“Mom?”
“If you’re not here to help, go away.”
“What are you looking for?”
“A clue as to what your father has done—where the money went.” She picked up a leather-bound book and flipped it open. The pages were blanked. “Shit!” She chucked it out of the safe over her left shoulder. “Those men will come back. They’re dangerous.”
“Maybe we should call the cops.”
Mom growled. “For what? What are they going to do? Ugh! There’s nothing here.”
She rushed from the safe and started digging through dad’s bedside table. “I checked the accounts. We’re broke. There’s no money. The house isn’t ours anymore because your father took out a mortgage on it and said nothing. We’re behind two payments and he’s been hiding the reminder notices.”
“We’re losing the house?” My voice trembled.
Mom stopped to look at me. “Eventually.”
“This is bullshit.”
“Tell me about it.” Mom tossed her hands up. “Nothing! He left us nothing but trouble. You need to find somewhere to go. I’ll have to—I have nothing.” She crumbled to the floor, her body rocking with sobs.
“That’s not true. You…”
“I’d like to be alone, please.” Mom’s voice cracked.
Cobra
Before leaving Billings,I stopped at my parents’ place. Once they hugged me, I made one other stop to grab Taz who was at one of the local police station to meet with a friend. The plan was for me to drive with him into Eagle Rocks and to my week of relaxing and doing nothing.
After grabbing coffee for the ride, I turned the sports car toward Eagle Rocks.
The Crazy Mountains rose like a force in front of my Nissan GTR. I never tire of the view. I exhaled loudly. “Would you look at that.” I mused.
“See?” Taz asked. “You’re already relaxing.”
“Smart-ass.” I muttered.
Taz only laughed. “I told my girl you’re staying two weeks. We’re working most days. Can you entertain yourself while we’re out?”
“I’m sure I can find some trouble to get into.”
“I don’t doubt that. How you been since leaving the SEALs?”
I shrugged. “I’m still standing. Just a little tired, that’s all.”
“Well, you’ll be okay.” Taz told me as I turned into the driveway the GPS instructed me.
I leaned forward to look at the ranch and whistled long and loud. “You’ve done good, son.”
Taz laughed.
We climbed out and Taz led me into the house. He didn’t wait to give me the tour starting out with the room I’d be using at the back of the house overlooking the mountains. It was set up so I could lay in bed and stare at peaks or they would be the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes in the mornings.
I could live with that.
After the tour, Taz received a call from the Protectors and had to run out. I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. I stretched out on my bed, flipping through the channels on the television. Nothing caught my attention and after a few minutes of desperately trying to be interested in something on the screen, I gave up and flipped it off. I dropped the remote on the bed and pulled out my cellphone to call Malik.
“You’re there?” Malik asked before he even said hello. “How’s Taz’s place?”
