Page 52 of Brett and Rowdy
Brett nodded and told Crystal, “Honey, I have to go. I think that Madison needs us. Look, I might be leaving town with Rowdy for a little while. I’ll be taking Mr. Mann with me, but do you think you could look after my place? Just check on it. I’m gonna have Preston take over my farrier jobs, and I’ll get him to come look and lock everything up. So if you can just drive by every so often…”
“Oh, cool! Absolutely no problem. Call me if you need any more help. I love this subterfuge stuff.”
“I know you do, lady. Don’t worry about it. I’ll let you know no matter what.” She was his best friend, and he wasn’t gonna just drop her like a hot rock. “And thanks. I really appreciate it.”
“You got it. Love you.”
“Love you. Bye.”
They hung up, and he glanced at Rowdy, then remembered that Rowdy couldn’t see his gyrating eyebrows, so he put his hand on the back of Rowdy’s wrist.
“Okay, baby girl. I need you to drive to Brett’s place. Do you know where that is?” Rowdy asked.
“Um… I think it’s out on Morris Teeter Road, isn’t it?”
Brett nodded. “It is, and it’s at the end, almost, and then turn right on the driveway that has the newspaper box and the mailbox shaped like a basset hound.”
“Hi, Brett. I’m freaking out a little bit.”
He had to laugh, because Madison was a hoot. “I can tell, honey, but you’re doing great. Just meet us here at my house, okay?”
“I’m on my way.” She hung up, and he shoveled the last bite of food into his mouth. “Let me go pack a bag, okay? Do you want me to take your plate?” Rowdy had made pretty good inroads, but if he didn’t want to finish it, then Brett would just feed it to the dogs.
“Thanks. It was real good, babe, seriously. I just?—”
“Hey, I get it. This is really weird.” He took the plates and washed them in the sink. “Are you sure you want me to come with you guys? This is a little fast, and we haven’t even had a chance to ask Madison if she’s okay with it.”
“I think she’ll definitely just be glad to get the hell out of town, and she loves dogs, including your dog, if you didn’t notice while we were at the house.” Rowdy was getting back to his normal equilibrium and damn fast, Brett thought.
“All right, you sit here, and I’ll be right back.” He had no idea how long he was going to be gone, so he just decided that he would pack enough stuff for a couple of weeks, and then if he stayed longer than that, he would just do laundry. He also needed to make sure he took a pair of boots, because this was a ranch. He threw in a couple gimme caps, and then he pondered grabbing his necessary tools. He figured, since they were driving, he could overpack maybe.
He’d just finished getting his bag together and getting Mr. Mann’s bed and leashes and bowls all stacked up when they heard a vehicle rumbling down the drive. Unfortunately, it didn’t sound like it was a truck with a trailer. It sounded more like a fast car.
“Shit, is that the cops?” Rowdy asked.
“Well, it is a police vehicle, but I can tell you it is not your average cop.”
Rowdy raised an eyebrow at him. He could see it pop up from behind the glasses. “Then who is it?”
“Oh, it’s the sheriff…”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Rowdy rolled his head back on his neck like it was bothering him. As if maybe he was getting a headache.
Brett chuckled. “Nope, I don’t care about that kind of stuff, but don’t worry. I know him.”
“Well, of course you do, right?” Rowdy shook his head. “Not that it’s fair of me to say that because I know the sheriff in my area too.”
“Yep, we’re those kind of guys, you and me.”
“What happened to panicky idiot?” Rowdy asked, his lips quirking in a grin.
“That was about our relationship. This is about stuff in town here, and I am an expert at dealing with people who don’t particularly like me, or who don’t really know how to deal with me. But if there’s one thing I do know how to fake, at least, it’s the old boy system, so don’t worry. I got this. You just need to keep your mouth shut,” Brett warned.
“You’re telling me to sit down and shut up, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m just telling you not to start something with the sheriff. Unlike the good teacher last night, this guy’s no pushover with a glass jaw.”
“I’ll do it, but if I need to speak up?—”
