Page 12 of Cowboy

“Just a feeling, honey. Just a feeling.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

Clarice gathered a few things and placed them in her pack, headed to the door. She was going to have a long conversation with that idiot at the control tower. Stepping onto the porch, she locked the door and headed toward her old pickup when a shiny SUV pulled up.

“What the hell?” she muttered.

“Good morning,” said a man stepping out in a black suit. He appeared to be in his mid- to late-thirties. His hair was a shiny black, combed tightly to his head. He wore a gold pinkie ring, and she moaned inwardly. Pinkie rings were trouble.

“Mornin’,” she said. “I’m headed into town, but if you need to rent the horses, help yourself.”

“Oh, no, no,” he laughed, raising his hands. “I’m afraid I’m not much of an equestrian. I’m looking for Autumn Zellers. She’s a pilot, yes?”

“If you’re lookin’ for her, you should know what she does for a livin’,” said Clarice, eyeing the man suspiciously.

“Indeed,” he frowned.

He snapped his fingers behind him, and two men stepped out of the SUV. One was holding a very intimidating rifle. Clarice knew that whatever they wanted to do with Autumn, it wasn’t good.

“I’ll ask you again, nicely. Where is Autumn Zellers?”

“I don’t know. She took off a few days ago, flying a passenger to Las Vegas. I guess she’ll be another few days.” Clarice didn’t like to lie, but she knew she was damn good at it. If someone was going to fuck around with her and her family, she was going to make them work for it.

“I see.”

“May I ask what you want with my granddaughter?” she asked.

“Your granddaughter,” he grinned. “That’s interesting. Your granddaughter was flying an old friend to Las Vegas. He had a pack with something very precious in it to me. Now, see, I’m a businessman all the way. I don’t mess around.

“That plane was supposed to land several days ago or crash where I planned for it to, and I was going to be able to get my pack. But now I can’t get to it because she didn’t fly to Vegas, and she didn’t crash where we expected. I can send my boys out looking for her, but if they find her, it won’t be pretty. I want my pack. We sent a drone up and saw several campfires out there, and I think one of them is hers.”

“Maybe she started walking back, or maybe the fire was made by some hikers,” said Clarice, shrugging her shoulders. “Lots of hikers this time of year and park rangers out there checking on things.”

“Maybe,” said the man, nodding his head. “Or maybe she got help and has my pack. Either way, you’re going on a little expedition with us. We’re gonna track her down, and you’re going to lead the way.”

“Why me?” she scoffed. “I’m an old woman, and I’m only gonna hold you up. You know the way, so you go get her.”

“See, that’s the problem. My men saw the wreck coming from the opposite direction. We’re not outdoor people, as you can see, so I need someone that can take us from this way.”

“You’re awful dumb,” said Clarice, shaking her head. “Just follow the damn steps from the opposite direction you came from. How hard is that?”

“Old woman, I’m not going to ask you again.” Clarice thought about running for the barn, but even if she made it, then what.

“Alright, someone needs to help me saddle the horses,” she said.

“No horses.”

“You said you wanted to get there, and you seem like you’re in a damn hurry. Horses are the way to get there. Can you ride or not?” she barked.

“No fucking horses, old woman. We walk.” She looked down at their dress shoes and started to laugh, shaking her head.

“You boys are crazy. You won’t make it a mile in them fancy city shoes. Fine by me. Let’s go.”

Clarice prayed that somewhere along the way, she would be able to try and make a run for it. She was older than the men, but she knew this terrain better than anyone. If she could make it to the western ridge, she would be able to signal them below.

A mile in, the men started to bitch about their feet hurting and the shoes rubbing blisters on their heels. Clarice could only laugh, shaking her head.

“Shut up, old woman!” yelled the man with the gun.

---