This letter wasn't just a threat. It was a warning that whoever had sent it knew exactly what they were doing.
It was unnerving, to say the least.
“And nothing new on the security front? Nothing happened?” Carter turned from the window and back to Brian.
“No, sir. It's quiet, just like it always is. I even went over the security footage, and whoever it was stayed in the cameras' blind spots. I didn't even know there was one, but all we have of the guy is that he's wearing jeans.”
“Like every other person in the state,” Carter replied. He could feel a headache starting to form.
“But, with the arrival of this letter, I've stepped up patrols.” Brian stood up straighter. “Do you want me to hire more men? I added three guys to the roster a week ago, but I can find more.”
Carter shook his head. More bodies weren't the solution to this.
“No.” He frowned. “Are you sure about the new guys?”
“They all passed the background screens, and you know how thorough I am,” Brian explained. “Everyone came highly recommended. I don't think they had anything to do with the letter or getting it here.”
He trusted Brian with his life. If Brian said the new guys were good, then they were. Carter nodded. “Good.”
“Do you want me to cancel with Ms. Amesworth?” Brian asked. “The children don't need to come this afternoon.”
“No!” Carter said too quickly. Seeing Mia and the kids was the only thing he was looking forward to today. He'd been looking forward to it since waking up last night. “No. I promised them we'd go riding today. As long as there isn't an imminent threat, I want them here.”
“Of course, sir,” Brian deferred. He paused for a moment, then smiled, his stern features softening slightly as he thought about the kids. He obviously had a soft spot for them as much as Carter did. “The work has been good for those kids. They'll enjoy the ride today.”
“Yes, they will,” he agreed. A small smile crossed Carter's face.
But, he wasn't smiling about how much the kids would like it. He was thinking about how good it was going to be to see Mia.
Chapter 9
Mia
Mia appraised the brown quarter horse in front of her, not quite entirely sure how confident she felt getting back up on the horse by herself. The gelding looked steady enough, but it had been a long time since Mia had been on a horse. She remembered it being fun, but she didn't remember the horses looking quite so big. She decided to wait a moment before getting on. The kids would probably need her help.
“Why do I have to wear a helmet?” Alexander asked, looking askance at the riding helmet they all had to wear. He held it in front of him like it smelled as he waited to get up on his horse. “Cowboys wear hats.”
“You wear it because I like your head in one piece,” Mia told him. “And you need more practice to be a cowboy.”
Alexander opened his mouth to complain, but Carter held up a helmet of his own.
“I'm wearing a helmet,” Carter informed him, putting the heavy helmet on his own head. He shrugged like it was nothing. “These don't blow off in the wind, so I actually like it better than a hat.”
Mia could have kissed him for the little white lie. Alexander stopped pouting and immediately put his helmet on without a fuss. Carter gave her a wink as he walked over to her.
“Here,” Carter said, coming up beside her and handing her a sugar cube. “For your horse. His name's Jasper.”
He stood next to her in the arena as they got the kids ready for their first ride. The touch of his hand sent flutters through her stomach and she couldn't have stopped the smile that filled her face if she'd tried.
“Thank you for the helmet help,” Mia said quietly. She held out her hand and gave it to her horse, holding her hand out flat.
“For that?” Carter replied. He knocked the helmet with his knuckles loudly. “I really do like this better.”
She laughed at his easy manner as he walked away. She shook her head and reached down to tighten the straps to her saddle and fix the stirrups. She'd had lessons for a few months when she was Alexander's age. It was right after she'd been put in the foster care system and was one of the few good memories she had. She'd always been drawn to horses since that.
Mia's horse was tied to the arena fence along with the kids' horses. Lily was in the process of getting up on a gentle looking light gray mare.
“You're a natural,” Laura told Lily, as Lily settled into the saddle. The teenager looked more comfortable up on the horse than she did on the ground. Lily grinned as Laura moved to help her brother up onto his horse.