by Cheree Alsop
Van laughed. Blood streamed from his nose and colored his teeth and beard red. He didn’t appear to be bothered by it at all. “You think you can beat it out of me?” he asked. “Why do you think I’m the middleman? Because I spill my beans at the first sight of blood?” His voice lowered and he speared Magnum with a deadly look. “Try that again, and it’ll be more than your house you lose.”
Magnum struggled in my arms. I held him tighter.
Van leaned forward, his gaze squarely on Magnum. “You boys are in over your heads. If you’re smart, you’ll get out now. If not, you might end up in a bag in the desert. My contact has no mercy. If you value your families and your lives, you would be smart to remember that.” Van looked at me. I felt like he could see me through my dark visor with the force of his gaze. “Your identity’s not so secret anymore. You best be careful.”
“I’m not giving up until we get drugs out of Sparrow.”
He smirked. “Good luck with that.”
I wanted to hit him. It took every ounce of self-control I had not to let Magnum attack the guy—and join him. Van was a middleman. Striking him down would lose us any lead we had.
“We’re going to get to the bottom of this,” I said low enough for only Magnum to hear. “We’re not giving up, but we need to change tactics. We don’t have enough information yet. You need to keep your head.”
“My house is a pile of coals,” Magnum growled.
“I know,” I said, fighting to maintain my calm. “We’ll find out who’s really responsible.” I glared at Van, wishing he could see it. “Anyone who stands in our way will regret it.”
Magnum let me pull him out of the bar. A few of the men who had become my confidants followed us.
“Sorry to hear about your house. Dave’s a good man. Is he all right?”
Magnum nodded. “Thanks to Kel—uh, the Black Rider. I couldn’t have gotten him out alone.”
Hands patted my back, reminding me how sore it was.
“Thanks for the heads-up,” I told them. “The fire engines arrived just as we got him out. You saved his life.”
“Thank you,” Magnum said quietly.
I put a hand on his shoulder. “You need to go take care of your family. We’ll solve this, but right now, they need you.”
He nodded. “I know. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I watched him pull out of the parking lot.
Exhaustion washed over me. I sighed and leaned against the wall.
“You okay?”
I nodded at Roger’s concerned tone. “Let’s just say Van’s given me two headaches today.”
The bartender answered with an understanding smile. “He’s good at that.”
“We’ll keep an eye on him for you,” Greg promised.
“I appreciate that,” I said. I shook hands with the guys and climbed back on my motorcycle. The ride to the junkyard felt much longer than usual.
“I JUST GOT OFF the phone with Magnum,” Cassidy said as soon as I pulled into the driveway.
I motioned for her to lower her voice. She glanced back at the dark house and repeated in a whisper, “I just got off the phone with Magnum. He says you helped him save his dad.”
I climbed gingerly off the four-wheeler and leaned against it. “It’s been a rough day. Care to help me patch up my back again?”
Cassidy shook her head with exasperation.
I held up a hand before she could begin her lecture. “You heard Magnum. It was for a good reason. Right now I need to get patched up and try to catch at least . . .” I glanced at my phone and sighed. “An hour of sleep before it’s time to milk the cows.”
“I’ll tell Dad you’re not feeling good,” she said helpfully.
I was touched by her offer, but shook my head. “I don’t think he has a soft spot for sickness. Has he ever taken a sick day in his life?”
She held open the screen door with a smile. “Once, but he had pneumonia and broke a few ribs from coughing so hard. Even then, Mom couldn’t get him to take any pain killers. He’s a stubborn sort.”
“You can say that again,” I muttered as I made my way to the bathroom.
“You two have a lot in common,” she whispered.
I met her gaze in the mirror.
She shut the door behind her and nodded. “Look surprised all you want. You’re both stubborn, you both have a crazy work ethic no one else can keep up with, and you both care about your family and Sparrow. He says good things about you when you’re not here.”
“Is it asking too much to have him say nice things when I am here?” I replied.
She gave a light laugh. “Yes. It would go to your head and destroy everything I just mentioned that was good about you.”
