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“We take things a day at a time with an eye to the future, and keep a sharp watch for Big John. I don’t think he’s the type to let things lie.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
It was the following morning.
John Foreman—aka Big Bad John—lived alone, but when trouble was brewing or he needed help, he called on his cousin Tom. Though Tom was younger and not as tough, nothing rattled him. He also had an uncanny ability to read people, and was as smart as a fox. John had just finished fixing the fence when he heard Tom’s familiar whistle. Looking up and seeing him on the other side of the field, John waved him over, then began picking up his tools and dropping them in his toolbox.
“Hey, John,” Tom said as he approached. “Too bad about the horses.”
“It’ll be too bad for that fuckin’ Ben Hancock.”
“Are you sure it was him? He’s not an idiot, and it’s not his style. I just can’t see him comin’ over here and takin’ horses off your property..”
“I didn’t think so either, but take a look at this,” John grunted, waving at his cousin to join him. Climbing through the repaired fence, he marched towards the trees. “See those hoof prints? They lead into the thicket, and I bet they go up the hill and down the other side into his barn.”
“Hold on,” Tom muttered, crouching down and studying the ground. “I see a man’s boot print, but look, there’s also a woman’s.”
“You’re kiddin’ me!”
“No, check it out.”
Bending over, John squinted as he stared at the imprint. His cousin was right. “Damn, I was lookin’ but I didn’t see that. Whoever it was must be pretty skinny. She barely made an impression.”
“There was a man and woman here for sure, and you’re right, you can see where the horses trampled the ground goin’ through the trees,” Tom continued, pointing as he spoke. “Hey, I just had a thought. Whoever took them might’ve had a trailer waitin’ on the firebreak. The only way to get there from here is going through the thicket and up the slope.
“It wouldn’t be easy haulin’ a four horse along that trail. It’s real narrow in some places.”
“Maybe they led horses to wherever they were forced to leave it. That makes more sense than Ben Hancock comin’ over here, especially with a female in tow. He’d show up with his boys.”
“You’re right about that. He’d never bring a woman along. Good thinkin’, Tom. I can always depend on that brain of yours. Okay, let’s see where those horses were taken. The trail will be easy to follow.
“Why did you have ‘em so long?” Tom asked as they started off. “You usually turn ‘em over fast.”
“I’d planned to, but my usual buyers were spooked—still are. Owners have started microchippin’. Two of the people I can always rely on had been busted right around the time I called, and word was travelin’ fast.”
“Damn.”
“It’s bad for business, especially when I’m tryin’ to move real nice horses like those were.”
“Where did you find ‘em?”
“A couple of hours from here, and they didn’t give me a minute of trouble. For starters, they didn’t wanna to be separated. I loaded one and the others followed. That’s why whoever took ‘em wouldn’t have had any problems. Fuck, this pisses me off. If I catch the thievin’ asshole who broke my fence and got ‘em out, they’ll be sorry they ever crossed me.”
* * *
Ben was in the house fetching a chilled soda when Pete burst through the kitchen door panic-stricken and waving his arms.
“Ben…!”
“What the hell is wrong with-?”
“It’s Big John,” Pete exclaimed breathlessly before Ben could finish. “He’s marchin’ down the slope and he looks fightin’ mad.”
“Dammit,” Ben grunted, quickly lifting his phone from his pocket and calling a close friend who happened to be a deputy sheriff.
“Hey, Ben, what’s up?”
“Hey, Trevor. I think I might have a problem. Are you nearby?”
