“Well, yeah, they hadta.” Easy paused, scratched at the back of his neck, adjusted his hat. “The lady right behind me even said something about riding the ATV and not wearing a helmet. Asked weren’t they required ’cause her sons signed up to ride on the ghost town trip tomorrow. Well, today that would be now, as this was yesterday we were talking.”
“Do you remember her name?”
“No, not right off. But they were all with that big group that’s here. That big family group that’s keeping us all hopping.”
“Okay. Hold on a minute.”
“Here comes Carol and her group,” Ben said.
“You go on give her a hand with them, Ben. You hold on here, Easy.”
Chase pulled out his phone. “Bodine, I need you to see who Easy had out on the trail yesterday about four. Just look it up, tell me if that group’s still here. Do I sound like I care how busy you are?”
Easy shifted his feet, cleared his throat, looked longingly at Ben and Carol.
“All right,” Chase said after a minute. “We’re going to have to shift around Easy’s schedule some. Shut up a damn minute,” he snapped. “He saw Clintok on an ATV yesterday afternoon, riding on Bear Paw. That’s what I said. You track down that group of people, just get a handle on where they might be. I’ll take care of this. Well, Jesus, Bo, of course we’re calling Tate. I’ll let you know.”
“We sure got a lot to do around here,” Easy began when Chase lowered his phone.
“That’s right. And now you’re calling Sheriff Tate. If he can’t come here and talk to you, you’re going to go to him. We’ll cover you.”
“Holy cow,” Easy said under his breath. “Do I call the nine-one-one?”
“No need.” Chase scrolled through his phone for Tate’s contact number he’d added in after Billy Jean’s murder. “Use mine.”
“I don’t know what to say or how to say it right. I never did this before.”
“Tell him who you are, and what you told me.”
“Okay.” Easy let out a breath, tapped the contact. “Ah, Sheriff Tate? This is Easy—that is Esau LaFoy. I work with the horses at the Bodine Resort? Chase—ah, Mr. Longbow said I needed to call you up, tell you what I told him just now.”
Before he’d finished, Bodine drove up in one of the little cars. Easy’s palms were damp by the time he handed the phone back to Chase.
“You’re sure?” Bodine asked without preamble.
“Yes, ma’am, I surely am. The sheriff’s coming to talk to me, says I should stay put here until he does, but I’ve got a trail ride, and—”
“We’ll cover you. The group with you saw him, too?”
“Had to. I held them up for a minute—well, not half a minute, I guess, while he rode by below.”
She nodded, looked at her brother. Her eyes weren’t ice-ball hard, Easy noted. They were fireball hot. “They’re all part of the weekend event. Two are headed to Garnet on the ATV ride, one’s on the cattle drive, and two are booked into Zen Town. If Tate needs more than Easy’s word, he can talk to them.”
She checked the time, drew a breath. “All right. Easy, you see to the horses that just came back from the trail. Carol can transport the horses down to the center for the lesson coming up. Ben can take your guided ride.”
“We got another going out just about the time that one gets back.”
“I’ll take it,” Chase said, without much enthusiasm. “If you’re not finished with Tate, I’ll take the ride.”
“You want that show about three o’clock, so—”
Bodine shoved a hand through her hair, realized she’d forgotten her hat. “Here’s what we do about that.”
She laid it out fast, complete, in a way that left Easy breathless and impressed. He couldn’t for the life of him figure how anybody thought so quick.
“And the pony rides,” she continued, ticking down the list. “I can call in the grannies if we need more hands. I can clear my load, if we need, take one of the afternoon rides. You do whatever the sheriff says you need to do.”
Easy scratched the side of his neck. “Yes, ma’am.”
“We’re grateful, Easy.” She gave his arm a pat. “This is important.”
She debated whether to contact Callen, considered it while she helped saddle the next group of horses. Decided if she’d been left hobbling around and tending to a beloved horse and he didn’t tell her right away, she’d skin his ass.
Before she could, Tate pulled up. She made her way back as he headed to Easy.
“Bodine, Easy.”
“You got here quick,” Bodine commented.
“I was down on Black Angus Road with Curtis. You know Curtis Bowie?”
“Sure.”
“He’s down there now, taking some pictures. So, Easy, let’s just start here. How about you tell me what this ATV you saw looked like?”
“Okay, sure. Wasn’t one of ours anyways. It was smaller, one of them sporty ones like. Done up in camo paint. I didn’t pay much more mind than that.”
Tate nodded. Though he wore dark glasses that shielded his eyes, Bodine read resignation in his body language.
“Bodine, you got a private place nearby where Easy and I can talk?”
“I’ll take you down to the back office in the BAC.”
“That’ll do.” As they walked he glanced over at her. “The group Easy here was leading, they’re all here?”
“Yes. Two are in Zen Town, and should be finished there in about a half hour. The others won’t be back until afternoon, but I can give you their basic locations if you need.”
“I’ll let you know. How about you text me their names to start?”
“I’ll do that right away.”
She led the way in, skirted around the desk, the staff, the guests, and into the little office. “Anything I can get you?”
While Tate shook his head, Bodine studied Easy. He looked like a kid called to the principal’s office. “You want a Coke, Easy?”
“I sure wouldn’t mind one. Throat’s feeling pretty dry right now.”
“I’m going to get you a couple of Cokes, then get out of your way.”
She gave Matt at the desk a look that said: Don’t ask. She got the Cokes from the vending machine, delivered them, shut the door. And got out before anyone could corner her with questions.
She shouldn’t take the time, she told herself. She didn’t have the time. But she got into the resort car, and took the shortest route to the ranch.
She went straight to the stables, grateful everyone was too busy to get in her way.
Sundown stood in his stall looking unhappy. He perked up when he saw her, poked his head out as far as it could reach.
“Where’s your guy, huh? Is he as bored as you are?” She heard noises—scraping, jingling—glanced around. “He’s back there? I’ll go take a look.”
When she reached the tack room, she saw Callen gathering up bridles, cinches, head collars. He looked as bored as his horse.
“Aren’t you supposed to stay off that leg?”