I step up on the fence as I watch Dad and Rip strap Jimmy onto the horse Kayce gave Dad
"Look, can we just... can we talk about this for a second?" Jimmy asks
"Good luck, Jimmy." Rip shouts as he walks out of the pen and makes his way over to where me, Ryan, and Colby are standing.
"20 on the horse." Ryan bets
"I got 40 on the ball," Colby adds
"Y'all should have a little more faith in Jimmy," I butt in
"I'd expect some resistance," Ryan shouts to Jimmy.
I smack him on the shoulder. "What did I just say!?"
"Define resistance." Jimmy nervously asks
"You be quiet." Dad tells Ryan "Resistance is the kind of thing that defines itself, Jimmy." Dad climbs over the fence and stands next to me. "Let's go. Kick him."
Jimmy kicks the horse who begins bucking him around the whole pen.
"God damn, that thing's a freight train." Rip comments
"How did Kayce ever get on him?" I wonder out loud
"Whoo-whee, I don't miss being low man." Ryan exclaims
I turn to my left and smirk "But you were so good at it".
"Low man's what turns you into cowboys. It'll make him one too." Dad says
Two hours later the horse had stopped bucking and was running around the pen, drenched in sweat.
"Well, you're almost a winner," Coldy told Ryan
"Day ain't over yet" Ryan quips
I swing my leg over to straddle the fence and face the men "That boy is gonna feel like shit tonight"
"Well, why don't you stop by the bunkhouse tonight to check on him and maybe have a couple beers?" Ryan asks
"I think I just might" I look over to Dad and Rip and see Jamie talking to them "What the hell is he doing back so early?" I jump off the fence and walk over to them.
"–and you're not gonna like any of them."
"Not going to like any of what, Jamie?" I ask
"Can we talk about this in the barn? Alone" He says facing Dad
"No, she's coming too"
After Jamie fills us in on everything the Governor and Attorney General told him, I felt nauseous. I've already lost one brother I don't think I could stand to lose another.
"Did they identify Kayce?" Dad asks
"Not yet." Jamie replies with crossed arms
Dad moves to put his hat back on "Who are the agents we're talking about?"
"It's, uh, Tom Reynolds and Aaron McReary."
Dad walks closer to Jamie. "Reynolds I can deal with, I don't know this McReary"
"Yeah, he lives in the south end of the valley. Word is he likes his religion" Jamie tells
"As in "won't tell a lie" likes it?" I ask
"Yeah, that would be my guess."
"Find out where he goes to church." Dad moves to leave but hesitates "Anything else?" Dad asks but Jamie only looks around nervously "Anything else? You said there were a few."
I stand from my seat and walk closer to Dad and Jamie.
Jamie takes a deep breath. "The medical examiner's report. You're not gonna like it."
Dad looks to the ground then back to Jamie "Who else has seen the report?"
"The only ones who have seen it want it to change."
"Then it'll change," Dad says before turning to leave
"It means they're doctors. Which means they took an oath, and it wasn't to you." Jamie says, making Dad stop walking out and turn back to Jamie. "No matter what we do, the photographs won't change. The body won't change. It'll tell the same story to anybody who looks."
Dad walks over close to Jamie "The body's buried, Jamie. Relax."
"Yeah, but when they see the report…" Jamie tries to calmly explain
"When they see the report, what?" Dad grits
"When they see…"
"You think I'm just gonna let them dig up my son?" Dad angrily interrupts
"When they see the report, they won't ask. They're just gonna do it, Dad. I think we should…"
Dad interrupts Jamie "No, don't say that."
"I think we should beat them to it." Jamie finally gets out
"Don't say it, all right. Don't say it. Don't even think it." Dad pushes Jamie up against the stall.
I walk over next to them. "Dad I–"
"Kayce shot him in the forehead while he laid on his back" Jamie interupts
"We don't know it was Kayce." Dad defends.
"He was executed. Five bullets in a circle, like this." Jamie makes a circle on his chest "Lee couldn't shoot back so if it wasn't Kayce it had to have been Clara and I don't remember her ever shooting with such precision"
Dad starts to walk away "I need to hear him say it first"
As I go to leave the barn Jamie starts talking again "We could have dealt with this sooner if you would've told me what happened out there"
"You barged into my room and demanded to know what happened after I just got done scrubbing Lee's blood off of me. Did you honestly expect an answer?" I snipped and walked back to the round pen as fast as I could.
Dad and Rip were watching Jimmy who was bent over the saddle on that damn horse. "I think he's done, Daddy" I said when I made it next to them
"Jimmy or the horse?" Dad asks
"Both" I reply
"Pull him down, Rip" Dad orders
Rip walks over and cuts Jimmy free from the duct tape. Jimmy climbs off the horse only to fall down. Rip pulls him to his feet and points him to the fence. Rip gets on the horse and rides him around the pen a couple of times. Rip stops the horse near Dad and me and dismounts "Jimmy. You go bathe him, tie him up, and no hay until he cools off." Rip hands off the horse and walk to us. "Well, the son of a bitch is broken now." We all turn to watch Jimmy make his way to the barn. He stops and starts to heave before puking.
"There may be a little cowboy in him after all," Dad says
\
After dinner and a few beers, everyone in the bunkhouse went their own ways. Ryan went to shower, Coldy was playing with the mini roping dummy, and I was playing solitaire with Lloyd.
