Page 74 of The Breakdown

“Come here, I’ll show you.” He led the way back down the road and pointed at the ground. A black strip was lying haphazardly across the road with large roofing type nails on it, sticking up like spikes. “I couldn’t stop in time,” he said. “And I honestly didn’t know what the hell it was.”

Natalie knelt and touched the strip. She tried to maneuver one of the nails, but it was glued heavily to the rubber material of the strip. It appeared to be some sort of homemade tire spike device, staked into the road. Similar to what the police use when trying to stop a runaway suspect. She stood and turned slowly in a circle, looking for a nearby vehicle or a person watching them. She saw nothing but the surrounding desert.

“You’re lucky you’re okay,” Natalie said. She once again studied his wound. “I really think you should have someone look at that.”

“I’ll take care of it later. Right now, I want to get Midnight to his new home and make sure he’s okay.”

Vaughn opened the trailer and slipped a rope halter onto Midnight who snorted at her. Vaughn spoke softly to him and carefully tried to lead him out of the trailer, but it was obvious he was scared. Vaughn spoke to him again and stroked his snout. Then she lightly tugged on his lead again and backed up as he began taking tentative steps toward her.

“That’s it,” she said. “Good boy. What a good boy.”

Marv was right there when he emerged, praising him as well. Midnight staggered a bit, as if he needed to regain his bearings, but he followed Vaughn farther out, walking just fine. He bobbed his head and neighed, as if letting them know.

“Good boy,” Vaughn said. She petted him and smiled. “I think he’s okay.”

“Thank Christ,” Marv said, holding the handkerchief to his head. “I thought we were done for.”

“Vaughn,” Natalie said, waving her over. “You need to see this.”

Vaughn walked with Natalie back down the road to the makeshift tire strip. She stood looking at it for a moment before she knelt and carefully touched a spike.

“Are you the only one who uses this road?” Natalie asked, already getting a painful lump in her gut.

“Going this way, yes. My ranch is the only place out this way.”

Vaughn stared out over the vast desert just as Natalie had done moments before. When she seemed to find no answers, she stood. “We need to get back to the ranch. It’s not safe out here.”

Natalie hugged herself and rubbed her arms from the cold chill bumps that had erupted on her skin. “You think it was those boys?”

Vaughn adjusted her hat and kicked at the dirt. “I don’t know who else it would be.”

Marv stood with Midnight. “If I was you, I’d call the police,” he said. “Someone coulda been killed.”

Vaughn walked back to the horse and gently took his lead. She walked him to her trailer and loaded him up. Thankfully, he didn’t fight her. Natalie watched as she closed and secured the door.

“Let’s go.” Vaughn opened the driver’s side door and climbed in. Natalie went in through the passenger side and slid over next to Vaughn so Marv could ride with them. When they were all three set, Vaughn turned around and drove back toward the ranch.

They sat in silence with Marv examining his blood-stained cloth from time to time and Natalie trying not to notice the feel of Vaughn’s leg occasionally touching hers. Vaughn seemed to be somewhat aware herself, because each time it happened, she shifted and cleared her throat. Natalie wanted to reach over and place her hand on her leg, to calm her, to let her know it was alright, but she refrained, fearing it would send the wrong signal. But the memory of Vaughn’s strong thigh pressed against her body kept infiltrating her mind, making the ride and the close proximity all the more difficult. She briefly closed her eyes and centered herself, focusing instead on the problem at hand. Someone had placed that tire strip in the middle of the road. And the target seemed to be Vaughn and those going to and from her ranch. But who would do such a thing?

It had to be the former ranch hands, Ricky and Pedro. They were the only ones with the grudge. She opened her eyes.

Unless…

No. It couldn’t be Allen. He would’ve made himself known. He would’ve barged in and demanded Natalie back, voicing all kinds of insults and threats to everyone he saw. And even if he would’ve taken the more low-key approach, he would’ve done a lot more than use a homemade tire strip. The whole thing seemed rather juvenile which was why she thought of the former ranch hands.

Marv took a last look at his handkerchief and folded it nicely to put in his shirt pocket. He spoke. “Looks like you’ve got yourself a bit of a troublemaker here, Vaughn.” He glanced over at them as he dug a tin of dip out of his front pocket. He opened it, plucked out a pouch of tobacco, and tucked it in his lower lip. “You got any idea who it could be?”

“I got some idea,” Vaughn said.

“Well, you ought to tan their damn hides.”

“Oh, I plan on doing more than that.”

“You going to get the law involved?”

“I am.”

“Good. A little time in the local jail outta do ’em some good.”

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