“Tell me what’s going on. Leave nothing out. You gave me a punch in the gut that I needed. Good for you. I’ve been waiting for you to grow a pair. Finally, you did it. Now, I have a little more respect for you.”
We crossed the multi-lane highway at the lights. Cars zoomed past at varying speeds. There was always traffic on this road.
“What the hell are you talking about? I can’t believe you just said that.”
She laughed off what I said and walked into the coffee shop. There were two small tables outside with umbrellas for people to sit. There were not too many seats because it was just a small coffee shop designed for people to pick up their orders and go. I opted to sit down while she ordered the drinks.
She came back and sat in front of me. She squeezed her hefty figure onto the seat diagonal from me. “Okay, spill, and don’t leave anything out. Otherwise, I can’t help you.” She had on a grim face and was deadly serious.
“How the hell are you going to help me? You don’t even know what’s going on, Lucy!” I yelled at her.
“All right, I’ve given you hell long enough, so I probably deserve you yelling at me, but you don’t have to much longer, so don’t get too worked up.”
Numb to her retorts, I started the story. “I went to see Colt, and his horse was going nuts in the stables. Some gangster from Las Balas had shot it. He had a gun and was waving it at Colt. Colt shot him in the ankle to disable him. When he saw me at the barn door, he told me to call the cops and his father for the horse, I guess.”
Lucy looked me dead in the eye. “Simple case of self-defense. That’s all. They’ll work that out. Who was the officer? I might know him.”
“Lucy, this is coming out of left field. I thought you hated me.”
Lucy gave me a cavalier smile. “The opposite. I’ve always thought you were too soft, but I can see that you’re a fighter. Plus, you secretly like jailbirds. I had that case first, you know…with the cowboy. I sent it your way. I thought you needed some excitement in your drab life.” She winked and laughed. “Never thought you would fall in love with the guy.”
“Are you serious, Lucy? You were playing matchmaker?”
Lucy put her hand over mine. “Yes. I’ve been working with you for a long time. You are too nice, Amber, and you take on too much. I just wanted you to live a little. Now I know you have a lot more strength than I thought you had. I underestimated you.”
I gave her a wry smile. “You know what’s funny is I’ve been trying to get you into the USP prison because you talked about needing more money for your mother’s operation.”
Lucy shook her head and drank her coffee, as did I. “Ah, we are a pair, aren’t we?”
“Yes, we are. I can’t believe you gave me the case.”
Lucy spoke and stood up. “I gave you the case because you were the right one for it. Kids and the prison system are your domain.”
“I can’t believe you. I’ve wanted to wring your neck this whole time.”
Lucy covered her mouth and grinned. “I know. I won’t do it anymore. Just know that I’m on your side. I’m sorry to hear about Colt. It’s all going to be all right. Is he involved with the Las Balas crew? They are a nasty group. I had to handle the domestic violence case with one of their former crew members.”
“I don’t know his involvement with the guy. That’s the problem. He might be guilty.”
“I don’t think he would fuck up an opportunity with you for any reason. He just got out.”
“You know how it is, though. If one small thing happens while you’re on parole, then that’s it.” I demonstrated with my hands being wiped out.
“Trust me, it’s going to work out. You belong with the cowboy. I knew the first time I saw you drop that file.”
Twenty-Seven
Colt
“Colt, you know this doesn’t look good. You are fresh out.” The officer in front of me reiterated what I didn’t want to be true. I was at the Merced police station, sitting in a tiny examination room with a tape recorder and a bottle of water in front of me. Both of my hands were in front of me. I was shitting bricks and enraged at the same time.
“I understand, but this fool was on my property, and it was legitimate self-defense. He shot my horse. Can somebody tell me how my horse is doing?” I looked around as if somebody else was in the room. I was losing it a little.
“Nobody is in the room except you and me, Colt. Your horse will be okay, and they will check the bullet. All part of the process. You’re not being accused of anything at this point. I just want you to know the position you’re in looks suspicious.”
I ignored his statement. “Check the bullet in the horse’s leg. Betcha bottom dollar it’s from the sick fuck’s gun.”
The livid rage running in my system had me ready to jump up and smash holes in all the walls. My chances of going back to jail were high in my mind. If Hosea talked, I would be dead meat. That’s if he was the snitching type. On the other hand, the whole Las Balas operation would be blown open, and I’d seen what they did to snitches.
