Dodge the Bullet (14 page)

Kevin’s head shot up and his shoulders moved
back in defense. “What do you mean? What did she tell you?” He
flicked a thatch of blond hair away from his eyes and Sarah wished
he’d get a hair cut.

“She said you seem to be acclimating well,
making lots of friends and flirting with all the girls. Nothing to
be upset about. Certainly nothing to mope around about, giving me
the impression school’s miserable.” Sarah waited for him to deny
it, was surprised when he simply dropped his gaze and shrugged his
shoulders. She reached over and tried to set her hand over his on
the table top next to his empty plate. He ripped it away. “Is it
more fun to torture me and let me think things at school are
horrible?”

Kevin slammed his back into the booth
cushion, jostled both their table and the one where the man sat
obviously listening. She’d said it softly, without any anger, and
was surprised by his furious reaction. “You said to make the most
of the situation and that’s all I’m doing. And now you want to
punish me for it? God, mom you’re schizophrenic.”

“Kevin, I’m not punishing you for anything.
I’m glad to hear school’s going well, I just wish I could have
heard it from you instead of the guidance counselor.” Sarah looked
at Lyle, sitting still in his seat, his eyes lowered to the
table.

Kevin jabbed Lyle in the shoulder. “I’ve got
to use the bathroom,” he said, and was gone as soon as Lyle let him
out of the booth. Lyle sat back down and continued staring at his
plate.

“Mrs. Burdette said you’re the one she’s
worried about, honey.” Sarah reached for his hand. He didn’t pull
away, just sat staring a hole in the table, flipping his unused
knife over and over on the fake wood surface. “Anything you want to
talk about?”

Lyle peeled his hand from under Sarah’s and
slowly let his eyes lift to hers. “It’s just different here, that’s
all.”

His quiet resignation shot through her like
a bullet, shredding away any doubt that she knew what her sons were
going through. “You knew it would be. Is it not what you
expected?”

Lyle sighed and ran a hand through his hair
like his dad used to when he’d get frustrated. Watching him mimic
Todd caused Sarah’s heart to twist. “I just…I don’t know how to
describe it. The guys are pretty nice, but…everyone’s known each
other since they were babies and they don’t seem to want another
friend. And the girls, mom.” His face was so full of agony she
wanted to laugh and cry for him at the same time. “They follow me
around and stare all the time. I’ve finally figured out I don’t
have food on my face and that they’re just looking to look, like
I’m a freak show or something.”

Had he never looked at himself in the
mirror? Like Todd, his good looks drew people to him and his good
nature held them there. “Honey, they’re not looking at you because
you’re a freak. They’re looking at you because you’re nice to look
at. You can’t tell me you didn’t have girls after you back in
Atlanta. I remember several calling the house for you all the
time.”

“Yeah, but that was nothing. The girls would
just dare each other to call guys, that’s all. We were just
friends.” He shrugged his shoulders. “But here the girls are
looking and making me uncomfortable, and all the guys think I’m
trying to be a big shot and I’m not.”

“Are there any boys who’ve been nice? Any at
all?”

Lyle shifted in his seat, placed his hands
safely under the table in his lap. “There was this one guy, he
seemed pretty nice. We were talking about sports and we threw the
football around a little bit before school. But then this girl made
a big production of passing me a note during health class and ever
since he’s kept his distance. I don’t know, mom. At least in the
fall there’ll be sports to play. I…I gotta use the bathroom, too.”
He hurried out of his seat.

Sarah shoved at her half-eaten plate of food
and sighed. Kevin had made friends and acted like he wasn’t and
Lyle was miserable at school and pretending not to be. Her world
had truly tilted on its axis. She looked up to see the same man
staring at her again. Just when she was about to introduce herself
so she’d know who was studying her so closely, she heard the deep
resonance of Dodge’s voice. It broke her train of thought and
quickened her pulse. He sauntered past her booth and came to rest
in front of the man who’d been staring at her.

“Tommy.” Dodge slid into the booth. “How’s
the brisket?”

“Good as always.” The man wiped his mouth
with the small paper napkin and placed it back on his lap.

Sarah was tempted to sit and listen to the
conversation between them. Maybe she’d find out a little bit about
Dodge in the process. Kevin emerged from the rear hallway and
headed back towards Sarah’s table. Dodge stuck out his hand.
“Kevin.” Kevin took his hand and shook tentatively.

