Page 40 of My Cowboy Freedom
“Ever since Rock came to us, the deer population has exploded here. The deer leases are added income, of course. But we get poachers now. They think they can just cut my fences, drive onto my land. They think they can take my animals. Well, by God—”
“Did you call Fish and Game? Because if you’ve got hunters on your land you don’t know about, one of the hands or Elena could get hurt.”
I’m thinking about Rock of course. Seeing that busted fence is worrisome.
“Motherfuckers.” Chandler kicked at some wire and boards that were all that remained of about a ten-foot section. “Motherfuckers.Motherfuckers!”
He lost control and we all kind of stood there, shocked.
Nobody knew where to look, even, when the boss actually turned purple with rage. Tad and them tried to calm him down, but he wasn’t having any of that. We started righting fence posts, and of course, I came away bloody from being a dumbass—taking my gloves off for something delicate and then dragging the palm of my hand over a barb.
Damn thing tore my skin ragged, so I used one of the bandanas Tad made me buy to make a temporary bandage.
The boss paced behind us. “Ogre’s going to smell that blood.”
Right. “So what do I do?”
“Stop bleeding.” His horse danced nervously beneath him. “I need a goddamn ride. Wanna come?”
I glanced around. “Don’t you want me to help finish up out here?”
“No. I want to show you around,” he said petulantly. “I want to show you what my daughter and son-in-law threw back in my face. C’mon.”
He took off and I waited, glancing at Tad. He gave a slight nod. “Go.”
I went.
“You had a tetanus shot lately?” Chandler asked, once we’d gone some distance.
“Yeah. I’m good.”
“If there’s any doubt, we’ll have to get you one.” He slowed his horse to a walk beside mine and I started to take in our surroundings.
I’d idealized the Rocking C, but the reality was just as good. Despite the eye-watering aroma of a horse stall that needs mucking out, despite the burning pain of a day spent in the saddle, I loved every minute of it.
The terrain changed as we neared the river that snaked through ranch. Trees grew dense near the water, and there I made out deer scat and the signs of other wildlife. Our mounts picked their way carefully between the trees as the way grew less tamed. We ducked under branches, a dozen birds taking flight above us, into the wide blue sky.
“So you met Rocky?” Chandler still looked a little florid so I slowed up.
“Yeah. When I got here.”
“Good kid. Had one helluva tough break and came out of it kinda confused. It came to me that life here might give him something to think about beside his troubles.”
I tried to be casual about prying. “What’s his deal? I know he has the dog—”
“Kid was hit by lightning, if you can believe that. Caught what you call a splash strike. Gave him epilepsy and some other problems. If he’d been hit dead on, well... he wouldn’t be with us. It was that bad.”
“That’s awful.” I saw the similarity between Rock and me right away. We were both damaged goods. The thought made me smile. “You seem to be collecting other people’s kids.”
“I done such an awesome job with my own I should probably rethink that, huh?” He sighed. “You remember my daughter Andrea?”
“Sure. She was just a baby when we left, but yeah. Cute as a kitten.”
“I know, right? Exactly. They’re cute when they’re little but then they grow up, watch out. I used to believe I was a rational man, but that girl of mine—” Chandler tipped back his hat to rub at his forehead. “Me and her are like fire and gasoline. I can’t get anything right. She’s exactly like her goddamn mother.”
I’d met his wife, of course. She used to sit on the porch of the ranch house and read. Whenever I had occasion to talk to her it seemed like she was looking past me.
“I never really knew Mrs. Chandler.”
