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“Hold on,” he said sternly as he climbed off. “Helen, I don’t know what’s happened to you, but you’re not the girl I met. Either drop the attitude and the bullshit or we’re done. Think about it while you clean up your mare, and make sure you apologize to her. I’ll be in the house.”

CHAPTER FIVE

Erin had been in Smoky Hill to visit a stud farm about thirty-minutes out of town, and she’d figured she may as well book a lesson with Helen while she was there. It would pay for the cost of the trip with a bit left over. Though she was a successful trainer her income barely covered her overhead. Now, thanks to the pushy cowboy, she’d lost a client, something she could ill-afford. Furious, she decided to seek revenge, and hastily placed a call to the man who had initially introduced her to Helen. A tough biker named Kenny.

“Hey, Erin,” he said gruffly as he accepted the call. “I’m busy. What’s up?”

“I was just attacked by a fucking hick cowboy.”

“What? Where?”

“At his ranch. That rich bitch you introduced me to, Helen Ramsey, she boards her horse there. I was in the area to visit a stud farm and I dropped in to give her a lesson. Apparently he didn’t like the way I was handling her dopey mare. You won’t believe this, but the asshole ripped my whip away from me and start hitting me with it.”

“What the fuck?”

“Exactly!”

“Why doesn’t Helen keep her horse at your barn?”

“I’ve been trying to convince her but she says she doesn’t like stalls so she trailers up once a week. Stupid cow. It’s ridiculous. I was going to suggest she pay me to come to her instead, but I was so mad after what that cowboy did I told her to take a hike.”

“Sorry to hear that, but how can I help?”

“I want you to pay that jerk a visit? Make him understand he should mind his own business?”

“I’ll ask one of the boys. I can’t risk Helen finding out.”

“Helen? Why do you care what she thinks?”

“None of your business.”

“Don’t tell me you’re trying to get her in the sack.”

“For fuck’s sake, Erin, I could do that in thirty-seconds. No, I have something else in mind. I’ll send Brian.”

“The bear? Yes, that would be great. Thanks, Kenny. By the way, my supply is running low. I need both the talcum powder and the herbs.”

“Okay. How about I swing by the barn later tonight.”

“Sounds good. I’ll see you there.”

* * *

As the call came to an end, Kenny grinned. The stupid woman thought calling coke talcum powder, and marijuana herbs, would fool the cops if they were listening. But the ruse kept her feeling safe so he went along with it. Picking up his beer he took a long drink, then called Helen.

“Kenny? Wow. This is a surprise.”

“A good one I hope.”

“Of course it is.”

“How are you?”

“Great, well, kind of.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, not really. I don’t want to bore you.”