Comeback Trail

by Carolina Mac

  When I tramped through the field to the trailer, Linda was waiting for me. “I wanted to say you did well, Logan. I didn’t think you’d score that high after being away for more than a year.”

  “Thanks, Linda. It was encouraging.”

  “On the other hand, I did terrible. One of my worst rides ever.”

  “Everybody has bad days.”

  “Well, I don’t. Not usually. I guess I’m upset because things are tense between us and I can’t seem to fix it.”

  “Maybe we can’t be fixed, Linda.” I unlocked the truck and opened the door.

  “What are you trying to say, Logan?”

  “Nothing, Linda. I’m tired and I want to go home and check on Clay. We can talk tomorrow.”

  “You always cared more about your brothers than you did about me.”

  “That’s not true.” I slid into the driver’s seat, closed the door and lowered the window.

  Linda moved closer and had more to say. “I love you, Logan. I want things to be like they used to be between us.”

  “I wanted that for a long time too, but I’m not sure we can go back.”

  Linda screamed at me through the truck window, “I’m trying to fix us, Logan, and you’re not helping. Not one little bit.” She spun around and ran for her trailer.

  I blew out a breath and drove away. I couldn’t wait to get home and flop into my bed.

  AFTER seeing Logan off, Jack went looking for Dakota. She said she was going to the ladies’ room before they left for home. He walked down the hallway near the washrooms and didn’t see her. People were leaving and Jack figured she’d come to the truck and find him. She knew where it was parked.

  He was passing by one of the merchandise stalls and he spied Dakota holding up a t-shirt and talking to Rowdy Butler. She was smiling and laughing and putting out the same signals she had attracted him with at the shooting range.

  Jack watched long enough to see Rowdy laugh as he signed his name on Dakota’s arm. Then in a surprise move, Dakota threw her arms around Rowdy’s neck and kissed him.

  Heat crept up the back of Jack’s neck and he decided then and there that Dakota wasn’t worth the effort.

  He beat it to the truck and left her in Grover County.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Sunday, May 31st.

  THE ringing of my phone on the nightstand woke me up out of deep sleep. I checked the time and it was only six. I wasn’t that late getting up for chores.

  Linda’s number was on the screen. Did I want to talk to Linda before I had my first coffee? Nope. Didn’t think so. I ignored her.

  I was out of bed, dressed and pulling my boots on when she called again. “Damn it,” I mumbled and answered.

  “Logan, I wanted to say sorry for how I acted yesterday. I was behaving badly and I don’t want you to hold it against me.”

  “No worries. Can we discuss it later? I’m late for chores.”

  “I get it. You don’t want to talk to me.”

  “That’s not it. I don’t want to have a serious discussion about our relationship before I’m fully awake or over the phone.”

  “Name a time,” she snapped.

  “I’m not naming a time. I’ll see how the day goes and give you a call.”

  “I knew it. You’re breaking up with me.”

  “Okay then. Let’s go that route and say we broke up.” I pressed end and stomped downstairs.

  Clay was slumped in one of the kitchen chairs and the coffee was made. I was saved.

  “Why are you looking so grumpy?”

  I filled a mug with caffeine and sat down with Clay. “Linda called me a minute ago and I broke up with her.”

  “On the phone?”

  “Yep. A new low for me, and I’m not even feeling bad about it.”

  Clay grinned. “You better drink your coffee and tell me about your events yesterday.”

  “I had fun, Clay. I missed competing so much, and it’s not so much about the winning. It’s more about the feel of the rodeo. It’s about being there and doing what I’m good at.”

  “You’re making me and Jacky boy happy too, Logan. We loved it when you were on the circuit and we got to go all those places with you. Those were our best memories.”

  “Thanks, Clay. That means a lot to me. You’ll be okay to go to Lubbock on the weekend.”

  Clay’s eyes lit up. “That the next one?”

  I grinned at my brother. “I’ve got to work my ass off all week to get ready for it.”

  “For sure, I’ll be better by then and ready to go.”

