Page 21 of Roughstock
He’d never said anything to me about anyone being missing, so none of this made sense. Pops would have told me or Phantom about something like this. We may be outlaws, running drugs, guns, and operating other lucrative businesses, but we would never be part of someone trafficking or hurting women. No matter the reason, we would never be involved. Something like that could get you killed.
She shrugged and explained, “That’s the weird part. When I started to speak with him, he wanted to go outside, eventhough we were alone. And then, he nearly whispered what he told me, like someone was watching him or listening to what we were saying.” She took a swallow of her coffee then said, “Someone pulled up, and he turned the conversation and gave me directions off the reservation without another word.”
“Do you think if we went back up that he’d speak with me about it?”
“He seemed scared and reluctant to tell me anything. I think he knows something, but if it got Nitro killed, I don’t believe he’ll say anything else.”
“And you didn’t see anything that seemed out of place?” I asked, and she shook her head.
“Besides the black eagle that watched me this morning from Granny’s back yard, no, nothing out of place.”
Her hand trembled, and I scooted my chair next to hers and pulled her against my side. She rested her head on my shoulder, and I could feel the shaking of her body. I wasn’t completely up to speed on all the Native American beliefs when it came to spirit animals, Mother Earth, or their connection to their ancestors, but one thing I knew for certain.
Cheyenne wasn’t the type of woman to let something scare her, and seeing her so on edge gave me pause. I kissed the side of her head and felt her relax into the embrace.
“CeCe is bringing dinner for the ranch hands and she’s making something for us. Why don’t you get into the hot tub and relax for a while? Warm your bones before the snow arrives,” I offered, and she pushed up and took another swallow of coffee.
“That sounds nice. Are you going to join me?” she asked as she stood from her seat and looked down at me.
“I’ll be there in a bit. I want to get your bag from the car and let Carl know we’re in for the night.” I stood and kissed her, stroking my hand down the side of her face. “I’ve got party favors in the little wooden box near the towels, if you want.”
Cheyenne was afraid she would become an addict if she drank or smoked too much weed. I knew it was her family’s history that worried her, but I needed to get her calm so I could ask more questions. Right now, she was in her head, and that was the last place she needed to be.
After walking with her to our bedroom, I took a seat and watched my beautiful wife get undressed before she wrapped her robe around her perfection. Taking her hand into mine, we walked downstairs and through the side door that led to the room where the hot tub was. It was enclosed and private, with no exterior door, so I knew once she was settled into the tub, I could keep an eye on her from the kitchen and no one would see her naked.
She took her robe off while I opened the tub and was hit with a plume of steam. Helping her in, I sat on the step while she got seated with her head resting on the side. Kissing her lips softly, I whispered, “I love you.”
Her wet hand came up and stroked my cheek as she replied, “I love you.”
Leaving her to soak in the hot tub, I stepped into the kitchen and sent a message to Phantom, Jagger, and Animal. It was simple and to the point.
Roughstock:Cheyenne uncovered Nitro’s reason for being up on the reservation and it’s not good. If I’m right, it may be what got him killed.
A message came back a minute later as I heard Cheyenne turn the small radio on in the room. The music filtered into the kitchen as I read the response.
Phantom:What did she uncover?
Roughstock:Trafficking.
I paced in front of the stove as the phone dinged.
Jagger: Fuck.
My response was one word that summarized all the new worry and anger I felt.
Roughstock:Exactly.
If what Cheyenne said was accurate—and I had no reason to believe it wasn’t—then my Pops got himself involved in something we’d avoided for close to forty years as a club. The brothers would give me and my ol’ lady the evening, but they would be here in the morning, snow or not, to figure out our next move.
Whoever was ballsy enough to come onto the ranch and beat my father to death was already a dead man.
They just didn’t know it yet.
Chapter 13
Cheyenne
Isoaked for about half an hour, waiting for Trent to join me, but he never did. When my fingers were wrinkled, I got out, dried off, and put on my robe to go find him. He wasn’t in the kitchen or living room, so I climbed the stairs and looked in our bedroom. He wasn’t there either, so I quickly got dressed and slipped my feet into a pair of boots before I set off to find him.