“Is your mom here?” Dodge asked twisting
around in his seat to look.

“If she were a bee she’d have stung you.”
Kevin’s voice dripped with sarcasm. He pointed over his shoulder to
Sarah. Dodge turned in his seat and smiled when he saw her. She
hoped she didn’t blush.

“Hello, Dodge.” She slid from the booth and
walked to stand at the end of the table where he sat. Dodge gave
her a look, a head to toe appraisal that made her look down at her
faded jeans, work boots and t-shirt and wish she’d done more with
herself before coming into town.

“Tommy Thornton,” Dodge said motioning with
his head toward Tommy, “Sarah Woodward.”

“You’re Tommy Thornton?” She watched as the
man’s blue eyes sharpened and his face formed a sly smile.

“Yes, I am. And you’re Sarah Woodward.” He
directed his attention back to Dodge. “It’s all making sense to me
now.”

“I wish I could say the same, Mr. Thornton.
What exactly is your connection to Senator Burwick, if you don’t
mind my asking?”

“No different than anyone’s, I suppose.”

“So your arranging for Dodge to help me at
Burwick’s request was nothing out of the ordinary?”

Tommy sat his fork down and wiped his mouth
again. “Ma’am, Ben Burwick is a United States Senator. When he
calls and asks for a favor, I try to comply.”

“Why did he ask for a favor on my behalf,
Mr. Thornton? I’d hardly call Burwick a friend. Other than his
occasional calls to buy the ranch, we’ve barely spoken.”

“I have no idea, Mrs. Woodward. But he
called and asked me to arrange for someone to help you. I called
Dodge.”

“Burwick’s offered to buy your ranch?” Dodge
asked.

“Yes, several times in fact. I’ve never
understood why. Speaking of offers, do either of you know a Carl
Coffee? He’s an attorney from Denver.” She watched as both men
shook their heads no. “He called me earlier inquiring about my
ranch. Said he’d be willing to pay top dollar and then threw out a
ridiculous offer. I don’t even know how he found out about me or
the ranch, much less how he got my cell number.”

Tommy picked up his fork again and moved the
brisket around on his plate. “I’d bet you dollars to donuts, seeing
as how he’s an attorney, he’s gotten wind of the augmentation bill
that’s coming down the pike. He’s probably trying to get his hands
on prime water property before prices go sky high.”

Lyle came out from the restroom and said hi
to Dodge before joining Kevin in the booth where they’d eaten. The
boys picked up a pack of sugar from the plastic holder on the table
and began playing a game of tabletop football Todd had taught them
when they were little.

“What augmentation bill? What does that even
mean?” Sarah asked. She nudged Dodge with her hip and he complied
by sliding over in the seat.

“The whole valley’s about to start charging
farmers who suck the aquifer dry and don’t have surface water,”
Dodge said.

“I don’t understand.”

“Your property has very senior water rights.
You haven’t even been using the water you’re allowed to take in the
last few years. Denton simply flooded the fields for his cattle and
didn’t use a fraction of the water you have the right to take. All
the farmers who don’t put any water back into the aquifer are going
to have to pay for the water rights for those who do. If you never
tried to earn a penny by working your land you could cover your
note and then some on the water rights you could charge when this
bill goes through.” He fiddled with the salt and pepper shakers and
then pushed them back by the wall. “I’m sure Mr. Coffee or Burwick
would love to get their hands on your cash cow.”

Tommy cleared his throat. “Coffee could be
connected with the Cooper development, Dodge. Saxton’s desperate
for water property to supplement that place. He’s been scoping
around the valley for nearly two years now.”

Dodge nodded and turned to face Sarah. “If
that’s the case, you’re in for the full court press. His
development won’t go through without water.”

Sarah looked between the two men confused.
“What’s the Cooper development? I’ve seen those ‘Say No To Cooper’
signs all over town.”

“Fred Saxton is what they’re really saying
no to,” Tommy explained. “He’s a land developer who creates luxury
ranches for the rich. He pretty much steals the land from five and
six generation farmers. Problem is, the part-time residents he
sells to aren’t around enough to sustain a town. He’s been
responsible for ghost-towning more than one municipality in the
last few years.”

