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I pulled out the stool and sat down beside him. “It didn’t end with Fisk’s arrest, did it?”
“Doesn’t look that way.”
“And you think the murders are somehow related?”
“Don’t you?”
“It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
He nodded. “That’s right, young Buck.”
I laughed. “You gonna keep calling me that?”
“As long as you keep acting like one.”
“You said Cope and Ali; have you contacted them?”
“I have and they’re secure. For now.”
Given it had taken Decker less than ten minutes to find the particulars of my father’s will, there was no way I was going to ask him if he was sure. I already felt like an idiot for actually saying out loud that I didn’t trust him to protect Stella. It’s a wonder he hadn’t thrown me out on my ass.
“Here’s what we’re gonna do.” Decker outlined his plan to contract the Roaring Fork to provide a secure location for asset protection. In exchange, the Invincibles would install a state-of-the-art security system, as well as provide a stipend to the ranch for as long as the assets remained on the property.
“This might not be enough to get your family’s ranch into the black, but it’ll help.”
“We have some other ideas.”
Decker sat back in his chair and folded his arms. “Well, what are they?”
“Just some stuff my brothers have been kickin’ around.”
“I’m beginning to think you aren’t smart enough to handle this assignment, Wheaton. Have you forgotten I’ve been the ranch manager of one of the most successful operations in all of the United States for the last ten years?” With every word he spoke, Decker’s voice got louder.
“Okay, okay. They’ve been talking about turning it into a dude ranch.”
“Good thing you told me that. It’ll impact the way we set up security.” Decker zoomed in on the map on his screen. “This is the main house?” he asked, pointing.
“That’s right.”
“What’s over here?”
“Can you zoom in more?”
When he did, I could see that three of the old cabins appeared as though they’d already been fixed up. “Looks like guest quarters.”
“For now, that’ll be where we set up our operation.” I watched as he added perimeter outlines and notes to other sections of the map. “What else?”
“Roughstock contracting.”
“There’s someone else in Gunnison County I heard got heavy into that.”
“That’s right, the Flying R.” My cell phone vibrated. “It’s Hammer.”
“Put it on speaker.”
“Hey, Hammer, I got Decker here with me.”
“Hey, boys. Buck, I gotta ask you, what the fuck did you do to your old man to make him do something like this?”
