There was a pause on the other end. “Are you Pete McGrath’s son?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I took a deep breath. “And I have reason to believe the drugs found in Sam’s bunk were planted there.”
Another pause, longer this time. “That’s a serious accusation, Mr. McGrath.”
“I know.” I glanced at Evelyn, who nodded encouragingly. “But I also know my father, and he’s been... retaliating since I left home. We fell out in a pretty bad way and… well… I think Sam’s just getting caught in the crossfire.”
“I see.” Her tone revealed nothing. “And why should I believe you over your father?”
I closed my eyes, gathering my courage. “Because I’ve spent my entire life watching him manipulate people and situations to get what he wants. And right now, what he wants is to hurt me by hurting the people I care about.”
“And you care about Sam Wilson?” she asked, skepticism clear in her voice.
“I care about all the guys on parole at the ranch,” I said firmly. “They don’t deserve to be pawns in my father’s game.”
“You say you and your father had a falling out.” There was the sound of papers shuffling in the background. “Families fight all the time without sending parolees back to prison.”
“I’m sure most families don’t have parolees hanging around,” I replied. “And we didn’t just fall out… I…” I glanced at Evelyn, gathering my courage. “I have the bruises to prove it.”
“Hmm.” She paused for a long moment. “Well Mr. McGrath, I’ll be picking up Sam this afternoon. If you’re amenable, I’d like to stop and chat with you before I head back up to Montana State.”
I felt my stomach clench, but I didn’t back down. “That would be fine. I’m staying at Nelson Ranch at the main house. I’d be more than happy to talk to you.”
“I’ll see you in three hours then, Mr. McGrath.” Then, in a more serious tone, added, “And you better not be making things up. You have a reputation for being a bit of a troublemaker and I don’t wantanyof that.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied. “You won’t get any trouble from me.”
“Good.”
Then the line went dead.
Chapter 18
Connor
The past two weeks at McGrath ranch had been more difficult than I thought possible. After Pete had Sam kicked off the ranch for a crime I know he didn’t commit, the entire place went into lockdown. Every night our bunks were checked by Pete himself. And then again, every morning. When the working day was done, we were required to go to the bunkhouse and stay there. No visits, to walks, and definitely no sneaking off to bonfires with other local ranch hands.
I felt like I was in prison again.
However, Pete couldn’t force us to stay on the ranch on Sundays or our days off. Every single one of the ex-cons opted to go to church on Sunday mornings as a way to appease Pete’s ferocity. But I had another reason.
Ryder. He kept going to church on Sundays too, despite no longer living on the ranch. However, he didnotsit with his father. In fact, he refused to even acknowledge Pete’s existence. That, of course, drove Pete mad. At first, I didn’t understand why Ryder would continue to come. He wasn’t religious from what he’d told me. But that’s not what it was about. It was a power move. By going to church, he stayed in the eyes of the community, let them see the bruise on his throat, and let themdraw their own conclusions when Ryder refused to sit near or even talk to his father.
Hell Creek was buzzing before the first service ended. And it didn’t stop. That constant chatter followed Pete everywhere. Every time he went into town, he came back in a worse mood than he was before. And the best part? He wouldn’t allow us off the ranch, so he couldn’t blame the rumors on us. I just sat back, fixing fences, roping cattle, and listening to Pete huff while his world slowly crumbled around him. I almost felt bad about how much I enjoyed watching him suffer.
Almost.
But not quite.
I hadn’t seen Ryder outside of church for two weeks now because of Pete’s tantrums. We’d managed to exchange a few notes, slipped between hymnals or passed through Evelyn, but it wasn’t enough. I missed his touch, his smell, the way he melted when I called him a good boy. Every Sunday, I watched him from across the sanctuary, our eyes meeting briefly before one of us would look away, careful not to draw attention.
Today was different, though. Today was my day off. And I was free to do whatever the fuck I wanted, including the boss’s son.
I woke before dawn, excitement thrumming through my veins despite my attempts to remain calm. Ryder’s last note mentioned that Evelyn would pack us a picnic lunch, and he would pick me up at the edge of McGrath property, far from prying eyes. We’d spend the day at a secluded spot on Nelson Ranch where Cole and Jesse had given us permission to be. It would be our first real time alone together since everything had happened.
I dressed carefully, trying not to wake anyone. But as I headed for the door, I glanced back to see one of the guys already awake. Joey gave me a knowing look as I slipped out ofthe bunkhouse, but he just nodded and curled back up under his blankets. The other guys had started covering for me without me even asking. They all knew something was going on, though none of them mentioned Ryder by name. It was an unspoken alliance against Pete, forged in the aftermath of Sam’s departure. Even Larry was in on it.
The morning air was crisp as I made my way across the property, keeping to the shadows of the barns and outbuildings. Pete would still be asleep at this hour, but I wasn’t taking any chances. Not when freedom, both for the day and my future, was so close I could taste it.
