“I’m not a baby!” Keely yelled from her room.
“Me neither,” shouted Carter from the bathroom.
“Just watch your younger siblings, okay? I don’t know when I’ll be back.”
Cord didn’t say anything until they were halfway to town. She’d directed him to Moorcroft rather than the Golden Boot in Sundance—Carson’s usual hangout. “I ain’t surprised Dad’s takin’ Grandpop’s death so hard. I haven’t seen him since yesterday and he never disappears like this.”
“Not in recent years. But before…” She shot Cord a look. “Let’s just say you boys come by your fighting nature naturally.”
“I’d heard rumors about Dad bein’ like that…but I never put much stock in ’em.”
“Why?”
Cord’s look said, Duh. Because he’s old.
“I hope he’s just drowning his sorrows and not getting his pretty face messed up by some kid twenty years younger than him.”
“Ma. Are you okay? Because you never say sh—stuff like that about Dad.”
“Yes, I do. You boys just don’t hear it.” Where did these sons of hers think their good looks came from?
“When was the last time Dad got into a fight?”
She closed her eyes briefly, trying to remember. “Six years ago? A guy who was bitter about some cattle deal called him out on the cheating way the McKays did business. Two things your dad won’t stand for. Someone tearing down the McKays or some guy coming on to me. Anyway, this guy wouldn’t pipe down.”
“Dad took a swing at him?”
“Eyes on the road, son. Yes, your dad went after him. And that ended it.”
They drove through the Ziggy’s parking lot first. No sign of Carson’s truck.
“You don’t think he could’ve left his truck somewhere and rode to the bar with someone else?”
She shook her head. “He doesn’t hide it if he’s out looking for trouble. He’s probably at the Rusty Spur.”
Cord gave her an odd look. “You’ve been there?”
If he only knew. “You do realize your father and I had a life before we had children?”
“Well, yeah, but I don’t see you and dad tearing it up, getting wild and shit.”
“Because we’re old?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t need to.”
He sighed. “I know where the Rusty Spur is.”
They found Carson’s truck. Carolyn made Cord stay in his vehicle while she went inside.
Carson had taken a seat at the end of the bar. A full shot glass sat beside a bottle of Coors.
The bartender caught her eye. “What’ll it be?”
“A whiskey Coke—hold the whiskey.”
“Coming right up.”
Carson picked up the cigarette smoldering in the ashtray and took a drag. “You worried you’d find me fightin’?”
“That’s been the case in the past. So I thought I’d see if you needed someone to have your back since your brothers aren’t out with you.”