Page 148 of My Cowboy Freedom
Chapter 35
Sky
Elena came to see me after supper. I was already in bed, but she and Foz waited outside while I pulled on clothes. I was exhausted from a long, taxing day. I probably looked as disreputable as I felt.
“Sorry to bother you,” Foz offered when I answered their knock.
“You were right about Rock.” Elena looked mighty unhappy. “I tried calling last night and he didn’t answer. That makes five days. When I talked to Cheryl, she told me he’s still ‘too exhausted’”—she used air quotes—“from his trip to take my call. Which is bullshit.”
Foz snickered. “Elena said ‘bullshit.’”
She rolled her eyes at that. “I can cuss when I’m feeling it, Foz. This isbullshit.”
“I expected Rock to be back by now,” She said. “Usually, he wraps his mom around his little finger. Or he makes a fuss and just plain wears her down.”
“Rock’s a man now,” Foz said gently. “Maybe he doesn’t want to use a boy’s tactics.”
Foz was right. Rock was plenty smart enough to manipulate his parents. But he wouldn’t try that anymore. He wouldn’t pitch a fit.
Rock saw himself as an adult, and he probably figured the time for those kind of childish games was past.
If that was the case, things had probably gotten complicated as soon as he walked through his parents’ front door.
“Rock wasn’t in a compromising mood,” I said. “I think he’s tired of lying.”
“He wants to be with you,” Elena said unhappily. “That what he thinks he’s fighting for.”
“He doesn’t need to fight for me. He needs all of us to fight forhim.” And I had an idea of where we could start. “C’mere for a minute. I want to show you something.”
They followed me to the back of the bunkhouse, into the laundry closet, where I’d stashed the cash from ’Nando on a shelf behind a couple buckets full of cleaning supplies. The light drew moths like a bug zapper.
“What’s that?” Elena asked.
I handed the envelope over without answering because I didn’t really know.
I’d never opened it.
I’d figured it was cash from its shape. I didn’t know how much was in the envelope before hiding it, but I was awful glad I had. My PO would’ve shit herself if the deputies had found that fat wad of cash in my room.
“There’s over two thousand dollars here.” Suspicion crept into Elena’s voice. “Where did you get this?”
“The woman who brought me here gave me it. It’s from a friend inside.” When she tried to hand it back I folded her fingers around it. “Lawyers cost. Rock’s going to need way more than that, but it’s all I have until I can earn more.”
She looked me in the eye. “Why are you doing this?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
I let her stare. “Nobody gives two grand to somebody they barely know, unless...”
Her narrowed gaze riveted me to the spot.
“You dealing for this guy who gave you the money?” She waved that envelope at me. “Is that how come he gave you this kind of cash? Is this drug money?”
“I told you how I got it. How ’Nando got it”—I jammed my hands into my pockets—“I have no clue, but I doubt it was legal.”
“I need to think,” she said as we left the dank confines of the laundry closet behind. Foz closed the doors behind us. I blinked to let my eyes adjust to the darkness.
“So you can get more anytime?” Elena grilled me. “Is that what you’re saying? You can give away this money because you can get more?”
