against such competition? That remained to be seen.
The event would start tomorrow evening at seven o’clock, with the newer bulls and lower ranking riders. Whirlwind would be one of the starters, his rider to be determined by a draw. If he failed to perform well, he could be cut from PBR competition.
Later in the evening, around eight o’clock, the real stars would come out—some of the top riders and top bucking bulls in the country. Rankings, for both men and animals, were based on cumulative points scored in a season, the national champions to be crowned at the November finals in Las Vegas.
Would Whirlwind be among the elite bulls to compete in the final rounds? It was far too soon to hope. But it could happen. Lexie could only dream.
* * *
After parking the rig in the back lot and bidding Aaron a good night, Lexie perched on the hood of the truck to catch her breath before making the promised call to her sister. She’d reserved a couple of rooms in a cheap motel within walking distance of the fairgrounds, so there’d be no need to unhitch the truck. But even though she was tired, it was too early to check in and go to bed. Whirlwind wouldn’t be bucking until tomorrow evening. She had time to kill.
By now, the sun was going down. Fiery clouds spilled across the western sky, bathing the sagebrush flats and towering mesas in shades of rose and amber. Beyond the fairgrounds, the city lights were coming on, like fireflies awakening in the twilight.
The back lot was crowded with trucks, campers, and trailers, some small, others large and luxurious. Some even had living quarters in front with space for bulls in the rear. These were parked in the larger spaces with power and water hookups. Not far away, Lexie noticed one of these—a sleek rig with the TOLMAN RANCH banner emblazoned on the side. A light was on in front, where the living compartment would be. Another Tolman rig, the one that had been used to transport most of the bulls, was parked on the far side of the lot.
Of course, the Tolman bulls would be here. Had Brock Tolman come to the rodeo with them? Had Shane? If she were to run into them, would it be best to confront them, or just ignore them and walk away?
But never mind. The charming cowboy and his scheming boss could go hang for all she cared. She was here for just one reason, and that reason didn’t include a clash with the enemies of her family.
Remembering her promise to call, she found her cell phone in her purse, scrolled to Tess’s number. Cell service was spotty at the ranch, but maybe today she’d be lucky.
Her sister answered on the first ring. “Lexie? Is everything all right?” She sounded stressed, but with Tess, that was nothing new.
“Everything’s fine,” Lexie said. “We got here without a problem. Aaron’s done okay. Whirlwind is checked in and settled, and I’m just hanging out in the parking lot.”
“Any sign of Brock Tolman?”
“I’m looking at two of his trailers, so I know his bulls are here. But I haven’t been inside the arena or anyplace else where I might run into him.” She paused. “You sound worried, Tess. Is everything all right at the ranch?”
“Everything’s fine. I just heard from Ruben and Pedro. They made it to Flagstaff safely, so all’s well.”
All’s well. Something about the way Tess spoke the words roused Lexie’s suspicions that they weren’t entirely true. “Is there something you’re not telling me?” she asked. “Has there been more trouble?”
“Nothing that can’t wait until you get home.” Tess’s voice was fading. They were losing the signal. “For now, it’s been taken care of. Just . . .” Tess hesitated as if weighing her words. “Just be careful. Watch your back—and check every inch of the rig before you leave, okay?”
“Tess—”
“You’re cutting out. We’ll talk when you get home. Call me if you learn anything new.” Tess ended the call before Lexie could ask her any more questions.
“Blast!” Lexie glared down at the silent phone. If Tess wanted to spare her from worry, she was going about it the wrong way. For a moment, Lexie was tempted to call her sister back and demand to know the truth. But that would only create tension between them. She’d been warned to be careful. But she would be more than careful. She would be looking for answers. If any of those