Page 29 of The Earl's Wrangler
SAWYER WASquiet the entire ride back to the ranch.He looked out the windows, keeping whatever was racing through his mind to himself.He wasn’t in any mood to talk, and he figured Randall knew him well enough to understand that when Sawyer had something on his mind, he grew quiet.Once they pulled into the ranch drive and parked, Sawyer went right to the barn without a word.Randall hesitated behind him, probably wondering if he should follow.
Eventually he charged into the barn.“Okay.What’s going on in that head of yours?”he asked, picking up the shovel he’d set aside earlier.
“Nothing,” Sawyer told him.
“Bullshit,” Randall countered.“You get quiet when you get moody and stuck in your head.So spill it.You will eventually, so just get it over with.”Sawyer tensed at Randall’s bull-in-a-china-shop routine.
“You were pushy in there, with everyone.Even the sheriff,” Sawyer told him, more confused than angry.“You came off as an ass.”
“Yeah, I know.What did you think I was going for?”He held Sawyer’s pissed-off gaze.“That was the plan.I act like a dick, and you be the good guy.And it worked.He told you something he didn’t mean to.Now the sheriff can do some research and we’ll know who we’re dealing with, and the sheriff can go after him.”It may have worked, but Randall’s actions really triggered something inside him.
“It is that simple for you?”Sawyer asked.“Are you that good at getting people to do what you want them to, or is that part of your upbringing and you just expect people to do what you want?”
Randall shook his head, blinking.“You think this has something to do with who I am?That I’m an earl?Here in the US, that means nothing.You and the folks at the ranch taught me that.I’ve been here ten days, and no one has treated me any differently than anyone else except for the fact that I’m a guest of Alan and George’s.Remember, you gave me a great deal of grief when I first got here, so my position didn’t mean a fig to you.”He shrugged.“Do you think the sheriff cares?”
Sawyer took a step back.“No.I guess I’m being sensitive or something.”The truth was that he wasn’t looking forward to the disappointment that was sure to come his way, and all the talk of Randall leaving got under his skin.He knew that there was nothing he could do about it, but it bothered him.He hated it when things were out of his control, and lately it seemed like everything was.“You did good today.But what I want to know is what the sheriff or anyone thinks they can do.If this Calderone is as bad as I think he is, then he’ll just send someone else to try to pressure me to pay off my father’s debt.I won’t be pressured, and I can’t pay it anyhow.I don’t have that kind of money.”Sawyer turned to Randall, seeing something in his eyes.
“Well, I have resources, and—”
Sawyer shook his head.“No.I’m not going to pay my useless father’s debts, and I can’t let someone else do it either.His bad behavior and irresponsibility are his own.They aren’t yours or mine.Let them take their debt out of his hide.Someone has to make him suffer the consequences of his actions.If I pay it off, he’ll just go back to his old ways.In fact, I would be surprised if he isn’t off gambling somewhere else with money he doesn’t have.”
“Okay.Then what do you want to do?”Randall asked.
“I don’t know.I’ll figure it out.You’re going home this weekend, and after that I’ll have to see what options are open to me.It may be time for me to move on.That way I won’t be putting anyone else here in danger.”
“Just yourself,” Randall told him.“You’re going to be on your own and vulnerable.As long as you’re here….”
“Then Mrs.J, Chip, and the rest of the hands are in the line of fire.George and Alan will be gone as well, and these people are too good for me to put them in danger.To let my father do that.”
“But you’d also be letting your father upend your life,” Randall said, and all Sawyer could do was shrug.His father had done that more than once, and he hated the thought of him doing it again, but there was nothing he could do about it.His father was his cross to bear, and he wasn’t going to let his life and family affect the others around him.
“We should get back to work.”He really didn’t want to keep talking about this.It was like his family business had been opened up and put out for the entire world to examine, and he hated it.
“Fine.But we will talk about this again.You can’t put me off that easily.”Randall got busy, and Sawyer watched him for a minute, wondering why that notion made his belly warm.
“WHAT CANwe do for you, Sheriff?”Sawyer heard Alan ask from outside.He groaned because he knew that this visit was all about him and the mess his father had made.
“It’s okay,” Randall said from near him.“Alan is a big boy, and he can certainly handle anything.”
“You know, if this affects anyone here, then it affects me and my family as well,” Alan said flatly.
“It’s best if I speak directly with Sawyer, but you all should hear what I have to say,” he added as Sawyer joined them in the yard, Randall behind him.Somehow he knew that he’d be there without Sawyer having to ask.
“What’s going on?Is there any change with your guest?”
The sheriff shook his head.“Other than his lawyer showing up, making a ton of demands, and getting them shot down by the judge as fast as he could make them.That man is not going anywhere, and they’re pissing up the wrong pole if they think otherwise.”It was good to see the sheriff so worked up.It gave him some hope.
“I assume that isn’t the reason you came all the way out here,” Sawyer said.“You may as well give us the bad news.”He steadied himself.
“Well… I was able to get information on a Vincent Calderone, and he is nothing but bad news.He was part owner of a pair of casinos in the south but was forced out because of his spurious business connections.But apparently he still has his hand on the back door, and it seems your father borrowed money from him or one of his men.Vincent is connected, in a big way, and he isn’t going to just walk away from any debt.It would make him look weak, and that is something he could never allow.”
“Great.So what do I do?”
Randall cleared his throat.“Come home with me.There’s plenty of space, and you’ll be out of the country.He can look for you all he wants, but he isn’t going to get his hands on you there.His people aren’t even going to be able to get into the country.If they have any sort of record, they’ll be denied entry.You’ll be out of their reach.”
“Mom can tell anyone who asks that you quit and left.You’ll be safe, and so will everyone here.”
“It’s a good idea,” the sheriff agreed.“There are plenty of ways to reinforce the idea, and once the threat has passed, you can come back.It’s not like you did anything wrong.”He seemed pleased, which pissed Sawyer off.Like he was letting everyone else do his job for him.
