Page 59 of Kevin's Destiny

“Jesus, do you need help?”

“Maybe,” she said with a grin. “We can talk after you guys take the Dragons down.”

“Is it possible to see all of this?” Harmon asked.

“Sure, there’s even room for you guys to stay at The Broken Wheel. It’s totally landlocked.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that the only way to get to that ranch is either through Erin’s Way, or Broken Two.”

“Ah, now I understand,” Harmon turned to look at Julie, and the other women. “Is that why you decided to go there?”

“Yes, we don’t know if they would come through there. Though, New Double is totally separate from the other locations, it’s been my experience that you can’t be too careful.

“I agree,” he paused and scrubbed his face. He looked at Jake. “Remind me again who you are?”

“I’m Jake Cogburn, I’m in charge of the Brotherhood Protectors, and we do just what the name sounds like. We protect. We also run background checks on everyone. Erin used us in the past, but now she has Manchester, Wilson, and Lassiter to help. Again, we are their backup. My boss, the owner of Brotherhood likes to keep his fingers in all the pies. I’ll tell him about this mission, because that’s how we roll. I’m not saying he’ll be here, but he might be.”

“Hank?” Yvonne asked, and Jake nodded. She turned to Harmon. “Did you hear about how I took Arroy down?”

“Yes.”

“I used Hank Patterson to run the background check on him. Jake’s boss.”

“Oh, wow, okay,” he said as he scrubbed his face, then sighed heavily. He looked directly at Kevin with his next question. “When do you want to reach out to Shedrick and have him come here to look at a horse?”

“Today’s Tuesday, what if we call to see if he wants to come on Saturday? That will give us three whole days to plan.”

At Harmon’s look, Cole spoke. “It’s not unheard of to have potential buyers show up on the weekend. Nine times out of ten, that’s when they would have the time off. Ranching isn’t a nine to five, Monday to Friday gig. It’s twenty-four seven, three-sixty-five.”

“Okay, Saturday would work.”

“Do you have a picture of the people you’ll be inviting here?” Jake asked. At their looks he shook his head. “I’m only asking so that we can be prepared. My father-in-law owns a bed and breakfast in Fool’s Gold. What’s to say that they won’t arrive in town on Friday, stake out the area, then come to the meeting on Saturday? I’d like to know what they look like so I can tell them the place is full. Gunny, my father-in-law, was in the military, hence his name. He’ll be prepared once I tell him what’s going on.”

“Damn, I never thought of that.”

“Wait,” Kevin said as he turned on his heel to walk away. He was back in seconds with more papers. He went to one of the laptops, and started punching the keys. On the screen, a man popped up. “According to the information he filled out on the application, I was able to come up with this.” He turned it so everyone could see it, then Yvonne put it up on the wall. Beside it, the trainer, Strokes was there. Everyone watched as the FBI agents started using their own laptops, and Harmon looked up with a grin.

“Outstanding felony warrants on both of these guys.” His words lifted a veil of tension, and everyone began to breathe easier, knowing that no matter what happened, they would still be arrested.

SSA Harmon leaned back in his chair. “Okay, now, before we plan, would it be alright for me and my guys to tour the area thatwe’re going to need to defend? I know it’s a lot, but I would like to know what we’re dealing with. I have no idea if this Shedrick character will be bringing anyone with him, besides Strokes.”

“Suggestion,” Erin said with a raise of her hand. She didn’t say anything until everyone looked at her. “How many people in your gangs division do you have back at your office? I’m only asking, because now that we know who Shedrick is, and I know you don’t want to take him out there, you want to take him out on private property, because if that happens, I will be pressing charges against them, but do you have anyone undercover to keep an eye on them and possibly follow them here? Get a head count of who’s coming. Or not who, but definitely how many, and what vehicles they’re driving.”

“Are you sure you’re not former military?” Jake asked her with a scowl. “Because from where I’m sitting, that suggestion is brilliant. I can warn all my guys to look out for the vehicles, and we can call you if they go through town. We know it’s anywhere from forty-seven minutes to an hour to get here. Then again, here is closer than Erin’s Way, or Broken Two.”

“Actually,” Harmon said. “I agree with what you just said. I do have some undercovers at my disposal. I can call them and read them into the situation. It will also be good because if they’re following, then that’s our backup.”

“What about the police?” Stone asked. “Locals?”

“What about them?”

“I’m married to a deputy from the sheriff’s office. Can I read her in? I know she, or her boss, Sheriff Jim Faulkner won’t step on your toes, but they might want to be read into what’s happening in their county.” He looked over at Erin with wide eyes. “Wait, is New Double in his county?”

“Yes, but Broken Two isn’t.” She walked over to the map, and took the yardstick Yvonne handed her. She used it to map out the county line, and Harmon shook his head.

“How much land do you own?”