Bitter Creek

Bitter Creek by Peter Bowen

Book: Bitter Creek by Peter Bowen Read Free Book Online
Authors: Peter Bowen
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…
    â€œSo,” said Pidgeon, “what has happened since we’ve been gone?”
    Du Pré told them about Chappie, Patchen, Amalie and her story.
    â€œMother of God,” said Bart. Pidgeon and Pallas were silent.
    â€œSo we are going to find them, take them home,” said Du Pré.
    â€œThere will be a lot of people,” said Pidgeon, “who won’t want this to come out. …”
    â€œYah,” said Du Pré. The big SUV rumbled along.
    â€œThe keys are in the cruisers,” said Bart, “I remember now. …”
    â€œNot enough room all your stuff,” said Du Pré. They laughed.
    â€œHow are my horses?” said Pallas.
    â€œFat,” said Du Pré. “Need a good run, up to Canada and back.” The telephone set in the console chirred. Bart picked it up. He listened a few seconds.
    â€œJust a moment,” he said, handing the phone to Du Pré.
    â€œI ain’t speakin’ to that guinea bastard,” said Booger Tom. “You saw that goddamned water buffalo you was here getting Bart’s fucking land yacht there. …”
    â€œYah,” said Du Pré, “he was in the pasture.”
    â€œWell, he ain’t now,” said Booger Tom. “He got into the grain room, opened the danged door, went in, shut it. He has his fat ass pooched up against it so I can’t get in. He’s eatin’ real good. …”
    Du Pré laughed.
    â€œI quit,” said the old cowboy. “He kin git another foreman. …”
    â€œYou quit twelve times the last two years,” said Du Pré.
    â€œI really quit,” said Booger Tom. “I am going to be gone ’fore you git here. …”
    â€œWhy you run off before you kill Bart?” said Du Pré.
    â€œGive me that goddamned thing,” said Pidgeon, reaching for the telephone.
    Du Pré grinned and handed it to her.
    â€œBooger Tom,” said Pidgeon sweetly, “it’s me. Now what is this fucking bullshit about you quitting?”
    She listened.
    â€œYou’re whining,” she said. “Cowboys do not whine. It’s in the rules of conduct. Number six, I think.”
    She listened.
    â€œSo you got an animal smarter than you are. I have a cat like that,” said Pidgeon.
    Booger Tom’s voice rose, crackling with electronic indignation.
    â€œIt’s a first,” said Pidgeon. “The Australians have a sense of humor. …”
    She handed the telephone back to Du Pré.
    â€œShe don’t play fair,” whined Booger Tom.
    â€œThey don’t,” said Du Pré. “Them women, it is the way of their people.”
    â€œI think I will just shoot him,” said Booger Tom.
    â€œThen how you get the door open?” said Du Pré.
    The phone went dead.
    â€œI finally got him,” said Bart, beaming. “I finally got him.”
    â€œLook at this simple idiot,” said Pidgeon. “Now he has death following him on soft padded feet and he thinks it is a triumph.”
    â€œBooger Tom very vengeful,” said Du Pré.
    â€œSmart, too,” said Pallas.
    â€œI think I remember him once admitting he had a math degree from Dartmouth,” said Pidgeon. “And the day he graduated he got on a horse and rode all the way to Wyoming. …”
    â€œHe lies a lot,” said Bart.
    They rode for a while in silence, looking out at the prairie flowers that soon would burn and be gone.
    Du Pré found the road north. He sped up.
    â€œWe tried to get a plane to Cooper,” said Bart, “but the flying service was booked.”
    â€œI hate those planes,” said Pidgeon. “I think they are made of Styrofoam and duct tape. …”
    â€œSo this old woman is at Jacqueline’s?” said Pallas.
    â€œYah,” said Du Pré.
    â€œIt is an incredible story,” said Pallas. “I have to do a paper over the summer. …”
    â€œPret’

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