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T imber stared at Richard, who was making his way to them. “What the hell are you doing?” Timber snapped.

“You’re the one who sent the message,” Richard growled.

“Yeah, and you just let Brian’s father escape.”

“Brian’s father?” he repeated, staring at Timber with a puzzled expression. “No way, he was killed in action. And, if he wasn’t, we sure as hell want to know where he is.”

“Yeah? Well, he just disappeared into my woods,” Timber snapped.

“What the hell?” Richard turned and looked at Andy. “Is that true? You told me that Max was dead.”

“He came back,” Andy snapped, “and believe me that I’m no happier to have him around here than you are. There’s something…” He just seemed to slump, using his knees for support.

“Something is broken in him,” Timber finished for Andy. “Max doesn’t give a shit what’s going on in his world. Andy wants to protect him, but even he’s got to be aware that it’s well past time for Max to be dealt with. And Brian.”

Andy nodded. “Honest to God, I don’t know what to do anymore.”

Looking concerned, Richard turned to the old man. “When did Max show up, Andy?”

“A few days ago,” he replied, “and, after all the chaos Brian’s been causing here at Timber’s place, Max found out about my selling the property and got really angry. He just gave Timber one week to sell it back to me. Otherwise Max will come back to kill Timber.”

At that, Richard shifted his hat back and stared. “Timber’s not that easy to kill,” he noted. “And I can think of several men who have died trying.”

Andy sighed. “No, I’m sure he ain’t that easy to kill, but you don’t understand. Max is a real snake.”

At that, a contrite Brian whispered, “Please catch him.” Then he looked up at Timber. “I swear to God, if you help pick him up, and he never sees daylight again, I promise,… I swear, I’ll never come back on your property again.”

“You shouldn’t be here at all,” Richard snapped. Then seeing blood all over his pants, he asked Brian, “What the hell is happening here?”

When Timber filled him in, Richard looked at the kid in disgust. “You sliced up that poor donkey?”

He shifted, then shivered and nodded. “Max told me that I had to prove I could go out and get our property back. I was… You don’t know Max when he gets like that.”

“I don’t give a shit what he did,” Richard snapped, staring at Brian.

“That animal did nothing to you, and I don’t want to hear about how some donkey tortured you all those years,” he snapped.

“You’re old enough to be making better choices, and you’re damn lucky you didn’t kill someone, shooting up Timber’s place the way you did.

Tiffany the vet was in there, you fool.” He turned and looked at Andy.

“Andy, what the fuck? How the hell did things get so out of hand?”

“I know. I know,” Andy muttered, his shoulders slumped, fatigue in his tone.

“I didn’t know how to deal with the kid, and now I’m still in shock that Timber stood here, ready to brace Max, because you and I both know that’s not an easy thing to do.

” Andy stared over at Timber. “I can’t believe he’s so angry that I sold the property that he’s willing to kill for it. ”

“Yeah, I’m not impressed either,” Timber pointed out.

“When we talked about my buying this property, you didn’t mention it would stir up this kind of hate.

And it shouldn’t have, but things got real ugly when this little shit decided to take his cronies out hunting,” he added, pointing to Brian, then turning to look at Richard.

“Ya think?” Richard quipped, as he stared at them. Then he turned and looked at the kid. “Listen. You come back on this property again, I’m not even coming out here. As far as I’m concerned, Timber can bury you six feet deep, you hear me?”

At that, Brian swallowed hard and nodded.

“You’ll also answer for what you did already,” Richard added, staring Brian down. “Shooting up the property, the injuries to the donkey and the doe, trespassing, and anything else I can come up with.”

“I would count it as a personal favor if you wouldn’t charge him,” Andy shared.

“Nope. No way,” Richard snapped. “Brian’s gotten away with strutting around like he’s the cock of the walk for too damn long, Andy, and you know it. I don’t know whether his dad showing up brought on all this bravado or what because Brian’s obviously terrified of him.”

“And with good reason,” Andy noted. “We can all see that clear as day.”

“Absolutely. But you know what I can’t see? I can’t see Brian doing what he did to that donkey without enjoying it, and it seems to me that’s been an issue in the past.”

Andy turned and looked at his grandson. “Please tell me that you didn’t do that.”

Brian hung his head in shame. “I did it.”

“Christ Almighty, son,” Andy muttered. “We’ve always looked after our animals, especially those that have worked for us all these years. You do know that was your grandmother’s favorite, don’t you?”

“Yes, sir,” he muttered. He looked over at Timber. “I would really appreciate a second chance.”

Timber shook his head. “No, you already had your second chance.”

“You don’t have to be such a fucking hard-ass,” Brian roared.

Timber nodded. “And that’s why you don’t get a third chance. You’re just saying the words, trying to save your sorry ass, but you don’t mean it,” he snapped.

Andy looked over at him. “Surely there’s something he can do to make up for it and to not go to jail.”

Timber turned to Richard. “Considering the damage is already done and the serious nature of his actions—”

“It was just a damn animal,” Brian shouted, then seeing all the men staring at him coldly, he slumped. “Fine, I won’t hurt any more animals,” he muttered, with an eye roll.

Timber just stared at him, then looked over at Andy. “First, the rest of the property I talked to you about—the 120 acres between our places—I get to buy it. I’ll pay a fair price, but I want to buy it, legally,” he stated. “And, second, this kid does a full tour.”

At that, Andy paled and shook his head. “You can’t mean that.”

“Listen, you and I both know that’s about the only thing that stands a chance to make a difference in his life now,” Timber explained. “So, he does a full tour, and no trying to get out of it with bone spurs or some other bullshit excuse.”

“What are you talking about?” Brian asked, looking over at him. “Grandpa, what’s he talking about?”

But Richard knew.

“That’s not a bad idea,” Richard agreed. “He’ll think he’s in hell on earth for a while, but, considering the shit he’s been pulling and where he’s obviously headed, you know he needs something major to turn him around.”

Andy turned to Timber and wailed, “But it might just make him worse. Look what it did to his father.”

“I don’t have any answers on that, since I never knew Max before, but I do know that if you want to straighten out Brian and to give him a chance to have a real life, a productive life, that’s the condition, one full four-year tour in the military, and I get to buy the land. Take it or leave it.”