“Lord, yes.” He got this crookedy-assed grin, the man more Texas than Brazil. “I was roofing since I was thirteen. You just tightening shingles?”
“I am.”
“I got this. I think Tag wants you, Gramps.” Joa lowered his voice. “And if it’s not him, it’s Nate or Hank or one of the others, so if you want to hide up here, I got your back.”
Coke hooted and nodded, but he wasn’t the type to shirk and these folks all looked to him to be the center of their particular thing, didn’t they?
“I’ll go then. You fall off, I will never hear the end from Balta, so you stay up here.”
“I swear.”
Coke started down and by the time they got down there were a pod of cowboys standing around. “Don’t y’all got stuff to do?”
“We need to talk.” Tag nodded toward the barn.
“No. No, I need to talk to him.” That was Balta, then there was Hank, whose eyebrows were gyrating madly.
Well, shit fire and save matches. “I don’t have time to have tea, y’all. We can all confab together.”
They headed off to the barn, with Tag shooting glances over to Balta and Hank. “Pharris, Jason’s coming. Soon.”
“I know.” That he did know. He also knew Balta ruled the Brazilians with an iron fist and that the man needed to understand the situation, to help. Just like he knew Hank already knew because him and Aje was best buddies.
“Of course Jason will come,” Balta said, frowning deeply. “AJ is his friend.”
“Yeah. In the barn, y’all. Hank, you run interference and don’t give me the innocent look, ’cause you’re ugly and I know better.”
Hank grinned, nodded. “You got it, Hoss. Nate?”
“If he shows, send him in.”
“You got it.” Hank fired off a salute and turned at the door to hang out.
Balta, now, Coke could feel the big guy breathing down his neck.
They sat and he stared at one of his oldest friends on the circuit. “We got to chat, man, because I need your help. For Jason.”
“Anything for Jason Scott.” Balta’s normally smiling dark eyes went completely serious. “Tell me.”
“He’s blind.” There wasn’t no easy way to say it, so he just did.
Balta stared, just like Coke had hit him in the breadbasket. Even Tag grimaced, and he already knew.
“No.” Balta shook his head. “No, it is not right.”
“Docs say he shook something loose in his brain,” Tag added.
“So…”
“He cain’t see. We’re gonna teach him how to ride, but we ain’t telling.” Coke had to get Balta on his side.
“How to ride what?” Balta’s expression was dawning horror. “Bulls? No! That’s crazy.”
“It’s not. We’ve had him on level ones and a couple three twos. It ain’t crazy.”
Tag shot him a look. “It’s a little crazy, Pharris.”
“A lot.” Nattie wandered in, holding up a hand. “But I seen him ride, y’all. He’s as good as he ever was.”
