This Calder Sky (Calder Saga 3)

“I hope you’re right.” Chase straightened from the desk.

“So do I. We can’t afford to keep losing beef,” he replied grimly.

Chapter X

Afterward, it will be as easy as pie,” her father insisted while Maggie continued to stare at him incredulously, unable to believe what he was asking her. “We’ll load the horses up in the horse trailer and take off one way. The semi will head in the other direction with the beef.”

“You can’t expect me to agree with this when you know how I feel,” she protested.

“The Broken Butte is rough country,” he reminded her. “The cattle will be scattered along the base of the butte. It’ll take some time bunching them together unless we have a third rider to help. If you come with us, we can get in and get out in a hurry. If you don’t, Culley and I could be there too long.”

“Then don’t go,” Maggie argued. “Or make Tucker ride with you and earn the cut he’s taking.”

“He can’t. He has to ride with the driver to show him where to meet us to pick up the cattle,” he explained. “It isn’t easy to find where you’re supposed to be going when you’re driving without lights. No, Tucker has to be with the semi so we can keep to the time schedule. Are you coming or not?” Her father paused, then added, “If you don’t, we’re going to take our chances without you.”

She could see the reckless determination in his face, and in Culley’s, too. She half-turned from them, rubbing her arms in agitation and unc

ertainty.

“There’s nothing to it,” Culley assured her. “You just bunch up some cattle and drive them into the truck. I was nervous the first time, too, but it’s easy, Maggie. Honest.”

She wanted to laugh at that, but she couldn’t. “When?” She glanced at her father.

“Tonight,” he stated, and Maggie stiffened because she wasn’t being given a chance to think it over. “We’ll leave here around two A.M., which gives us time to have a couple of hours of sleep before we have to pull out.”

“That isn’t fair, Pa.” She was angry with him. “You deliberately waited until the last minute before asking me to come with you.”

“You’re just like any female. If I would have asked you sooner, you would have fretted and stewed over it. Your imagination would have run away with you,” he reasoned.

“I won’t go! There’s nothing you can say that will make me change my mind! Ever!” She stalked from the room, refusing to be maneuvered into doing something she knew to be wrong. She was angry because she was afraid—afraid for her brother. Because of Chase, she couldn’t share her father’s unreasoning hatred for the Calders, but it didn’t lessen her fear for the safety of her family. Maggie raced to her bedroom.

There was a knock at her bedroom door and Maggie turned around to face it. Still raw with temper, she guessed it had to be her brother. Her father wasn’t likely to come around to calm her down or attempt to make amends for his action, not when she had rebelled against his authority.

“Come in.” The permission was abrupt and unwelcoming as she turned her back on the door.

It opened. “It’s me—Culley.” He entered the small, low-ceilinged room, an addition slapped onto the existing side of the house.

There was barely enough room for a single bed and dresser and the space to walk between them. One wall still consisted of the exterior siding. He came up behind her and hesitated. “Don’t be upset about tonight, Maggie. You don’t have to be scared for us. Nothing is going to happen.”

“I’m angry. I’m mad. I’m upset. But I’m scared, too. What you’re doing is stupid. You’ll be caught.”

“No, we won’t. We’ve done it before and got away with it. We’ll do it again,” he promised.

“Oh, Culley.” He was trying to reassure her, but it wasn’t the kind of reassurance she needed. Maggie turned her head to the side to bring him within her vision. “It’s crazy. You know that.”

“You only think it is because Chase Calder has your head turned. You aren’t looking at it right, or you’d be able to see that we’re giving the Calders the grief they deserve.”

“You don’t know Chase.” She couldn’t accept this all-encompassing condemnation of the Calders. “He treats me nice, Culley. He picks me flowers. Sometimes we just talk about different things and he holds me. He makes me feel good, Culley.” She tried to make him understand. “Like I’m somebody special.”

“Nothing is ever going to come of it, Maggie. Can’t you see that?” Culley argued. “He’s just using you right now, so, sure, he treats you nice. But what about later? What’s going to happen if you get pregnant?”

“He’s careful.” She glanced away.

“And if that’s not good enough, who is going to suffer the shame? You can bet it won’t be him. He won’t even claim to know you.” Culley could see he wasn’t getting through to her and sighed heavily. “Look, does he ever take you anywhere? Have you ever had a real date with him? No,” he answered the questions himself. “Because he doesn’t want to be seen with you. So he arranges to meet you, takes what he wants, and sends you home. You say he’s nice to you, but is that the way he would treat a girl who he thinks is respectable and good?”

His questions stung already-sensitive emotions. Before she realized what she was doing, her hand arced to slap his face. The contact turned his head, and Culley was slow to turn it back. Maggie stared in dismay at the white mark on his cheek that was gradually turning red. She bit at her lip, unable to apologize.

So Culley did. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” He regarded her with sad green eyes. “You’d better get some sleep.”