Page 7 of Soldier Cowboy
“We would have been here sooner except for all the stops.”
Welcome to Stone Ridge, established 1806 by Titus Ridge
Population 5,010
Women are especially welcome
*Women eat free everynightTuesday at the Shady Grind*
“What’s with the sign?” Jennifer turned to get a better look at it as they passed by. “What’s this about? Why are women eating free every Tuesday at the Shady Grind?”
Colton grunted. “We don’t have many women.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“C’mon, surely you do. Is this a misogynist town? Did youdrivethem all out?”
He gave her a patient look before responding. “No.”
“There must be a reason.”
He didn’t answer. If he had any information, he did not plan to share it with Jennifer.
They passed through downtown and the closed shops, The Shady Grind (where women ate free every Tuesday), a church, a small school, the general store, a medical clinic, and a veterinary clinic. She didn’t see much else other than a town green in the center and only sawthatbecause the headlights displayed it as he turned on to a single-lane country road.
Then a few yards down, came a huge billboard, looking terribly out of place. An extremely handsome cowboy smiled wickedly into the camera, his arms crossed.
Mr. Cowboy, the sign read. She was about to ask Colton what this was all about, when he almost ran off the road.
“What the hell?” He pulled over and now looked up through the windshield at the huge billboard.
“I take it you have no idea what this is?” Jennifer didn’t want to point out that a simple online search would give them the answer. She no longer had a phone, but he did.
“That’sSean.”
“And Sean is…” She’d try this new approach to asking questions. Fill in the blanks.
“My brother.”
Bingo! Another question answered.
“And this surprises you because…”
“I have no ideawhatMr. Cowboy is.” He shook his head. “Been gone too long, I guess.”
“Lots of changes. You could look it up on your phone.”
“Or I could talk to the man himself.” He pulled back on to the road.
“Right. We’ll be there soon?”
“Yeah.”
Of course, most everyone would be sleeping at this hour. They’d been on the road for nearly twenty-four hours. Colton didn’t even appear to be sleepy. He was like a machine.
“Listen. I think we need a plan. But I’m not sure you’re going to like this.”
