Texas Outlaw (Rory Yates #2) - James Patterson Page 0,70

gives me a hug and hands me a paper sack full of food.

“Share that with Ariana if you see her,” she says.

“Will do.”

“And stay alive,” she adds. “I expect you to bring that pretty girlfriend of yours by to visit someday.”

I smile and tip my hat to her.

Back in my truck, I drive, but I’m not sure where to go next. Before nightfall I can be easily spotted or followed, so I don’t want to head out to see Ariana before then. My phone rings with another call from Dale Peters, and this time I decide I’ve got time to talk. He’s been a good friend. I’ll miss playing with him and Walt.

“You avoiding my calls, partner?” he says when I pick up.

“Can you blame me?” I quip as I pull my truck over to the side of the road. “Your last singer ditched town completely to get away from you.”

He chuckles.

“I’ve got bad news,” I say. “I’m not going to be able to play with you tonight. Or any other night. I’m leaving town.”

“Leaving town?”

“The Rangers are sending my replacement,” I say.

I expect him to wonder aloud if the new Ranger can sing and play guitar. Instead, he’s quiet for a moment.

“Rory, I ain’t calling so we can get together and play music. I’m calling about Skip.”

My stomach lurches. This could be the break I need.

“Do you know something about Skip’s death?” I ask.

“Hell, Rory, I know everything there is to know. I’m ashamed I ain’t said nothing till now, but I aim to make it right.”

Dale tells me he’s driving one of McCormack’s tankers back to Rio Lobo now. He asks me to meet him at the easement through the open space and gives me exact GPS coordinates.

“Bring Ariana if you can,” he says.

“Why?”

“What do you mean why? ’Cause I got the keys to her freedom, and I want to see the look on her face when she knows. She ain’t never gonna date me, but I like to see her smile, and trust me, bud, she’s gonna be smiling big.”

I urge him to tell me what he has to say over the phone. In this town, witnesses have a tendency to die before they can speak.

“It ain’t just what I got to say,” he says. “It’s what I got to show you.”

Chapter 75

WHEN DALE HANGS up, I put my truck into drive and take off. Dale could be setting a trap for me—and Ariana. He works for McCormack, after all. I could be leading us both into God knows what kind of trouble. Gareth and his soldier buddies could surround us out there in the desert canyons and force us to surrender at gunpoint.

Or kill us.

But I’m not sure I have much of a choice. Dale might be my last hope.

I pull onto Main Street. The harsh glare from the late afternoon sun reflects off the cars parked along the road. Up ahead, I see a pickup truck driving into town.

I recognize it.

It’s just like mine.

I pull over and my lieutenant, Kyle Hendricks, pulls over, too, parking his truck nose to nose with mine. He climbs out, and so do I. We stand in the middle of Main Street, two Texas Rangers with cowboy hats and sidearms, staring at each other like a couple of gunfighters in an old western.

There won’t be any shooting today, but this is a showdown nonetheless.

“Yates, you sure fucked up this time,” he says. “Every Ranger in the state, from the rookies picking their noses at their desks all the way up to the company commander, knows you screwed the pooch on this one. My lord, how the golden boy has fallen from grace.”

“Kyle,” I say, “I’ve had about enough of your bullshit.”

“Fine,” he says. “I’ll take your gun and badge right now. You can sign your resignation papers tomorrow at headquarters. Otherwise, you’re going to have to keep taking my bullshit.”

“I’m not resigning,” I say. “If anyone should turn in his star, it’s you. You’ve been acting like a damn baby ever since the shooting in the bank. Grow up. Act like a Texas Ranger, for Christ’s sake.”

“Act like a Texas Ranger? That’s rich coming from you. Hothead Rory Yates always bending the rules to suit his needs. Your old lieutenant gave you too long of a leash. I’m just trying to keep you in line.”

I can see I’m getting nowhere, so I try to shift gears.

“You don’t know what you’re getting into here in Rio Lobo. This thing is a