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"He's sixty-two. I've always tried to be good and not cause trouble. I'd hate to start now."
Henry chuckled and as she watched him escort the woman to the squad car, her heart grew so big she thought it would burst out of her chest. She laid her right hand against her heart as the tears slipped down her cheeks.
"Oh, my god." She whispered. "Oh, my god. I love him."
Gathering her emotions, she inhaled some deep breaths and swiped at the tears that had fallen. She watched the three chat and the woman turned to her and nodded before climbing in the backseat of the squad. Everleigh waved to her and tried to implant in her brain to ask the sheriff what her name was.
Henry climbed into the truck and Everleigh turned to him. "Thank you."
He scoffed. "Thank you. She wanted you."
"But you helped her, too."
He grinned and shrugged his right shoulder. "I guess we're a good team."
Ouch. Yes. But, ouch. That hit her right in the heart and if she said a word right now, she'd burst out crying for sure.
Instead she nodded and he pulled out onto the county road.
"How about we drive a bit before going back?"
"Yeah. That would be great."
He turned down a farm road not far from his place and just as they'd passed a run-down looking barn a horse ran out onto the road. Henry slammed on his brakes and jumped from the truck. She followed him.
Just as she got out a man with a long stick in his hand came flying out of the field screaming, "Come back here you no good fucker."
29
Henry grabbed the switch from the man's hand and shoved him to the road. "Are you beating that horse?"
"That's none of your goddam business."
"The hell it isn't. You don't beat horses."
"Maybe you don't, you do-gooder, but when the fuckers don't listen to me, I do."
The man stood and tried grabbing the switch from him, and Henry decided to give him a piece of his own medicine. He slapped that switch across the man's backside, and he howled.
"You motherfucker."
"Sit your ass down." He was as mad as he'd ever been. To beat an animal was total bullshit.
"I don't have to listen to you."
"The fuck you don't." He snapped him again with the switch, then pushed the man to the ground near the edge of the ditch. He turned to find Everleigh standing a few feet from the horse talking to it. Her voice was calm and the horse, though its breathing was still heavy, its ears twitched at her voice.
Everleigh sat at the edge of the road and kept talking to the horse. Its head bobbed up and down a few times, then it took a step toward her. Everleigh continued to talk to the horse, and he stood mesmerized as she calmed this poor beaten beast with just her voice.
Every time the farmer opened his mouth Henry raised the switch, which shut him up. But, also, every time the farmer said anything, the horse flinched and shook.
Everleigh continued talking to the horse. It took more than thirty minutes for it to trust her enough to come over and sniff her. She slowly held her hand out, palm up and the horse sniffed her. Ever so slowly, she rolled her hand, and petted the horse's nose. They spent time with each other and finally Everleigh stood. She stayed in one place, allowing the horse to trust her movements, then the horse came to her once again. It had a bridle on, and so very slowly, Everleigh took the bridle in her hand and walked the horse down the road. She looked back at him, nodding to the farmer and he took that asget him out.
He bit out, "Stand up and walk to your house, very slowly or you'll get the switch."
"I don't have to listen to you."
"Yes, you do."
