Perch laughed behind her.
Ash Pomeroy arrived on the twelfth day.
No one from Circle P ever arrived without being noticed.
Ash rode a black gelding worth more than three of Lou’s best horses and wore clothes chosen carefully enough to appear effortless.
He was forty-five.
Tall.
Broad.
Clean-shaven except for a precise mustache.
He owned nearly eleven thousand acres directly, leased twice that, and controlled grazing rights over enough neighboring land to make smaller ranchers polite even when they hated him.
Lou hated him without needing politeness.
Ash dismounted near the house.
Emmett was repairing a wagon tongue beneath the cottonwoods.
His eyes lifted.
Then returned to the work.
Ash noticed him.
“New man?”
Lou stepped off the porch.
“What do you want?”
Ash smiled.
“Always welcoming.”
“You’re still here.”
“Business.”
“Then speak faster.”
He removed his gloves.
“I’m offering ten thousand dollars for your Winnemucca contract.”
Lou said nothing.
Ash continued.
“Cash.”
“No.”
“You haven’t heard the rest.”
“You said ten thousand.”
“Yes.”
“And contract.”
“Yes.”
“I heard enough.”
Ash’s smile remained.
“You’re moving four hundred head two hundred miles.”
“I know where Winnemucca is.”
“Perch can’t ride.”
“He can complain from a wagon.”
Perch, on the porch, raised one hand in agreement.
Ash glanced toward Roy.
“The boy looks twelve.”
“I’m sixteen,” Roy protested.
Ash ignored him.
Then looked toward Emmett.
“One hired man.”
Lou folded her arms.
“Anything else?”
“You can’t make the drive.”
“Then why buy something worthless?”
Ash’s smile changed.
Emmett’s hammer stopped briefly.
Lou noticed.
Ash stepped closer.
“I don’t want your failure complicating my delivery.”
“You lost that contract by forty cents a head.”
“A clerical mistake.”
“You underbid poorly.”
His eyes cooled.
“Take the money.”
“No.”
“Ten thousand would clear your note.”
Lou’s spine stiffened.
That information was not secret.
But hearing him say it felt like having someone enter her bedroom uninvited.
“My note is none of your concern.”
“It becomes everyone’s concern when a woman tries running four hundred cattle through desert with no crew.”
Emmett rose slowly beneath the tree.
Lou did not look at him.
She did not need rescue.
Ash continued.
“I’m offering you an exit.”
Lou smiled.
“No.”
“You may not get another.”
“Then I’ll enjoy this one.”
Ash studied her for several seconds.
Finally he put on his gloves.
“Three days.”
“What?”
“Offer stands three days.”
“It expired before you finished speaking.”
He mounted.
Then looked toward Emmett.
“Forty dollars?”
Emmett said nothing.
Ash smiled.
“Circle P pays forty-five.”
Emmett picked up the hammer.
“Sounds expensive.”
“For good men.”
The hammer struck the wagon pin.
“Then hire some.”
Ash’s expression tightened.
Lou looked away before he saw her smile.
He rode out.
Only after he disappeared did Emmett speak.
“He always like that?”
“No.”
“Worse usually?”
“Yes.”
“Thought so.”
Lou looked at him.
“You heard the number.”
“Ten thousand?”
“Forty-five.”
Emmett returned to the wagon.
“I can count.”
“Circle P has better bunkhouses.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“Better horses.”
“Some.”
“Foreman’s house if he likes you.”
Emmett looked at her.