Freedom Ranch

Chapter 21

Colt had spent all afternoon with Dakota. The front door was up with a new set of locks that would keep Colin out. She wasn't thrilled with the electric gate he installed at the end of her driveway but admitted over dinner that she did feel better with it. All the cameras were strategically set up around the house and the barn. He held his tongue when she expressed her excitement over seeing her horses anytime day or night without stepping foot outside. He was now leaning forward on the coach pushing buttons on the remote while fidgeting with the last few prompts to put all the camera views on the TV screen.

"I'm going to take a shower and get ready for bed. It's been a long day," yawned Dakota from the kitchen.

"Go ahead. I'll be up for awhile and make sure this is ready for you to see tomorrow."

"Now don't get all technical with me in the morning. I'm not a techie especially without my morning coffee and nicotine."

"I figured as much. Get to bed and rest. I've got it from here."

He heard Dakota shut her bedroom door behind him as he continued to fidget with the last few screens. He was barely aware of the water turning on in the next room when something caught his eye on one of the cameras. He learned forward and watched as the movement went over the fence and creeped closer to the house.

Colt started cursing to himself wishing he did buy the electric fencing to cover the front portion of the property. He was sure a few zaps and the inability to figure out a basic electrical line would have deterred him. He watched as the familiar figure grew closer to the house. It was definitely Colin.

Colt swiftly walked over to the closet and grabbed the shotgun, not taking his eyes off the screen. He debated on calling the sheriff's office but knew it would be half an hour, if not longer, before they showed. He would be long gone before then. He watched Colin tip toe up the porch, stopping when he saw new front door. He back tracked around the house and stopped in front of the windows of Dakota's room. Colt bolted in the bedroom just as he heard him rattle the pane glass on the other side. Colin start to pound against the glass. Colt knew he was going to break it open if he didn't do something.

"Who the hell is that?" boomed Colt in a deep voice.

The banging stopped. He couldn't see if Colin was still at the window since the TV screen was out of view. He needed to be sure he was gone without leaving the room. There was no way he was leaving Dakota especially while she was in the shower.

"You better get your ass off my property before my wife grabs the shotgun and calls the police. Honey, get my gun!" bellowed Colt in the grumpiest voice he could muster.

He heard the faint crunching of snow and bush branches being moved out of the way. It sounded like Colin was running for his life. Colt peeked out the window to see he was indeed sprinting as fast as he could. So fast, he fell face first when he jumped the neighboring fence.

"What the hell is going on?!" roared Dakota behind him.

Colt turned around and felt his jaw drop as quickly as his eyes did. Dakota had come out of the shower with her body covered in a white towel she was holding up in one hand and a pistol in the other. She was soaked from head to toe. Her wet chestnut hair looked like a copper penny it was shining so brightly. Her porcelain skin held a rosy glow from the apparent hot water that was creating billows of steam behind her.

"Well?"

Colt cleared his throat, realizing he had been staring at her this whole time.

"Colin jumped your fence. I scared him off before he could break your window."