"Next up" I look up from my cards and see Ryan walk out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel. My eyes follow him as he walks over to his bunk and grabs some clothes.
"You gonna play cards or stare at Ryan," Lloyd asks me in a quiet voice.
"I wasn't staring" I huffed and got up from next to Lloyd to start cleaning up all the beer bottles.
"That's you, shit stain," Fred says from next to Colby
"I'm gonna wait for the water to warm," Jimmy says wearily from his bunk
"You keep saying that and keep not doing it. I'm the one who's gotta sleep next to you. Take a fucking shower." Fred demands from the couch.
"Cold shower's in your future, Jimmy. Till they hire someone new. So you might as well get used to it. We did. It's better than being dirty." Colby advises.
"Gonna give it an hour."
"You'll be asleep in an hour. You smell like a goddamned goat. Get up. Get up." Fred stands from the couch and rips Jimmy off of the bunk. I walk out of the kitchen and closer to Ryans bunk to see what was going on.
"I'm going." Jimmy screams "Get the fuck off me."
"Then fucking go." Fred yells and starts pulling at his shirt "Get off, get the…" As soon as Jimmys shirt opened and I saw the red brand on Jimmy's chest I let out a silent curse.
Lloyd sets his cards down and stands up "You can take my shower in the morning, Jimmy. It's plenty hot then. Besides…" Lloyd takes his shirt off to reveal his brand "a little cold water don't bother me none." He walks into the bathroom and closes the door.
"Fuck you," Fred says to Jimmy before returning to his spot on the couch
I move closer to Ryan, who was staring Fred down, and put my hand on his arm to get his attention "Can you bring me the first aid kit from the bathroom and contact solution?"
He nods and walks to the bathroom, eyes unmoved from Fred. "Jimmy go sit down at the table" I directed. I walk into the kitchen and fill up a bowl of hot water and rummage through the drawers for a clean towel.
"I brought a clean washcloth too," Ryan says as he walks into the kitchen. I put the bowl next to Jimmy and grab the washcloth, first aid kit, and contact solution from Ryan. I dip the washcloth into the hot water and ring it out "This isn't going to feel good" I tell Jimmy before I start scrubbing the nasty, red burn.
He said nothing until I finished cleaning the brand. "Thanks, Miss Dutton but –"
"Jimmy" I interrupt "Call me Clara. And I wouldn't thank me because I'm about to put saline all over this thing."
"Yes ma'am" he replies
I pour the contact solution onto the washcloth and gently press it onto his burn. He winces and in pain for a couple of seconds before I take the rag off and apply burn cream on the wound "Keep it dry Jimmy, but please clean that thing" He nods and heads over to his bunk.
"You're too nice to him," Ryan says as he helps me clean up my mess
"I think he needs it" I say
"Do you know what I need?" Ryan questions "Someone to accompany me on a walk outside"
"If you can spare a jacket I just might be able to help you out" I tease.
"I think I can spare one" He heads to his bunk and comes back with a black sweatshirt "This do?"
I grabbed the sweatshirt and put it on. "I think it will"
\
"If we don't start heading back soon, this walk is going to turn into a camping trip," I say with a yawn as I sit up from where I was laying.
Ryan looks up at me "Why leave when I have the most gorgeous view?"`1
I look up at the sky "The sky is pretty and all but it's 2 am. We have jobs to do in three hours"
"It would be the responsible thing to do," Ryan says while standing up and dusting off. He reaches a hand down to me to help me up which I gladly take. The walk to the lodge was quiet yet enjoyable. Ryan walked me up the porch to the front door.
"Thank you for tonight, I kinda needed it"
"Anytime," Ryan says with a smile "Listen. Why don't you start coming down to the bunkhouse on Friday nights? It can get kind of rowdy but it'll get you out of the house for a couple of hours"
"I think I'll take you up on that offer" I smile
"Good night Clara" Ryan says before turning to leave
"Oh wait" I say before he takes a step down the porch. He turns around to face me. I took off the borrowed sweatshirt and held it out for him
"Keep it for next time" he says before turning to finish his journey to the bunkhouse
I feel my face grow red as I silently open the door. What did he mean by next time? I thought to myself as I made my way to the stairs.
"Clara!" Dad shouts from his office
"Shit" I mutter as I make my way to his office preparing myself for a lecture
"Where've you been, sweetheart?" he asks from behind his desk
"I fell asleep while reading in the hayloft" I lied "What're you doing?"
"Trying to make a... another decision a father shouldn't have to make." I move to sit on his desk. Dad looks at me with sad eyes "What're your thoughts on... judgment day?"
"I think it's way too early in the day for these deep questions."
"And the Bible says a cremated body can't rise." Dad says as though he didn't hear a word I said.
"Well, fortunately, that's not a decision you have to make today." I assure him
"Yes, it is."
"Is this about what Jamie told us in the barn?" I feel my heart rate start to rise
Dad nods his head "I'm just trying to make the right decision"
"If it was me making the decision, I would do everything in my power to protect Kayce. I already lost one brother, and I don't think I'll survive losing another. Hell, I don't think any of us would," I stand up and give dad a kiss on the forehead "Goodnight Daddy"
"Goodnight sweetheart"
Tears prick my eyes as I make my way to my room for a sleepless night.