Hunting Down the Horseman

She irritably brushed away his words like a cobweb in her path. “Do not even try to charm me. I can assure you it won’t work.” Another lie.

“That wasn’t charm. That was honesty.” He said the words simply, and if she hadn’t known better, she might have believed him. “I need to talk to you about something that will make you very happy.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “If this is about breakfast—”

He laughed. “While I would hope breakfast with me would make you more than very happy, that’s not it.” The grin faded. “Could we talk somewhere?”

Eve was just inside, probably watching them from the window.

“Down by the creek,” Faith said, and turned toward the copse of cottonwoods that stood along the banks. She planned to set the man straight once and for all. The last thing she needed was him showing up on her doorstep again.

While he’d promised to keep her secret, she knew given the way he’d blackmailed her into dancing with him last night that he couldn’t be trusted. What was he doing here? And what could he possibly have to talk to her about? Whatever it was, she was on her guard. She wouldn’t put anything past him.

When they reached the creek and were out of sight of the house, she turned to face him, hands on hips, her expression as impatient as she could make it.

“This had better be good,” she warned him.

“Our stunt double was bitten by a rattlesnake this morning. She isn’t going to be able to finish the shoot.”

“Brooke Keith?” Faith said on a surprised breath. She’d heard that the stuntwoman was working on the film. An old flame of Jud’s, according to the tabloid movie magazines.

He raised a brow. “You know her?”

“Know of her. I’ve read about her.” The moment those words were out, Faith wanted to snatch them back.

Jud’s brows shot up. “So that’s it. You don’t really believe that stuff Hollywood gossip rags print, do you?” He shook his head as if disappointed in her.

“Where there’s smoke, there is usually fire,” she said, grimacing at how much she sounded like her sister Eve.

“Look, I’d like to try to convince you that you’re all wrong about me, but I don’t have the time,” Jud said. “We need someone to fill in for Brooke and finish the film. There are only a few more days of stunts to be shot. I suggested you to our director.”

He rushed on. “The director checked and found out that you already have a SAG card.” His gaze narrowed. “Apparently you’ve done some ride-on parts in movies, not stunts, just horse-related shots—this woman who shuns the spotlight.”

He held up his hand to stop her from commenting. It was a wasted effort on his part. She’d opened her mouth, but nothing had come out. A small gust of wind could have knocked her over.

Jud Corbett hadn’t just known her secret heart’s desire—he’d just offered it to her.

“If you pass this up,” he said. “You’ll regret it the rest of your life.”

“I…”

“Just think about it.” He thrust a business card into her hand. “My cell phone number’s on it. I’ll just need to know by noon.” With that he turned and walked away, leaving her too stunned to move.

DIRECTOR ERIK ZANDER couldn’t believe his bad luck. Just the thought made him curse as he poured Scotch into his fourth cup of coffee of the morning. Probably wasn’t the best way to start the day, but what the hell, given the way his life was going.

Last night Keyes Hasting had called.

“I heard about the film you’re making and am intrigued,” Hasting said. “You don’t mind if I come up.”

Like hell he didn’t mind, but he’d been too shocked to say so, especially when Hasting had added, “The theme of this film is close to my heart. Retribution, isn’t it?”

Those last words registered like a gun to his head.

“I heard your stuntwoman was bitten by a rattlesnake,” Hasting had said. “I hope you can find someone else so you can finish the film.”

“My stunt coordinator has someone in mind,” he’d said, all the time thinking, That son of a bitch Hasting has a spy on the set.

Hasting was an old reprobate with too much money and alleged mob connections. Zander had hung up the phone and gotten skunk drunk. And this morning, hungover, he was dreading Hasting’s visit like a root canal.

Snapping open his cell phone, Zander checked to see if Jud had called. No voice mail. Jud had promised to let him know the moment he had a verbal agreement from the new stuntwoman. Why hadn’t he heard something yet?

Fortunately, he would be able to shoot around the problem today, but by tomorrow when Hasting arrived…

“Anyone seen Jud Corbett?” Zander bellowed as he stepped out of his trailer, wishing he’d never laid eyes on the script for this film. It had arrived on his doorstep. Along with a blackmail threat.

FAITH WAS STILL standing by the creek when Jud Corbett drove away in his pickup. He had her stirred up good, and no matter how hard she tried to put him—and his offer—out of her mind, she couldn’t.

She’d always dreamed of being a stuntwoman, specializing like many did with horse trick riding.

But it had only been a dream. She’d told herself her riding gave her so much pleasure, she didn’t need to take it any further. Only men like Jud Corbett needed the applause and exaltation.

But he’d called her on it and now the truth was out. She wanted this more than she’d ever wanted anything, she thought, as she walked back toward the house. She’d just never admitted it. Until now.

Faith looked up to see her sister waiting on the porch for her, a worried look on her face. Faith swallowed and said, “There’s something I need to tell you.”

As she took a seat beside Eve, she spilled it all, the years of practice and Jud Corbett’s offer—her most secret of all desires.

“I wondered how long it would take you to tell me,” Eve said when Faith had finished.

“You knew?”

“Oh, Faith, I’ve known since that time when you were a girl and you broke your arm. I’d hoped you would outgrow it. I was afraid for you. But when you didn’t…It’s what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it?”

She nodded, tears in her eyes. “When we were kids, I thought you’d tell Mother, then after I went away to college, I just didn’t want to worry you.”

“You’ve been headed in this direction for a long time.”

Just as Jud had said, in college Faith had done some ride-on parts in movies being filmed around Bozeman. None involved stunts, though.

“Don’t think it doesn’t worry me,” her sister continued. “Stunt work is dangerous.”

“It can be,” Faith allowed. “You have to use your head, expect things to go wrong. It’s all part of it.”

Eve shook her head. “McKenna will probably have a fit, not to mention what Mother will have to say about it. But Dad, well, he’ll just be proud of you.”

Faith smiled. If she had expected anyone to have a fit, it was Eve. Life was just full of surprises. She hugged her older sister. “Thank you. I have to call Jud and tell him I’ll do it.”

“You hadn’t already agreed?” Eve asked in surprise.