Page 63 of Bridles and Bribery

Dave pretended to glare at Jordan. “Easy there, cowboy. Gil doesn’t need any new material to use against me.” He circled back to Jordan’s latest revelation about his mother. “Why exactly did you want your mother to hire me as your family’s attorney?”

“Because she thinks Heart Lakers are a bunch of country bumpkins.” Jordan shook his head in amusement. “She figured she could play on the sympathies of a doofus football player.” He broke off apologetically. “Her words, not mine.”

“Big honking doofus,” Gil corrected beneath his breath with a splutter of mirth.

Dave punched him in the shoulder to shut him up.

Jordan turned beet red with embarrassment. “She, er, just needed your help to get the owners of Horseshoe ValleyRanch behind bars, so she could take charge of the operation.”

Dave’s jaw dropped. “Of the gambling operation?”Of course!It all made sense now. He dropped his hands on top of his Stetson, feeling every inch the big honking doofus that Jan Jacobson considered him to be.

He spun in a circle, groaning in self-recrimination. “Good gravy, Jordan! I take it your mother was right about your father’s suicide not being a suicide?”

“Yep. He had some help.” Jordan cleared his throat. “From either her or one of her associates. So did I, since I sure didn’t try to kill myself. I didn’t take a single blasted pill from those bottles you found next to me. Whatever nearly took me from this world must’ve been dissolved in the glass of tea I drank before passing out. Can’t prove a thing, since all the evidence was gone by the time I got back home. Only thing I know for sure is you saved my life that day. When you found me on the floor, my mother had no choice but to call an ambulance and play the part of the pitiful victim who’d almost lost another family member. It took me a while to connect the dots.” He shook his head. “For the longest time, the medications she was pouring down my throat kept the details fuzzy.”

One of Dave’s theories was still nagging at him. “Please tell me I was right about one thing, at least.” He waved at Jordan. “About you being the Prophet.”

“One of many,” his friend admitted dryly.

“Yeah, they’re popping up all over the place like Whack-a-Mole. You were the only one out there doing anything intelligent with your warnings, though.” It was clear now to Dave that Jan Jacobson had sent her two threats to herself, which was why she was still alive. “The laptop was yours, too.”

“It was actually my dad’s. I pretended to become addicted to video games, so my mom would let me keep it.”

“Along with all the incriminating evidence it contained against Horseshoe Valley Ranch.” Yep, Jordan was one smart cookie. Dave couldn’t wait to hear him on the witness stand.

The roar of a vehicle sounded in the distance.

“Since no one has contacted us, that can’t be ours.” Gil sprinted back to his four-wheeler and leaped aboard. “Follow me!”

He led them into the foothills along a path that quickly grew narrower. Gil rode in front, Jordan followed him on Western Storm, and Dave brought up the rear on his four-wheeler. The path wound sharply around and upward, leading them to a sheltered overlook. The burning cabin and barn looked like small smoking specks on the far side of the pasture below them.

Gil motioned for Dave to kill his motor and get down into the prone position. He motioned for Jordan to do the same.

Not only did Jordan dismount, he got Western Storm to lie down beside him.

Gil watched them in amazement. “You truly are a horse whisperer.”

“Not really.” Jordan shot him a crooked smile. “He’s deaf, remember?”

“And a comedian.” Dave was never going to stop being impressed with the guy. “With acting skills that rival some of the best Hollywood stars out there.”

“What he said.” Gil tossed Jordan a second water bottle.

Jordan immediately popped it open and tipped it up for his horse.

“That was supposed to be for you, man.” Gil drank halfof the last remaining bottle from his saddlebag and offered Jordan the rest of it.

“Keep it, Gil. According to Gage, I’ve got a few bottles on my ride.” Dave pulled two bottles of water out of his own saddlebag and shared one of them with Jordan.

While the three men guzzled water, a lone red Jeep sped across the field in their direction.

Jordan grimly watched it approach. “That’ll be my mom.”

Gil drew back from him, scowling. “How did she find you?” His hand crept toward his weapon.

“Good question.” Jordan sent Dave a beseeching look. “I don’t have a cell phone.”

Dave’s mind raced. “Do you have anything else on you? A watch, hearing aid, pace maker, jewelry….?”

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