“Are those horses?”
Trey chuckled as he pointed at the Nativity scene. “That’s Wildcat Bluff heritage at its finest. Our ancestors decided it’d be smart for Comanche ponies to watch over the Baby Jesus instead of camels. If you look to the side of the manger scene, you’ll see a panther guarding them all. ”
“Makes a Wildcat Bluff kind of sense, doesn’t it?”
“Yep. Horses once meant the difference between life and death to a person in the West. And cats have long protected this area. First, actual wildcats like cougars. And now other cats. It suits Wildcat Bluff.”
She nodded in agreement as she turned to him with a smile.
He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Just like you.”
Chapter 39
As Trey drove away from Lollipop Lane, his cell phone vibrated where he’d tucked it in his shirt pocket.
He jerked it out and slid it open. “Trey here.”
“All hell broke loose,” Harry said in a gruff voice.
“How bad?” Trey got a sick feeling in his belly.
“What is it?” Misty appeared alarmed in the yellow light of a street lamp as she leaned toward him.
Trey turned on the speakerphone so she could hear his conversation with the police chief.
“Fires all over the place. Looks like somebody’s trying to burn down the county.”
“That’s crazy.”
“You’re telling me.” Harry’s voice took on a hard edge. “Sent out all the rigs. Not enough. We called in Montague, Cooke, and Grayson Counties for support. Fannin County is on alert. Troopers and sheriff are on the job, too. But we’re still shorthanded.”
“Better get Hedy to call out the ranchers and farmers,” Trey said. “They know our country roads like the backs of their hands and I bet they can spot a fire as fast as anybody.”
“Hedy’s on it. Christmas in the Country slowed our efforts, but the event’s winding down so folks are getting freed up.”
“Perfect timing for the culprits, isn’t it?” Trey pulled off to the side of the street, stopped his ATV, and watched the caravan go on without him. Kent could do without backup at this point in the route.
“Yep. Somebody’s got it in for us.”
“How many fires?”
“Not sure.”
Trey groaned. “Okay. Hayride’s over. Kent’s leading the ATVs back to the school. Call him. Soon as they unload the passengers and unhook the trailers, they can scour the pastures on their four-wheelers.”
“That’ll work.”
“I’m free now. What do you want me to do?”
“Find Jeremy. I can’t spare anybody else.”
“Jeremy!” Trey felt like he’d been broadsided.
“Yeah. He reported in at Twin Oaks. The Gladstones’ van wasn’t there. He alerted Ruby. She checked their room, but they’d cleaned out without telling her.”
“Suspicious, huh?”
“Damn straight. Ruby’s staying there in case they come back. She’s waiting with her shotgun, but I sent a guy over to stay with her.”
“Good.” Trey tapped his fingertips against the steering wheel. “Where did you last hear from Jeremy?” Trey hated to think the young whippersnapper might be in trouble.
“Wildcat Road at the turnoff to that partially burned tree farm across from your ranch.”
Trey groaned again. “Think they went back to finish the job?”
“Crossed my mind.”
“And Jeremy got caught in the middle of it.” Trey’s mind leaped ahead as he tried to sort out possible dangers. “Okay. I’ll call in the hands to patrol the ranch, but I’ll go after Jeremy.”
“Thanks,” Harry said. “And Trey, watch your back and stay in touch.”
“You too.” Trey clicked off his phone.
“Now I really think it’s the Gladstones,” Misty said. “But I won’t contact Audrey till we know how this plays out. No need to worry her.”
“Sounds good.” Trey punched speed dial and got his foreman on the phone. “Greg, we’ve got a situation. Firebugs are attacking the county. They may try for the ranch again. Get hold of as many hands as you can and send them out on patrol. Call Harry if you run into trouble.”
“They’re not getting Wildcat Ranch,” Greg said in a gravelly voice. “I’m on it.” And he clicked off.
“Good man.” Trey dropped his phone back in his pocket.
Misty gave Trey a determined look. “I can’t think of any reason for the Gladstones to set all these fires except to scatter resources. That’d leave their real goals vulnerable, wouldn’t it?”
He nodded in agreement. “The Texas Timber Christmas tree farm and Wildcat Ranch.”
“Right. Nobody’d be around to stop the fires this time.”
“If that’s right, they’d go there last, wouldn’t they?”
“I’d think so. And it’d mean we still have a chance to get ahead of the fires.”
Trey hesitated and looked over at her. “Maybe I’d better take you back to the cafeteria. My truck’s there.”
“Why?” She cocked her head in puzzlement.
“I want you safe.”
She smiled, but shook her head. “I don’t want you in danger either. But that’s not an option. We’re in this together. Thick or thin.”