Page 20 of Claimed by the Cowboy (Havenstone: Mail Order Brides #3)

“No, I won't shut up!” The young man turns to me, his face pale with genuine distress. “Look, mister, we didn’t know anyone would get hurt. The guy running the operation said it was temporary, that it wouldn’t affect drinking water.”

“Who told you that?” Daniel asks, stepping up beside me.

“Some corporate type. Said he represented an environmental consulting firm doing impact studies for a potential development project.”

I exchange glances with Daniel. “Where is he now?”

“Don’t know. Payments come through a drop box at the post office. We haven’t seen him in a week.”

Ethan moves closer, his voice carrying the same deadly calm as mine. “Doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that this stops today. Before anyone else, human or animal, gets hurt.”

“Look, we’ll shut it down, okay?” the older man says desperately. “We’ll pack up and leave. Just... don’t involve the cops.”

“Too late for that,” Gabriel says with grim satisfaction. “Sheriff’s on his way. Environmental crimes unit will be here within the hour.”

The three men exchange panicked looks.

“But,” I continue, “your level of cooperation from here on out will determine whether you’re treated as dupes who got in over their heads, or as accessories to attempted murder.”

“Attempted murder?” the mustached man squeaks.

“You poisoned an innocent woman. In Montana, that’s attempted murder.” I let that sink in. “Of course, if you were simply following orders without knowing the consequences, and if you fully cooperate with the investigation...”

The older man nods frantically. “We’ll cooperate. We’ll tell them everything we know about the operation.”

“Smart choice.” I pull out my phone and dial the sheriff. “Sheriff Lucas? Tom Sutton. We’ve got your water contamination culprits ready for pickup.”

As we wait for law enforcement to arrive, my cousins supervise the shutdown of the contamination equipment. The three hired hands work quickly, eager to demonstrate their cooperation.

“Think they’ll give up their corporate contact?” Angus asks, watching the men drain chemical tanks.

“They’ll give up everything they know,” I say with certainty. “Men like that always do when they realize the consequences are real.”

“And if he’s already gone?” Henry asks.

“Then we find him.” My voice carries absolute conviction. “Nobody poisons my wife and walks away.”

Henry claps me on the shoulder. “You’ve always been the family joker, little brother, but today you were the shield. Mom would be proud as hell.”

The words hit me harder than expected. Mom spent her life protecting this land, these people. Today, I proved I’m worthy of carrying on that legacy.

“Thanks,” I say, throat tight with emotion. “But I’m not done yet.”

By the time Sheriff Lucas arrives with a full environmental crimes team, the contamination equipment is completely shut down, and the three culprits are ready to spill everything they know about their corporate handler and the development scheme.

“Good work, Tom,” Sheriff Lucas says as his new deputy, Reina Carter, processes the scene. “We’ll have federal agencies involved by tomorrow. This kind of environmental terrorism isn’t going to stand.”

“Attempted murder, too” I say grimly. “And terrorism is exactly what it is, not just pollution. This ties in with the sabotage we’ve been pursuing for months. Someone’s trying to run us off our land.”

The sheriff nods, his expression hard. “Not anymore. We’ve got enough to build a case.”

I glance around the site. The fight here is finished. For now.

But even as satisfaction hums through my veins, my thoughts are on Kitty.

I clap Angus on the shoulder, give Henry a tight nod, then turn toward my truck. “I’ve got what matters most waiting on me.”

The drive back to the hospital feels different. Victorious. The immediate threat is neutralized, the criminals are in custody, and justice is finally moving forward.

But more than that, the weight of the last few hours settles over me. My family—my wife, my legacy—came under attack. And I stepped up, led the response, and protected what was mine with the same deadly efficiency I once used to protect my country.

At the hospital, I find Kitty sitting up in bed. She still looks tired and pale, but her breathing is much easier and her brown eyes are alert.

Delaney stands from the chair beside her bed, closing the book she’s been reading. “I need a caffeine boost. I’ll leave you two to talk.”

“How did it go?” Kitty asks the moment the door closes behind Delaney.

I settle on the edge of her bed, taking her hand. “It’s over, darlin’.”

“And the men who did it?”

“Local guys who got in over their heads working for some corporate developer. Three arrests, equipment shut down, official investigation launched. They’re cooperating fully with law enforcement.”

“What about the person behind it?”

“He’ll be found. Men like that always surface eventually.

And when he does, he’ll face federal charges for environmental terrorism.

The important thing,” I say, squeezing her hand, “is keeping our family safe and our land protected. Making sure everyone knows what happens when someone threatens a Sutton.”

“What happens?” Kitty asks with a smile that tells me she already knows the answer.

“They lose,” I say simply. “Always.”

“I’m proud of you,” she murmurs. “My strong, dangerous husband.”

The words send satisfaction burning through my chest. “Not dangerous to you. Never to you.”

“I know.” Kitty's eyes shine with pride as she cups my cheek. “You’re my funny, loyal, impossible-to-stop husband. My everything.”

The words settle something deep in my chest. I’ll always stand between my loved ones and anyone who would hurt them.

“I love you, Mrs. Sutton.”

“I love you too.” She pulls back to study my face. “When can I go home?”

“Doctor says in a few more days, if your levels keep improving.”

“Good.” Her eyes take on a predatory gleam that makes my pulse kick up. “Because I plan to show my gorgeous husband exactly how grateful I am.”

“Kitty...”

“Mmm?” She traces her finger along my jaw. “Problem with that plan?”

“No, ma’am,” I say, grinning at her obvious intent. “No problem at all.”

I can’t wait to take my wife home to our ranch, our land, our life together. Today, I proved I’m worthy of protecting all of it.

And when we get home, I plan to claim the woman who made me into the man I was always meant to be.Or maybe she’ll claim me.

Either way, it’s the best victory of all.