Mama Rides Shotgun

I was thinking of the seventeen-some miles we’d have to cover to make our next camp, near Zolfo Springs, when suddenly I felt the pressure of a hand on the small of my back.

“Who’s there?’’ I asked, because it hurt too much to turn my head to look.

“It’s me. Trey.’’ His whisper was warm on my sore neck. “You didn’t give me a chance to explain last night.’’

“And I don’t intend to.’’ I knocked his hand off my back and took a step forward. Lawton’s dog, Tuck, was with Trey. He plopped himself in front of me, wagging his tail.

“Please, Mace.’’ Trey drew closer, trapped as I was by the dog. “I didn’t know what to do when Austin showed up,’’ he murmured, mouth against my ear. “She’s a loose ca

“She was wearing an engagement ring,’’ I pointed out.

He paused for a moment.

“I let her keep it,’’ Trey said. “God only knows how she’d react if I tried to get it back. Breaking my engagement to that psycho is the only smart thing I’ve done in recent memory.’’

Trey stood so close his body heat warmed me. I could feel the hard muscles in his chest and shoulder. I imagined backing up just a step. I imagined how his arms would rise up, enfolding me in his warmth and soap-clean smell.

“Trey, I . . .’’

And those two words were all I managed to utter before Mama’s excited shriek rang out across the breakfast crowd.

“Well, I declare,’’ she shouted. “Sally, darlin’, lookit who’s here!’’

I whipped my head around, regretting it immediately, to see whose arrival had Mama so worked up.

Carlos Martinez stood glaring across the now-cold campfire. It looked like all the sparks from last night had somehow found their way to his black eyes. And now that burning hot gaze was searing two holes, right through Trey and me.

I barely had time to wonder why a man who’d “moved on’’ to Miami was glowering at me and my would-be new suitor, before Mama squealed again.

“My stars and garters!’’ Her pitch was so high, Tuck shook his head and whined. “Now all three of my darlin’ girls are here!’’

Maddie and Marty peered through the fog, trying to place Mama’s location. I stepped around Tuck and hurried to greet my sisters, leaving Trey standing in Carlos Martinez’s line of ire. The dog followed after me, chain collar jangling.

“Mace! C’mere where I can get a good look at you.’’ Maddie’s voice cut through the fog like the crack of a cow whip. “Mama said some slasher ripped your campsite to shreds. It’s a miracle you survived.’’

I had a moment’s satisfaction as a worried look crossed Carlos’ face. Until I realized Maddie was broadcasting my business to a hundred-plus hungry riders.

“Hush, Maddie. Mama’s exaggerating again. It was minor vandalism—probably just a prank. And I wasn’t even in my tent when it happened.’’

Carlos’s scowl returned. By the time I rotated my body back to look at Trey, he’d moved on. His face was mournful as he accepted condolences from folks in the breakfast line. I couldn’t be sure Trey had even heard my big sister. He’d be the only one in the camp who hadn’t.

Maddie lowered her voice, but added her disapproving principal tone. “You mean Marty and I took off work and broke the speed limit all the way up here and you’re not even hurt?’’

Marty punched her arm. “That’s not nice, Maddie!’’

“Ouch!’’ Maddie jerked back in surprise. “You know that’s not how I meant it. Of course I’m glad Mace is safe. But we could have saved an hour’s-plus drive and the money for gas if Mama got her story straight in the first place.’’

Mama, joining us just then, looked wounded. “It wasn’t my fault, Maddie. It was Sally’s cell-o-phone. It must have been a bad reception.’’

I doubted that. Mama may not have mastered cell phone lingo, but she’d been getting her stories screwed up since long before they were invented.

Rubbing her arm, Maddie grumbled at Marty, “I liked you better when you were afraid of your own shadow.’’

Our little sister is still scared of a lot of things: snakes, the dark, closed-in places, and people who scream at each other in rage. But, last year, she got a big promotion at the library. Then, Sal shared a secret with her, showing her extraordinary respect. Ever since, she’s just as sweet as ever, but she doesn’t let Maddie push her around like before. It a

I looked at the two of them, a cowgirl version of Mutt and Jeff. Big-boned Maddie, in a string tie and ankle-length denim culottes, towered over Marty. Like Mama, Marty’s tiny, except for a thick head of blond hair, which she’d swept up neatly this morning under a black hat. The cute jeans and silver-buckled belt she wore came from the little girls’ department at Home on the Range Feed Supply and Clothing Emporium.

I fit somewhere between my two sisters: Not as pretty as Marty, but only half as mean as Maddie.

“All right, you two.’’ I played peacemaker. “Y’all are here now. You can stay for breakfast, and we’ll find a couple of horses you can borrow.’’

By this time, my sisters had spotted Carlos, watching us from the edge of the campfire. Of course, they knew all about our breakup. Mama’s never met a morsel of gossip she can’t chew. Maddie stared at him, and then raised her eyebrows at me. Marty looked confused and upset on my behalf. Mama, who’d left Sal holding her place in line, wriggled her fingers at my ex.

“So nice to see you, darlin’,’’ she trilled. “You haven’t come to arrest me again, I hope.’’

What might have been a smile made a brief appearance on his lips.

“What’s he doing here, Mace?’’ Maddie hissed under her breath. “Hasn’t he done enough?’’

I crouched down to pet Tuck, so Carlos wouldn’t see me talking about him. Welcome to high school.

“Maddie, I told you, it was mutual when we parted ways,’’ I whispered.

“Humph!’’ She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. “He could have tried a little harder. You’re not that hard to love.’’

“Thanks, I guess,’’ I said.

Marty stooped down, patting my shoulder. “You’re impossible not to love, Mace. And, don’t look now, but he’s coming this way.’’

I wondered whether Tuck would respond to a Sic ’em command? If so, I wasn’t sure if I wanted the dog to go after Carlos, or just tear through my jugular and kill me on the spot.

“Buenos días, ladies.’’ He smirked, giving us an overly courtly bow. “The four of you are looking lovely this morning.’’

Oh, please. I almost preferred the surly cop from last summer, the one who’d wanted to toss Mama in the slammer.

“Detective,’’ Maddie said, arms still folded.

Marty nodded hello, smiling shyly before lowering her eyes.

Mama stood on tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek.

Then everybody looked at me, waiting to see what I’d do.

Luckily, I didn’t have to do anything. At just that moment, a long, loud whistle shut off all the conversation in the cook site. Tuck barked. Marty put her hands over her ears. I hunched up my shoulders, feeling a fresh stab of pain to my sore neck.

“Listen up, everybody,’’ Jack Hollister shouted, as he clambered onto the oak log again.

This was probably more talking than the trail boss had done in the full month before Lawton died. But he seemed to be growing more at ease in front of the crowd.