“Sure thing, happy to help.”
“Can you climb up there on top of the round pen? I want him to see you up above his head and not be afraid of ya.” He did as I asked and I handed him the reins for Acer.
“Alright, I’m gonna get him moving and see how close I can get him to come to you on the fence.”
“Ready.”
Several laps later I had Rhett pull Acer up to stand beside him right on the railing. Rhett didn’t get on top of Acer but he put some weight on him. Ran his hands all over him and whacked that plastic bag against the saddle, again making sure that Acer was gonna remain careful and still. Yet again Acer proved that he was ready to carry me. I decided I’d end on a good note for the day. I gave him a good scratch and let him walk out to cool down.
“So,” Rhett started, “what’s going on with you and Cassidy Mae? You tell her you’ve been in love with her since y’all were kids yet?”
“Yep, sure did.”
“What’d she have to say to that? Beau Montgomery finally up and told her that she was his and there wasn’t nothing she could do ‘bout it.” He chuckled the last out with a pure smile on his face.
“She’s scared. Not wanting to put her full trust in me yet. I get it. She has even reason to think the worst of people. I mean… look at her former husband. I guess I don’t understand how you can stay with someone who does that to you?”
His brow furrowed and his hands bound into fists. I could feel his anger. I felt the same way when I’d found out.
“So that’s what all the hoopla was about that one night at the dinner table?”
“Yeah, man. Saw a random black SUV sittin’ in the parking lot and when I approached it, they shot out faster than a bullet out of a loaded gun. It seemed kinda odd. I’d asked Reagan if she’d seen it too and she hadn’t. I wasn’t sure if I needed to be worried about it.”
“Hold up. You said a black SUV. The license plate happens to be something along the lines of SCOT?” My eyes shot up and I found his.
“What are you saying?”
“Saw it a couple of days ago when I was in town. Trailed it for a bit ‘cause the driver was acting a little sketchy. He didn’t do much. Did stop by Cassidy Mae’s parents’ house for a little bit.”
“What the hell, man? You knew this and didn’t say a damn thing to me about it?” I was frustrated, pissed was a more accurate word. I knew better than to be angry around a young horse. He’d more than likely feed off my fear and that wouldn’t be good for him… so I resolved to call it a day. I grabbed Acer by the lead and started walking him back to the barn, not saying another word to Rhett along the way.
I couldn’t believe he’d seen the car and not said anything. I just couldn’t believe that we were thinking everything was going to be fine but someone was following her and I planned to find out exactly who it was. I was also pissed at myself because I realized that I’d never told Rhett about the SUV only Remington and Jameson.
I didn’t realize he had followed us back to the barn before he started talkin’ again.
“I’m really sorry, Beau. I didn’t know about the SUV or else I would’ve said something. You know that.”
I couldn’t blame him. He wasn’t privy to the conversation I’d had with Reagan and Cassidy Mae that night so he wouldn’t have known there was a weird vehicle hanging around. Now, I needed to figure out a way to ask Cassidy Mae’s parents about the strange visitor without spooking her.
“I get it, man. I should’ve told ya. Let’s keep this between us. Don’t need the women any more nervous than they already are about things. I’m gonna look into it and see what I can find out.”
“Scout’s honor, man. Again, I’m real sorry I didn’t say nothing.” I waved him off as I walked away. I believed him. He would’ve never kept something this important from me and not said anything if he had known. There was one place I had to go before I could do anything else.
“Howdy ma’am, sir,” I said as both of Cassidy Mae’s parents opened the door.
“Beau Montgomery, what brings you to our house on such a lovely afternoon? Here, come on in.” Her mother was the picture of southern hospitality. I’d followed them into the house and as soon as my butt hit the sofa, I had a large glass of sweet tea in my hand.
“Well, I was speaking with Rhett Colton this morning and he told me there’d been a black SUV hanging around here.”
“Yep, been around here a time or two,” Her father said. “What’s it to you?” He eyed me curiously.
“Well sir, I saw that black SUV on the farm a couple of weeks ago. By the time I got out to them, they’d sped off. I don’t know what they wanted, but it made me downright suspicious, them driving off like that.”
He nodded as he listened to me. “Do you mind telling me if you had a chance to talk to the man driving that SUV, Mr. Jones?”
“Call me Jett, son. Mr. Jones is my father.”
“Alrighty, Jett, what do you know about this SUV?”
He sighed and took a seat on the couch at the same time I did. “Well, he stopped here a couple of days ago. Asking questions ‘bout Cassidy Mae. I told him I hadn’t seen her and didn’t know where she was.”
“He happen to say who he was?”
Jett shook his head, “Not a word. Was mighty suspicious though. Couldn’t seem to tell me who he was or why he was here.
