Page 21

“Dammit. I understand, but hold back. I’m on my way.”

Dropping the phone back in his pocket, Andy hurried to his gun cabinet, lifted out a rifle and was quickly loading the chamber when he heard the biker call again.

“Hey! Andy Baker! Where the fuck are you? Get out here!”

Andy was hurrying back when he had a thought. Grabbing his phone, he set it to record, then slipping it back in his pocket, he returned to the door. As he peeked around, his heart sank. The burly tough guy was lumbering towards the paddocks.

“Hold it right there,” Andy yelled, stepping out with this rifle raised. “This is private property. Your trespassing. State your business.”

“Hah! Hello, Baker. My name’s Bear.”

“Put your hands in the air where I can see them.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are? A fuckin’ sheriff from the old west?”

“No, but I am a landowner askin’ you to leave his property.”

“The hell with you,” the man bellowed as he began striding towards him.

“I’ll ask you again, leave my ranch.”

“You won’t shoot me. No fuckin’ way. You’ll end up behind bars if you do.”

The tough biker was drawing perilously close, and not about to take any chances, Andy fired at the man’s feet, kicking up the dirt barely inches from his toes.

“Hey, calm the fuck down!” the biker yelled.

“Last chance, get on your bike and head out.”

“I’m not goin’ anywhere, not until I deliver a message.”

“I don’t care about your message. Leave! My! Ranch!”

“Not until I take that toy rifle off your hands and really hurt you. First, I’ll snap your shoulders outta place, I’m really good at that, then—”

“That’s the sheriff. He’s here to arrest you for trespassin’,” Andy shouted as the sound of approaching sirens filled the air.

“Who the fuck is trespassin’?”

“You are. I have asked you to leave several times and you haven’t.”

“Oh, yeah? And how the fuck will you prove that?”

“I don’t make empty threats.”

“You assaulted a friend of mine, now I’m going to assault you…and you’ll end up in a fuckin’ hospital bed.”

“What friend?”

“Her name’s Erin.”

“I didn’t assault her, I whacked her ass with her crop because she was abusin’ a horse,” Andy growled as the sheriff turned into the driveway and sped forwards with two deputies following.

“On your knees, hands behind your back,” the sheriff yelled, coming to a screeching halt and jumping out from behind the wheel.

“Hey, I haven’t done shit!” the biker yelled back.

“Do it now!” the sheriff bellowed. “Andy, did you ask this man to leave?” he continued as the man clumsily followed the sheriff’s instructions.