Page 27 of The Cowboy's Ultimatum

“Hey, Brody, I’m glad you called,” Andy exclaimed as he answered. “How is she? What’s happening?”

“She’s fine, but I need to fill you in on some things. Are your guests still there?”

“They are, but I can step away for a few minutes. What’s goin’ on?”

“Helen has decided to—well—hold on, I’ll let you hear it. I wouldn’t be able to do it justice. Can we do that, sheriff?”

“Sure, one-second.”

“Dang it, what has she done?” Andy asked. “Is it that bad?”

“She went off down her own path,” Brody replied as the sheriff prepared the recording. “Okay it’s all set. Listen to this and you can judge for yourself.”

“You wouldn’t be asking me to do your dirty work unless you were desperate,”

“Explain.”

“You have trouble connecting with these particular—what do you call them? Clients? Anyway, you have trouble and you’ve been looking for someone who can deal with them socially. Someone who won’t raise eyebrows. Then you realized you had someone right under your nose. Me. The way I see it, you need me, but I sure as hell don’t need you. You threatened me, but I don’t scare easy. And Kenny, in case you’ve forgotten, my sister-in-law is Annie Baker, one of the biggest country and western stars on the scene. She knows people. Powerful people. Go ahead, push your luck and see what happens. Oh good, here’s my salad. I’m suddenly hungry. Sorry, Kenny, but you’ll have to use something other than fear to entice me. You can give it some thought while we eat.

“Sheriff, can you hear me,” Andy asked solemnly.

“Sure can.”

“Just how much danger is she in after provokin’ him like that?”

“A guy like Kenny won’t let anyone push him around, especially not a young woman who dares to think she can get the better of him. But he won’t mess with her until after the charity event. He needs her to make those deliveries. Speakin’ of which, I’m in two minds about tellin’ her parents. I don’t know them real well, and she’s over twenty-one. But regardless, you need to make her see sense. She’s playin’ with fire.”

“Thanks, sheriff. I have to get back to my clients, and don’t worry, I’ll handle things on my end when I see her.”

* * *

As Kenny and Helen had continued their lunch the conversation had been minimal. When the leather wallet holding the bill was placed on the table, Kenny unzipped his satchel, lifted out his billfold, pulled out cash and placed it inside.

“Helen, I need to go,” he said gruffly. “Walk with me to my bike.”

“We ordered coffee.”

“It wasn’t a request. You can come back for your coffee.”

Looking up at him and seeing his eyes narrow, she decided it was not a time to argue

“I won’t be long,” she said, rising to her feet and waving at the waitress.

Kenny was striding ahead, and she had to hastily grab her purse and run to catch up. The stark change in his demeanor was unsettling. Not sure how to react, she stayed quiet as they walked to his bike.

“I have two envelopes for you,” he grunted, opening his satchel. “The names are clearly marked. Be warned, Helen, these envelopes are sealed in a very special way. If you don’t know how to open them a powder will fly out and make you very sick. Understood?”

“Good grief, Kenny. Isn’t that a bit extreme?”

“Let me put it like this. Since I started doing this I haven’t had any issues, and from what I’ve heard no-one is tempted to even try. Now pay attention. If you don’t recognize their names they’ll be easy to find. Bill Henly will be wearing a blue bowtie, and Jake Tyler will have cufflinks with red stones. They’ll arrive together. When you approach them you’ll ask,have you seen the library?When they say no, offer to show them. That’s where you’ll make the exchange. My envelopes for theirs.”

“You know about our library?”

“Helen, I have the plans for your parents home. I know every nook and cranny. I don’t do things half-assed. Remember that, and don’t ever doubt my homework skills.”

“If that’s true, why did you send that big brute to the ranch after Andy without checking the facts?”

The moment the words spilled from her lips she knew she’d made a terrible mistake. In a flash his eyes darted around the empty parking lot, then his open palm flew from his side and slapped her across the face…hard.

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