dancing but they won’t come without you.”
“Take Goat. I’m not goin’.”
“Take Goat? Did you just tell me to take Goat?” Butch pushed on the door.
Charlie held it in place. “Look, I’m not goin’ out tonight. I’m not feelin’ right and if I go anywhere, it’ll be back up the mountain to check on the fence.”
“I just got back from there.” Butch shoved at the door harder. “Why aren’t you lettin’ me in?”
Charlie glanced behind him and opened the door with reluctance.
“Mosby, there’s something seriously wrong with you.” Butch took off his cowboy hat and sat on a chair. “There are two pretty gals up at the house, dying for some fun time on their college break.”
“You ain’t even old enough to drink.”
“No one checks at the Other Side Tavern. You and I have been there together drinking, so you know that.” Butch rose to his feet and came within an inch of Charlie’s nose, suspicion written all over him. “You better come clean, Mosby. What the hell’s really going on?”
Charlie heard a low growl coming from the bedroom. Butch must have as well, because he perked up and stared at the closed door.
“You best be goin’.” Charlie began to lead Butch out.
“You didn’t even ask me what I found up the mountain. Do you even care about the ponies anymore? Or has everything sane been lost on you?” Butch jerked out of Charlie’s grip.
“Sorry. What did you find?”
“Wires cut again.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. But I didn’t find no dead animal.”
“Did you fix it?”
“Course I did.”
“I’ll head up there now.” Charlie picked up his coat and hat.
“What am I supposed to tell the girls?” Butch stepped outside when Charlie opened the door.
“Tell ‘em I’m busy. And take Goat or JP.”
The minute Charlie stood with his back at the open door, an enormous black crow flew out of the living room making both men duck and shout out in fright.
Charlie swallowed his nerves while Butch gaped in astonishment. “Did that thing just fly out of your cabin?”
“It’s been hangin’ around, hittin’ the window. I think maybe it’s stunned or somethin’.” Charlie shut the door behind him.
“You tellin’ me that thing was inside your place?”
“No. I don’t know.” Charlie looked around the area, keeping them both headed in the direction of the ranch house. He could see a dark shadow trailing them. What are you doing, Roman? If Butch catches sight of you like that, he’ll kill you! Just what we need. A huge black wolf living at the ranch. Lord have mercy.
“Stop pushing me.” Butch jerked his shoulder away from Charlie’s constant nudging. “You’re lucky when you punched my jaw I didn’t hit you back.”
“Ooh, I’m so scared,” Charlie teased, laughing.
That appeared to anger Butch. He stopped short and wheeled around on his boot heels to face Charlie, his finger pointing into Charlie’s face. “Don’t make me kick your ass.”
“Look here, Crowell.” Charlie poked him in the chest. “I’m the boss of you. You got that? I got six years of life experience more than you. You got that? ” He poked him harder. “An’ I’m not real happy with you either lately. Talkin’ trash about Vernon’s daughters, givin’ me lip constantly. You just watch yourself.”
A deep low snarl was heard distinctly by both men. Charlie rolled his eyes while Butch nearly jolted out of his boots. “Somethin’s out here, Charlie.”
“Nothin’ is. Go inside.” Charlie persuaded Butch to keep walking to the ranch house. When he opened the door, both girls were dressed to go out to the tavern, holding their purses and wearing their coats.
“Charlie!” Sherlane rushed towards him. “You are coming to the tavern for a drink, right?”
“No. I’m headed up the mountain. Sorry.”
Suzie nudged her sister out of the way. “Dad won’t let us go if you’re not there.” She glanced at Butch in annoyance. “So if you don’t go, we
“Take Goat. I’m not goin’.”
“Take Goat? Did you just tell me to take Goat?” Butch pushed on the door.
Charlie held it in place. “Look, I’m not goin’ out tonight. I’m not feelin’ right and if I go anywhere, it’ll be back up the mountain to check on the fence.”
“I just got back from there.” Butch shoved at the door harder. “Why aren’t you lettin’ me in?”
Charlie glanced behind him and opened the door with reluctance.
“Mosby, there’s something seriously wrong with you.” Butch took off his cowboy hat and sat on a chair. “There are two pretty gals up at the house, dying for some fun time on their college break.”
“You ain’t even old enough to drink.”
“No one checks at the Other Side Tavern. You and I have been there together drinking, so you know that.” Butch rose to his feet and came within an inch of Charlie’s nose, suspicion written all over him. “You better come clean, Mosby. What the hell’s really going on?”
Charlie heard a low growl coming from the bedroom. Butch must have as well, because he perked up and stared at the closed door.
“You best be goin’.” Charlie began to lead Butch out.
“You didn’t even ask me what I found up the mountain. Do you even care about the ponies anymore? Or has everything sane been lost on you?” Butch jerked out of Charlie’s grip.
“Sorry. What did you find?”
“Wires cut again.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. But I didn’t find no dead animal.”
“Did you fix it?”
“Course I did.”
“I’ll head up there now.” Charlie picked up his coat and hat.
“What am I supposed to tell the girls?” Butch stepped outside when Charlie opened the door.
“Tell ‘em I’m busy. And take Goat or JP.”
The minute Charlie stood with his back at the open door, an enormous black crow flew out of the living room making both men duck and shout out in fright.
Charlie swallowed his nerves while Butch gaped in astonishment. “Did that thing just fly out of your cabin?”
“It’s been hangin’ around, hittin’ the window. I think maybe it’s stunned or somethin’.” Charlie shut the door behind him.
“You tellin’ me that thing was inside your place?”
“No. I don’t know.” Charlie looked around the area, keeping them both headed in the direction of the ranch house. He could see a dark shadow trailing them. What are you doing, Roman? If Butch catches sight of you like that, he’ll kill you! Just what we need. A huge black wolf living at the ranch. Lord have mercy.
“Stop pushing me.” Butch jerked his shoulder away from Charlie’s constant nudging. “You’re lucky when you punched my jaw I didn’t hit you back.”
“Ooh, I’m so scared,” Charlie teased, laughing.
That appeared to anger Butch. He stopped short and wheeled around on his boot heels to face Charlie, his finger pointing into Charlie’s face. “Don’t make me kick your ass.”
“Look here, Crowell.” Charlie poked him in the chest. “I’m the boss of you. You got that? I got six years of life experience more than you. You got that? ” He poked him harder. “An’ I’m not real happy with you either lately. Talkin’ trash about Vernon’s daughters, givin’ me lip constantly. You just watch yourself.”
A deep low snarl was heard distinctly by both men. Charlie rolled his eyes while Butch nearly jolted out of his boots. “Somethin’s out here, Charlie.”
“Nothin’ is. Go inside.” Charlie persuaded Butch to keep walking to the ranch house. When he opened the door, both girls were dressed to go out to the tavern, holding their purses and wearing their coats.
“Charlie!” Sherlane rushed towards him. “You are coming to the tavern for a drink, right?”
“No. I’m headed up the mountain. Sorry.”
Suzie nudged her sister out of the way. “Dad won’t let us go if you’re not there.” She glanced at Butch in annoyance. “So if you don’t go, we
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