Chad's POV from Price of Truth

by
Sadie Parker
In Price of Truth, Andi gets caught out in the orchards, trying to harvest peaches with Rosa. Rodrigo, the foreman, sends a boy to fetch Chad. Here's what happens: 

           “Cut that heifer out!”

            Chad’s booming voice was a clear command to the dozen ranch hands helping him with cutting cows.

            “Sure thing, boss!” A ranch hand guided his horse loosely as it dodged through the herd of cattle, cutting out the specified heifer.

            Chad shaded his eyes to glance out on the horizon, and what he saw didn’t surprise him. A stocky brown horse carrying his rider was loping toward him. When the horse arrived, his rider, a small boy about seventeen years old, slid off and ran to Chad.

            “Hola, señor,” the boy hailed.

            “What is your business?” Chad spurted in rapid Spanish.

            “Rodrigo wants you to come. Ahora.”

            “¿Por qué? Why?”

            “I don’t know. He needs you to come. Now,” the boy repeated.

            “Why?” Chad tried again. 

             The boy shrugged. “I honestly don’t know!” He sounded innocent.

            “All right, I’ll go,” Chad agreed.

            “Vamonos, let’s go.” The boy hopped back on his horse and waited for Chad.

            “I’ll be right back,” Chad notified the ranch hands who were waiting for his orders. 

             They nodded. 

            “Keep cutting out the horses; you know what to do. Get ‘em all branded!"

*****

            What on earth could be wrong? Chad wondered, following the silent boy. I wonder if another ranch hand is goofing off again. He chuckled then grimaced as he remembered the incident last week. Several ranch hands had stolen a few Carter bridles, and were stupid enough to use them on the horses they rode.

            “You’re sure you don’t know what’s wrong?” Chad questioned the boy yet again.

            “¡Honesto! Honest.”

            As the pair of riders neared the peach orchard, another thought trickled through Chad’s mind, and tugged on it. Hard. What if it’s Andi?