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“The guy with Duke, do you know anything about him?”
“More than I’d like to,” Dan replied, lowering his voice. “He’s known as Big Bad John, but he goes by Big John.”
“That doesn’t sound good,” Rick muttered, turning and looking across at him. As if sensing Rick’s eyes, Big John raised his head and caught his gaze.
“He’s bad news,” Dan continued. “I banned him a few weeks ago. He got riled up about something and jumped a guy. It took three deputies to get him outta here.”
“So…why did you let him in?” Rick asked, slowly turning back around.
“As a favor to Duke. But with a three beer limit and no hard liquor. Big John is difficult enough sober. Get a couple of drinks in him and he’s a bad-tempered grizzly.”
Rick had little doubt he had to be the same Big John who owned the property where Bailey had found the horses, but he needed to be sure.
“Does he work around here?” Rick asked. “He looks familiar. I think I might have run into him somewhere.”
“He has a spread near Ben Hancock’s place, but you can’t see it from the road. You have to go down a long gravel drive to get there.”
“When you say near Ben’s, where exactly?”
“Have you been to Ben’s barn?”
“Yep, many times.”
“You know that small hill at the back?”
“Sure,” Rick replied, already knowing what Dan was going to say.
“Big John’s ranch is on the other side. The two properties are separated by a thicket.”
Though the information came as no surprise, Rick felt a cold chill move through his body.
“Hey, Rick, what’s wrong? Does that mean something?”
But he couldn’t speak.
His head was spinning.
Bailey had told Duke everything, and Duke had just reported it to Big John.
Now Big John knew it was Bailey who had freed the horses from his field.
But did he already know.
Had he tracked her down? Had he been at the chain link fence watching?
It almost didn’t matter.
She was sitting only a few feet from a monster.
“Rick!”
“Sorry, what?” he sputtered, darting his eyes up.
“You were a million miles away. What’s going on?”
“I, uh, I can’t tell you right now, but I will. Grab me a whiskey shot,” he said hastily, needing something to settle his nerves before returning to his table.
“Sure, but you’re starting to worry me,” Dan replied, quickly pouring the drink and placing it in front of him. Bringing the small shot glass to his lips, Rick downed it and let out a heavy breath. “Better?”
