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surface until upwind
of the herd. She peeked into the gulch again, glad she hadn’t spooked the
horses.
    They were magnificent—so regal in their wildness. She
extracted her cell phone from her pack, her lips curving upward. Wyatt would
love a picture of them.
    Sadness nicked her heart and her smile dipped. Seeing the
wild horses reminded Shasta of her late father. Dad had nicknamed her “Mustang
Filly” because growing up she’d been wild. No rule existed she didn’t relish
breaking, or at least bending. A tough position for the sheriff to be in,
constantly defending his errant daughter's behavior. But Shasta’s bond with her
father had always been special, especially after cancer took her mom when she
was nine. With older brother, Dell, off at college, that left the two rebel
Albrights alone in Stardust.
    Despite her transgressions—of which there had been many—her
dad never came down on her too hard. He empathized with her defiant streak.
With her need to be unfettered. Free, just like the mustangs.
    Then, seven months after her sixteenth birthday, a hunting
accident took him as well…
    Shaking off the weepy memories, she zoomed in for a close-up
of the stallion—when the sudden trill of her phone sent the herd galloping away
through the gully.
    Crap.
    She checked the caller ID and frowned.
    Dell . Double crap.
    Her brother—and boss—had lousy timing, ruining what would
have been an epic shot. Why was he calling anyway? Today was her day off. Maybe
no one at the sheriff’s department could find the coffee filters.
    She snickered at that thought, and sent Sheriff Dell
Albright straight to voicemail then pocketed her phone. She swiped damp hair
off her forehead and stood, gazing at the dust cloud left in the herd’s hasty
retreat. Maybe she could track them. Get another chance for a picture.
    She started down the hill. With a bottle of water and a
granola bar in her pack, she could easily stay out for the next hour or two.
Another chime of her phone indicated she had a text. From Dell—naturally.
    Where r u? Not running alone in the desert—again?!?NOT
SAFE!!
    Shasta rolled her eyes. Her brother—the mother hen. She
considered ignoring him, but knew that wouldn’t end well. He’d probably call on
the National Guard to comb the desert for her. She typed back…
    What’s up? Today’s Fri, u no.
    I no what day it is. He added a frowning face. Adam
called. Needs to meet.
    A shiver of revulsion traversed up Shasta’s spine. She’d
rather pet a scorpion than spend any time with the smarmy district attorney,
Adam Murphy. She despised the lecherous looks he directed her way—when no one
else was watching of course. She typed on her keyboard.
    What does he want?
    Dunno, but says it’s important…when can you b here?
    An hour, maybe sooner
     Make it sooner. And B CAREFUL.
    Shasta shook her head. What did Dell expect would happen?
There wasn’t another soul around for miles. Besides, she could take care of
herself.
    She slipped her phone back into her fanny pack and looked
wistfully at where the mustangs had disappeared before reversing direction. She
started an easy jog back to her car. So much for having a day to herself.
    ~*~
    A t just before eleven, Shasta
walked into the stationhouse. It’d taken her longer to return to town than she
originally thought. She just hoped Dell hadn’t had a complete conniption fit.
    A quiet squad room greeted her. Nothing unusual about that.
Stardust was hardly a big crime-riddled city. She waved to the
dispatcher, Joan, who sat crocheting at her desk, a headset balanced on her
graying hair, then spied Dell in his window-lined office, talking with Adam—and
Graham. Confusion knitted her forehead.
    Graham should be on his way to Reno to catch the one o’clock
flight to Vegas for a week-long business trip. Irritation tightened her
shoulders. If her idiotic brother had called her husband because she was a
little late, she’d have his hide. She headed for the office when