  “I’d better get to the barn and help Clint and Jay.”

  JACK sat on the front porch with Clay after breakfast and called Sheriff Tucker. “Hey, Sheriff I was wondering if y’all got Swain locked up yesterday?”

  “Long story, Jacky. I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.”

  “Okay.”

  “Did he get Swain?” Clay asked.

  “Didn’t sound like it. He said it was a long story and he’d tell me tomorrow.”

  “Crap, Jacky, you delivered the rotten scum right into his hands. Couldn’t he follow through and take him into custody?”

  “Guess I’ll find out tomorrow what happened. He cut me off and didn’t sound like he wanted to talk about it today.”

  “No, he wouldn’t want to talk about it if he let Swain get away again.”

  “I shot Swain in the leg,” said Jack. “Wouldn’t he be easier to catch if he couldn’t run?”

  “All they had to do was take him out of that motel room,” said Clay. “This is going to bug you until you find out what happened.”

  “Damned right it is,” said Jack.

  “I wonder if Bonnie Sue knows?” asked Clay.

  “Phone and ask her.” Jack was riled up. He was pacing back and forth on the porch and the dogs kept lifting their heads as he stomped past them.

  CLAY called and Bonnie Sue answered on the second ring. “Hi, Clay. How are you feeling?”

  “I’m okay, Bonnie Sue. My side is sore, but I’m getting better. Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure, ask me anything.”

  “Do you know what happened when Sheriff Tucker went to bring Swain in yesterday?”

  “Umm… I do, but I don’t think the sheriff wants it getting around.”

  “Okay, we’ll keep it to ourselves. Jack wants to know because he’s pissed. He found the motel and handed Swain to Tucker on a silver platter.”

  “That was good work on Jack’s part,” said Bonnie Sue, “and I’d be ticked off if it happened to me. The way I heard it, Sheriff Tucker teamed up with Sheriff Billings from Hook County and they went to the motel with a couple more deputies. Lots of manpower to take down one wounded guy.”

  “But they couldn’t do it?”

  “Carson was there with her husband and she took Sheriff Tucker hostage and held a knife to his throat while Micky got out to his truck.”

  “Did she get away too?”

  “Yep. Don’t see how she could have done it with four men against her but I guess she did. I heard she used the sheriff as a shield to get to her car then drove away. I wasn’t there, so the details I got were pretty sketchy.”

  “Thanks. Jack was wondering what happened. Sheriff Tucker didn’t want to talk to Jack about it.”

  “Jack probably would have done a better job,” said Bonnie Sue. “He’s the best we’ve got at arresting people.”

  Clay relayed the story and Jack was more pissed than ever.

  “Why didn’t they follow both of them?” hollered Jack. “What were they thinking?”

  “I don’t know, Jack. You’ll have to get the lowdown from the sheriff. He was there.”

  “Now I have to find Swain all over again. Damn it.”

  “You need backup to take him down,” said Clay. “You can’t do it alone, Jacky. He’s a tough customer and he ain’t afraid of the law.”

  “I might take a drive around later and see if I can spot his truck at an out
of the way motel,” said Jack. “That seems to be his pattern. One sleezy motel to the next.”

  AFTER lunch, Jack headed out to search for Micky Swain and Carson Wagoner and left Clay and me to enjoy a quiet Sunday afternoon sitting on the porch with the dogs. The afternoon was hot, but we were in the shade on the porch with cold drinks whenever we needed them. We both needed a bit of relaxation and down time.

  I had some reading to do on bull raising and Clay was set to practice his guitar and finish the current song he was working on.

  We were settled well into our kicking back mode when a blue truck rolled in the lane and parked right in front of the porch steps. Miss Linda hopped out and she wasn’t wearing a smile on her pretty face.

  I stood up and tried my best to be polite. “Hi, Linda. I wasn’t expecting you.”

  “More like you were hoping I wouldn’t drive down here to have it out with you.” She had a snarky tone to her voice and her pretty face was red and blotchy. Not a good sign.

  “I thought we settled it this morning.”

