The Rancher and the Runaway Bride Part 2

She took a step back and turned in a slow circle, trying to take everything in. The barn doors were open, as they should be. A couple of the mares grazed in the pasture behind the bunkhouse. The main house looked fine. There were cats scattered all around. None of them looked alert or cautious. They were just dozing.

She snapped her fingers. That was it. The cats. They weren’t neatly herded together, resting in the shade of the barn. Odd behavior, because Princess usually kept them under control. But the shepherd was nowhere to be seen.

“Princess,” Randi called. “Princess, come here, girl.”

As she waited she tried to remember if she’d seen the dog at all this morning. There had been the usual frenzy when she’d fed everyone, but she didn’t recall seeing Princess.

She jogged around the barn, then checked up at the main house. There was no response to her repeated calls. Something wasn’t right. Something had happened to Princess.

Wishing there was someone else to tell besides Tex, Randi hurried toward the bunkhouse. She stepped into the kitchen. Tex stood at the sink, peeling potatoes.

“I can’t find Princess,” she said. “I don’t remember feeding her this morning. Have you seen her?”

“No.” The older man frowned. “She keeps a regular schedule and doesn’t usually go missing. Unless she’d found a sick cat on her route. Then she’ll stay by the animal until help comes.”

“Or she could have been hurt herself.”

Tex nodded. “That’s a possibility. Brady’s the only one who knows all her spots. You’ll have to go get him. Cell service is spotty where he is.” He crossed to the built-in butler’s pantry on the far side of the room and pulled open a drawer. There was a pad of paper on top. After grabbing it and a pencil, he returned to the table. He spoke as he drew.