Page 15 of Nomad

“To the Ranger capital of the world?!?” He was full-on shouting.

“How’d you end up with this girl, Cann?” Brant interrupted what was building up to a full-on tirade.

“She’s pregnant and a week shy of eighteen. Says her daddy was gonna force her to get rid of it. She’s tryin’ to avoid him until her birthday.”

Brant shook his head, but looking around the room he could tell that any one of them, in the same circumstance, might have done the same thing.

“Just a week?” Brant directed the question to Bud. She nodded solemnly, looking a little scared. “You healthy?” She looked confused by the question, but nodded again.

“Where’s your bike?” Brant asked Cann.

“Inside the van.”

“Where’d you get the van?”

“Bought it used in Amarillo at a Chevy dealership.”

“Why?”

“Looked like rain.” It was Cann’s turn to look sheepish. Axel and Burn, who were sitting at the bar, turned away but didn’t do a very good job of hiding their laughter.

“Well,” Brant said, “chances are the folks at Chevy saw you, too.” He glanced at Bud. “So here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna take Arnold’s new dually that still has paper plates on it and go out to the safe house in Big Bend. It has spare tanks so you won’t have to stop for gas. Go shave that beard off and cut your hair so you won’t be recognized. Do not wear your cut.”

To Bud he said, “If you gotta go, you’re gonna have to go by the side of the road.”

She stared at Brant, too scared of him to say anything.

Turning back to Cann, he continued. “Take enough provisions so you don’t have to leave that house until she’s eighteen goddamn years old. Am I understood?”

“Jesus Christ,” said Cann.

“What was that?”

“Yeah, boss,” Cann corrected.

“Good. While you’re making yourself look like a nice clean-cut tradesman, we’ll be loading the truck.”

“You hungry?” he asked Bud. She shook her head vigorously. “You worth all this trouble?” She stared at Brant for a few beats and then grinned. “You got somethin’ to say to me?”

“Thank you?” she said.

“If we all get out of this,” he pointed toward her belly, “him or her included, without charges being filed, you can name him or her after me.”

“No promises,” she said.

Brant looked at Cann. “World of shit, brother.” Cann was wearing an expression that said he agreed completely. “Oh,” Brant chuckled, “there’s no electricity at the safe house. There were some old dusty books last time I was there, but it’s been a long time.”

To the room in general Brant said, “Come on everybody. Hop to. We’ve got to get them on their way outta here before the Rangers track Cann to us.” He looked at Cannon pointedly. “Which will be any minute. Give me the keys to the van.”

When Cann handed them over, Brant threw the keys to Burn. “You and Axel get that thing outta here and make sure it isn’t found.”

“My bike’s in there. And my stuff,” Cann told Burn.

“They’re not lookin’ for the bike. Park it in plain sight and stow his stuff in the dually. Give me your phone.” Brant passed the phone on to Axel. “For Christ’s sake, get that out of here, too.”

Brant turned to Bud and she had to resist the impulse to step behind Cann’s body for cover. “You got a phone, young lady?” She shook her head no, looking a little wide-eyed that she was being addressed directly by the guy who was apparently king of all he surveyed.

“She tellin’ the truth?” he asked Cann.

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