Dylan attached the fencing tools to his saddle with Concho straps. “I’m sure she’ll turn up.” He pulled himself onto Sampson’s back.

Caitlyn agreed. “I bet she shows up for work at the school tomorrow morning.”

“I’ve got stuff to do.” Dylan acknowledged his mother with the tip of his hat but ignored Caitlyn.

“Wait, Dylan.” Caitlyn reached out as though she could stop him. “Where are you going to be? I’ll saddle up, meet you out there, and give you a hand.” Caitlyn passed the basket of eggs back to her mother.

“What about that cup of coffee?” Caitlyn’s mom touched her shoulder.

“That’s right, Caitlyn. You’re a guest on this ranch, and Mom treats guests to coffee and muffins.” Dylan nudged his horse and trotted away toward the northern pasture.

“Thanks, Mom, but I’m gonna help Dylan with that fence whether he likes it or not. I want to work this thing out between us. I hate that he’s still so mad at me, and I’m tired of him treating me like crap. I know he’s angry, but I don’t deserve that.”

“Well, you must admit your decision put a big financial strain on him, and on this ranch. At least try to understand why he’s so upset.”

Caitlyn pushed her cowboy hat firmly down on her head. “Oh, I understand why he’s angry. But he has no say over my third of our inheritance, or what I do with it.”

“Yes, my dear, but your decisions affected him directly. Part of why he’s angry is because he didn’t have any say in a decision that changed his life.” Caitlyn’s mom sighed and then, squeezing her arm, moved to a different subject. “Will you be here for dinner?”

“Sure.” Caitlyn peeked at her mother from under the brim of her hat and grinned. “If Dylan doesn’t kill