Boots took off his hat and wiped his forehead with a bandanna before continuing. “Your daddy was a rodeo cowboy without a pot to piss in. But after that beating, layin’ there in the hospital, your momma holdin’ his hand and tellin’ him how much she loved him, he figured he’d better do something with his life. He scraped together every bit of cash and credit he had and bought the home place. He knew rodeo. And he knew rodeo stock. He started small, but the rodeo folks knew they’d get quality if they hired him. Your momma was there each step of the way, keepin’ the books, cleanin’ out pens, whatever it took. Until she got sick.”
Cass nodded and swallowed hard against the nausea. Her mother had been so sick from pneumonia and despite the breathing tubes and everything else, she couldn’t fight the disease.
“You find a love like what your momma and daddy shared, baby girl, you grab on with both hands and never let go.” He dipped his chin and stared forward. “Highway’s just up a ways. We’d better get ready.”
Cass reined Red to a stop on the slope leading up to the interstate right-of-way. A line of riders flanked the road on each side of the overpass. To her now-practiced eye, the herd looked as worn out as her drovers and their horses. Just about a mile now. She exhaled in relief when the last drag rider passed by and disappeared under the overpass. She followed.
On the other side, the herd had bunched tightly again and moved forward like some weird amoeba. Cass could only imagine what the scene looked like from above. Maybe someday, she’d catch a news report to see the footage shot from a helicopter. In the meantime, she had cows to get to market. She rode up the line, urging tired riders and cattle onward.
The news helicopter disappeared, heading west. Cass glanced over her shoulder hoping it wasn’t focusing on something bad happening to the drag riders. It kept flying straight and as she watched, lightning flickered in the clouds massing on the western horizon.
“I knew it,” she muttered. “Red skies in the morning, sailors...and cowboys take warning.” She glanced at her watch. With luck, she’d have the herd delivered to the stockyards, and they’d all be safely in their pens by the time the storm moved in. Nothing to panic over. Yet.
Seventeen
The new bridge with the fancy streetlights loomed ahead. Agnew Avenue. If Chance was right, the street would be blocked to traffic, and she could bring the herd right down the middle of the street. Cord cantered up to her and slowed his horse to match hers.
“About time for you to move up, Cass. You should be at the head of this parade.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t do this for attention, Cord. If your father had stayed out of things, I’d be back on the ranch with the loan paid.” She felt her face flush as her blood pressure spiked.
“Yeah, he’s a real sonofabitch. And I figure he’s probably not quite done yet. Chance will do everything he can to stop whatever the old man has up his sleeve.”
“But...?”
“But?”
“Yeah, I heard a but on the end of that sentence.” She turned to stare at him, and more than her blood pressure hammered in her ears. “He’s going to turn Chance against me, isn’t he?” She muttered a string of cusswords but didn’t smile when Cord laughed at her. “Damn the man!”
“Which one?”
His quiet question surprised her. “Your...” She blinked and shut her mouth while she considered her answer, which came in the form of a question. “Will he succeed?”