  “I’d better go inside,” said Clay.

  “No. Don’t move.” I pointed a finger at Clay. “You sit right there. If anybody is leaving this porch, it will be me. Let’s take a walk, Linda.” I set my reading material on my chair and strode down the steps walking right past her. I headed for the corral, then ambled down the back lane not bothering to wait for her to catch up.

  I could hear her running and hollering behind me. “You could wait for me, Logan. You’re being rude.”

  I stopped and turned around to face her. “I thought we decided this morning that we were better off apart.”

  “No, Logan. That was what you decided. I don’t agree and that’s why I’m here. I want to apologize for being miserable and I want us to get back on track.”

  “I don’t think that’s possible, Linda. I think we’re permanently off the track and that’s the way it’s going to stay.”

  Linda took a step closer and hollered in my face. “You are so bull-headed, Logan McKenna. I know you still love me. We haven’t even made love once since we got back together and that’s your fault, not mine.”

  “I’ve thought about all the sex we used to have Linda when we were a couple, and maybe that’s a sign.”

  “What kind of a sign?”

  “That I’ve grown up a lot in the past year and I’ve come to realize that you can’t fix every problem between us with sex.”

  “I never did that.”

  “I believe you did and I’m not going that route again. I meant what I said this morning. We are officially over.”

  Tears rolled down Linda’s face and I felt bad about hurting her, but it had to happen.

  “You are so mean, Logan. I don’t know why I ever thought you would make the perfect husband. You’re nothing but a stubborn bull-headed rodeo cowboy.”

  I nodded giving her that one. She was probably correct.

  Linda turned her back on me and ran up the lane towards her truck but she wasn’t quick enough on the getaway. A red Bronco pulled in behind her truck and parked.

  “Shit,” I mumbled to myself. “Bad to worse.” My peaceful Sunday afternoon just went to hell in a handcart.

  I was a few steps behind Linda and hurrying in case things went straight down the toilet like they’d done at the courthouse.

  “Move your truck,” Linda hollered at Fiona. “You’re blocking me in.”

  Fiona smiled—the fake smile she wore that looked like she knew more than the rest of us. I hated that smile. “Oh, are you leaving, Linda?” Fiona said way too sweetly. “Too bad.”

  Linda took a stance in front of Fiona and I could see more trouble bubbling up if I didn’t do something in a hurry.

  I wedged myself between the two of them. “Yes, Fiona, Linda was just leaving. Can I help you with something?”

  She smiled at me. “I just dropped by to check on the herd. A friendly free checkup, Logan. No charge.”

  “The herd is fine. In fact, I’ve retained another vet and I won’t be needing your services any longer.”

  Her eyes widened and her face became suddenly flushed. “What? You can’t do that. I’m your vet. We’re working on the herd together. I helped you with the charts.”

  “And I appreciated the help, but it’s better if I get someone else for the birthing. I’m sorry, but I had to replace you, Doctor Lonnigan.” I waved my arm to shoo them away. “I’d like both you ladies to leave. I have work to do.”

  Thinking I’d defused the situation, I turned to walk up the porch steps and Fiona was on me like a mad dog. With the roar of a demented hyena, she charged, jumped on my back and flattened me onto the porch steps. I hit my head with a whack and tried to roll to get her off me. No luck. She had straddled my body and was pummeling my back with her fists and screaming bloody murder the whole time.

  “Don’t shut me out of your life. I love you, Logan.”

  “Get off me, Fiona,” I yelled. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

  Clay jumped off his chair to help me, but he couldn’t bend and there was nothing he could do.

  Luckily, Clint and Jay heard the screaming from the bunkhouse and came to rescue me. Between the two of them, they got wild Fiona off me and held on to her flailing arms.

  Since I was face first on the steps throughout all of the dust-up I didn’t notice Ace arrive. He’d been following Fiona and had taken a video of the whole sordid scene.

  Jack had come home too and he jumped in and took over. He was right on the ball arresting Fiona, cuffing her hands behind her back and reading her rights to her.

