Page 17 of Reckoning with the Cowboy
“Cordell’s rented trailer is behind the house,” Josie said and drained her glass. “I really want to see what’s in that trailer now while they’re gone.”
It was the last thing she’d expected her friend to say. “I really don’t want to get caught out there.”
“Me, either,” Josie said with a laugh. “That’s why we have to move fast.”
“I don’t even want to ask what you’re suggesting,” Goldie said and downed the wine. “Isn’t there a padlock on that trailer? You aren’t seriously going to break in.”
“We’re just going to take a look. Your cousin must have a hammer and a crowbar around here, right?”
Armed with the hammer and crowbar, Josie drove them out to Max’s house. Goldie used her key to go in and turn on the back porch light, but she’d also brought out a flashlight that Max kept by the door. She now held the beam on the padlock as Josie went to work.
She made a point of not looking around the house. Earlier she’d come over when she knew Max wasn’t home and had taken just what she needed for a few days. She told herself Max would change his mind by then.
Now, outside shivering in the cold, she watched her friend break the lock. As Josie removed the padlock, she looked over at her before she opened the door.
As it swung open, the flashlight beam illuminated just enough of the cavernous dark interior to see what was inside.“What?”was the only word Goldie got out as her flashlight beam fell on the statue of the town’s most famous horse.“How?”
“Cordell,” Josie said with a curse and laugh. “I suspected he stole Big Blue before he left town for whatever reason at the time.” She was shaking her head still looking amused.
“I don’t think it’s that funny. That missing statue had almost caused a turf war with our neighboring rival county, as I recall. What I don’t understand is why he’d bring it back,” Goldie said, feeling confused and wishing she’d had either more wine or a lot less.
“Because he’s Cordell.” Josie said, still smiling. “It’s his way of saying he’s sorry. He’s trying to make amends for being Dry Gulch’s bad boy.”
“You mean he’s trying to get back in your good graces,” her friend said.
“Maybe a little of that, too,” Josie admitted.
“So what are we going to do now?”
“We’re going to get a couple of men in town to help us put Big Blue back where he goes tonight and never breathe a word of this to anyone.” Josie pulled out her phone. “I have a favor,” she said into the phone when it was answered.
Goldie tuned out the rest of the phone conversation as she hugged herself against the cold night. She would never understand men, she thought.
It wasn’t until the trailer was empty and they were alone again in her cousin Clancy’s living room that Josie filled their glasses with wine and sat down.
“I don’t know exactly what is going on, but I think it has something to do with before Max and Cordell showed up in Dry Gulch,” Josie said. “Max sent me a message earlier along with a photo and a warning I know he wanted me to share with you.” She pulled out her phone and handed it to her friend.
Goldie’s eyes widened as she looked at the mug shot. “Who is Roger Grimes and why would Max send you this?”
Josie shook her head. “All I know is that he’s dangerous and he might be coming to Dry Gulch.”
Goldie shivered and looked away from the man’s face. “You think that’s why Max wanted me here with Clancy instead of at the house?”
“I do. Max might be trying to protect you.” Josie took back her phone and pocketed it. “He wants us to watch out for this man just in case.” She picked up her glass and took a sip of her wine, hesitating before she asked, “What did Max tell you about his life before he and Cordell came here?”
Josie’s question made her realize how little she actually knew about Max. All evening, she had kept telling herself Max wouldn’t do this to her. She knew him, really knew him. But did she?
She remembered that teenage boy who’d shown up in Dry Gulch out of the blue with his little brother and little else. There had been a haunted look in his eyes. She’d seen that same look earlier at the café when he’d broken up with her.
* * *
The town ofDry Gulch was small and quiet normally, Max thought as he and Cordell patrolled. Tonight, though, it felt like a ghost town. Max couldn’t shake how anxious he was feeling waiting for the sheriff’s department out of Rawlins to call with news.
The two of them had driven around the area looking for a van with probably Florida plates. He had wanted his brother to stay at the house, but it was clear he wasn’t going to. Also, Max had realized he couldn’t leave him alone—not until Grimes was caught.
They’d been coming down the main drag when the call was patched through to him from the Rawlins Sheriff’s Department.
“Went out there,” Deputy Green said. “Hell of a long way up there. What a desolate place. You livedthere?”
