61. Fable

Chapter 61

Fable

I sit on the patio of the Cowpoke Kitchen, one of the small restaurants in Steele, waiting. The waitress had already brought me a water and flickered away to tend to her other customers. The others had wanted to come with me, but I'd insisted they wait at another table, across the restaurant. I don't want them to know what I'm doing even if Lennox hadn't demanded I meet with him by myself. They'd been pissed when I'd told them the stipulations, that Lennox wanted to meet with me and me alone, but they'd settled on being close enough to act if something happened.

I'd chosen the Cowpoke Kitchen as neutral ground. Lennox doesn't want to draw too much attention to himself, so he won't do anything here to cause trouble. At least, I hope so. Jethro sits at my feet, his tongue out as he pants from the sunshine warming him. I have a gun Rhett had insisted I wear on my hip and the sword Trent had made me leaning against the table, my eyes on the people milling along the sidewalk. When a black sedan pulls up and the back door opens, I straighten, watching as Lennox climbs from it. He's wearing his full suit today, his eyes bright as he searches me out and smiles when he finds me. Jethro tenses, but I put my hand on him, calming him, as Lennox comes walking up and takes the seat across from me.

"The pie here is fantastic," he says by way of greeting. "I'm glad you picked it."

The waitress comes over and he immediately orders a lemonade and a slice of lemon merengue pie, telling her hello by name, like he's been here often enough to be on first name basis with all the waitstaff. I wait until she leaves, watching him carefully. When she brings back the slice and lemonade, Lennox leans forward and rests his elbows on the table.

"Now, Fable Everhart. Why am I here?" he asks. "I'm sure you didn't want to just have pie with me."

I smile. "You're right. I came to make a deal with you."

He laughs and picks up his fork, He points it at me. "You know, I've been in business for about five years now. I built The Crows from the ground up. When I found my in out here in Wyoming, a straight shot from New Jersey, I thought it fate when it brought me back out here again." He takes a bite of his pie and hums in pleasure. "And then here you are, asking me for a deal."

I tilt my chin up. "Is that so surprising?"

He laughs and takes another bite. "Believe it or not, you're not the first city girl to go toe-to-toe with me, and you're not the first one these Green River Basin cowboys seem to be wild about."

Frowning, I glance at the guys across the restaurant, taking in their tense shoulders. "What do you mean?"

"You met Kate, I'm sure?" he asks. When I nod, he grins. "Kate and I had a . . . let's call it a run-in earlier this year. We'll leave it at that." He takes another bite and sighs. "That's really good pie."

"This is cute and all," I say. "But I'm not here for pie."

He waves his fork at me. "The deal. Yes. Lay out your terms, Everhart, so I can decide if this is worth my time or not."

I straighten in my seat and meet his eyes without flinching. "How much?"

He pauses. "For what?"

"How much to get them out of your deal? For Circle Bee's freedom?" I ask.

He laughs as if I've told the funniest joke he's ever heard. "For things like this, it's about a hundred and twenty-five thousand per person. I doubt you have half a mil sitting around."

I pull out my phone. "I can transfer it right now."

He blinks in surprise. "What?"

"I'll pay you right now for their freedom. Five hundred thousand."

He sets the fork down and studies me. "You love them that much?"

I don't answer his question. "Take it or leave it, Lennox."

He shakes his head and sits back in his chair. "What is it about the cowboys out here that make women throw all common sense to the wind? These men lied to you," he points out like a dad lecturing his daughter.

"To protect me," I counter.

A slow smile pulls at his lips despite his surprise. "I like you, Fable," he says. "Shame what happened to your friend. I imagine she was just as much a spitfire as you are."

"She was more so," I answer honestly. "Shame you couldn't meet her. She'd have had you by your balls in no time."

He smiles, watching me for a long minute, before he takes another bite. "I don't want your money, Everhart. Especially money from the settlement of your best friend's death."

I don't ask how he knows where it would come from. I already realize he knows more than he should. "Then what do you want?"

"How very interesting," he comments. "Steele Mountain and now Circle Bee." He stands. "It seems Circle Bee found their queen bee in you, Everhart." He throws down a hundred-dollar bill on the table. "I'll give them their freedom under one condition."

"Which is?" I ask.

"Information. About the thirteen," he answers before picking up his plate with the pie on it.

"No more drugs?" I ask suspiciously.

"No more drugs, but I expect information when I ask," he warns. "Or else this negotiation never happened."

I nod and stand, offering my hand. "Deal."

He smirks and wraps my hand with his, shaking on it. He points to his plate with his fork. "You really should try the pie." Like we were two friends having lunch.

He weaves between the tables, over to the guys. I follow, my sword in my hand just in case.

"You have a fine cowgirl in Fable," he tells them. "Make sure you keep her safe. No idea how many dangers lurk in these mountains." He raises his brows mockingly. "I hear there's mountain lions out there." Then he leaves, walking along the sidewalk, stealing the plate and fork from the restaurant, though I suppose he left more than enough money to cover it. I watch him go, watch as the sedan appears again, and a man gets out. He hands the plate to the guy before climbing into the back seat. I only relax when it drives away.

"What happened?" Rhett asks, standing and wrapping his hand around me. "What did he say?"

"You're free," I answer, smiling up at him. "No drugs. Only information."

"Just like that?" Colt asks. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Does it matter if it doesn't make sense?" I shrug. "You're free. That's all that matters."

But something niggles at the back of my mind, a warning. We're not done with Lennox and his Crows yet. I just hope this doesn't come back to bite us all in the ass.