Page 32 of Wildest Forever (Lovelock Bay #3)
“Don't see why not,” he winks at me then pushes from his seat, grabbing his coffee as he does. “Anyway, as much as I would love to stay here with you, I actually have work to do,” he rolls his eyes in an exaggerated manner, and I flip him off.
“See you later?” he asks as he places his worn cowboy hat on his head then slips his aviators back on before tugging on the door.
“See you later,” lifting my chin, he steps out and closes the door behind him.
I sit for a moment and my eyes burn through the manilla envelope.
My blood burns as it flows through my veins and the rage consumes me.
I need out.
Pushing from my chair, I groan as my phone dances across my desk.
Marty's name is flashing up.
“Yeah,” I exhale into the speaker.
“We have a situation,” my head rolls back, and my fingers find their way to the back of my neck as I rub into the muscles, tension threatening at the base of my spine.
“When don't we have a situation,” I grit down the phone as I swipe my keys from the desk and I am already out the door before I even know where I am heading.
“Where are you?” I slam the door of the truck and start the engine.
“Other side of the mountains... entrance to the mines,” and my eyes widen.
“The fuck?” I hiss down the speaker as it connects to the car.
“Looks like someone has tried to get in again,” and I cut him off.
I'm in a blind rage as I boot it towards the ranch.
Punching the screen with my thumb over Riggs' name.
“Miss me already?”
“Meet me at the sweeping hollow entrance,” that's all I say before I cut the phone.
Tapping my finger on the steering wheel, I try and calm my mind.
It is racing at a thousand miles an hour and the closer I get to the mountains, the more I am getting myself worked up.
Glancing at the time, my thoughts momentarily move to Morgan, my heart slows to a steadier beat and my blood cools.
And that's when I realized that Morgan was my calm.
Slipping down the red dirt road that leads us to the back of the ranch, the house tiny in the distance and I feel my heart rate pick up again.
Slowing when I see Marty's truck, Austin is sat next to him on his horse and his eyes trail to mine.
Cutting the engine, I jump from the seat and my boots crunch across the gravelled floor as I walk towards where Marty stands, Austin jumping from his horse and letting his reins loose.
Austin has his hat on, hands on his hip and his eyes don't leave mine.
Marty is in his cowboy hat, dirty jeans and checkered shirt, but his eyes have drifted behind me when I hear the sound of tires approaching.
A smile lifts the corner of my lips and when I finally reach them and narrow my gaze, I see he has Tripp with him too.
He doesn't even cut the engine.
Just rolls straight from the truck and Tripp is on his heels.
“What the fuck is going on?” I turn to face Marty and his eyes bounce between the three of us.
He sighs, eyes settle on Riggs', his boot heels digging into the ground.
Austin steps forward and kind of hovers between us and Marty.
“We got a call about some cattle that were stuck at the base of the mountain, given the amount of herds that have just disappeared, we decided to come and check it out.”
“Didn't you rule that they may have gotten across the border?”
“I mean, I couldn't prove it, but...”
“But what?” Riggs growls.
“Well, I assumed that's where they went,” and Riggs scrubs at his face.
Tripp stays silent and just listens.
Me and Riggs are too hot headed and sometimes lose the little details that we're told, but not Tripp, he is calm and collected and he won't let a single detail slip past.
“Anyway,” Austin interjects.
“We came out here, but there was nothing... no herds...”
“Right?” Riggs taps the toe of his boot.
My hands slip into the front of my pockets.
“The mine was open.”
“Forced?” I ask and Marty's eyes sweep to Austin.
“Just come and have a look,” Austin says softly as he begins to move forward, unhooking the gate that fences the path off.
I look back at Riggs who gives me a soft nod.
I follow, Riggs behind me and then Tripp behind him. Uneasiness settles in my stomach and something feels off.
Turning my face over my shoulder, Riggs is tense.
Shoulders are up.
Jaw is locked.
Something is up.
What the fuck aren't they telling us?
Trudging up the slight hill through the fields, we reach the peak before we're walking down a narrow dirt track to get us to the entrance.
I don't trust anyone since that manilla envelope landed on my desk and now I feel like I am walking on eggshells with everyone I once trusted.
I catch the look Austin throws me and my heart stills for a moment as we approach the entrance and that's when Marty turns his gaze to mine, his lips rolled into a tight line, his eyes batted to the floor where they stay.
My brows knit and Riggs pushes his way past me and walks the small turn in the path.
“Fuck!” his voice echoes and I find myself running towards him, careful to mind my footing and that's when I see him.
Conrad.
Bloodied and beaten.
Lifeless.
A sign around his neck.
‘ You were wrong .’
“The fuck,” I whisper, losing my footing as I step back but Tripp is there, catching me.My eyes lift from Conrad's body to Riggs.
His hand is over his face, rubbing it across his cheeks.
“Who the fuck did this?” his eyes burn into Marty and he knows Marty isn't going to have the answers but Riggs is clearly upset.
“We have no idea, we just got a call.”
“Who called you?” Riggs is stepping towards Marty as he squares up to him.
“The fuck Riggs?” Marty shoves Riggs in the chest to stop him coming closer but it is pointless.
Riggs towers over Marty.
“Who called you Marty?” I ask now, stepping forward and trying to calm Riggs down by placing my hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.
Tripp is there, standing next to Riggs as I focus on Marty.
“It was an unknown number, Austin was there, he can vouch for me.”
My eyes skate to Austin and he gives me a shallow nod.
My brow raises.
“Really?” I ask and turn my attention to Marty.
“Yes,” Marty's tone is curt.
“Give me the phone,” I hold my hand out and Marty's eyes bounce between the four of us.
“What the fuck? I'm on your side.”
“Then give me the phone,” I tilt my head, a smirk tugging at my lips and I feel Tripp's eyes on me.
He wants me to look at him.
But I don't.
I am too in my head.
We know there is a mole, and we were led to believe the mole was Conrad... but here we are.
Marty's eyes skate to Riggs.
“He is being a lot more patient than me Mart, give him the fucking phone.”
That's when Tripp lets go of Riggs, silently giving him the green light to go towards Marty.His heavy boots crunch along the gravel and Marty's eyes widen.
“Fuck, alright,” he holds his hands up in surrender before his trembling hand is slipping into his back pocket as he pulls his phone out, tossing it towards Riggs but he throws it straight to me.
“Passcode,” I grunt.
“6969.”
“Subtle,” I roll my eyes.
Tripp lets out a soft laugh.
His phone unlocks and I find myself going through his call list.
“Private,” I grunt until one number catches my eye. “There is a number on here from Wyoming.”
Marty's eyes cross to me, then back to Riggs.
“I have family there...” he pauses and then looks at Austin.
I slip my own phone out and punch the number into my phone then toss it back to Marty.
“Get this cleaned up,” Riggs shakes his head in disgust, “then board the fucking mine up,” he barks his orders before walking away, Tripp following.
Now it's just me, Austin and Marty.
“I suggest you listen to him, I'll be by tomorrow to get a statement.”
Turning on my heel, my stomach coils and nausea swims through me. I was not expecting that when I got the call.
Footing the sidestep of the truck, I slam the door then toss my hat onto the passenger seat. My hands are in my hair as I tug on the root.
What the fuck is happening.
Everything around us is slowly unravelling and I can't stop it.
Putting the truck into drive, I wheelspin on the red dirt road, kicking up dust around me as I speed towards the house.
I needed to meet with my brothers.
We needed to speak this over and work out what was next.
Someone wanted us to get a message, and well, we got it.