Page 21 of Savage Rancher
Wait.
I reread the message. Eli ismissing? What happened to the body?
Maybe it’s better I don’t know—plausible deniability and all.
Exhaling deeply, I focus on the screen.
How do you know Eli is missing? He’s probably sleeping off a hangover in some poor woman’s bed.
Harper Garrett
Normally, I’d think that too, but he was supposed to meet a business associate late last night and never showed up.
Between you and me, I’d probably have waited a day or two before dredging up the river looking for him, but Cole Turner insisted Dad get on it.
I shudder. I haven’t seen Eli’s older brother in years, but he used to make Eli look like a choirboy in comparison.
Why is your dad questioning Jake?
Harper Garrett
Someone saw Callahan at the Rusty Spur last night.
There were a lot of people at the Rusty Spur last night.
It’s the only bar in town.
Harper Garrett
Yeah, but no one saw him go inside.
Oh fuck.
Harper Garrett
Callahan and two of his army friends bought Blackthorn Ranch, as of a week ago.
Do you know him?
He worked for my dad.
We were in the same class in high school.
Harper Garrett
My dad doesn’t like him.
I can’t figure it out. Usually, Dad is impartial about people, but he’s been frothing at the mouth all week since he found out Callahan moved back.
“Frothing” is quite an image.
Harper Garrett
An accurate one.
I’ve never seen him so worked up.
He even called a PI friend of his to dig into Callahan’s background, as well as his two partners. It INFURIATED him when the PI came back and told him if he were smart, he’d leave the three men alone.
