Allister rounded the corner, frowning like he hadn’t been fucked in a month of Mondays. As soon as he saw his woman, he grinned from ear to ear. After a brief “hello” to everyone else, he made a beeline for Ellie, picked her up, twirled her around, and whispered something in her ear. They both laughed and strolled away hand in hand.
“Must be nice,” Nicholas grumbled, looking up long enough to observe.
“Oh no.” Markie covered his mouth. He backed away from Nicholas, shaking his finger. “Tell me it ain’t so!” Markie pressed the back of his hand to his forehead and acted as if he were ready to faint.
“You aren’t funny, Markie,” Mac told him in a flat tone.
Nicholas prepared for Markie’s form of questioning, which usually consisted of twenty or so personal questions revolving around one key probing inquiry.
“Have you fucked her yet?” Markie waved his hand in front of his face. “Don’t answer that. You wouldn’t be this…this…” He paused, squinted, and said, “God bless. I don’t even recognize you anymore. You are whipped!”
Nicholas took a deep breath, peered over at Mac, who was smirking like crazy, and th
en acknowledged Doc as he walked in the barn and headed for the cross-ties. “I’ll give you four hundred for her.”
“She’s outta here, Doc. I’m sorry. I can’t stand the sight of her.”
“How come?” Doc asked, petting the mare gently.
“She kicked him in the nuts when he was just a boy,” Markie said, taking a seat on a haybale and crossing his left leg over his right.”
“Is that the truth?” Doc asked, too gullible.
“Hell no.” Mac marched by Markie and paused long enough to scowl. “You come up with the damn dumbest things.”
Markie shrugged and studied his fingernails. “Lucky for you boys the Drover sheriff doesn’t think so.”
“You’ve talked to Sheriff Morrison?” Trevor spoke up at once. “What’d he say?”
“The usual. Facts, educated guesses—and do bear in mind the only education Morrison ever received was in the back of a locker-room suckin’ and fuckin’—oh and he also dropped a name.” Markie shimmied his shoulders.
“I’ve been standing in front of you for how long and you’re just now telling us you have a name?” Nicholas was pissed. “Markie, do you understand this girl’s life could be in danger?”
“It’s not,” Markie said. “At least not yet.”
“How do you know?” Mac walked away from his conversation with Doc and Doc followed him.
“What did Sheriff Morrison say?” Doc asked.
Markie grinned up at them. “Well I’ll be damned. I sure didn’t guess this. I had Nicholas and Harley pegged, figured on Mac, too, but all of you?” He glanced over his shoulder and hollered, “Harley! You might as well get over here, sunshine. My guess is you’ll want to hear this.”
Harley tossed his pitchfork and joined them. “This better be good, Markie.”
“Trust me on a promise, sugar. What I have to say is a little more interestin’ than shovelin’ shit.”
Nicholas grunted. He didn’t have time for this crap.
Mac clucked. “Now you see why my tolerance is at zero.”
Markie bounced his leg, clearly eating up the idea of being the center of attention. “The reason the little woman is safe is because the sheriff made a call and spoke to the man who has her.”
“Who has her?” Nicholas asked.
“Oh, I can’t tell you that.”
“What do you mean you can’t tell us?” Harley’s face turned red. “You called me over here to tell me the sheriff knows where Sable is and now you’re saying you can’t give us anything more?”
“I’m not wasting my time here,” Mac said, storming off.