Cowboy Heaven by Cheryl L. Brooks

Author:Cheryl L. Brooks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc
Published: 2014-12-30T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

I made it back to the barn without incident. After stabling Apache, I started back to the house just as Dad came across the yard. He was moving so slowly it hurt me to watch him.

“Been out ridin’?”

I nodded. “Dusty had an accident. I need to go back and get him.”

“Again? What’s he broke this time? His fool head? He wasn’t riding with you, was he?”

“Of course not, Dad. He was in the truck. I just happened to find him.” I hesitated for a long moment, wondering how much I should tell him. He was my father, and although I knew I could trust him, I also didn’t want him going off the deep end and having a stroke or a heart attack. “He wasn’t hurt, but the truck is stuck in a thicket. It’s going to take some work to get it out of there.”

“How the hell did that happen?” Even though his words were typical, he sounded so querulous and old—not at all like the man I’d known all my life. “That boy has been more trouble lately.”

“Oh, don’t you start that too.” I knew I’d have to tell him everything or he’d be blaming Dusty for wrecking the truck, although it hadn’t appeared to have sustained much damage. Still, what were a few dents on an old truck when compared with Dusty’s life? “It wasn’t his fault. There was a rattlesnake in the truck and he lost control.”

“Ha,” he said gruffly. “A likely story. He was probably drunk and hallucinating.”

As exhausted as I was, the effort to keep from screaming in frustration nearly sapped the last of my strength. “When have you ever seen Dusty drunk? Besides, if he was hallucinating, so was I because I saw it too—probably the biggest snake I’ve ever seen. It’s a wonder Dusty wasn’t killed.”

“Hmm… He’s had an awful lot of accidents lately and still managed to stay alive. Maybe God doesn’t want him.”

“I certainly hope not,” I said. “Not yet, anyway.” Maybe when he was old and gray and his mind was gone, but not right now.

Dad was silent for several seconds. I could almost see the wheels turning in his head. “Maybe it’s you that wants him.”

His continued scrutiny made me glance away. This was a conversation I wasn’t ready for, nor was I in the mood. “Dad, please…”

“He’s kinda young for you, isn’t he?”

I took a deep breath and counted to three. “Probably. I’m afraid that doesn’t concern me at the moment. I need to go back and get him before something else happens to him. Do you want to come with me?”

“Naw, I don’t think so.” Suddenly, he seemed even more feeble and tired than he’d been only minutes before. “I was coming to see if you wanted lunch. I cooked up a pot of chili. Guess you can have some when you come back.” His gaze swept over me again and he smiled. “You be careful now, young lady.”

“Don’t worry, I will.”

Choosing to overlook the

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