“What is it?” Jake asked.
“Don’t know. Trace?”
“Dead calves,” Trace said urgently, swinging down from his horse. “Three of them. Looks to me like they were poisoned.”
“You hear that?” he growled into the phone at Jake.
“Yep, I’m on my way,” Jake replied.
“I’ll call Colin,” Trace said after he hung up.
Logan nodded. “Use the phone inside. Stay with Savannah until I get back.” He didn’t want her left alone.
“You got it.”
***
“I can’t tell for sure what was used until I run some tests, but I’d say it was definitely poison,” Colin told them, looking back up at Logan.
Fuck. Double fuck.
What a goddamn waste. He stared down at the three calves.
“Looks like they were all dragged here,” Jake commented as he studied the ground and took photos. “Someone wasn’t trying to hide what they were doing.”
Colin stood with a scowl. “Who’d do this?”
Jake moved further away.
“It’s a warning.”
“A warning?” Colin asked.
“To Max and me. Someone’s trying to scare us off. They’re telling us that they’re prepared to ruin us to get what they want. You still want to tell me that Atkinson isn’t behind all this?” he asked Jake.
“Atkinson did this?” Colin gaped at him. “Why?”
“To get his hands on the ranch. And he’ll do anything to try to scare us off, including threatening our wife.”
“Jesus. Has he got a death wish or what?”
If he did have a death wish, then his dreams were about to come true because Logan was about to make it a reality.
Jake suddenly knelt and, pulling a plastic bag from his pocket, picked something up. Then he took a few photos and turned to them, holding up the bag. “Don’t suppose either of you has taken up smoking?”
They both shook their heads, and Logan moved closer. “You think whoever did this left that?”
“Well, there are some prints here. Looks like one person on horseback. Hopefully, we can get some DNA and catch this guy.”
“What if they’re not in the system?” Colin asked.
Jake sighed. “Let’s just hope we get a match.” He eyed Logan. “The important thing here is not to lose our temper and confront Atkinson.”
Logan glared at him. “You’ve got until Max gets home. Then I’m going after the bastard myself.”
***
Savannah watched Logan pace back and forth, worriedly. He hated waiting around. Logan was a man of action. And this was killing him.