“We wouldn’t want that,” I said.
She shook her head, her eyes bright with laughter. “No, we wouldn’t.” She grabbed the bag of bandages from the cupboard below the sink where we had hidden it. “All right, Mr. Hero. Let’s see your back.” She slid over the stool her mom used when she cut the boys’ hair and motioned for me to sit down.
I let out a slow breath and pulled my shirt off. It caught and I couldn’t get it loose.
“Easy,” Cassidy whispered. She managed to work it free and pulled it over my head. She stood behind me and looked at my back with an expression I couldn’t read.
I tried for humor. “Is it a total loss?”
“What happened to you, Kel?” she asked. She put a hand on my shoulder, and I winced. “There are bruises here that are the size of my hand, and almost black.” She met my gaze in the mirror. “They weren’t there before. I would’ve noticed.”
Weariness filled me. I set an elbow on the sink and rested my chin in my hand. “I would have done better saying good-bye to the Black Rider.”
Her eyebrows pinched together. “I would argue with you, but the proof is in front of me.” She hesitated. “Hold on a sec.” She hurried from the bathroom.
I closed my eyes. Time flooded together. I was standing in the fire. Magnum called to me. I ducked under Mr. Fisher’s arm. We carried him through the flames. They popped and crackled around me, tendrils reaching for my ankles.
I jerked awake at the feeling of something cold on my back.
“I’m sorry,” Cassidy apologized. “Were you asleep?”
I gave her a tired smile in the mirror. “Just slightly.”
“I thought a cool rag would help the bruises go down. You’re going to be sore tomorrow.”
“I’m sore now,” I replied. “It feels good.”
She smiled at me from the mirror. “You’re very brave, Kelson.”
I frowned at the sink. “You know what the crazy part is?”
“What?” she asked as she removed a few Steri-Strips.
I winced at a particularly painful one. “I wasn’t afraid.”
Her eyes met mine. “Of the fire?” she asked softly, her green eyes filled with compassion.
I nodded. “When Jaren was in trouble, I couldn’t move. The barn fire was raging around me and it felt like my feet were frozen to the ground.” My voice dropped. “I kept hearing Zoey calling my name, and I couldn’t fight the memories of the day she died.” I took a calming breath and looked up. “But when Magnum asked me to help him, I ran into the fire without any problems. It wasn’t until afterwards that I realized what I’d done.”
“It’s because you know the fire Zoey died in wasn’t your fault,” Cassidy said.
I shook my head. “The fire was my fault, but I did everything I could to try to save her. She knows if I could have reached her, I would have.”
Cassidy squeezed my shoulder. “She would be proud of everything you’re doing,” she said gently.
I couldn’t answer. Zoey had been the kind one who cared about every living creature. Cassidy’s words rang true. She would be proud her brother had learned to put aside his self-interest in order to protect those around him. Maybe Zoey was still watching over me the way she had when she was alive, reminding me that
I cared more than I let on.
I SAT IN THE principal’s office after school. When he walked in, surprise showed on his face.
“Mr. Brady,” he said, holding out his hand. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“Is there a reason Martin was suspended from the Bulldog Bulletin?” I asked, returning his handshake.
Principal Dawson took a seat behind his desk and straightened his dark green tie, even though it already looked straight to me. “I can’t allow false reporting and supposition to fill our papers.”
“Martin’s a great reporter,” I pointed out.
He nodded. “He is, which is why I was disappointed in his last article.”
I glanced back at the open door and lowered my voice. “Martin and I spoke before he wrote his article.”
“The conjecture wasn’t in regards to you—it was what he wrote about drugs in Sparrow. I can’t have him filling people with doubt about our town and the people who work to keep it safe. I’ve had complaints and I must listen to them to prove that the school doesn’t support publishing lies. We don’t want to lose our credibility,” he said, his expression concerned. “When citizens are worried about what we write in our paper, it is my job as the principal to ensure that only facts are printed.”
