Page 56 of Bridles and Bribery

“I’d like to call our son Bo,” she continued with a happy chuckle. “He’s too little for more right now. He’ll have to grow into the rest of it.”

Dave leaned closer to brush his mouth against hers. “I love you so much, Jills.”

The name was perfect. Their tiny son was perfect. She was perfect.

“I love you more,” she whispered, kissing him back.

It was his favorite argument, one he hoped they would never finish.

Chapter 9: Final Prophecy

Three weeks later

Dave and Gil strolled across a strip of pasture that had been in Gil’s family for generations. Located on the outskirts of town, it was sheltered by the mountains on one side and a forest of evergreen trees on the other side. It was far enough from the downtown area to muffle the usual hum of traffic and humanity.

“Look at that swagger.” Gil nudged him with his shoulder.

“What swagger?” Dave nudged him back.

“Your new dad swagger.” Gil chuckled. “Looks good on you, man.”

Yeah, I’m probably infected pretty bad with it.Despite the looming court case, Dave was happier than he’d ever been. Lonestar Security had spent the past three weeks installing a state-of-the-art security system in his home, making it possible for him and Jillian to spend more time together. Hewas very much looking forward to the day he could return home for good.

He glanced contentedly around them. Hay and alfalfa grass blew in the warm spring breeze across the field. The location was everything Jan and Jordan Jacobson deserved while they waited to testify in court — remote, peaceful, and the ideal temporary home to one very deserving horse.

Dave enjoyed his visits to Gil’s otherwise uninhabited farm and worked them in as often as he could, usually twice a week. Sometimes more often.

Western Storm trotted up to the fence to lean across it and greet him with a nose bump to the shoulder.

“Hey, you!” Dave dug the bag of sliced carrots from his pocket that he’d brought with him. He held a handful of the orange nubbins to the horse’s mouth.

Western Storm consumed them, hungrily nibbling the thumb of his glove afterward.

“More it is.” Dave obligingly dug out another handful.

“Horses never forget.” Jordan, who was never far from Western Storm, strolled around the horse to lean his elbows on the fence. He was full of wise-sounding one liners. Not all of them made sense to Dave, but he always nodded and pretended that they did.

Jordan was super smart in his own way, quietly observing the world with serious gray eyes. There was an innocence about him that never failed to tug at Dave’s heart. He was like a boy who’d never grown up. He said exactly what was on his mind without bothering to use a filter. The only time it bothered Dave was when he talked trash about his mom, which he’d been doing with more frequency since being relocated to Gil’s farm.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dave watched Jordan rock back and forth, keeping his head down as he patted theneck of his horse. He rarely made eye contact when he and Dave were visiting.

“You never forget stuff, either, Jordan.” Dave had long since learned that Jordan saw more than most people realized. He had a photographic memory and a mind that could crunch numbers at lightning speed. It was too bad he’d never gone to college.

Dave had always assumed the Jacobsons couldn’t spare the funds. According to Jordan, though, it was because his mother had refused to spare the funds, preferring to make income off her disabled son by keeping his schedule full of horse races.

Jordan bobbed his head at Dave’s words. It was hard to tell if he was agreeing with the statement or just exercising his tic of rocking. “I want you to take care of him after I’m gone.”

What?Dave frowned at the strange request. “We’re the same age, man. Odds are you’ll last longer than me since you eat more veggies.” He meant it as a joke, though humor was often lost on his overly serious friend.

“It’s the final prophecy.” Jordan informed him in a resigned voice.

Dave and Gil exchanged a puzzled look.

“Nobody we know has received any more threats.”Including you.Dave wished his friend would look up again. It was hard to communicate with a guy who spent most of his time staring at the ground. “Not since the day the police confiscated your computer.”

“I don’t own a computer.” Jordan darted a quick sideways glance at him, sounding a little irritated about having to explain himself. “Only this.” He tapped a finger against his temple.

Dave stepped closer to the fence. “I thoughtyou were the Prophet, Jordan.” All evidence pointed to that conclusion, namely the photographs of the gambling receipts and injured horses on the laptop found in his stable bedroom.

---