The Cowboy by Molly O'Keefe

Author:Molly O'Keefe [O'Keefe, Molly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-11-15T16:00:00+00:00

BEA

Over the sound of the shower I heard my phone ringing, and I had high hopes that it would be my sister so I jumped out of the shower, slid hard on the tiles, and banged my hip on the towel rack.

I yanked on the towel, wrapping it around my body as I ran into the TV room where my phone was plugged in.

“Ronnie?” I cried.

“No. Sorry. Bea, it’s Oscar.”

“Oscar! What’s going on?” I sat down on the edge of my couch and Thelma approached to lick the water drops off my knee.

“They won’t let us leave with the horse.”

“Bonnie? Why?”

“Because the owner has to sign off.”

“Cody didn’t sign off?”

“He’s not listed as the owner. A guy named Charlie Hoynes is the owner.”

Charlie… I remembered Cody mentioning a Charlie. But not that he owned Bonnie. This didn’t make sense.

“Do they have his number?”

“Yeah. They gave it to me. I left a message… but—”

“Oscar. I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize there would be a hiccup like this. Text me the number and go on home. I’ll take care of this.”

“Okay. No problem. I’ll send the number once we hang up.”

We hung up and I rubbed Thelma between her eyes in that place she liked and waited for my phone to buzz with the text from Oscar.

And then I looked down at the phone number in my texts and wondered what was the right thing to do. Call Cody. Call this Charlie guy.

I didn’t have Cody’s phone number so the solution was simple. But it didn’t feel that way. It felt very complicated.

As Cody’s friend I imagined he’d want me to call Charlie. Because he didn’t want to deal with the horse he’d hurt. But as Cody’s friend that felt like a betrayal.

But as Bea King—I was really, really curious. And I didn’t have a choice.

I pressed the button and called this Charlie guy.

“Yello?” he answered on the third ring.

“Charlie Hoynes?” I asked and stood up, tucking the towel a little tighter around my chest. Like he could see me.

“Speaking. Who’s this?”

“My name is Bea King—”

“King? You related to Hank?”

“He was my father.”

“Well, girl, you have my condolences.”

“I take it you knew my father?” I said with a laugh.

“Did a few deals with him until I learned my lesson,” he said. “What can I do for you, Bea?”

“Well, I’m friends with Cody McBride.“

“Again. You have my condolences.”

“That’s not funny,” I said, fast and angry.

“If you’re not laughing now, trust me you will. That boy got broke and no one bothered to fix him.”

I can.

The thought burbled up from that part of my brain I tried to ignore. The part of my brain where all my worst ideas came from. The part of my brain that gave me black eyes and broken hearts more times than not.

That part of my brain was ready to suit up and try to fix Cody. When I knew, knew in every other part of my body, that it was a bad idea.

“Well, I’m calling because the farm where Cody put Bonnie after the accident has you down as the owner.

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