Sarah sat up in her seat. “That’s awful. How
does he get away with it?”

“Money talks,” Dodge said. “If you won’t
sell to Burwick, maybe he’s hoping you’ll fail miserably or kill
yourself trying and then take him up on his offer.”

“If Burwick wanted me to fail, it doesn’t
say much about your ability as a rancher.”

“How do you figure that?”

“If you’re such a great cattle rancher, why
would he approach you if his intention was for me to quit?”

“He didn’t approach me, remember. He
approached Tommy.” Dodge swept his hand across the table to Tommy.
By appearance alone Sarah could tell he wasn’t a rancher. Not only
were his shirt and tie a dead give away, but the softness of his
hands when they’d been introduced served as further proof.

Tommy put the last of the brisket in his
mouth and washed it down with a big gulp of coke. “And when Burwick
found out Dodge was the one I’d asked to help you, he went
ballistic. Told me to get him out of there, pronto. Course, big
stuff here wouldn’t budge.”

Sarah turned sideways to look at Dodge.
“This just keeps getting more interesting. And your connection to
Burwick is…?”

“We had a run in a few years ago over some
land I own in Wyoming. Guy’s a dick head,” Dodge said. “Guess he
doesn’t forgive and forget.”

“Senator Burwick’s loaded,” Sarah said. “Why
would he be interested in my ranch, even with the augmentation
rights? It’d still be peanuts compared to his family fortune.”

“That’s a very good question.” Tommy
motioned for Becky to bring him another coke. “If you two will
excuse me, I’ve got to use the restroom. It was nice to meet you,
Mrs. Woodward.” Tommy extended his hand after working his way free
of the booth seat.

“Call me Sarah. It was nice to meet you,
too.”

Tommy gave Dodge a sly look, then turned
toward the restrooms.

Sarah watched Dodge turn toward her, saw his
tawny gaze move across her hair to her face. She suddenly realized
how close they were sitting and could feel her pulse quicken. She’d
never been attracted to anyone other than her husband. Why did her
body have to pick now to wake up from hibernation? She could hear
the boys arguing over their game and knew she needed to make an
exit.

“The lease should be ready in the morning.
Can you come by sometime tomorrow and make it official?”

“I’ll try to come by around eleven. I have
something I’d like to talk to you about anyway, when there aren’t
so many ears around to listen.”

She stood up from the booth as Becky arrived
with a menu for Dodge and a coke for Tommy. “I’ll see you tomorrow
then.” She got her purse and the boys from the adjoining booth and
ignored her insatiable need to insist he tell her now.

###

Tommy returned to the table, a gummy grin
etched on his round face. “Well, now I understand your reluctance
to leave the widow. She’s nice to look at from the front…and the
back,” he said leaning to watch Sarah walk through the front door.
Tommy shook his head and reached for his drink. “She’s a feisty
little thing too. How long’s it been since her husband died? Two,
two and a half years? Bet she’s ripe for the picking.”

Dodge grabbed Tommy’s tie and brought his
face across the table, almost nose to nose with Dodge. “It’s going
to be hard to pay attention to anything with my fist crammed down
your throat.” He let go with a push.

“Damn, Dodge, settle down.” Tommy adjusted
his shirt and tie. “Didn’t realize she was spoken for.”

“She’s not spoken for, but she’s a mother,
for Christ’s sake. Can’t you show a little respect?” It sounded
hollow even to his ears but it was the best he could come up
with.

“That never stopped you from yapping it up
about Missy Callahan after she popped out her third. I seem to
remember you joking about taking a turn at her breast.”

“Missy Callahan purposely flaunted her tits
to anyone who’d look. Sarah’s not flaunting a thing and I’d
appreciate you keeping your eyes on her face.”

“No problem there,” Tommy said, then raised
his hands in defense when Dodge reared up again. “I’ve never seen
you like this before.” He sipped his drink and pulled the fat
leather wallet from his back pocket. “She know about your
past?”

Dodge scowled at Tommy. He was damn tired of
thinking about what’d happened all those years ago.

“I’m not sure what she knows, but I’ve got
to tell her tomorrow before I sign the lease. She’s got a right to
know who she’s dealing with.”