“Martin’s devastated,” I told him. “I’m sure he’ll write an apology. He needs the Bulletin.”
Principal Dawson shook his head. “I can’t budge on this, Kelson. The school board is involved.” He smiled. “Don’t worry. While he’s suspended, we’ll get you a new tutor to ensure that you graduate. It’ll be all right.”
I didn’t know what else to say to win Martin back his job. I needed to rethink my strategy. I let out a breath and nodded. “Thanks, Principal Dawson. I appreciate you hearing me out.”
“Anytime,” he replied.
I walked out the door feeling like I had failed Martin.
“AREN’T THEY ADORABLE?” CASSIDY asked.
I smiled at the chick in my hand. “They’re so soft.” I ran a finger down his fluffy yellow back. He gave a little peep.
“I’m glad Mom still bought them after the trouble with the copycats and everything,” Cassidy told me. She lifted a yellow-and-black chick. “They’re so cuddly wuddly!”
“You sound like my mom talking to Trouble,” I pointed out.
“That’s a good thing,” she replied. When I rolled my eyes, she laughed. “Kelson, it’s a woman’s job to baby things and take care of them. It makes us feel like we’re doing what we’re supposed to do.”
I eyed the chick in my hand uncertainly. “So you got the chicks so you could baby them?”
“No,” she said with a chuckle. “Dad got them because we don’t have enough eggs to fill Cole’s bottomless stomach. They’ll be good layers when they grow up.” She smiled down at the chick in her hands. “It’s just an added bonus that they’re so cute when they’re little.”
I looked at the grown chickens around us that scratched at the sawdust and straw in the coop. They definitely were nowhere near as cute as the chicks. “Too bad they grow up,” I said.
“I’d keep them little like this forever if I could,” Cassidy replied, picking up two more chicks and cuddling them.
“Kelson, I need your help for a sec,” Uncle Rick called from outside the chicken coop.
Cassidy and I exchanged a look. I set the chick down and crossed to the door, careful not to step on any of the little fuzzy balls of down that massed near the heat lamps. I opened the coop door and ducked under it.
“What d’you think of the pullets?” Uncle Rick asked as he walked away from the coop.
I glanced at him, wondering what I was supposed to think.. I cleared my throat. “They’re, uh, healthy-looking,” I told him.
“They’re pretty darn cute,” Uncle Rick replied.
I stared at him, but he didn’t appear to notice. When we reached the barn, I stopped short at the sight of Cole dangling from the roof by a rope around his waist and chest.
“Sorry, Dad,” he said immediately.
Uncle Rick shook his head. “Cole decided to use the barn frame as a jungle gym, and now he’s stuck. I can’t get him down on my own. Jaren’s workin’ with the Crosby boys, and I don’t think Cass is strong enough to get Cole down without killin’ him.” He paused. “Though it’ll save me from doin’ it afterwards.”
“Dad!” Cole protested. “I said I’m sorry!” He wiggled, and I saw what had happened.
He had apparently tied a rope around his waist and proceeded to scale the ladders the construction workers had put up, then tied the rope to the roof. One of the ladders lay on its side along the floor of the barn. It was only luck and the strength of the knots that kept him from falling to the cement floor.
“I hope you’re not afraid of heights,” Uncle Rick said with a half smile.
“Cole’s not,” I replied.
“It’d probably do him some good,” Uncle Rick said.
I helped him tip the ladder back up.
“Someone needs to climb up and untie the knots, then lower him down to the ladder.” A slight crease formed across his brow, showing his worry. “I don’t think I can climb that high.”
“Don’t worry, Uncle Rick. I’ve got it,” I told him.
“Careful, Kel. That ladder’s a bit wobbly,” Cole said from his precarious position. He didn’t look so worried about the fall as he did about the punishment he would receive when we got him down.
I climbed the ladder carefully. Uncle Rick held it stable as I stepped onto the side of the wall. The next wooden crossbeam was quite a ways up.
“How did you do this?” I asked Cole.
“I jumped,” he replied.
I stared at him incredulously. “You jumped?”
