Wild Horses Read Free Page B

gone.
    Unable to sleep, he stretched out on the bed and stared at the ceiling. His thoughts kept drifting to Castaña. To take his mind off her long legs, he thought about the case. In the files he’d read about the Castillos, the men were known for working to save the mustangs that ran wild on the Apache-Sitgreave.
    Before his death a few years ago, Ramon Castillo had been arrested at least a dozen times for interfering with the BLM guys when they tried to round up the horses for auction. Several times he turned the horses loose after they were captured, jimmied government vehicles and booby-trapped campsites. Martin was listed as an accomplice until after Ramon’s death, when Martin’s own illegal activities increased.
    Although the wild horses had been protected for years, a recent change in the law made it legal for some of the animals to be sold at open auction. Ramon died before the law took effect, but the change had apparently caused Martin to snap. According to the report, Martin allegedly turned to murder to protect his beloved horses. At least that was the theory. When the local guys couldn’t find him, the FBI sent Jake to find Martin and bring him in for questioning.
    Where did Castaña fit in? Where did Briar Rose come into the picture? Briar Rose seemed helpless and soft, while Castaña appeared very much able to take care of herself. Jake knew very little of Castaña’s existence before she nearly mowed him down like a weed. Was that an oversight, or was she an innocent bystander?
    He needed to know.
    • • •
    Jake waited until he was sure the house was quiet and he figured both girls were in bed, and then he slipped out to the living room. His cell phone still didn’t work, but as he’d hoped, Castaña’s was charging on the desk. Luckily, it had a few bars. He took it into the kitchen and dialed his partner.
    “Kelso here.” He answered, grumpy as a bear.
    “It’s Jake,” he said softly.
    “Jake?” Kelso didn’t sound sleepy now. “Where the hell have you been? The boss is steamed. He thought you’d have Castillo in custody by now. He sent Staton up to Payson to keep an eye on you from the sheriff’s office. What’s going on?”
    “Staton’s here?” Shit, that meant the boss had already lost faith in him. “Castillo’s disappeared.” Jake opened the fridge and found a bottle of water. Unscrewing the cap, he took a long drink. “I need detailed information on his sister. Her name is Castaña. Around twenty-four — five.”
    “Also, is there any record of Martin marrying? A woman calling herself Briar Rose is at the house. I don’t know what, if any, relation she is to the Castillos.” He described her.
    “Going to be kinda tough, not knowing her last name or date of birth,” Kelso grumbled.
    “That’s why I came to the best.”
    “Yeah, yeah. Flattery’ll get you everywhere. I’ll even call you in the morning.” Kelso hung up without a goodbye.
    Jake grinned and replaced the phone in its charge station. Kelso was the best at his job. If there were any dirt to dig up on Castaña or Briar Rose, he would find it
    • • •
    Castaña wandered around the old house, exhausted but unable to relax. Daylight couldn’t come soon enough for her to go talk to the sheriff. Her fingertips trailed over Mama’s quilts hanging over the back of the sofa. She took the quilt and wrapped it around her shoulders. Was it her imagination, or could she still smell Mama’s herbs in the folds?
    Tears formed in her eyes and she blinked them away. Crying hadn’t helped her mother when she was alive. It wouldn’t bring her back now. Neither Magdalena nor Castaña had been able to make Ramon love them, though they had tried. When Martin joined his father’s cause, turning hard and bitter just like him, Mama died a little inside. Castaña believed Martin’s criminal turn broke her mother’s heart.
    Where was her brother?
    Was Briar Rose in charge around here? Castaña doubted it. The girl