She Bought the Bull Nobody Could Handle…Every Rancher in the County Was at Her Gate by Spring.
Chapter 3
The veterinarian arrived before sunrise.
Dr. Helen Moore had worked cattle in Red Hollow County for twenty-seven years.
She had seen aggressive bulls.
She had seen frightened bulls.
She had seen animals so badly mistreated they attacked anything that moved.
But Midnight made her uneasy.
Helen stood beside the fence.
“That’s him?”
Emma nodded.
Helen watched.
Midnight stood beneath a cottonwood tree.
“He looks worse than I expected.”
“His leg is infected.”
“I can see that.”
Helen prepared a tranquilizer.
Emma shook her head.
“No.”
Helen frowned.
“What do you suggest?”
“Let’s give him a chance.”
“Emma, this isn’t a dog.”
“I know.”
“He can kill you.”
“I know.”
“Then stop saying no.”
Emma looked at her.
“Can we try something else first?”
Helen sighed.
“Five minutes.”
Emma opened the gate.
Helen grabbed her arm.
“Emma.”
Emma looked back.
“If he charges, you run.”
Emma nodded.
She entered.
Midnight raised his head.
Helen expected him to explode.
Instead, Emma walked toward him.
She stopped ten feet away.
Then she sat on the ground.
Helen stared.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re supposed to be treating him.”
“He doesn’t trust us.”
“He’s a bull.”
“He’s an animal.”
Helen crossed her arms.
“Same difference.”
Emma ignored her.
Midnight took a step.
Emma remained still.
Another step.
The bull lowered his head.
Helen’s hand moved toward the tranquilizer.
Emma whispered:
“Easy.”
Midnight stopped.
Emma waited.
Then she slowly extended her hand.
The bull sniffed it.
His nostrils trembled.
He didn’t attack.
Helen’s mouth fell open.
Emma looked at his leg.
“See?”
Helen nodded slowly.
“Don’t move.”
Emma didn’t.
Helen approached from the side.
She examined the injury.
Her expression changed.
“This isn’t just an old wound.”
“What?”
“There are marks.”
“From what?”
Helen touched the scar.
“Rope.”
Emma looked closely.
The marks were deep.
Someone had tied the bull repeatedly.
Helen continued.
“And this…”
She pointed toward his shoulder.
A small circular scar.
Branding.
But the brand had been burned over.
Someone had tried to erase the original mark.
Emma stood.
“Why?”
Helen looked at her.
“Because somebody didn’t want anyone knowing where he came from.”
The bull suddenly turned his head.
Both women froze.
He was staring toward the road.
A pickup truck had stopped outside the ranch.
A man stepped out.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and wore a black cowboy hat.
Helen recognized him.
“That’s Wade Mercer.”
Emma frowned.
“Who’s that?”
“One of the biggest cattle owners in the county.”
Wade walked toward the fence.
He looked at Midnight.
His face changed.
Not fear.
Recognition.
Emma noticed.
“You know him.”
Wade didn’t answer.
He stared at the bull.
Then he looked at Emma.
“Where did you get that animal?”
“The county auction.”
“You shouldn’t have bought him.”
Emma’s voice hardened.
“Why?”
Wade looked at Midnight again.
“Because that bull doesn’t belong here.”
“Whose does he belong to?”
Wade paused.
Then he walked back toward his truck.
“Sell him to me.”
Emma shook her head.
“No.”
Wade stopped.
“I’ll give you ten thousand dollars.”
“No.”
“Twenty.”
Emma stared.
“You just told me he was dangerous.”
Wade smiled.
“Maybe I changed my mind.”
He got into the truck.
Before driving away, he looked back.
“Miss Carter.”
“Yes?”
“That bull is going to bring trouble to your gate.”
Emma watched the truck disappear.
Then Helen spoke quietly.
“He’s right.”
Emma looked at Midnight.
“Why?”
Helen shook her head.
“Because whatever that bull knows…”
She paused.
“…someone is very afraid he’ll survive long enough for people to find out.”
