Page 41 of Tangled Threats on the Nomad Highway
“I don’t know.” Her pole thrummed, bendingnearly in half, and she was up in a flash, working the line up anddown, creating momentum. “I got one.” With a final hard pull, shedragged the catfish free of the water and swung it over the bankbehind them. Just in time, too, because it spat out the hook,cricket still in place, and fell to the dry ground. “He’s notbad.”
Horse thrust his pole into her hands as hestood. Capturing the flopping fish with one hand, he hooked fingersthrough its gills and brought it back to the edge of the creekwhere they had their stringer anchored. Just then, the tip of hispole dipped again, and Marian felt the rushing thrum through thecane pole that indicated there was a fish on the line.
With a whoop, she dropped her pole to theground and anchored it with one foot, starting the samepull-and-release movement with Horse’s pole.
“Are you fuckin’ kidding me?” He looked outat the water, then back to her with a deep line between his brows.“Ten fuckin’ seconds in your hand and the fish are basicallyjumping out of the water? What the everlovin’ hell?”
She wrenched on the pole, lifting hard, andpropelled the fish from the water, watching as this much largercatfish spat the lure out like the other one had. It flopped aroundin the dirt, and she whooped again. “That’s ten pounds if he’s anounce.” The hook swung over the water, and she nearly dropped itback in before deciding to look at the bait he’d used. “What areyou fishin’ with? They like my crickets well enough, but I’m onlygetting ones that are a couple of pounds.” She’d caught eight sofar to two of Horse’s, but the final filleted weight would befairly even between their two stringers.
“Don’t—”
Line in her hand, she ignored Horse’sbit-off shout, staring down at the shiny lure. “Is this what Ithink it is?”
A gruff, “What is it?” made her look up.Gunny stood nearby, and she saw his kids were playing in the waterfarther up the creek, where it was shallow enough to wade across.“Show me, little sister.”
Wordlessly, Marian held out the lure, stillattached to the line. The rose gold cock and balls dangled upsidedown, tiny clusters of tied-off feathers affixed to the head.
“The fuck?” Gunny whirled to where Horsestood, hands on his hips as he surveyed the sky above. “You put adick on her fishin’ pole? What kind of pervert are you, asshole? Iknew I didn’t like you.”
“Shut up, man. That’s my pole and I’ll usewhatever I want, dillweed. The fucker works.” Horse beganchuckling, and she could scarcely make out his words. “It’s a—” Hebroke off, laughing again. “It’s a one-eyed winker. Good for onefish.”
“The fuck?” Gunny choked and startedlaughing. “One-eyed…what? You mean it’s here for a good time, not along time?”
“Yeah.” Horse had bent over, still roaring.“It’s a jerk bait.” His hands flapped towards where Gunny wasfolded in half, laughing. “Not a trawler.”
The pole under her foot shook, and shelooked down to see the tip vibrating. Tossing Horse’s pole to theground, she ignored their raving in the background as she foughtthis newest catch to a fatigued standstill. With a final twitch,she pulled and lifted, the pole bending deeply as she swung thecatfish to drop at Horse’s feet. The hook was embedded in its lowerjaw, and Marian had her pliers in hand quickly, holding the fishstill as she worked it free.
The hook was bare, and she grumbled, “Hetook my cricket.”
“Marian?” Still red in the face, Horse bentnext to her. “Lemme get the stringers. With this one, I think we’vegot enough for supper.” As he leaned closer, his gaze darted fromher eyes to her mouth and back again. His lips parted, tonguesweeping his bottom lip, and she stared at him in confusion.“Marian, I’d like to change my earlier—”
“I’m not done talking to you, asshole.”Gunny’s laughing bellow interrupted whatever Horse had been aboutto say, and he shot her a grin instead.
“Talk to you later, little sister?” Horsestood and stretched a hand to her. She accepted the help, climbingto her feet slowly.
“Sure.”
Walking back to the houses with Horse andGunny carrying the fish and Marian toting the tackle, they held aquiet but active conversation about the local diner. Each of themhaving a different favorite gave them opportunity to try andconvert the others to their preferred meals. Of course Gunny keptcircling back to Horse’s choice of tackle, finding it by turnsamusing and revolting, and then hilarious again.
They rounded the corner of the house andMarian spied a familiar motorcycle parked near the back door.“Einstein!”
He stood up from where he’d been crouchednext to his bike and turned, immediately finding her with his eyes.His wide smile was welcoming.
Marian dropped the tackle and left it lyingin the dirt as she ran to him with arms outstretched. “I didn’tthink we’d see you for a couple more months.”
Mouth next to her ear, Einstein’s murmured,“Marian,” told her as much as the tight hug. Einstein had beenlonely on the road.I’m glad he’s got here to come home to.“Wanted to see my favorite girl.”
She stepped back to let the men greet eachother, surprised at the chilly reception from Horse. She’d thoughtthey were good friends. The sad expression Horse turned her way wasalso surprising, but she didn’t have a chance to ask him about it.The evening was taken up in conversations about Einstein’s travels,Thad’s sports, and the latest achievements of Myrt and Bane’sbaby.
It was only later that she remembered Horsehad wanted to talk to her.I’ll have to find him and see what’sup.Already in bed, Marian pulled the covers up as she turnedto her side, snuggling into the pillow.
Einstein’s here.That meant theirmorning ritual tomorrow.
She fell asleep with a smile on herface.
Chapter Twelve
Einstein
