was worried about Ana and this little fucker knew where she was, he was certain.
Clem must have seen something in his expression, because he whirled on him.
“ So as you know, hotshot, there’s plenty of us around here who care about that little gal. We’ve looked out for her all her life. We aren’t about to let anyone hurt her, including the likes of you.”
Gabe took another drag on his cigarette and squinted at the angry man. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, he saw the concern in his eyes at the mention of Ana’s name.
He nodded as though Clem had reached out to him instead of putting up a higher hurdle.
“ Now we’re getting somewhere. I’m glad to know that you and others are looking out for Ana. But it’s clear you’ve made a decision about me without knowing me.”
He ignored Clem’s snort.
“ You’ve been around long enough, Clem. You know you shouldn’t believe everything you hear. Even if it’s true. Let’s get one thing straight. ‘The likes of me’ is what is going to protect Ana and, for that matter, Kai and Chao Li. I can tell by your attitude that you have an idea that there’s some bad shit going on around here and that all three of them are in danger.”
When Clem just jerked his head, his eyes narrowing further, Gabe stepped over next to the little man and glared down at him. If Clem was intimidated by the big man looming at least eight inches over him, he didn’t show it.
Gabe kept his voice calm, cool, but he was sure that Clem could feel the anger radiating off of him. “I’m gonna tell you something else, Clem. I suggest you listen up. I need everyone who cares about Ana and her brother and father on my team. Just so you know, Clem, I got a rule I live by. A man’s either with me or against me. Anyone not with me, I consider an enemy. You might want to ask around, Clem. My enemies don’t fare well.”
Gabe stepped back to give the wrangler some breathing space. His gut told him that concern for Ana and her father and brother was driving his hostility, but he didn’t give a shit. The guy could either help him or get the hell out of his way.
Clem reached in his pocket and took out his makings. It took him a full minute to pack the tobacco and roll the cigarette. When he finished, Gabe held out a match, a silent peace offering. To his relief, Clem accepted the light.
“ She left about an hour ago.”
“ Where’d she go?”
“ Where she always goes.”
When Gabe took a threatening step toward him, he amplified his response.
“ To the canyons, the waterfall. Where she goes every day.”
“ Who was with her?”
“ No one. She always goes alone.”
Gabe didn’t try to hide his concern.
“ Fuck, Clem, you know how worried her father is and you let her go by herself up to some goddamned canyon and waterfall? Why don’t you drive a stake through my gut? Tell me next that she goes there to swim!”
“ Not always. She mostly goes to be by herself and read.”
Gabe’s exasperation boiled over.
“ And since this is something she apparently does every day, everybody and any body would know her habits. Is that what you’re telling me?”
Clem had the decency to look abashed.
Gabe persisted. “And you didn’t stop her? Suggest she wait for her brother or maybe offer to ride with her?”
Clem guffawed. Scorn laced his words. “I’ll tell you somethin’ you don’t know, Mr. “know it all” McKenna. Nobody tells Ana what to do. Her father gave up on that years ago. Her brother tries, but she frustrates him at every step. Those of us who care about her and, yeah, are worried as hell, try to go along with her, not rile her up.
Guess we’re hopin’ that she just might occasionally listen to us.”
Gabe sighed. Arguing with this tight assed gatekeeper who seemed to have Ana’s best interest at heart wasn’t going to solve anything.
“ Where’s the canyon?”
He listened to Clem’s complicated directions and was glad when he grabbed a stick
Clem must have seen something in his expression, because he whirled on him.
“ So as you know, hotshot, there’s plenty of us around here who care about that little gal. We’ve looked out for her all her life. We aren’t about to let anyone hurt her, including the likes of you.”
Gabe took another drag on his cigarette and squinted at the angry man. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, he saw the concern in his eyes at the mention of Ana’s name.
He nodded as though Clem had reached out to him instead of putting up a higher hurdle.
“ Now we’re getting somewhere. I’m glad to know that you and others are looking out for Ana. But it’s clear you’ve made a decision about me without knowing me.”
He ignored Clem’s snort.
“ You’ve been around long enough, Clem. You know you shouldn’t believe everything you hear. Even if it’s true. Let’s get one thing straight. ‘The likes of me’ is what is going to protect Ana and, for that matter, Kai and Chao Li. I can tell by your attitude that you have an idea that there’s some bad shit going on around here and that all three of them are in danger.”
When Clem just jerked his head, his eyes narrowing further, Gabe stepped over next to the little man and glared down at him. If Clem was intimidated by the big man looming at least eight inches over him, he didn’t show it.
Gabe kept his voice calm, cool, but he was sure that Clem could feel the anger radiating off of him. “I’m gonna tell you something else, Clem. I suggest you listen up. I need everyone who cares about Ana and her brother and father on my team. Just so you know, Clem, I got a rule I live by. A man’s either with me or against me. Anyone not with me, I consider an enemy. You might want to ask around, Clem. My enemies don’t fare well.”
Gabe stepped back to give the wrangler some breathing space. His gut told him that concern for Ana and her father and brother was driving his hostility, but he didn’t give a shit. The guy could either help him or get the hell out of his way.
Clem reached in his pocket and took out his makings. It took him a full minute to pack the tobacco and roll the cigarette. When he finished, Gabe held out a match, a silent peace offering. To his relief, Clem accepted the light.
“ She left about an hour ago.”
“ Where’d she go?”
“ Where she always goes.”
When Gabe took a threatening step toward him, he amplified his response.
“ To the canyons, the waterfall. Where she goes every day.”
“ Who was with her?”
“ No one. She always goes alone.”
Gabe didn’t try to hide his concern.
“ Fuck, Clem, you know how worried her father is and you let her go by herself up to some goddamned canyon and waterfall? Why don’t you drive a stake through my gut? Tell me next that she goes there to swim!”
“ Not always. She mostly goes to be by herself and read.”
Gabe’s exasperation boiled over.
“ And since this is something she apparently does every day, everybody and any body would know her habits. Is that what you’re telling me?”
Clem had the decency to look abashed.
Gabe persisted. “And you didn’t stop her? Suggest she wait for her brother or maybe offer to ride with her?”
Clem guffawed. Scorn laced his words. “I’ll tell you somethin’ you don’t know, Mr. “know it all” McKenna. Nobody tells Ana what to do. Her father gave up on that years ago. Her brother tries, but she frustrates him at every step. Those of us who care about her and, yeah, are worried as hell, try to go along with her, not rile her up.
Guess we’re hopin’ that she just might occasionally listen to us.”
Gabe sighed. Arguing with this tight assed gatekeeper who seemed to have Ana’s best interest at heart wasn’t going to solve anything.
“ Where’s the canyon?”
He listened to Clem’s complicated directions and was glad when he grabbed a stick
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