  My head throbbed and I felt a little groggy after I scraped myself up. I was grateful for Jack’s help. Once Jacky had Fiona secured in the back of his truck, he returned with his cell in his hand and concentrated on me.

  “Sit down there on the step, Logy. I have to get a picture of the damage she did to your head and your face. I need the evidence.”

  Ace stood by nodding his head in agreement.

  “My head hurts.” I ran my hand over my forehead and I could feel a huge lump already there.

  “I need to get statements from y’all,” said Deputy Jack. “Logy needs strong witnesses against the Doc to make the charges stick.”

  “Your troubles with her might well be over,” said Ace. “this is exactly what we needed—Doctor Lonnigan flipping out and doing something off the wall. Now that she broke the law we’ve got ammunition against her.”

  “Did she have to bash my head into the steps so hard?” I tried to smile and couldn’t quite manage it.

  When the excitement died down and Jack had taken Fiona to the police station to book her, I took a couple of Advil and put ice on my forehead.

  Clay stared at me and said, “You’re turning blue, Logy. We should go to the Spur and drink a couple of pitchers, maybe get some dinner.

  “Text Jacky and tell him to meet us there. We’ve had a shit afternoon and we deserve a pitcher.”

  Clay grinned. “You deserve it, Logy. Your afternoon was pure hell. Glad I don’t have two crazy women fighting over me.”

  “Know when to be thankful, Clay.”

  Broken Spur Roadhouse.

  MISS Jane was horrified when I arrived at the Spur with a big blue egg in the middle of my forehead. My left eye was swollen half shut by the blow against the wooden steps and Miss Jane hurriedly produced an ice pack for me.

  “Who did this?” asked Miss Jane with tears in her eyes. “Was it that crazy Doctor Lonnigan? Or was it Linda? I know she can pack a punch. I saw her on the news.”

  I groaned thinking of being on the news.

  “It was Fiona Lonnigan.” Jack grinned as he joined us. “I just locked the screaming crazy woman in a cell. She won’t be arraigned until tomorrow morning.”

  “Can you get one of those orders so she can’t come within so many feet of you, Logan?”

  “I think I can get one now that she’s actually assaulted me. Ace said it should be a piece of cak
e now that we have a police report.”

  “I hope so.” Miss Jane gently pushed my hair back. “Look what she’s done to my boy’s beautiful face.”

  “It’s just a lump, Miss Jane. I thought a pitcher of beer and a plate of ribs would probably fix it.”

  She smiled. “You got it.” She gave each of us a hug and went off to get us a waitress.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Monday, June 1st.

  Sheriff’s Office. Preston.

  JACK clocked into work at the sheriff’s office and his first order of business was finding out what the hell happened with Micky Swain. He stomped into Sheriff Tucker’s office and leaned on the front of the desk.

  Sheriff Tucker held up a hand. “I know you’re pissed, son, and you have every right to be. You’d think that Billings and I and a deputy would be enough to take down one wounded felon and his wild crazy wife.”

  “Shit must have happened,” said Jack, trying to hold onto his cool.

  The sheriff undid the top button of his uniform shirt and showed Jack his neck. “That’s where she stuck the knife into my neck and I knew she wasn’t kidding around. That woman is almost worse than her lowlife biker husband.”

  “Did y’all try to follow them when they got away?”

  “Course we did.”

  “Did you get a direction, Sheriff?”

  “Nope. No sign of them when we got out onto the highway. They were gone and we couldn’t tell if they went north, south or sideways.”

  “Damn it,” said Jack. “Okay. We’ll have to track them down again. BOLO’s out on both vehicles?”

  “Yep. Maybe DPS can nab them for us.”

  “Do you want me to take Doctor Lonnigan to the courthouse?”

  “Yeah, do that first, Jack, and see if she makes bail. If she doesn’t, then bring her on back here.”

  “Yep.”

  “How bad is Logan hurt?” asked the sheriff.

  Jack made a face and touched his forehead. “He’s got a blue egg on his forehead and his eye is swollen. I’ve got pictures for evidence.”