“Yeah,” he told me with a shrug that sent him swinging gently back and forth. “Nothin’ to it.”
“Maybe we need to call the fire department,” Uncle Rick said, moving the ladder to the middle of the barn.
“I don’t know how much longer his knots are going to hold. I’ve got to try,” I replied.
I took a steeling breath and bent my knees. I breathed out as I jumped the same way I did when I punched in order to put the most force behind my actions. I grabbed the crossbeam and was able to pull myself up.
“See,” Cole said with a pleased tone. “Nothin’ to it.”
“Keep your mouth shut,” Uncle Rick told him. “You’ve got muck duty for the next two weeks.”
“But Dad,” Cole protested.
I gritted my teeth and jumped again. I barely reached the next crossbeam that led to the roof. I scrabbled with my sneakers along the stabilizing beam and was able to pull myself up. My heart pounded. I sat on the wood for a few seconds before rising.
“Easy does it,” Uncle Rick encouraged as I climbed onto the frame of the roof and worked my way to the peak.
My breath caught in my throat when I noticed that the only thing keeping Cole from falling to the cement far below was a knot that had caught between two beams. It looked like it would work its way free at any moment.
“Maybe if I pull up like this, I can climb to you,” Cole offered. He turned over and grabbed the rope in both hands.
“Don’t move,” I warned.
Cole ignored me and tried to pull himself up the rope. His actions made the knot slip a bit more.
“Cole, hold still,” I barked.
He stared at me. I had never used that tone with him before. He looked like he was going to cry, but he stopped moving. Uncle Rick watched us wordlessly from below.
I stretched out and grabbed farther along the rope. There weren’t many places to stand, but if the knot slipped, I wanted to be ready.
“I’m going to try to lower him down to you,” I told Uncle Rick with my gaze locked on the knot.
“Be careful,” Uncle Rick warned, his voice tight as he waited near the top of the ladder. “I don’t need both of you gettin’ hurt.”
I clenched my jaw and pull
ed on the rope. My muscles protested. My back was tight and sore. Lowering Cole down wasn’t going to help at all.
The knot wouldn’t move. I pulled harder. It refused to cooperate.
“Cole, swing your legs,” I told him.
“But you said to hold still,” he replied in a voice that trembled slightly as if he finally realized how dangerous the situation was.
I met his gaze. “Trust me. I’m going to get you out of this,” I promised.
He hesitated, then nodded. I shifted my gaze back to the knot as he began to rock slowly back and forth. The knot slipped. I tightened my grip. Cole gave one last swing and the knot let go completely.
The rope burned through my hands as Cole fell. I spun to my back, holding the rope as tight as I could. Cole jerked to a stop.
Everyone froze. Three ragged breaths sounded loud in the silence.
“Good job,” Uncle Rick said, his tone careful. “Hold on, Kel.”
“I’m going to start lowering him down,” I replied. I released my right hand just enough to let the rope start sliding. The fibers cut into my palm. I ignored the pain and let him slide down.
“Almost got him,” Uncle Rick said. “Just a bit more.”
I heard the ladder move. Uncle Rick cursed under his breath. I wished Jaren was there to hold it steady.
“What’s going—oh, my goodness!” Cassidy exclaimed.
“Cass, grab the ladder,” Uncle Rick told her.
The sounds of the shifting ladder ceased. I lowered Cole to his dad.
“Got him!” Uncle Rick said.
I felt the rope go slack and breathed a sigh of relief. I turned over and watched Uncle Rick and Cole climb down the ladder. Cassidy threw her arms around her brother as soon as he was down. He held on to her, appearing content to keep still for the first time in his life.
“Your turn,” Uncle Rick said.
I looked at my hands. They were worn raw and throbbed angrily. I shook my head. “There’s no way I’m climbing down a rope.”
“How else are you gonna get down?” Uncle Rick asked, his expression worried.
I looked around. “I guess the same way I got up.”
They watched in silence as I made my way back down the roof. I studied the crossbeams farther below than I could reach.
