I frown, and he chuckles. Enough talking about how poorly a job I've done of assimilating. At least I can ride a damn horse. "Can you connect me with this kid?"
"Why?"
"That alfalfa farmer. He doesn't want to sell, but I think I can wear him down. Besides, something is weird out there. He's not a farmer, not by any means."
His eyebrows lift patronizingly. "You can spot a farmer?"
"Does a farmer sit on his ass all day and playCall of Duty?"
Wyatt quiets, pinching his lower lip as he thinks. He pulls out his phone and sends me the contact. My mind races, trying to think of excuses for needing Jessie's number, but I can't come up with any. I can't ask him for it outright. Given the way he acts about everything else, I can only imagine how protective he is of his little sister.
"Tell him I gave you his number. And do not, under any circumstance, call him El Capitan." Wyatt rolls his eyes. "He's trying to make it a thing."
I nod. "Got it. Whatishis name?"
"Eldridge Farley."
I whistle low. "If that was my name, I'd shoot for El Capitan also."
Wyatt laughs. A genuine laugh, and I feel proud of myself. "If that were my name," he says, "I'd even go for Seymour Butts."
Jo comes up behind Wyatt and gives us both a disapproving look. "Keep your voices down. High school boys love stupid nicknames like that, and I don't need there to be a contest as to who can say the dumbest nickname of all."
Wyatt winks at her. "Who said anything about a nickname?"
She makes a face at him and swats his arm. To me, she asks, "Everything all good?"
I nod and tuck my hands in the pockets of my pants. "Question, Jo. Do you think I need new clothes?"
She widens her eyes in Wyatt's direction. "Seriously?"
He lifts his hands like he's innocent, but I answer before he can. "He didn't say anything," I assure her. "I just realized I stick out like a sore thumb."
The corner of Wyatt's lip curls into a smile.
Jo looks like she doesn't believe a single word from my mouth. "I don't think you need new clothes, considering your job. If you worked on a ranch, those nice fabrics wouldn't last a day."
"Duly noted," I nod my head at them. "Thanks, Wyatt. I'll get out of your hair now."
As soon as I leave Wildflower, I call Eldridge Farley. I use his first name when he answers, and he says, "Do not call me by my first name."
"Sorry about that. Wyatt Hayden gave me your info and—"
"You're a friend of Wyatt's?"
"Yes." Based on his tone of voice, I'm not sure that's a good thing to be. Also, identifying myself as a friend might be pushing it, but in this circumstance I'll roll with it.
"He calls me El Capitan."
This makes me laugh. "He told me you'd try that. How about let's settle for Farley?"
"Farley works. What's up?"
I give him Conrad’s full name and tell Farley I need something I can use against him. He doesn't agree until I explain why I'm looking for information. "I'm a hacker with a moral compass," he explains. He sounds very proud of himself.
We agree on a price, after he negotiates me higher than I started out, but not as high as I was prepared to go.
I hang up with Farley and head back to my hotel room. Standing at the window, I look down at High Street. It's lunchtime, and the place is filling up. A few different restaurants have opened for business, even in the short time I've been here. Maybe I'll go get lunch somewhere. Jessie was right. These four walls are beginning to close in on me.
