A Western Historical Romance Book 2 in a Series of 5
Clara Fuller has her hands full trying to keep her father’s ranch running. When cattle rustlers hit the county, they seem to be focused on her livestock. Her foreman, Jake Talley, and the sheriff think they have things under control when someone is shot.
Jake is suspicious when a man is seriously injured while guarding the ranch. His curiosity leads him to clues and possibly a premature grave. As Jake’s feelings grow for the rancher’s daughter, he vows to do all he can to keep her safe.
In "The Cowboy and the Rancher's Daughter" Book 1, Clara Fuller inherits her father’s ranch, and quickly learns being in charge is not going to be all that easy. Raised around cattle, she knows the business inside and out, but few men are willing to work for a lady rancher.
Once a drifter, Jake Talley has finally found a place to call home. As the foreman of the Fuller Ranch he doesn’t mind taking orders from a woman. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to help Clara Fuller succeed.
Edward Sinclair is a successful ranch owner who wants more. He’s used to getting what he wants and few have dared to try and stand in his way. One piece of property is all he needs to have complete control of the county. There’s only one problem, the land belongs to Clara Fuller. That’s all right, he’s never met a problem yet he couldn’t erase.
This book is the second in a series of five books that has had thousands of downloads on Amazon and more paperback and audiobook sales.
Chapter One
“Over here, Miss Clara.” Jake motioned for the lady rancher to join him. Few men were willing to let a woman tell them what to do, but he didn’t have any problem working for Clara Fuller. She was easy to get along with, and she trusted his ranching skills enough to leave much of the decision making up to him.
Some of the other ranch hands left when they learned Rand Fuller bestowed all he owned to his daughter. The Fuller Ranch continued to prosper, despite being run by a woman. As it was, the wranglers who did stay proved to be the pick of the bunch.
Only they were facing an age-old problem. Livestock were disappearing, and the cattle drive was coming up. They were counting on the sale of beef to pay off the bank and keep next year’s herd strong.
Miss Clara pressed her mount to join him beside the grape vineyard. “What did you find, Jake?” She swung her leg over the saddle and dismounted.
He waited until she’d knelt beside him to point out the impressions in the mud. “Horse tracks, they lead off to the north.”
“There’s not much out that way.” Clara pushed her hat back and squinted while she looked off into the distance. “Do any of the other ranchers have any idea who might be stealing our beef?”
“No, if they do, they aren’t talking.” Jake took another look at the tracks in case he’d missed a clue. During the past month rustlers have been making the rounds, hitting the Fuller Ranch the hardest. “Sheriff Townsend and a few men from town volunteered to join me and the men on tonight’s stakeout.”
Losing a few head each year was to be expected, what with bad weather and sickness. They were missing more than just a few. Jake wasn’t about to sit back and let thieves cut out the best of the stock without paying the consequences.
